Objective:To investigate impact of baicalein(BA)on airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)rats by regulating TLR4/NF-κB pathway.Methods:Rats were randomly divided into model group(n=56)and sham operation group(n=10),COPD rat model was established by smoking and intratracheal instillation of LPS,successful modeling rats were randomly divided into COPD group,BA low dose(BA-L,100 mg/kg)group,BA high dose(BA-H,200 mg/kg)group,TLR4 activator LPS group(0.1 mg/kg)and BA-H+LPS group(0.1 mg/kg LPS+200 mg/kg BA).After 2 h,peak expiratory flow(PEF),forced expiratory volume in first second(FEV1),forced vital capacity(FVC)and other lung function indexes were measured;serum TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured;bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)was collected to analyze number and classification of cells;lung tissues were isolated to analyze pathological changes and TLR4,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions.Results:Com-pared with sham operation group,pathological damage in COPD group was serious,PEF,FEV1 and FVC were decreased significantly,serum IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,leukocytes number,neutrophils and lymphocytes proportions,TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions were increased significantly(P<0.05);compared with COPD group,pathological damage in LPS group was further aggra-vated,PEF,FEV1 and FVC were reduced significantly,serum IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,leukocytes number,neutrophils and lym-phocytes proportions,TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions were increased significantly(P<0.05),pathological damage in BA-L group and BA-H group gradually improved,PEF,FEV1 and FVC were increased significantly,serum IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,leukocytes number,neutrophils and lymphocytes proportions,TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions were decreased significantly(P<0.05);LPS reversed protective effect of BA-H on COPD rats.Conclusion:BA can improve airway inflammation in COPD rats,which may be related to inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Objective:To investigate impact of baicalein(BA)on airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)rats by regulating TLR4/NF-κB pathway.Methods:Rats were randomly divided into model group(n=56)and sham operation group(n=10),COPD rat model was established by smoking and intratracheal instillation of LPS,successful modeling rats were randomly divided into COPD group,BA low dose(BA-L,100 mg/kg)group,BA high dose(BA-H,200 mg/kg)group,TLR4 activator LPS group(0.1 mg/kg)and BA-H+LPS group(0.1 mg/kg LPS+200 mg/kg BA).After 2 h,peak expiratory flow(PEF),forced expiratory volume in first second(FEV1),forced vital capacity(FVC)and other lung function indexes were measured;serum TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured;bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)was collected to analyze number and classification of cells;lung tissues were isolated to analyze pathological changes and TLR4,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions.Results:Com-pared with sham operation group,pathological damage in COPD group was serious,PEF,FEV1 and FVC were decreased significantly,serum IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,leukocytes number,neutrophils and lymphocytes proportions,TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions were increased significantly(P<0.05);compared with COPD group,pathological damage in LPS group was further aggra-vated,PEF,FEV1 and FVC were reduced significantly,serum IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,leukocytes number,neutrophils and lym-phocytes proportions,TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions were increased significantly(P<0.05),pathological damage in BA-L group and BA-H group gradually improved,PEF,FEV1 and FVC were increased significantly,serum IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,leukocytes number,neutrophils and lymphocytes proportions,TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 expressions were decreased significantly(P<0.05);LPS reversed protective effect of BA-H on COPD rats.Conclusion:BA can improve airway inflammation in COPD rats,which may be related to inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Blinding is an important means to control and reduce measurement bias in clinical research， and blinding assessment is the main method to measure the success of the blinding method. By summarizing the current situation of blinding assessment in randomized controlled trials （RCT） of acupuncture， it was found that the report rate of blinding assessment by acupuncture RCT was relatively low， and the studies reporting blinding assessment had several problems， such as incomplete assessment individuals， unreasonable assessment questionnaires， and unscientific analysis methods， and the setting of the assessment time point is controversial. Given the above problems， this paper discussed the key elements of blinding assessment individuals， assessment questionnaires， assessment time points， and analysis methods. It is suggested that blinding assessment should be carried out on all blinded participants and personnel in the study； the assessment questionnaire should be designed by direct inquiry， with responses designed using three or more categorical options that include an "unclear" option； the early stage of the trial should be taken as the mandatory time point for assessment， integrating the evaluation index of the James blinding index and the Bang blinding index， in order to standardize the application of blinding assessment in acupuncture RCT and improve the quality of acupuncture clinical research.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for frailty in older adult patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its correlation with oxidative stress.Methods:A total of 168 patients with COPD aged 60 years and above, who were treated at Pingxiang People's Hospital from August 2022 to August 2023, were selected as the study subjects using the convenient sampling method. The FRAIL scale was utilized to assess frailty status. Patients were divided into two groups based on their FRAIL scale scores: the frail group (≥ 3 points, n = 109), the non-frail/pre-frail group (< 3 points, n = 59). Patients in the non-frail/pre-frail group were sub-divided into the pre-frail group (1-2 points, n = 23), and the non-frail group (0 points, n = 36). Serum levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde, and total antioxidant capacity were measured. One-way analysis of variance was performed to compare differences between groups, and correlation analysis was conducted. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for frailty. Results:The incidence of frailty among 168 older adult patients with COPD was 64.9% (109/168). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age ( OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.02-2.25), body mass index ( OR = 4.11, 95% CI 2.02-8.42), comorbidities ( OR = 2.57, 95% CI 1.31-5.02), activities of daily living ( OR = 3.07, 95% CI 1.54-6.06), malnutrition ( OR = 2.97, 95% CI 1.56-5.41), and cognitive impairment ( OR = 2.87, 95% CI 1.42-5.88) were risk factors for frailty in older patients with COPD ( P < 0.05). The frailty scores of older adult patients with COPD were significantly positively correlated with serum levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde ( γ= 0.67, 0.65, P = 0.008, 0.006), and negatively correlated with total antioxidant capacity ( γ= -0.54, P = 0.012). Conclusion:Age, body mass index, comorbidities, activities of daily living, malnutrition, and cognitive impairment are risk factors for frailty in older adult patients with COPD, and the severity of frailty is markedly associated with levels of oxidative stress products.

Objective:To investigate the effect of astragaloside Ⅳ on the apoptosis of thyroid cells in Hashimoto's thyroiditis(HT)rats and Ras homolog gene family member A(RhoA)/Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinase 2(ROCK2)pathway.Methods:The HT rat model was induced by subcutaneous injection of thyroglobulin combined with high iodine drinking water and randomly divided into model group,astragaloside(80 mg/kg)group,Rhosin(RhoA inhibitor,40 mg/kg)group,astragaloside Ⅳ(80 mg/kg)+ Rhosin(40 mg/kg)group(12 rats in each group),another 12 SD rats were selected and drank water normally and injected the same dose of saline subcutaneously as control group.After the drugs were grouped and processed,the serum anti-thyroglobulin antibody(TGAb),anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb)levels and the inflammatory factors IL-6,IL-17,IL-1β contents were measured by ELISA kits;the pathological changes of thyroid tissue in each group were detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;the apopto-sis rate of rat thyroid cells in each group were detected by TUNEL staining;the expressions of RhoA/ROCK2 pathway proteins in thy-roid tissues of rats in each group were detected by Western blot.Results:Compared with the control group,the thyroid follicles in the model group had abnormal structure,some atrophy or disappearance,disordered arrangement,surrounding inflammatory cell infiltra-tion,and obvious pathological damage to the thyroid tissue,the serum TGAb,TPOAb,IL-6,IL-17 and IL-1β levels,thyroid cell apoptosis rate,and thyroid tissue RhoA and ROCK2 protein expression levels were significantly increased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the pathological damage of the thyroid tissue of rats in the drug intervention group were reduced,the serum TGAb,TPOAb,IL-6,IL-17 and IL-1β levels,thyroid cell apoptosis rate,and thyroid tissue RhoA and ROCK2 protein expression levels were decreased(P<0.05);compared with astragaloside Ⅳ group and the Rhosin group respectively,the pathological damage of the thyroid tissue of rats in the astragaloside Ⅳ+Rhosin group were further reduced,the serum TGAb,TPOAb,IL-6,IL-17 and IL-1β levels,thyroid cell apoptosis rate,thyroid tissue RhoA and ROCK2 protein expression levels were decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Astragaloside Ⅳ may down-regulate the expression of RhoA/ROCK2 pathway to reduce the inflammatory injury of thyroid tissue,inhib-it thyroid cell apoptosis,and improve the symptoms of HT in rats.

The intestinal is the main and most important part of human flora settlement.The factors affecting the composition and diversity of intestinal flora in early life mainly include gestational age, delivery mode, feeding mode, antibiotic exposure, etc.The occurrence of neonatal late-onset sepsis(LOS)is associated with intestinal flora imbalance.The use of probiotics to regulate intestinal flora can reduce the incidence and mortality of LOS, which is helpful for treatment and prevention of LOS.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between exhaled nitric oxide and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).Methods:Eighty patients with OSAHS (OSAHS group) who received treatment in Pingxiang People's Hospital from September 2019 to September 2021 were included in this study. An additional 60 patients with snoring (snoring group) who concurrently received treatment in the same hospital were included in the control group. The value of exhaled nitric oxide was measured using an exhaled nitric oxide detector. The relationship between exhaled nitric oxide and apnea-hypopnea index, and the lowest oxygen saturation level during sleep (LSaO 2) was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. The optimal cut-off value of exhaled nitric oxide for predicting OSAHS was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results:Exhaled nitric oxide and apnea-hypopnea index in the OSAHS group were (18.61 ± 6.23) μg/L and (44.50 ± 16.15) times/hour, respectively, which were significantly greater than (11.17 ± 4.31) μg/L and (2.91 ± 0.79) times/hour in the snoring group ( t = 7.94, 14.08, both P < 0.05). LSaO 2 in the OSAHS group was significantly lower than that in the snoring group [(66.53 ± 10.17)% vs. (92.15 ± 1.62)%, t = -13.61, P < 0.05]. Correlation analysis showed that exhaled nitric oxide levels in patients with OSAHS were positively correlated with apnea-hyponea index ( r = 0.56, P = 0.001), and negatively correlated with the lowest oxygen saturation level ( r = -0.54, P = 0.002). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that when the optimal cut-off value of exhaled nitric oxide was 11.5 μg/L, the area under the curve was 0.846, with sensitivity of 91.3%, and specificity of 63.3%. Conclusion:Patients with OSAHS have airway inflammatory reactions. The level of nitric oxide in exhaled air is positively correlated with the severity of OSAHS, which has a certain clinical value.

The wind, phlegm, and blood stasis are important pathogenic factors of cough variant asthma in children, and they are also the pathological products in the occurrence and development of this disease. They have typical pathogenic characteristics. The main pathogenesis characteristics of cough caused by wind, phlegm and blood stasis are as follows that external wind attacks the lungs and induces internal wind, phlegm and dampness accumulates in the lungs, and the lungs fail to declare and descend, and blood stasis obstructs the collaterals and stagnation of Qi. The wind, phlegm, and blood stasis have their own pathogenic characteristics, and their cough-causing also have their own pathogenic characteristics and clinical characteristics. Based on the characteristics of wind, phlegm, and blood stasis, the application of medicine based on the differentiation of symptoms and signs can effectively prevent and treat this disease, and provide theoretical basis and treatment ideas for the treatment of cough variant asthma in children with Chinese medicine.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)/programmed death receptor ligand-1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy combined with concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).Methods:From November 2018 to October 2019, 51 LACC patients in Qinhuangdao First Hospital who received anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) combined with concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy [intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)+ TP (taxol+ carboplatin) chemotherapy] were selected as the observation group. 51 LACC patients who received concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy were selected as the control group. The objective remission rate, disease control rate, tumor markers [squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCAg), soluble cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125)], proliferation and apoptosis indicators [survivin (Survivin), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Caspase-3 (Caspase-3), apoptosis-promoting substance (Bax)], PD-1/PD-L1 [soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1), CD4 + T cell surface PD-1 expression (PD-1 CD4 + T cells), CD8 + T cell surface PD-1 expression (PD-1 CD8 + T cell) and CD14 + monocyte surface PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 CD14 + monocyte)], safety and survival rate within 1 year were compared between the two groups. Results:(1) Disease control and safety: the objective response rate and disease control rate of the observation group were 80.39%(41/51) and 92.16%(47/51), respectively, which were higher than those of the control group by 39.22%(20/51) and 70.59%(36/51) (all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the incidence of side effects between the groups (all P>0.05). (2) Tumor markers and proliferation and apoptosis indexes: compared with those before treatment, the levels of serum SCCAg, CYFRA21-1, CEA, CA125, survivin and Bcl-2 in the two groups after treatment were significantly lower, and the levels of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly higher; the above indexes in the observation group were better than those in the control group after treatment (all P<0.05). (3) PD-1/PD-L1: after treatment, sPD-L1, PD-1 CD4 + T cells, PD-1 CD8 + T cells and PD-L1 CD14 + monocytes in the observation group were significantly lower than those before treatment (all P<0.05). After treatment, the sPD-L1, PD-1 CD4 + T cells, PD-1 CD8 + T cells, PD-L1 CD14 + monocytes in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). (4) Survival: the survival rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group within 1 year ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The clinical effect of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy combined with concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of LACC is significant. It can effectively inhibit the progression of the disease by regulating tumor markers, proliferation and apoptosis indicators and PD-1/PD-L1 expression without increasing the risk of treatment, and has a positive effect on improving the survival rate of patients.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell subsets and the therapeutic effect of programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab in treatment of uterine cervical cancer. Methods:The data of 105 patients with uterine cervical cancer who received pemblizumab therapy based on chemotherapy in the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao from January 2018 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell in peripheral blood of patients. The efficacy and safety were analyzed. According to the efficacy, all patients were divided into remission group (complete remission + partial remission) and non-remission group (stable disease + progressive disease). The clinical characteristics and CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio of the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for the efficacy. The efficacy of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio predicting the therapeutic effect of patients was analyzed by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results:The objective remission rate of all patients was 17.14% (18/105), and the incidence of adverse reaction was 39.05% (41/105). The proportion of patients with a family history of cervical cancer in the remission group was lower than that than in the non-remission group [5.56% (1/18) vs. 34.48% (30/87)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.00, P=0.014). The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell of 105 patients before and after treatment was (0.83±0.21)% and (0.77±0.10)%, respectively; the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the remission group was (0.55±0.26)%, (0.31±0.12)%, respectively; the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the non-remission group was (0.89±0.30)%, (0.87±0.28)%, respectively. The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell after treatment in the remission group was lower than that before treatment ( P < 0.05); there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the non-remission group ( P>0.05). The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the non-remission group was higher than that in the remission group (all P<0.001). The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell higher than the mean value of both groups before treatment and the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell higher than the mean value of both groups after treatment were independent risk factor of disease remission ( OR=2.542, 95% CI 1.649-3.918, P<0.001; OR=2.936, 95% CI 2.154-4.002, P<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio predicting the disease remission before treatment was 0.720, and its best cut-off value was 0.77%, the senfitivity was 77.78%, the specificity was 70.11%. Conclusions:Early detection of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio helps to predict the effect of PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab therapy for uterine cervical cancer.