ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects and safety of the optimized new Shengmai Powder （优化新生脉散方） on exercise tolerance in patients with chronic heart failure （CHF） of qi deficiency， blood stasis， and fluid retention syndrome. MethodsA randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 78 CHF patients with qi deficiency， blood stasis， and fluid retention syndrome were recruited and randomly assigned to a treatment group （39 cases） and a control group （39 cases）. On the basis of conventional western medical therapy， patients in the treatment group additionally received the optimized new Shengmai Powder granules， while the control group was given an oral placebo of optimized new Shengmai Powder granules. Patients in both groups took 30.6 g each time， twice a day， mixed with water for administration， with a total treatment course of 4 weeks. The primary outcomes were 6-minute walk distance （6MWD） and peak oxygen uptake （Peak VO₂） measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Secondary outcomes included New York Heart Association （NYHA） functional classification， B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP） levels， cardiac function indexes including left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， left ventri-cular end-systolic diameter （LVESD） and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD）， Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire （MLHFQ） scores， and scores of four diagnostic information of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. All indicators were assessed once before and after treatment respectively. Safety indicators were evaluated， and adverse events during the trial were recorded. ResultsAll patients in both groups were included in the full ana-lysis set （FAS） and safety set （SS）. Compared with baseline， the 6MWD and Peak VO₂ of cardiopulmonary exercise test in the treatment group significantly increased after treatment， while the MLHFQ scores， serum BNP levels and scores of TCM four diagnostic information significantly decreased， and the NYHA cardiac function grade significantly improved （P＜0.01）. After treatment， the 6MWD and Peak VO₂ of cardiopulmonary exercise test， as well as their changes from baseline in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group； the MLHFQ scores， serum BNP levels and scores of TCM four diagnostic information in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group； and the improvement of NYHA cardiac function grade in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group （P＜0.01）. There was no statistically significant differences in all indicators after treatment in the control group （P＞0.05）. The incidence of adverse events was 5.1% （2/39） in the treatment group and 2.6% （1/39） in the control group， with no statistically significant difference between groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine treatment， the addition of the optimized new Shengmai Powder can further improve exercise tolerance， cardiac function and quality of life in patients with CHF of qi deficiency， blood stasis and fluid retention syndrome， and show good safety.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of Scleromitrion diffusum on gastric mucosal epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in rats with gastric precancerous lesion. METHODS: Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group (n=11), model control group (n=13), Scleromitrion diffusum (SD) group (n=13) and vitase group (n=13). Gastric precancerous lesion animal model was prepared by 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine complex polyfactor method, and the drugs were administrated by gavage once a day for 6 weeks. The pathological changes of gastric mucosa were observed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, the expression of EMT marker proteins were detected with immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the model control group, the gastric mucosal injury was significantly attenuated in the Scleromitrion diffusum group, the mucosal tissue structure gradually recovered, the saccular expansion area was reduced, and the inflammatory infiltration was ameliorated. The expression of epithelial cadherin was higher, and the expression of neural cadherin and vimentin in the Scleromitrion diffusum group were lower than those of model control group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Scleromitrion diffusum can ameliorate gastric mucosal injury in rats with gastric precancerous lesion by reversing the EMT.
Animals ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects* ; Precancerous Conditions/metabolism* ; Gastric Mucosa/metabolism* ; Stomach Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Male ; Cadherins/metabolism*

The nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in the prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). WNK1 kinase negatively regulates NLRP3 in various inflammatory conditions, but its role in early brain injury (EBI) after SAH remains unclear. In this study, we used an in vivo SAH model in rats/mice and AAV-WNK1 intraventricular injection to investigate its neuroprotective mechanisms. WNK1 expression was significantly reduced in SAH patient blood and SAH model brain tissue, correlating negatively with microglial activation. AAV-WNK1 alleviated brain edema, neuronal necrosis, behavioral deficits, and inflammation by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In hemin-stimulated BV-2 cells, WNK1 overexpression reduced NLRP3 activation and inflammatory cytokines. Chloride counteracted WNK1's inhibitory effects, and WNK1 suppressed P2X7R-induced NLRP3 activation. Mechanistically, WNK1 functioned via the OXSR1/STK39 pathway. These findings highlight WNK1 as a key regulator of intracellular chloride balance and neuroinflammation, presenting a potential therapeutic target for SAH treatment.
Animals ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/complications* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Rats ; Mice ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; WNK Lysine-Deficient Protein Kinase 1/genetics* ; Male ; Humans ; Chlorides/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Brain Injuries/metabolism* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases

Objective:To assess the disease burden of lung cancer associated with occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in China from 1990 to 2021 using the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data.Methods:In July 2024, data on occupational PAHs exposure-associated lung cancer from 1990 to 2021 were extracted from the GBD database, including mortality rates, age-standardized mortality rates, number of deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates, age-standardized DALYs rates, and number of DALYs for different genders and ages. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze trends in lung cancer mortality rates, age-standardized mortality rates, DALYs rates, and age-standardized DALYs rates over different years, genders, and ages. Joinpoint regression models were used to calculate the annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC), and to identify change points and trends in different periods within the data.Results:From 1990 to 2021, the mortality rate of lung cancer associated with occupational PAHs exposure increased from 0.085 per 100000 to 0.259 per 100000, and the age-standardized mortality rate increased from 0.107 per 100000 to 0.162 per 100000. The DALYs rate increased from 2.746 per 100000 to 7.389 per 100000, and the age-standardized DALYs rate increased from 3.330 per 100000 to 4.679 per 100000. The number of lung cancer deaths and DALYs both peaked in the 65-69 age group. Joinpoint regression analysis showed significant upward trends in mortality, age-standardized mortality, DALYs rate, and age-standardized DALYs rate from 1990 to 2021, with AAPCs of 3.655%, 1.382%, 3.256%, and 1.108%, respectively (all P<0.001). From 2016 to 2021, both the mortality rate and age-standardized mortality rate increased, with APCs of 4.163% and 1.735%, respectively. From 2015 to 2021, the DALYs rate increased (APC: 3.137%), and from 2016 to 2021, the age-standardized DALYs rate also rose (APC: 1.578%). For females, both mortality and DALYs rates increased from 2015 to 2021 (APCs: 6.269% and 5.426%, respectively). Among males, the mortality rate increased from 2018 to 2021 (APC: 3.477%) . Conclusion:From 1990 to 2021, the disease burden of lung cancer related to occupational PAHs exposure in China has significantly increased, particularly among the elderly population. Public health policies should enhance screening and prevention efforts targeting the high-risk populations.

Objective:To develop a health management model tailored for the elderly population in rural areas and to evaluate its effectiveness.Methods:This before-and-after controlled intervention study was conducted from January 2024 to June 2024 in rural areas of Jiaocheng County, Shanxi Province. A multi-stage stratified random sampling method was used to include 5 000 permanent residents aged ≥65 years. A baseline health survey was first conducted to collect multidimensional data, including demographic characteristics, chronic disease information, cognitive and psychological scales, sleep quality, and health service utilization. Using the comprehensive health index as the outcome variable, seven machine learning models, including LightGBM, were constructed to identify key factors influencing health status and explore intervention pathways. Subsequently, under the framework of a "five-level linkage+shared database, " comprehensive interventions such as health communication, integrated medical and elderly care, and dynamic follow-ups were implemented. Differences in major health indicators were compared before and after the 6-month intervention.Results:At baseline, the prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease were 58.2%, 24.8%, and 16.1%, respectively. The rate of cognitive impairment was 36.9%, and the positive rates for depression and anxiety were 27.3% and 17.4%, respectively. Machine learning analysis showed that the Naive Bayes model had the best predictive performance (area under the curve=0.966), with key influencing factors including number of follow-ups, number of health lectures, and medical check-up frequency. After six months of intervention, systolic blood pressure decreased from (142.95±15.84) to (138.37±17.20) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), fasting glucose from (6.43±1.26) to (6.09±1.40) mmol/L, and MMSE scores increased from (25.04±3.28) to (25.71±3.29) points. The positive rates of anxiety and depression declined from 17.4% to 12.8% and 27.3% to 20.6%, respectively. Follow-up compliance improved from 76.5% to 80.5%, and health record completeness from 69.8% to 75.8% (all P<0.001). Conclusions:The integrated health management model based on the"five-level linkage+shared database,"incorporating health education and the integration of medical and elderly care, effectively improves chronic disease control and enhances cognitive and psychological health among older adults in rural areas of Shanxi Province. This model also strengthens service adherence and management efficiency.

Objective:To evaluate the application effect of intelligent management of health management (examination) institutions in Shanxi Province.Methods:In this study, a cross-sectional study was adopted. In October 2023, through convenient sampling, 300 health management (examination) institutions in Shanxi Province were investigated according to the four regions of northern Shanxi, central Shanxi, southern Shanxi and southeastern Shanxi, and the application information of intelligent management in the whole process from January to December 2022 was collected. According to the evaluation indicators in the documents of the National Health and Wellness Commission, six indicators were analyzed, including the completion rate of health questionnaire, the integrity of physical examination files, the filing rate of physical examination cycle, the evaluation rate of cardiovascular risk diseases, the re-examination rate of patients with chronic diseases (blood pressure, blood lipid and blood glucose indicators) and the follow-up rate of important abnormal results.Results:The completion rates of health questionnaires in northern Shanxi, central Shanxi, southern Shanxi and southeastern Shanxi were 54.9%, 84.2%, 93.2% and 98.2% ( χ 2=225 050.17, P<0.001), and the filing rates of health checkups in various regions were 89.1%, 94.7%, 94.0% and 94.5% ( χ 2=10 254.02, P<0.001). The filing rates of physical examination cycles in each region were 21.8%, 23.4%, 24.3% and 24.7% ( χ 2=734.15, P<0.001), and the assessment rates of cardiovascular risk diseases in each region were 84.5%, 85.4%, 80.2% and 86.2% ( χ 2=4 627.99, P<0.001). The reexamination rates of patients with chronic diseases (blood pressure, blood lipid and blood glucose indicators) in different regions were 38.8%, 39.7%, 39.3% and 39.5% ( χ 2=24.24, P<0.001), and the follow-up rates of important abnormal results were 81.7%, 84.1%, 82.9% and 83.9% ( χ 2=255.02, P<0.001). Conclusion:Shanxi health management (examination) institutions have achieved certain results in the application of intelligent management in the whole process, but there is still much room for improvement in the filing of physical examination cycle and re-examination of chronic diseases.

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic value of radiotherapy in combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 195 NSCLC patients who lacked epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations and were treated at the Anyang Tumor Hospital and the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2019 to December 2021. These patients consisted of 166 male and 29 female cases, aged from 28 to 85 years, with an average age of (61.4 ± 9.3) years. These patients were divided into two groups, with each group receiving the radiotherapy and combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy (the radiotherapy and combination group, n = 60) and combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy only (the combination group, n = 135). Then, propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to analyze the differences in prognosis between both groups before and after PSM, as well as the short-term efficacy and adverse reactions after PSM. Results:For the 195 NSCLC patients, the median follow-up time was 31.8 months, with median overall survival (OS) and median progression-free survival (PFS) recorded at 23.8 months and 9.2 months, respectively. The radiotherapy and combination group exhibited enhanced 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 78.5%, 55.9%, and 45.1%, respectively, significantly higher than the combination group (48.3%, 35.6%, and 26.6%, respectively, χ2 = 14.65, P < 0.001). Similarly, the radiotherapy and combination group displayed 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS rates of 51.9%, 29.5%, and 22.7%, respectively, exceeding those of the combination group (30.0%, 24.5%, and 16.9%, respectively, χ2=6.09, P=0.014). After PSM, the radiotherapy and combination group manifested an objective response rate (ORR) of 60.0% (33/55) and a disease control rate (DCR) of 89.1% (49/55), which were 16.4% (9/55) and 56.4% (31/55), respectively for the combination group. These results suggested that the radiotherapy and combination group demonstrated significantly higher ORR and DCR ( χ2 = 22.18, 14.85, P<0.001). After PSM, the radiotherapy and combination group yielded 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 70.9%, 52.3%, and 41.9%, respectively, significantly than the combination group (43.6%, 29.8%, and 27.1%, respectively, χ2=8.95, P=0.003). The radiotherapy and combination group exhibited 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS rates of 47.3%, 27.3%, and 18.7%, respectively, significantly higher than the combination group (23.6%, 17.6%, and 15.4%, respectively, χ2 = 6.71, P = 0.010). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that independent factors affecting OS included clinical stage, treatment regimen, number of immunotherapy cycles, and treatment efficacy ( HR = 1.88, 2.11, 0.23, 1.79, P < 0.05). Similarly, independent factors affecting PFS consisted of treatment regimen, number of immunotherapy cycles, and treatment efficacy ( HR = 1.62, 0.37, 3.42, P <0.05). There were no statistical differences in the incidence of grade ≥ 2 bone marrow suppression (18.2% vs. 12.7%) and grade ≥ 2 pneumonia (21.8% vs. 14.5%) between both groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Introducing radiotherapy into combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy as first-line treatment for oligometastatic NSCLC can optimize both local and systemic disease control and significantly improve patient prognosis without increasing treatment-related adverse reactions.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Huatan Quyu Decoction on learning and memory abilities in rats with vascular dementia(VD).Methods Totally 112 male SD rats were randomly selected with 16 rats as the sham-operation group,the remaining rats were used to prepare VD models by segmental ligation of the common carotid artery.The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group,Huatan Quyu Decoction low-,medium-and high-dosage groups(6.1,12.1,24.2 g/kg),donepezil hydrochloride group(0.5 mg/kg)and combination group(Huatan Quyu Decoction 12.1 g/kg+donepezil hydrochloride 0.5 mg/kg),with 16 rats in each group.Each group was given the corresponding treatment measures for 4 weeks.The Morris water maze test was used to assess learning and memory abilities,neurological function was evaluated using Garcia score,HE staining was used to observe the morphology of the hippocampal tissue,ELISA was employed to detect the serum content of Aβ,immunohistochemistry was utilized to observe the β-catenin,LRP6 and GSK-3β protein expression in brain tissue.Results Compared with the sham-operation group,the escape latency of the model group rats was prolonged(P<0.01),the number of crossing platforms was reduced(P<0.01),and the neurological deficit score was decreased(P<0.01),the arrangement of hippocampal tissue cells was disorderly,and the tissue was severely damaged,the serum Aβ content increased(P<0.01),the expressions of β-catenin and LRP6 protein in brain tissue decreased,and the expression of GSK-3β protein increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the escape latency of rats in each administration group was shortened,the number of crossing platforms increased,the neurological deficit score increased,the number of hippocampal cells was relatively more,the arrangement was more orderly,and the structure was relatively complete,the serum Aβ content decreased,the expressions of β-catenin and LRP6 proteins increased,and the expression of GSK-3β protein decreased.Among them,Huatan Quyu Decoction high-dosage group had a significantly better effect than Huatan Quyu Decoction low-and medium-dosage groups(P<0.01),and there was no statistical significance in various indicators compared with the donepezil hydrochloride group(P>0.05).Compared with the donepezil hydrochloride group,the combination group showed significant improvements in learning and memory abilities(P<0.01),the neurological deficit score significantly increased(P<0.01),the number of hippocampal cells significantly increased,arranged neatly,and structurally intact,the serum Aβ content significantly decreased(P<0.01),the expression of β-catenin and LRP6 proteins significantly increased,and the expression of GSK-3β protein significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Huatan Quyu Decoction can repair cognitive function in VD rats,improve learning and memory abilities,and alleviate VD symptoms by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to reduce serum Aβ content,decrease the apoptosis of nerve cells and alleviate the degree of pathological damage in hippocampal tissue.

Objective To understand the current status of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)systematic reviews/Meta-analysis over the past 10 years.Methods Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,PubMed,Web of Knowledge,CNKI,SinoMed,WanFang Data,VIP databases,as well as the Cochrane Register and PROSPERO registration platform were searched to collect TCM-related systematic reviews/Meta-analysis published between January 2015 and December 2024.Literature was screened,and standardization of institutions,countries,and journals was performed.Data cleaning was conducted,and trends in publication years,high-frequency diseases,journals,institutions,and highly cited papers were analyzed.Results A total of 11,174 papers were included,involving approximately 56,656 authors from 1,422 institutions across 44 countries,covering 1,300 journals and 1,070 diseases.The top five institutions in terms of publications were Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(954 papers),Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine(928 papers),China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences(537 papers),Tianjin University of Chinese Medicine(460 papers),and Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine(393 papers).Foreign institutions with the highest publication volumes were concentrated in South Korea,Iran,and Australia.The most frequently published Chinese journal was Zhongyi Clinical Research with 332 papers,while the most published English journal was Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine with 311 papers.There were 282 single-author papers involving 271 authors,and the most cited paper was referenced 323 times,The three most frequently studied diseases were diabetes(267 papers,2.39％),angina pectoris(214 papers,1.92％),and osteoarthritis(210 papers,1.88％).Non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture(1,265 papers,11.32％),auricular therapy(101 papers,0.90％),and Tai Chi(98 papers,0.88％)were most frequently reported.In pharmacological interventions,studies on Tripterygium wilfordii tablets(76 papers,0.68％)and Danhong injection(54 papers,0.48％)were more common.Conclusion The systematic reviews/Meta-analysis method is widely used in the field of TCM,and the field continues to grow.Active academic teams,institutions,and journals have emerged.Over the past decade,there has been a considerable body of evidence in Chinese systematic reviews on TCM for chronic diseases such as diabetes,angina pectoris,and osteoarthritis.In English-language studies,non-pharmacological therapies like acupuncture have been more widely reported,and some high-impact studies have emerged.However,challenges remain,such as issues with research transparency and methodological standardization.Future efforts should focus on establishing transparent systems and quality control mechanisms to further enhance the reliability,accuracy,and dissemination of TCM evidence-based research.

Objective To investigate the effect of the rs3765467 polymorphism of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor(GLP-1R)gene on the efficacy of Liraglutide(Lir)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).Methods A total of 281 patients with T2DM from May 2022 to May 2023 were selected,including 125 patients with simple T2DM(T2DM group)and 156 patients with T2DM combined with MAFLD(T2DM+MAFLD group).120 healthy individuals during the same period were selected as the control(NC)group.The related indexes of glucose and lipid metabolism were detected.The polymorphism of GLP-1R gene rs3765467 was detected.Results BMI,FPG,HbA1c,HOMA-IR and TG in each group increased in turn(P<0.05),while the distribution frequency of genotype GG and allele G decreased in turn(P<0.05).TC and LDL-C in T2DM and T2DM+MAFLD groups were higher than those in NC group(P<0.05).TC and TG levels in genotype GA/AA patients were significantly higher than those in genotype GG patients(P<0.05).Compared with before treatment,the levels of BMI,FPG,HbA1c,HOMA-IR,TC,TG and LDL-C in T2DM patients with MAFLD were significantly decreased after Lir treatment(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in BMI and related indexes of glucose and lipid metabolism in GG and GA/AA patients before and after Lir treatment(P>0.05).Conclusions The distribution frequency of GG and G allele at rs3765467 of GLP-1R gene is reduced in T2DM patients with MAFLD.The carrying of allele A was associated with increased TC and TG levels,but did not affect the efficacy of Lir in reducing weight and improving glycolipid metabolism.