This article adopts Professor CHEN Chaozu′s " sanjiao composed by membrane-striae" theory as its foundation to explore the relationship between irritable bowel syndrome and functional/structural abnormalities of the membrane-striae. Sanjiao encompasses both the tangible membrane and the intangible striae. These striae permeate the entire body，and their pathological changes comprehensively reflect qi，body fluids，and fasciae. Based on the physiological function of the membrane-striae in regulating qi and fluids，the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by a disharmony of membrane-striae and an imbalance of the qi-fluid interactions. In the early stage，external pathogens，emotional factors，or dietary stimuli often cause membrane-striae constriction and disordered qi-fluid circulation. In the middle stage，stagnant fluids gradually transform into phlegm retention，leading to membrane-striae obstruction. In the late stage，deficiency of vital qi becomes predominant，manifesting as laxity of membrane-striae with impaired control or weakened conduction. The treatment of irritable bowel syndrome should adopt " unblocking" as the guiding principle. In the early stage，therapy should focus on eliminating pathogenic factors and soothing membrane-striae to promptly restore qi-fluid circulation，thereby attaining unblocking through spasm relief. In the middle stage，treatment should focus on resolving tangible obstructions in membrane-striae，achieving unblocking via dredging. In the late stage，the emphasis should shift to reinforcing healthy qi，particularly by strengthening spleen-kidney yang qi，and achieving unblocking through supplementation. Concurrently，throughout the entire treatment process，the regulation of mental state and easing of emotional tension should be integrated to alleviate patient′s anxiety，achieving the goal of holistic treatment of both body and mind.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the roles and functions of full-time pharmacists in the management of early-phase clinical trials of antineoplastic drugs， and to provide theoretical and practical support for their transformation from traditional drug managers to multi-dimensional roles in clinical research. METHODS Combined with relevant regulations such as the Good Clinical Practice （GCP） （2020 Edition）， and based on the clinical practice experience of the Phase Ⅰ Clinical Ward in our hospital， this study systematically sorted out full-time pharmacists’ roles and functions in early-phase clinical trials of antineoplastic drugs， and explored the core challenges and optimization pathways for role transformation and capacity-building of domestic full-time clinical trial pharmacists. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Full-time pharmacists assumed multiple roles in early-phase clinical trials of antineoplastic drugs， including providing pharmaceutical support for protocol design， implementing whole-process standardized management of clinical trial drugs， ensuring medication safety for clinical trial subjects/participants， conducting quality control throughout the clinical trial process， and serving as a bridge for interdisciplinary collaboration and communication. Currently， there are challenges in this field in China， such as unclear roles， an imperfect capacity building system， and insufficient regulatory support. This paper proposes that by establishing a standardized role framework， clarifying the core responsibilities and authorities of full-time pharmacists， and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to provide comprehensive support for their roles， so as to fully harness their pharmaceutical expertise and contribute to the standardization and efficiency of the antineoplastic new drug development process.

ObjectiveSpinal cord injury (SCI) directly impairs the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system, induces intestinal dysfunction, and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Preclinical studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) therapy can regulate the brain-gut axis and is used to treat central nervous system diseases such as major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has established that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from EA-treated SCI rats restored intestinal motility and colonic morphology. However, it remains unclear whether the regulation of gut microbiota by EA therapy directly contributes to neural repair after SCI. This study aims to explore whether gut microbiota mediates the neuroprotective effect of EA in the treatment of SCI and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe study employed RNA transcriptome analysis of spinal cord tissue to characterize gene expression profiles and to identify key signaling pathways following EA treatment for SCI. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes in spinal cord tissue. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to detect the effects of EA on the expression of proteins related to nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) -dependent pyroptosis. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the study observed alterations in gut microbiota diversity and community composition in SCI rats. Prior to establishing SCI models, rats were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail to induce gut dysbiosis, and the effects on intestinal function and spinal cord neural repair were evaluated. FMT was performed to investigate the regulatory effects of post-EA FMT on motor function, general status, liver and spleen indices, and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in SCI rats. ResultsEA improved motor function and reduced regulated neuronal cell death in SCI rats. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the activation of immune- and inflammation-related pathways post-SCI, including NOD-like receptors, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. EA primarily influenced intestinal inflammation and autoimmune functions. 16S rDNA sequencing illustrated that EA did not alter the diversity of gut microbiota. However, EA altered the gut microbiota composition in SCI rats, increasing Lactobacillus and Akkermansia genera while rebalancing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics disrupted the intestinal barrier, reduced the expression of intestinal barrier proteins Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin, elevated serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels, exacerbated spinal cord tissue damage, and hindered motor function recovery in SCI rats. FMT from donors treated with EA reduced LBP levels in the intestine, blood, and spinal cord of rats, inhibited the TLR4 myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF‑κB pathway and NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, and improved motor function. On the other hand, FMT treatment resulted in decreased body weight and food intake, whereas FMT using EA-treated donors effectively alleviated these alterations. ConclusionEA effectively alleviated neuroinflammatory responses in rats with SCI, primarily through regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing the NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.

ObjectiveSpinal cord injury (SCI) directly impairs the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system, induces intestinal dysfunction, and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Preclinical studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) therapy can regulate the brain-gut axis and is used to treat central nervous system diseases such as major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has established that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from EA-treated SCI rats restored intestinal motility and colonic morphology. However, it remains unclear whether the regulation of gut microbiota by EA therapy directly contributes to neural repair after SCI. This study aims to explore whether gut microbiota mediates the neuroprotective effect of EA in the treatment of SCI and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe study employed RNA transcriptome analysis of spinal cord tissue to characterize gene expression profiles and to identify key signaling pathways following EA treatment for SCI. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes in spinal cord tissue. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to detect the effects of EA on the expression of proteins related to nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) -dependent pyroptosis. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the study observed alterations in gut microbiota diversity and community composition in SCI rats. Prior to establishing SCI models, rats were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail to induce gut dysbiosis, and the effects on intestinal function and spinal cord neural repair were evaluated. FMT was performed to investigate the regulatory effects of post-EA FMT on motor function, general status, liver and spleen indices, and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in SCI rats. ResultsEA improved motor function and reduced regulated neuronal cell death in SCI rats. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the activation of immune- and inflammation-related pathways post-SCI, including NOD-like receptors, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. EA primarily influenced intestinal inflammation and autoimmune functions. 16S rDNA sequencing illustrated that EA did not alter the diversity of gut microbiota. However, EA altered the gut microbiota composition in SCI rats, increasing Lactobacillus and Akkermansia genera while rebalancing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics disrupted the intestinal barrier, reduced the expression of intestinal barrier proteins Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin, elevated serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels, exacerbated spinal cord tissue damage, and hindered motor function recovery in SCI rats. FMT from donors treated with EA reduced LBP levels in the intestine, blood, and spinal cord of rats, inhibited the TLR4 myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF‑κB pathway and NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, and improved motor function. On the other hand, FMT treatment resulted in decreased body weight and food intake, whereas FMT using EA-treated donors effectively alleviated these alterations. ConclusionEA effectively alleviated neuroinflammatory responses in rats with SCI, primarily through regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing the NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the material basis and mechanism of action of Tuoli Xiaodu San in treating ulcerative colitis （UC） by integrating transcriptomics， network pharmacology， and experimental validation. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was initially employed to screen the active components and potential mechanisms of Tuoli Xiaodu San for treating UC. A UC mouse model was established by dextran sulfate sodium （DSS） induction. The mice were divided into the following groups： normal， model， high-dose （11.3 g·kg^-1） Tuoli Xiaodu San， low-dose （5.7 g·kg^-1） Tuoli Xiaodu San， and positive control （mesalazine， 0.4 g·kg^-1）. Intragastric administration commenced on day 1 of modeling and continued for 7 consecutive days. The disease activity index （DAI） was assessed daily. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe colonic pathological changes. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-1 beta （IL-1β） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on mouse colonic tissues， and the results were integrated with network pharmacology findings for in-depth analysis of Tuoli Xiaodu San's potential mechanisms in treating UC. Finally， the expression of key genes and proteins in the identified signaling pathways were detected using Western blot and Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsThe combined analysis of network pharmacology and transcriptomics results showed that the multi-pathway network with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway as its core was the key mechanism of Tuoli Xiaodu San in the treatment of UC. Tuoli Xiaodu San administration significantly ameliorated weight loss， diarrhea， and bloody stools in UC mice， reduced the DAI scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， lowered the colonic histopathological scores （P<0.01）， alleviated colon shortening （P<0.01）， and downregulated serum levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Molecular biology experiments confirmed that Tuoli Xiaodu San significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein expression， as well as the phosphorylation levels， of PI3K， Akt， and p65 in colonic tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionTuoli Xiaodu San can regulate the multi-pathway network with PI3K/Akt as its core through multi-component synergy， thereby reducing colonic inflammatory damage and exerting a therapeutic effect on UC.

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers-based prediction of long-term risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is scarce. We aim to develop a risk score integrating clinical routine information (C) and plasma biomarkers (B) for predicting long-term risk of ACS patients. METHODS: We included 2729 ACS patients from the OCEA (Observation of cardiovascular events in ACS patients). The earlier admitted 1910 patients were enrolled as development cohort; and the subsequently admitted 819 subjects were treated as validation cohort. We investigated 10-year risk of cardiovascular (CV) death, myocardial infarction (MI) and all cause death in these patients. Potential variables contributing to risk of clinical events were assessed using Cox regression models and a score was derived using main part of these variables. RESULTS: During 16,110 person-years of follow-up, there were 238 CV death/MI in the development cohort. The 7 most important predictors including in the final model were NT-proBNP, D-dimer, GDF-15, peripheral artery disease (PAD), Fibrinogen, ST-segment elevated MI (STEMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), termed as CB-ACS score. C-index of the score for predication of cardiovascular events was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.76-0.82) in development cohort and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.76-0.78) in the validation cohort (5832 person-years of follow-up), which outperformed GRACE 2.0 and ABC-ACS risk score. The CB-ACS score was also well calibrated in development and validation cohort (Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino: P = 0.70 and P = 0.07, respectively). CONCLUSIONS CB-ACS risk score provides a useful tool for long-term prediction of CV events in patients with ACS. This model outperforms GRACE 2.0 and ABC-ACS ischemic risk score.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential effects and mechanisms of Liang-Ge-San (LGS) for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) through network pharmacology analysis and to verify LGS activity through biological experiments. METHODS: The key ingredients of LGS and related targets were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. ARDS-related targets were selected from GeneCards and DisGeNET databases. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed using the Metascape Database. Molecular docking analysis was used to confirm the binding affinity of the core compounds with key therapeutic targets. Finally, the effects of LGS on key signaling pathways and biological processes were determined by in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS: A total of LGS-related targets and 496 ARDS-related targets were obtained from the databases. Network pharmacological analysis suggested that LGS could treat ARDS based on the following information: LGS ingredients luteolin, wogonin, and baicalein may be potential candidate agents. Mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), recombinant V-Rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RELA), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) may be potential therapeutic targets. Reactive oxygen species metabolic process and the apoptotic signaling pathway were the main biological processes. The p38MAPK/NF-κ B signaling pathway might be the key signaling pathway activated by LGS against ARDS. Moreover, molecular docking demonstrated that luteolin, wogonin, and baicalein had a good binding affinity with MAPK14, RELA, and TNF α. In vitro experiments, LGS inhibited the expression and entry of p38 and p65 into the nucleation in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE) cells induced by LPS, inhibited the inflammatory response and oxidative stress response, and inhibited HBE cell apoptosis (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In vivo experiments, LGS improved lung injury caused by ligation and puncture, reduced inflammatory responses, and inhibited the activation of p38MAPK and p65 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION LGS could reduce reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokine production by inhibiting p38MAPK/NF-κ B signaling pathway, thus reducing apoptosis and attenuating ARDS.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/enzymology* ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Humans ; Male ; Network Pharmacology ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Mice

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

OBJECTIVES: Ovarian cancer is a common gynecologic malignancy, with poor prognosis in advanced stages. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) associated with ovarian cancer prognosis and to explore the effects of lncRNA RP11-499E18.1 on the malignant biological behavior of ovarian cancer cells. METHODS: Ovarian cancer-related lncRNA datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed and prognostically relevant tumor-suppressive lncRNAs were screened using lncRNA sequencing combined with clinical data. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of lncRNA RP11-499E18.1 in ovarian cancer tissues, adjacent normal tissues, the IOSE80 normal ovarian epithelial cell line, and various ovarian cancer cell lines. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to determine its subcellular localization. Ovarian cancer cell lines CaOV3 and SKOV3 were divided into 3 groups: a negative control (NC) group, a knockdown (si-RP11-499E18.1) group, and a overexpression (pcDNA-RP11-499E18.1) group. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and Transwell assays were used to assess the effects of lncRNA RP11-499E18.1 on cell proliferation and migration. Western blotting was used to evaluate its effect on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related molecules. BALB/c nude mice were injected with CaOV3 cells transfected with pcDNA-RP11-499E18.1 (experimental group) or empty vector (control group), and tumor growth was monitored. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of Caspase 3 and Ki67 in tumor tissues. RESULTS: LncRNA sequencing identified RP11-499E18.1 as a differentially expressed and associated with prognosis. GEO data analysis showed that low RP11-499E18.1 expression was correlated with shorter overall and progression-free survival (both P<0.05). Its expression was significantly lower in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines compared to normal controls (P<0.05 or P<0.001), and it was localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. In CaOV3 and SKOV3 cells, proliferation rates increased significantly in the si-RP11-499E18.1 group and decreased in the pcDNA-RP11-499E18.1 group (P<0.05 or P<0.001). Cell migration was enhanced in the si-RP11-499E18.1 group and suppressed in the pcDNA-RP11-499E18.1 group. Overexpression increased E-cadherin and decreased vimentin expression, while knockdown had the opposite effect. Tumor volume in the mouse model was significantly smaller in the experimental group (P<0.001), with increased Caspase 3 and decreased Ki67 expression in tumor tissues (both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS LncRNA RP11-499E18.1 inhibits proliferation, migration, and EMT of ovarian cancer cells, and its low expression is associated with poor prognosis.
Female ; Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding/physiology* ; Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Cell Proliferation ; Prognosis ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Cell Movement ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Hearing loss is the most prevalent disabling disease. Cochlear implantation（CI） serves as the primary intervention for severe to profound hearing loss. This consensus systematically explores the value of genetic diagnosis in the pre-operative assessment and efficacy prognosis for CI. Drawing upon domestic and international research and clinical experience, it proposes an evidence-based medicine three-tiered prognostic classification system（Favorable, Marginal, Poor）. The consensus focuses on common hereditary non-syndromic hearing loss（such as that caused by mutations in genes like GJB2, SLC26A4, OTOF, LOXHD1） and syndromic hereditary hearing loss（such as Jervell & Lange-Nielsen syndrome and Waardenburg syndrome）, which are closely associated with congenital hearing loss, analyzing the impact of their pathological mechanisms on CI outcomes. The consensus provides recommendations based on multiple round of expert discussion and voting. It emphasizes that genetic diagnosis can optimize patient selection, predict prognosis, guide post-operative rehabilitation, offer stratified management strategies for patients with different genotypes, and advance the application of precision medicine in the field of CI.
Humans ; Cochlear Implantation ; Prognosis ; Hearing Loss/surgery* ; Consensus ; Connexin 26 ; Mutation ; Sulfate Transporters ; Connexins/genetics*