OBJECTIVE To explore the transformation of the dispensing and drug pickup process in traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy （TCM Pharmacy） in our hospital based on data-intelligence-driven， aiming to improve pharmacists’ work efficiency and patients’ drug pickup experience. METHODS Value stream mapping and journey mapping were used to systematically identify non-value-added links in pharmacists’ dispensing process and key pain points in patients’ drug pickup under the traditional process. An intelligent dispensing and drug pickup system for the TCM Pharmacy was developed based on the C# and Android television platforms， and a machine-learning model was adopted to predict patients’ drug pickup waiting time. A comprehensive evaluation was performed from three perspectives： system performance， prediction accuracy， and satisfaction of pharmacists and patients. RESULTS The system successfully streamlined non-value-added links such as “waiting for writing on the board” and “searching for drugs”， and realized multimodal dynamic prompts of dispensing status through auditory （number calling） and visual （television terminal） channels. The constructed model for predicting drug pickup waiting time exhibited good fitting degree and generalization ability （mean absolute error＝4.28 min， R 2 ＝0.882）. The comprehensive satisfaction scores of pharmacists and patients in the traditional mode were significantly increased from （70.99±1.74） and （73.58±1.98） to （90.02±1.30） and （88.61±2.08） in the new system， respectively （ P ＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS The transformation of the intelligent drug dispensing and pickup system for TCM pharmacy based on data-intelligence-driven effectively improves the efficiency of pharmacists’ dispensing work， realizes process transparency and waiting time predictability， and significantly enhances patients’ drug pickup experience.

OBJECTIVE To provide a reference for the pharmaceutical care of a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy （LGMD） who developed euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis （euDKA） after taking empagliflozin. METHODS Clinical pharmacists provided pharmaceutical care for a patient with T2DM and LGMD who developed euDKA after taking empagliflozin. According to the patient’s recent use of medications and his conditions， clinical pharmacists assessed the correlation between euDKA and empagliflozin as “very likely”. As to euDKA， clinical pharmacists suggested discontinuing empagliflozin and metformin， and giving intravenous infusion of 10% Glucose injection instead of 5% Glucose injection for fluid resuscitation. Clinical pharmacists monitored the patient’s laboratory indicators such as arterial blood gas analysis， blood/urine ketones and electrolytes. They assisted physicians to decide when to stop intravenous supplements of liquid and insulin. Clinical pharmacists also assisted physicians to adjust the antidiabetic drugs and educated the patient to avoid empagliflozin or other sodium- glucose linked transporter 2 inhibitors （SGLT2i）. RESULTS Physicians adopted the suggestions of clinical pharmacists. After treatment， the patient’s condition improved， and he was allowed to be discharged with medication. CONCLUSIONS euDKA is a relatively rare and serious adverse reaction associated with SGLT2i， and the patients with LGMD are susceptible to euDKA. Clinical pharmacists assist physicians in developing personalized medication plans by evaluating the association between euDKA and empagliflozin， adjusting medication regimens，conducting pharmaceutical monitoring，and other pharmaceutical services. Meanwhile， they provide medication education to patients to ensure their medication safety.

OBJECTIVE To provide a reference for the pharmaceutical care of a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy （LGMD） who developed euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis （euDKA） after taking empagliflozin. METHODS Clinical pharmacists provided pharmaceutical care for a patient with T2DM and LGMD who developed euDKA after taking empagliflozin. According to the patient’s recent use of medications and his conditions， clinical pharmacists assessed the correlation between euDKA and empagliflozin as “very likely”. As to euDKA， clinical pharmacists suggested discontinuing empagliflozin and metformin， and giving intravenous infusion of 10% Glucose injection instead of 5% Glucose injection for fluid resuscitation. Clinical pharmacists monitored the patient’s laboratory indicators such as arterial blood gas analysis， blood/urine ketones and electrolytes. They assisted physicians to decide when to stop intravenous supplements of liquid and insulin. Clinical pharmacists also assisted physicians to adjust the antidiabetic drugs and educated the patient to avoid empagliflozin or other sodium- glucose linked transporter 2 inhibitors （SGLT2i）. RESULTS Physicians adopted the suggestions of clinical pharmacists. After treatment， the patient’s condition improved， and he was allowed to be discharged with medication. CONCLUSIONS euDKA is a relatively rare and serious adverse reaction associated with SGLT2i， and the patients with LGMD are susceptible to euDKA. Clinical pharmacists assist physicians in developing personalized medication plans by evaluating the association between euDKA and empagliflozin， adjusting medication regimens，conducting pharmaceutical monitoring，and other pharmaceutical services. Meanwhile， they provide medication education to patients to ensure their medication safety.

N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) is a glycine derivative, and its sodium salt (DMG-Na) has been demonstrated to possess various biological activities, including immunomodulation, free radical scavenging, and antioxidation, collectively contributing to the stability of tissue and cellular functions. However, its direct effects and underlying mechanisms in wound healing remain unclear. In this study, a full-thickness excisional wound model was established on the dorsal skin of mice, and wounds were treated locally with DMG-Na. Wound healing progression was assessed by calculating wound closure rates. Histopathological analysis was conducted using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and keratinocyte proliferation, migration, and differentiation were evaluated using CCK-8 assays, scratch wound assays, and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Inflammation-related cytokine expression in keratinocytes was analyzed via ELISA and qRT-PCR. Results revealed that DMG-Na treatment significantly accelerated wound healing in mice and improved overall wound closure quality. The wound healing rates on days 3, 6, and 9 were 49.18%, 68.87%, and 90.55%, respectively, with statistically significant differences compared to the control group ( P<0.05). DMG-Na treatment downregulated the mRNA levels of keratinocyte differentiation markers while enhancing cell proliferation and migration ( P<0.05). Furthermore, DMG-Na decreased the secretion of LPS-induced keratinocyte inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and CXCL10 ( P<0.05). These findings indicate that DMG-Na regulates inflammatory responses and promotes keratinocyte proliferation and migration, thereby facilitating the healing of skin wounds.
Animals ; Wound Healing/drug effects* ; Mice ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Keratinocytes/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Glycine/pharmacology* ; Skin/injuries* ; Male

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

Objective: To analyze the epidemilogical and seasonal characteristics of foodborne Salmonella-associated diarrhea among children aged 0-6 years in Guizhou Province from 2016 to 2023, so as to provide a basis for the prevention and control of foodborne diseases. Methods: Data were extracted from the Foodborne Disease Survellance System for cases reported between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2023. The incidence, seasonal characteristics, and peak periods were analyzed by the method of concentration and circular distribution. Results: A total of 6 434 cases of diarrhea in children aged 0-6 years were collected, and 455 cases of Salmonella were detected, with a positive detection rate of 7.07%. Salmonella typhimurium was the main serotype causing diarrhea (59.34%). The peak of the disease was from May 3 to September 30, with certain seasonal characteristics. The highest detection rate was found in children aged 1-3 years (8.66%). Among food types, the positive detection rates of Salmonella were relatively high in other foods (17.39%), fruits and their products (10.22%), infant and toddler foods (10.09%), and aquatic animals and their products (9.80%). The processing and packaging methods of food were mainly home-made (9.38%) and bulk food (7.54%). Conclusions The detection rate of Salmonella in children aged 0-6 years is high in Guizhou Province, with strong seasonal characteristics. The detection rates of other foods, fruits and their products, infant and toddler foods, and aquatic animals and their products are high. Enhanced pathogen surveillance for susceptible populations and high-risk foods, coupled with public health education during summer/autumn, is recommended.

ObjectiveTo preliminarily explore the active components and target pathways of Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Polygonati Rhizoma （ASR-PR） herb pair in the treatment of simple obesity through network pharmacology and molecular docking， and to verify and investigate its mechanism of action via animal experiments. MethodsThe chemical constituents and targets of ASR and PR were predicted using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）. Targets related to simple obesity were identified by retrieving the GeneCards， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase （PharmGKB）， and DisGeNET databases. The intersection of drug and disease targets was used to construct an active component-target network using Cytoscape software. This network was imported into the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network， and topological analysis was conducted to identify core genes. Gene Ontology （GO） analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis and mapping were performed using the DAVID database and the Microbioinformatics platform. AutoDock 1.5.7 software was used to perform molecular docking between the top five active components and core targets. An animal model of simple obesity was established by feeding C57BL/6J mice a high-fat diet. The mice were administered ASR （2.06 g·kg^-1）， PR （2.06 g·kg^-1）， or ASR-PR （4.11 g·kg^-1） for 10 weeks， while the model group received an equal volume of purified water by gavage. After the administration period， the mice were sacrificed to measure body fat weight and serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， and low-density lipoprotein （LDL）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe histopathological sections of liver and adipose tissue. Serum levels of leptin， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the mRNA expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） in liver tissue were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsNetwork pharmacology and molecular docking results indicated that the treatment of simple obesity by ASR-PR may involve the regulation of protein expression of core targets EGFR and STAT3 by its main components MOL009760 （Siberian glycoside A_qt）， MOL003889 （methyl protodioscin_qt）， MOL009766 （resveratrol）， MOL006331 （4′，5-dihydroxyflavone）， and MOL004941 （baicalin）， thereby modulating the PI3K/Akt and JAK/STAT signaling pathways. The animal experiment results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group had significantly increased body weight， body fat weight， and serum levels of TG， TC， TNF-α， IL-6， and leptin （P<0.01）. EGFR mRNA expression was significantly elevated （P<0.05）， while STAT3 mRNA expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Histological analysis revealed disordered hepatic architecture in the model group， with pronounced lipid vacuoles， cytoplasmic loosening， lipid accumulation， and steatosis. Adipocytes in white adipose tissue （WAT） and brown adipose tissue （BAT） of the model group exhibited markedly increased diameters， reduced cell counts per unit area， and irregular morphology. Compared with the model group， the ASR-PR group significantly reduced body weight， body fat weight， serum TC， IL-6， TNF-α， leptin levels， and EGFR mRNA expression （P<0.01）. TG levels were also significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while STAT3 mRNA expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Histopathological improvements included reduced size and number of hepatic lipid vacuoles and restoration of liver cell morphology toward that of the normal group. The diameter of adipocytes significantly decreased， and the number of adipocytes per unit area increased. ConclusionASR-PR may regulate the expression of key target proteins such as EGFR and STAT3 via its core active components， modulate the PI3K/Akt and JAK/STAT signaling pathways， repair damaged liver and adipose tissues， and thereby alleviate the progression of obesity in mice.

ObjectiveTo preliminarily explore the active components and target pathways of Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Polygonati Rhizoma （ASR-PR） herb pair in the treatment of simple obesity through network pharmacology and molecular docking， and to verify and investigate its mechanism of action via animal experiments. MethodsThe chemical constituents and targets of ASR and PR were predicted using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）. Targets related to simple obesity were identified by retrieving the GeneCards， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase （PharmGKB）， and DisGeNET databases. The intersection of drug and disease targets was used to construct an active component-target network using Cytoscape software. This network was imported into the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network， and topological analysis was conducted to identify core genes. Gene Ontology （GO） analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis and mapping were performed using the DAVID database and the Microbioinformatics platform. AutoDock 1.5.7 software was used to perform molecular docking between the top five active components and core targets. An animal model of simple obesity was established by feeding C57BL/6J mice a high-fat diet. The mice were administered ASR （2.06 g·kg^-1）， PR （2.06 g·kg^-1）， or ASR-PR （4.11 g·kg^-1） for 10 weeks， while the model group received an equal volume of purified water by gavage. After the administration period， the mice were sacrificed to measure body fat weight and serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， and low-density lipoprotein （LDL）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe histopathological sections of liver and adipose tissue. Serum levels of leptin， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the mRNA expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） in liver tissue were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsNetwork pharmacology and molecular docking results indicated that the treatment of simple obesity by ASR-PR may involve the regulation of protein expression of core targets EGFR and STAT3 by its main components MOL009760 （Siberian glycoside A_qt）， MOL003889 （methyl protodioscin_qt）， MOL009766 （resveratrol）， MOL006331 （4′，5-dihydroxyflavone）， and MOL004941 （baicalin）， thereby modulating the PI3K/Akt and JAK/STAT signaling pathways. The animal experiment results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group had significantly increased body weight， body fat weight， and serum levels of TG， TC， TNF-α， IL-6， and leptin （P<0.01）. EGFR mRNA expression was significantly elevated （P<0.05）， while STAT3 mRNA expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Histological analysis revealed disordered hepatic architecture in the model group， with pronounced lipid vacuoles， cytoplasmic loosening， lipid accumulation， and steatosis. Adipocytes in white adipose tissue （WAT） and brown adipose tissue （BAT） of the model group exhibited markedly increased diameters， reduced cell counts per unit area， and irregular morphology. Compared with the model group， the ASR-PR group significantly reduced body weight， body fat weight， serum TC， IL-6， TNF-α， leptin levels， and EGFR mRNA expression （P<0.01）. TG levels were also significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while STAT3 mRNA expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Histopathological improvements included reduced size and number of hepatic lipid vacuoles and restoration of liver cell morphology toward that of the normal group. The diameter of adipocytes significantly decreased， and the number of adipocytes per unit area increased. ConclusionASR-PR may regulate the expression of key target proteins such as EGFR and STAT3 via its core active components， modulate the PI3K/Akt and JAK/STAT signaling pathways， repair damaged liver and adipose tissues， and thereby alleviate the progression of obesity in mice.

Objective To investigate the value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) features, along with the expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant adrenal cortical tumors. Methods A total of 98 patients with adrenal cortical tumors admitted to Zibo Municipal Central Hospital from January 2020 to July 2024 were included in this study. All subjects underwent MSCT scans of the adrenal gland. The CT values of tumor parenchyma on plain scans and at arterial and venous phases were estimated. The surgical tumor specimens were collected for immunohistochemical staining and measurement of EGFR and IGF1R expression. The MSCT features and EGFR and IGF1R expression levels were compared among patients with different pathological types of adrenal cortical tumors. Results Of the 98 patients with adrenal cortical tumors, there were 18 cases with cortical carcinoma, 10 cases with metastatic tumors, 31 cases with pheochromocytoma, 25 cases with aldosterone-producing adenomas, and 14 cases with cortisol adenomas. The CT values of adrenal aldosterone-producing adenomas were significantly lower than other pathological types of adrenal cortical tumors on plain scans and at arterial and venous phases (P < 0.05). The CT values of metastatic tumors and cortical carcinoma were significantly lower than those of pheochromocytoma and cortisol adenomas at arterial and venous phases (P < 0.05). Specifically, at arterial and venous phases, the CT values of metastatic tumors were lower than those of cortical carcinoma, and the CT values of cortisol adenomas were lower than those of pheochromocytoma (P < 0.05). The positive expression levels of EGFR and IGF1R were higher in tumor specimens from patients with metastatic tumors and cortical carcinomas than from pheochromocytoma, aldosterone-producing adenomas, and cortisol adenomas (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between patients with metastatic tumors and cortical carcinomas in terms of positive EGFR and IGF1R expression (P > 0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences in the proportions of positive EGFR and IGF1R expression among patients with malignant adrenal cortical tumors in terms of ages, genders, tumor sizes, and TNM stages (P > 0.05). Conclusion The CT values of MSCT scans at arterial and venous phases as well as EGFR and IGF1R expression levels correlate with the pathological types of adrenal cortical tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the rules of temporal and spatial variations in distal skin potential at Hegu (LI4) under different stimulation modes by extracting nonlinear characteristic parameters from array multichannel data and adopting multivariate statistical analysis. METHODS: Seven healthy subjects were selected and the surface potential at the left Quchi (LI11) was collected using 14×9 array multichannel electrodes. Using Hegu (LI4) on the left as the stimulation point, four stimulation modes were applied, i.e. being quiescent, point pressing, moxibustion, and manual needling manipulation. Electrical signals were collected for 30 s in each mode, with a 5-min interval between operations, and a sampling frequency of 16 384 Hz. The data was denoised using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), and sample entropy (SaEn) features were extracted. Statistical analysis was conducted on these data using factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance. RESULTS: The SaEn values of most electrode channels were higher under point pressing, moxibustion and manual needling manipulation compared with those under quiescent condition. Under manual needling manipulation, the SaEn value of the electrode channel reached the peak in the first time interval (1-5 s) and it was declining thereafter. Factor analysis showed that the specificity of activation channels was concentrated at the left Quchi (LI11) (loading capacity ≥0.90). Analysis of variance indicated that the significant differences were presented in average sample entropy (SaEn()) values of activation channels among different stimulation modes at Hegu (LI4) (P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant interaction effect between groups and time intervals (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Through nonlinear characteristic parameter extraction and multivariate statistical analysis, we have uncovered the complex temporal and spatial dynamical rules of distal skin potential at Hegu (LI4) under various stimulation modes and successfully identified the specific activation characteristics at Quchi (LI11).
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Acupuncture Points ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Young Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation*