ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Bupi Qingfei prescription （BPQF） in treating stable bronchiectasis in the patients with syndromes of lung-spleen Qi deficiency and phlegm-heat accumulation in the lungs. MethodsA randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Patients were randomized into BPQF and placebo control （PC） groups. On the basis of conventional Western medicine treatment， the BPQF granules and placebo were respectively administered at 10 g each time， twice a day， for a course of 24 weeks. The TCM symptom scores， Quality of Life Questionnaire for Bronchiectasis （QOL-B） scores， lung function indicators， T lymphocyte subsets， level of inflammatory factors in the sputum， level of neutrophil elastase （NE） in the sputum， and occurrence of adverse reactions were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. ResultsA total of 64 patients completed the study， encompassing 32 in the BPQF group and 32 in the PC group. After treatment， the BPQF group showed decreased TCM symptom scores （P<0.01）， increased QOL-B scores （P<0.01）， and declined levels of tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α and NE （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The PC group showed decreased TCM symptom （except spleen deficiency） scores （P<0.01）， increased the QOL-B health cognition and respiratory symptom domain scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and a declined TNF-α level （P<0.01）. Moreover， the BPQF group had lower TCM symptom （except chest tightness） scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， higher QOL-B （except treatment burden） scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lower levels of interleukin-6 and TNF-α （P<0.05） than the PC group. Neither group showed serious adverse reactions during the treatment process. ConclusionBPQF can ameliorate the clinical symptoms of stable bronchiectasis patients who have lung-spleen Qi deficiency or phlegm-heat accumulation in the lungs by regulating the immune balance and inhibiting airway inflammatory responses.

ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the clinical effect of Danggui Liuhuang Tang （DGLHT） on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） complicated by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease （ASCVD） at high risk， focus on evaluating the influence of DGLHT on cardiovascular risk indicators such as flow-mediated dilation （FMD）， atherogenic index of plasma （AIP）， and triglyceride-glucose index （TyG）， and explore the regulatory effect of DGLHT on the myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-kappa B （MyD88/NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsThe clinical study was a single-center， double-blind， and randomized controlled trial. A total of 68 patients with T2DM-ASCVD at high risk for cardiovascular events with Yin deficiency and fire excess syndrome were enrolled and randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group was given atorvastatin calcium tablets and DGLHT， while the control group was given atorvastatin calcium tablets and placebos. The treatment course was 12 weeks， with a final study completion of 30 patients in the treatment group and 29 in the control group. Changes in cardiovascular risk indicators such as FMD， AIP， TyG， and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （sdLDL-C） index were compared. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） were used to establish a vascular endothelial injury and inflammation model. The protective effect of DGLHT on endothelial injury was verified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot . ResultsAfter 12 weeks of treatment， the AIP in the treatment group significantly decreased compared with that before the treatment （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the treatment group showed significant improvements in FMD and TyG （P<0.05）. Additionally， the treatment group demonstrated significant reductions in two-hour postprandial glucose （2 hPG）， glycated albumin （GA）， triglycerides （TG）， apolipoprotein E （Apo E）， and sdLDL-C （P<0.05）. Analysis of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome efficacy indicated that in the treatment group， Yin deficiency and fire excess syndromes， including dry throat and mouth （P<0.05）， excessive thirst （P<0.01）， tidal fever and night sweats （P<0.05）， and dry stools （P<0.05）， improved. Compared with the control group， the treatment group showed significant improvements in symptoms of dry throat and mouth （P<0.05） and excessive thirst （P<0.01）. TCM syndrome scores significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the overall efficacy rate was 56.67%， significantly higher than the 10.34% observed in the control group （P<0.01）. At the cellular level， increasing concentrations of DGLHT led to decreased messenger ribonucleic acid （mRNA） levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， and interleukin-1-beta （IL-1β） in lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-stimulated HUVECs （P<0.01）， with significant reductions in the high-concentration group （P<0.01）. DGLHT may inhibit the expressions of MyD88 and phosphorylated （p）-NF-κB p65 proteins in a concentration-dependent manner. ConclusionDGLHT shows significant effects in reducing cardiovascular risks and may exert an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. This finding provides a new perspective for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in high-risk individuals with T2DM-ASCVD.

Objective To explore the mediating role of occupational well-being in the relationship between professional identity and safety behavior among nurses. Methods A total of 1 006 nurses from ten tertiary general hospitals in eight provincial administrative regions were selected as the research subjects using convenient sampling method. Their safety behavior, professional identity and occupational well-being were investigated using Nurse Safety Behavior Scale, Nurse Professional Identity Scale and Occupational Well-being Scale. Structural equation modeling was performed using AMOS 26.0 to examine the mediating effect of occupational well-being in the relationship between professional identity and safety behavior among nurses. Results The scores for safety behavior, professional identity, and occupational well-being were (53.0±6.1), (123.7±21.2) and (90.8±13.1), respectively. Safety behavior was positively correlated with both professional identity and occupational well-being (correlation coefficients were 0.50 and 0.50, respectively, both P<0.01). Professional identity was positively correlated with occupational well-being (correlation coefficient was 0.51, P<0.01). The multiple linear regression analysis results showed that the higher the professional identity and occupational well-being of nurses, the higher the level of safety behavior (both P<0.05). The result of mediating effect shows that the total effect of occupational identity on safety behavior was 0.498 [95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.405-0.576], and occupational well-being played a mediating role between professional identity and safety behavior among nurses with the mediation effect of 0.156 (95%CI was 0.112-0.205), accounting for 31.33% of the total effect. Conclusion The safety behavior of nurses is at a moderate level. Both professional identity and occupational well-being can affect the safety behavior of nurses. Professional identity can increase the safety behavior of nurses by affecting occupational well-being.

Objective: To analyze the differences in bile acid profiles during different pregnancy durations of patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), so as to provide a reference for early prevention and treatment of ICP and optimization of maternal-infant health outcomes. Methods: Pregnant women who underwent routine prenatal examinations and delivered at Hangzhou Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from 2021 to 2023 were selected as study subjects. According to the ICP guidelines (2020), pregnant women were categorized into normal group, mild ICP group, and moderate/severe ICP group. Age, parity, and gravidity were collected through the obstetric electronic medical record system, liver function indicators and seven bile acid levels were collected through the hospital's laboratory information system. Differences in bile acid profiles across pregnancy durations among the three groups were compared. Results: A total of 238 pregnant women were enrolled, including 57 cases (23.95%) in the normal group, 136 cases (57.14%) in the mild ICP group, and 45 cases (18.91%) in the moderate/severe ICP group. There were statistically significant differences between the three groups in total bile acid (TBA), cholic acid (CA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), glycocholic acid (GCA), taurocholic acid (TCA) levels (all P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, CA, GCDCA and GCA, and TCA were higher in the mild and moderate/severe ICP groups; compared with the mild ICP group, GCA was higher in the moderate/severe ICP group (all P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in the levels of GCDCA, GCA, and TCA among three groups pregnant women in the early, mid, and late pregnancy (all P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, mild ICP group had higher GCDCA and GCA in the early and mid pregnancy; moderate/severe ICP group had higher TCA in the early pregnancy and higher GCDCA and GCA in the late pregnancy. Compared with the mild ICP group, mild ICP group had higher TCA in the early pregnancy and the moderate/severe ICP group had higher GCA in the late pregnancy. Conclusions GCDCA, GCA, and TCA levels remain higher in ICP patients than in normal pregnant women across all pregnancy durations. Personalized perinatal management plans can be developed based on bile acid profile dynamics to optimize maternal-fetal outcomes.

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) that causes oral mucosal tissue sclerosis, and even cancer transformation, is a chronic, progressive fibrosis disease. However, despite some advancements in recent years, no targeted antifibrotic strategies for OSF have been approved; likely because the complicated mechanisms that initiate and drive fibrosis remain to be determined. In this review, we briefly introduce the epidemiology and etiology of OSF. Then, we highlight how cell-intrinsic changes in significant structural cells can drive fibrotic response by regulating biological behaviors, secretion function, and activation of ECM-producing myofibroblasts. In addition, we also discuss the role of innate and adaptive immune cells and how they contribute to the pathogenesis of OSF. Finally, we summarize strategies to interrupt key mechanisms that cause OSF, including modulation of the ECM, inhibition of inflammation, improvement of vascular disturbance. This review will provide potential routes for developing novel anti-OSF therapeutics.
Humans ; Oral Submucous Fibrosis/immunology* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Myofibroblasts

Periodontal bone defects, primarily caused by periodontitis, are highly prevalent in clinical settings and manifest as bone fenestration, dehiscence, or attachment loss, presenting a significant challenge to oral health. In regenerative medicine, harnessing developmental principles for tissue repair offers promising therapeutic potential. Of particular interest is the condensation of progenitor cells, an essential event in organogenesis that has inspired clinically effective cell aggregation approaches in dental regeneration. However, the precise cellular coordination mechanisms during condensation and regeneration remain elusive. Here, taking the tooth as a model organ, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the cellular composition and heterogeneity of human dental follicle and dental papilla, revealing a distinct Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) population with remarkable odontogenic potential. Interestingly, a reciprocal paracrine interaction between PDGFRA⁺ dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) and CD31⁺ Endomucin⁺ endothelial cells (ECs) was mediated by Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGFBB). This crosstalk not only maintains the functionality of PDGFRA⁺ DFSCs but also drives specialized angiogenesis. In vivo periodontal bone regeneration experiments further reveal that communication between PDGFRA⁺ DFSC aggregates and recipient ECs is essential for effective angiogenic-osteogenic coupling and rapid tissue repair. Collectively, our results unravel the importance of MSC-EC crosstalk mediated by the VEGFA and PDGFBB-PDGFRA reciprocal signaling in orchestrating angiogenesis and osteogenesis. These findings not only establish a framework for deciphering and promoting periodontal bone regeneration in potential clinical applications but also offer insights for future therapeutic strategies in dental or broader regenerative medicine.
Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/metabolism* ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology* ; Dental Sac/cytology* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Transcriptome ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Bone Regeneration ; Animals ; Dental Papilla/cytology* ; Periodontium/physiology* ; Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Regeneration ; Angiogenesis

Objective To explore the relevant relationship and specificity between the implicit and explicit loyalty of military cadets in order to provide a theoretical basis and objective indicators for a more comprehensive and objective assessment for individual loyalty.Methods E-Prime 2.0,a classic implicit association paradigm was employed to construct an implicit association loyalty test for 64 military cadets.Simultaneously,an explicit loyalty measurement was conducted using the Chinese Military Personnel Loyalty Scale.Results ① Significant implicit effect was observed in the loyalty assessment of military cadets,indicating a general tendency to perceive higher levels of personal loyalty and lower levels of loyalty to external entities.② Explicit loyalty assessment revealed that the participants had the highest loyalty score towards the Party,the Nation,and the People(4.79±0.34),followed by the loyalty score to their profession(4.38±0.53),and the relatively lower loyalty score towards the unit and leaders(4.03±0.83).Among the 3 dimensions of loyalty,the normative loyalty score ranked highest,while continuance loyalty score took lower.③ There were no correlations among the scores of loyalty to the Party,the Nation,and the People(r=-0.030,P=0.823),to the profession(r=-0.047,P=0.728),to the unit(r=0.050,P=0.710),or to the leaders(r=0.043,P=0.749).Conclusion The implicit effect in the loyalty assessment is significant in military cadets,and there is no significant correlation between explicit and implicit loyalty measurements.Thus,we cannot rely solely on explicit measurements to assess their loyalty attitudes.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the institutional logics of the dilemma of the use of national medical insurance negotiation drugs（referred to as “national negotiation drugs”）， and promote the implementation and use of these drugs in medical institutions. METHODS Based on the complex institutional environment in which medical institutions were situated， the theory of multiple institutional logics was used to construct an analytical framework for the behavioral choices of medical institutions， and reveal the mechanism of the difficulty in the use of national negotiation drugs by clarifying the interaction and conflict of multiple logics in this process， so as to put forward some measures. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS There were contradictions and coupling among the state logic， market logic， social logic and professional logic in the use of national negotiation drugs. In the game of multiple logics， the market logic and professional logic tended to be risk-averse， the failed “pressure-type system” of state logic， and the social logic was weakened， which caused the lack of action in the use of national negotiation drugs with the goal of completing performance evaluations in the current medical institutions. Thus， it is suggested to unbundle the invisible policy restrictions on the use of national negotiation drugs， form the pressure and motivation of medical institutions by incentive and constraint mechanisms， respond to the clinical demand by establishing a green procurement channel， and construct the supervision mechanism on the use of national negotiation drugs by social force， etc.， so as to enhance the effect of the national negotiation drugs.

Acromegaly is a chronic disease predominantly caused by the hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH), typically due to a pituitary adenoma. The characteristic craniofacial deformities include pronounced zygomatic arches, frontal bossing, prognathism, dental malocclusion and macroglossia. It’s recommended that facial reconstructive interventions be deferred until the patient’s serum GH levels have been consistently normalized for at least 12 months. This review summarized the current knowledge on diagnosis, screening and facial management strategies for this disease.

Objective To investigate the effect of cysteine-rich acidic secretory protein-like protein 1(SPARCL1)on atherosclerosis(AS)plaque formation.Methods A case-control study design was used,394 patients with con-firmed AS were selected as the case group,and 394 healthy medical examiners matched for age and gender were se-lected as the control group.The expression level of serum SPARCL1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosor-bent assay;immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression level and localization of SPARCL1 protein in the AS plaque region,and the expression of SPARCL1 protein was also detected in the neutrophils and monocytes of peripheral blood of AS patients and normal controls;SPARCL1 overexpressing and the recombinant adenoviral vec-tors were constructed to inhibit SPARCL1 overexpression and expression,and the effects of SPARCL1 on cell mi-gration were observed in the cell scratch assay using mouse macrophage cells(J774A.1)as target cells.Results Serum SPARCL1 levels in the AS patient group were lower than those in the healthy group(P<0.05);high SPARCL1 expression was detected in AS plaques and was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of foamy cells;SPARCL1 expression levels in peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes were lower than those in normal controls in AS patients(P<0.05);recombinant SPARCL1 overexpression and inhibition of expression of adenovirus was successfully constructed;the cell migration rate was decreased in J774A.1 cells that inhibited SPARCL1 expression and increased in J774A.1 cells that overexpressed SPARCL1(P<0.05).Conclusion SPARCL1 is highly ex-pressed in foam cells at the site of AS lesions,which may result from compensatory recruitment of peripheral blood monocytes and neutrophils,and SPARCL1 may be involved as a protective factors for blood vessels in inhibiting the development of AS plaques.