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.

Retinoblastoma(RB)represents the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor in infants and young children, posing a severe threat to the visual acuity and life of affected patients. Clinically, it is categorized into hereditary and non-hereditary subtypes. Mounting evidence indicates that RB cells most likely originate from cone photoreceptor precursor cells, and the tumorigenesis is closely associated with the inactivation of the RB1 gene. Beyond RB1, a growing list of genes including MYCN, TP53 and PRMT1 have been implicated in the initiation and progression of RB. Concurrently, the dysregulation of multiple signaling pathways such as RB/E2F, WNT, and PI3K/AKT synergistically drives the survival, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of RB tumor cells. The therapeutic paradigm for RB has undergone a dramatic shift from the conventional enucleation-dominated approach to personalized multimodal therapies that prioritize globe salvage and visual preservation, encompassing local therapies, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Moreover, novel therapeutic modalities including targeted therapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy are currently under active preclinical and clinical investigation. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs), as pivotal regulators of genetic expression, have attracted increasing attention for their critical roles in RB oncogenesis and progression. These molecules hold great promise to serve as novel diagnostic biomarkers and offer innovative insights and strategies for RB treatment. This review summarizes the latest research advances in the aforementioned aspects of retinoblastoma.

Objective By organizing and implementing a laboratory proficiency validation plan for air change rate testing, this study aims to explore proficiency testing approaches in laboratory animal facilities, assess the current status of relevant laboratories regarding standard application and test capabilities, standardize air change rate testing methods, and ensure the accuracy and reliability of test results. Methods From September to November 2023, the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) organized a laboratory proficiency validation plan for air change rate testing in laboratory animal facilities (Plan Number: NIFDC-PT-417). The proficiency testing was conducted on-site and consisted of two parts: a written test and practical operation. The written test was open-book. True/false questions focused on participants' understanding of specific clauses in relevant standards, while application-based questions assessed their ability to handle data processing in simulated testing scenarios. The practical operation was conducted according to the relevant criteria of the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS). Two laboratory animal rooms were prepared as proficiency testing samples using a sample splitting approach. These rooms underwent uniformity and stability testing according to CNAS requirements and were approved. Participating laboratories were required to conduct three tests on each of the two laboratory animal rooms, complete the testing and calculation of air change rate within the specified timeframe, and submit their test result reports and original records. Results A total of 27 laboratories registered and participated in the proficiency testing. All participating laboratories submitted their results within the designated timeframe, and the outcomes of all tested laboratories were rated as satisfactory. Conclusion This proficiency validation program objectively and scientifically evaluates the air change rate testing capabilities of selected domestic laboratories, effectively promoting the overall improvement of testing capabilities in the industry. It provides technical support for regulatory authorities to standardize testing institutions and offers reliable references for the purchase of testing services. Through this activity, it was identified that some laboratories need to further enhance their calibration of instruments and the utilization of calibration results. Future efforts should focus on refining related standards to improve the accuracy and reliability of testing.

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 effectiveness of the modified Lemaire procedure in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in patients with a highly positive pivot shift test. METHODS: The clinical data of 18 patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and highly positive pivot shift test between April 2020 and September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 13 males and 5 females with an average age of 28.3 years (range, 17-41 years). Causes of injury included 11 cases of direct violence injury, including 6 cases of traffic accident injury, 4 cases of sports injury, 1 case of falling injury; 7 cases of indirect violence injury, all sports injury. All patients had complete ACL rupture, including 15 acute injuries and 3 old injuries. The preoperative pivot shift test was grade Ⅱ in 9 cases and grade Ⅲ in 9 cases. All patients were treated with ACLR combined with modified Lemaire procedure. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score and Lysholm score were used to evaluate the effectiveness before operation and at 3, 6, 12 months after operation. KT-2000 arthrometer was used to measure the anterior stability of the knee joint, and the difference between the healthy and affected sides was recorded. Pivot shift test was used to evaluate the rotational stability of the knee joint. During the follow-up, X-ray films were taken to observe the bone tunnel and internal fixation, and MRI was used to examine the healing of ACL, anterolateral collateral ligament and fibular collateral ligament grafts. RESULTS: All patients completed the operation successfully without complications such as knee joint infection, vascular and nerve injury. All patients were followed up 12-19 months (mean, 13.2 months). After operation, the rotational stability of the knee joint recovered satisfactorily, and there was no adverse symptom such as knee instability and locking at last follow-up. X-ray film and MRI showed that the bone tunnel was anatomically located and healed well, the internal fixation was in good position, and the reconstructed ACL and iliotibial band were continuous and in good tension. The IKDC score, Lysholm score, and the difference of KT-2000 between the healthy and the affected sides significantly improved at 3, 6, and 12 months after operation ( P<0.05). All the indicators further improved with time after operation, except that there was no significant difference in IKDC score between 3 and 6 months after operation and in the difference of KT-2000 between 3 months and 6, 12 months after operation ( P>0.05), and there were significant differences in other indicators between different time points ( P<0.05). Pivot shift test was negative immediately after operation and at last follow-up. CONCLUSION In ACL injuries with a highly positive pivot shift test, ACLR combined with the modified Lemaire procedure can effectively restore anterolateral knee stability, leading to satisfactory knee stability and function in the early postoperative period.
Humans ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries/physiopathology* ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Joint Instability/surgery* ; Knee Joint/physiopathology* ; Range of Motion, Articular

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of GGN repeat polymorphism of androgen receptor (AR) with ovarian reserve and ovarian response in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). METHODS: This genetic association study was conducted among a total of 361 women aged ≤40 years with basal FSH≤12 U/L undergoing the GnRH-agonist long protocol for COS in a university-affiliated IVF center. GGN repeat in the AR gene was analyzed with Sanger sequencing. The primary endpoint was the number of antral follicle counts (AFCs), and the secondary endpoints were stimulation days, total dose of gonadotropin (Gn) used, total number of retrieved oocytes, ovarian sensitivity index, and follicular output rate. RESULTS: The GGN repeat in exon 1 of the AR gene ranged from 13 to 24, and the median repeat length was 22. Based on the genotypes (S for GGN repeats <22, L for GGN repeats ≥22), the patients were divided into 3 groups: SS, SL, and LL. Generalized regression analysis indicated that the number of AFCs in group SS was significantly lower than those in group SL (adjusted β=1.8, 95% CI: 0.2-3.4, P=0.024) and group LL (adjusted β=1.5, 95% CI: 0.2-2.7, P=0.021). No significant difference was observed in the number of AFCs between group SL and group LL (P>0.05). Generalized regression analysis indicated no significant differences in ovarian stimulation parameters among the 3 groups, either before or after adjusting for confounding factors (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS GGN repeat length on the AR gene is associated with AFC but not with ovarian response in Chinese women, indicating that AR gene polymorphisms may affect ovarian reserve.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Genotype ; Ovarian Follicle/cytology* ; Ovarian Reserve/genetics* ; Ovulation Induction/methods* ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Androgen/genetics* ; East Asian People/genetics*

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 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.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of the compound drug Weng-Li-Tong(WLT)against cisplatin(CDDP)-induced hepatocyte injury.Methods A cellular injury model was established by treating murine hepatocyte line BNL CL.2 with CDDP(80 μmol/L).Experimental groups were divided as follows:CDDP group(modeling only),WLT group(intervention with 1 g/L WLT),WLT+CDDP group(co-administration of CDDP and 1 g/L WLT),and a control group(normal culture).The protective effect of the compound drug WLT on CDDP-mediated hepatocyte injury was evaluated using CCK-8 assay,PI staining,crystal violet staining,Western blotting,reactive oxygen species(ROS)detection,and apoptosis analysis.Results Compared with the control group,the number of dead cells increased significantly(P＜0.001)in the CDDP group,but no cytotoxicity was observed in the WLT group.The hepatocyte morphology in the WLT+CDDP group showed improvement with no obvious shrinkage compared to the CDDP group,as evidenced by the reduced proportion of PI-positive cells.Crystal violet staining results also indicated a higher cell count in the WLT+CDDP group than in the CDDP group,suggesting the protective effect of WLT against CDDP-mediated liver injury.Under CDDP intervention,the expression of the apoptosis-related protein Cleaved Caspase-3 increased.However,in the WLT+CDDP group,the expression of Cleaved Caspase-3 decreased,while the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 increased.Additionally,compared to the CDDP group,the WLT+CDDP group showed a reduction in ROS production[DCFH-DA staining positive rate(％):56.20±1.65 vs.44.57±0.31]and a decrease in the proportion of apoptotic cells[proportion of early and late apoptotic cells(％):43.60±0.44 vs.19.57±0.78;33.30±1.02 vs.14.83±0.57].Conclusion The compound drug WLT exhibits a protective effect against CDDP-mediated hepatocyte injury,suggesting potential therapeutic value in acute liver injury models.

Objective:To investigate the recognition of the post competency index system among rural general practice assistant physicians and its influencing factors.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire survey on the recognition of post competency index system was conducted from October 2020 to September 2021 among rural general practice assistant physicians from 10 provinces/municipalities selected by stratified cluster sampling method. The recognition of rural general practice assistant physicians at all levels of indexs and the factors influencing recognition were analyzed.Results:A total of 1 123 questionnaires were distributed and 1 024 valid ones were collected with a recovery rate of 91.18%. Of the 1 024 respondents, 529 were male(51.7%) and 435 were aged 40-49 years(42.5%), which was the highest proportion by age group. The average overall recognition score of the index system was 4.41, and the scores of the primary indexes were 4.32-4.45. Three primary indexes had the highest recognition scores: professional competence, basic health care services, and interpersonal communication and teamwork. The recognition scores on the second level index were 4.18-4.61, and the proportion of recognition scores greater than 4 was over 80%. There were significant differences in the recognition scores of the index system among assistant physicians with different working years, educational background, professional title and work unit ( F/H=6.41, 14.83, 12.45, 7.53, P<0.01). Educational background(associate degree: B=0.091, P=0.015; bachelor degree and above: B=0.196, P<0.001) and professional title(intermediate professional title and above: B=-0.234, P<0.001) were the independent factors influencing the recognition degree of the index system for rural general practice assistant physicians. Conclusions:The post competency index system is generally recognized by rural general practice assistant physician, and academic qualifications and professional title status may influence its recognition.