Objective:To explore the impacts of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training on voice function and the levels of inflammatory factors in patients who were diagnosed with vocal cord polyp and received operation. Methods:A total of 96 cases who received operation on vocal cord polyp were randomly assigned into two groups. The control group was given ABCLOVE voice training for rehabilitation after the operation. The study group was given acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training. The voice function and the levels of inflammatory factors of the two groups were compared. Results:The effective rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group（P<0.05）. The scores of main symptoms such as hoarseness, dry mouth, and thirst in the study group were lower than those in the control group（P<0.05）. After 4 weeks of treatment, the voice fundamental frequency（F0） of the study group was higher than that of the control group（P<0.05）, the maximum phonation time（MPT） was longer than that of the control group（P<0.05）, and the voice fundamental frequency perturbation value（Jitter） and voice amplitude perturbation value（Shimmer） were lower than those of the control group（P<0.05）. The levels of serum interleukin-6（IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） were lower than those of the control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training can obviously alleviate hoarseness and other symptoms, improve voice function and reduce the level of inflammatory factors, thus is an effective treatment for patients who received operation on vocal cord polyp.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Polyps/therapy* ; Vocal Cords ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Voice Training ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Young Adult ; Laryngeal Diseases/therapy*

Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) are recommended for COVID-19 treatment in China, but their safety and efficacy in the elderly population are not fully known. In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, we identified 5131 elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients from 32,864 COVID-19 patients admitted to nine hospitals in Henan Province, China, from December 5, 2022, to January 31, 2023. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was composite disease progression. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control for confounding factors, including demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, and laboratory tests. After 2:1 PSM, 1786 elderly patients receiving azvudine and 893 elderly patients receiving Paxlovid were included. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses revealed that compared with Paxlovid group, azvudine could significantly reduce the risk of all-cause death (log-rank P = 0.002; HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.573-0.883, P = 0.002), but there was no difference in composite disease progression (log-rank P = 0.52; HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.877-1.260, P = 0.588). Four sensitivity analyses verified the robustness of above results. Subgroup analysis suggested that a greater benefit of azvudine over Paxlovid was observed in elderly patients with primary malignant tumors (P for interaction = 0.005, HR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.18-0.57) compared to patients without primary malignant tumors. Safety analysis revealed that azvudine treatment had a lower incidence of adverse events and higher lymphocyte levels than Paxlovid treatment. In conclusion, azvudine treatment is not inferior to Paxlovid treatment in terms of all-cause death, composite disease progression and adverse events in elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and non-specific inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Huanglian Ganjiang decoction (HGD), derived from ancient book Beiji Qianjin Yao Fang, has demonstrated efficacy in treating UC patients traditionally. Previous research established that the compatibility of cold herb Coptidis Rhizoma + Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex (CP) and hot herb Angelicae Sinensis Radix + Zingiberis Rhizoma (AZ) in HGD synergistically improved colitis mice. This study investigated the compatibility mechanisms through which CP and AZ regulated inflammatory balance in colitis mice. The experimental colitis model was established by administering 3% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) to mice for 7 days, followed by CP, AZ and CPAZ treatment for an additional 7 days. M1/M2 macrophage polarization levels, glucose metabolites levels and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) expression were analyzed using flow cytometry, Western blot, immunofluorescence and targeted glucose metabolomics. The findings indicated that CP inhibited M1 macrophage polarization, decreased inflammatory metabolites associated with tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and suppressed PDK4 expression and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) (Ser-293) phosphorylation level. AZ enhanced M2 macrophage polarization, increased lactate axis metabolite lactate levels, and upregulated PDK4 expression and PDH (Ser-293) phosphorylation level. TCA cycle blocker AG-221 and adeno-associated virus (AAV)-PDK4 partially negated CP's inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization. Lactate axis antagonist oxamate and PDK4 inhibitor dichloroacetate (DCA) partially reduced AZ's activation of M2 macrophage polarization. In conclusion, the compatibility of CP and AZ synergistically alleviated colitis in mice through M1/M2 macrophage polarization balance via PDK4-mediated glucose metabolism reprogramming. Specifically, CP reduced M1 macrophage polarization by restoration of TCA cycle via PDK4 inhibition, while AZ increased M2 macrophage polarization through activation of PDK4/lactate axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mice ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase/genetics* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Colitis/drug therapy* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Colitis, Ulcerative/drug therapy* ; Metabolic Reprogramming

Objective:To preliminarily explore the long-term improvement of low-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) on the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) in cognitive disorders, neuropsychiatric symptoms and sleep disorders of patients with early-onset severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods:A retrospective study was performed; 18 patients with early-onset severe AD admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2016 to December 2022 were included. These patients were divided into NBM-DBS group and control group according to different treatments; 6 patients received low-frequency NBM-DBS on basis of conservative treatments; 12 patients accepted conservative treatments. Changes in Brief Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Becker-Lavanson Mania Scale (BRMS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) were observed before treatment and 1 year after follow up.Results:MMSE and MoCA scores 1 year after follow up obviously reduced compared with those before treatment in both NBM-DBS and control patients; MMSE and MoCA scores in NBM-DBS patients showed no significant differences between 1 year after follow up and before treatment ( P>0.05), while significant differences were noted in the control group between 1 year after follow-up and before treatment ( P<0.05); and no significant differences in MMSE and MoCA scores were noted between the 2 groups 1 year after follow up ( P>0.05). NPI, HAMD, BRMS and ZBI scores in the NBM-DBS group 1 year after follow up were significantly different compared with those before treatment ( P<0.05); no significant differences were noted in NPI, HAMD and ZBI scores in the control group between 1 year after follow up and before treatment ( P>0.05), while significant difference was noted in BRMS scores ( P<0.05); significant differences in NPI, HAMD, BRMS and ZBI scores were noted between the 2 groups 1 year after follow up ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Low-frequency NBM-DBS is not only effective in improving cognitive disorders, but also effective in improving neuropsychiatric symptoms and sleep disorders, as well as reducing caregiver burden in patients with early-onset severe AD.

BACKGROUND:Despite a series of clinical treatment measures,the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis still faces challenges.In recent years,mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles have attracted extensive attention as an emerging therapeutic strategy and are considered to be a promising means of treating pulmonary fibrosis. OBJECTIVE:To systematically review the application of mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis,to comprehensively understand their therapeutic mechanism,efficacy evaluation and problems,and provide reference and guidance for further research and clinical application in the future. METHODS:Using Chinese and English search terms"mesenchymal stem cells","mesenchymal stem cell extracellular vesicles","pulmonary fibrosis",we searched the CNKI and PubMed electronic journal databases.By means of manual reading and eliminating duplicate articles,112 articles were selected,but 58 Chinese and English articles were finally included for summary. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles have shown great potential in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis,such as regulating inflammatory responses,inhibiting fibroblast proliferation,and promoting damaged tissue repair.Preliminary results from clinical trials have also shown some effects of the treatment,including improved lung function and quality of life in patients.(2)However,mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular vesicles in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis still face some challenges.During treatment,technical challenges such as cell migration and intrachistological localization need to be addressed for it to accurately reach the damaged lung tissue.Furthermore,its long-term safety also needs to be further studied and improved.For translational medicine development,standardized procedures such as cell collection,cell isolation,cell culture,cell harvesting,and cell identification need to be refined.(3)Despite these challenges,through the joint efforts of scientific researchers and medical personnel,these problems are expected to be gradually solved.In the future,we can further improve treatment outcomes by optimizing treatment regimens and exploring individualized treatments.At the same time,in-depth research on the therapeutic mechanism of stem cells and their extracellular vesicles is expected to develop more efficient and safe therapeutic strategies.

[Abstract] [Objective] To investigate the clinical efficacy of intrauterine perfusion of different concentrations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of thin endometrium. [Methods] A total of 35 cases of infertility patients who underwent autologous PRP intrauterine perfusion to improve thin endometrium from January 2022 to February 2024 at Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine were selected as the study objects. The significance of intrauterine perfusion of PRP on endometrium thickening was evaluated by analyzing the difference in endometrial thickness before and after ovulation with different concentrations of PRP perfusion. The effect of PRP on thin endometrial infertility was evaluated by pregnancy outcome index. The influence of endometrial thickness on pregnancy outcome was evaluated by the difference of endometrial thickness between pregnant group and non-pregnant group after autologous PRP perfusion, and the correlation of each index was analyzed. [Results] Among 35 cases of infertility, the endometrial thickness was (4.77±0.87) mm before intrauterine PRP perfusion and (6.13±0.85) mm after intrauterine PRP perfusion, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The increased endometrial thickness was (1.03±0.31) mm, (1.31±0.47) mm and (1.70±0.85) mm in patients with low, medium and high concentration autologous PRP intrauterine perfusion respectively. The pregnancy outcome of 35 patients showed that a clinical pregnancy rate of 31.4% (11/35) and an early miscarriage rate of 0. Statistical analysis of the endometrial thickness during ovulation after PRP perfusion revealed that the endometrial thickness in the pregnant group was (6.64±0.91) mm while in the non-pregnant group it was (5.86±0.69) mm, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). [Conclusion] Intrauterine perfusion of autologous PRP in patients with thin endometrial infertility is helpful for endometrial thickening, and PRP with high concentration of platelets is more effective, thus better improving pregnancy outcome, and has clinical significance for the treatment of thin endometrial infertility.

Objective:To analyze the seroepidemiological characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among adolescents aged 0-14 years in Henan Province and to evaluate the effectiveness of the childhood hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) immunization program.Methods:From September 2021 to March 2022, a total of 4 883 adolescents aged 0-14 years were selected from 25 villages or communities of 18 provincial-level cities in Henan Province by using the multi-stage random cluster sampling method. Demographic data were collected through questionnaires. The 3 ml of blood samples were collected from individuals aged 0-4 years and 5 ml of blood samples were collected from individuals aged 5-14 years to test HBsAg, HBcAb and HBsAb. Data on vaccination were collected through Henan Provincial Immunization Information System and hepatitis B cases in Henan Province were collected through China Infectious Disease Reporting System. The effectiveness of the childhood HepB immunization program was analyzed.Results:The average age of 4 883 subjects was (7.32±2.81) years old. The positive rates of HBsAg and HBcAb were 0.1% (7/4 883) and 1.0% (50/4 883), and the population standardized rates were 0.3% and 1.7%. In 2002, the positive rate of HBsAg among adolescents aged 0-14 years in Henan Province was 3.39%. Compared with that in 2002, the number of chronic HBV infections among adolescents in Henan Province in 2022 decreased by about 0.7 million. In 2002, the vaccination rate of newborns who completed all three doses of vaccine was 6.26%. In 2003, the vaccination rate of the hepatitis B vaccine rose rapidly, reaching 90% in 2013 for the first time. After 2014, the vaccination rate in Henan Province continued to remain above 95%. The proportion of cases among children aged 1-4 years in clinical reports decreased from 0.43% (1 108/256 566) in 2006 to 0.01% (78/80 655) in 2021. The proportion of cases among adolescents aged 5-19 years decreased from 18.21% (46 710/256 566) in 2006 to 1.1% (827/80 655) in 2021.Conclusions:From 2002 to 2022, the positive rate of HBsAg among adolescents aged 0-14 years has decreased significantly in Henan Province. The effectiveness of the HepB immunization program for children is good.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological distribution characteristics, influencing factors, and infection rates of pertussis in the population of Henan Province.Methods:From 2022 to 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate the permanent population in Henan Province. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect anti-pertussis toxin IgG (PT-IgG), analyze the antibody positivity rate (≥20 IU/ml) and median concentration (MC), and estimate the pertussis infection rate based on PT IgG ≥40 IU/ml. The rank sum test was used to compare antibody levels among groups, and the χ2 test was used to compare antibody positive rates and infection rates among groups. Results:A total of 4 810 research subjects were included in this study. The overall positive rate of PT-IgG was 12.10% and MC was 3.04 (0.35, 10.36) IU/ml. There were significant differences both in positive rates and antibody levels of PT-IgG among different regions or age groups (region positive rate: χ2=134.06, P<0.001, MC: H=337.74, P<0.001; age group positive rate: χ2=45.27, P<0.001, MC: H=134.49, P<0.001). Both the positive rate of PT-IgG (25.26%) and MC (8.01 IU/ml) were the highest within one year after completing a full course of vaccination. There were significant differences in positive rates and antibody levels among people receiving different types of pertussis vaccines (positive rate: χ2=12.38, P=0.006, MC: H=17.93, P<0.001). The antibody positivity rate (35.71%) and MC (8.88 IU/ml) of the people who received cell-free pertussis inactivated poliomyelitis influenza type b (combined) vaccine throughout the course were higher than those who received other types of vaccines. The natural infection rate of pertussis was evaluated for individuals aged≥3 years who had no history of pertussis vaccine immunization within the year prior to sampling. With a high vaccination rate, the estimated infection rate of pertussis in the population was 5 757.22/100 000. The infection rates in the 3-year-old (1 940.16/100 000) and 4-year-old (1 765.68/100 000) populations were at a low level among the entire population, reaching their peak at the age of 6 (12 656.71/100 000). Subsequently, although the infection rate continued to decline, it remained at a high level and peaked again at the age of 40-49 years (8 740.39/100 000). There was a statistically significant difference in the estimated infection rate of pertussis among different age groups ( χ2=53.21, P<0.001). Conclusion:The PT-IgG level of pertussis in the population of Henan Province is generally at a low level. The estimated infection rate of pertussis is much higher than the reported incidence rate. A booster dose of pertussis vaccine is recommended at 6 years old.

Liver metastases (LMs) are common in lung cancer. Despite substantial advances in diagnosis and treatment, the survival rate of patients with LM remains low as the immune-suppressive microenvironment of the liver allows tumor cells to evade the immune system. The impact of LMs on the outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with solid tumors has been the main focus of recent translational and clinical research. Growing evidence indicates that the hepatic microenvironment delivers paracrine and autocrine signals from non-parenchymal and parenchymal cells. Overall, these microenvironments create pre- and post-metastatic conditions for the progression of LMs. Herein, we reviewed the epidemiology, physiology, pathology and immunology, of LMs associated with non-small cell lung cancer and the role and potential targets of the liver microenvironment in LM in each phase of metastasis. Additionally, we reviewed the current treatment strategies and challenges that should be overcome in preclinical and clinical investigations. These approaches target liver elements as the basis for future clinical trials, including combinatorial interventions reported to resolve hepatic immune suppression, such as immunotherapy plus chemotherapy, immunotherapy plus radiotherapy, immunotherapy plus anti-angiogenesis therapy, and surgical resection.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a highly heterogeneous condition,with some patients showing marked progressive exacerbation and others relatively stable.Accurate identification of patients at high risk of progression can help to intervene early in treatment to control scoliosis progression and avoid over medication of patients at low risk of progression.Epigenetic factors dynamically regulate gene expression without altering the gene sequence,fully reflecting genetic and environmental interactions,and hold great po-tential in predicting AIS progression.Recent studies have reported numerous epigenetic factors associated with AIS progression and have shown positive results in the prediction of AIS progression.This article provides an overview of research progress on epigenetic factors at risk for AIS progression,with the expectation that it will provide ideas for subsequent AIS treatment and research.