The expert consensus on the clinical treatment of herpes zoster with fire needling was developed, and the commonly used fire needling treatment scheme verified by clinical research was selected to form a standardized diagnosis and treatment scheme for acute herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), so as to answer the core problems in clinical application. The consensus focuses on patients with herpes zoster, and forms recommendations for 9 key clinical issues, covering simple fire needling and TCM comprehensive therapy based on fire needling, including fire needling combined with cupping, fire needling combined with Chinese herb, fire needling combined with cupping and Chinese herb, fire needling combined with filiform needling, fire needling combined with moxibustion, and provides specific recommendations and operational guidelines for various therapies.
Humans ; Herpes Zoster/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Consensus ; Clinical Protocols

BACKGROUND: Renal osteodystrophy (ROD) is a skeletal pathology associated with chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) that is characterized by aberrant bone mineralization and remodeling. ROD increases the risk of fracture and mortality in CKD patients. The underlying mechanisms of ROD remain elusive, partially due to the absence of an appropriate animal model. To address this gap, we established a stable mouse model of ROD using an optimized adenine-enriched diet and conducted exploratory analyses through ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq). METHODS: Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into three groups: control group ( n = 5), adenine and high-phosphate (HP) diet group ( n = 20), and the optimized adenine-containing diet group ( n = 20) for 12 weeks. We assessed the skeletal characteristics of model mice through blood biochemistry, microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), and bone histomorphometry. RNA-seq was utilized to profile gene expression changes of ROD. We elucidated the functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). DEGs were validated via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: By the fifth week, adenine followed by an HP diet induced rapid weight loss and high mortality rates in the mouse group, precluding further model development. Mice with optimized adenine diet-induced ROD displayed significant abnormalities in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels, accompanied by pronounced hyperparathyroidism and hyperphosphatemia. The femur bone mineral density (BMD) of the model mice was lower than that of control mice, with substantial bone loss and cortical porosity. ROD mice exhibited substantial bone turnover with an increase in osteoblast and osteoclast markers. Transcriptomic profiling revealed 1907 genes with upregulated expression and 723 genes with downregulated expression in the femurs of ROD mice relative to those of control mice. Pathway analyses indicated significant enrichment of upregulated genes in the sphingolipid metabolism pathway. The significant upregulation of alkaline ceramidase 1 ( Acer1 ), alkaline ceramidase 2 ( Acer2 ), prosaposin-like 1 ( Psapl1 ), adenosine A1 receptor ( Adora1 ), and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 5 ( S1pr5 ) were successfully validated in mouse femurs by qRT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS Optimized adenine diet mouse model may be a valuable proxy for studying ROD. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the sphingolipid metabolism pathway is likely a key player in ROD pathogenesis, thereby providing new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Mice ; Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder/genetics* ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Sphingolipids/metabolism* ; Transcriptome/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; X-Ray Microtomography ; Adenine

OBJECTIVE To comprehensively evaluate the quality of Sanzi powder from different batches based on 12 components quantitative analysis combined with chemical pattern recognition and entropy weight-TOPSIS method. METHODS The contents of 12 components in 15 batches of Sanzi powder （No. S1-S15） were determined by HPLC-MS/MS， such as ethyl gallate， gallic acid， ferulic acid， corilagin， genipin-1-O-β-D-gentiobioside， toosendanin， geniposide， caffeic acid， methyl deacetylated coumarinate， tannic acid， rutin， quercetin. Cluster analysis （CA）， principal component analysis （PCA）， and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） were conducted on the assay results. Using variable importance projection （VIP） value＞1 and P＜0.05 as the evaluation criteria， the quality differential markers in Sanzi powder were screened. The entropy weight method was used to calculate the weight value， and TOPSIS method was used to rank the quality of 15 batches of Sanzi powder from superior to inferior. RESULTS The contents of the 12 components were 13.494-24.292， 2 069.608-3 188.100， 1.410-3.616， 1 065.030-2 630.584， 1 404.704-1 838.078， 101.640-354.268， 9 193.720-14 777.854， 1.240-5.060， 148.028-5 541.990， 4 261.422-5 607.438， 107.560- 195.512， 2.226-4.192 μg/g， respectively. The results of CA， PCA and OPLS-DA indicated that 15 batches of Sanzi powder could be clustered into two groups. Specifically， batches S3， S7， S10 and S15 were grouped into one category， and remaining batches were grouped into one category. VIP values of geniposide， quercetin， caffeic acid， and methyl deacetylated coumarinate were all greater than 1， with corresponding P-values less than 0.05. The results of the entropy weight-TOPSIS analysis revealed that methyl deacetylate exhibited the smallest information entropy and the highest weight. The relative closeness degrees of samples S3， S7， S10 and S15 ranged from 0.789 to 0.973， while the remaining samples ranged from 0.054 to 0.172. CONCLUSIONS The contents of 12 components in Sanzi powder could be determined accurately by using HPLC-MS/MS technology. Methyl deacetylated coumarinate， geniposide， quercetin and caffeic acid were identified as the quality differential markers. It was found that the overall quality of samples S3， S7， S10 and S15 were superior to that of other batches. Notably， the quality of Gardeniae Fructus decoction pieces emerges as a critical factor in ensuring the consistency of the preparation’s quality.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of "Zhibian" (BL54)-toward-"Shuidao" (ST28) needling technique on the relative protein expression of the signaling pathway of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1)/ receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the rats with primary dysmenorrhea (PD), so as to explore the underlying mechanism of this acupuncture technique for pain alleviation in PD. METHODS: Thirty female SD rats of SPF grade with normal estrous cycle were randomized into a blank group, a model group and an acupuncture group, 10 rats in each one. Using the intraperitoneal injection with estradiol benzoate combined with oxytocin, PD model was prepared in the model group and the acupuncture group. In the acupuncture group, during model preparation, the intervention with "Zhibian" (BL54)-toward-"Shuidao" (ST28) needling technique was delivered simultaneously, 20 min each time, once daily for consecutive 10 days. On day 11, within 30 min after the intraperitoneal injection with oxytocin, the writhing reaction (latency, frequency and score) was recorded; the morphology of uterine tissue was observed with HE staining, the contents of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the serum were detected using ELISA method; the relative protein expression of NOD1, RIP2, NF-κB p65, phosphorylation-NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) was detected in the uterine tissue using Western blot method; and the mRNA expression of NOD1, RIP2 and NF-κB p65 was detected with the quantitative real-time PCR employed. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, in the model group, the writhing latency was prolonged (P<0.01), the writhing frequency and score increased (P<0.01) in the rats; the endometrial epithelial cells showed massive degeneration and necrosis, with severe endometrial edema and widespread shedding, combined with neutrophil infiltration; the serum PGE₂ content was dropped (P<0.01), while those of PGF_2α, IL-1β, IL-18, COX-2, and TNF-α elevated (P<0.01); the protein expression of NOD1, RIP2, NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65, and the mRNA expression of NOD1, RIP2 and NF-κB p65 in uterine tissue increased (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, in the acupuncture group, the writhing latency was prolonged (P<0.01), the writhing frequency and score were reduced (P<0.01) in the rats; there was less degeneration and necrosis of endometrial epithelial cells, with mild endometrial edema and very little neutrophil infiltration; the serum PGE₂ content increased (P<0.01), while those of PGF_2α, IL-1β, IL-18, COX-2, and TNF-α decreased (P<0.01); the protein expression of NOD1, RIP2, NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NOD1, RIP2 and NF-κB p65 in uterine tissue were dropped (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION "Zhibian" (BL54)-toward-"Shuidao" (ST28) needling technique can alleviate the pain symptom of PD rats, and its action mechanism may be related to inhibiting the active expression of NOD1/RIP2/NF-κB signaling pathway in the uterine tissue, thereby reducing the inflammatory response.
Animals ; Female ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Dysmenorrhea/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Acupuncture Analgesia ; Nod1 Signaling Adaptor Protein/metabolism* ; Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinase 2/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Therapy

Adenosine, a critical molecule regulating cellular function both inside and outside cells, is controlled by two human adenosine deaminases: ADA1 and ADA2. While ADA1 primarily resides in the cytoplasm, ADA2 can be transported to lysosomes within cells or secreted outside the cell. Patients with ADA2 deficiency (DADA2) often suffer from systemic vasculitis due to elevated levels of TNF-α in their blood. Monocytes from DADA2 patients exhibit excessive TNF-α secretion and differentiate into pro-inflammatory M1-type macrophages. Our findings demonstrate that ADA2 localizes to endolysosomes within macrophages, and its intracellular concentration decreases in cells secreting TNF-α. This suggests that ADA2 may function as a lysosomal adenosine deaminase, regulating TNF-α expression by the cells. Interestingly, pneumonia patients exhibit higher ADA2 concentrations in their bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), correlating with elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Conversely, cord blood has low ADA2 levels, creating a more immunosuppressive environment. Additionally, secreted ADA2 can bind to apoptotic cells, activating immune cells by reducing extracellular adenosine levels. These findings imply that ADA2 release from monocytes during inflammation, triggered by growth factors, may be crucial for cell activation. Targeting intracellular and extracellular ADA2 activities could pave the way for novel therapies in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
Humans ; Adenosine Deaminase/deficiency* ; Monocytes/cytology* ; Cell Differentiation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Biomarkers/metabolism* ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Pneumonia/metabolism*

The study aims to explore the methods for preparing nanocomplexes of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) with UNO peptide (UNO-PBNPs) and the functions of the nanocomplexes targeting M2-type macrophages in vitro. PBNPs were prepared by the hydrothermal synthesis method. Subsequently, the peptide UNO (CSPGAKVRC) targeting the mannose receptor was modified on their surface by a heterobifunctional coupling approach. The morphological characteristics of nanoparticles were observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, their particle size, Zeta potential, and dispersion stability were assessed. The structural characteristics of nanoparticles were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and other techniques. The biological safety of the nanoparticles was evaluated by the CCK-8 assay and hemolysis experiments. Moreover, the targeting performance of UNO-PBNPs towards M2-type macrophages was assessed in vitro. The results showed that the synthesized UNO-PBNPs exhibited uniform cubic morphology, with an average particle size of (202.00±4.21) nm. They were negative charged, well dispersed, and stable. At concentrations ≤ 200 μg/mL, the synthesized UNO-PBNPs led to the hemolysis rate below 5%, demonstrating excellent biocompatibility. The laser confocal imaging results showed that after co-incubation with M2-type macrophages, the FITC-labeled UNO-PBNPs were effectively accumulated in the cells, presenting a distinct fluorescence signal. Quantitative analysis by flow cytometry showed that the intracellular mean fluorescence intensity (6 019.00±346.04) of UNO-PBNPs was higher than that (4 054.00±379.14) of unmodified PBNPs (P < 0.001). In summary, the UNO-PBNPs prepared in this study exhibited a targeting effect on M2-type macrophages, providing a potential method for targeted delivery of PBNPs in the tumor microenvironment and laying a foundation for the remodeling of the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment.
Ferrocyanides/chemistry* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Macrophages/drug effects* ; Peptides/chemistry* ; Particle Size ; Animals ; Mannose Receptor ; Mice ; Lectins, C-Type ; Mannose-Binding Lectins ; Receptors, Cell Surface

Objective To analyze the characteristics of influenza incidence and the changes of innate immune cells among children who visited the pediatric outpatient or emergency department of a hospital in Shanghai from Jan.2019 to Dec.2023,so as to provide references for the prevention of influenza in children.Methods Influenza-like illness(ILI)children who first visited the pediatric outpatient or emergency department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from Jan.2019 to Dec.2023,and underwent influenza virus antigen or nucleic acid testing were enrolled.Their clinical and laboratory data were collected for retrospective analysis.With a month as the basic monitoring unit,a line chart was used to describe the changes in the number of influenza cases and the positive rate.Then,these cases were assigned to pre-coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)group(Jan.2019 to Dec.2019),mid-COVID-19 group(Jan.2020 to Dec.2022),or post-COVID-19 group(Jan.2023 to Dec.2023),and the influenza positive rates among these groups were compared.To further observe the changes of the innate immune cells of children with influenza A after non-pharmacological intervention(NPI)measures,considering the development characteristics of children's white blood cells,children with influenza A were assigned to 2 subgroups according to age:0-6 years or 7-16 years.Within each subgroup,they were assigned to pre-NPI group or post-NPI group according to time.A ratio of 1∶1 matching was carried out according to gender and age using propensity score matching,and the blood routine parameters were compared between the 2 groups.Results A total of 41 028 ILI children were enrolled.During the COVID-19 period from Jan.2020 to Dec.2022,the influenza positive rates decreased significantly(P＜0.001),and almost no influenza virus was detected.The peak of influenza reappeared in Mar.2023,with a lag in the peak period,but higher than previous years'peak,and the speed of reaching the peak was faster.In each subgroup,the white blood cell count and lymphocyte ratio of children with influenza A in the post-NPI group were lower than those in the pre-NPI group(all P＜0.001),and the monocyte ratio was higher than that in the pre-NPI group(both P＜0.001).Conclusion The implementation of NPI measures during COVID-19 leads to disruption of influenza transmission route and changes in the epidemic trend of influenza.The influenza virus causes serious public health problems after COVID-19 period,and children with influenza A experience more serious immune response.It is recommended to strengthen the vaccination of influenza vaccine before the flu season.

Objective To investigate the relationship between intestinal flora metabolites and adverse reac-tions of chemotherapy in patients with digestive tract tumors undergoing chemotherapy.Methods From Jan-uary 2022 to June 2023,179 patients with digestive tract tumors undergoing chemotherapy in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were selected as the study objects.The intestinal flora metab-olites of patients were analyzed,and the adverse reactions of chemotherapy were evaluated.According to the severity of adverse reactions of chemotherapy,patients were divided into

Objective To explore the relationship among serum vitamin D,calcium ion,blood lipid lev-els and preeclampsia in pregnant women,and analyze the pregnancy outcomes of pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.Methods A total of 166 pregnant women with preeclampsia who underwent pregnancy examina-tion and delivered in Urumqi Municipal Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from January 1,2021 to Jan-uary 1,2023 were selected as the observation group,and 200 healthy pregnant women during the same period were selected as the control group.The levels of serum vitamin D,calcium ion,phosphorus ion,blood lipid in-dicators,uric acid,and creatinine were detected in the two groups,and the pregnancy complications and preg-nancy outcomes were observed.The influencing factors of preeclampsia were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression model.Results The levels of serum vitamin D,calcium ion,and high density lipoprotein in the observation group were lower than those in the control group,and the levels of serum uric acid and creati-nine were higher than those in the control group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).The incidence of fetal growth retardation,placental abruption,oligohydramnios,cesarean section,low birth weight infants,premature delivery,and postpartum hemorrhage in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the con-trol group(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum vitamin D(OR=15.141,95％CI:1.831-125.204,P=0.012),calcium ion(OR=4.625,95％CI:2.654-8.059,P＜0.001),high-den-sit y lipoprotein(OR=0.395,95％CI:0.235-0.666,P＜0.001),creatinine(OR=1.034,95％CI:1.005-1.063,P=0.020)and uric acid(OR=1.006,95％CI:1.003-1.010,P＜0.001)were independent factors for the occurrence of preeclampsia in pregnant women.Conclusion The levels of serum vitamin D,calcium ions,blood lipids,uric acid and creatinine may be correlated with the occurrence of preeclampsia.

Objective To evaluate the potential clinical value of T2 mapping and mDixon Quant in the diagnosis of early interver-tebral disc degeneration.Methods A total of 79 volunteers who underwent lumbar MRI examination were enrolled.All subjects were examined for 3.0T MR with T2WI,T2 mapping,and mDixon Quant while recording the condition of low back pain.The differ-ences between T2 mapping(map)value and fat fraction(FF)values of the vertebral(V)and nucleus pulposus(NP)within the Pfir-rmann Ⅰ and Pfirrmann Ⅱ intervertebral disc(grade Ⅰ 76,grade Ⅱ 87)were statistically analyzed.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analyses were performed for meaningful parameters.Results V-FF showed a mild positive correlation with degenera-tive intervertebral disc lesions,and NP-FF and NP-map values showed a mild negative correlation with lesions.There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in V-FF(P＜0.001),NP-FF(P=0.005),and NP-map(P＜0.001).Some measure-ments had statistically significant differences when different intervertebral disc segments were compared.Conclusion V-FF,NP-FF,and NP-map are associated with intervertebral disc degeneration.T2 mapping and mDixon Quant are potentially valuable as diagnostic tools to quantitatively assess early intervertebral disc degeneration and help diagnose.