Objectives: . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits high recurrence rates, particularly in cases of radioresistant HNSCC (RR-HNSCC). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) therapy effectively suppresses the progression of HNSCC. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of NTP therapy in treating RR-HNSCC are not well understood. In this study, we explored the regulatory role of NTP in the RR-HNSCC signaling pathway and identified its signature genes. Methods: . After constructing two RR-HNSCC cell lines, we prepared cell lysates from cells treated or not treated with NTP-activated media (NTPAM) and performed RNA sequencing to determine their mRNA expression profiles. Based on the RNA sequencing results, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a bioinformatics analysis to identify candidate molecules potentially associated with NTPAM therapy for RR-HNSCC. Results: . NTPAM reduced RR-HNSCC cell viability in vitro. RNA sequencing results indicated that NTPAM treatment activated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and induced ferroptosis in RR-HNSCC cell lines. Among the 1,924 genes correlated with radiation treatment, eight showed statistical significance in both the cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Only five genes—ABCC3, DUSP16, PDGFB, RAF1, and THBS1—showed consistent results between the NTPAM data sequencing and TCGA data. LASSO regression analysis revealed that five genes were associated with cancer prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 2.26. In RR-HNSCC cells, NTPAM affected DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 as activated markers within 6 hours, and this effect persisted for 12 hours. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that these three DEGs were associated with the extracellular matrix, transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor pathways. Conclusion . NTPAM therapy exerts cytotoxic effects in RR-HNSCC cell lines by inducing specific ROS-mediated ferroptosis. DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 were identified as crucial targets for reversing the radiation resistance induced by NTPAM therapy, providing insights into the mechanisms and clinical applications of NTPAM treatment in RR-HNSCC.

Objectives: . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits high recurrence rates, particularly in cases of radioresistant HNSCC (RR-HNSCC). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) therapy effectively suppresses the progression of HNSCC. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of NTP therapy in treating RR-HNSCC are not well understood. In this study, we explored the regulatory role of NTP in the RR-HNSCC signaling pathway and identified its signature genes. Methods: . After constructing two RR-HNSCC cell lines, we prepared cell lysates from cells treated or not treated with NTP-activated media (NTPAM) and performed RNA sequencing to determine their mRNA expression profiles. Based on the RNA sequencing results, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a bioinformatics analysis to identify candidate molecules potentially associated with NTPAM therapy for RR-HNSCC. Results: . NTPAM reduced RR-HNSCC cell viability in vitro. RNA sequencing results indicated that NTPAM treatment activated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and induced ferroptosis in RR-HNSCC cell lines. Among the 1,924 genes correlated with radiation treatment, eight showed statistical significance in both the cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Only five genes—ABCC3, DUSP16, PDGFB, RAF1, and THBS1—showed consistent results between the NTPAM data sequencing and TCGA data. LASSO regression analysis revealed that five genes were associated with cancer prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 2.26. In RR-HNSCC cells, NTPAM affected DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 as activated markers within 6 hours, and this effect persisted for 12 hours. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that these three DEGs were associated with the extracellular matrix, transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor pathways. Conclusion . NTPAM therapy exerts cytotoxic effects in RR-HNSCC cell lines by inducing specific ROS-mediated ferroptosis. DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 were identified as crucial targets for reversing the radiation resistance induced by NTPAM therapy, providing insights into the mechanisms and clinical applications of NTPAM treatment in RR-HNSCC.

Objectives: . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits high recurrence rates, particularly in cases of radioresistant HNSCC (RR-HNSCC). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) therapy effectively suppresses the progression of HNSCC. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of NTP therapy in treating RR-HNSCC are not well understood. In this study, we explored the regulatory role of NTP in the RR-HNSCC signaling pathway and identified its signature genes. Methods: . After constructing two RR-HNSCC cell lines, we prepared cell lysates from cells treated or not treated with NTP-activated media (NTPAM) and performed RNA sequencing to determine their mRNA expression profiles. Based on the RNA sequencing results, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a bioinformatics analysis to identify candidate molecules potentially associated with NTPAM therapy for RR-HNSCC. Results: . NTPAM reduced RR-HNSCC cell viability in vitro. RNA sequencing results indicated that NTPAM treatment activated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and induced ferroptosis in RR-HNSCC cell lines. Among the 1,924 genes correlated with radiation treatment, eight showed statistical significance in both the cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Only five genes—ABCC3, DUSP16, PDGFB, RAF1, and THBS1—showed consistent results between the NTPAM data sequencing and TCGA data. LASSO regression analysis revealed that five genes were associated with cancer prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 2.26. In RR-HNSCC cells, NTPAM affected DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 as activated markers within 6 hours, and this effect persisted for 12 hours. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that these three DEGs were associated with the extracellular matrix, transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor pathways. Conclusion . NTPAM therapy exerts cytotoxic effects in RR-HNSCC cell lines by inducing specific ROS-mediated ferroptosis. DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 were identified as crucial targets for reversing the radiation resistance induced by NTPAM therapy, providing insights into the mechanisms and clinical applications of NTPAM treatment in RR-HNSCC.

Pinelliae Rhizoma (PR), known as Banxia in Chinese, Hange in Japanese, and Banha in Korean, is a renowned herbal medicine in East Asia derived from the dry tuber of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit. (PT). It is extensively utilized in dispensing granules, classical prescriptions, and herbal formulas to treat various conditions, including cough, infection, phlegm, nausea, asthma, and inflammation. Despite numerous studies on PR and its classical prescriptions over recent decades, a comprehensive synthesis of available evidence regarding its multifunctional roles and therapeutic potential is lacking. This review aims to address this gap by examining emerging evidence from metabonomics, preclinical studies, and clinical trials, while exploring potential trends and prospects for future research. A systematic literature search was conducted across six electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, to identify relevant articles on PR published until March 2023. PR contains 107 compounds with diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-asthma, antitussive and expectorant, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-microbial, emetic and anti-emetic, anti-convulsant and anti-epileptic, sedative and hypnotic, learning and memory enhancement, and anti-depressant effects. Metabonomic studies suggest that raw PR may exhibit cardiotoxicity and pregnancy toxicity while showing no apparent hepatorenal toxicity. However, limited pharmacokinetic investigations on PR constrain its clinical translation. Furthermore, clinical safety data on PR is scarce, with only four clinical trials assessing its positive effects in pediatric epilepsy, nausea and vomiting, soft tissue injury, and chronic sinus tract. This review aims to enhance understanding of PR and provide valuable information and recommendations for further research and development of herbal medicine.
Humans ; Pinellia/chemistry* ; Animals ; Ethnopharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Phytochemicals/chemistry* ; Rhizome/chemistry*

Objective To investigate the effects of galangin on the migration and invasion abilities of cervical cancer Hela cells and its potential mechanisms.Methods Hela cells were treated with different concentrations of galangin(0,5,10,20,40,60,80,100 μmol/L)for 48 hours,and CCK-8 assay was used to assess the impact of galangin on cell viability and to determine the half-maximal lethal concentration(IC50)of galangin.Hela cells were divided into a control group(0 μmol/L)and a galangin group(40 μmol/L treatment).Scratch wound healing assays and Transwell chamber assays were conducted to evaluate the migration and invasion abilities of the cells in each group.Western Blot was used to detect the protein expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin.DIA quantitative proteomics technology was used to detect and screen the differentially expressed proteins between the two groups.Biological function enrichment analysis of the differential genes was performed using the KEGG Pathway and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)methods.Western Blot was used to verify the expression levels of Hippo/YAP signaling pathway-related proteins YAP and p-YAP.Results Compared to the control group,galangin(40 μmol/L)significantly inhibited the viability of Hela cells in a concentration-dependent manner(P<0.001).Compared with the control group,the scratch healing ability and invasion ability of cervical cancer Hela cells treated with galangin(40 μmol/L)were significantly reduced(P<0.001).The expression of E-cadherin protein was increased(P<0.05)and the expression of N-cadherin protein was decreased(P<0.001)in the galangin group(40 μmol/L)compared to the control group.KEGG and GSEA enrichment results indicated that the inhibition of malignant progression in cervical cancer by galangin was significantly associated with the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway.Western Blot confirmed that the expression level of the hallmark protein p-YAP in the Hippo signaling pathway was increased(P<0.01),while the expression level of YAP protein was decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Galangin inhibits the proliferation,migration and invasion abilities of Hela cells in a dose-dependent manner.The underlying mechanism might be associated with the activation of the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway.

Objective To develop a static progressive ankle stretcher for the treatment of functional disorders caused by scar contracture of the Achilles tendon after burn,and to evaluate its application effect.Methods The static progressive ankle stretcher was composed of a plantar support section and a calf support section,which was mainly made of a 3.2 mm-thick medical low-temperature thermoplastic plate,a commercially available 1 mm-diameter steel wire rope,grooved wheels,ice fishing reels with a diameter of about 50 mm,curved folding hinges and a locking threader with a hole diameter of about 1.5 mm.Totally 49 patients with scar contracture after deep Ⅱ to Ⅲ-degree burns of the Achilles tendon admitted to some hospital from March 2021 to January 2023 were prospectively selected and divided into a conventional rehabilitation group(25 cases)and a combined rehabilitation group(24 cases)using a randomized numerical table method.The patients in the conventional rehabilitation group underwent routine scar care such as anti-scarring medication application at home,scar massage,resistance training,joint loosening training in the hospital and compression therapy with the customized compression stockings/pants at the rest of the time,the patients in the combined rehabilitation group were treated with the static progressive ankle stretcher besides the measures taken for the conventional group.The two groups were compared in terms of scarring,ankle function and active dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle joint before and 12 weeks after the treatment,balance and walking ability 4 weeks and 12 weeks after the treatment,adverse events during the treatment and patient satisfaction 12 weeks after the treatment.SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results In terms of scarring condition,ankle function and active dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle joint all the patients were improved 12 weeks after the treatment,and the ones in the combined rehabilitation group behaved better than the ones in the conventional group,with the differences being statistically significant(P<0.05).The balance and walking ability 12 weeks after the treatment was better than that 4 weeks after the treatment in the two groups,and the combined rehabilitation group gained advantages over the conventional group in balance and walking ability,with the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).During the treatment no adverse events due to the static progressive ankle stretcher were found,such as muscle tissue strain,scarred skin rupture,instrument friction and pressure injury.The combined rehabilitation group had higher patient satisfaction than the conventional group 12 weeks after the treatment,with the differences being statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The static progressive ankle stretcher combined with the conventional rehabilitation treatment contributes to improving contracture scar conditions and joint mobility at the Achilles tendon area of the post-burn patients,which helps accelerate the recovery of ankle function after burns and enhance the balance and walking ability of the patients.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(10):54-59]

Objective To develop a static progressive ankle stretcher for the treatment of functional disorders caused by scar contracture of the Achilles tendon after burn,and to evaluate its application effect.Methods The static progressive ankle stretcher was composed of a plantar support section and a calf support section,which was mainly made of a 3.2 mm-thick medical low-temperature thermoplastic plate,a commercially available 1 mm-diameter steel wire rope,grooved wheels,ice fishing reels with a diameter of about 50 mm,curved folding hinges and a locking threader with a hole diameter of about 1.5 mm.Totally 49 patients with scar contracture after deep Ⅱ to Ⅲ-degree burns of the Achilles tendon admitted to some hospital from March 2021 to January 2023 were prospectively selected and divided into a conventional rehabilitation group(25 cases)and a combined rehabilitation group(24 cases)using a randomized numerical table method.The patients in the conventional rehabilitation group underwent routine scar care such as anti-scarring medication application at home,scar massage,resistance training,joint loosening training in the hospital and compression therapy with the customized compression stockings/pants at the rest of the time,the patients in the combined rehabilitation group were treated with the static progressive ankle stretcher besides the measures taken for the conventional group.The two groups were compared in terms of scarring,ankle function and active dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle joint before and 12 weeks after the treatment,balance and walking ability 4 weeks and 12 weeks after the treatment,adverse events during the treatment and patient satisfaction 12 weeks after the treatment.SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results In terms of scarring condition,ankle function and active dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle joint all the patients were improved 12 weeks after the treatment,and the ones in the combined rehabilitation group behaved better than the ones in the conventional group,with the differences being statistically significant(P<0.05).The balance and walking ability 12 weeks after the treatment was better than that 4 weeks after the treatment in the two groups,and the combined rehabilitation group gained advantages over the conventional group in balance and walking ability,with the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).During the treatment no adverse events due to the static progressive ankle stretcher were found,such as muscle tissue strain,scarred skin rupture,instrument friction and pressure injury.The combined rehabilitation group had higher patient satisfaction than the conventional group 12 weeks after the treatment,with the differences being statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The static progressive ankle stretcher combined with the conventional rehabilitation treatment contributes to improving contracture scar conditions and joint mobility at the Achilles tendon area of the post-burn patients,which helps accelerate the recovery of ankle function after burns and enhance the balance and walking ability of the patients.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(10):54-59]

Objective:To observe any therapeutic effect of kinesio taping the orbicularis oris and cervical swallowing muscle groups on drooling among children with cerebral palsy (CP).Methods:Fifty-two children with CP salivating excessively were divided at random into a control group and an experimental group, each of 26. Both groups received routine oral and facial exercise training and sensory stimulation, but the experimental group was additionally provided with kinesio taping of the orbicularis oris muscle and related neck muscle groups. The taping was applied twice a week for 12 hours each time, continuing for 6 months. Before and after the treatment, both groups′ drooling and language use were evaluated using the teacher drooling grading method (TDS) and a language developmental delay assessment (S-S), respectively. Kendall rank correlation coefficients were computed to compare the treatment efficacy for children with the same TDS grading, cerebral palsy classification, and S-S segmentation.Results:After the treatment the average TDS scores of both groups had decreased significantly. The average TDS score of the experimental group was then significantly lower than that of the control group. The total effectiveness rate for those in the experimental group with TDS grades II or V was significantly higher than those controls with the same TDS grades, the effectiveness rate for those with spastic and mixed type or language function in stage 4-2 and stage 5-2 in the experiment group was also significantly higher than for those of the control group. According to the correlation analysis, the language function of both groups was significantly correlated with the therapeutic effect.Conclusions:Supplementing routine rehabilitation training with kinesio taping of the orbicularis oris muscle and the cervical swallowing muscle group can significantly relieve CP children′s excessive salivation. Their language use is significantly positively correlated with the effectiveness of such combined treatment.

Objective:To observe any therapeutic effect of kinesio taping the orbicularis oris and cervical swallowing muscle groups on drooling among children with cerebral palsy (CP).Methods:Fifty-two children with CP salivating excessively were divided at random into a control group and an experimental group, each of 26. Both groups received routine oral and facial exercise training and sensory stimulation, but the experimental group was additionally provided with kinesio taping of the orbicularis oris muscle and related neck muscle groups. The taping was applied twice a week for 12 hours each time, continuing for 6 months. Before and after the treatment, both groups′ drooling and language use were evaluated using the teacher drooling grading method (TDS) and a language developmental delay assessment (S-S), respectively. Kendall rank correlation coefficients were computed to compare the treatment efficacy for children with the same TDS grading, cerebral palsy classification, and S-S segmentation.Results:After the treatment the average TDS scores of both groups had decreased significantly. The average TDS score of the experimental group was then significantly lower than that of the control group. The total effectiveness rate for those in the experimental group with TDS grades II or V was significantly higher than those controls with the same TDS grades, the effectiveness rate for those with spastic and mixed type or language function in stage 4-2 and stage 5-2 in the experiment group was also significantly higher than for those of the control group. According to the correlation analysis, the language function of both groups was significantly correlated with the therapeutic effect.Conclusions:Supplementing routine rehabilitation training with kinesio taping of the orbicularis oris muscle and the cervical swallowing muscle group can significantly relieve CP children′s excessive salivation. Their language use is significantly positively correlated with the effectiveness of such combined treatment.