This study selected 6 529 plant-based Chinese materia medica(PCMM) from Chinese Materia Medica as research subjects and applied a random permutation test to explore the overall correlation characteristics between nature and flavor, as well as the correlation characteristics after distinguishing different medicinal parts and harvest seasons. The results showed that the overall correlation characteristics between nature and flavor in PCMM were significantly associated in the following pairs: cold and bitter, cool and bitter, cool and astringent, cool and light, neutral and sweet, neutral and astringent, neutral and light, neutral and sour, hot and pungent, and warm and pungent. When analyzing the data by distinguishing medicinal parts and/or harvest seasons, new correlation patterns emerged, characterized by the disappearance of some significant correlations and the emergence of new ones. When analyzing by medicinal parts alone, significant correlations were found in the following cases: cold and light in leaves, cold and salty in barks, cool and sweet in fruits and seeds, neutral and pungent in whole herbs, neutral and salty in stems, and warm and salty in flowers. However, no significant correlations were found between cool and bitter in stems and other types of herbs, cool and astringent in fruits, seeds, flowers, and other types of herbs, cool and light in leaves, fruits, seeds, barks, flowers and other types of herbs, neutral and sweet in barks, neutral and astringent in whole herbs and stems, neutral and light in leaves, fruits, seeds, and flowers, neutral and sour in whole herbs, stems, barks, flowers, and other types of herbs, and hot and pungent in whole herbs, stems, flowers, and other types of herbs. When analyzing by harvest season alone, significant correlations were found in the following cases: cold and salty, and cool and sour in herbs harvested in winter, and neutral and salty in herbs harvested year-round. However, no significant correlation was found between cool and light in herbs harvested in winter. When considering both medicinal parts and harvest seasons, compared to the independent influence of medicinal parts, 14 new significant correlations emerged(e.g., the correlation between cool and bitter in stems harvested in spring), while 53 previously significant correlations disappeared(e.g., the correlation between cool and bitter in barks harvested in summer). Compared to the independent influence of harvest seasons, 11 new significant correlations appeared(e.g., the correlation between cold and light in barks harvested in autumn), while 50 previously significant correlations disappeared(e.g., the correlation between hot and pungent in leaves harvested in winter). This study is the first to reveal the influence of medicinal parts and harvest seasons on the correlation between nature and flavor in PCMM, which highlights that these two factors can interact and jointly affect nature-flavor correlations. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms. This study provides a deeper understanding of the inherent scientific connotations of herbal properties and offers a theoretical foundation for the cultivation and harvesting of PCMM.
Seasons ; Plants, Medicinal/growth & development* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Taste

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is the pillar for the development of motherland medicine, and animal medicine has a long history of application in China, characterized by wide resources, strong activity, definite efficacy, and great benefits. It has significant potential and important status in the consumption market of raw materials of TCM. In the context of global climate change, farming system alterations, and low renewability, the depletion of wild medicinal animal resources has accelerated. Accordingly, the conservation and sustainable utilization of wild resources of animal medicinal materials has become a problem that garners increasing attention and urgently needs to be solved. This paper summarizes the current situation of domestic and foreign medicinal animal breeding and research progress in industrial application in recent years and points out the issues related to standardized breeding, germplasm selection and breeding, and quality evaluation standards for medicinal animals. Furthermore, this paper discusses standardized breeding, quality standards, resource protection and utilization, and the search for alternative resources for rare and endangered medicinal animals. It proposes that researchers should systematically carry out in-depth basic research on animal medicine, improve the breeding scale and level of medicinal animals, employ modern technology to enhance the quality standards of medicinal materials, and strengthen the research and development of alternative resources. This approach aims to effectively address the relationship between protection and utilization and make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of medicinal animal resources and the animal-based Chinese medicinal material industry.
Animals ; Breeding ; China ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Conservation of Natural Resources

Nitrite has high toxicity and is commonly found in food poisoning. Poisoned patients may experience cyanosis of the skin and lips, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing or coma may occur in severe cases. Four cases of nitrite poisoning patients who were transferred from primary hospitals to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, the First People's Hospital of Baiyin were reported. After symptomatic supportive treatment with special antidote methylene blue, oxygen inhalation, blood purification, etc., the patients recovered and were discharged after 4 days of treatment.

Nitrite has high toxicity and is commonly found in food poisoning. Poisoned patients may experience cyanosis of the skin and lips, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing or coma may occur in severe cases. Four cases of nitrite poisoning patients who were transferred from primary hospitals to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, the First People's Hospital of Baiyin were reported. After symptomatic supportive treatment with special antidote methylene blue, oxygen inhalation, blood purification, etc., the patients recovered and were discharged after 4 days of treatment.

BACKGROUND: Red-cell transfusion is critical for surgery during the peri-operative period; however, the transfusion threshold remains controversial mainly owing to the diversity among patients. The patient's medical status should be evaluated before making a transfusion decision. Herein, we developed an individualized transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score based on the physiology of oxygen delivery/consumption balance and designed an open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to verify whether it reduced red cell requirement as compared with that associated with restrictive and liberal strategies safely and effectively, providing valid evidence for peri-operative transfusion. METHODS: Patients aged >14 years undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery with estimated blood loss > 1000 mL or 20% blood volume and hemoglobin concentration <10 g/dL were randomly assigned to an individualized strategy, a restrictive strategy following China's guideline or a liberal strategy with a transfusion threshold of hemoglobin concentration <9.5 g/dL. We evaluated two primary outcomes: the proportion of patients who received red blood cells (superiority test) and a composite of in-hospital complications and all-cause mortality by day 30 (non-inferiority test). RESULTS: We enrolled 1182 patients: 379, 419, and 384 received individualized, restrictive, and liberal strategies, respectively. Approximately 30.6% (116/379) of patients in the individualized strategy received a red-cell transfusion, less than 62.5% (262/419) in the restrictive strategy (absolute risk difference, 31.92%; 97.5% confidence interval [CI]: 24.42-39.42%; odds ratio, 3.78%; 97.5% CI: 2.70-5.30%; P <0.001), and 89.8% (345/384) in the liberal strategy (absolute risk difference, 59.24%; 97.5% CI: 52.91-65.57%; odds ratio, 20.06; 97.5% CI: 12.74-31.57; P <0.001). No statistically significant differences were found in the composite of in-hospital complications and mortality by day 30 among the three strategies. CONCLUSION: The individualized red-cell transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score reduced red-cell transfusion without increasing in-hospital complications and mortality by day 30 when compared with restrictive and liberal strategies in elective non-cardiac surgeries. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01597232.
Humans ; Adult ; Postoperative Complications ; Erythrocyte Transfusion/adverse effects* ; Blood Transfusion ; Hospitals ; Hemoglobins/analysis*

Objective To examine short-term outcomes and long-term survival of elderly patients (aged over 80 years) with colorectal cancer who received laparoscopic versus open surgery. Methods A total of 313 patients over 80 years old with colorectal cancer who underwent radical surgery were included.According to the surgical method, all patients were divided into open-surgery group (n=143) and laparoscopic surgery group (n=170).Baseline data were balanced between the two groups by using propensity score matching.Kaplan-Meier was used to draw the survival curve, and survival was compared by Log rank tests.Cox proportional risk model was used to analyze the effects of all factors on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results After matching, 93 patients were included in each group.The mean intraoperative blood loss, the incidence of overall postoperative complications and gradeⅠ-Ⅱ complications in the laparoscopic surgery group were significantly lower than those in the open surgery group (all P < 0.05).The time to first flatus, the time to oral feeding, and postoperative hospital stays in the laparoscopic surgery group were significantly shorter than those in the open surgery group (all P < 0.05).The mean number of lymph-node dissection was also significantly higher in the laparoscopic surgery group than in the open surgery group (P=0.030).Patients in both groups had similar 5-year OS (P=0.594) and DFS (P=0.295).Multivariate Cox prognostic analysis showed that CEA level > 5 ng/ml, pathological TNM stage Ⅲ, and perineural invasion were independent risk factors for poor OS and DFS. Conclusion Compared with open surgery, laparoscopic surgery can provide better short-term advantages and similar long-term outcomes for colorectal cancer patients over 80 years of age.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and diabetes within a social-ecological framework, incorporating personal and environmental unfavorable conditions during childhood from family, school, and community contexts. METHODS: Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2014 life history survey and 2015 survey), including 9,179 participants aged ≥45 years. ACEs were collected through self-report questionnaires, and participants were categorized based on the number of distinct ACEs experienced (0, 1, 2, 3, or ≥4 ACEs). Diabetes was defined by biomarkers, self-reported diagnosis, and treatment status. Logistic regression was conducted to explore the associations between ACEs and diabetes. Subgroup analyses were conducted by gender, age, and obesity status. RESULTS: Compared with participants without ACEs, those exposed to any ACE (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.40), 3 ACEs (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.62) and ≥4 ACEs (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.56) had an increased risk of diabetes. For each additional ACE, the risk of diabetes increased by about 5%. Regarding the source of ACEs, those originating from the family (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.41) were associated with diabetes. In terms of specific ACE types, family members with substance abuse (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52), emotional abuse (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.46), and poor parental relationship (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.43) were associated with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS ACEs, particularly those originating from the family, were associated with diabetes. Interventions aimed at preventing and mitigating ACEs are essential for the early prevention of diabetes.

ObjectiveTo identify potential distribution areas for wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest in Liaoning province， China， and analyze the ecological factors of spatial stratified heterogeneity affecting its ecological suitability and quality suitability. MethodWild Panax ginseng samples cultivated under forest were collected from 33 cultivation bases in Liaoning province. The Maxent maximum entropy model and ArcGIS were used to delineate the ecological suitability zones. Correlation analysis was performed on seven indicators and 110 ecological factors. Variables with significant correlation （P<0.05） were used to build partial least squares regression analysis models. A comprehensive quality zoning was conducted using the analytic hierarchy process （AHP）. The geographic detector was employed to analyze the interactions among dominant ecological factors of spatial stratified heterogeneity affecting habitat suitability， quality suitability， and the ecological driving factors. ResultVegetation type was the most influential ecological factor for delineating the ecological suitability zones for wild Panax ginseng in Liaoning province. The main ecological suitability areas for wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest were located in the northeast， east， and southeast regions along the line from Xifeng County to Gaizhou City. The comprehensive quality suitability of wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest was highest in Kuandian County and Huanren County and gradually decreased to the northwest and southwest. Within the delineated regions， the suitability conditions and comprehensive quality of wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest were primarily influenced by the interactions between radiation and precipitation factors. The content of the measured samples was significantly higher than the standards in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia， indicating the high overall quality of wild Panax ginseng in Liaoning Province. ConclusionAccording to the zoning and prediction results， areas in Fengcheng City， Xiuyan County， Zhuanghe City， Liaoyang County， Tieling County， Xifeng County， Gaizhou City， Haicheng City， and Dashiqiao City showed large potential distribution areas with high quality， making them highly promising for wild Panax ginseng cultivation. However， further experimental verification is required. The zoning results can provide insights for research on habitat suitability and comprehensive quality accumulation of wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest， as well as guidance for the search for potential cultivation areas and industrial development of wild Panax ginseng in Liaoning Province.

Dao-di herbs are the treasure of Chinese materia medica and one of the characteristic research objects of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Probing into the microevolution of Dao-di herbs can help to reveal their biological essence and quality formation mechanisms. The progress in molecular biology and omics provides the possibility to elucidate the phylogenetic and quality forming characteristics of Dao-di herbs at the molecular level. In particular, genomics serves as a powerful tool to decipher the genetic origins of Dao-di herbs, and molecular markers have been widely used in the research on the genetic diversity and population structure of Dao-di herbs. Focusing on the excellent traits and quality of Dao-di herbs, this paper reviews the studies about the microevolution process of quality formation mechanisms of Dao-di herbs with the application of molecular markers and omics, aiming to underpin the protection and utilization of TCM resources.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phenotype

Objective:To explore the effect of self-made protective clothing in tracheal intubation for the patients with respiratory infectious diseases.Methods:Self-made protective clothing were made by adult model plastic raincoat with sleeve lets and goggles. A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. Patients with severe respiratory infectious diseases who needed tracheal intubation admitted to the department of intensive medicine of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine from January 1st 2018 to March 31st 2020 were enrolled. According to the random number table method, they were divided into two groups. The control group was wearing standard protective clothing, while the test group was wearing self-made protective clothing for endotracheal intubation. The wearing time, infection rate of operators and costs of protective clothing were compared between the two groups. The patients were sprayed with trypanosome blue diluent before tracheal intubation, and the whole body of the operator was photographed with fluorescence before wearing self-made protective clothing and after doing tracheal intubation to take off the self-made protective clothing, in order to evaluate the permeability resistance of self-made protective clothing.Results:A total of 86 patients were enrolled. There were 46 cases in the test group, included 28 cases of influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, 11 cases of influenza B virus infection and 7 cases of adenovirus infection. There were 40 cases in the control group, included 15 cases of H1N1 virus infection, 10 cases of influenza B virus infection, 10 cases of adenovirus infection and 5 cases of unknown pathogen. There was no significant difference in respiratory etiology between the two groups ( χ2 = 3.789, P = 0.435). The wearing protective clothing time of the control group was 11.6 times than that of the test group (minutes: 22.23±1.45 vs. 1.86±0.24, χ2 = 19.023, P < 0.001). The cost of standard protective clothing was 12.5 times than that of self-made protective clothing (Yuan/set: 500 vs. 40). Fluorescent photography showed that the whole body of the operator was not stained after tracheal intubation, indicating that the protective clothing had good anti permeability and achieved the protective effect. There was no operator infection in the test group and the control group. Conclusion:Self-made protective clothing has short wearing time, low cost and equivalent isolation effect compared with standard protective clothing, which is worthy of clinical promotion.