Objective To investigate the microbial contamination and its influencing factors of indoor air in public places in Xi'an City, to assess the health risk of employees, and to provide a scientific basis for improving the indoor environment of public places. Methods Total bacterial count and total fungal count in indoor air were monitored in hotels/inns, shopping malls/supermarkets, gyms, and waiting rooms in Xi'an from 2023 to 2024. The health risk assessment of employees was evaluated according to the Chinese Population Exposure Parameters Manual (Adult Volume). Results Overall, the standard-exceeding rate of total bacterial count in Xi'an was 3.85%, and the median values of total bacterial count and total fungal count were 350 CFU/m3 and 300 CFU/m3, respectively. The results of the generalized linear model showed that high indoor temperature and PM10 levels were associated with increased indoor bacterial concentrations (β>0, P<0.05), while high daily passenger flow, and high indoor relative humidity and PM₁₀ levels were associated with increased indoor fungal concentrations (β>0, P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression showed that high levels of indoor bacterial and fungal concentrations were risk factors for respiratory discomfort among employees. The hazard quotient (HQ) values for all types of public places were less than 1, indicating that the health risk of microbial aerosol exposures for employees was relatively low. Conclusion The indoor microbial pollution in public places in Xi'an is relatively mild, but countermeasures still need to be taken to reduce indoor air microbial contamination.

AIM: To detect the distribution and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in radiation retinopathy(RR)through fluorescence targeted imaging.METHODS:Covalent binding of fluorescein FITC with VEGF antibody ranibizumab to prepare targeted fluorescent imaging probe ranibizumab-FITC. SD rats were randomly divided into three groups based on the principle of weight balance: a normal control group(Con group), a low-dose radiation group(10 Gy group), and a high-dose radiation group(30 Gy group). Medical linear accelerators and lead blocks were used to locally irradiate the rat eyeballs for modeling. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression levels of VEGF-A in each group and to screen for appropriate modeling dose. The inverted fluorescence microscope and the confocal microscope were used to observe the distribution of VEGF and imaging probes in the retinas of control and RR model group rats, and to verify the effectiveness of targeted probes.RESULTS:The expression level of VEGF-A in the retina of rats in the high-dose radiation group(30 Gy group)was higher than that in the normal control group(Con group). In early RR, VEGF expression was observed to be associated with microaneurysms and abnormal microvessels in the retina. VEGF accumulation was observed at the site of capillary wall damage. When retinal capillary endothelial damage occurred, targeted probes gathered on the outer surface of the vessel wall.CONCLUSION:The expression level of VEGF in the retina of RR model rats is elevated, and fluorescent targeted molecular imaging probes can detect the spatial distribution of VEGF at the microvascular lesions in the retina of RR rats.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate and evaluate the staged efficacy and safety of the representative empirical prescription of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory， Qijia Rougan prescription， combined with entecavir in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted， and 101 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatic fibrosis （CHB-HF） who met the diagnosis and inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group （Qijia Rougan prescription + entecavir） and a control group （entecavir）. The treatment duration was 24 weeks. Liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， fibrosis-4 index （FIB-4）， portal vein diameter， hepatitis B serology， biochemical indicators， hepatic fibrosis markers in serum ［hyaluronic acid （HA）， laminin （LN）， procollagen Ⅲ peptide （PⅢP）， and type Ⅳ collagen （Ⅳ-C）］， and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores were used as efficacy evaluation indicators. Efficacy assessments and explorations of different staged subgroups of Qijia Rougan prescription were conducted according to LSM values based on the Metavir pathological staging standard. ResultsA total of 98 cases were included for statistical analysis， with 49 cases in the observation group and 49 in the control group. The general data of the patients in both groups were comparable. Compared with the same group before treatment， the observation group showed a significant reduction in LSM and FIB-4 （P<0.01）， as well as notable improvements in LN， Ⅳ-C， and various TCM syndrome scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group demonstrated significant improvements in LSM， FIB-4， and various TCM syndrome score indicators （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that the observation group performed better than the control group. Subgroup analysis of the regression of hepatic fibrosis stages showed that compared to the same group before treatment， the observation group had better improvement in regression of stages F2 and F3 （P<0.05）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group exhibited superior improvement in regression of stage F3 （P<0.05）. No adverse events occurred in either group during the treatment period. ConclusionCompared with entecavir alone， the combination of Qijia Rougan prescription and entecavir significantly improves the degree of hepatic fibrosis and clinical TCM symptoms in patients. The optimal intervention period is primarily during stage F3， which is a potential “interception” point of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory.

Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） therapy has unique clinical advantages in the treatment of atrial fibrillation， mainly reflected in five aspects， improving quality of life， enabling early diagnosis and treatment， promoting cardiac rehabilitation， making up for the limitations of Western medicine， and improving the success rate of catheter ablation. However， there is insufficient evidence in current clinical research. Based on the current status of TCM research in the treatment of atrial fibrillation， it is suggested that future studies should focus on standardized research on syndrome differentiation and classification. This can be achieved through clinical epidemiological surveys， expert consensus， and other methods to establish a unified syndrome differentiation and classification standard for atrial fibrillation. Clinical efficacy evaluation indicators should be standardized， and core outcome measures for clinical research on TCM treatment of atrial fibrillation should be developed through systematic reviews， patient interviews， and other methods. Additionally， clinical research design， implementation， and data management should be improved. By leveraging modern information technologies such as artificial intelligence， the scientific and standardized nature of TCM intervention research on atrial fibrillation can be enhanced， ultimately improving the quality of research.

A growing body of research points out that gut microbiota plays a key role in tumor immunotherapy. By optimizing the composition of intestinal microbiota, it is possible to effectively improve immunotherapy resistance and enhance its therapeutic effect. This article comprehensively analyzes the mechanism of intestinal microbiota influencing tumor immunotherapy resistance, expounds the current strategies for targeted regulation of intestinal microbiota, such as traditional Chinese medicine and plant components, fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics, prebiotics and dietary therapy, and explores the potential mechanisms of these strategies to improve patients' resistance to tumor immunotherapy. At the same time, the article also briefly discusses the prospects and challenges of targeting intestinal microbiota to improve tumor immunotherapy resistance, which provides a reference for related research to help the strategy research of reversing tumor immunotherapy resistance.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of pharmaceutical quality control on the efficiency and outcomes of standardized medication therapy management （MTM） services for patients with coronary heart disease by using Economic， Clinical and Humanistic Outcomes （ECHO） model. METHODS This study collected case data of coronary heart disease patients who received MTM services during January-March 2023 （pre-quality control implementation group， n＝96） and June-August 2023 （post-quality control implementation group， n＝164）. Using propensity score matching analysis， 80 patients were selected from each group. The study subsequently compared the economic， clinical， and humanistic outcome indicators of pharmaceutical services between the two matched groups. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data between the two groups after matching （P＞0.05）. Compared with pre-quality control implementation group， the daily treatment cost （16.26 yuan vs. 24.40 yuan， P＜0.001）， cost-effectiveness ratio [23.12 yuan/quality-adjusted life year （QALY） vs. 32.32 yuan/QALY， P＜0.001]， and the incidence of general adverse drug reactions （2.50% vs. 10.00%， P＝0.049） of post-quality control implementation group were decreased significantly； the utility value of the EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire （0.74± 0.06 vs. 0.71±0.07， P＝0.003）， the reduction in the number of medication related problems （1.0 vs. 0.5， P＜0.001）， the medication adherence score （[ 6.32±0.48） points vs. （6.10±0.37） points， P＝0.001]， and the satisfaction score （[ 92.56±1.52） points vs. （91.95±1.56） points， P＝0.013] all showed significant improvements. Neither group experienced serious adverse drug reactions. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of new adverse reactions between the two groups （1.25% vs. 3.75%， P＝0.310）. CONCLUSIONS Pharmaceutical quality control can improve the quality of pharmaceutical care， and the ECHO model can quantitatively evaluate the effect of MTM services， making pharmaceutical care better priced and more adaptable to social needs， thus being worthy of promotion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effects of two traditional mineral medicines (TMMs), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao, GF) and Terra Flava Usta (Zaoxintu, TFU), on gut-beneficial bacteria in mice, and preliminarily explore their mechanisms of action. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10 per group): the control group (standard diet), the GF group (diet supplemented with 2% GF), and the TFU group (diet supplemented with 2% TFU). After 4-week intervention, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the changes in the gut microbiota (GM). Scanning electron microscopy, in combination with coumarin A tetramethyl rhodamine conjugate and Hoechst stainings, was used to observe the bacteria and biofilm formation. RESULTS: Principal coordinate analysis revealed that GF and TFU significantly altered the GM composition in mice. Further analysis revealed that GF and TFU affected different types of gut bacteria, suggesting that different TMMs may selectively modulate specific bacterial populations. For certain bacteria, such as Faecalibaculum and Ileibacterium, both GF and TFU exhibited growth-promoting effects, implying that they may be sensitive to TMMs and that different TMMs can increase their abundance through their respective mechanisms. Notably, Lactobacillus reuteri, a widely recognized and used probiotic, was significantly enriched in the GF group. Random forest analysis identified Ileibacterium valens as a potential indicator bacterium for TMMs' impact on GM. Further mechanistic studies showed that gut bacteria formed biofilm structures on the TFU surface. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new insights into the interaction between TMMs and GM. As safe and effective natural clays, GF and TFU hold promise as potential candidates for prebiotic development.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Bacteria/growth & development* ; Mice ; Biofilms/drug effects* ; Male ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

OBJECTIVES: To propose a single repetition time (TR) quantitative magnetic susceptibility imaging method for the lumbar spine using bipolar readout gradient, and compare the quantitative magnetic susceptibility measurement using single TR and dual TR methods for the lumbar spine with different bone densities. METHODS: A translation correction method was proposed to correct spatial misalignment along the frequency encoding direction between positive and negative gradient readout images, and the phase difference between the images was eliminated using a phase correction method. The data of lumbar vertebrae L1-L5 were collected using single TR and dual TR methods from 6 normal individuals, 2 patients with osteopenia, and 2 patients with osteoporosis. The magnetic susceptibility map was reconstructed, the quantitative results of single TR before and after correction were compared with those of the dual TR method. RESULTS: The linear regression result of the lumbar spine magnetic susceptibility values obtained by the single TR method before calibration and the dual TR method is Y=0.64*X-11.61. The linear regression result of the lumbar spine magnetic susceptibility values corrected by the single TR method and the dual TR method is Y=1.03*X+0.25. The results of the corrected single TR method were highly consistent with those of the dual TR method, and the calibrated single TR method could effectively distinguish osteopenia and osteoporosis patients from normal individuals. CONCLUSIONS The calibrated single TR bipolar readout gradient method can generate artifact-free lumbar spine quantitative magnetic susceptibility distribution maps and reduce data acquisition time by 50%.
Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Osteoporosis/diagnosis* ; Adult ; Bone Density ; Aged ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic/diagnosis*