Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate urban-rural disparities in its prevalence and management in elderly Chinese. METHODS: Consecutive participants aged ≥ 65 years attending outpatient clinics were enrolled for AF screening using handheld single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from April 2017 to December 2022. Each ECG rhythm strip was reviewed from the research team. AF or uninterpretable single-lead ECGs were referred for 12-lead ECG. Primary study outcome comparison was between rural and urban areas for the prevalence of AF. The Student's t-test was used to compare mean values of clinical characteristics between rural and urban participants, while the Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare between-group proportions. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between AF and various patient characteristics. RESULTS: The 29,166 study participants included 13,253 men (45.4%) and had a mean age of 72.2 years. The 7073 rural participants differed significantly (P ≤ 0.02) from the 22,093 urban participants in several major characteristics, such as older age, greater body mass index, and so on. The overall prevalence of AF was 4.6% (n = 1347). AF was more prevalent in 7073 rural participants than 22,093 urban participants (5.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.01), before and after adjustment for age, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and prior medical history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified overweight/obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.54) in urban areas and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93) in rural areas as specific risk factors for prevalent AF. In patients with known AF in urban areas (n = 781) and rural areas (n = 338), 60.6% and 45.9%, respectively, received AF treatment (P < 0.01), and only 22.4% and 17.2%, respectively, received anticoagulation therapy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In China, there are urban-rural disparities in AF in the elderly, with a higher prevalence and worse management in rural areas than urban areas. Our study findings provide insight for health policymakers to consider urban-rural disparity in the prevention and treatment of AF.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on podocyte injury of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and reveal its potential mechanism. METHODS: In in vitro experiment, podocytes were divided into 4 groups, normal, high glucose (HG), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE-1) α activator (HG+thapsigargin 1 µmol/L), and IRE-1α inhibitor (HG+STF-083010, 20 µmol/L) groups. Additionally, podocytes were divided into 4 groups, including normal, HG, AS-IV (HG+AS-IV 20 µmol/L), and IRE-1α inhibitor (HG+STF-083010, 20 µmol/L) groups, respectively. After 24 h treatment, the morphology of podocytes and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was observed by electron microscopy. The expressions of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and IRE-1α were detected by cellular immunofluorescence. In in vivo experiment, DN rat model was established via a consecutive 3-day intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ) injections. A total of 40 rats were assigned into the normal, DN, AS-IV [AS-IV 40 mg/(kg·d)], and IRE-1α inhibitor [STF-083010, 10 mg/(kg·d)] groups (n=10), respectively. The general condition, 24-h urine volume, random blood glucose, urinary protein excretion rate (UAER), urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum creatinine (SCr) levels of rats were measured after 8 weeks of intervention. Pathological changes in the renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expressions of GRP78, IRE-1α, nuclear factor kappa Bp65 (NF-κBp65), interleukin (IL)-1β, NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, gasdermin D-N (GSDMD-N), and nephrin at the mRNA and protein levels in vivo and in vitro, respectively. RESULTS: Cytoplasmic vacuolation and ER swelling were observed in the HG and IRE-1α activator groups. Podocyte morphology and ER expansion were improved in AS-IV and IRE-1α inhibitor groups compared with HG group. Cellular immunofluorescence showed that compared with the normal group, the fluorescence intensity of GRP78 and IRE-1α in the HG and IRE-1α activator groups were significantly increased whereas decreased in AS-IV and IRE-1α inhibitor groups (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the mRNA and protein expressions of GRP78, IRE-1α, NF-κ Bp65, IL-1β, NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD-N in the HG group was increased (P<0.05). Compared with HG group, the expression of above indices was decreased in the AS-IV and IRE-1α inhibitor groups, and the expression in the IRE-1α activator group was increased (P<0.05). The expression of nephrin was decreased in the HG group, and increased in AS-IV and IRE-1α inhibitor groups (P<0.05). The in vivo experiment results revealed that compared to the normal group, the levels of blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, BUN, blood creatinine and urinary protein in the DN group were higher (P<0.05). Compared with DN group, the above indices in AS-IV and IRE-1α inhibitor groups were decreased (P<0.05). HE staining revealed glomerular hypertrophy, mesangial widening and mesangial cell proliferation in the renal tissue of the DN group. Compared with the DN group, the above pathological changes in renal tissue of AS-IV and IRE-1α inhibitor groups were alleviated. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot results of GRP78, IRE-1α, NF-κ Bp65, IL-1β, NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD-N were consistent with immunofluorescence analysis. CONCLUSION AS-IV could reduce ERS and inflammation, improve podocyte pyroptosis, thus exerting a podocyte-protective effect in DN, through regulating IRE-1α/NF-κ B/NLRP3 signaling pathway.
Podocytes/metabolism* ; Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies/metabolism* ; Saponins/therapeutic use* ; Triterpenes/therapeutic use* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Endoribonucleases/metabolism* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP ; Rats ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/complications* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism* ; Multienzyme Complexes

This study aimed to comprehensively examine the association of gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to estimate the observational associations of gallstones and cholecystectomy with cancer risk, using data from a nationwide cohort involving 239 799 participants. General and gender-specific two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was further conducted to assess the causalities of the observed associations. Observationally, a history of gallstones without cholecystectomy was associated with a high risk of stomach cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-4.28), liver and bile duct cancer (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.17-5.16), kidney cancer (aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.94), and bladder cancer (aOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.01-5.13) in the general population, as well as cervical cancer (aOR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) in women. Moreover, cholecystectomy was associated with high odds of stomach cancer (aOR=2.41, 95% CI 1.29-4.49), colorectal cancer (aOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85), and cancer of liver and bile duct (aOR=2.58, 95% CI 1.11-6.02). MR analysis only supported the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer. This study added evidence to the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening in individuals with gallstones.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Gallstones/complications* ; Female ; Male ; Cholecystectomy/statistics & numerical data* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Adult ; Neoplasms/etiology* ; Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology*

Combined with elastic network model (ENM), the perturbation response scanning (PRS) has emerged as a robust technique for pinpointing allosteric interactions within proteins. Here, we proposed the PRS analysis of drug-target networks (DTNs), which could provide a promising avenue in network medicine. We demonstrated the utility of the method by introducing a deep learning and network perturbation-based framework, for drug repurposing of multiple sclerosis (MS). First, the MS comorbidity network was constructed by performing a random walk with restart algorithm based on shared genes between MS and other diseases as seed nodes. Then, based on topological analysis and functional annotation, the neurotransmission module was identified as the "therapeutic module" of MS. Further, perturbation scores of drugs on the module were calculated by constructing the DTN and introducing the PRS analysis, giving a list of repurposable drugs for MS. Mechanism of action analysis both at pathway and structural levels screened dihydroergocristine as a candidate drug of MS by targeting a serotonin receptor of serotonin 2B receptor (HTR2B). Finally, we established a cuprizone-induced chronic mouse model to evaluate the alteration of HTR2B in mouse brain regions and observed that HTR2B was significantly reduced in the cuprizone-induced mouse cortex. These findings proved that the network perturbation modeling is a promising avenue for drug repurposing of MS. As a useful systematic method, our approach can also be used to discover the new molecular mechanism and provide effective candidate drugs for other complex diseases.

ObjectiveTo analyze the exposure-response relationship of peripheral whole blood chromium level and lung function as well as genetic toxicity indicators in workers exposed to hexavalent chromium [Cr(Ⅵ)] compounds, and to propose a biological exposure limit of whole blood chromium for soluble Cr(Ⅵ) compounds-exposed workers. Methods A total of 515 workers from a dynamic occupational Cr(Ⅵ) compounds-exposed cohort in an enterprise from 2010 to 2017 were selected as the research subjects using a retrospective cohort study. A total of 918 followed-up results of research subjects and baseline data of a cohort were analyzed based on bibliometric analysis. The results include lung function tests, whole blood chromium level detected by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) detected by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, peripheral micronuclei frequency (MNF) detected by cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay, and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtCN) detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results The results of bibliometric analysis showed that domestic and foreign studies on biological monitoring of Cr(Ⅵ) compounds increased year by year in the past 30 years, and whole blood chromium levels had a good correlation with the occupational Cr(Ⅵ) compounds exposure. The geometric mean of whole blood chromium levels in males and females among the occupational Cr(Ⅵ) compounds exposure cohort was 2.77 and 1.79 μg/L, respectively. A turning point appeared in 6.00 μg/L chromium in whole blood of the exposure-response curve of whole blood chromium levels with lung function indicators and genetic toxicity indicators. For each unit increase in the natural logarithm-transformed whole blood chromium level, the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) decreased by 0.05 L, the FEV₁/forced-vital-capacity decreased by 0.67%, the peak expiratory flow decreased by 0.15 L/s, the maximal mid-expiratory flow decreased by 0.09 L/s, the MNF increased by 0.149‰, the urinary 8-OHdG increased by 0.090 μg/g, and the mtCN increased by 0.013. When the whole blood chromium level was >6.00 μg/L, there was a significant increase in urinary 8-OHdG, MNF, and mtCN (all P<0.01). Conclusion The level of whole blood chromium can be used as a biomarker for occupational exposure to soluble Cr(Ⅵ) compounds. The preliminary biological exposure limit is set at 6.00 μg/L for whole blood chromium in workers exposed to soluble Cr(Ⅵ) compounds.

italic>Astragalus polysaccharides are the most immunoregulatory active and abundant substances in Astragalus, with anti-tumor, anti-viral, and immune-promoting biological activities. They have been widely used in clinical practice. Previous studies have found that Astragalus polysaccharides are mainly composed of two different polysaccharides, APS-I (>2 000 kDa) and APS-Ⅱ (10 kDa), with APS-Ⅱ (10 kDa) being the most active component of Astragalus polysaccharides. We used α-1,4-glucan endo-hydrolysis enzyme to degrade APS-Ⅱ into oligosaccharides, and screened the immune activity of oligosaccharides in vitro. We found that the overall immune activity of 2-9 oligosaccharides was low, while the immune activity of 10-14 oligosaccharides was strong, and the activity was better than that of untreated APS-Ⅱ. To investigate the key structural features of APS-Ⅱ oligosaccharides that play a role in immune activity, we used MALDI-TOF-MS biochemical mass spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry instrument ESI-Q Exactive-MS to analyze the APS enzymatic oligosaccharides. By comparing, we found that 10-14 oligosaccharides contain 1→4 and 1→6 branched structures with coexisting linkages, suggesting that 1→4 and 1→6 linkages in branched structures are key structural features that play a role in the immune activity of APS-Ⅱ, laying a theoretical foundation for the structure-activity relationship of Astragalus polysaccharides and oligosaccharides.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement with Perceval sutureless aortic bioprosthesis in upper ministernotomy or right anterior thoracotomy. Methods From March to November 2022, the patients with simple aortic valve disease were enrolled in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of West China Hospital, Sichuan University. After preoperative evaluation, Perceval sutureless bioprosthesis was successfully used to perform aortic valve replacement through the upper ministernotomy or right anterior thoracotomy. The perioperative clinical data and ultrasonic measurement data of all patients were recorded. Results A total of 5 patients with simple aortic valve disease were included, including 3 females and 2 males, with a mean age of 71.2 years. Perceval sutureless bioprosthesis was successfully implanted in 5 patients, with a success rate of 100%. There were 3 patients receiving upper ministernotomy and 2 patients receiving right anterior thoracotomy. Two patients underwent ascending aortic plasty at the same time. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 61.0 min, and aortic cross-clamping time was 32.2 min. All patients were discharged successfully without perivalvular leakage, atrioventricular block or stroke. Conclusion The implantation method of Perceval sutureless bioprosthesis is simple, which can effectively reduce the perioperative risk by shortening the overall operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamping time. At the same time, its clinical application has promoted the development and popularization of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, which together with Perceval sutureless bioprosthesis effectively combinates surgical effect and minimally invasive treatment, and has a good clinical application prospect because of its reliable safety and effectiveness.

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of action of hemin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control, bleomycin and bleomycin + hemin groups. Mice in the bleomycin and bleomycin + hemin groups were injected intratracheally with bleomycin to establish the pulmonary fibrosis model.The bleomycin + hemin group mice were injected intraperitoneally with hemin starting 7 days before modeling until the end of Day 21 after modeling. Pathological changes in lung tissue were assessed by HE and Masson staining. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels were determined in lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess the expression of α-SMA and collagen I. The serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured via ELISA.Western blotting was used to determine the expression of TGF-β1, SIRT1, PGC-1α and HO-1 and the phosphorylation levels of p38, ERK1/2, JNK, AMPK and NF-κB p65 in lung tissue. Hemin significantly reduced lung indices, increased terminal body weight. It also significantly increased SOD and CAT activities; decreased MDA, IL-6 and TNF-α levels; reduced the levels of α-SMA and collagen I-positive cells; upregulated SIRT1, PGC-1α and HO-1 expression; promoted AMPK phosphorylation; and downregulated TGF-β1 expression and p38, ERK1/2, JNK and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation. Hemin might attenuate oxidative damage and inflammatory responses and reduces extracellular matrix deposition by regulating the expression and phosphorylation of proteins associated with the TGF-β1/MAPK and AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α/HO-1/ NF-κB pathways, thereby alleviating bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of action of hemin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control, bleomycin and bleomycin + hemin groups. Mice in the bleomycin and bleomycin + hemin groups were injected intratracheally with bleomycin to establish the pulmonary fibrosis model.The bleomycin + hemin group mice were injected intraperitoneally with hemin starting 7 days before modeling until the end of Day 21 after modeling. Pathological changes in lung tissue were assessed by HE and Masson staining. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels were determined in lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess the expression of α-SMA and collagen I. The serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured via ELISA.Western blotting was used to determine the expression of TGF-β1, SIRT1, PGC-1α and HO-1 and the phosphorylation levels of p38, ERK1/2, JNK, AMPK and NF-κB p65 in lung tissue. Hemin significantly reduced lung indices, increased terminal body weight. It also significantly increased SOD and CAT activities; decreased MDA, IL-6 and TNF-α levels; reduced the levels of α-SMA and collagen I-positive cells; upregulated SIRT1, PGC-1α and HO-1 expression; promoted AMPK phosphorylation; and downregulated TGF-β1 expression and p38, ERK1/2, JNK and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation. Hemin might attenuate oxidative damage and inflammatory responses and reduces extracellular matrix deposition by regulating the expression and phosphorylation of proteins associated with the TGF-β1/MAPK and AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α/HO-1/ NF-κB pathways, thereby alleviating bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.