This study employed the "disease-medicine-dose" pattern to mine the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions containing Astragali Radix in ancient Chinese medical books, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines. The TCM prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were retrieved from databases such as Chinese Medical Dictionary and imported into Excel 2020 to construct the prescription library. Statical analysis were performed for the prescriptions regarding the indications, syndromes, medicine use frequency, herb effects, nature and taste, meridian tropism, dosage forms, and dose. SPSS statistics 26.0 and IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used for association rules analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 2 297 prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were collected, involving 233 indications, among which sore and ulcer, consumptive disease, sweating disorder, and apoplexy had high frequency(>25), and their syndromes were mainly Qi and blood deficiency, Qi and blood deficiency, Yin and Yang deficiency, and Qi deficiency and collateral obstruction, respectively. In the prescriptions, 98 medicines were used with the frequency >25 and they mainly included Qi-tonifying medicines and blood-tonifying medicines. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium were frequently used. The medicines with high frequency mainly have warm or cold nature, and sweet, pungent, or bitter taste, with tropism to spleen, lung, heart, liver, and kidney meridians. In the treatment of sore and ulcer, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to promote granulation and heal up sores. In the treatment of consumptive disease, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 37.30 g and combined with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma to tonify deficiency and replenish Qi. In the treatment of sweating disorder, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to consolidate exterior and stop sweating. In the treatment of apoplexy, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 7.46 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to dispell wind and stop convulsions. Astragali Radix can be used in the treatment of multiple system diseases, with the effects of tonifying Qi and ascending Yang, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and expressing toxin and promoting granulation. According to the manifestations of different diseases, when combined with other medicines, Astragali Radix was endowed with the effects of promoting granulation and healing up sores, tonifying deficiency and Qi, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and dispelling wind and replenishing Qi. The findings provide a theoretical reference and a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history* ; History, Ancient ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; China ; Astragalus propinquus

Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Guided by the concept of quality by design(QbD), this study optimizes the calcination and quenching process of calcined Magnetitum and establishes the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of quality standards. Based on the processing methods and quality requirements of Magnetitum in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the critical process parameters(CPPs) identified were calcination temperature, calcination time, particle size, laying thickness, and the number of vinegar quenching cycles. The critical quality attributes(CQAs) included Fe mass fraction, Fe~(2+) dissolution, and surface color. The weight coefficients were determined by combining Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP) and the criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC) method, and the calcination process was optimized using orthogonal experimentation. Surface color was selected as a CQA, and based on the principle of color value, the surface color of calcined Magnetitum was objectively quantified. The vinegar quenching process was then optimized to determine the best processing conditions. X-ray diffraction(XRD) was used to establish the characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, and methods such as similarity evaluation, cluster analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were used to evaluate the quality of the spectra. The optimized calcined Magnetitum preparation process was found to be calcination at 750 ℃ for 1 h, with a laying thickness of 4 cm, a particle size of 0.4-0.8 cm, and one vinegar quenching cycle(Magnetitum-vinegar ratio 10∶3), which was stable and feasible. The XRD characteristic spectra analysis method, featuring 9 common peaks as fingerprint information, was established. The average correlation coefficient ranged from 0.839 5-0.988 1, and the average angle cosine ranged from 0.914 4 to 0.995 6, indicating good similarity. Cluster analysis results showed that Magnetitum and calcined Magnetitum could be grouped together, with similar compositions. OPLS-DA discriminant analysis identified three key characteristic peaks, with Fe_2O_3 being the distinguishing component between the two. The final optimized processing method is stable and feasible, and the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum was initially established, providing a reference for subsequent quality control and the formulation of quality standards for calcined Magnetitum.
X-Ray Diffraction/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Particle Size

BACKGROUND:In recent years,with the development of biological scaffold materials and bioprinting technology,tissue-engineered bone has become a research hotspot in bone defect repair. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the current treatment methods for bone defects,summarize the biomaterials and bioprinting technology for preparing tissue-engineered bone scaffolds,and explore the application of biomaterials and printing technology in tissue engineering and the current challenges. METHODS:Search terms were"bone defect,tissue engineering,biomaterials,3D printing technology,4D printing technology,bioprinting,biological scaffold,bone repair"in Chinese and English.Relevant documents published from January 1,2009 to December 1,2022 were retrieved on CNKI,PubMed and Web of Science databases.After being screened by the first author,high-quality references were added.A total of 93 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The main treatment methods for bone defects include bone transplantation,membrane-guided regeneration,gene therapy,bone tissue engineering,etc.The best treatment method is still uncertain.Bone tissue engineering technology is a new technology for the treatment of bone defects.It has become the focus of current research by constructing three-dimensional structures that can promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and enhance the ability of bone formation.Biological scaffold materials are diverse,with their characteristics,advantages and disadvantages.A single biological material cannot meet the demand for tissue-engineered bone for the scaffold.Usually,multiple materials are combined to complement each other,which is to meet the demand for mechanical properties while taking into account the biological properties of the scaffold.Bioprinting technology can adjust the pore of the scaffold,build a complex spatial structure,and is more conducive to cell adhesion,proliferation and differentiation.The emerging 4D printing technology introduces"time"as the fourth dimension to make the prepared scaffold dynamic.With the synchronous development of smart materials,4D printing technology provides the possibility of efficient repair of bone defects in the future.

Objective:To explore the short-term efficacy on 3D printing assisted reconstruction of traumatic digit joint defects using rib and costo-osteochondral autograft.Methods:From August 2022 to July 2023, 7 patients with open digit joint defects had undergone emergency primary debridement and fracture fixation in the Department of Orthopaedics, 988th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA. Patients with more phalangeal defects that could not be aligned were treated with antibiotic bone cement filling in the emergency surgery. In the second stage surgery, bone cement was removed and transfer of rib cartilage graft was performed to reconstruct the digit joint defect. According to a 1∶1 3D printed hand templates, rib cartilage grafts were crafted to the shape of digit joints, and then spliced together the digit joints and bone defects for fixation. Follow-up X-ray examinations were taken and assessment of the healing status of rib and fractures of phalangeal and metacarpophalangeal bones were carried out according to the Paley fracture healing score. At the outpatient follow-up, assessment of transferred joint movement and evaluation of upper limb function were conducted according to the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores were evaluated from the affected digits and donor sites.Results:After reconstructive surgery, all 7 patients had primary healing of the wounds of hand. One patient had fat liquefaction at the donor site, and the rest had primary donor site healing. One patient received further surgery for extensor tendon repair after rib cartilage grafting due to the digital extensor tendon injury. All 7 patients were included in postoperative follow-up for 6-11 months, with an average of 9 months. All patients had excellent fracture healing according to the Paley fracture healing score. At the final follow-up, the extension and flexion of the digit joints were found at 40°-80° (average 56.2°) for proximal interphalangeal joints (4 patients), and 10° in extension and 85° in flexion for metacarpophalangeal joint (1 patient). The range of motion of the thumb interphalangeal joint (2 patients) was 20°-35° (average 27.5°). Hand function was assessed according to Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association and it was found that 3 patients were in excellent, 3 in good and 1 in fair.Conclusion:This study focused on the treatment of traumatic digit joint defects by transfer of individually crafted rib cartilages in reconstruction of the defected digit joint. It significantly improves the appearance and function of the defected digit joints, especially suitable for the irregular defects of phalangeal bones.

Vascular calcification is a highly regulated process of ectopic calcification in cardiovascular system while no effective intervention can be clinically performed up to date.As vascular calcification undergoes a common regulatory mechanism within bone formation,bone morphogenetic protein 7(BMP-7)main-tains contractile phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells and further inhibits vascular calcification via promoting the process of osteoblast differentiation,reducing ectopic calcification pressure by increasing bone formation and reducing bone resorption.This work systematically reviews the role of BMP-7 in vascular calcifi-cation and the possible mechanism,and their current clinical application as well.The current proceedings may help develope early diagnostic strategy and therapeutic treatment with BMP-7 as a new molecular marker and potential drug target.The expec-tation could achieve early prevention and intervention of vascular calcification and improve poor prognosis on patients.

Aim To investigate the role of GlyR-α3 in postoperative pain.Methods The model of postoper-ative pain was established by incision of mouse skin and muscle.Pain responses including paw withdrawal thresholds(PWTs),paw withdrawal latencies(PWLs)and licking toes time were conducted and recorded.Protein contents and tyrosine phosphorylation levels of GlyR-α3 were detected by co-immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting.Bosutinib was used to inhibit Src ki-nase activity to verify whether Src was involved in tyro-sine phosphorylation of GlyR-α3.Results The PWTs and PWLs in postoperative pain model mice were sig-nificantly reduced,whereas the licking time increased significantly.The tyrosine phosphorylation level of GlyR-α3 in the dorsal root ganglia(DRG)from inci-sion sidesignificantly increased compared with contra-lateral side,while the protein expression showed no sta-tistical significance.The expression of Src in DRGin-creased after operation,and the interaction between Src and GlyR-α3 was enhanced in ipsilateral DRG com-pared with contralateral side.Inhibition of Src kinase activity helped to reduce tyrosine phosphorylation of GlyR-α3 from DRG and alleviate postoperative pain symptoms.Conclusion Src kinase is involved in the development of postoperative pain by enhancing tyro-sine phosphorylation of GlyR-α3.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

Here,5 important pathogens carried by ticks in Maanshan City,Anhui Province,China were identified.In to-tal,642 ticks were collected from 13 villages around Maanshan City and identified by morphological and mitochondrial COI genes.The 16S rRNA gene of Francisella tularensis,ssrA gene of Bartonella,16S rRNA,ompA and ompB genes of Rickett-sia,16S rRNA and gltA genes of Anaplasma,and groEL and rpoB genes of Coxiella were sequenced.Reference sequences were retrieved from a public database.Phylogenetic trees were constructed with MEG A1 1.0 software.In total,36 Rickettsiae isolates were detected in 640 Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks,which included 20 isolates of Rickettsia heilongjian-gensis,16 of Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis,2 of Ana-plasma bovis,and 186 of Coxiella-like endosymbiont.R.hei-longjiangensis HY2 detected in this study and Anhui B8 strain,Ca.R.jingxinensis QL3 and those from Shanxi Prov-ince and Jiangsu Province,A.bovis JX4 and those from Shanxi Province were clustered on the same branch.Overall,17 ticks had combined infections and none of the 5 bacteria were detected in two Amblyomma testudinarium ticks.This is the first report of Ca.R.jingxinensis detected in H.longicornis ticks from Anhui Province.It is recommended that the two types of Rickettsia that cause spotted fever and A.bovis should be reported to local health authorities to initiate appropriate prevention and control measures.