A single-center, randomized, double-blind, dose-controlled trial of modified Sini Powder in treating mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) in the patients with syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire was conducted at Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. A total of 80 patients with mild to moderate GAD and the syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire were included. Patients were assigned by the central randomization system at a ratio of 3∶1 into an observation group(n=60, receiving a conventional-dose of granules of modified Sini Powder) and a control group(n=20, receiving low-dose granules with the active ingredients being 50% of that in observation group). Assessments were conducted before treatment(baseline), after 2 weeks of introduction, after 2/4/8 weeks of treatment, and after 4 weeks of follow-up. The results were summarized as follows. In terms of primary outcome indicators, the observation group(62.2%) showed higher total response rate than the control group(26.6%)(P<0.05), and greater Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA) score reduction after 8 weeks of treatment(P<0.05). In terms of secondary outcome indicators, the HAMA score(somatic anxiety score), traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome scores, Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale, and clinical global impression(CGI) scale score in the observation group showed a significant compared to the control group at each visit points(P<0.05). Adverse events occurred in 10 cases, including 9(16.9%) cases in the observation group and 1(6.6%) case in the control group. No adverse reaction was observed. In conclusion, conventional-dose modified Sini Powder demonstrated superior efficacy and favorable safety for mild and moderate GAD in the patients with the syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire over low-dose treatment.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult ; Powders ; Aged ; Liver/drug effects* ; Generalized Anxiety Disorder

In recent years, the prevalence of hyperglycemia has been increasing, and patients’ bodies have been seriously damaged. Compared with conventional Western drugs, natural products have fewer adverse reactions and delay the complications of hyperglycemia. As a valuable natural product resource, Small-leaf Kuding (SLK) contains various beneficial components for the human body. The aim of this study was to study the regulation effect of SLK extract at different doses on blood glucose metabolism in hyperglycemic mice. Lipopolysaccharide and streptozotocin were used to induce hyperglycemia in mice. Extract of SLK were administered intragastrically at low, medium, and high doses (5 g·kg

Objective:To construct and validate a risk prediction model for immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia (CIP) using machine learning algorithms and the nomogram, aiming to provide an accurate and intuitive method to assist nurses in screening people at high risk of developing CIP.Methods:This was a retrospective case -control study. A total of 230 oncology patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors attending Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University from January 2019 to February 2022 were collected using the hospital's electronic medical record system. The prediction models were built using five machine learning algorithms and nomogram. The models were then validated on a separate test set, and their differentiation and stability were assessed using evaluation indices like AUC and accuracy rate.Results:Underlying lung disease, smoking history, serum albumin≤35 g/L and radiotherapy history were identified as important influencing factors of CIP in all six models. The AUC of K nearest neighbor, support vetor machines (SVM), naive Bayesian, decision tree and random forest models predicted CIP were 0.647, 0.696, 0.930, 0.870, and 0.934, respectively. The AUC of the model created by the nomogram was 0.813, which was lower than the best random forest model in the machine learning algorithm, but with good predictive performance (AUC=0.934).Conclusions:The nomogram model can assess the patient′s risk more intuitively, but the risk prediction model of CIP based on a machine learning algorithm has a higher diagnostic value. It is suggested that the accuracy and usefulness of the prediction model can be increased by combining the nomogram's foundation with the machine learning algorithm.

Objective: To explore a method for digitally designing and fabricating a sequential tooth-sectioning guide that can assist in the extraction of mandibular horizontal impacted third molars, preliminarily evaluate its feasibility and provide a reference for clinical application. Methods: Twenty patients with mandibular low level impacted third molars who visited the Department of General Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from March 2021 to January 2022 were selected. Cone-beam CT showed direct contact between the roots and mandibular canal, and full range impressions of the patients' intraoral teeth were taken and optical scans of the dental model were performed. The patients' cone-beam CT data and optical scan data were reconstructed in three dimensions, anatomical structure extraction, registration fusion, and the design of the structure of the guide (including crown-sectioning guide and root-sectioning guide) by Mimics 24.0, Geomagic Wrap 2021, and Magics 21.0 software, and then the titanium guide was three dimension printed, and the guide was tried on the dental model. After confirmation, the guide was used to assist the dentist in the operation. We observed whether the guide was in place, the number of tooth splitting, the matching of tooth splitting with the preoperative design, the operation time, and whether there were any complications. Results: In this study, 20 sectioning guides were successfully printed, all of them were well fitted in the patients' mouth, the average number of section was 3.4 times, the tooth parts was better matched with the preoperative design, and the average operative time of the guides was (29.2±9.8) minutes without complications such as perforation of the bone cortex. Conclusions: The use of sequential sectioning guides to assist in the extraction of mandibular impacted third molars was initially validated to accurately replicate the preoperative sectioning design, and is expected to provide a digital solution to improve surgical precision and ensure safety. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate its accuracy and safety.

Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

Objective: To explore the association between sleep duration and the risk of frailty among the elderly over 80 years old in China. Methods: Using the data from five surveys of the China Elderly Health Influencing Factors Follow-up Survey (CLHLS) (2005, 2008-2009, 2011-2012, 2014, and 2017-2018), 7 024 elderly people aged 80 years and above were selected as the study subjects. Questionnaires and physical examinations were used to collect information on sleep time, general demographic characteristics, functional status, physical signs, and illness. The frailty state was evaluated based on a frailty index that included 39 variables. The Cox proportional risk regression model was used to analyze the correlation between sleep time and the risk of frailty occurrence. A restricted cubic spline function was used to analyze the dose-response relationship between sleep time and the risk of frailty occurrence. The likelihood ratio test was used to analyze the interaction between age, gender, sleep quality, cognitive impairment, and sleep duration. Results: The age M (Q₁, Q₃) of 7 024 subjects was 87 (82, 92) years old, with a total of 3 435 (48.9%) patients experiencing frailty. The results of restricted cubic spline function analysis showed that there was an approximate U-shaped relationship between sleep time and the risk of frailty. When sleep time was 6.5-8.5 hours, the elderly had the lowest risk of frailty; Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression model analysis showed that compared to 6.5-8.5 hours of sleep, long sleep duration (>8.5 hours) increased the risk of frailty by 13% (HR: 1.13; 95%CI: 1.04-1.22). Conclusion: There is a nonlinear association between sleep time and the risk of frailty in the elderly.
Aged ; Humans ; Aged, 80 and over ; Frailty/epidemiology* ; Sleep Duration ; Prospective Studies ; Sleep/physiology* ; China/epidemiology*

Objective: The docking and superantigen activity sites of staphylococcal enterotoxin-like W (SElW) and T cell receptor (TCR) were predicted, and its SElW was cloned, expressed and purified. Methods: AlphaFold was used to predict the 3D structure of SElW protein monomers, and the protein models were evaluated with the help of the SAVES online server from ERRAT, Ramachandran plot, and Verify_3D. The ZDOCK server simulates the docking conformation of SElW and TCR, and the amino acid sequences of SElW and other serotype enterotoxins were aligned. The primers were designed to amplify selw, and the fragment was recombined into the pMD18-T vector and sequenced. Then recombinant plasmid pMD18-T was digested with BamHⅠand Hind Ⅲ. The target fragment was recombined into the expression plasmid pET-28a(+). After identification of the recombinant plasmid, the protein expression was induced by isopropyl-beta-D- thiogalactopyranoside. The SElW expressed in the supernatant was purified by affinity chromatography and quantified by the BCA method. Results: The predicted three-dimensional structure showed that the SElW protein was composed of two domains, the amino-terminal and the carboxy-terminal. The amino-terminal domain was composed of 3 α-helices and 6 β-sheets, and the carboxy-terminal domain included 2 α-helices and 7 antiparallel β-sheets composition. The overall quality factor score of the SElW protein model was 98.08, with 93.24% of the amino acids having a Verify_3D score ≥0.2 and no amino acids located in disallowed regions. The docking conformation with the highest score (1 521.328) was selected as the analysis object, and the 19 hydrogen bonds between the corresponding amino acid residues of SElW and TCR were analyzed by PyMOL. Combined with sequence alignment and the published data, this study predicted and found five important superantigen active sites, namely Y18, N19, W55, C88, and C98. The highly purified soluble recombinant protein SElW was obtained with cloning, expression, and protein purification. Conclusions: The study found five superantigen active sites in SElW protein that need special attention and successfully constructed and expressed the SElW protein, which laid the foundation for further exploration of the immune recognition mechanism of SElW.
Humans ; Enterotoxins/genetics* ; Superantigens/genetics* ; Catalytic Domain ; Selenoprotein W/metabolism* ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell

Huaihuasan， first recorded in Puji Benshifang by XU Shu-wei from the Southern Song dynasty， consists of four herbs， namely Sophorae Flos （fried）， Platycladi Cacumen （smashed with pestle and baked）， Schizonepetae Spica， and Aurantii Fructus （cut into pieces after the removal of pulp and then fried yellow with wheat bran）. At present， Huaihuasan and its modified formulas vary in clinical usages and dosages， and the resulting outcomes have been investigated. However， there are few reviews uncovering its historical evolution. On this basis， this review systematically combed and verified the historical evolution， dose conversion between ancient and modern times， efficacy， and indications of Huaihuasan， as well as the origin and processing of the contained herbs. The findings have demonstrated that Huaihuasan is composed of four herbs， with the original plants and medicinal parts basically the same as those recorded in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Sophorae Flos refers to the dried flower and bud of Sophora japonica in family Leguminosae， Platycladi Cacumen the dried branch and leaf of Platycladus orientalis in family Cupressaceae， Schizonepetae Spica the dried flower spike of Schizonepeta tenuifolia in family Labiatae， and Aurantii Fructus the dried immature fruit of Citrus aurantium in family Rutaceae or its cultivated varieties. On account of the efficacy in clearing intestine， stopping bleeding， dispersing wind， and moving Qi， Huaihuasan has been mainly used to treat intestinal diseases such as bloody defecation and perianal abscess. In modern clinical practice， it is mainly applicable to patients with hematochezia and bleeding due to internal hemorrhoid， ulcerative colitis， or anal fissure. It was suggested that the raw medicinal materials should be decocted and processed according to the methods described in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Following the conversion formula of one Qian=4 g， this paper determined the dosages of Sophorae Flos （fried）， Platycladi Cacumen （smashed with pestle and baked）， Schizonepetae Spica， and Aurantii Fructus （cut into pieces after the removal of pulp and then fried yellow with wheat bran） all to be 2 g， with the total dosage being 8 g. Such comprehensive analysis based on ancient books and modern literature has provided a more scientific reference for the clinical application， research， and development of this classical formula.

Objective: To know the pre-treatment drug resistance ( PDR ) status of newly reported human immunodeficiency virus type 1 ( HIV-1 ) infected individuals in Wenzhou, so as to provide guidance for antiretroviral therapy ( ART ). Methods: Totally 232 plasma samples of newly reported HIV-1 infected individuals who had not received ART were collected in Wenzhou in 2019. Virus ( HIV-1 ) RNA was extracted, followed by reverse transcription PCR and nested PCR to amplify the pol region and sequence. Resistance mutations and resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors ( NNRTIs ), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors ( NRTIs ) and protease inhibitors ( PIs ) was analyzed. Results: The pol region sequences from 199 infected patients were obtained and the incidence of PDR was 8.04% ( 16/199 ). Eight genotypes were detected, including circulating recombinant forms ( CRFs ) CRF07_BC ( 47.24%, 94/199 ) and CRF01_AE ( 29.15%, 58/199 ) which were the dominant types. Two unique recombinant forms ( URFs ) were detected, namely URF( CRF01_AE/BC ) and URF( B/C ) . Thirty-one cases ( 15.58% 31/199 ) had drug-resistant mutations. For NNRTIs, NRTIs and PIs, 20 cases ( 64.52% ) , 2 cases ( 6.45% ) and 9 cases ( 29.03% ) with drug resistance mutations were detected, respectively. The resistance mutations to NNRTIs included K101E, K103N/R, V106I, E138K, V179D/E/T, Y181C, G190A and H221Y. Four cases each had two resistance mutations to NNRTIs. The resistance mutations to NRTIs were V75M and M184V. The resistance mutations to PIs were M46I, L33F and Q58E. For the newly released NNRTI drug Doravirine ( DOR ), two cases were found to have mutations of resistance. Conclusions The incidence of PDR among newly reported HIV-1 patients in Wenzhou is 8.04%, mainly caused by NNRTIs drug-resistant mutation. Resistance to the new drug DOR has emerged. The surveillance of drug resistance should continue to be strengthened.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aging ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Kidney ; Male ; Needles ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley