ObjectiveColorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly heterogeneous malignancy, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation is widely used in its clinical management. However, the biological basis underlying different TCM syndromes remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the proteomic differences between qi-blood deficiency syndrome (QBDS) and damp-heat syndrome (DHS) in CRC patients and to establish a “syndrome-differential protein-herbal component” network for exploring potential molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets associated with syndrome-specific treatment strategies. MethodsTumor tissue samples were collected from 10 patients with pathologically confirmed CRC, including 5 patients diagnosed with QBDS and 5 with DHS according to standardized TCM syndrome differentiation criteria. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics was employed to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the two syndrome groups. Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, were performed to characterize the biological functions and signaling pathways associated with the identified DEPs. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was further applied to screen key syndrome-related proteins and construct a core protein prediction model. Subsequently, molecular docking was conducted to evaluate the binding affinities between representative herbal compounds, astragaloside IV and berberine, and the identified core proteins. Finally, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays were performed in HCT 116 and HT-29 colorectal cancer cell lines to validate the anti-proliferative activities of these compounds in vitro. ResultsA total of 44 DEPs were identified between QBDS and DHS tissues, including 21 upregulated and 23 downregulated proteins in the QBDS group relative to the DHS group. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that these proteins were primarily associated with antiviral immune responses, regulation of inflammatory signaling, NF‑κB signaling pathways, cholesterol metabolism, and other biological processes relevant to tumor progression and host immune regulation. LASSO regression analysis identified eight core proteins with potential syndrome-specific significance. Among them, ST7, GPCPD1, and PODXL were closely associated with QBDS, whereas FAT1, GRB7, KRT7, MAFF, and MMP8 were associated with DHS. Molecular docking demonstrated favorable interactions between astragaloside IV and QBDS-related proteins, with binding energies lower than -5 kcal/mol, indicating stable binding activity. Berberine exhibited even lower binding energies and stronger binding specificity toward DHS-related core proteins. In vitro experiments further confirmed that both compounds inhibited CRC cell proliferation, while berberine displayed significantly greater anti-proliferative efficacy. The lowest 48 h IC₅₀ value of berberine reached 15.21 mg/L in CRC cells, indicating a stronger growth-inhibitory effect than astragaloside IV. ConclusionCRC patients with QBDS and DHS exhibit distinct proteomic characteristics, suggesting that different TCM syndromes possess unique molecular signatures. The identified core proteins may serve as potential biomarkers for syndrome differentiation, while astragaloside IV and berberine may exert therapeutic effects through targeting syndrome-specific molecular networks. These findings provide preliminary proteomic evidence supporting syndrome-guided precision integrative medicine in CRC and offer new insights into the biological basis of TCM syndrome differentiation and individualized therapeutic strategies.

Objective We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shengxuebao Mixture in the treatment of cancer-related anemia(CRA)presenting with syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney combined with syndrome of deficiency of both qi and blood.Methods A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,multicenter clinical trial was conducted.Eligible patients with malignant tumors meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled from 26 hospitals,including Dongzhimen Hospital,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Xiaogan Central Hospital,and Yangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,from June 1,2022,to September 30,2024.Patients were allocated 1:1 to either the experimental group receiving Shengxuebao Mixture or the control group receiving its simulator(placebo)using a block randomization method under double-blind conditions.Both groups received 15 mL orally three times daily for 28 consecutive days.The primary efficacy indicators included the hemoglobin(Hb)improvement rate(RHb)and the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome improvement rate(RTCM)at week 4 of treatment.The secondary efficacy indicators encompassed Hb and red blood cell(RBC)count,Karnofsky Performance Status(KPS)score,TCM syndrome score,individual TCM symptom scores,and changes in each of these indicators compared to the baseline period at weeks 2,4,and 6 of treatment.Safety evaluations were conducted at week 4 of treatment.Results A total of 239 patients were enrolled,with 225 cases included in the Full Analysis Set(FAS)(109 in the experimental group vs.116 control group),163 in the Per Protocol Set(PPS)(77 vs.86),and 225 in the Safety Set(SS)(109 vs.116).Baseline characteristics between groups showed no significant differences.Significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in RHb at week 4(FAS:49.51%vs.35.24%,P<0.05;PPS:53.25%vs.36.05%,P<0.05)and RTCM at week 4(FAS:61.54%vs.39.62%,P<0.01;PPS:64.94%vs.40.70%,P<0.01).At weeks 2,4,and 6,the experimental group showed greater improvements in Hb and RBC counts than the control group.Additionally,the TCM syndrome scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group at these time points.Except for week 2 in PPS,the KPS improvement was better in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.05).The experimental group also demonstrated a greater reduction in scores for individual TCM symptoms such as spiritlessness and weakness,poor appetite and reduced food intake at weeks 4 and 6 compared to the control group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Furthermore,the reduction in vertigo score was more pronounced in the experimental group at week 6(P<0.01).For the score of pale and lusterless complexion,only in the PPS was the reduction from baseline more significant in the experimental group than in the control group at weeks 4 and 6(P<0.05).No significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in the incidence of all adverse events or drug-related adverse reactions.Conclusion Shengxuebao Mixture demonstrates significant efficacy in patients with CRA presenting syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney combined with syndrome of deficiency of both qi and blood,effectively increasing Hb levels,ameliorating TCM syndromes,alleviating clinical symptoms,and enhancing functional status,with no significant difference in adverse drug reactions compared to the placebo.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),which is essentially primary liver cancer,is closely related to CD8+T cell immune infiltration and immune suppression.We constructed a CD8+T cells related risk score model to pre-dict the prognosis of HCC patients and provided therapeutic guidance based on the risk score.Using integrated bulk RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)and single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)datasets,we identified stable CD8+T cell signatures.Based on these signatures,a 3-gene risk score model,comprised of KLRB1,RGS2,and TN-FRSF1B was constructed.The risk score model was well validated through an independent external validation co-hort.We divided patients into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the risk score and compared the differ-ences in immune microenvironment between these two groups.Compared with low-risk patients,high-risk patients have higher M2-type macrophage content(P＜0.0001)and lower CD8+T cells infiltration(P＜0.0001).High-risk patients predict worse response to immunotherapy treatment than low-risk patients(P＜0.01).Drug sensitivity a-nalysis shows that PI3K-β inhibitor AZD6482 and TGFβRII inhibitor SB505124 may be suitable therapies for high-risk patients,while the IGF-1R inhibitor BMS-754807 or the novel pyrimidine-based anti-tumor metabolic drug Gemcitabine could be potential therapeutic choices for low-risk patients.Moreover,expression of these 3-gene mod-el was verified by immunohistochemistry.In summary,the establishment and validation of a CD8+T cell-derived risk model can more accurately predict the prognosis of HCC patients and guide the construction of personalized treatment plans.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective To investigate the effect of operation mode,thickness,and number of implanted electrode leads on tricuspid regurgitation.Methods This was a single-center retrospective study.Patients who received their first cardiac implantable electronic device at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2019 to January 2024 and were followed up within(10±4)months were continuously enrolled.General clinical data,preoperative and outpatient follow-up echocardiography,and other indicators were collected.According to the different operation modes,patients were divided into delivery sheath group,support wire group,and delivery sheath combined support wire group.Under the premise of only one electrode wire crossing the tricuspid valve,according to the different thicknesses of the electrode wire,they were divided into 3830 69 group(4.1 F),5076 58/Solia S60 group(7 F),and 6935M-65cm defibrillator group(9 F).The number of electrode wires was divided into 3830 69 subgroup and 6935M-65cm defibrillator subgroup under the premise of balanced operation mode and electrode material.The changes in tricuspid valve regurgitation were compared in each group.Results A total of 219 patients,aged(65.92±12.04)years,were enrolled.There was no difference in tricuspid valve regurgitation in the 6935M-65cm defibrillator subgroup before implantation(all P＞0.05).In the 3830 69 subgroup,there was a higher proportion of severe regurgitation in the two-electrode group before implantation(P=0.013).In comparison with the change in tricuspid valve regurgitation before electrode wire implantation and during follow-up,the regurgitation of the tricuspid valve in the 6935M-65cm defibrillator subgroup with≥2 electrodes was unexpectedly improved compared to that in the group with one electrode,and the regurgitation of the valve in the group with one electrode was more severe than that in the group with ≥ 2 electrodes implantation(P=0.019).Conclusions The operation mode and thickness of the implanted electrode lead did not cause significant differences in tricuspid valve regurgitation.Single implantation of a 6935M-65cm defibrillator electrode will lead to increased tricuspid regurgitation,and the effect brought by combination with physiological pacing will offset the adverse effects of electrode leads on the valve,providing directional evidence for future implantation strategy selection.

OBJECTIVES: To study the epidemiological characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in hospitalized children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Hebei Province. METHODS: Hospitalized children with CAP who tested positive for RSV and were admitted to Hebei Children's Hospital from various cities and counties across Hebei Province between January 2019 and December 2023 were included in the study. Clinical data were collected and analyzed to assess epidemiological characteristics. RESULTS: The clinical data of 43 978 children with CAP were collected, with an overall RSV detection rate of 25.98%. The detection rate was higher during the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) (30.60%) than in the non-NPIs period. Winter and spring were the primary epidemic seasons for RSV each year except in 2022. The detection rate in males (26.62%) was higher than in females (25.06%) (P<0.001). The highest detection rate (59.18%) was found in infants aged 29 days to <1 year. Single RSV infection was more common, with rhinovirus being the most frequent co-infection. CONCLUSIONS The overall RSV detection rate in Hebei Province is influenced by NPIs, being higher during their implementation. RSV predominantly circulates in winter and spring. The detection rate of RSV is higher in males and infants. RSV infection is primarily single, most often co-occurring with rhinovirus.
Humans ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Seasons ; China/epidemiology* ; Infant, Newborn ; Community-Acquired Infections/epidemiology* ; Child

With the increasing survival rates of cancer patients, the demand for fertility preservation in women has become increasingly prominent. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation (OTCT) is an emerging fertility preservation technique that offers a unique advantage over embryo or oocyte cryopreservation, as it does not require ovarian stimulation. This makes it particularly suitable for prepubertal girls requiring urgent gonadotoxic therapy and reproductive-aged women who cannot delay cancer treatment. Clinical evidence confirms that OTCT can effectively restore female fertility-especially the potential for natural conception-and reconstruct ovarian endocrine function. The OTCT process involves key steps such as patient evaluation, tissue processing, cryopreservation, and transplantation. The patient's age at cryopreservation, ovarian reserve status, and prior exposure to gonadotoxic therapy significantly influence fertility preservation outcomes. Optimal tissue preparation and the choice of cryopreservation method are critical for preserving ovarian tissue viability. During processing, the size of ovarian tissue fragments must be carefully controlled to balance freezing efficiency and post-transplantation viability, with adjustments based on individual patient factors. Slow freezing remains the mainstream clinical method, while vitrification is still considered experimental, with its efficacy and safety under ongoing investigation. The number, size, and transplantation site of ovarian tissue grafts impact their biological activity and functional outcomes. Both orthotopic and heterotopic transplantation can restore endocrine function, but orthotopic sites are superior for restoring fertility. A major safety concern in OTCT is the potential risk of reintroducing malignant or premalignant cells upon reimplantation. Innovative techniques such as in vitro maturation of oocytes and artificial ovaries are being explored to mitigate this risk. This review summarizes recent clinical advances in OTCT, with a focus on its indications, efficacy, implementation strategies, and safety profile, aiming to provide a reference for further research and clinical practice in this field.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.08.005.].

OBJECTIVE: Varied acupoint selections represent a potential cause of the uncertainty surrounding the efficacy of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Skin temperature, a guiding factor for acupoint selection, may help to address this issue. This study explored thermal sensitization of acupoints used for the treatment of knee OA. METHODS: This cross-sectional case-control study enrolled cases aged 45-75 years with symptomatic knee OA and age- and gender-matched non-knee OA controls in a 1:1 ratio. All participants underwent infrared thermographic imaging. The primary outcome was the relative skin temperature of acupoint (STA), and the secondary outcome was the absolute STA of 11 acupoints. The Z test was used to compare the relative and absolute STAs between the groups. Principal component analysis was used to extract the common factors (CFs, acupoint cluster) in the STAs. A general linear model was used to identify factors affecting the STA in the knee OA cases. For the group comparisons of relative STA, P < 0.0045 (adjusted for 11 acupoints through Bonferroni correction) was considered to indicate statistical significance. For other analyses, P < 0.05 was used as the threshold for statistical significance. RESULTS: The analysis included 308 participants, consisting of 151 cases (mean age: [64.58 ± 6.67] years; male: 25.83%; mean body mass index: [25.70 ± 3.16] kg/m²) and 157 controls (mean age: [63.37 ± 5.96] years; male: 26.11%; mean body mass index: [24.47 ± 2.84] kg/m²). The relative STAs of ST34 (P = 0.0001), EX-LE2 (P < 0.0001), EX-LE5 (P = 0.0006), SP10 (P < 0.0001), BL40 (P = 0.0012) and GB39 (P = 0.0037) were higher in the knee OA group. No difference was found in the STAs of ST35, ST36, SP9, GB33 and GB34. Four CFs were identified for relative STA in both groups. The acupoints within each CF were consistent between the groups. The mean values of the relative STAs across each CF were higher in the knee OA group. In the knee OA cases, no factors were observed to affect the relative STA, while age and gender were found to affect the absolute STA. CONCLUSION Among patients with knee OA, thermal sensitization occurs in the acupoints of the lower extremity, exhibiting localized and regional thermal consistencies. The thermally sensitized acupoints that we identified in this study, ST34, SP10, EX-LE2, EX-LE5, GB39 and BL40, may be good choices for the acupuncture treatment of knee OA. Please cite this article as: Tu JF, Wang XZ, Yan SY, Wang YR, Yang JW, Shi GX, Zhang WZ, Jing LN, Yang LS, Liu DH, Wang LQ, Mi BH. Thermal sensitization of acupoints in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional case-control study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 289-296.
Humans ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/physiopathology* ; Male ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Acupuncture Points ; Case-Control Studies ; Aged ; Skin Temperature ; Acupuncture Therapy

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*