Jiuwei Xifeng Granules have become a Chinese patent medicine in the market. Because the formula contains Os Draconis, a top-level protected fossil of ancient organisms, the formula was to be improved by replacing Os Draconis with Ostreae Concha. To evaluate whether the improved formula has the same effectiveness and safety as the original formula, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, equivalence clinical trial was conducted. This study enrolled 288 tic disorder(TD) of children and assigned them into two groups in 1∶1. The treatment group and control group took the modified formula and original formula, respectively. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks, and follow-up visits were conducted at weeks 2, 4, and 6. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS)-total tic severity(TTS) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. The results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the declines in YGTSS-TSS score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The difference in YGTSS-TSS score(treatment group-control group) and the 95%CI of the full analysis set(FAS) were-0.17[-1.42, 1.08] and those of per-protocol set(PPS) were 0.29[-0.97, 1.56], which were within the equivalence boundary [-3, 3]. The equivalence test was therefore concluded. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary efficacy endpoints of effective rate for TD, total score and factor scores of YGTSS, clinical global impressions-severity(CGI-S) score, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) response rate, or symptom disappearance rate, and thus a complete evidence chain with the primary outcome was formed. A total of 6 adverse reactions were reported, including 4(2.82%) cases in the treatment group and 2(1.41%) cases in the control group, which showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. No serious suspected unexpected adverse reactions were reported, and no laboratory test results indicated serious clinically significant abnormalities. The results support the replacement of Os Draconis by Ostreae Concha in the original formula, and the efficacy and safety of the modified formula are consistent with those of the original formula.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tic Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

As one of the key enzymes in cell metabolism, the activity of citrate synthase 3 (CS3) regulates the substance and energy metabolism of organisms. The protein members of CS3 family were identified from the whole genome of apple, and bioinformatics analysis was performed and expression patterns were analyzed to provide a theoretical basis for studying the potential function of CS3 gene in apple. BLASTp was used to identify members of the apple CS3 family based on the GDR database, and the basic information of CS3 protein sequence, subcellular localization, domain composition, phylogenetic relationship and chromosome localization were analyzed by Pfam, SMART, MEGA5.0, clustalx.exe, ExPASy Proteomics Server, MEGAX, SOPMA, MEME, WoLF PSORT and other software. The tissue expression and inducible expression characteristics of 6 CS3 genes in apple were determined by acid content and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Apple CS3 gene family contains 6 members, and these CS3 proteins contain 473-608 amino acid residues, with isoelectric point distribution between 7.21 and 8.82. Subcellular localization results showed that CS3 protein was located in mitochondria and chloroplasts, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis divided them into 3 categories, and the number of genes in each subfamily was 2. Chromosome localization analysis showed that CS3 gene was distributed on different chromosomes of apple. The secondary structure of protein is mainly α-helix, followed by random curling, and the proportion of β-angle is the smallest. The 6 members were all expressed in different apple tissues. The overall expression trend from high to low was the highest relative expression content of MdCS3.4, followed by MdCS3.6, and the relative expression level of other members was in the order of MdCS3.3 > MdCS3.2 > MdCS3.1 > MdCS3.5. qRT-PCR results showed that MdCS3.1 and MdCS3.3 genes had the highest relative expression in the pulp of 'Chengji No. 1' with low acid content, and MdCS3.2 and MdCS3.3 genes in the pulp of 'Asda' with higher acid content had the highest relative expression. Therefore, in this study, the relative expression of CS3 gene in apple cultivars with different acid content in different apple varieties was detected, and its role in apple fruit acid synthesis was analyzed. The experimental results showed that the relative expression of CS3 gene in different apple varieties was different, which provided a reference for the subsequent study of the quality formation mechanism of apple.
Citric Acid ; Malus/genetics* ; Citrate (si)-Synthase ; Phylogeny ; Citrates

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological factors associated with pathological complete response(pCR)of axillary metastatic lymph nodes in breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC),and to analyze the postoperative survival.Methods A total of 116 patients with breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastasis were collected from Jiaxing Hospital of TCM,Jiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital and The First Hospital of Jiaxing.Univariate analysis was used to analyze the relationship between clinicopathological factors and the pCR of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer after NAC.Binary Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent predictors of the pCR of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer after NAC.Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate of patients with and non-pCR of axillary metastatic lymph nodes.Results Among 116 patients,52 cases of axillary metastatic lymph nodes achieved pCR after NAC,accounting for 44.83%.Univariate analysis showed that age,vascular invasion,pCR of primary breast tumor,the difference of Ki67 before and after NAC,NAC regimen,and the efficacy of NAC were statistically significant between breast cancer patients with pCR and those non-pCR(P<0.05).Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that age,vascular invasion and pCR of primary breast tumor were independent predictors of pCR of axillary metastatic lymph nodes(P<0.05).The 5-year disease-free survival rate(80.40%vs.54.60%)and overall survival rate(90.4%vs.70.10%)of patients with pCR and non-pCR of axillary metastatic lymph nodes were compared.Conclusion Some breast cancer patients with axillary lymph node metastasis can reach pCR in lymph nodes after NAC.Analyzing the correlation between clinical pathological factors and pCR of axillary metastatic lymph nodes after NAC,it was found that pCR of axillary metastatic lymph nodes after NAC is related to age≤50 years old,no vascular infiltration,and primary breast tumor pCR.At the same time,it was found that patients with axillary metastatic lymph node pCR had a better prognosis than those with non-pCR.

AIM:To investigate the application of virtual reality(VR)technology in ocular trauma teaching for medical students.METHODS: A total of 90 medical students who participated in the Ophthalmology teaching program between November 2022 and April 2024 were recruited as subjects. Using a case-control method, 45 students in the case group attended traditional ocular trauma teaching program combined with VR virtual simulation experiments, and 45 students in the control group solely attended traditional ocular trauma teaching program. After the teaching practice, the two groups were compared in terms of their examination performance of theoretical knowledge and case analysis, learning ability(evaluated by the Self-Directed Learning Rating Scale), and the satisfaction survey on the quality of teaching; the statistical analyses were performed using t-test or Chi-square test.RESULTS: The scores of theoretical knowledge and case analysis examinations of the case group were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant(scores of theoretical knowledge examination: 57.27±2.78 vs 53.91±3.20; scores of case analysis examination: 35.71±3.73 vs 32.67±5.52, both P<0.05). The scores of the Self-Directed Learning Rating Scale of the case group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05), and the satisfaction with teaching quality of the case group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: VR-enabled teaching of ocular trauma can effectively improve medical students' mastery of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, enhance students' self-directed learning ability and improve teaching satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of Guanxinning tablets(GXN) on early heart failure model rats, and to explore the protective mechanism of GXN on heart failure rats from the perspective of intestinal flora. METHODS Six rats who underwent sham operation were set as sham operation group. Took 80 SD rats to undergo aortic arch stenosis and established a heart failure rat model. The surviving rats were divided into 4 groups, namely the model control group, the positive control group(captopril tablets 12.5 mg·kg–1), high-dose and low-dose of GXN group(600, 1 200 mg·kg–1). The 4 groups were administered continuously for 8 weeks. Cardiac ultrasonography was performed every 4 week. Serum NT-proBNP, hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, SOD and MDA levels were measured. The effects of GXN on the structure and function of intestinal flora were observed based on the high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis of 16S gut microbiome. RESULTS Compared to the model control group, after giving different doses of GXN, the survival rate of rats increased, and the thickness of the ventricular wall decreased to varying degrees. The weight of the heart and coefficient of the heart were all reduced. GXN could also reduce the level of inflammatory factors, inhibit the level increase of NT-proBNP in rats, and increase the activity of serum SOD. In addition, GXN intervention could significantly improve the intestinal flora diversity of rats with heart failure, the possible target genera of GXN were Akkermansia genera, Phascolarctobacterium genera and Oxalobacter genera. The effect of GXN on intestinal function in rats with heart failure might be concentrated in non-homologous end-joining, influenza A, carotenoid synthesis, indole alkaloids biosynthesis, betalain biosynthesis, renin-angiotensin system and other biological pathways. CONCLUSION The protective effect of GXN on early heart failure rats may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora pathway.

Objective:To investigate the effect of intraoperative protection of the supraclavicular nerve on the healing of clavicular 1/3 mid-shaft fracture.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 83 patients who had been treated for clavicular 1/3 mid-shaft fractures at Department of Orthopaedics, The First Central Hospital of Baoding from June 2021 to March 2022. There were 57 males and 26 females with an age of (48.1±12.8) years. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether the supraclavicular nerve was protected or not during operation. There were 39 cases in the observation group (the supraclavicular nerve was protected during operation) and 44 cases in the control group (the supraclavicular nerve was not protected during operation). The incision length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores before operation and 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, fracture healing at 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the 2 groups. Additionally, the number of microvessels in the middle clavicle was recorded and compared between the affected and healthy sides in 8 patients in the observation group at 6 weeks after operation.Results:There was no significant difference in the preoperative general data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). The operation time for the observation group [(72.2±5.4) min] was significantly longer than that for the control group [(61.1±4.7) min]. The VAS scores at postoperative 3 and 6 months for the observation group [2.7 (2.4, 3.1) and 2.1 (1.9, 2.6) points] were significantly lower than those for the control group [3.5 (3.2, 3.8) and 2.7 (2.4, 2.9) points] ( P<0.05). The fracture healing rates at postoperative 3 and 6 months in the observation group [97.4% (38/39) and 100% (39/39)] were significantly higher than those in the control group [81.8% (36/44) and 86.4% (38/44)] ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the fracture healing between the 2 groups at 12 months after operation ( P>0.05). At 6 weeks after operation, the number of microvessels in the middle clavicle was respectively 85.3±0.7 and 87.1±0.8 in the 8 patients in the observation group, showing no significant difference ( P>0.05). After operation, delayed incision healing occurred in 3 cases in the observation group and in 4 cases in the control group, and abnormal sensation of the skin around the incision occurred in 9 cases in the observation group and in 26 cases in the control group, showing a significant difference between the 2 groups ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Intraoperative protection of the supra-clavicular nerve is beneficial for reduction of early postoperative pain and improvement of early fracture healing, and may have a positive effect on the postoperative reconstruction of microvascular network.

Objective:To investigate the role of Pink1/Parkin-induced mitophagy in acute lung injury of exertional heat stroke rats.Methods:Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, including normal group (CON group), normal Parkin overexpression group (CON+Parkin group), heat stroke group (EHS group) and heat stroke Parkin overexpression group (EHS+Parkin group), with fifteen rats in each group. The rat model of exertional heat stroke was established and the survival curve was drawn. Pulmonary coefficient and pulmonary capillary permeability were detected. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissue. ELISA was used to detect the contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and ROS in lung tissue; immunohistochemistry was used to observe apoptosis in lung tissue; Western blot was used to determine the expression of Pink1, Parkin, P62 and LC3 in rat lung tissue, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio was calculated. Single factor multi-level group comparison was performed by single factor analysis of variance, SNK-q method was used to further pairwise comparison between groups.Results:Compared with the normal group, the survival rate of EHS group was decreased ( P<0.001), lung coefficient and pulmonary vascular permeability were increased [(4.39±0.42), (33.38±8.29) μg/g, P<0.05)], lung tissue was exudative and solid, the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and ROS were significantly increased[(34.31±5.34) pg/mL, (34.03±4.78) pg/mL, (91.64±8.16) pg/mL, (259.01±89.17) U/mg, P<0.05)], and apoptosis was increased. Western and immunohistochemistry results showed that the expressions of Pink1 and Parkin were decreased, co-location of Pink1and Parkin was attenuated, LC3II/LC3I were decreased, and P62 expression was increased. Compared with the EHS group, the survival rate of EHS+Parkin group was significantly increased ( P<0.05), lung coefficient and pulmonary vascular permeability were decreased [(3.83±0.62), (22.49±7.90) μg/g, P<0.05)], exudation and consolidation and other pathological changes were significantly reduced, and the levels of the above inflammatory factors and ROS were significantly decreased [(14.09±3.24) pg/mL, (26.94±2.11) pg/mL、(63.35±11.62) pg/mL, (161.13±26.31) U/mg, P<0.05]. Lung tissue apoptosis was reduced. The co-location of Pink1and Parkin、Parkin expression and LC3II/LC3I ratio were increased ( P<0.05), P62 expression was decreased( P<0.05), while Pink1 expression was not significant different (q=0.75). There was no difference between normal group and normal Parkin overexpression group (q=0.95). Conclusion:Activation of Pink1/Parkin-induced mitophagy can alleviate the acute lung injury in exertional heat stroke rats.

Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of bybrid surgery in the treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformation(CAVM)and possible factors for postoperative symptom progression.Methods A total of 61 patients with CAVM admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery,Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University from January 1,2016 to December 31,2021 who underwent bybrid surgery were retrospectively included.Demographic information(sex,age),incidence(first diagnosis of CAVM by imaging and/or first appearance of CAVM-related symptoms such as hemorrhage and epilepsy),time from onset to hybrid surgery,modified Rankin scale(mRS)score at admission,history of previous CAVM treatment(surgical removal of previous CAVM and intravascular treatment),CAVM imaging data(lesion location,size,drainage),Spetzler-Martin grade,lesion density(loose,dense),CAVM combined with aneurysm or aneurysmal structure,surgical method(microsurgery+intraoperative DSA,microsurgery+intraoperative DSA+endovascular embolism),treatment-related complications(intracranial hemorrhage and/or ischemic events and/or edema in surgery-related areas,puncture site hematoma and/or fistula and/or pseudoaneurysm,gastrointestinal and/or gingival bleeding and/or epistaxis,contrast hypersensitivity,all-cause death),clinical and radiological follow-up data were recorded.The safety(treatment-related complications,symptom progression[positive difference between the mRS score at 6 months postoperatively and the baseline mRS score])and effectiveness(occlusion,complete absence of the malformation on DSA at 6 months postoperatively;good prognosis,mRS score≤2 at 6months postoperatively)of hybrid surgery treatment were evaluated.Based on the clinical follow-up results at 6 months after surgery,patients who underwent hybrid surgery for CAVM were divided into the progressive group and the non-progressive group,and their baseline and clinical characteristics were compared.Results(1)Among the 61 patients who underwent hybrid surgery for CAVM,37(60.7％)were male,with a median age of 25(13,42)years;11(18.0％)were asymptomatic,and 39(63.9％)had hemorrhage as their initial symptom,while 11(18.0％)had seizures as their initial symptom.At admission,54(88.5％)patients had an mRS score of ≤2,including 38(62.3％)patients who had undergone previous endovascular embolization and had residual or recurrent CAVM;the Spetzler-Martin grade of the CAVM lesion was Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,or Ⅳ in 13(21.3％),22(36.1％),21(34.4％),and 5(8.2％)patients,respectively;24 patients underwent DSA verification during surgery using a hybrid surgical platform,and 37 patients underwent DSA verification and assisted endovascular embolization using a hybrid surgical platform.(2)Clinical follow-up completion rate was 77.0％(47/61);the follow-up time ranged from 6 to 24 months and the median follow-up time was 12(6,24)months.The good prognosis rate was 91.5％(43/47),there was no death.The incidence of treatment-related complications was 10.6％(5/47).The completion rate of imaging follow-up was 72.1％(44/61)and the median follow-up time was 15(10,22)months.There were 40(90.9％)of CAVM occlusion,2(4.5％)of residual CAVM and 2(4.5％)of recurrent CAVM.(3)Among the 47 patients who completed clinical follow-up,15 patients developed symptoms and 32 patients did not develop symptoms.There were no significant differences in sex,age,onset symptoms,mRS score at admission,lesion location,lesion density and aneurysm or aneurysmal structure between the two groups(all P＞0.05).In the progressive group,the proportion of lesions with the largest diameter＜3 cm,3-6 cm and＞6 cm were 3/15,10/15 and 2/15,respectively,and the largest diameter was mainly 3-6 cm.In the non-progressive group,the proportion of the largest diameter＜3 cm and 3-6 cm were 18/32 and 14/32,respectively,and the largest diameter＜3 cm was the main proportion(x2=8.321).Deep venous drainage(x2=11.937)and residual and/or recurrence(x2=8.507)were present in the progressive group,and the differences between the groups were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Conclusions Hybrid surgery has certain safety and effectiveness in the treatment of CAVM.Patients with CAVM who experienced progression after undergoing composite surgery have characteristics such as larger maximum diameter,the presence of deep venous drainage and residual and/or recurrence,and the factors affecting progression need to be further explored in the future.

Objective:To compare the positioning errors in tracing the body surface markers between radiotherapy placement with or without using the laser positioning coordination system in post-breast conservative surgery patients, and to verify the clinical value of the laser positioning coordination system.Methods:A total of 45 post-breast-conservative surgery patients who underwent radiotherapy in Department of Radiation Oncology of the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from January 2022 to September 2023 were prospectively collected. In the experimental group 1 ( n=15), the initial version of the laser positioning coordination system was employed to trace the body surface markers. In the experimental group 2 ( n=15), the upgraded version of the laser positioning coordination system was adopted to draw the body surface markers. In the control group ( n=15), the body surface markers were traced with conventional approach. All patients were treated with spiral tomotherapy (TOMO), and the error values in the left and right directions ( X), head and foot directions ( Y), ventral and dorsal directions ( Z), and rotation angles (ROLL) before each radiotherapy were recorded. The differences in the positioning errors among the three groups were analyzed by t-test. Results:The positioning errors in the X, Y, Z directions and ROLL in the experimental group 1 were (3.10±2.43) mm, (4.36±3.45) mm, (2.29±2.49) mm and 0.95°±0.88°, and (2.88±2.28) mm, (3.58±2.95) mm, (2.40±2.54) mm, and 0.70°±0.70° in the experimental group 2, and (4.32±3.48) mm, (5.49±4.74) mm, (2.61±3.38) mm and 1.22°±1.16° in the control group, respectively. Statistical significance was observed in the differences of positioning errors in the X, Y directions and ROLL between the experimental group 1 and control group ( t=4.32, 2.89, 2.78, P < 0.001, =0.004, =0.006), respectively. Statistical significance was detected in the differences of positioning errors in the X, Y directions and ROLL between the experimental group 2 and control group ( t=5.20, 5.14, 5.82, all P<0.001). Statistical significance was noted in the differences of positioning errors in the Y direction and ROLL between the experimental group 1 and 2 ( t=2.58, 3.41, P=0.010, 0.001). Conclusion:The laser positioning coordination system-assisted tracing the body surface marking line can significantly reduce the positioning errors in the X and Y directions and ROLL, and the upgraded version of the laser positioning coordination system can further reduce the positioning errors in the Y direction and ROLL compared with the initial version, which is of high clinical application value.

Objective To observe the effect of Bushen Huoxue Decoction(BSHX)on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and explore its possible mechanism in improving synaptic plasticity in a vascular dementia(VD)rat model.Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group(Sham group),model group(VD group),Bushenhuoxue decoction group(BSHXD group),nimodipine group(NMDP group),with 10 rats in each group.The VD model of rats was established by two-vessel(2-VO)occlusion method.Rats in BSHXD group were given BSHXD at a weight of 10.14 g·kg-1,while rats in the NMDP group were given nimodipine decoction at 11 mg·kg-1.The SHAM group and the VD group were given saline at a weight of 10 mL·kg-1 once a day for 4 weeks.Morris water maze was used to observe the spatial learning and memory ability of rats in each group.Nissl staining was used to observe the damage of Nissl bodies and neurons in CA1 area of hippocampus of rats.The expression of synaptophysin(SYN)and postsynaptic density protein 95(PSD-95)in hippocampal CA1 region was detected by immunohistochemistry.Golgi-Cox staining method was used to observe the number changes of dendritic branches and spines of hippocampal neurons.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)observed the ultrastructural change of synapses.The protein and mRNA expressions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),serine-threonine kinase(AKT)and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)in rat hippocampus were detected by Western blot and Reverse transcription quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).Results Compared with the control group,the learning and memory ability of VD rats decreased.These rats showed abnormal synaptic ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons and neuronal cell damage,and this was accompanied by a decrease in the density of dendrite branches and dendritic spines of neurons.The expression of both SYN and PSD-95 proteins in the hippocampus decreased(P<0.05),and synaptic plasticity was damaged.Both mRNA and protein expression of PI3K,Akt,and mTOR in the hippocampus decreased in the VD rats(P<0.05).Also observed in VD rats was that administration of BHSX mitigated the learning and memory impairment observed in these animals,improved the morphology and synaptic ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons,increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K,Akt,mTOR,and increased the protein levels of SYN and PSD-95(P<0.05).Conclusion BSHX can alleviate the learning and memory impairment of VD rats and increase the protein expression levels of synapse-related proteins.These effects may be related to the promotion of synaptic plasticity by BSHX through activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling.