OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of Wuling capsules combined with fluoxetine in the treatment of adolescents with first-episode moderate-to-severe depressive disorder accompanied by insomnia. METHODS The clinical data of 476 adolescents with first-episode moderate-to-severe depression accompanied by insomnia admitted to our hospital from June 2022 to May 2025， were retrospectively collected. According to the initial treatment regimen， patients were divided into a control group （241 cases， treated with fluoxetine alone） and an observation group （235 cases， treated with Wuling capsules combined with fluoxetine）. The depression severity （Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 Item and the Self-Rating Depression Scale scores）， sleep quality （Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score， sleep latency， wake after sleep onset， total sleep time， sleep efficiency）， serum neuroendocrine indicator （cortisol） and inflammatory markers （C-reactive protein， interleukin-6） were compared between the two groups before treatment and at 4th and 8th weeks of treatment. The effective rate at 8th weeks and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions （ADRs） were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS Before treatment， there were no significant differences in depression severity， sleep quality， serum neuroendocrine indicator， and inflammatory markers between the two groups （ P ＞0.05）. At 4th and 8th weeks， both groups showed significant improvement in these indicators compared to those before treatment， with the observation group demonstrating significantly greater improvement than the control group at the corresponding time points （ P ＜0.05）. At 8th week， the eff ective rate of the observation group was 90.21%， significantly higher than 80.50% in the control group （ P ＜0.05）. The incidence of nausea， headache， fatigue， dry mouth， and palpitations， as well as the total incidence of ADRs， did not differ significantly between the two groups （ P ＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Wuling capsules combined with fluoxetine can significantly improve the effective rate in adolescents with first-episode moderate-to-severe depression accompanied by insomnia， accelerate the relief of depressive symptoms， improve sleep quality， and reduce serum neuroendocrine indicator and inflammatory markers， with a favorable safety profile.

Both cathartic colon （CC） and cathartic-dependent constipation （CDC） are caused by the abuse of stimulant laxatives， while their concepts are not completely the same.Starting from the disease name of CC， this article traced the origin and evolution of the concept of CC， summarizes and compared the similarities and differences between CC， CDC， and slow transit constipation （STC）， and called for strict differentiation among the three.Furthermore， this article explored the specific contents of Western medicine clinical subtypes and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation of CDC and delved into the TCM pathogenesis of CDC according to both literature and clinical practice.The relationship between clinical subtypes and TCM syndromes was established， and the syndrome characteristics of CDC of different clinical subtypes and TCM syndromes were summarized.The recommended prescriptions for corresponding syndromes were listed.A systematic CDC diagnosis and treatment approach of "clinical subtypes-syndrome differentiation-syndrome characteristics-recommended prescriptions" was thus formed.Additionally， the paper provides an overview of current research on CDC in both Western medicine and TCM contexts， identifies future research directions， and suggests research pathways for refining and advancing CDC studies.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of the Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue prescription （YYHP） in the treatment of cathartic colon （CC） and its effects on fecal short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs）， and to explore the correlations among CC severity indicators and between these indicators and patient history. MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria， 98 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of both traditional Chinese and Western medicine for CC with the syndrome of Qi-Yin deficiency complicated by blood stasis were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group. The observation group received YYHP granules， while the control group received lactulose. Both medications were administered twice daily， one sachet each time， half an hour after breakfast and dinner， with a treatment course of 8 weeks. The primary constipation symptom score， Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life （PAC-QOL） score， and TCM syndrome score were assessed before and after treatment and at the 8^th week after the end of treatment. The overall clinical effective rate， as well as the efficacy attenuation index and degree， were evaluated. Fecal SCFA levels were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to explore the correlations among CC severity indicators and between these indicators and patient history. ResultsThe overall clinical effective rate in the observation group （95.83%） was higher than that in the control group （78.72%） （P<0.05）. After treatment， the total scores for primary constipation symptoms， PAC-QOL， and TCM syndromes decreased in both groups （P<0.05）， with more significant reductions in the observation group （P<0.05）. The severity of all primary constipation symptoms was alleviated in both groups （P<0.05）. In terms of "excessive straining and difficult defecation"， "anal heaviness， incomplete evacuation， and bloating sensation"， "abdominal distension"， and "defecation frequency"， the observation group showed better efficacy than the control group （P<0.05）. Scores of the four PAC-QOL dimensions and the scores and severity of primary and secondary TCM symptoms were reduced in both groups （P<0.05）， with more significant reductions in the observation group （P<0.05）. After treatment， acetic acid， propionic acid， butyric acid， and total SCFAs in the observation group increased significantly （P<0.05）. The efficacy attenuation index and degree in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.05）. No severe adverse reactions occurred in either group， and there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. Positive correlations of varying degrees were observed among the total scores of primary constipation symptoms， PAC-QOL， and TCM syndromes， as well as between these scores and the history of stimulant laxative use， disease duration， and age. ConclusionYYHP can effectively alleviate the primary constipation symptoms in CC patients， improve quality of life， and ameliorate TCM syndromes， with good safety. It also has the advantage of a lower rebound degree after drug withdrawal， and its mechanism may be related to increasing fecal SCFA levels. Long-term abuse of stimulant laxatives may aggravate the severity of CC and prolong the disease course.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is an inherited disease caused by a deficiency of the enzyme arylsulfatase A (ARSA). Lentivirus-modified autologous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy (HSCGT) has recently been approved for clinical use in pre and early symptomatic children with MLD to increase ARSA activity. Unfortunately, this advanced therapy is not available for most patients with MLD who have progressed to more advanced symptomatic stages at diagnosis. Patients with late-onset juvenile MLD typically present with a slower neurological progression of symptoms and represent a significant burden to the economy and healthcare system, whereas those with early onset infantile MLD die within a few years of symptom onset. We conducted a pilot study to determine the safety and benefit of HSCGT in patients with postsymptomatic juvenile MLD and report preliminary results. The safety profile of HSCGT was favorable in this long-term follow-up over 9 years. The most common adverse events (AEs) within 2 months of HSCGT were related to busulfan conditioning, and all AEs resolved. No HSCGT-related AEs and no evidence of distorted hematopoietic differentiation during long-term follow-up for up to 9.6 years. Importantly, to date, patients have maintained remarkably improved ARSA activity with a stable disease state, including increased Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score and decreased magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesion score. This long-term follow-up pilot study suggests that HSCGT is safe and provides clinical benefit to patients with postsymptomatic juvenile MLD.
Humans ; Leukodystrophy, Metachromatic/genetics* ; Pilot Projects ; Genetic Therapy/methods* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Male ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Lentivirus/genetics* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Cerebroside-Sulfatase/metabolism* ; Adolescent

Perimenopausal syndrome （MPS）， a common endocrine system disease， is one of the diseases responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. The China Association of Chinese Medicine organized experts in endocrinology， gynecology， and interdisciplinary fields of both Western and Chinese medicine to discuss the advantages and challenges of diagnosing and treating MPS with Western medicine， TCM， and integrative medicine. Experts at the conference believe that MPS is initiated by estrogen decline and rooted in deficiency， with the pathogenesis being imbalance between Yin and Yang in the kidney. The hormone replacement therapy in Western medicine for menopause can rapidly alleviate related symptoms by quickly restoring the estrogen level and timely detect and delay complications of menopause， whereas such a therapy has certain risks， necessitating close monitoring of adverse reactions. Moreover， the various contraindications and precautions limit the clinical application of the hormone replacement therapy. TCM has advantages in synergistically alleviating symptoms such as hot flashes， sweating， sleep disorders， and emotional abnormalities of MPS without causing obvious adverse reactions. However， its efficacy is slower than the hormone replacement therapy， and the TCM evidence for preventing and treating complications of menopause remains unclear. Three suggestions were proposed for the future development of both Western and TCM for ameliorating MPS. First， an integrated diagnosis and treatment system for MPS with both Western and Chinese medicine should be established. Second， high-quality evidence-based interventions for MPS should be developed with TCM alone or in combination with Western medicine. Third， efforts should be made to promote the new TCM drug development and the interdisciplinary cooperation for treating MPS.

Objective To investigate the effect of Elvitegravir,Cobicistat,Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Alafenamide single tablet alone versus tenofovir(TDF)+lamivudine(3TC)+efavirenz(EFV)scheme in the treatment of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS).Methods A total of 100 patients with AIDS who visited the hospital from January 2022 to October 2022 were selected and divided into two groups by random number table method,50 cases in each group.Group A was treated with Elvitegravir,Cobi-cistat,Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Alafenamide single tablet monotherapy and Group B was treated with TDF+3TC+EFV scheme.The human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)load,body immunity(CD4+,CD8+,CD4+CD38+cell ratio,CD8+CD38+cell ratio),lipid metabolism indexes[total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)],glucose metabolism indexes[fasting blood glucose(FPG),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c)],glycoprotein 130(gp130),interleukin-35(IL-35)and its receptor IL-12Rβ2 levels were observed before and after treatment in the two groups,and the drug safety in the two groups was counted.Results After 3 months of treatment,HIV load,CD8+count,CD4+CD38+cell ratio,and CD8+CD38+cell ratio in both groups were lower than those before treatment,and CD4+count was higher than that before treatment(P＜0.05),but the difference was not statistically significant when compared between A and B groups(P＞0.05).After 3 months of treat-ment,the levels of IL-12Rβ2,gp130,IL-35,TC,TG,and LDL-C in both groups were higher than those before treatment,and HDL-C level was lower than that before treatment,and the change in group B was greater than that in group A(P＜0.05).FPG and HbAlc levels were higher in group B after 1 month and 3 months of treatment,and were higher than those in group A(P＜0.05).Drug safety analysis showed that the incidence rates of adverse reactions were 12.00％(6/50)in group A and 26.00％(13/50)in group B,and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).The incidence rates of liver and kidney injury in group A was 10.00％(5/50),and that in group B was 12.00％(6/50),and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Elvitegravir,Cobicistat,Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Alafenamide single tablet monotherapy and the TDF+3TC+EFV scheme could significantly re-duce the HIV load of AIDS patients and improve their immune level,but the former has less effect on pa-tients'glycolipid metabolism and inflammatory factors,and the monotherapy scheme is superior based on the comprehensive consideration of safety and efficacy.

Objective To investigate the effect of teaching method using students as standardized patients on clinical practice teaching of neurology.Methods We randomly assigned 80 undergraduate majoring in clinical medicine into two groups:a control group where students were instructed with traditional clinical teaching methods,and an experimental group where students acted as standardized patients.Following the clinical placement,we administered an Objective Structured Clinical Exam-ination(OSCE)and a satisfaction survey to all participants.Results The experimental group performed significantly better than the control group in history taking and neurological examination in the OSCE(P＜0.05).The results of the questionnaire showed that the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in improving clinical thinking,stimulating learning interest,and improving communication skills(P＜0.05).Conclusion The teaching methods using student as standardized pa-tients in the process of clinical practice in neurology helps to improve the history taking and neurological physical examination skills of clinical students,yielding good educational outcomes.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Elvitegravir, Cobicistat, Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Tablets in initial treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Methods A total of 80 treatment-naive AIDS patients were selected as research subjects and randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 40 patients in each group. The control group was treated with free antiviral drugs (tenofovir + lamivudine + efavirenz), while the observation group was treated with Elvitegravir, Cobicistat, Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Tablets. The CD4⁺ count, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load, and biochemical indicators were compared between the two groups before treatment and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment. The adherence, adverse reactions, and quality of life were also compared between the two groups. Results During the treatment, six patients in the observation group and 9 patients in the control group had no compliance. With the extension of treatment time, the CD4⁺ level in both groups gradually increased, and the HIV viral load gradually decreased (P < 0.05). After 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment, the CD4⁺ levels in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the HIV viral loads were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). With the extension of treatment time, the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, creatinine, and uric acid in the control group gradually increased, and the random blood glucose levels after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment in the control group were higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05). After 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment, the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and random blood glucose in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 2.94% (1/34), which was lower than 90.00% (36/40) in the control group (corrected χ²=55.718, P < 0.001). With the extension of treatment time, the scores of various dimensions of quality of life in both groups gradually increased, and the scores of various dimensions of quality of life after treatment in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with the free antiviral drug regimen, Elvitegravir, Cobicistat, Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Tablets shows better efficacy in the treatment of AIDS-naive patients, which can significantly increase the CD4⁺ level, and reduce the HIV viral load. Besides, it has high safety, and can significantly improve their quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and immunological characteristics of anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS) patients overlap with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on ASS patients with arthritis who were treated at Peking University People' s Hospital. Data collected included demographic information, clinical manifestations, laboratory features, lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood, and treatments. The patients with ASS were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of RA for comparative analysis. RESULTS: A total of 104 ASS patients with arthritis were included, among whom 23.1% (24/104) were diagnosed with RA. The ASS with RA group had a significantly higher incidence of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) (41.7% vs. 17.6%, P=0.032), number of tender joints [10 (7, 14) vs. 4 (0, 8), P < 0.001], number of swollen joints [4 (2, 8) vs. 2 (0, 4), P=0.012], and rate of bone erosion (47.8% vs. 2.5%, P < 0.001) compared with the non-RA group. Levels of platelets [(289.57±68.74)×10³/μL vs. (247.94±77.04)×10³/μL, P=0.022], erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) [43 (19, 59) mm/h vs. 18 (10, 44) mm/h, P=0.019], and C-reactive protein (CRP) [19.20 (4.80, 55.36) mg/L vs. 5.68 (1.10, 14.96) mg/L, P=0.006] were found significantly higher in the ASS with RA group than those in non-RA group. Analysis of immune cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) showed that significantly decreased proportions of CLA⁺ Treg cells [(11.12±4.10)% vs. (17.22±8.49)%, P=0.003], B cells [8.56% (4.80%, 11.90%) vs. 14.55% (8.75%, 20.29%), P=0.025], and natural killer (NK) cells [7.56% (4.65%, 13.20%) vs. 13.25% (7.46%, 19.25%), P=0.045] in the overlap group compared with non-RA group. Proportion of Naïve Th cells [(52.66±17.66)% vs. (40.76±14.96)%, P=0.033)] was significantly increased in overlap group compared with non-RA group. Overlap group had lower rate of complete clinical response than non-RA group (16.7% vs. 43.8%, P=0.031). CONCLUSION Among ASS patients with arthritis, those with RA have more severe lung and joint involvement and a lower treatment response rate, highlighting the need for early recognition and aggressive intervention.
Humans ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial/immunology* ; Male ; Myositis/blood* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Autoantibodies/blood*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the difference in intestinal microbiota between preterm infants with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) and those without NDI. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, the preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from September 1, 2019 to September 30, 2021 were enrolled as subjects. According to the assessment results of Gesell Developmental Scale at the corrected gestational age of 1.5-2 years, they were divided into two groups: normal (n=115) and NDI (n=100). Fecal samples were collected one day before discharge, one day before introducing solid food, and at the corrected gestational age of 1 year. High-throughput sequencing was used to compare the composition of intestinal microbiota between groups. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the NDI group had a significantly higher Shannon diversity index at the corrected gestational age of 1 year (P<0.05). The principal coordinate analysis showed a significant difference in the composition of intestinal microbiota between the two groups one day before introducing solid food and at the corrected gestational age of 1 year (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the NDI group had a significantly higher abundance of Bifidobacterium in the intestine at all three time points, a significantly higher abundance of Enterococcus one day before introducing solid food and at the corrected gestational age of 1 year, and a significantly lower abundance of Akkermansia one day before introducing solid food (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There are significant differences in the composition of intestinal microbiota between preterm infants with NDI and those without NDI. This study enriches the data on the characteristics of intestinal microbiota in preterm infants with NDI and provides reference for the microbiota therapy and intervention for NDI in preterm infants.
Infant ; Child ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Infant, Premature ; Prospective Studies ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; China ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; Gestational Age