Haematitum and Limonitum are two iron-containing mineral medicines included in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. They have similar main components and major differences in their property, flavor, channel tropism, and clinical uses. In this study, we investigated the surface properties, mineral composition, mineral dissociation, elemental composition, and iron state of Haematitum and Limonitum to explore their mineralogical differences. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM), specific surface and porosity analyzer, X-ray diffractometer(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer(XPS), and advanced mineral identification and characterization system(AMICS) were used to analyze the mineralogy of Haematitum and Limonitum. The results showed that Haematitum had an angular surface with granular attachments and a specific surface area of 17.04 m~2·g~(-1). In comparison, Limonitum had a smooth and flat surface with a bundled acicular crystal structure and a specific surface area of 46.29 m~2·g~(-1). Haematitum consists of 31 detectable minerals containing 18 elements, with the major element, iron(44.5% Fe~(2+) and 55.5% Fe~(3+)) distributed in 17 minerals, including hematite, iron oxide, knebelite, siderite, and magnesioferrite. Limonitum consists of 32 detectable minerals containing 17 elements, with the major element, iron(14.5% Fe~(2+) and 85.5% Fe~(3+)) distributed in 19 minerals, including limonite, iron oxide, chlorite, and knebelite. In summary, the elemental composition of Haematitum and Limonitum does not differ greatly, but there are large differences in the mineral composition and iron state. The large specific surface area and strong adsorption capacity of Limonitum may be one of the mechanisms of its anti-diarrheal action. The Fe_2O_3 and illite contained in Haematitum and Limonitum may be the key substances for their hemostasis effects. The mineralogical differences are expected to provide a reference for explaining the scientific connotation of mineral medicine and laying a material foundation for studying its mechanism of action.
Iron/analysis* ; Minerals/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; X-Ray Diffraction ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Photoelectron Spectroscopy

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical efficacy of membrane-induced technique combined with gastrocnemius muscle flap transposition in treating traumatic osteomyelitis of the upper tibia. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 7 patients with traumatic osteomyelitis of the upper tibia who were treated with membrane-induced technique combined with gastrocnemius muscle flap transposition from January 2022 to December 2023. Among them, there were 4 males and 3 females; aged from 29 to 57 years old; 4 patients were treated after open fracture, 2 patients were treated after closed fracture, and 1 patient was treated after scalding; the courses of disease ranges from 2 weeks to 8 years; sinus tracts were present in all patients, and the lesion range of the tibia ranged from 5 to 9 cm. The results of deep tissue bacterial culture showed that 2 patients were negative, 3 patients were staphylococcus aureus, 1 patient was methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, and 1 patient was pseudomonas aeruginosa and 1 patient was klebsiella pneumoniae. After debridement, the range of bone defect ranged from 8 to 12 cm, and the cortical defect accounted for approximately 30% of the circumference. The area of soft tissue defect ranged from 8.0 cm×2.0 cm to 10.0 cm×6.0 cm. At the first stage, vancomycin-loaded/meropenem/gentamicin-loaded bone cement was implanted. The gastrocnemius muscle flap was repositioned to cover the wound surface and free skin grafting was performed. After an interval of 7 to 10 weeks, the stageⅡsurgery was performed to remove bone cement. Autologous iliac bone mixed with vancomycin/gentamicin and calcium sulfate artificial bone was transplanted, and the wound was sutured. One patient retained the original internal plants, one patient removed the internal plants and replaced them with steel plate external fixation, one patient replaced the internal plants and added steel plate external fixation, and three patients were simply fixed with steel plate external fixation. One year after operation, the recovery of knee joint and ankle joint functions was evaluated by using Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee joint score and Kofoed ankle joint function score respectively. RESULTS: All patients had their wounds closed simultaneously with bone cement implantation and healed well. All patients were followed up for 12 to 17 months after operation, and satisfactory bone healing was achieved at 6 months after stageⅡsurgery. Twelve months after operation, all patients had good bone healing without obvious limping was observed when walking. At 12 months after operation HSS knee joint score ranged from 93 to 100 points, and Kofoed ankle function score ranged from 96 to 100 points. CONCLUSION For traumatic osteomyelitis of the upper tibia, a staged treatment plan combining membrane-induced technique and gastrocnemius flap transposition on the basis of thorough debridement could safely cover the wound surface, effectively control bone infection and achieve satisfactory bone healing, without adverse effects on limb function.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis/surgery* ; Adult ; Surgical Flaps ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia/injuries* ; Muscle, Skeletal/surgery*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features of children with STAT gene mutations, and to explore corresponding immunotherapy strategies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 10 children with STAT gene mutations who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, from October 2015 to October 2024. Exploratory immunotherapy was implemented in some refractory cases, and the changes in symptoms, imaging manifestations, and cytokine levels were assessed after treatment. RESULTS: For the 10 children, the main clinical manifestations were recurrent rash since birth (7/10), cough (8/10), wheezing (5/10), expectoration (4/10), and purulent nasal discharge (4/10). Genotyping results showed that there was one child with heterozygous loss-of-function (LOF) mutation in the STAT1 gene, four children with heterozygous LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene, and five children with heterozygous gain-of-function (GOF) mutation in the STAT3 gene. Two children with LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene showed decreased interleukin-6 levels and improved clinical symptoms and imaging findings after omalizumab treatment. Three children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene achieved effective disease control after treatment with methylprednisolone (0.5 mg/kg per day). Two children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene received treatment with JAK inhibitor and then showed some improvement in symptoms. CONCLUSIONS STAT gene mutation screening should be considered for children with recurrent rash and purulent respiratory tract infections. Targeted immunotherapy may improve prognosis in patients with no response to conventional treatment.
Humans ; Male ; Immunotherapy ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Gain of Function Mutation ; Retrospective Studies ; Infant ; Loss of Function Mutation ; STAT Transcription Factors/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Pinggan Capsules(composed of six Chinese herbs,i.e.Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma,Prunellae Spica,Rehmanniae Radix,Gastrodiae Rhizoma,Gardeniae Fructus and Plantaginis Herba)in treating patients with hypertension complicated with anxiety and depression of liver-yang hyperactivity type,and to explore the related influencing factors of efficacy.Methods A total of 150 patients diagnosed as hypertension complicated with anxiety and depression of liver-yang hyperactivity type treated at Guangdong Second Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were enrolled.The patients were randomly divided into the trial group and the control group using a random number table,with 75 cases in each group.The control group received conventional medicine treatment(Amlodipine Besylate Tablets plus Losartan Potassium Tablets),while the trial group received Pinggan Capsules in addition to the conventional treatment.The treatment for the two groups lasted for 8 weeks.Before and after treatment,the changes in blood pressure,Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)scores,Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS)scores,and scores of each domain of World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF(WHO-QOL-BREF)were observed in the two groups.Antihypertensive efficacy,TCM syndrome efficacy,and drug safety in the two groups were evaluated,and the main factors influencing the efficacy of Pinggan Capsules were analyzed.Results(1)During the treatment period,6 cases dropped out from the trial group and 4 cases dropped out from the control group.A total of 140 patients completed the full course of treatment,including 69 in the trial group and 71 in the control group.(2)After 8 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for antihypertensive efficacy in the trial group was 89.86%(62/69),significantly higher than that in the control group[64.79%(46/71)].The intergroup(tested by chi-square test)showed that the antihypertensive efficacy of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(3)After 8 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for TCM syndrome efficacy in the trial group was 92.75%(64/69),significantly higher than that in the control group[66.20%(47/71)].The intergroup(tested by chi-square test)showed that the TCM syndrome efficacy of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were improved in both groups compared to those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the improvement in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,the scores of all domains(physical,psychological,social relationships,and environmental)of WHO-QOL-BREF scale were significantly improved in both groups compared to those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the improvement in the trial group was significantly superior to in the control group(P＜0.05).(6)After treatment,SAS and SDS scores were significantly improved in both groups compared to those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the improvement in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(7)No significant adverse reactions occurred in either group during the treatment period,indicating high safety.(8)Sankey diagram and correspondence analysis showed that patients aged＜65 years,male,grade 1 hypertension,mild anxiety,and mild depression achieved significant hypotensive effect and symptom-relief effect(P＜0.05).Conclusion Pinggan Capsules have significant clinical efficacy in treating hypertension complicated with anxiety and depression of liver-yang hyperactivity type and is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Thrombocytopenia is one of the common complications of cirrhotic patients, which can induce an increasing bleeding risk and closely correlate with bleeding following invasive procedures. Consequently, how to respond to thrombocytopenia is crucial for improving the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis. This article reviews the main mechanisms of cirrhosis concurrent with thrombocytopenia, as well as the corresponding clinical management strategies.

Objective To analyze the effects of deep learning image reconstruction(DLIR)and adaptive statistical iterative recon-struction V(ASIR-V)on the imaging quality of chest CT in patient with pulmonary nodules,and to evaluate the differences based on different image reconstruction techniques in the detection of efficiency of computer-aided diagnosis(CAD)for pulmonary nodules.Methods The image data of pulmonary nodules of eighty patients with chest CT screening were reconstructed with ASIR-V 80％,DLIR-low(DLIR-L),DLIR-medium(DLIR-M)and DLIR-high(DLIR-H)images,respectively.The objective image quality and sub-jective image quality of the four groups were compared and analyzed.Objective image quality includes CT value of region of interest(ROI),noise,signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)and image average gradient.The diagnostic efficacy of CAD in detecting pulmonary nodules of reconstructed images among four groups were further evaluated.Results There were no signifi-cant difference in CT value of ROI of reconstructed images among the four groups(P＞0.05).The noise,SNR and CNR of DLIR-H images were similar to those of ASIR-V 80％(P＞0.05),but significantly better than those of DLIR-L and DLIR-M(P＜0.05).The average gradient of DLIR-L,DLIR-M and DLIR-H images were significantly higher than those of ASIR-V 80％(P＜0.05).The subjective image quality scores of DLIR-L,DLIR-M and DLIR-H images were significantly higher than those of ASIR-V 80％(P＜0.05),and the subjective image quality score of DLIR-H image was the highest.CAD showed the highest true positive rate in DLIR-H images for detecting pulmonary nodules(P＜0.05),and CAD showed the highest false positives per capita in ASIR-V 80％images for detecting pulmonary nodules(P＜0.05).Conclusion The noise,SNR and CNR of DLIR-H images are similar to those of ASIR-V 80％,with the significantly higher image clarity and subjective image quality scores.DLIR-H has advantages in CAD detection of pulmonary nodules,which is an ideal image reconstruction technology for chest CT pulmonary nodule screening.

Objective:To investigate the perioperative impact of closure of mesenteric fissure in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.Methods:The prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. The clinical data of 320 patients who underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy in 11 medical centers, including The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University et al, from November 2022 to August 2023 were selected. Based on block randomization, patients were alloca-ted into the mesenteric fissure non-closure group and the mesenteric fissure closure group. Observa-tion indicators: (1) grouping of the enrolled patients; (2) intraoperative conditions; (3) postopera-tive conditions. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3) and com-parison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were represen-ted as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the rank sum test. Comparison of visual analog scores was analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Results:(1) Grouping of the enrolled patients. A total of 320 patients with colon cancer were screened for eligibility, including 156 males and 164 females, aged 68(59,73)years. All the 320 patients were allocated into the mesenteric fissure non-closure group with 164 cases and the mesenteric fissure closure group with 156 cases. There was no significant difference in the age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologist score, maximum tumor diameter, anastomosis location, anastomosis method, surgical approach, range of lymph node dissection, tumor staging between the two groups ( P>0.05) and there was a significant difference in the sex between them ( P<0.05). (2) Intraoperative conditions. There was no significant difference between the mesenteric fissure closure group and the mesenteric fissure non-closure group in the volume of intraoperative blood loss, operation time, conversion to laparotomy, intraoperative complication ( P>0.05). Three patients in the mesenteric fissure non-closure group were converted to laparotomy. One patient in the mesenteric fissure closure group was converted to laparotomy, and 2 cases with intraoperative complication were mesenteric hematoma. (3) Postoperative conditions. There was no significant difference between the mesenteric fissure non-closure group and the mesenteric fissure closure group in the overall postoperative complications ( χ2=0.28, P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of postoperative intestinal obstruction, abdominal distension, ascites, pleural effusion, gastric paralysis, anastomotic bleeding, anastomotic leakage, or surgical wound infection between the two groups ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the reoperation, postoperative gastric tube replacement. There was no significant differ-ence in time to postoperative first flatus, time to postoperative initial liquid food intake, time to post-operative resumption of bowel movements, duration of postoperative hospital stay, total hospital expenses between the two groups ( Z=-0.01, 0.43, 1.04, -0.54, -0.36, P>0.05). One patient in the mesenteric fissure non-closure group received reoperation. No perioperative internal hernia or death occurred in either group. The visual analog score decreased with time in both groups. There was no significant difference in the visual analog score between the mesenteric fissure closure group and the mesenteric fissure non-closure group [ β=-0.20(-0.53,0.13), P>0.05]. Conclusion:Compared with closure of mesenteric fissure, non-closure of mesenteric fissure during laparoscopic right hemi-colectomy dose not increase perioperative complications or postoperative management risk.

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics of various types of infected pancreatic necrosis(IPN) and the prognosis of different treatment methods in the imaging classification of IPN proposed. Methods: The clinical data of 126 patients with IPN admitted to the Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from December 2018 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 70 males(55.6%) and 56 females(44.4%), with age(M(IQR)) of 44(17)years (range: 12 to 87 years). There were 67 cases(53.2%) of severe acute pancreatitis and 59 cases (46.8%) of moderately severe acute pancreatitis. All cases were based on the diagnostic criteria of IPN. All cases were divided into Type Ⅰ(central IPN)(n=21), Type Ⅱ(peripheral IPN)(n=23), Type Ⅲ(mixed IPN)(n=74) and Type Ⅳ(isolated IPN)(n=8) according to the different sites of infection and necrosis on CT.According to different treatment strategies,they were divided into Step-up group(n=109) and Step-jump group(n=17). The clinical indicators and prognosis of each group were observed and analyzed by ANOVA,t-test,χ² test or Fisher exact test,respectively. Results: There was no significant difference in mortality, complication rate and complication grade in each type of IPN(all P>0.05). Compared with other types of patients, the length of stay (69(40)days vs. 19(19)days) and hospitalization expenses(323 000(419 000)yuan vs. 60 000(78 000)yuan) were significantly increased in Type Ⅳ IPN(Z=-4.041, -3.972; both P<0.01). The incidence of postoperative residual infection of Type Ⅳ IPN was significantly higher than that of other types (χ²=16.350,P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the mortality of patients with different types of IPN between different treatment groups. The length of stay and hospitalization expenses of patients in the Step-up group were significantly less than those in the Step-jump group(19(20)days vs. 33(35)days, Z=-2.052, P=0.040;59 000(80 000)yuan vs. 122 000(109 000)yuan,Z=-2.317,P=0.020). Among the patients in Type Ⅳ IPN, the hospitalization expenses of Step-up group was significantly higher than that of Step-jump group(330 000(578 000)yuan vs. 141 000 yuan,Z=-2.000,P=0.046). The incidence of postoperative residual infection of Step-up group(17.4%(19/109)) was significantly lower than that of Step-jump group(10/17)(χ²=11.980, P=0.001). Conclusions: Type Ⅳ IPN is more serious than the other three types. It causes longer length of stay and more hospitalization expenses. The step-up approach is safe and effective in the treatment of IPN. However, for infected lesions which are deep in place,difficult to reach by conventional drainage methods, or mainly exhibit "dry necrosis", choosing the step-jump approach is a more positive choice.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing/complications* ; Acute Disease ; Intraabdominal Infections/complications* ; Necrosis/complications* ; Treatment Outcome

This study aimed to investigate the effective substances and mechanism of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis(CGN) based on metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry. The rat model of CGN was induced by cationic bovine serum albumin(C-BSA). After intragastric administration of Yishen Guluo Mixture, the biochemical indexes related to renal function(24-hour urinary protein, serum urea nitrogen, and creatinine) were determined, and the efficacy evaluations such as histopathological observation were carried out. The serum biomarkers of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN were screened out by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis, and the metabolic pathways were analyzed. According to the mass spectrum ion fragment information and metabolic pathway, the components absorbed into the blood(prototypes and metabolites) from Yishen Guluo Mixture were identified and analyzed by using PeakView 1.2 and MetabolitePilot 2.0.4. By integrating metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry data, a mathematical model of correlation analysis between serum biomarkers and components absorbed into blood was constructed to screen out the potential effective substances of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN. Yishen Guluo mixture significantly decreased the levels of 24-hour urinary protein, serum urea nitrogen, and creatinine in rats with CGN, and improved the pathological damage of the kidney tissue. Twenty serum biomarkers of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN, such as arachidonic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine, were screened out, involving arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerol phosphatide metabolism, and other pathways. Based on the serum pharmacochemistry, 8 prototype components and 20 metabolites in the serum-containing Yishen Guluo Mixture were identified. According to the metabolomics and correlation analysis of serum pharmacochemistry, 12 compounds such as genistein absorbed into the blood from Yishen Guluo Mixture were selected as the potential effective substances for the treatment of CGN. Based on metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry, the effective substances and mechanism of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN are analyzed and explained in this study, which provides a new idea for the development of innovative traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of CGN.
Animals ; Rats ; Arachidonic Acid ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Blood Proteins ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Creatinine ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Glomerulonephritis/metabolism* ; Metabolomics ; Urea ; Chronic Disease ; Disease Models, Animal ; Complex Mixtures/therapeutic use*