ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xiaoji Hufei Formula in protecting children with close contact exposure to influenza， and to provide reference and evidence-based support for better clinical prevention and treatment of influenza in children. MethodsA multicenter， prospective， non-randomized， parallel， controlled trial was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 in five hospitals， including Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Confirmed influenza cases and influenza-like illness （ILI） cases were collected， and eligible children with close contact exposure to these cases were recruited in the outpatient clinics. According to whether the enrolled close contacts were willing to take Xiaoji Hufei formula for influenza prevention， they were assigned to the observation group （108 cases） or the control group （108 cases）. Follow-up visits were conducted on days 7 and 14 after enrollment. The primary outcomes were the incidence of ILI and the rate of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Secondary outcomes included traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom score scale for influenza， influenza-related emergency （outpatient） visit rate， influenza hospitalization rate， and time to onset after exposure to influenza cases. ResultsA total of 216 participants were enrolled， with 108 in the observation group and 108 in the control group. Primary outcomes： （1） Incidence of ILI： The incidence was 12.0% （13/108） in the observation group and 23.1% （25/108） in the control group， with the observation group showing a significantly lower incidence （χ²=4.6， P<0.05）. （2） Influenza confirmation rate： 3.7% （4/108） in the observation group and 4.6% （5/108） in the control group， with no statistically significant difference. Secondary outcomes： （1） TCM symptom score scale： after onset， nasal congestion and runny nose scores differed significantly between the two groups （P<0.05）， while other symptoms such as fever， sore throat， and cough showed no significant differences. （2） Influenza-related emergency （outpatient） visit rate： 84.6% （11 cases） in the observation group and 96.0% （24 cases） in the control group， with no significant difference. （3） Time to onset after exposure： The median onset time after exposure to index patients was 7 days in the observation group and 4 days in the control group， with a statistically significant difference （P<0.05）. ConclusionIn previously healthy children exposed to infectious influenza cases under unprotected conditions， Xiaoji Hufei formula prophylaxis significantly reduced the incidence of ILI. Xiaoji Hufei Formula can be recommended as a specific preventive prescription for influenza in children.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xiaoji Hufei Formula in protecting children with close contact exposure to influenza， and to provide reference and evidence-based support for better clinical prevention and treatment of influenza in children. MethodsA multicenter， prospective， non-randomized， parallel， controlled trial was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 in five hospitals， including Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Confirmed influenza cases and influenza-like illness （ILI） cases were collected， and eligible children with close contact exposure to these cases were recruited in the outpatient clinics. According to whether the enrolled close contacts were willing to take Xiaoji Hufei formula for influenza prevention， they were assigned to the observation group （108 cases） or the control group （108 cases）. Follow-up visits were conducted on days 7 and 14 after enrollment. The primary outcomes were the incidence of ILI and the rate of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Secondary outcomes included traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom score scale for influenza， influenza-related emergency （outpatient） visit rate， influenza hospitalization rate， and time to onset after exposure to influenza cases. ResultsA total of 216 participants were enrolled， with 108 in the observation group and 108 in the control group. Primary outcomes： （1） Incidence of ILI： The incidence was 12.0% （13/108） in the observation group and 23.1% （25/108） in the control group， with the observation group showing a significantly lower incidence （χ²=4.6， P<0.05）. （2） Influenza confirmation rate： 3.7% （4/108） in the observation group and 4.6% （5/108） in the control group， with no statistically significant difference. Secondary outcomes： （1） TCM symptom score scale： after onset， nasal congestion and runny nose scores differed significantly between the two groups （P<0.05）， while other symptoms such as fever， sore throat， and cough showed no significant differences. （2） Influenza-related emergency （outpatient） visit rate： 84.6% （11 cases） in the observation group and 96.0% （24 cases） in the control group， with no significant difference. （3） Time to onset after exposure： The median onset time after exposure to index patients was 7 days in the observation group and 4 days in the control group， with a statistically significant difference （P<0.05）. ConclusionIn previously healthy children exposed to infectious influenza cases under unprotected conditions， Xiaoji Hufei formula prophylaxis significantly reduced the incidence of ILI. Xiaoji Hufei Formula can be recommended as a specific preventive prescription for influenza in children.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism by which Guijianyu ameliorates podocyte injury in a mouse model of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) induced by advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). METHODS: Sixty db/db mouse models of DKD were randomized equally into 5 groups for treatment with saline, Guijianyu extract at 3 doses or irbesartan for 12 weeks, and the changes in renal pathology and structure were observed using transmission electron microscopy, and the expressions of related genes and key proteins were detected using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. In cultured MPC-5 cells incubated with 50 mg/L AGEs-BSA for 24 h, the effect of different concentrations of Guijianyu extract on cell viability was examined with CCK-8 assay; Western blotting was performed to detect the protein expressions of RAGE, VEGFA, TNF-α, NF-κB(p65), IL-6 and caspase-3, and the mRNA expressions of RAGE, NF-κB (p65), VEGFA and IL-6 were detected with RT-qPCR. RESULTS: In mouse models of DKD, treatment with high-dose Guijianyu extract significantly reduced renal expressions of RAGE, VEGFA, NF-κB(p65), and IL-6 proteins and the mRNA expressions of RAGE, NF-κB, and IL-6. In MPC-5 cells, exposure to AGEs significantly reduced cell viability and increased the protein expressions of RAGE, NF‑κB (p65), VEGFA, TNF-α, IL-6 and caspase-3 (P<0.05) and mRNA expressions of RAGE, NF-κB (p65), VEGFA, and IL-6. Treatment with Guijianyu extract obviously improved cell viability and reduced the expressions of RAGE, NF-κB(p65), VEGFA, TNF-α, IL-6, and caspase-3. Furthermore, Guijianyu extract effectively reversed RAGE agonist-induced elevation of protein expressions of RAGE, VEGFA, TNF-α, IL-6, and caspase-3 and mRNA expressions of RAGE, NF-κB (p65), IL-6, and VEGFA in MPC-5 cells. CONCLUSIONS Guijianyu extract ameliorates AGEs-induced mouse renal podocyte injury in DKD by inhibiting the activation of AGEs-RAGE signaling pathway and reducing the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factors.
Animals ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Podocytes/pathology* ; Diabetic Nephropathies/drug therapy* ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Male

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) is a common disease often accompanied by pain, seriously affecting physical and mental health of patients. Abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction has been considered as a predominant origin of arthralgia, while the specific mechanism mediating pain remains unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanism of TMJ-OA pain, an abnormal joint loading model was used to induce TMJ-OA pain. We found that during the development of TMJ-OA, the increased innervation of sympathetic nerve of subchondral bone precedes that of sensory nerves. Furthermore, these two types of nerves are spatially closely associated. Additionally, it was discovered that activation of sympathetic neural signals promotes osteoarthritic pain in mice, whereas blocking these signals effectively alleviates pain. In vitro experiments also confirmed that norepinephrine released by sympathetic neurons promotes the activation and axonal growth of sensory neurons. Moreover, we also discovered that through releasing norepinephrine, regional sympathetic nerves of subchondral bone were found to regulate growth and activation of local sensory nerves synergistically with other pain regulators. This study identified the role of regional sympathetic nerves in mediating pain in TMJ-OA. It sheds light on a new mechanism of abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction and the regional crosstalk between peripheral nerves, providing a potential target for treating TMJ-OA pain.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Sympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology* ; Arthralgia ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Disease Models, Animal ; Norepinephrine ; Male ; Temporomandibular Joint/physiopathology* ; Pain Measurement

To effectively exploit the tumor microenvironment (TME), TME-responsive nanocarriers based on cascade reactions have received much attention. In this study, we designed a novel nanoparticle PB@SiO₂@MnO₂@P-Arg (PMP) to construct a cascade reaction nanoplatform. While using biosafety Prussian blue (PB) for photothermal therapy (PTT), this nanoplatform uses silica (SiO₂) as an intermediate layer to assemble Prussian blue and manganese dioxide (MnO₂) into a core-shell structure, which effectively enhances the response of the nanoplatform to TME and promotes the effect of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) resulting from glutathione (GSH) depletion and Fenton-like reaction. The released Mn²⁺ can also be used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Through the cascade reaction, poly-l-arginine (P-Arg) coated on the surface of the nanoparticles can react with hydroxyl radical (•OH) obtained from the Fenton-like reaction to release nitric oxide (NO), which further reacts with O₂•^- to produce the more toxic peroxynitrite anion (ONOO^-). The photothermal effect of PB further enhances the effect of the cascade reaction while reducing the amount of heat required for treatment. In vitro and in vivo studies confirmed the antitumor effects of cascade reaction-based nanoplatforms in combined photothermal/chemodynamic/gas cancer therapies, providing new strategies for the design and fabrication of multifunctional nanoplatforms that integrate diagnostic and therapeutic functions, as well as the application of cascade reactions in multimodal synergistic therapy.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a congenital malformation resulting from abnormal embryonic development of the heart and great vessels, accounting for approximately 25% of all congenital malformations. Children with CHD are often complicated by short stature. Although surgical treatment can improve their growth and development to a certain extent, some children still experience growth retardation after surgery. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is the main drug for treating short stature, but its efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with concomitant CHD warrant further investigation. This article reports six cases of children with CHD and short stature who were treated with rhGH. Through a literature review, we summarize and discuss the therapeutic efficacy, follow-up experiences, and adverse reactions of rhGH treatment, aiming to provide references for clinicians in applying rhGH to treat patients with CHD and short stature.

Objective:To analyze the current research hotspots and trends of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment for neurogenic bladder (NB).Methods:The Chinese and English articles on TCM treatment of neurogenic bladder were searched in CNKI, Wanfang Database, PubMed, and Web of Science from the inception to May 31, 2024, using the terms "neurogenic bladder" "intervention" "treatment" "clinical" "Chinese medicine" "electroacupuncture" "acupuncture", and "moxibustion". VOSviewer and Citespace bibliometric software were used to analyze the publication trend, authors, research institutions, source journals and keywords of these articles.Results:A total of 776 Chinese articles and 253 English articles on the diagnosis and treatment of NB by traditional Chinese medicine were retrieved, the number of publications was increasing every year. Most Chinese papers came from Shandong University of Traditional Clinese Medicine, and most English papers came from Sun Yat-sen University. Some authors and institutions had formed networks of cooperation. Most papers were published in the journal of Traditional Chineses Medicine Clinical Research (in Chinese) and Neural Regeneration Research (in English). This study generated 244 Chinese core key words with 14 clustering networks, and 233 English core key words with 10 clustering networks. The main symptoms of NB are uroschesis and urinary incontinence. NB are primarily caused by spinal cord injury, diabetes mellitus and stroke. The main treatment methods of TCM for NB are electroacupuncture, acupuncture and percutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation. The research on NB mechanisms focuses on the apoptosis, regeneration and plasticity of spinal neurons, the activation of the bladder autophagy signaling pathway, the expression of proteins related to the contractile function of the forced muscles. Conclusion:The research quantity and quality of traditional Chinese medicine in diagnosis and treatment NB have increased in recent years, and the mechanism and treatment of NB are the research hotspots; however, the extension and depth of researches are limited, and the institutional cooperations are insufficiente.

Objective:To develop a self-locked DNAzyme nanoprobe-based fluorescence amplification strategy for wash-free and ultrasensitive detection of breast cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEV).Method:A DNAzyme self-locked probe was designed to recognize the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) specifically expressed on breast cancer-derived sEVs. Upon binding to EpCAM, the DNAzyme-lock structure was opened, restoring the DNAzyme cleavage activity. The activated DNAzyme then cyclically cleaved the RNA site on the substrate strand. Fluorescently labeled substrate strands were used to detect sEVs at varying concentrations, and the detection limit and linear range were determined.Results:The DNAzyme self-locked probe successfully identified breast cancer-derived sEVs and generated a fluorescent signal through cyclic cleavage. The proposed method achieved wash-free detection of sEVs, with the fluorescence intensity showing a strong linear correlation with sEV concentration ( R2=0.98). The linear detection range was 1.0×10 2-1.0×1.0 7 particles/μl, with a detection limit of 59 particles/μl. Conclusion:This study established a wash-free and highly sensitive strategy for quantifying breast cancer-derived sEVs, which provides a promising technical approach for the early diagnosis of cancer.

Anticipatory anxiety is a negative emotion that arises when individuals encounter potential threats or uncertainties in the future. It is the core symptom of a variety of anxiety disorders, and is closely associated with the occurrence, severity, treatment outcome, and prognosis of anxiety disorders, which has garnered a growing amount of focus in clinical practice. Nevertheless, scientific research on anticipatory anxiety continues to face obstacles such as unclear pathological mechanisms, the absence of simple and consistent self-assessment tools, and effective interventions. To improve understanding of the role of anticipatory anxiety in the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders, this study reviews pertinent domestic and international literature, and briefly introduces the concept, assessment and measurement, activation paradigm, pathological mechanisms, and interventions of anticipatory anxiety.

BACKGROUND:Increasing evidence supports the association between different exercise intensities and the risk of osteoarthritis,but this may be affected by confounding and reverse causality,and the conclusions have not been unified. OBJECTIVE:To explore the causal association between different exercise intensities and osteoarthritis using Mendelian randomization method. METHODS:Data from genome-wide association studies associated with different exercise intensities were selected,and instrumental variables were screened with a threshold of P＜5×10-8.Causal associations between exposure and risk of outcome were assessed using five analysis methods of Mendelian randomization with inverse variance weighting as the primary analysis method.Selected instrumental variables were used to assess causal associations between different exercise intensities and osteoarthritis,and sensitivity analyses with inverse Mendelian randomization were performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the analysis results of the inverse variance weighting method,low-intensity exercise showed a significant protective effect on knee osteoarthritis[odds ratio(OR)=0.14,95%confidence interval(CI):0.06-0.32,P＜0.001],while sedentary behavior without exercise intensity,such as watching TV,was confirmed to be a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis(OR=2.24,95%CI:1.74-2.88,P＜0.001;OR=1.34,95%CI:1.01-1.78,P=0.04).Through the reverse Mendelian randomization analysis of osteoarthritis to different exercise intensities,it was found that osteoarthritis was negatively correlated with low-intensity exercise and positively correlated with watching TV.The analysis results show that there is a two-way causal relationship between different exercise intensity and osteoarthritis risk.