Based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory that "all pain， itching， and sores are related to the heart"， this paper proposes treating recurrent aphthous ulcers from the perspective of the heart. It suggests that excessive heart fire and tissue erosion due to flaming fire in the heart meridian constitute the core pathogenesis of this condition. Hyperactive heart fire is identified as the key pathogenic factor， while heart yin deficiency， obstruction of the heart collaterals， and malnourishment of the heart spirit are considered significant contributing factors. Clinically， the treatment follows the principle of clearing heart fire as the main strategy， supplemented by nourishing yin， activating collaterals， and calming the spirit. The self-formulated Qingxin Yuchuang Formulation （清心愈疮方） serves as the base prescription， with flexible modifications incorporating the Yuyin Formulation （育阴方）， Huoxue Formulation （活血方）， and Yu'an Formulation （郁安方） to address specific syndromes involving heart yin deficiency， collateral blockage， and emotional disturbance.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics and distribution of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in the patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC）. MethodsAn electronic questionnaire was developed to collect the general data and four examination information of ESCC patients treated in 10 areas with high incidence of esophageal cancer in China from June 2020 to March 2021. Multiple analyses including frequency analysis， factor analysis， and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed to analyze the potential syndrome elements， disease location， and common syndromes of ESCC. ResultsA total of 2 027 patients with ESCC were included. Statistical analysis was performed on 113 symptoms， physical signs， 33 tongue manifestation variables， and 23 pulse manifestation variables of the patients’ four examination information. Factor analysis was performed on 55 variables with frequency>10%， extracting 19 common factors. According to clinical experience and expert opinions， the main lesions of patients with ESCC were in the spleen and stomach， and the main syndrome elements were Qi stagnation， blood stasis， phlegm， dampness， and Qi deficiency， with the syndrome element combination of phlegm obstruction + Qi stagnation + blood stasis being the most common. The syndromes can be classified into four categories of liver-stomach disharmony + combined phlegm and Qi obstruction， kidney-spleen dysfunction + combined phlegm and stasis， spleen-kidney Yang deficiency + obstinate phlegm and blood stasis， and liver-kidney Yin deficiency + obstinate phlegm and blood stasis. The main syndrome of ESCC was liver-stomach disharmony + combined phlegm and Qi obstruction in the early stage， liver-spleen dysfunction + combined phlegm and stasis in the middle stage， and spleen-kidney Yang deficiency + obstinate phlegm and blood stasis in the late stage. ConclusionESCC mainly has main pathological features of internal deficiency and external excess and combined deficiency and excess， with the key syndrome elements being phlegm obstruction， Qi stagnation， and blood stasis. The main disease locations are in the spleen and stomach， involving the liver， kidney， chest and diaphragm， heart， and lung. The main syndrome is liver-stomach disharmony + combined phlegm and Qi obstruction. In clinical practice， it is necessary to grasp the pathogenesis dynamics of the disease and use prescriptions according to patients’ syndromes.

Objective: To explore the independent and interactive effects of school green space exposure and outdoor activity duration on screening myopia among primary and secondary school students, so as to provide theoretical support for the prevention and control of screening myopia in children and adolescents. Methods: From September to November 2023, 117 487 primary and secondary school students from 497 schools were selected using a cluster random sampling method, covering 98 counties (cities, districts) in Jiangsu Province. Data on the students screening myopia status and associated health influencing factors were collected and analyzed. School green space exposure was quantified using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which was extracted with ArcGIS Pro software; meanwhile, information on students outdoor activity duration was gathered through self reported questionnaires. Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to assess the independent and interactive effects of green space exposure and outdoor activity duration on screening myopia among primary and secondary school students. Results: Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in screening myopia detection rates among primary and secondary school students of different genders, NDVI groups, every outdoor activity duration, monitoring points, school stages, parents educational level, and whether they lived on campus or had parents with screening myopia ( χ 2=88.91-1 950.08, all P <0.05); as the school age and sedentary time increased, the detection rate of screening myopia in primary and secondary school students also increased ( χ 2 trend =8 410.15, 2 028.91, both P <0.05). Independent effects showed that compared to the low NDVI group, the medium and high NDVI groups had lower risks of screening myopia ( OR =0.93, 0.95, both P <0.05). Compared to those with outdoor activity duration<2 h/d, students with outdoor activity duration≥2 h/d had a lower risk of screening myopia ( OR =0.96, P <0.05). When stratified by school level, compared to the low NDVI group, the medium NDVI group had lower risks of screening myopia in primary and junior high schools (primary school: OR =0.91; junior high school: OR =0.88, both P <0.05). Compared to those with outdoor activity duration<2 h/d, junior high school students with outdoor activity duration≥2 h/d had a lower risk of screening myopia ( OR = 0.90, P <0.05). When stratified by monitoring site, urban primary and secondary school students in the medium and high NDVI groups and those with outdoor activity duration≥2 h/d had lower risks of screening myopia ( OR =0.92, 0.92, 0.93, all P <0.05). Interactive effects showed that when medium or high NDVI was combined with outdoor activity duration≥2 h/d, the risks of screening myopia among primary and secondary school students were lower (medium NDVI×≥2 h/d: OR =0.89; high NDVI×≥ 2 h/d : OR =0.89, both P <0.05), and the combined effect was superior to that of a single factor. Conclusion Green space exposure and outdoor activity duration have negative correlations with screening myopia among primary and secondary students, and the combined effect is better than that of a single factor.

Objectives:To explore the impact of inositol-requiring enzyme 1(IRE1)signaling pathway on autophagy flux and cardiac function in mice with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)injury. Methods:H9c2 cells were divided into control group,IRE1 group,oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R)group,OGD/R+IRE1 group,chloroquine group,IRE1+chloroquine group,OGD/R+IRE1+chloroquine group,OGD/R+chloroquine group,OGD group,OGD+chloroquine group,OGD+IRE1+RNAi X-box binding protein 1(si-XBP1)group and OGD+IRE1+XBP1 overexpression(XBP1-OE)group.Autophagy flux of cells in each group was evaluated by autophagy double-labeled adenovirus(Adv-RFP-GFP-LC3).The nuclear translocation of X-box binding protein 1(XBP1)was analyzed by immunofluorescence and western blot.Adult male C57BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into sham operation group,I/R group,IRE1 group and I/R+IRE1 group(n=8 each).Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography.Quantitative western blot analysis was used to detect protein expression of autophagy-related molecules. Results:(1)Compared with OGD/R group,the expression level of IRE1 protein was significantly upregulated(P<0.001),and the expressions of microtubule-associated proteins light chain 3B(LC3Ⅱ)and sequestosome 1(p62)proteins were significantly decreased in IRE1+OGD/R group(all P<0.05).Compared with OGD/R+chloroquine group,the expression of LC3Ⅱ and p62 protein was significantly increased in OGD/R+IRE1+chloroquine group(all P<0.05).Compared with control group,the fluorescence intensity ratio of IRE1 nucleus/cytoplasm was significantly increased in OGD/R group(P<0.001),and further increased in IRE1+OGD/R group(P<0.001).The level of XBP1 in the nuclear protein was significantly higher in IRE1+OGD/R group than in OGD/R group(P<0.01).Compared with OGD/R+IRE1 group,the yellow punctures was significantly decreased in OGD/R+IRE1+si-XBP1 group(P<0.01),and significantly increased in OGD/R+IRE1+XBP1-OE group(P<0.05).(2)Compared with Sham group,the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and fractional shortening(FS)were significantly decreased in I/R group(both P<0.05),LVEF and FS reduction could be partly reversed in I/R+IRE1 group.Compared with Sham group,the number of autophagic vacuoles and the expressions of IRE1,LC3Ⅱ and p62 were significantly increased in I/R group(P<0.05).The number of autophagic vacuoles and the expression of p62 were significantly downregulated(both P<0.05),and the expressions of IRE1 and LC3Ⅱ in myocardial tissue were further increased in I/R+IRE1 group as compared to the I/R group(all P<0.05). Conclusions:IRE1 restores the blocked autophagy flux induced by OGD/R and I/R by promoting the nuclear translocation of XBP1,and the recovery of autophagy flux is associated with cardiac function improvement post I/R injury in mice.

The insula is a complex brain region central to the orchestration of taste perception, interoception, emotion, and decision-making. Recent research has shed light on the intricate connections between the insula and other brain regions, revealing the crucial role of this area in integrating sensory, emotional, and cognitive information. The unique anatomical position and extensive connectivity allow the insula to serve as a critical hub in the functional network of the brain. We summarize its role in interoceptive and exteroceptive sensory processing, illustrating insular function as a bridge connecting internal and external experiences. Drawing on recent research, we delineate the insular involvement in emotional processes, highlighting its implications in psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and addiction. We further discuss the insular contributions to cognition, focusing on its significant roles in time perception and decision-making. Collectively, the evidence underscores the insular function as a dynamic interface that synthesizes diverse inputs into coherent subjective experiences and decision-making processes. Through this review, we hope to highlight the importance of the insula as an interface between sensation, emotion, and cognition, and to inspire further research into this fascinating brain region.
Humans ; Emotions/physiology* ; Cognition/physiology* ; Insular Cortex/physiology* ; Sensation/physiology* ; Animals ; Interoception/physiology* ; Cerebral Cortex/physiology* ; Decision Making/physiology*

Objective To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of Emodin on Doxorubicin(DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity.Methods H9C2 cells were preincubated with low,medium and high doses(5,15 and 25 μmol·L-1)of Emodin for 8 h,and then cardiomyocytes were treated with 2.5 μmol·L-1 DOX for 16 h to establish a cardiotoxic injury model.MTT assay was used to detect the cell survival rate.The levels of cardiac troponin(cTnT),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),creatine kinase(CK),superoxide dismutase(SOD),reactive oxygen species(ROS),malondialdehyde(MDA),reduced glutathione(GSH),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)and the activities of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in H9C2 cells were detected by kit;RT-qPCR was used to detect miR-29a-5p and vascular endothelial growth factor-B(VEGFB)expression levels.The expression levels of VEGFB protein and other apoptosis-related factors were detected by Western blot.After transfection of miR-29a-5p mimics and inhibitors,the targeting of VEGFB to miR-29a-5p was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot.H9C2 cells were transfected with miR-29a-5p mimics,Under the dose of Emodin 15 μmol·L-1,the activity of H9C2 cells was detected by MTT method,and the expression levels of miR-29a-5p and VEGFB were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot.Results Compared with the DOX group,Emodin low,medium and high dose groups significantly increased the activity of H9C2 cells(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased the levels of cTnT,LDH and CK(P<0.05,P<0.01);RT-qPCR indicated that the expression level of miR-29a-5p decreased significantly and the expression level of VEGFB increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01);The levels of ROS and MDA decreased significantly,and the levels of GSH and GSH-Px increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01);TUNEL positive cells decreased significantly,and the activities of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 decreased significantly.Western blot showed that the expression level of VEGFB increased significantly,the expression level of apoptosis-related factor Bax decreased significantly,and the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01).After transfection with miR-29a-5p mimics and inhibitors,the expression of VEGFB decreased and increased respectively(P<0.05,P<0.01).After transfection of miR-29a-5p mimics and treatment with Emodin 15 μmol·L-1 of H9C2 cells,the significant decrease in the activity of H9C2 cells induced by DOX was reversed,and the significant decrease in the expression level of VEGFB was also reversed(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Emodin significantly reduces DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by regulating miR-29a-5p/VEGFB-mediated cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Humans ; Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy ; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial ; Heart Ventricles ; Heart Failure/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Electrocardiography ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective:To identify the risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in the patients undergoing thoracic surgery.Methods:The medical records of patients of either sex, aged 18-80 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ-Ⅲ, underwent elective thoracic surgery from January 2018 to January 2020, were collected retrospectively.The age, gender, educational background, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, motion sickness, history of smoking, history of drinking, history of heart disease, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, preoperative blood routine, liver function, parameters of electrolytes; operation method, type of operation, operation time, intraoperative nerve block, consumption of dexamethasone before anesthesia induction and intraoperative sufentanil and dexmedetomidine, use of postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), and postoperative rescue opioid analgesics and antiemetics were recorded.The patients were divided into PONV group and non-PONV group depending on the occurrence of nausea and vomiting within 24 h after operation.PONV group was further divided into nausea group (PON group) and vomiting group (POV group) according to whether vomiting occurred.Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for PONV.Results:A total of 3 791 patients were enrolled in this study, with 144 cases in PONV group and 3 647 cases in non-PONV group.The incidence of PONV was 3.80%.There were 38 patients in POV group, and the incidence was 26.4%.The results of logistic regression analysis showed that motion sickness, female, pulmonary wedge resection, postoperative PCIA and increased use of postoperative rescue opioid analgesics were risk factors for PONV in the patients undergoing thoracic surgery, intraoperative use of dexmedetomidine was a protective factor for PONV; motion sickness, female and history of hypertension were risk factors for postoperative vomiting in the patients at risk for PONV ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Motion sickness, female, pulmonary wedge resection, postoperative PCIA, and increased use of postoperative rescue opioid analgesics are risk factors and intraoperative use of dexmedetomidine is a protective factor for PONV in the patients undergoing thoracic surgery; motion sickness, female and history of hypertension are risk factors for postoperative vomiting in the patients at risk for PONV.

【Objective】 To investigate the relationship between the level of thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT)/α2-plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex (PIC) and the utilization rate of mechanical ventilation (MV) in critically ill patients. 【Methods】 For the cross-sectional study, adult patients who had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for one day or longer and had a record of the first four tests for thrombosis were enrolled. Age, gender, the results of TAT and PIC, disseminated intravascular coagulation score, treatment, and diagnostic information were retrospectively collected from the hospital information system and laboratory information system. Logistic regression model was used to explore the relationship between TAT/PIC and the MV utilization rate. Interaction analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted to explore whether there was any difference between patients with different age and gender, patients with/without DIC, and with/without infection. 【Results】 A total of 1 176 patients were enrolled in this study. The median of the first TAT/PIC was 15.84 (8.13-33.11) in all the patients. The multivariable Logistic regression model results showed that for every 5 increase in TAT/PIC, the possibility of using MV increased by 2.9% (OR=1.029, 95% CI: 1.008-1.050), and the possibility of using MV in Q3 patients was 1.566 times than that in Q1 patients (OR=1.566, 95% CI: 1.095-2.239); the possibility of using MV in Q4 patients was 2.457 times than that in Q1 patients (OR=2.457, 95% CI: 1.694-3.563). Interaction results showed that the relationship between the level of TAT/PIC and MV usage was different in patients with and without infection (Pinteraction=0.02). Further subgroup analysis showed that in the infected patients (674 cases), the possibility of using MV increased by 5.9% for every 5 increase in TAT/PIC (OR=1.059, 95% CI: 1.022-1.097, P=0.001), while there was no significant difference between different TAT/PIC and MV usage in non-infected patients (502 cases) (OR=1.012, 95% CI: 0.984-1.040, P=0.405). 【Conclusion】 There is a correlation between the level of TAT/PIC and mechanical ventilation in patients with infection in the ICU.