This study applied the grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation(GRADE) system and the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine(Eff-iEC) to evaluate the evidence for 12 commonly used Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis, which are frequently recommended in guidelines or expert consensuses. The results showed that Xianling Gubao Capsules/Tablets were rated as C(low-level evidence) according to the GRADE system, and as BA~+B~+(intermediate evidence) according to the Eff-iEC system. Jintiange Capsules were rated as C(low-level evidence) by the GRADE system, and as AA~+B(high-level evidence) by the Eff-iEC system. Gushukang Granules/Capsules were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BA~+B~+(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Zuogui Pills were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Qianggu Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~+B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Zhuanggu Zhitong Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BA~+B(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Jingui Shenqi Pills were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~+B(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Quanduzhong Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AD~+B~+(low-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Epimedium Total Flavones Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AAB~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Yougui Pills were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~(+ )(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Qigu Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BB~+B(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Liuwei Dihuang Pills were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Overall, the Eff-iEC system provides a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness evidence for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) than the GRADE system. However, it still has certain limitations that hinder its wider promotion and application. In terms of clinical evidence evaluation, both the Eff-iEC and GRADE systems reflect that the current clinical research quality on Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis is generally low. High-quality clinical trials are still needed in the future to further validate clinical efficacy.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Nonprescription Drugs/therapeutic use* ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of different concentrations of ropivacaine femoral nerve block on postoperative pain and early exercise fllowing total knee arthroplasty(TKA). METHODS: A total of 90 patients who underwent primary TKA between September 2022 and February 2023 were consecutively enrolled in this study. The cohort consisted of 34 males and 56 females, with a mean age of (66.66±7.03) years old. According to different concentrations of ropivacaine, patients were divided into 0.1% group, 0.2% group and 0.4% group, with 30 patients in each group. The age, gender, body mass index(BMI), American Society of Aneshesiologists(ASA) grade, operation time, anesthesia time, tourniquet using time, Post Anesthesia care unit(PACU) stay duration, ambulation time, first reaching to Bromage 0 grade time, visual analogue scale(VAS), hospitalization period and postoperative adverse reactions were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: All 90 patients were followed up for an average of (31.56±5.62) days, and no postoperative adverse reactions occurred. There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of age, gender, BMI, ASA classification, operation time, anesthesia time, tourniquet application time, PACU stay duration, and hospitalization period (P>0.05). Significant differences were observed in VAS scores at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 12 hours post-operation among the three groups (P<0.05). Additionally, significant variations were noted in ambulation time and the first reaching to Bromage level 0 time among the three groups (P<0.05). In terms of postoperative pain, the VAS of the 0.1% group at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 12 hours after surgery(1.93±0.52), (2.57±0.77), (3.10±0.71), (3.10±0.71), (3.07±0.45) points were higher than those of the 0.4% group (1.57±0.50), (2.10±0.55), (2.23±0.57), (2.47±0.73), (2.50±0.57) points, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05);the VAS of the 0.1% group at 4, 6, and 12 hours after surgery were higher than those of the 0.2% group (2.43±0.57), (2.53±0.57), (2.63±0.56) points, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in VAS between the 0.2% group and the 0.4% group (P>0.05). In terms of early postoperative mobility, the time to ambulation time (8.30±2.76) h and the time to achieve the first Bromage grade 0 (6.13±2.18) h were significantly prolonged in the 0.4% group compared to both the 0.1% group (6.93±1.76) h, (4.17±1.18) h and the 0.2% group (6.53±1.59) h, (4.87±1.53) h. No statistically significant differences were observed between the 0.1% and 0.2% groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION 0.2% ropivacaine femoral nerve block can effectively reduce postoperative pain after TKA and can perform early exercise earlier.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Ropivacaine/administration & dosage* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Nerve Block/methods* ; Femoral Nerve/drug effects* ; Middle Aged ; Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy* ; Anesthetics, Local/administration & dosage* ; Amides

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex disease that is often accompanied by mental health disorders. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous clinical presentation of CP/CPPS remain uncertain. This study analyzed widely targeted metabolomic data of expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) and plasma to reveal the underlying pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS. A total of 24 CP/CPPS patients from The Second Nanning People's Hospital (Nanning, China), and 35 asymptomatic control individuals from First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Nanning, China) were enrolled. The indicators related to CP/CPPS and psychiatric symptoms were recorded. Differential analysis, coexpression network analysis, and correlation analysis were performed to identify metabolites that were specifically altered in patients and associated with various phenotypes of CP/CPPS. The crucial links between EPS and plasma were further investigated. The metabolomic data of EPS from CP/CPPS patients were significantly different from those from control individuals. Pathway analysis revealed dysregulation of amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the citrate cycle in EPS. The tryptophan metabolic pathway was found to be the most significantly altered pathway associated with distinct CP/CPPS phenotypes. Moreover, the dysregulation of tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism and elevation of oxidative stress-related metabolites in plasma were found to effectively elucidate the development of depression in CP/CPPS. Overall, metabolomic alterations in the EPS and plasma of patients were primarily associated with oxidative damage, energy metabolism abnormalities, neurological impairment, and immune dysregulation. These alterations may be associated with chronic pain, voiding symptoms, reduced fertility, and depression in CP/CPPS. This study provides a local-global perspective for understanding the pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS and offers potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis/blood* ; Adult ; Pelvic Pain/blood* ; Metabolomics ; Prostate/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Chronic Pain/blood* ; Metabolome ; Case-Control Studies ; Tryptophan/blood* ; Depression/blood* ; Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology*

HDAC7, a member of class IIa HDACs, plays a pivotal regulatory role in tumor, immune, fibrosis, and angiogenesis, rendering it a potential therapeutic target. Nevertheless, due to the high similarity in the enzyme active sites of class IIa HDACs, inhibitors encounter challenges in discerning differences among them. Furthermore, the substitution of key residue in the active pocket of class IIa HDACs renders them pseudo-enzymes, leading to a limited impact of enzymatic inhibitors on their function. In this study, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology was employed to develop HDAC7 drugs. We developed an exceedingly selective HDAC7 PROTAC degrader B14 which showcased superior inhibitory effects on cell proliferation compared to TMP269 in various diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Subsequent investigations unveiled that B14 disrupts BCL6 forming a transcriptional inhibition complex by degrading HDAC7, thereby exerting proliferative inhibition in DLBCL. Our study broadened the understanding of the non-enzymatic functions of HDAC7 and underscored the importance of HDAC7 in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, particularly in DLBCL and AML.

Taxifolin (TAX) is a natural compound known for its liver protection effect, but the mechanism remains unknown. Phosphorylated proteomics analyses discovered that the phosphorylation level of NDRG1 at T328 was a key event of TAX-improved liver fibrosis. We established models with NDRG1 knockout (KO) in vivo and in vitro, demonstrating that NDRG1 KO attenuated the development of hepatocyte injury, and combining NDRG1 KO and TAX administration did not result in a reduction in protection against liver injury. Cellular thermal shift assay and surface plasma resonance analysis showed that TAX directly binds to NDRG1 rather than its upstream kinase, subsequently demonstrating that TAX regulated phosphorylation of NDRG1 at T328 through binding to its C289 site. NDRG1 T328A (phosphorylated mutation) and T328E (mimic phosphorylation) in vivo and in vitro confirmed that pNDRG1_T328 exacerbates hepatocyte injury along with DNA damage, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, thereby contributing to hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation. In contrast, TAX can inhibit the above pathological abnormalities and block hepatocyte injury-triggered HSCs activation and fibrosis. Overall, TAX is a potent liver protection drug primarily targeting NDRG1 and inhibiting pNDRG1_T328 in hepatocytes.

OBJECTIVE To establish the HPLC fingerprint and content determination of five components in Ranunculus sceleratus L.. METHODS The separation was developed on an Agilent ZORBAX SB C18 chromatographic (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm)column by gradient elution with methanol(A)-0.1 % phosphoric acid aqueous solution(B) as mobile phase to establish HPLC fingerprint of Ranunculus sceleratus L.. Combined with similarity evaluation, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis, the quality of 13 batches of Ranunculus sceleratus L. was evaluated. RESULTS Thirteen batches of Ranunculus sceleratus L. samples were calibrated with 20 common peaks, of which 5 common peaks were identified, and the similarity ranged from 0.874 to 0.984. The results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis were basically the same, indicating that there might be differences in the content of chemical components of Ranunculus sceleratus L. in different regions. Protocatechuic aldehyde, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, hyperoside and isoquercitrin were determined in thirteen batches of Ranunculus sceleratus L., and their contents were 0.016−0.035, 0.010−0.070, 0.010−0.029, 0.016−0.051, 0.028−0.086 mg·g–1, respectively. CONCLUSION The established HPLC fingerprint and content determination method is simple, stable, and reliable, which can be used for qualitative analysis and provide reference to quality evaluation and resource utilization of Ranunculus sceleratus L..

Objective To explore the effects of image registration using various regions of interest(ROI)on the setup error for nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)patients who were immobilized individually.Methods Forty-three NPC patients who required radiotherapy were enrolled.The patients were immobilized with customized plastic foam and thermoplastic mask,and CBCT verification was performed once a week.In CBCT images,ROI was divided into the whole ROI(ROIPTV)and 7 local ROI containing different cervical structures(ROIsphenoid sinus,ROIatlantoaxial,ROIneck3,ROIneck4,ROIneck5,ROIneck6,and ROIneck7),which were then used for registrations with localized CT image.The setup errors in superior-inferior(SI),left-right(LR),anterior-posterior(AP),Pitch,Roll,and Yaw directions were recorded.Results In SI direction,the setup errors within 0.3 cm accounted for 89.74%for ROIneck7,and more than 90%for the other ROI.The proportion of setup errors within 0.3 cm gradually increased with the neck upward in LR direction,and they were 76.78%,81.70%,85.26%,and above 90%for ROIneck7,ROIneck6,ROIneck5,and the other ROI,respectively.In AP direction,the proportions of setup errors within 0.3 cm were less than 90%,except for ROIatlantoaxial and ROIneck3.The setup errors of ROIsphenoid sinus,ROIatlantoaxial,ROIneck3,and ROIneck4 were significantly positively correlated with ROIPTV in SI direction,and the correlation coefficients(R)were 0.94,0.95,0.90,and 0.83,respectively.In LR direction,there were positive correlations between the setup errors of ROIatlantoaxial and ROIsphenoid sinus(R=0.95),ROIneck3 and ROIsphenoid sinus(R=0.91),ROIPTV and ROIneck3(R=0.91).The setup errors of ROIPTV in AP direction were positively correlated with ROIatlantoaxial vertebrae and ROIneck3(R=0.88,0.90).The margins of all ROIs ranged from 0.38 cm to 1.01 cm.The extension of ROIneck6 and ROIneck7 in AP direction exceeded 0.9 cm,and the extension of ROIneck7 reached 0.95 cm in SI direction.Conclusion ROIPTV and ROIsphenoid sinus,ROIatlantoaxial,ROIneck3 are significantly correlated in SI,LR,and AP directions.The setup error of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients gradually increases with the neck down.The nasopharyngeal and cervical regions need to be expanded in segments when patients are immobilized individually.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index on admission and unfavorable outcomes of patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI) at 6 months postinjury.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 277 patients with msTBI admitted to Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Nantong University from January 2019 to December 2022, including 208 males and 69 females, aged 18-88 years [(57.0±15.1)years]. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores on admission were 3-8 points in 168 patients and 9-12 points in 109. According to the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) assessment at 6 months after injury, there were 121 patients with unfavorable outcomes (GOSE≤4 points) and 156 with favorable outcomes (GOSE≥5 points). The following indicators of the patients were recorded, including gender, age, history of diabetes, cause of injury, admission GCS, GCS motor score (GCSM), pupillary light reflex, worst Marshall CT classification within the first 24 hours after admission, admission TyG index, Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursions (MAGE) within 24 hours after admission, GCSM decline≥2 points within 72 hours after admission, craniotomy or not after admission, and prognosis, etc. TyG index served as the exposure variable focused in this study, which was calculated with fasting triglycerides and fasting blood glucose within 24 hours after admission. The 6-month prognosis of the patients was designated as the outcome variable of the study. After the patients were divided into different groups according to the three quantiles of the TyG index and unfavorable or favorable outcomes, the univariate analysis was conducted on watch variables, and variables with statistically significant differences were included in directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) for further identification of confounding variables. Factors which were found with no statistical significance in the univariate analysis but might affect insulin resistance after injury according to the authors′ previous researches were also included in the DAGs analysis. Three Logistic regression models were designed (Model 1 without correction, Model 2 with core variables of International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in Traumatic Brain Injury (IMPACT) corrected, and Model 3 with confounding variables screened by DAGs corrected) to analyze whether the TyG index was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of msTBI patients. The optimal Logistic regression model was selected and then restricted cubic spline (RCS) was employed to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and the unfavorable outcomes.Results:The univariate analysis suggested that there were significant differences in gender, history of diabetes, MAGE, GCSM decline, and prognosis among the three quantiles of the TyG index ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Significant differences in age, history of diabetes, GCSM, pupillary light reflex, Marshall CT classification, TyG index, MAGE and GCSM decline were observed between unfavorable and favorable outcome groups ( P<0.05 or 0.01). The results of Logistic regression analysis that identified the confounding variables that influenced the correlation between the TyG index and unfavorable prognosis with DAGs suggested that a high TyG index level was significantly correlated with unfavorable outcomes in msTBI patients. Moreover, Model 3 that was corrected with confounding variables screened by DAGs had an optimal goodness-of-fit and adaptability. Model 3-based further RCS analysis indicated that the risk of unfavorable outcomes following msTBI may increase approximately linearly with the increase in TyG index within a certain range (TyG index<9.79). Conclusions:A high TyG index level on admission is the identified as an independent risk factor for unfavorable outcomes of patients with msTBI at 6 months postinjury. As the TyG index level increases, the risk of unfavorable outcomes also rises and may show a linear increasing trend within a certain range (TyG index<9.79).

Objective:To investigate the co-infection and phylogenetic analysis of human rhinovirus (HRV) in 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) positive samples.Methods:Ten common respiratory viruses, including HRV were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 7 213 samples of 2019-nCoV positive cases and the co-infection characteristics were analyzed. The VP4/VP2 gene fragment of HRV was amplified and sequenced.Phylogenetic trees were constructed.Results:HRV accounted for 1.34% of the 2019-nCoV positive samples (97/7 213), followed by common coronavirus (0.50%, 36/7 213). The co-infection rate of HRV in 2019-nCoV positive samples was significantly different from that of other viruses ( χ2=318.09, P<0.001). There was significant difference in HRV co-infection rate among different age groups ( χ2=36.77, P<0.001), the peak was in<18 years age group. The co-infection rate of HRV had no significant difference in different seasons. The VP4/VP2 gene fragments of 39 HRV strains (40.21%, 39/97) were successfully sequenced and made phylogenetic analysis. There were 10 strains of HRV-A, 9 strains of HRV-B and 20 strains of HRV-C. Seventeen subtypes were identified, of which B6 (66.67%, 6/9) and C15 (70%, 14/20) were the most prevalent and other subtypes were scattered. Conclusions:The co-infection rate of HRV in patients with 2019-nCoV infection was the highest. The highest co-infection rate was in<18 years age group. Group A, B, and C of HRV were found in 2019-nCoV positive samples, and serotypes present diversity.

Objective:To prepare the chitin/hyaluronic acid/collagen hydrogel loaded with mouse adipose-derived stem cells and to explore its effects on wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in rats.Methods:The research was an experimental research. Chitin nanofibers were prepared by acid hydrolysis and alkaline extraction method, and then mixed with hyaluronic acid and collagen to prepare chitin/hyaluronic acid/collagen hydrogels (hereinafter referred to as hydrogels). Besides, the hydrogels loaded with mouse adipose-derived stem cells were prepared. Thirty male 12-week-old guinea pigs were divided into negative control group, positive control group, and hydrogel group according to the random number table, with 10 guinea pigs in each group. Ethanol, 4-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester, or the aforementioned prepared hydrogels without cells were topically applied on both sides of back of guinea pigs respectively for induced contact and stimulated contact, and skin edema and erythema formation were observed at 24 and 48 h after stimulated contact. Adipose-derived stem cells from mice were divided into normal control group cultured routinely and hydrogel group cultured with the aforementioned prepared hydrogels without cells. After 3 d of culture, protein expressions of platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D), insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰ (IGF-Ⅰ), and transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF-β 1) were detected by Western blotting ( n=3). Eight male 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were taken and a circular full-thickness skin defect wound was created on each side of the back. The wounds were divided into blank control group without any treatment and hydrogel group with the aforementioned prepared hydrogels loaded with adipose-derived stem cells applied. Wound healing was observed at 0 (immediately), 2, 4, 8, and 10 d after injury, and the wound healing rate was calculated at 2, 4, 8, and 10 d after injury. Wound tissue samples at 10 d after injury were collected, the new tissue formation was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining; the concentrations of interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-6, IL-4, and IL-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method; the expressions of CD16 and CD206 positive cells were observed by immunohistochemical staining and the percentages of positive cells were calculated. The sample numbers in animal experiment were all 8. Results:At 24 h after stimulated contact, no skin edema was observed in the three groups of guinea pigs, and only mild skin erythema was observed in 7 guinea pigs in positive control group. At 48 h after stimulated contact, skin erythema was observed in 8 guinea pigs and skin edema was observed in 4 guinea pigs in positive control group, while no obvious skin erythema or edema was observed in guinea pigs in the other two groups. After 3 d of culture, the protein expression levels of PDGF-D, IGF-I, and TGF-β 1 in adipose-derived stem cells in hydrogel group were significantly higher than those in normal control group (with t values of 12.91, 11.83, and 7.92, respectively, P<0.05). From 0 to 10 d after injury, the wound areas in both groups gradually decreased, and the wounds in hydrogel group were almost completely healed at 10 d after injury. At 4, 8, and 10 d after injury, the wound healing rates in hydrogel group were (38±4)%, (54±5)%, and (69±6)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than (21±6)%, (29±7)%, and (31±7)% in blank control group (with t values of 3.82, 3.97, and 4.05, respectively, Pvalues all <0.05). At 10 d after injury, compared with those in blank control group, the epidermis in wound in hydrogel group was more intact, and there were increases in hair follicles, blood vessels, and other skin appendages. At 10 d after injury, the concentrations of IL-1α and IL-6 in wound tissue in hydrogel group were significantly lower than those in blank control group (with tvalues of 8.21 and 7.99, respectively, P<0.05), while the concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher than those in blank control group (with tvalues of 6.57 and 9.03, respectively, P<0.05). The percentage of CD16 positive cells in wound tissue in hydrogel group was significantly lower than that in blank control group ( t=8.02, P<0.05), while the percentage of CD206 positive cells was significantly higher than that in blank control group ( t=7.21, P<0.05). Conclusions:The hydrogel loaded with mouse adipose-derived stem cells is non-allergenic, can promote the secretion of growth factors in adipose-derived stem cells, promote the polarization of macrophages to M2 phenotype in wound tissue in rats with full-thickness skin defects, and alleviate inflammatory reaction, thereby promoting wound healing.