Objective To measure radiation filed distribution in the treatment room of the Varian Halcyon medical linear accelerator, and to provide a basis for shielding design and potential exposure analysis of treatment rooms for this type of accelerator. Methods Under the 6 MV X-ray (FFF) mode at a maximum dose rate of 800 MU/min and a maximum irradiation field of 28.00 cm × 28.00 cm, a total of 540 MU was delivered during gantry rotation. Radiation field distribution was measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters located at multiple points in the room. The measured data were then applied to shielding calculations, and the results were compared with those obtained using empirical formulas. Results The overall radiation levels in the treatment room were in the range of 12.2 µGy/540 MU to 5.520 Gy/540 MU, with the highest dose (5.520 Gy/540 MU) observed at the isocenter, and the lowest dose (12.2 µGy/540 MU) recorded at approximately 6.5 m from the gantry head. The radiation levels at most points were within the range of 100-1000 µGy/540 MU. At heights of 0.5, 1.1, and 1.7 m, the radiation field exhibited a rapid attenuation from the beam center outward, with a faster decay along the treatment couch direction (Y-axis) than along the perpendicular direction (X-axis). Shielding calculations based on the measured radiation field yielded required wall thicknesses of 1219 mm (east wall), 949 mm (south wall), 1235 mm (west wall), and 1252 mm (north wall), all of which were smaller than those calculated using empirical formulas. Conclusion Thermoluminescence dosimeter is suitable for multi-point in situ measurement of radiation field distribution in Halcyon accelerator treatment rooms. The measurement results can be used to optimize the shielding design of Halcyon accelerator treatment rooms.

The paper reviews the evolution of the theory related to meridians and zangfu organs during the Warring States, Qin and Han dynasties, so as to reveal the rules and value of its development. By analyzing historical documents, especially Zubi Shiyimai Jiujing (Moxibustion Classics of Eleven Meridians of Legs and Arms), Yinyang Shiyimai Jiujing (Moxibustion Classic on Eleven Yin and Yang Meridians), Laoguanshan bamboo medical slips of Han Dynasty and lacquer figure of meridian points, the evolutionary stages, i.e. the germination, development, and maturity of meridian-zangfu theory, are explored. In the time of the Warring States, Qin and Han dynasties, the meridian-zangfu related theory was developed from the germination to the maturity. In the classics of the early time, Zubi Shiyimai Jiujing and Yinyang Shiyimai Jiujing demonstrated the preliminary relationship between meridians and zangfu organs, focusing on the physiological connection and pathogenesis of three yin meridians of foot and zangfu organs. In the literature of Laoguanshan bamboo medical slips of Han Dynasty and lacquer figure of meridian points, the physiological connection between the yin meridians of hand and foot, and five zang organs, as well as the related diseases were further clarified; additionally, the meridian-zangfu theory had been developed in the field of diagnosis and treatment. In the era of Chapter of Meridians in Lingshu (Miraculous Pivot), there were up to 31 descriptions relevant with the connection of meridian distribution and zangfu physiological functions. It marks the construction of the "circular" flow of meridians and the interior-exterior communication of zang and fu organs; and enriches the knowledge in diseases, diagnosis and treatment with meridians and zangfu organs involved. The review on the evolution of the meridian-zangfu theory is conductive to supplementing and improving the development history of this theory of early time, and further recognizing its development rules and value. The maturity of this theoretical system not only links the meridians with the five zang and six fu organs, but also provides an important theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine.
Meridians ; Humans ; History, Ancient ; China ; History, Medieval ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 16th Century ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the intestinal flora in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and explore its possible mechanism based on the gut-lung axis theory. METHODS: A total of 30 male SD rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each one. In the model group and the EA group, COPD model was established by intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide combined with cigarette fumigation. In the EA group, EA was applied at bilateral "Feishu" (BL13) and "Zusanli" (ST36), with disperse-dense waves, in frequency of 4 Hz/20 Hz, current of 1-3 mA, 20 min a time, once a day for 14 days continuously. Before and after modeling, as well as after intervention, body weight was observed; after intervention, the lung function indexes (forced expiratory volume in 0.1 second [FEV_0.1], FEV_0.1/forced vital capacity [FVC]%, forced expiratory volume in 0.3 second [FEV_0.3] and FEV_0.3/FVC%) were measured, serum levels of inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α[TNF-α], interleukin-6[IL-6], interleukin-1β[IL-1β] and interleukin-10[IL-10]) were detected by ELISA, histopathology of lung and colon tissues was observed by HE staining, the intestinal flora were analyzed by 16S rRNA, and the correlations between lung function and intestinal flora were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the NC group, in the COPD group, the body weight and lung function indexes were reduced (P<0.01); the lung and colon tissues were damaged, the mean linear intercept (MLI) of alveolus and inflammatory cell numbers of 100 μm² in lung tissue were increased (P<0.01); the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the serum level of IL-10 was decreased (P<0.01); α-diversity indexes of intestinal flora were increased (P<0.01); the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Coprococcus was increased (P<0.01), the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, TM7 and Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, YRC22 was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05); 31 different expressed metabolic pathways were identified between the two groups. Compared with the COPD group, in the EA group, the body weight and lung function indexes were increased (P<0.01); the damage of lung and colon tissues was improved, the MLI of alveolus was decreased (P<0.05); the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased (P<0.05), and the serum level of IL-10 was increased (P<0.05); α-diversity indexes of intestinal flora were decreased (P<0.01); the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Coprococcus was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, TM7 and Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, YRC22 was increased (P<0.01); 35 different expressed metabolic pathways were identified between the two groups. The lung function was positive related with Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, TM7 and YRC22, and was negative related with Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Coprococcus. CONCLUSION EA may ameliorate lung function and tissue injury of COPD by regulating intestinal flora dysbiosis and inflammatory response, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect mediated via "gut-lung" axis.
Animals ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/genetics* ; Male ; Electroacupuncture ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Lung/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Interleukin-6/immunology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Intestines/microbiology* ; Interleukin-10/immunology*

Allergen-specific immunotherapy（AIT） remains the only therapeutic approach with the potential to modify the natural course of allergic rhinitis（AR）. Nevertheless, considerable inter-individual variability exists in patients'responses to AIT. To facilitate more reliable assessment of treatment efficacy, the China Rhinopathy Research Cooperation Group（CRRCG） convened young and middle-aged nasal experts in China to formulate the present consensus. The recommended subjective outcome measures for AIT comprise symptom scores, medication scores, combined symptom and medication scores, quality-of-life assessments, evaluation of disease control, and assessment of comorbidities. Objective indicators may supplement these measures. Currently available objective approaches include skin prick testing, nasal provocation testing, and allergen exposure chambers. However, these methods remain constrained by practical limitations and are not yet appropriate for routine implementation in clinical efficacy evaluation. In addition, several biomarkers, including sIgE and the sIgE/tIgE ratio, sIgG4, serum IgE-blocking activity, IgA, cytokines and chemokines, as well as immune cell surface molecules and their functional activity, have been shown to have associations with AIT outcomes. While these biomarkers may complement subjective assessments, they are subject to significant limitations. Consequently, large-scale multicenter trials and real-world evidence are required to strengthen the evidence base. The present consensus underscores the necessity of integrating patients'subjective experiences with objective testing throughout the treatment process, thereby providing a more comprehensive and accurate framework for efficacy evaluation. Looking forward, future investigations should prioritize the incorporation of multi-omics data and artificial intelligence methodologies, which hold promise for overcoming current limitations in assessment strategies and for advancing both the standardization and personalization of AIT.
Humans ; Allergens/immunology* ; China ; Consensus ; Desensitization, Immunologic ; Immunoglobulin E ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis, Allergic/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; East Asian People

Notum, a negative feedback regulator of the Wnt signaling, has emerged as a promising target for treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). This study showcases an efficient strategy for discovering the anti-Notum constituents from herbal medicines (HMs) as novel anti-GIOP agents. Firstly, a rapid-responding near-infrared fluorogenic substrate for Notum was rationally engineered for high-throughput identifying the anti-Notum HMs. The results showed that Bu-Gu-Zhi (BGZ), a known anti-osteoporosis herb, potently inhibited Notum in a competitive-inhibition manner. To uncover the key anti-Notum constituents in BGZ, an efficient strategy was adapted via integrating biochemical, phytochemical, computational, and pharmacological assays. Among all identified BGZ constituents, three furanocoumarins were validated as strong Notum inhibitors, while 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MP) showed the most potent anti-Notum activity and favorable safety profiles. Mechanistically, 5-MP acted as a competitive inhibitor of Notum via creating strong hydrophobic interactions with Trp128 and Phe268 in the catalytic cavity of Notum. Cellular assays showed that 5-MP remarkably promoted osteoblast differentiation and activated Wnt signaling in dexamethasone (DXMS)-challenged MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. In dexamethasone-induced osteoporotic mice, 5-MP strongly elevated bone mineral density (BMD) and improved cancellous and cortical bone thickness. Collectively, this study constructs a high-efficient platform for discovering key anti-Notum constituents from HMs, while 5-MP emerges as a promising anti-GIOP agent.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the current research status and hotspots of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of ulcerative colitis （UC） via bibliometrics method. METHODS The clinical， basic， and pharmacological research of TCM in the treatment of UC in the CNKI core journals database and Web of Science core collection database were searched from January 2013 to April 2023. The CiteSpace 6.1. R6 software was adopted to analyze the number of authors， institutions and keywords. What’s more， a visual map was plotted. RESULTS Overall， 1 060 Chinese articles and 555 English articles were included. In 2013-2023， the number of relevant research documents issued by TCM in the treatment of UC has shown a significant upward trend. Among the included literature， there are 59 core authors in Chinese and 33 core authors in English. A stable group centered on multiple key scholars has been formed. Chinese research hotspots focus on the experience of famous doctors， classical famous prescriptions， etc.； English research hotspots center on cells， expression， activation，signaling pathway， etc. The study of intestinal flora， inflammatory factors， and other mechanisms has attracted much attention in both Chinese and English literature. CONCLUSIONS In recent years， some progress has been made in the study of treating UC with TCM. In the future， the top-level design of clinical research protocols based on maintaining the characteristics of TCM should be strengthened. Moreover， the long- term efficacy evaluation of TCM in the treatment of UC should be emphasized， and new technologies such as metabolomics and protein sequencing should be actively adopted to explore the scientific connotation of TCM compatibility in treating diseases.

Objective:To investigate the spectrum and antimicrobial resistance of major pathogens causing nosocomial infections in China during 2020-2021.Methods:A total of 1 311 non-duplicated nosocomial pathogens causing bloodstream infections (BSI, n=670), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP, n=394) and intra-abdominal infections (IAI, n=297) were collected from 10 teaching hospitals across China. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of clinical common strains were determined using agar dilution or broth microdilution method. Interpretation of reults followed the CLSI M100-Ed33 criteria, with data analysis conducted using WHONET-5.6 software. The Chi-square test was used to compare rates. Results:The most prevalent pathogens causing BSI were Escherichia coli (21.2%, 142/670), Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.9%, 100/670) and Staphylococcus aureus (11.5%, 77/670); the most prevalent pathogens causing HAP were K. pneumoniae (27.7%, 109/394), Acinetobacter baumanii (22.1%, 87/394) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.3%, 72/394). IN IAI, E. coli (24.3%, 60/247), Enterococcus faecium and K. pneumoniae (both 14.6%, 36/247) were dominated. All S. aureus strains were susceptible to tigecycline, linezolid, daptomycin and glycopeptides. Rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MRCNS) were 36.5% (42/115) and 74.5% (38/51), respectively. The rate of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium and E. faecalis was 3.3% (3/90) and 1.9% (1/53), respectively. The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) was 23.7% (58/245) in K. pneumonia and 60.5% (130/215) in E. coli.The rate of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumonia and E. coli was 29.8% (73/245) and 4.2% (9/215), respectively; the percentage of tigecycline-resistant K. pneumonia and E. coli was 1.6% (4/245) and 0, respectively; the rate of colistin-resistant K. pneumonia and E. coli was 1.6% (4/245) and 2.8% (6/215), respectively; the percentage of ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant K. pneumonia and E. coli was 2.0% (5/245) and 2.3% (5/215), respectively. The rate of carbapenem-resistant A. baumanii and P. aeruginosa was 76.7% (125/163) and 28.4% (33/116), respectively. A. baumanii showed low susceptibility to most antimicrobial agents except colistin (98.8%, 161/163) and tigecycline (89.6%, 146/163). Colistin, amikacin and ceftazidime/avibactam demonstrated high antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa with susceptility rates of 99.1% (115/116), 94.0% (109/116) and 83.6% (97/116), respectively. Conclusions:The major pathogens of nosocomial infections were K. pneumonia, E. coli, A. baumanii, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Nosocomial Gram-negative pathogens exhibited high susceptibilities to tigecycline, colistin and ceftazidime/avibactam. Antimicrobial resistance in A. baumannii remains a significant challenge. The increasing prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales underscores the urgency of antibiotics rational applications and hospital infection controls.

Bisphenol A is a common environmental factor and endocrine disruptor that exerts a negative impact on male reproductive ability. By exploring bisphenol A-induced testicular cell death using the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mouse model, we found that a ferroptosis phenomenon may exist. Mice were divided into six groups and administered different doses of bisphenol A via intragastric gavage once daily for 45 consecutive days. Serum was then collected to determine the levels of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde. Epididymal sperm was also collected for semen analysis, and testicular tissue was collected for ferritin content determination, electron microscope observation of mitochondrial morphology, immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis. Exposure to bisphenol A was found to decrease sperm quality and cause oxidative damage, iron accumulation, and mitochondrial damage in the testes of mice. In addition, bisphenol A was confirmed to affect the expression of the ferroptosis-related genes, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), and acyl-CoA synthetase 4 (ACSL4) in mouse testicular tissues. Accordingly, we speculate that bisphenol A induces oxidative stress, which leads to the ferroptosis of testicular cells. Overall, the inhibition of ferroptosis may be a potential strategy to reduce male reproductive toxicity caused by bisphenol A.
Male ; Mice ; Animals ; Testis/metabolism* ; Ferroptosis ; Semen ; Oxidative Stress

Objective: To explore the role of apoliprotein D (APOD) in the proliferation and migration of human dental pulp cells (DPCs) and to provide a basis for the use of APOD to promote pulp regeneration. Methods: APOD expression in human dental pulp cells was inhibited by siRNA. The inhibition effect of APOD was confirmed by qPCR and Western blot. After APOD inhibition, colony formation experiments and CCK8 assays were employed to confirm the proliferation ability of dental pulp cells. Transwell assays were used to verify the cell migration ability after the inhibition of APOD expression. Results : After inhibiting APOD expression, the colony formation rate in the si-apod group was reduced compared with the NC group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=7.624, P=0.002). The CCK8 experiment showed that the OD value in the si-apod group decreased at 3, 5 and 7 d compared with that in the NC group (P < 0.05). Transwell results showed that the number of cell divisions was 57.25 ± 4.03 in the si-apod group and 154.50 ± 8.39 in the NC group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=10.45, P < 0.001). Conclusion Inhibition of APOD expression in dental pulp cells inhibits their proliferation and migration ability.

Objective: To investigate the levels of the Twist and Vimentin proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and analyze the clinical significance of Twist and Vimentin. Methods: Eighty-five samples of OSCC and fifteen samples of normal oral mucosa were collected. Immunohistochemistry (SP method) was used to detect the expression of proteins, including Twist and vimentin. The relationship among these proteins and clinical pathological parameters was analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Results : In the normal group, 13.3% (2/15) of samples were positive for the Twist protein; this value was significantly lower than that in OSCC group (80.0%, 66/85) (χ2=26.98, P < 0.001). The expression of Twist was associated with clinical stage (χ2=5.40, P=0.02) and lymph node metastasis (χ2=8.35, P=0.006), while no correlations were found between the expression of Twist and sex (χ2=0.23, P=0.63), age (χ2= 0.31, P=0.58), location (χ2=1.46, P=0.235) or degree of differentiation (χ2=1.52, P=0.47). Additionally, 6.7% of samples (1/15) were positive for vimentin; this value was significantly lower than that in OSCC group (74.1%, 63/85) (χ2=20.71, P < 0.001). The expression of vimentin was associated with clinical stage (χ2=4.51, P=0.034) and lymph node metastasis (χ2=6.75, P=0.009), while no correlations were found between the expression of vimentin and sex (χ2=0.40, P=0.53), age (χ2=0.17, P=0.68), location (χ2=0.74,P=0.39) or degree of differentiation (χ2=4.58, P=0.10). Spearman correlation analyses showed that Twist protein expression was positively correlated with vimentin (r=0.578, P＜0.05). Conclusion Our data demonstrate that in OSCC, Twist and vimentin levels were upregulated, and Twist protein expression was positively correlated with vimentin, which indicates that both Twist and vimentin may be involved in the occurrence of OSCC.