To investigate the role of intestinal fungi in the progression of heart failure (HF) associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy differences among different acupuncture frequencies for pain of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: A total of 42 patients with TMD pain were randomly divided into a low-frequency group, a medium-frequency group, and a high-frequency group, with 14 patients in each group. All groups received acupuncture treatment at bilateral Hegu (LI4) and Yanglingquan (GB34), as well as ipsilateral Tinggong (SI19), Jiache (ST6), and Xiaguan (ST7), with each session lasting 30 minutes. The low-frequency group received acupuncture once per week, the medium-frequency group received acupuncture twice per week, and the high-frequency group received acupuncture three times per week, for a total duration of four weeks. The graded chronic pain scale (GCPS) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, jaw functional limitation scale-20 (JFLS-20) score, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were assessed in the three groups before and after treatment, as well as at the four-week follow-up after treatment completion. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, GCPS and JFLS-20 scores were significantly decreased in all the groups after treatment (P<0.05), and VAS scores were significantly decreased in the high-frequency and medium-frequency groups (P<0.05), PPT values at different measurement sites were increased significantly in the high-frequency group (P<0.05). After treatment, GCPS, JFLS-20, and VAS scores in the high-frequency group were lower than those in the medium-frequency and low-frequency groups (P<0.05), while some PPT values were higher than the other two groups (P<0.05). At follow-up, GCPS, JFLS-20, and VAS scores remained significantly lower in all the groups compared to baseline (P<0.05), PPT values were increased significantly in the high-frequency and medium-frequency groups (P<0.05), with the high-frequency group showing lower GCPS, JFLS-20, and VAS scores and higher PPT values compared to the other two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture three times per week is more effective in reducing TMD pain intensity compared to once or twice per week, and can also alleviate some mandibular functional impairments. The therapeutic effects persist for at least four weeks after treatment completion.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Acupuncture Points ; Pain Management ; Adolescent ; Pain Measurement

Objectives:To investigate the effect of non-optimal temperature exposure during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth and identify the susceptible exposure window. At the same time, the interaction between non-optimal temperature and pollutants exposure during pregnancy on preterm birth was analyzed, in order to provide strong clues for the influence of non-optimal temperature exposure during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth.Methods:A total of 1 852 pregnant women were recruited from September 2021 to June 2023 in Fujian Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Center. Questionnaire survey was conducted, and their health records were analyzed. The permanent address of each pregnant woman was matched with Fifth Generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Atmospheric Reanalysis of the Global Climate and a geo-statistical combination model based on satellite remote sensing data collection, then follow-up for pregnancy outcome was conducted. Distributed lag nonlinear model was used to assess the association between exposure to non-optimal temperature during pregnancy and the risk for preterm birth and a multiplicative interaction model was used to assess the interaction between exposure to pollutants and non-optimal temperatures during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth.Results:After adjusting for potential confounders such as maternal age, occupation, Gross Domestic Product of the region, pre-pregnancy preconception BMI, newborn sex, the weekly susceptibility windows of extreme low temperature ( P1, P3, P5) were week 1-22 , and the weekly susceptibility windows of extreme high temperature ( P95, P97, P99) were week 27 and week 32-36. Extreme low temperature [ P1 ( OR=1.147, 95% CI: 1.041-1.265), P5 ( OR=1.284, 95% CI: 1.035-1.501)] and extreme high temperature [ P97 ( OR=1.146, 95% CI: 1.039-1.263), P99 ( OR=1.216, 95% CI: 1.099-1.345)] exhibited multiplicative interaction with PM 2.5. Conclusions:Exposure to non-optimal temperature during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for preterm birth. The susceptible exposure windows of extreme low temperature were mainly in early and mid-pregnancy, and the susceptible exposure windows of extreme high temperature were mainly in late-pregnancy. Exposure to non-optimal temperatures and pollutants during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for preterm birth.

Objectives:This study aims to investigate the relationship between neutrophil to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio(NHR)and incidence of cardiovascular disease(CVD)among individuals with metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).Methods:We conducted a prospective cohort study utilizing health check-up data from 2006 to 2007 at Kailuan General Hospital and its 10 affiliated hospitals.The study population consisted of employees and retirees diagnosed with MAFLD,excluding those with incomplete neutrophil and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol data or a history of heart failure,myocardial infarction,cerebral hemorrhage,or cerebral infarction.CVD was defined as the presence of heart failure,myocardial infarction,cerebral hemorrhage,or cerebral infarction.Annual follow-ups were conducted from 2006,new-onset CVD cases identified through discharge records from the 11 Kailuan Group hospitals and records from municipal social insurance agencies,the final follow up date was December 31,2022.NHR was calculated as the ratio of neutrophil to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,and the MAFLD cohort(n=28 952)was stratified into four groups by NHR quartiles:Q1 group(NHR<1.97,n=7 241),Q2 group(1.97≤NHR<2.57,n=7 235),Q3 group(2.57≤NHR<3.36,n=7 240),and Q4 group(NHR≥3.36,n=7 236).The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to plot survival curves for new-onset CVD,and the cumulative incidences of CVD across different NHR quartiles groups were determined.Intergroup comparisons were made using the log-rank test,and a multifactorial Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between NHR quartiles and the risk of new-onset CVD in the MAFLD population.Results:The average follow-up duration was(14.03±3.99)years,during which 4 666 new CVD cases were recorded among the study population.The number of CVD cases across Q1 group to Q4 group were 1 061,1 167,1 186 and 1 252,respectively,with an overall incidence density of 11.5 cases per 1 000 person-years.The incidence densities for Q1 group to Q4 group were 10.4,11.4,11.7 and 12.5 cases per 1 000 person-years,respectively.The multifactorial Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that higher NHR quartiles were associated with an increased relative risk of new-onset CVD(Q2 group:HR=1.13,95%CI:1.04-1.23;Q3 group:HR=1.15,95%CI:1.05-1.25;Q4 group:HR=1.22,95%CI:1.12-1.33).Conclusions:The risk of new-onset cardiovascular disease in individuals with MAFLD escalates with increasing NHR.

To summarise the clinical experience of treating insomnia with the method of resolving depression， regulating the middle， and tranquilising mind. It is believed that the key to the pathogenesis of insomnia lies in qi depression， disharmony of qi pivot， and disharmony of qi and blood， and the core treatment is to resolve depression， regulating the middle， and tranquilising mind. The self-prescribed Jieyu Anmian Formula （解郁安眠方） could be used as the basic treatment， then modified according to the performance of the patient and syndromes. For syndrome of liver depression restricting spleen， the treatment should soothe liver and invigorate spleen， resolve depression and regulate the middle； for syndrome of liver depression and phlegm coagulation， the treatment should resolve depression and phlegm， support the earth and free the wood； for syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire， the treatment should soothe liver and clear fire， resolve depression and dysphoria； for syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis， the treatment should activate blood and regulate the middle， resolve depression and tranquilise mind.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) is a severe dose-limiting adverse event of chemotherapy. Presently, the mechanism underlying the induction of CIPN remains unclear, and no effective treatment is available. In this study, through metabolomics analyses, we found that nab-paclitaxel therapy markedly increased serum serotonin [5-hydroxtryptamine (5-HT)] levels in both cancer patients and mice compared to the respective controls. Furthermore, nab-paclitaxel-treated enterochromaffin (EC) cells showed increased 5-HT synthesis, and serotonin-treated Schwann cells showed damage, as indicated by the activation of CREB3L3/MMP3/FAS signaling. Venlafaxine, an inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake, was found to protect against nerve injury by suppressing the activation of CREB3L3/MMP3/FAS signaling in Schwann cells. Remarkably, venlafaxine was found to significantly alleviate nab-paclitaxel-induced CIPN in patients without affecting the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy. In summary, our study reveals that EC cell-derived 5-HT plays a critical role in nab-paclitaxel-related neurotoxic lesions, and venlafaxine co-administration represents a novel approach to treating chronic cumulative neurotoxicity commonly reported in nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.
Paclitaxel/toxicity* ; Animals ; Albumins/adverse effects* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use* ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Schwann Cells/metabolism* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/drug therapy* ; Antineoplastic Agents

Objective To explore the active monitoring strategies for hypoglycemia in hospitalized dia-betic patients,as well as their clinical symptom characteristics and influencing factors.Methods A retrospec-tive search was conducted on all inpatients in a tertiary hospital in 2023.The hospital's electronic medical re-cord system was manually retrieved through the inpatient numbers of the patients.Adult inpatients with dia-betes who experienced hypoglycemia were included as the research subjects,and the general conditions and possible hypoglycemia-related risk factors were collected.Embed the hypoglycemic electronic trigger program in China Hospital Pharmacovigilance System(CHPS),reviewed the original medical records of patients with positive trigger triggering,and calculated the positive predictive value(PPV).Searched for the number of hy-poglycemic adverse reaction cases voluntarily reported by this hospital during the same period from National Adverse Reaction Monitoring System and compared with the actual number of hypoglycemic cases discovered.Patients with suspected drug-induced hypoglycemia were divided into the symptomatic group and the asymp-tomatic group based on whether they presented hypoglycemia-related symptoms.Multivariate logistic regres-sion analysis was applied to analyze the influencing factors.Results A total of 1 001 adult hospitalized diabet-ic patients with hypoglycemia were included in the study.Among them,725 cases were suspected of drug-in-duced hypoglycemia,and 495 cases were suspected of hypoglycemia caused by drug interactions.After manual review,131 cases of drug-induced hypoglycemia patients had clinical symptoms,and hypoglycemic adverse re-action events should be reported,PPV of this trigger for symptomatic hypoglycemia was 18.1%(131/725).However,the number of hypoglycemic adverse reactions spontaneously reported through National Adverse Reaction Monitoring System by this hospital during the same period was 4 cases,and the reporting rate was only 3.1%(4/131).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that aging and grade 2 hypoglycemia were risk factors for the occurrence of related symptoms in patients with suspected drug-induced hypoglycemia(P<0.05),while surgery,type 2 glucosuria,unclassified diabetes,and the use of insulin secretagogues were protective factors(P<0.05).Conclusion Drug-induced hypoglycemia dominates among hospitalized diabetic patients,and age,hypoglycemia grade,inpatient department using insulin secretagogues,diabetes diagnosis and classification are closely related to the occurrence of clinical hypoglycemia-related symptoms.Active monito-ring through CHPS can effectively increase the detection rate and reporting rate of hypoglycemic adverse e-vents in hospitalized diabetic patients.

Objectives:To investigate the effect of non-optimal temperature exposure during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth and identify the susceptible exposure window. At the same time, the interaction between non-optimal temperature and pollutants exposure during pregnancy on preterm birth was analyzed, in order to provide strong clues for the influence of non-optimal temperature exposure during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth.Methods:A total of 1 852 pregnant women were recruited from September 2021 to June 2023 in Fujian Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Center. Questionnaire survey was conducted, and their health records were analyzed. The permanent address of each pregnant woman was matched with Fifth Generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Atmospheric Reanalysis of the Global Climate and a geo-statistical combination model based on satellite remote sensing data collection, then follow-up for pregnancy outcome was conducted. Distributed lag nonlinear model was used to assess the association between exposure to non-optimal temperature during pregnancy and the risk for preterm birth and a multiplicative interaction model was used to assess the interaction between exposure to pollutants and non-optimal temperatures during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth.Results:After adjusting for potential confounders such as maternal age, occupation, Gross Domestic Product of the region, pre-pregnancy preconception BMI, newborn sex, the weekly susceptibility windows of extreme low temperature ( P1, P3, P5) were week 1-22 , and the weekly susceptibility windows of extreme high temperature ( P95, P97, P99) were week 27 and week 32-36. Extreme low temperature [ P1 ( OR=1.147, 95% CI: 1.041-1.265), P5 ( OR=1.284, 95% CI: 1.035-1.501)] and extreme high temperature [ P97 ( OR=1.146, 95% CI: 1.039-1.263), P99 ( OR=1.216, 95% CI: 1.099-1.345)] exhibited multiplicative interaction with PM 2.5. Conclusions:Exposure to non-optimal temperature during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for preterm birth. The susceptible exposure windows of extreme low temperature were mainly in early and mid-pregnancy, and the susceptible exposure windows of extreme high temperature were mainly in late-pregnancy. Exposure to non-optimal temperatures and pollutants during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for preterm birth.

Objective To explore the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on blood uric acid(UA)metabolism,adverse reactions,and gout control in patients with refractory gout.Methods A total of 102 patients with refractory gout in the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University from June 2020 to June 2023 were randomly divided into two groups,with 51 cases in each group.Control group received benzbromarone and febuxostat treatment,while the observation group re-ceived fecal microbiota transplantation.The gout control status and occurrence of adverse reactions were observed in both groups;intestinal flora,UA,levels of C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-18(IL-18),interleukin-6(IL-6),and scores of joint pain,swelling and limited mobility were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.Results Five patients in each group were lost to follow-up.The total gout control rate in the observation group was 89.13％,which was significantly higher than 69.57％ in the control group(P＜0.05).At 4 and 12 weeks after treatment,the levels of Escherichia coli,UA,CRP,IL-18 and IL-6 as well as the scores of joint swelling,pain and limited mobility in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,while the lev-els of Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to Escherichia coli(B/E)ratio were signifi-cantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.01).The total incidence of adverse reactions was 10.87％ in the observation group and 6.52％ in the control group,with no significant between-group difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion Fecal microbiota transplantation has a definite therapeutic effect for patients with refractory gout,which can significantly reduce UA level and control clinical symptoms,and its mechanism may be related to the correction of intestinal flora imbalance.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are involuntary experiential behavioral responses to psychological stimuli, resembling epileptic seizures but without neuropathophysiological changes. This paper reports a 28-year-old female patient who complained of"repeated limb convulsions, falls, and unresponsiveness for over 7 years". She had been misdiagnosed with epilepsy for many years. Based on systematic physical and mental examination, long-term symptom observation, brain imaging and repeated ambulatory-electroencephalography (EEG) results, the patient was ultimately diagnosed with PNES. Following a combination of pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy, her symptoms significantly improved, and her social functioning was restored. PNES displays a complex etiology, diverse clinical manifestations, and is difficult to distinguish from epilepsy, leading to frequent misdiagnosis. This case report aims to provide a reference for clinicians in the differential diagnosis and treatment of such patients.