ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of lung-boosting moxibustion with different moxibustion doses in the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. MethodsA total of 240 stable COPD patients with lung qi deficiency， lung-spleen qi deficiency， or lung-kidney qi deficiency syndrome were enrolled， all receiving standardized western medical treatment and lung-boosting moxibustion. According to the thickness of the moxa wool， the thickness of the ginger paste， and the treatment duration， patients were randomly divided into eight groups， which were Group A （3.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.5 cm ginger mud， 60 min treatment time）， Group B （3.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.5 cm ginger mud， 90 min treatment time）， Group C （2.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.5 cm ginger mud， 60 min treatment time）， Group D （2.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.5 cm ginger mud， 90 min treatment time）， Group E （3.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.0 cm ginger mud， 60 min treatment time）， Group F （3.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.0 cm ginger mud， 90 min treatment time）， Group G （2.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.0 cm ginger mud， 60 min treatment time）， Group H （2.0cm thickness moxa， 2.0cm ginger mud， 90 min treatment time）. Treatment was performed once every 15 days for 3 months， with a total of six sessions. The primary outcomes were the scores of the clinical symptoms and signs questionnaire for stable COPD before and after treatment， comprising seven symptom domains （cough， sputum production， wheezing， chest tightness， shortness of breath， fatigue， and cyanosis） and the total score. The secondary outcomes included the scores of the modified COPD patient-reported outcome questionnaire （mCOPD-PRO） involving the physical， psychological， and environmental domains and the total score， the scores of the modified Effectiveness Satisfaction Questionnaire for COPD （mESQ-COPD） involving clinical symptoms， work and daily living capacity， environmental adaptability， treatment efficacy， and the total score before and after treatment， the moxibustion sensation scores （heat sensation score and special sensation intensity score） during treatment， and cutaneous temperature （the maximum temperature achieved， the duration of temperature maintained at ≥43 ℃， and the time required to reach 43 ℃）. The safety evaluation was carried out after treatment. ResultsDuring the study， 18 patients withdrew， and 222 patients were included in the per-protocol set for analysis， including 27 in Group A， 28 in Group B， 28 in Group C， 29 in Group D， 27 in Group E， 28 in Group F， 27 in Group G， and 28 in Group H. After treatment， the total score on the clinical symptoms and signs questionnaire， as well as the cough and chest tightness symptom scores in Group F were significantly lower than those in other groups （P＜0.05）. Group F demonstrated statistically lower total mCOPD-PRO score and physical domain score （P＜0.05）， lower total mESQ-COPD score and the scores for clinical symptoms and treatment efficacy （P < 0.05）， as well as higher heat sensation score （P＜0.05） than other groups. The maximum temperature was significantly higher in Group E and Group F than in the other groups， while the duration of temperature maintained at ≥43 ℃ was significantly longer in Group F than other groups， and the time required to reach 43 ℃ was significantly shorter in Group E and Group F than in Groups C， D， G， and H （P＜0.05）. No significant abnormalities were observed in routine blood tests， liver function， renal function， urinalysis， or electrocardiograms before and after treatment in any group. No serious adverse events occurred during the treatment period. ConclusionThere are differences in the efficacy of different moxibustion doses of lung-boosting moxibustion in the treatment of stable COPD. Moxibustion with 3.0 cm thickness moxa， 2.0 cm ginger mud， and 90 min treatment time can obtain relatively superior efficacy while demonstrating a favorable safety profile.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of action of Lifei Xiaoji Pill （理肺消积丸， LXP） in the treatment of non small cell lung cancer based on the Warburg effect and the USP47/BACH1 pathway. MethodsFifty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups， model group， LXP group， inhibitor group， LXP + inhibitor group， and cisplatin group， with 10 mice in each group. A lung cancer mouse model was established by subcutaneously injecting Lewis cells. On the next day， the model group mice were given 0.2 ml of saline by gavage daily， the LXP group given 240 mg/（kg·d） of LXP solution once a day by gavage， the inhibitor group intraperitoneally injected with P22077 at a dose of 10 mg/（kg·d） every day， the LXP + inhibitor group given both LXP by gavage and P22077 by intraperitoneal injection once a day， and the cisplatin group received 0.5 mg/（kg·d） cisplatin intraperitoneally every other day. All treatments lasted for 14 days. On the day after the last dose， tumor weight and volume were measured， tumor histopathology was examined by HE staining， apoptosis in tumor tissues was detected by TUNEL staining， and proliferation cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） protein levels were detected by immunohistochemistry. Warburg effect indicators， including glucose concentration， lactate content， and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） production in tumor tissues， were measured. Western Blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of USP47， BACH1， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH）. ResultsCompared with the model group， all drug intervention groups showed reduced tumor weight and volume， improved tumor pathology， decreased PCNA positive rate， increased apoptosis rate， and reduced expression levels of USP47， BACH1， and HK2 proteins and mRNA （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Except for lactate content in the cisplatin group， the glucose concentration in tumor tissues of other drug intervention groups increased， while lactate content and ATP production decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the LXP group， the LXP + inhibitor group showed more significant improvements in these indicators （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the cisplatin group， the LXP + inhibitor group had lower mRNA expression of HK2 and GAPDH， and lower protein levels of USP47 and HK2 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the inhibitor group， the cisplatin group had higher HK2 protein levels， while the LXP + inhibitor group showed lower mRNA expression of BACH1， HK2， and GAPDH （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionLXP significantly inhibits tumor growth in lung cancer mice， and its mechanism of action may be related to inhibiting the Warburg effect via the USP47/BACH1 pathway.

The rules of acupoint selection and treatment were identified and discovered from the collected ancient acupuncture-moxibustion prescriptions recorded the earliest for epigastric pain. The database of ancient acupuncture-moxibustion prescriptions for epigastric pain was set up using Excel2016 software. After the disease term, etiology, pathogenesis, symptoms and acupoints were normalized, the underlying multi-dimensional correlation among the elements of acupuncture-moxibustion was explored, using the frequency statistics and the association rule of Apriori algorithm. In the ancient time, in treatment with acupuncture-moxibustion therapy for epigastric pain, the acupoints of the high use frequency were sequenced as Zhongwan (CV12), Shangwan (CV13), Zusanli (ST36), Neiguan (PC6), Gongsun (SP4), Pishu (BL20) and Weishu (BL21). The common combinations of acupoints included the pairs of back-shu points, the combination of back-shu points and front-mu points, the combination of front-mu points and yuan-source points and the combination of back-shu points and the lower he-sea points. The highly involved acupoints were those from the conception vessel, pericardium meridian, spleen meridian, stomach meridian and bladder meridian; and they were commonly distributed on the abdomen, the yin parts of the foot and the arm, the yang part of the leg and on the back. Regarding the etiologies such as parasites, food retention, masses, qi stagnation and stomach cold, Zhongwan (CV12) and Shangwan (CV13) were coordinated; and Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Daling (PC7) were highly associated with masses. Besides cold injury, parasites and masses, for the epigastric pain caused by other factors of etiology (qi stagnation, stomach cold and food retention), moxibustion therapy was greatly applicable. For epigastric pain combined with qi reversion in the lower abdominal region, Qichong (ST30), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Tianshu (ST25) and Zusanli (ST36) must be selected. Dadu (SP2) and Taibai (SP3) must be used if the distention in the chest and abdomen accompanied; and Zhongzhu (TE3) be used if back pain involved. Zusanli (ST36) was commonly selected for hiccups. For the other accompanied symptoms, Zhongwan (CV12) was used, which is consistent with the acupoint selection of main symptoms. On the trunk, moxibustion was generally used at Weishu (BL21), Pishu (BL20), Geshu (BL17), Zhongwan (CV12), Juque (CV14) and Qihai (CV6), except Shangwan (CV13). Among the acupoints below the elbows and knees, moxibustion was commonly applicable at Zusanli (ST36), and acupuncture was often used at Gongsun (SP4) and Daling (PC7).
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Moxibustion/history* ; History, Ancient ; Acupuncture Therapy/history* ; Data Mining ; Abdominal Pain/history*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism that mediate the therapeutic effect of quercetin on heart failure. METHODS: We searched the TCMSP and Swiss ADME databases for the therapeutic targets of quercetin and retrieved heart failure targets from the Genecards and OMIM databases. The intersecting targets were analyzed with GO and KEGG pathway analysis using DAVID database, and the key genes were identified via PPI analysis. Molecular docking between the core targets and quercetin was performed using PyMOL and AutoDock Tools. In a heart failure model established in H9C2 cardiomyocytes by treatment with isoproterenol, the effect of quercetin on the expressions of the MAPK signaling pathway was tested. RESULTS: A total of 60 intersecting targets were identified. Enrichment analysis revealed that quercetin may inhibit heart failure through the MAPK signaling pathway. The core genes, including AMPK3 and BCL-2, were identified as potential key regulators in quercetin-mediated improvement of heart failure. Cellular experiments demonstrated that quercetin significantly reduced isoproterenol-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in a dose-dependent manner and obviously decreased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the expression levels of caspase-3, ERK and p38 in the cells. CONCLUSIONS Quercetin improves heart failure possibly by inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis through the MAPK signaling pathway.
Quercetin/pharmacology* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects* ; Heart Failure/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects* ; Rats ; Animals ; Isoproterenol

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the protective effect of Bufei Yishen Formula (BYF) against cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced injuries in human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells and explore the underlying mechanism. METHODS: BEAS-2B cells exposed to CSE were treated with normal rat serum, BYF-medicated rat serum at low or high doses, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, a NF-κB inhibitor), PDTC combined with high-dose BYF-medicated serum, or S-carbomethyloysteine (S-CMC, as the positive control). CCK-8 assay was used to determine the optimal concentration and treatment time of CSE, BYF-medicated serum and S-CMC. The treated cells were examined for inflammatory factor levels in the supernatant and cellular expressions of MUC5AC and MUC5B using ELISA, cell ultrastructural changes with transmission electron microscopy, and cell apoptosis rate using flow cytometry. The expression levels of TLR4/NF‑κB pathway-associated mRNAs and proteins were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: CSE exposure significantly increased secretions of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, mRNA and protein expressions of MUC5AC and MUC5B, and early and total apoptosis rates in BEAS-2B cells, where the presence of apoptotic bodies was detected. CSE also significantly enhanced the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4, I-κB, and NF-κB and reduced mRNA and protein expressions of AQP5. Treatments of the CSE-exposed cells with BYF-medicated serum, PDTC and S-CMC all significantly lowered inflammatory factor levels, MUC5AC and MUC5B expressions, and early and total cell apoptosis rates, and partly reversed the changes in cellular ultrastructure and mRNA and protein expressions of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and the effects were the most conspicuous following the combined treatment with high-dose BYF-medicated serum and PDTC. CONCLUSIONS BYF can inhibit cell apoptosis, inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in CSE-induced BEAS-2B cells by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Humans ; Epithelial Cells/cytology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Bronchi/cytology* ; Smoke/adverse effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Mucin 5AC/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Mucin-5B/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Nicotiana ; Rats ; Thiocarbamates/pharmacology* ; Animals

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a common clinical chronic airway disease with high morbidity， high mortality， a heavy disease burden， and complex mechanisms that have not been fully elucidated. Clinical problems promote the continuous progress of basic research. The establishment and evaluation of animal models is an important way to delve into the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of COPD. On the basis of the etiology， pathogenesis， diagnostic criteria， and syndrome differentiation of COPD in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and Western medicine， this paper summarizes the establishment methods and characteristics of existing animal models of COPD and analyzes the fitting degree of the models with the disease characteristics in Western medicine and syndrome characteristics in TCM. The results showed that the animal models of COPD in Western medicine were mainly induced by single factors and compound factors， and the model with the highest fitting degree was established by cigarette smoke combined with lipopolysaccharide and hormone. The model showed a fitting degree of 84% with the disease characteristics in Western medicine and 70% with the syndrome characteristics in TCM， being consistent with the clinical characteristics of COPD induced by multiple factors. Most of the animal models of COPD in TCM were established on the basis of disease models and combined with TCM etiology and pathogenesis characteristics， and prepared by syndrome differentiation. Among them， the model of accumulation of cold and water retention in lung had the highest fitting degree of 92% with the TCM diagnostic criteria. The models of phlegm-heat obstructing lung and phlegm-stasis obstructing lung had the fitting degree of 94% with clinical manifestations in Western medicine and the highest fitting degree with the diagnostic criteria in Western medicine. Different animal models of COPD have their own advantages and disadvantages， and most of them simply replicate the manifestations of COPD at a certain stage， failing to reflect the multiple causes and the dynamic changes of TCM etiology and pathogenesis. Moreover， the syndromes of these models fail to match the clinical syndromes in TCM. Therefore， establishing the animal models reflecting clinical characteristics of COPD in TCM and Western medicine and improving the model evaluation criteria are important contents to promote the overall development of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine for COPD.

Objective:To analyze the application of antitoxin therapy in severe infant botulism.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 14 cases of severe infant botulism treated at 3 pediatric medical centers from July 2020 to August 2024. This study investigated antitoxin dosage, treatment duration, discontinuation criteria and adverse reactions.Results:A total of 14 cases (12 males and 2 females) were included, with an age of 5.0 (3.8, 7.0) months. Botulinum toxin typing revealed 10 cases of Type B, 2 cases of Type A and 2 untyped cases. The interval from symptom onset to antitoxin administration was 9.0 (6.0, 11.5) d. The initial dosage of type A antitoxin was 12 500 (10 000, 22 500) U, while type B was 5 000 (5 000, 5 000) U. The dosage was tapered in some cases after symptom improvement, the duration of treatment was 16.5 (9.8, 25.3) d. In total, 11 infants discontinued medications after improvement in muscle strength, while 3 infants discontinued treatment after obtaining negative results from fecal mouse bioassays. Adverse events were reported in 2 cases, both of which resulted in rash, and 1 case was complicated with anaphylactic shock. All the patients survived upon discharge with a follow-up period of 11 d to 3 years and 8 months. Totally 12 infants had fully recovered, while 2 infants were still recovering after discharge.Conclusion:Antitoxin therapy is a feasible and safe approach which showed favorable prognosis in severe infant botulism.

Objective:To understand the management of children with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 101 children with PALF hospitalized in PICU of Beijing Children′s Hospital from July 2017 to October 2022 were included. Demographic, clinical management and prognosis data were collected. According to whether PALF was the main diagnosis, the patients were divided into primary diagnosis group and complication group. The primary diagnosis group was subdivided into effective group and ineffective group with routine treatment (except liver transplantation). The intergroup comparisons were performed using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test or Fisher exact test. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors associated with prognosis. Results:Among the 101 children with PALF, 58 were male and 43 were female, with an age of 30 (10, 103) months, 60 cases in primary diagnosis group and 41 cases in complication group. There were no significant differences in prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) between the two groups (both P>0.05), while the total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and blood ammonia were all significantly higher in the primary diagnosis group (all P<0.05). Unoriginal liver failure (25 cases (42%)) and poisoning (13 cases (22%)) were the most common causes of PALF in the primary diagnosis group, while shock (17 cases, 43%) and hemophagocytic syndrome (14 cases (34%)) in the complication group. The mortality rate of the main diagnosis group was significantly lower than that of the complication group (25% (15/60) vs. 61% (25/41), χ2=13.18, P<0.001), as well as the incidence of combined organ function injury, while the amount of plasma used and the ratio of plasma exchange times to PICU hospitalization days were significantly higher (all P<0.05). In the primary diagnosis group, there were 32 cases (53%) in the effective group and 28 cases (47%) in the ineffective group. In the ineffective group, 15 cases (54%) died and 13 cases (46%) were transferred to another site for liver transplantation assessment. The hospitalization time of PICU in the effective group was significantly longer than that in the ineffective group, while the ratio of plasma exchange times to PICU hospitalization days, the average daily hours of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), the rate of CRRT and the average daily plasma dosage in the effective group were all significantly lower than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.05). The worst PT, INR and blood ammonia, and the stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy morbidity and significant bleeding rate in the effective group were all significantly lower than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, sex, total bilirubin, INR and blood ammonia, stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy was the independent risk factor for the failure of routine treatment of PALF ( OR=84.16,95% CI 4.04-1752.37, P=0.004). Conclusions:PT and INR could not specifically represent liver synthetic function in some PICU patients, so current PALF diagnostic criteria for PICU children has limitations. Complicated with stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy was an independent risk factor of the failure of conventional treatment in patients with PALF.

Objective To understand the current situation of thirst in patients with cirrhosis and analyze its influencing factors,in order to improve medical staff's attention to thirst symptoms in patients with cirrhosis and provide theoretical basis for clinical intervention.Methods A total of 220 patients with cirrhosis who were hospitalized in the infection department of a tertiary A general hospital in Wuhan from March to June 2024 were selected by convenience sampling method.General data questionnaire,Numerical Score Scale and Thirst Distress Scale were used to investigate the factors affecting thirst sensation in patients with cirrhosis.Results A total of 202 valid questionnaires were collected,and the effective questionnaire recovery rate was 91.82％.The results showed that the incidence of thirst in patients with cirrhosis was 59.41％;the score of thirst was 3.00(3.00,6.00)points,and the mean score of thirst was 3.09.Among them,43.07％of the patients with cirrhosis were in the moderate to severe level of thirst.The score of Thirst Distress Scale is 6.00(6.00,17.00)points,and the average score of thirst distress was 11.62 points,which was in the medium level.47.03％of patients with cirrhosis indicated thirst distress,and 23.76％of patients with cirrhosis which was in the moderate and severe level of distress.The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the degree of ascites,the use of diuretics,the stage of disease,and the degree of thirst distress were the factors influencing the degree of thirst in patients with cirrhosis(P＜0.05).Gender,marital status,degree of ascites,use of diuretic drugs,disease stage and degree of thirst were the factors influencing degree of thirst distress in patients with cirrhosis(P＜0.05).Conclusion The incidence and severity of thirst in patients with cirrhosis are relatively high,and are affected by many factors.Medical staff should pay more attention to the management of thirst symptoms in patients with cirrhosis,and formulate targeted nursing measures or nursing programs according to the related influencing factors of thirst,so as to improve the comfort level of patients and improve the disease experience of patients.

Objective To form an expert consensus on nasogastric tube and intestinal tube placement in children(hereinafter referred to as the"consensus"),and provide a reference for pediatric medical workers regarding the operation of gastrointestinal tube placement in children.Methods A"consensus"formulation group was established.The"5.0"EBHC Pyramid Model was employed to systematically search,evaluate,summarize and extract relevant evidence to form the initial draft of the"consensus".The RAND-UCLA expert consensus method was utilized.Through a round of expert inquiries by correspondence and a round of face-to-face expert discussions,the data were collated,analyzed,refined,and modified to form the final version of the"consensus".Results The effective recovery rate of the expert inquiry questionnaire was 100％.The coefficient of expert authority(Cr)was 0.891.The Kendall's concordance coefficient of the inquiries was 0.692(P＜0.01),which was statistically significant.The median of the"RAND-UCLA"suitability score were 7-9 points,and the disagreement index(DI)value was＜1.00.The final"consensus"encompasses 9 aspects,including qualification requirements for the tube placement personnel,indications and contraindications,preoperative assessment,preoperative preparation,measurement of tube length,key points of tube placement,methods for confirming the position,tube flushing,fixation,and recording,with 47 recommendations.Conclusion This"consensus"is scientific,rigorous,and practical,covering all links of the gastrointestinal tube placement process in children,providing reference and guidance for the safe and standardized implementation of gastrointestinal tube placement in children.