Objective: To clarify the specific mechanisms of action of raw Phellodendron chinense Schneid. (RPC) and saltwater-processed PC (SPC) in the treatment of rats with a kidney-yin deficiency pattern (KYDP). Methods: Healthy rats were administered hydrocortisone to establish a KYDP model. The rats were divided into seven groups: blank control, model, positive control (Liuwei Dihuang pills), high-dose RPC, low-dose RPC, high-dose SPC, and low-dose SPC. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of cAMP, cGMP, TRH, TSH, T3, T4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and testosterone in the serum and the levels of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase in the liver. TRH mRNA expression in the rat hypothalamus was measured using RT-PCR. THRα1+2 protein expression in the hypothalamus of rats was measured using Western blot. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the expression levels of FAS, FasL, and TSHR. Flow cytometry was used to determine CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte levels. Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology was used to evaluate the diversity of intestinal flora in KYDP rats. Results: The cAMP/cGMP ratio was significantly higher in the model group than in the blank control group (P = .048). Compared with the model group, after administration, the levels of the above-mentioned serum and liver indexes decreased, except that of testosterone. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio also decreased. Compared with the RPC group, the levels of T3, IFN-γ, FAS, FasL, and TSHR in the SPC group decreased whereas that of testosterone increased. Additionally, immune function and intestinal flora diversity improved in the SPC group. SPC proved to be more effective in improving liver energy metabolism in KYDP rats than RPC. Conclusion SPC had a better therapeutic effect on KYDP than RPC. The underlying mechanism of action may be related to improvements in liver energy metabolism, immune function, and intestinal flora diversity.

Objective To compare the immediate effects of acupuncture at the true and false acupoints of Yanglingquan on functional connectivity in sensorimotor network(SMN)and dorsal attentional network(DAN)of stroke patients based on functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)technology;To explore the central regulatory mechanism and acupoint specificity of acupuncture in stroke patients with hemiplegia.Methods Totally 20 patients with stroke and hemiplegia were included in the study.fMRI scans of acupuncture at the true and false acupoints of Yanglingquan were performed once every 2 weeks,and motion-related SMN and DAN were extracted by independent component analysis to compare the differences in functional connectivity.Results In SMN,after acupuncture at the Yanglingquan true acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture.The enhanced brain areas included the right anterior central gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus,cuneiform lobe,and anterior cuneiform lobe,as well as the left middle temporal gyrus,occipital gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,parahippocampal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus,and superior temporal gyrus.After acupuncture at the Yanglingquan false acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture.The enhanced brain areas included the right anterior central gyrus,superior frontal gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,and cingulate gyrus,as well as the left medial frontal gyrus,anterior cingulate gyrus,lentiform nucleus,and caudate nucleus.In DAN,after acupuncture at the Yanglingquan true acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture.The enhanced brain areas included the right anterior cingulate lobe,superior temporal gyrus,middle temporal gyrus,and occipital gyrus,as well as the left cingulate gyrus,posterior cingulate gyrus,and anterior cingulate lobe.After acupuncture at the Yanglingquan false acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture,and the enhanced brain areas included the right anterior cingulate gyrus,left anterior cingulate gyrus,and medial frontal gyrus.Conclusion Acupuncture at Yanglingquan can activate SMN and DAN bilateral related brain regions in patients with hemiplegia,which may promote the recovery of motor function by regulating the initiation and execution of motor activities,and has more acupoint specificity compared with false acupoint.

Yi He Rehabilitation,which is based on traditional Chinese rehabilitation treatments and rehabilitation principles from modern medicine,is effective in staging treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia.This paper systematically discusses the origin and annotation of Yi and He from the perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine.The medicinal connection between Yi and the body and its function is related to unobstructed attunement.Based on the connotation of Yi and He,we believe that the pathogenesis of post-stroke hemiplegia is the comprehensive result of abnormal effects of Yi on the organism at the microscopic level and abnormal effects of He on function at the macroscopic level,featured as tense muscle movement and a pathological process of abnormal motion,including the disturbance of yang qi with body dysfunction,the disorder of spirit with sinews and vessels with diversion,and the variation of brain collateral with physical and mental inconsistency.By inducing relaxation and calmness,Yi He rehabilitation takes effect in staging treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia with characteristic mechanisms.First,by calming ascending yang and relaxing the disordered body in periods of relaxation,it can achieve the maintenance function of the kinematic chain peripherally with passive rehabilitation.Second,by calming the disordered spirit and relaxing the inhibited meridian sinews in spasmodic periods,it can reconstruct the neural plasticity of motor function centrally with assistive rehabilitation.Third,by calming damaged brain collateral and relaxing the impassable zang organs in the recovery period,it can close the central-peripheral-central loop of rehabilitation with active rehabilitation.

Objective:This study aimed to assess the effects of Peer Balint-style group on the empathy ability of third-year long-term medical students and to provide a theoretical and practical reference for effectively improving their humanistic quality.Methods:Ninety third-year Chinese long-term medicine students participated. Volunteers received either ten sessions of 1.5-h Peer Balint-style group which were led by specially trained peers from June 2019 to August 2019. The College Students' Empathy Ability Questionnaire was used before the experiment and the second day after the experiment. The total score of the scale from the pre-test and post-test and the scores of each dimension conformed to a normal distribution, with equal variance, describing in the form of ( x± s). Paired t-tests were performed to compare the total score and each dimension score before and after the intervention, using SPSS 22.0. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 peer-group leaders and group members after the clinical practice period. The interview materials were analyzed by traditional content analysis. The content of the qualitative research was open-coded to obtain 10 categories, suggesting the role and inadequacy of Peer Balint-style groups. Results:A total of 63 valid samples were obtained. There was no significant difference of ( t=-0.44, P=0.661, P>0.05) between the total score of the post-test (118.00±11.98) and the total score of the pre-test (117.38±12.36). In each dimension, the reverse comprehension score of post-test (9.06±1.97) was significantly different ( t=-2.08, P=0.041, P>0.05) from the pre-test's (8.57±2.15), which increased compared to the pre-test score. Conclusions:Peer Balint-style group had a positive effect on improving empathy among medical students. Compared with the traditional Balint group, it has wider coverage, higher affinity and greater mobility. However, the design of the Peer Balint-style group still needs to be further improved.

Objective To compare the changes of brain voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity(VMHC)of patients before and after Tai Chi Chuan training based on functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)technology;To discuss the central effect mechanism of Tai Chi Chuan in treating chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS).Methods A total of 25 CFS patients(experiment group)and 27 healthy individuals(control group)were recruited to undergo a 1-month Tai Chi Chuan intervention.All receive one month of Tai Chi Chuan training.Differences in SF-36 scores and VMHC between CFS patients and HCs were compared.Results Before training,the SF-36 scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.001),and the VMHC in the bilateral inferior occipital gyrus,paracentral lobule,lingual gyrus,insula and superior temporal gyrus brain areas were weakened.After training,the scores of SF-36 in the experimental group significantly increased(P<0.001),and the VMHC in bilateral inferior occipital gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,anterior cuneiform lobe and paracentral lobule were significantly enhanced.The difference in whole brain VMHC was positively correlated with the difference in energy scores in SF-36(r=0.456,P=0.025);some scores of SF-36 in the control group significantly increased(P<0.05),and no significant changes in VMHC were observed in brain regions.Conclusion Tai Chi Chuan can effectively improve the quality of life of patients with CFS.This change may be related to the enhancement of functional connections in brain regions such as inferior occipital gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,precuneus,paracentral lobule,et al.

Objective:To verify the clinical efficacy and safety of Qufeng Tongxuan method in treating low- and moderate-volume intracerebral hemorrhage at acute stage.Methods:A prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed; patients with low- and moderate-volume intracerebral hemorrhage at the basal ganglia and/or thalamus accepted treatment in 16 hospitals from September 2019 to April 2022 were enrolled. These patients were divided into experimental and control groups with a block randomized method by SAS software. Patients in control group were given conventional western medicine treatment; those in experimental group accepted Qufeng Tongxuan method (sequential therapy of Shexiang Huayu Xingnao granules and Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu granules) besides conventional western medicine treatment. NIHSS was used to assess neurological function before treatment and on 7 th, 14 th, 30 th, and 90 th d of treatment. Prognoses of these patients were assessed by modified Rankin scale (mRS) before treatment and on 180 th d of treatment. Brain CT was performed before treatment and on 7 th and 14 th d of treatment to calculate the hematoma volume. Before treatment and on 14 th d of treatment, changes of coagulation function, liver and kidney functions of the 2 groups were compared. Adverse reactions during treatment in the 2 groups were recorded. Results:No significant differences in NIHSS scores were noted between the 2 groups before treatment, on 7 th, 14 th, and 30 th d of treatment ( P>0.05); NIHSS scores in experimental group on 90 th d of treatment were signficantly lower than those in control group ( P<0.05); NIHSS scores in experimental group decreased gradually before treatment and on 7 th, 14 th, 30 th and 90 th d of treatment, with statistical significances ( P<0.05). No significant differences in mRS scores were noted between the 2 groups before treatment ( P>0.05); mRS scores in experimental group on 180 th d of treatment were signfciantly lower than those in control group ( P<0.05). No significant difference in hematoma volume was noted between the 2 groups before treatment and on 7 th and 14 th d of treatment ( P>0.05); both groups had gradually decreased hematoma volumes before treatment and on 7 th and 14 th d of treatment, respectively, with significant differences ( P<0.05); the volume difference of hematoma between 14 th d of treatment and before treatment in experimental group (6.42[4.10, 11.73]) was significantly higher than that in control group (4.00[1.25, 10.58], P<0.05). No significant differences in liver and kidney function indexes or coagulation function indexes were noted between the 2 groups before treatment and on 14 th d of treatment ( P>0.05). Adverse reaction incidence was 9.52% ( n=12) in experimental group and 10.34% ( n=12) in control group, without statistical difference ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Under premise of conventional western medicine treatment, Qufeng Tongxuan method can promote hematoma absorption and improve neurological deficit symptoms in low- and moderate-volume intracerebral hemorrhage at acute stage, without obvious adverse reactions.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of comprehensive intervention model based on key persons in entertainment venues on the incidence of AIDS-related high-risk behaviors in male sex workers (MSW). Data from this study thus can be used to provide compelling evidence for the wider implementation of the intervention model.Methods:In this randomized controlled trial, MSW were recruited and followed-up from May to December, 2021 in entertainment venues in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, with an estimated sample size of 320. The MSW in the intervention group were provided with comprehensive interventions via key persons in entertainment venues compared with the control group receiving routine interventions. The effect of the intervention model was assessed by comparing the behavioral differences between these two groups and in the intervention group before and after intervention.Results:A total of 330 MSW were recruited at baseline survey, in which 168 were divided into intervention group and 162 into control group. There was no significant difference in socio-demographic characteristics between two groups (all P>0.05). After intervention for 6 months, the rate of consistent condom use in commercial homosexual activities in the intervention group was 79.5% (101/127), higher than 63.2% (74/117) in the control group, and in the intervention group, 90.1% (73/81) of MSW used condom consistently in heterosexual activities, higher than in the control group (59.6%, 59/99) . Compared with 30.8% (36/117) of MSW with drug abuse history in the control group, a lower proportion of 9.4% (12/127) was observed in the intervention group. Differences in all of aforementioned variables were significant (all P<0.05). After intervention, the incidence of group sex was 3.9% (5/127) in the intervention group and 9.4% (11/117) in the control group, the incidence of anal sex post-alcohol consumption was 40.2% (51/127) in the intervention group and 32.5% (38/117) in control group, the differences were not significant (all P>0.05). Conclusions:The intervention model based on key persons in entertainment venues could promote consistent condom use in MSW in both commercial homosexual and heterosexual activities and help them reduce drug abuse, but had no significant effect on decreasing group sex and anal sex after alcohol consumption. It is crucial to improve the intervention model according to the specific characteristics of MSW in order to enhance the effects of comprehensive intervention.

Objective To explore the expression of tiny RNA-25 (microRNA-25, miR-25) in the plasma、tissues of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) patients and cell lines, to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms of miR-25 on migration and invasion of TNBC. Methods Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-25 in the plasma of TNBC patients. Linked omics web platform was used to analyse miR-25 level in samples of TNBC and non-TNBC. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was also used to detect the miR-25 level in TNBC cell lines. The wound healing and transwell assay was applied to assess the effects on migration and invasion of TNBC cell lines which transfected with miR-25 inhibitor or the negative control. The luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the relationship between miR-25 and the sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 (SGPP1) in HEK293T cell. The wound healing and transwell assay was used to detect the migration and invasion ability of TNBC cell lines when cotransfected with pCMV6-SGPP1 and miR-25. Furthermore, Western blot was performed to detect the SGPP1 level in TNBC cell lines. Results The expression of miR-25 was significantly elevated in the plasma of 86 TNBC patients compared with the healthy controls (P value was 0.031). LinkedOmics web platform analysis showed that miR-25 expression was significantly higher in TNBC samples than in non-TNBC samples with Luminal A or Luminal B (P value was<0.001 and 0.006). The level of miR-25 was also elevated in TNBC cell lines HS578T, HCC1806, MDA-MB-231 and BT549(P value was 0.006, 0.01, 0.029 and 0.046). The MDA-MB-231 and HS578T cells which transfected with miR-25 inhibitor exhibited a significant slower wound healing rate than control (P value was 0.035 and 0.001). At the same time, when transfected with miR-25 inhibitor, MDA-MB-231 and HS578T both exhibited a decreased invasion ability compared with the control group(P value was 0.002 and 0.001). LinkedOmics web platform analysis showed that sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 (SGPP1) gene level was negatively correlated with miR-25 in the tissues of TNBC patients (P value was 0.037). The luciferase reporter assay validated that SGPP1 was a directed target of miR-25. The western blot assay indicated that the SGPP1 level was increased in MDA-MB-231 and HS578T after transfection with miR-25 inhibitor. Over-expression of SGPP1 could abrogate the positive effects of miR-25 on migration and invasion when pCMV6-SGPP1 was cotransfected with miR-25 (P value was all 0.002). Conclusions MiR-25 was elevated in both plasma and tissues of TNBC patients and also increased in TNBC cell lines. Transfection of MDA-MB-231 and HS578T cells with miR-25 inhibitor resulted in reduced migration and invasion. Moreover, SGPP1 was identified as a novel target of miR-25. The ability of miR-25 to promote TNBC cell migration and invasion is attributable to its effect on SGPP1 suppression.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients who developed bone-only metastasis after primary treatment and the stratification of these patients into different risk groups based on independent prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty NPC patients who developed bone-only metastasis after definitive radiotherapy from October 2005 to December 2010 were enrolled. All these patients received palliative treatment for bone metastasis, including chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Clinical features, treatment modality, and laboratory parameters were examined with univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 15.5 months (range, 2-67 months) for the whole cohort. The median overall metastatic survival (OMS) time and the 2-year estimate OMS rate were 26.5 months and 52%, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that patients with short metastases-free interval, multiple bone metastases sites, high serum lactic dehydrogenase levels, and treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone had significantly worse outcomes. Patients were stratified into three different risk groups based on the number of adverse factors present. The OMS curves of the three groups were all significantly different (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Severl prognostic factors were found to be associated with worse outcomes. According to the number of adverse factors present, bone-only metastasis patients can be stratified into three risk groups with significantly different prognoses. Such grouping may help in improving the design of clinical trials and in guiding individualized treatment for NPC patients with bone-only metastasis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Neoplasms/mortality/*secondary/therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology/therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE:To optimize the processing technology for Stemonae radix fried with honey. METHODS:Firstly,sin-gle factor test of processing technology for Stemonae radix fried with honey was investigated with the amount of added water,infil-trating time,processing time and temperature as factors,using property and total alkaloid content as indexes. Then,the test was de-signed by orthogonal test;the processing technology was optimized by comprehensive weighted mark method with the amount of added water,processing time and temperature as factors,using total alkaloid content and anti-cough activity for mice as indexes;validation test was conducted. RESULTS:The optimal technology was as follows as 12.5 g honey dissolved with 10 g water for each 100 g Stemonae radix,at 140 ℃,processing for 6 min. In validation test,average content of total alkaliods was 0.77%(RSD=1.5%,n=3);average anti-cough activity was 91.20%(RSD=1.2%,n=3). CONCLUSIONS:The optimized process is simple,stable and easy,and provides reasonable trial reference for the formulation of processing technology for Stemonae radix fried with honey.