Introduction: Multiple daily insulin injections, while effective for glycemic control, impose considerable costs on healthcare systems and carry inherent risks including hypoglycemia, weight gain, and poor treatment adherence. This study evaluates the glycemic effects of insulin regimen de-escalation from multiple daily injections in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and explores the predictors of successful insulin de-escalation. Methodology: This is a multi-centred, prospective observational study of adult T2DM patients on multiple daily insulin injections with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 7–12% who underwent de-escalation to one or two injections. Patients were reassessed at 3 months and 6 months. Primary endpoint was change in HbA1c from baseline. Secondary endpoints were changes in body weight, hypoglycemia frequency, treatment adherence and predictors of successful insulin de-escalation defined by at least a 0.3% reduction in HbA1c while on de-escalated regimen. Results: A total of 80 patients were included. HbA1c improved from 9.23 to 8.52% (p <0.001) with total daily insulin dose reduction from 0.81 + 0.35 units per kg to 0.46 + 0.24 units per kg. Symptomatic hypoglycemia decreased from 22.5 to 5.0%. Insulin adherence improved from 50.0 to 92.3%. Body weight decreased by 1.4 kg. Forty-nine patients (61.3%) were successfully de-intensified. Factors associated with successful insulin de-escalation included a high baseline HbA1c, high fasting blood glucose and higher estimated glomerular filtration rate, while increased age, disease duration and being Indian were associated with unsuccessful insulin de-escalation. After adjustment of the confounders, only HbA1c (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.23–3.46, p = 0.006) and the status of being Indian (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05–0.94, p = 0.041) remained as significant positive and negative predictors respectively for successful insulin de-intensification. Conclusion Insulin regimen de-escalation, when combined with optimized oral glucose-lowering agents, improved glycemic control and treatment adherence while reducing hypoglycemia and body weight. These findings support insulin therapy deescalation as a safe, effective strategy for poorly controlled T2DM patients taking multiple daily insulin injections.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Prospective Studies ; Insulins

Poly(lactic-co-glycolide)(PLGA)is a key excipient in long-acting sustained-release preparations,and its degradation properties directly affect the drug release behavior.In this study,PLGA microspheres were prepared by microfluidic techniques,and the morphology changes of the microspheres were observed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM).In alkaline environment,due to the accelerated hydrolysis of ester bonds,the surface of the microspheres was rapidly dissolved and eroded,and the degradation rate was significantly higher than that in acidic environment.High temperature accelerated the degradation of PLGA microspheres.Under neutral and alkaline conditions,the microspheres showed aggregation and adhesion.Under acidic conditions,the microspheres gradually decomposed into irregular fragments.The high ionic strength further promoted the surface corrosion of the microspheres,especially under extreme pH conditions.Simultaneously,PLGA microspheres encapsulating coumarin were prepared to simulate the microsphere formulation.The release rate of coumarin after degradation of the microspheres under different conditions was observed by measuring the absorbance with ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry.The results were consistent with those of the blank microspheres.This study revealed that the degradation of PLGA microspheres was significantly pH-dependent,temperature sensitive and ion strength responsive.These findings not only helped to understand and optimize the long-term stability and controlled release performance of drug-carrying microspheres,but also provided a theoretical basis for further improvement of PLGA-based drug carrier design.

Acupuncture is an ancient treatment method used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been popularized worldwide. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the amount of acupuncture research, mostly comprised of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that aimed to answer the question on the efficacy of acupuncture. However, poor methodology and low replicability in these acupuncture RCTs have resulted in uncertainty about the efficacy of acupuncture. In this review, current advancements and challenges in acupuncture RCTs, regarding the methodological aspects of randomization, blinding, sham acupuncture and quality of reporting, were discussed. While there have been advancements in various aspects, current acupuncture RCTs still face pressing issues such as inadequate randomization and blinding, unviable sham acupuncture controls, and poor reporting quality. Given these limitations, this review seeks to identify the methodological problems that are responsible for these problems and to suggest solutions that could help to overcome them so as to improve the quality of future studies evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture. Please cite this article as: Seetoh WS, Lim RQR, Xu RB, Sun MX, Zhang P, Wang MN. Advancements and challenges of acupuncture randomized controlled trials. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 333-343.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/methods* ; Research Design

Objective:To formulate the Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Methods:This was a qualitative study. This study was divided into 2 stages. The first stage of the study was conducted from June to August 2023 and involved the heads of the General Affairs Departments of the 47 community health service centers in Pudong New Area. These individuals completed online questionnaires to compile a database on the current status of matching supply and demand resources in community health service centers in Pudong New Area. The second stage of the study run from September 2023 to August 2024. Firstly, the functional modules of China′s community health service centers would be clarified through a literature review. The construction scale and design requirements of similar institutions at home and abroad would be benchmarked, as well as practical experience. The results of Phase 1 research would then be combined to form the " Community Health Service Center Infrastructure Configuration Requirements and Design Suggestions (Draft)". Then, relevant experts were brought together to discuss the draft and form the " Community Health Service Center Infrastructure Configuration Requirements and Design Recommendations (Revised Version)". The experts involved in the discussion specialized in the study of infrastructure resource allocation for medical institutions. Finally, the medical and healthcare system managers, community health service center users, and relevant commissions and bureaus of Pudong New Area were consulted to further revise and finalize the Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Results:The total floor area of community health service centers in Pudong New Area was 57% (31/55), the number of beds per 1 000 people was 14% (8/55), and the total number of beds was 10% (6/60). These figures showed that urgent upgrades and construction in accordance with the new standards were required. The final " Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers" of Shanghai Pudong New Area comprised 15 chapters, covering topics from the macro construction scale, site selection and general plan to architectural design, structural design, water supply and sewage treatment, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical systems, informatics, medical gas supply, indoor design, signage, marking and fire protection, etc. The guidelines have been revised to incorporate the functional design of the 5 basic rooms, with a particular focus on the creating humanistic spaces and promoting digitalization. Particular attention was paid to creating humanistic spaces and improving ageing with digital applications. Conclusions:The Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers in Pudong New Area of Shanghai have been successfully formulated. These guidelines can be used to guide the subsequent high-quality and standardized development of community health service centers.

Objective:To investigate the current status and influencing factors of decision anxiety in guardians of children with acute appendicitis under Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) background, and to provide reference for the development of targeted intervention programs for decision anxiety.Methods:Convenient sampling method was used to select 254 guardians of children with acute appendicitis treated in the Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of PLA Air Force Medical University from February 2023 to April 2024. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the General Data Questionnaire, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y-State anxiety subscale and the Preparation for Decision Making Scale. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors in guardians of children with acute appendicitis.Results:Among the guardians of 254 children with acute appendicitis, 156 were males and 98 were females, aged (37.44 ± 3.63) years old. The decision anxiety score of guardians of children with acute appendicitis was (52.49 ± 6.54). The results of multiple linear regression showed that age of children, gender of guardian, education level of guardian, per capita monthly income of family, decision making tendency and decision preparation were the main influencing factors of decision anxiety in guardians of children with acute appendicitis ( t values were -7.07-3.58, all P<0.05), which could explain 64.4% of the total variation. Conclusions:The decision anxiety in guardians of children with acute appendicitis is at a high level. Medical staff should provide targeted decision guidance, improve decision assistance programs and provide more effective decision support for guardians of children with acute appendicitis.

Objective To explore the targeted regulatory relationship of miR-330-5p on OY-TES-1 in glioblastoma and the effect of miR-330-5p/OY-TES-1 axis on the migration ability of glioblastoma.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was performed to analyze the expression level of miR-330-5p in patients with glioblastoma and its influence on prognosis and survival of patients.The glioblastoma cells U251 were divided into miR-330-5p minics group,minics-NC group,and miR-330-5p+OY-TES-1 overexpression group(miR-330-5p minics+pcDNA3.1-OY-TES-1).The effect of miR-330-5p on the activity of OY-TES-1 3'UTR region was detected by double luciferase reporter gene experiment.The expression of OY-TES-1 mRNA was detected by qRT-PCR.The effect of miR-330-5p/OY-TES-1 axis on the migration ability of glioblastoma cells was detected by Transwell migration assay.Results The expression of miR-330-5p in glioblastoma tissue was significantly lower than those in non-tumor brain tissue and low-grade glioma tissue(P<0.05).The survival time of glioblastoma patients with high expression of miR-330-5p was significantly longer than that of patients with low expression of miR-330-5p(P<0.05).After overexpression of miR-330-5p,the activity of OY-TES-1 3'UTR region was decreased(P<0.05).Compared with minics-NC group,the expression levels of OY-TES-1 mRNA of U251 and U87MG cells in miR-330-5p minics group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with minics-NC group,the numbers of migrating cells in miR-330-5p minics group and miR-330-5p+OY-TES-1 overexpression group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with miR-330-5p minics group,the number of migrating cells in miR-330-5p+OY-TES-1 overexpression group was significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion MiR-330-5p targets OY-TES-1 to inhibit the migration of glioblastoma.

Objective:To explore the current status of kinesiophobia in pregnant women with pregnancy-related low back pain (PLBP) and its influencing factors, so as to inform the clinical development of intervention programs.Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select 270 pregnant women with PLBP who underwent routine obstetric examination from August to November 2023 at the Obstetrics Clinic of Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Jiangnan University. Pregnant women were surveyed using the General Information Questionnaire, Tampa Scale for Kinesio-Phobia, Falls Efficacy Scale-International, Pregnancy Exercise Self-efficacy Scale, and Low Back Pain Knowledge Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the factors influencing kinesiophobia in pregnant women with PLBP.Results:In 270 pregnant women with PLBP, the kinesiophobia score was (47.78±8.80) and the prevalence of kinesiophobia was 89.3% (241/270). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that lower extremity edema, pain, fear of falling, exercise self-efficacy, and knowledge of low back pain were the factors influencing kinesiophobia in pregnant women with PLBP ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:Pregnant women have a high level of kinesiophobia, and there are many influencing factors. Healthcare professionals should consider a variety of factors to develop an intervention program to reduce kinesiophobia and increase activity levels in pregnant women with PLBP.

Objective To understand the current situation of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)in China,pro-vide data support and decision-making basis for formulating scientific and effective strategies for HAI prevention and control.Methods A nationwide cross-sectional survey on HAI was conducted among various types and levels of medical institutions in China according to a unified protocol of bedside surveys and case investigations.Results In 2024,a total of 5 736 medical institutions and 2 751 765 patients were surveyed.Among them,34 889 HAI cases were identified,with a prevalence rate of 1.27％.The number of HAI episodes was 38 032,and case prevalence rate was 1.38％.The prevalence rate of HAI in medical institutions in different regions of China ranged from 0.66％to 2.35％.Among medical institutions of different scales,those with a bed capacity of ≥900 had the high-est incidence of HAI,reaching 1.65％.The most common infection site was the lower respiratory tract(44.66％),followed by the urinary tract(12.94％),surgical site(9.32％),upper respiratory tract(7.02％),and bloodstream infection(5.78％).The top 3 departments with the highest HAI rates were the general intensive care unit(10.02％),department of neurosurgery(5.51％),and department(group)of hematology(5.34％).A total of 23 238 strains of HAI pathogens were detected,with 10 714 strains(46.10％)from lower respiratory tract speci-mens.The top 5 detected strains were Klebsiella pneumoniae(14.76％),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(13.33％),Escherichia coli(12.79％),Acinetobacter baumannii(9.23％),and Staphylococcus aureus(7.88％).231 944 pa-tients underwent class Ⅰ incision surgery were monitored,with 1 647 cases experienced surgical site infection,and the prevalence rate of surgical site infection was 0.71％.The number of patients who should undergo pathogen de-tection(patients receiving therapeutic and therapeutic combined prophylactic antimicrobial agents)was 715 179,while the actual number was 480 492,with a pathogen detection rate of 67.18％.425 225 patients received patho-genic detection before treatment,with a detection rate of 59.46％.Conclusion The overall HAI prevalence in Chi-na is lower,showing disparities among medical institutions of different regions and scales.Therefore,precise imple-mentation of measures is necessary for HAI prevention and control,with a focus on high-risk institutions and high-risk departments,key areas,and critical procedures.All levels of medical institutions should continuously reduce the incidence of HAI by strengthening monitoring,standardizing the use of antimicrobial agents,and reinforcing basic HAI prevention and control measures.

[Objective] To explore the predictive value of HALP score for prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). [Methods] A retrospective analysis was conducted on laboratory indicators and related clinical data of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients, treated at the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from January 2016 to October 2023, prior to their first treatment. The HALP score was calculated, and the optimal cutoff value for HALP was determined using X-tile software. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves for high HALP and low HALP groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using the Cox regression model, and a forest plot was generated using Graphpad Prism to illustrate factors that may impact patient prognosis. The predictive ability of HALP score combined with β2-microglobulin and ECOG score for prognosis in MM patients was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. [Results] A total of 203 MM patients were included, with the optimal cutoff value for HALP score being 29.15 (P<0.05). Among them, 101 patients were in the low HALP score group, and 102 patients were in the high HALP score group. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model showed that a HALP score <29.15 was an independent risk factor for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated that the combination of HALP score with β2-microglobulin and ECOG score had a higher predictive value for prognosis in MM patients compared to using HALP score alone. [Conclusion] The HALP score is closely related to the prognosis of patients with NDMM. A low HALP score indicates a poorer prognosis, while the combination of HALP score with β2-microglobulin and ECOG score provides a higher predictive value when assessed together.

Objective:To formulate the Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Methods:This was a qualitative study. This study was divided into 2 stages. The first stage of the study was conducted from June to August 2023 and involved the heads of the General Affairs Departments of the 47 community health service centers in Pudong New Area. These individuals completed online questionnaires to compile a database on the current status of matching supply and demand resources in community health service centers in Pudong New Area. The second stage of the study run from September 2023 to August 2024. Firstly, the functional modules of China′s community health service centers would be clarified through a literature review. The construction scale and design requirements of similar institutions at home and abroad would be benchmarked, as well as practical experience. The results of Phase 1 research would then be combined to form the " Community Health Service Center Infrastructure Configuration Requirements and Design Suggestions (Draft)". Then, relevant experts were brought together to discuss the draft and form the " Community Health Service Center Infrastructure Configuration Requirements and Design Recommendations (Revised Version)". The experts involved in the discussion specialized in the study of infrastructure resource allocation for medical institutions. Finally, the medical and healthcare system managers, community health service center users, and relevant commissions and bureaus of Pudong New Area were consulted to further revise and finalize the Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Results:The total floor area of community health service centers in Pudong New Area was 57% (31/55), the number of beds per 1 000 people was 14% (8/55), and the total number of beds was 10% (6/60). These figures showed that urgent upgrades and construction in accordance with the new standards were required. The final " Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers" of Shanghai Pudong New Area comprised 15 chapters, covering topics from the macro construction scale, site selection and general plan to architectural design, structural design, water supply and sewage treatment, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical systems, informatics, medical gas supply, indoor design, signage, marking and fire protection, etc. The guidelines have been revised to incorporate the functional design of the 5 basic rooms, with a particular focus on the creating humanistic spaces and promoting digitalization. Particular attention was paid to creating humanistic spaces and improving ageing with digital applications. Conclusions:The Guidelines for the Construction of Community Health Service Centers in Pudong New Area of Shanghai have been successfully formulated. These guidelines can be used to guide the subsequent high-quality and standardized development of community health service centers.