Although symptomatic treatment is widely applied in clinical practice， it is often regarded as a relatively low-level therapeutic method. Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） state theory， the macroscopic， mesoscopic， and microscopic characterization parameters of TCM symptomatology are horizontally integrated， the full life cycle of states （pre-disease， incipient disease， manifest disease， post-disease） is vertically covered， and the cognitive system of "symptoms" is reconstructed from multiple dimensions. Accordingly， the application approach of symptomatic treatment at different state stages is proposed： implementing preventive intervention in the pre-disease state， strengthening the interception of disease progression in the incipient disease state， regulating dynamic development and treatment in the manifest disease state， and formulating a staged diagnosis and treatment strategy which focuses on functional rehabilitation in the post-disease state.

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in China, and a large amount of pharmaceutical residue generated during its processing and production is discarded as waste, which not only wastes resources but also pollutes the environment. Therefore, elucidating the chemical composition of the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and the differences between the residue and Sophorae Flavescentis Radix itself is of great significance for the comprehensive utilization of the residue. This study, based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technology combined with multivariate statistical methods, provides a thorough characterization, identification, and differential analysis of the overall components of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue. Firstly, 61 compounds in Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were rapidly identified based on their precise molecular weight, fragment ions, and compound abundance, using a self-constructed compound database. Among them, 41 compounds were found in the residue, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Secondly, through principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), 15 key compounds differentiating Sophorae Flavescentis Radix from its residue were identified. These included highly polar alkaloids, such as oxymatrine and oxysophocarpine, which showed significantly reduced content in the residue, and less polar flavonoids, such as kurarinone and kuraridin, which were more abundant in the residue. In summary, this paper clarifies the overall composition, structure, and content differences between Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue, suggesting that the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix can be used as a raw material for the extraction of its high-activity components, with promising potential for development and application in cosmetics and daily care. This research provides a scientific basis for the future comprehensive utilization of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sophora/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/chemistry*

Acute lung injury(ALI) is a critical clinical condition primarily characterized by refractory hypoxemia and infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissue, which can progress into a more severe form known as acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). Immune cells and inflammatory cytokines play important roles in the progression of the disease. Due to its unclear pathogenesis and the lack of effective clinical treatments, ALI is associated with a high mortality rate and severely affects patients' quality of life, making the search for effective therapeutic agents particularly urgent. Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, the dried root of the perennial herb Panax ginseng from the Araliaceae family, contains active ingredients such as saponins and polysaccharides, which possess various pharmacological effects including anti-tumor activity, immune regulation, and metabolic modulation. In recent years, studies have shown that ginsenosides exhibit notable effects in reducing inflammation, ameliorating epithelial and endothelial cell injury, and providing anticoagulant action, indicating their comprehensive role in alleviating lung injury. This review summarizes the pathogenesis of ALI and the molecular mechanisms through which ginsenosides act at different stages of ALI development. The aim is to provide a scientific reference for the development of ginsenoside-based drugs targeting ALI, as well as a theoretical basis for the clinical application of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma in the treatment of ALI.
Ginsenosides/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Acute Lung Injury/immunology* ; Animals ; Panax/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal

Poor water solubility is the primary obstacle preventing the development of many pharmacologically active compounds into oral preparations. Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) have become a widely used strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs by inducing a supersaturated state, thereby improving their apparent solubility and dissolution rate. However, the supersaturated solutions formed in SNEDDS are thermodynamically unstable systems with solubility levels exceeding the crystalline equilibrium solubility, making them prone to drug precipitation in the gastrointestinal tract and ultimately hindering drug absorption. Therefore, maintaining a stable supersaturated state is crucial for the effective delivery of poorly soluble drugs. Incorporating polymers as precipitation inhibitors(PPIs) into the formulation of supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(S-SNEDDS) can inhibit drug aggregation and crystallization, thus maintaining a stable supersaturated state. This has emerged as a novel preparation strategy and a key focus in SNEDDS research. This review explores the preparation design of SNEDDS and the technical challenges involved, with a particular focus on polymer-based S-SNEDDS for enhancing the solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. It further elucidates the mechanisms by which polymers participate in transmembrane transport, summarizes the principles by which polymers sustain a supersaturated state, and discusses strategies for enhancing drug absorption. Altogether, this review provides a structured framework for the development of S-SNEDDS preparations with stable quality and reduced development risk, and offers a theoretical reference for the application of S-SNEDDS technology in improving the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Solubility ; Administration, Oral ; Polymers/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods* ; Humans ; Emulsions/chemistry* ; Biological Availability ; Animals ; Pharmaceutical Preparations/administration & dosage*

To investigate the impact of preoperative serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels on the probability of testicular sperm retrieval, we conducted a study of nonobstructive azoospermic (NOA) men with different testicular volumes (TVs) who underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). A total of 177 NOA patients undergoing micro-TESE for the first time from April 2019 to November 2022 in Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China) were retrospectively reviewed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on average TV quartiles. Serum hormone levels in each TV group were compared between positive and negative sperm retrieval subgroups. Overall sperm retrieval rate was 57.6%. FSH levels (median [interquartile range]) were higher in the positive sperm retrieval subgroup compared with the negative outcome subgroup when average TV was <5 ml (first quartile [Q1: TV <3 ml]: 43.32 [17.92] IU l -1 vs 32.95 [18.56] IU l -1 , P = 0.048; second quartile [Q2: 3 ml ≤ TV <5 ml]: 31.31 [15.37] IU l -1 vs 25.59 [18.40] IU l -1 , P = 0.042). Elevated serum FSH levels were associated with successful micro-TESE sperm retrieval in NOA men whose average TVs were <5 ml (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.06 per unit increase; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.11; P = 0.011). In men with TVs ≥5 ml, larger TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval (adjusted OR: 0.84 per 1 ml increase; 95% CI: 0.71-0.98; P = 0.029). In conclusion, elevated serum FSH levels were associated with positive sperm retrieval in micro-TESE in NOA men with TVs <5 ml. In men with TV ≥5 ml, increases in average TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Sperm Retrieval/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Testis/pathology* ; Microdissection ; Organ Size

OBJECTIVE: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or metal(loid)s individually has been associated with neural tube defects (NTDs). However, the impacts of PAH and metal(loid) co-exposure and potential interaction effects on NTD risk remain unclear. We conducted a case-control study in China among population with a high prevalence of NTDs to investigate the combined effects of PAH and metal(loid) exposures on the risk of NTD. METHODS: Cases included 80 women who gave birth to offspring with NTDs, whereas controls were 50 women who delivered infants with no congenital malformations. We analyzed the levels of placental PAHs using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, PAH-DNA adducts with ³²P-post-labeling method, and metal(loid)s with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Unconditional logistic regression was employed to estimate the associations between individual exposures and NTDs. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized regression models were used to select a subset of exposures, while additive interaction models were used to identify interaction effects. RESULTS: In the single-exposure models, we found that eight PAHs, PAH-DNA adducts, and 28 metal(loid)s were associated with NTDs. Pyrene, selenium, molybdenum, cadmium, uranium, and rubidium were selected through LASSO regression and were statistically associated with NTDs in the multiple-exposure models. Women with high levels of pyrene and molybdenum or pyrene and selenium exhibited significantly increased risk of having offspring with NTDs, indicating that these combinations may have synergistic effects on the risk of NTDs. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that individual PAHs and metal(loid)s, as well as their interactions, may be associated with the risk of NTDs, which warrants further investigation.
Humans ; Neural Tube Defects/chemically induced* ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/adverse effects* ; Female ; Case-Control Studies ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Pregnancy ; Environmental Pollutants ; Maternal Exposure/adverse effects* ; Metals/toxicity* ; Young Adult ; Risk Factors

Patients with premature ovarian insufficiency(POI)suffer from a significant decline in ovarian function,which severely affects their fertility.To date,there is no definitive and effective treatment for patients with POI accompanied by infertility.Professor Wang Wen-jun proposed the principles of"integrating Chinese and western medicine,precise medication""treating the root cause,adhering to the treatment rules and adjusting the prescription"and"being cautious of the subtle,preventing the gradual,and treating before changes occur"which have been effective when Chinese and western medicines are used in combination.This article also introduces three cases of patients with POI accompanied by infertility who successfully became pregnant after being treated with Professor Wang Wen-jun's integrated Chinese and western medicine treatment plan,aiming to provide ideas for the integrated treatment of POI accompanied by infertility.

Objective To explore the current situation of the clean operating rooms in Guangdong provincial hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine or integrated Chinese and western medicine to provide references for standardizing the construc-tion of the clean operating room.Methods A questionnaire was designed according to GB 50333-2013 Architectural technical code for hospital clean operating department and WS/T 368-2012 Management specification of air cleaning technique in hospitals,and a questionnaire survey and field investigation were conducted from March to October 2021 on the operating rooms of 64 secondary and above hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine or integrated Chinese and western medicine in Guangdong province,which involved in the basic situation of the operating rooms,general requirements for constructing clean operating rooms,requirements for the layout of clean operating rooms and architectural decorations of the clean operating rooms.Results Of the 64 hospitals surveyed there were 51 ones(79.7％)with clean operating rooms.Tertiary hospitals were mainly equipped with Class Ⅲ clean operating rooms(45.8％),secondary hospitals were provided with general operating rooms(35.0％)and Class Ⅲ clean operating rooms(29.2％),and the differences in the types and classes of the operating rooms in levels of hospitals were statistically significant(P＜0.001).The proportions of tertiary hospitals configured with clean operating rooms and the highest configuration of Class I clean operating rooms were also significantly higher than those of secondary hospitals(94.3％vs 62.1％and 88.6％vs 44.8％,respectively),with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).There were 66.7％hospitals equipped with negative pressure operating rooms;more than 1/2(56.9％)of the hospitals had the service time of their clean operating rooms longer than 10 years.All the tertiary hospitals did not have air shower rooms in their walkways,while 16.7％secondary hospitals did,with the difference being statistically significant(P＜0.05).Most of the building decorations of clean operating rooms in all the hospitals complied with the specifications(compliance rate＞80.0％),and the difference was not statistically significant between the secondary and tertiary hospitals(P＞0.05);the compliance rate of the decrations of the tertiary hospitals was 78.8％for the requirements of general principle,which was obviously lower than that of the secondary hospitals(100％),with the differences being statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion The clean operating rooms in Guangdong provincial hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine or integrated Chinese and western medicine behave well in configuration,while have some defficiencies in general requirements,layout and building,and necessary guidance,supervision and management have to be involved in to standardize the construction of clean operating rooms.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(10):77-83]

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with Vibrio vulnificus infection, share diagnosis and treatment experience, and establish a rapid diagnosis procedure for this disease. Methods:This study was a retrospective case series study. From January 2009 to November 2022, 11 patients with Vibrio vulnificus infection who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Burns and Wound Repair of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University. The gender, age, time of onset of illness, time of admission, time of diagnosis, route of infection, underlying diseases, affected limbs, clinical manifestations and signs on admission, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine, procalcitonin, albumin, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and blood sodium levels on admission, culture results and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) results of pathogenic bacteria and the Vibrio vulnificus drug susceptibility test results during hospitalization, treatment methods, length of hospital stay, and outcomes of all patients were recorded. Comparative analysis was conducted on the admission time and diagnosis time of patients with and without a history of exposure to seawater/marine products, as well as the fatality ratio and amputation of limbs/digits ratio of patients with and without early adequate antibiotic treatment. For the survived patients with hand involvement, the hand function was assessed using Brunnstrom staging at the last follow-up. Based on patients' clinical characteristics and treatment conditions, a rapid diagnosis procedure for Vibrio vulnificus infection was established. Results:There were 7 males and 4 females among the patients, aged (56±17) years. Most of the patients developed symptoms in summer and autumn. The admission time was 3.00 (1.00, 4.00) d after the onset of illness, and the diagnosis time was 4.00 (2.00, 8.00) d after the onset of illness. There were 7 and 4 patients with and without a history of contact with seawater/marine products, respectively, and the admission time of these two types of patients was similar ( P>0.05). The diagnosis time of patients with a history of contact with seawater/marine products was 2.00 (2.00, 5.00) d after the onset of illness, which was significantly shorter than 9.00 (4.25, 13.00) d after the onset of illness for patients without a history of contact with seawater/marine products ( Z=-2.01, P<0.05). Totally 10 patients had underlying diseases. The affected limbs were right-hand in 8 cases, left-hand in 1 case, and lower limb in 2 cases. On admission, a total of 9 patients had fever; 11 patients had pain at the infected site, and redness and swelling of the affected limb, and 9 patients each had ecchymosis/necrosis and blisters/blood blisters; 6 patients suffered from shock, and 2 patients developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. On admission, there were 8 patients with abnormal white blood cell count, hemoglobin, and albumin levels, 10 patients with abnormal CRP, procalcitonin, and NT-proBNP levels, 5 patients with abnormal creatinine and blood sodium levels, and fewer patients with abnormal platelet count, ALT, and AST levels. During hospitalization, 4 of the 11 wound tissue/exudation samples had positive pathogenic bacterial culture results, and the result reporting time was 5.00 (5.00, 5.00) d; 4 of the 9 blood specimens had positive pathogenic bacterial culture results, and the result reporting time was 3.50 (1.25, 5.00) d; the mNGS results of 7 wound tissue/exudation or blood samples were all positive, and the result reporting time was 1.00 (1.00, 2.00) d. The three strains of Vibrio vulnificus detected were sensitive to 10 commonly used clinical antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and amikacin, etc. A total of 10 patients received surgical treatment, 4 of whom had amputation of limbs/digits; all patients received anti-infection treatment. The length of hospital stay of 11 patients was (26±11) d, of whom 9 patients were cured and 2 patients died. Compared with that of the 6 patients who did not receive early adequate antibiotic treatment, the 5 patients who received early adequate antibiotic treatment had no significant changes in the fatality ratio or amputation of limbs/digits ratio ( P>0.05). In 3 months to 2 years after surgery, the hand function of 8 patients was assessed, with results showing 4 cases of disabled hands, 2 cases of incompletely disabled hands, and 2 cases of recovered hands. When a patient had clinical symptoms of limb redness and swelling and a history of contact with seawater/marine products or a pre-examination triage RiCH score of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis ≥1, the etiological testing should be initiated immediately to quickly diagnose Vibrio vulnificus infection. Conclusions:Vibrio vulnificus infection occurs most frequently in summer and autumn, with clinical manifestations and laboratory test results showing obvious infection characteristics, and may be accompanied by damage to multiple organ functions. Both the fatality and disability ratios are high and have a great impact on the function of the affected limbs. Early diagnosis is difficult and treatment is easily delayed, but mNGS could facilitate rapid detection. For patients with red and swollen limbs accompanied by a history of contact with seawater/marine products or with a pre-examination triage RiCH score of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis ≥1, the etiological testing should be initiated immediately to quickly diagnose Vibrio vulnificus infection.

Objective:To investigate the effects of antibacterial absorbable suture closure in the repair of small range of bone defect wounds due to deep sternal wound infection after median thoracotomy.Methods:This study was a retrospective non-randomized clinical controlled study. A total of 32 patients (20 males and 12 females, aged (58±11) years) who met the inclusion criteria and underwent closure with antibacterial absorbable sutures (hereinafter referred to as direct closure surgery) admitted to Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital of Southern Medical University (hereinafter referred to as our hospital) from October 2017 to December 2021 were included in direct closure group. A total of 39 patients (27 males and 12 females, aged (59±11) years) who met the inclusion criteria and received bilateral pectoralis major muscle flap packing repair admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to January 2020, were included in muscle flap packing group. In the two groups, sternal infected wounds were thoroughly debrided during stage Ⅰ surgery, followed by wound repair during stage Ⅱ surgery. The width of sternal cross-section defects after debridement was less than 1 cm for patients in the two groups. For patients in direct closure group, stage Ⅱ wound repair involved intermittent sutures to the anterior sternal plate or full-thickness sternum with a total of 6 or 7 double sternal sutures. Relevant data including the duration of the stage Ⅱ wound repair surgery and the volume of blood loss during surgery, length of hospital stay, and bacterial wound infection of patients in the two groups were recorded. The postoperative complications and wound healing of patients in the two groups were recorded. During follow-up, the wound infection or recurrence of patients in the two groups and the sternal healing of patients in direct closure group were observed.Results:Compared with those in muscle flap packing group, the duration of stage Ⅱ wound repair surgery and length of hospital stay of patients in direct closure group were significantly shorter (with t values of 13.61 and 6.25, respectively, P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in intraoperative blood loss volume of the stage Ⅱ wound repair surgery between the two groups ( P>0.05). The main bacterial infection in the two groups was Staphylococcus. In direct closure group, one patient had exudation in the wound two weeks post-operation, however the wound healed well after two weeks of conservative dressing changes; the wounds of the other patients healed well. In muscle flap packing group, 5 patients had postoperative complications, of which one patient died, and the wounds of 4 patients healed after dressing change or reoperation; the wounds of the other patients healed well. There was no statistically significant difference in complication incidence of patients between the two groups ( P>0.05). During the follow-up of 22-45 months, there was no re-infection or recurrence in the wound of patients in direct closure group and surviving patients in muscle flap packing group, the sternum of patients in the direct closure group achieved anatomical union. Conclusions:Direct closure surgery can not only effectively repair sternal cross-sectional defects with width below 1 cm due to deep sternal wound infections after median thoracotomy, but can also significantly shorten the operation time and duration of hospitalization.