INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat, with millions of deaths attributed to it annually. Antibiotic stewardship to combat AMR is the responsibility of all healthcare professionals. Despite evidence suggesting that it is unnecessary, dentists routinely prescribe prophylactic antibiotics following third molar (3M) surgeries. METHOD: This mixed-methods study examined the behavioural barriers influencing antibiotic prescribing practices within the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the National University Centre for Oral Health Singapore. This study used the capability, opportunity and motivation for behavioural change or COM-B framework to implement interventions targeting the behavioural barriers. RESULTS: Pre- and post-intervention data over 6 months showed a significant reduction in antibiotic prescriptions from 84.45% to 20.89%, following the implementation of COM-B strategies (P<0.001). Qualitative feedback from focus group discussions highlighted a positive shift in clinicians' attitudes towards antibiotic reduction, acknowledging the minimal infection risk associated with non-prescribing practices. Notably, complication rates remained stable throughout the study period, indicating no adverse effects from reduced antibiotic usage. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrated that the COM-B model can be successfully applied to modify deeply ingrained prescription habits, and underscored the effectiveness of a structured behavioural change intervention in enhancing compliance with antibiotic stewardship guidelines. The study advocates continuation of initiatives to sustain this positive trend and mitigate AMR in clinical practice.
Humans ; Molar, Third/surgery* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Singapore ; Antimicrobial Stewardship/methods* ; Practice Patterns, Dentists'/statistics & numerical data* ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; Female ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Male ; Tooth Extraction ; Adult ; Focus Groups ; Practice Patterns, Physicians'

At present, the cause of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in China has entered a new period of high-quality development. How to strengthen the foundation for the TCM industry from the source is an important issue that deserves the attention of the authorities, industry, and academia. This study systematically analyzed the regulatory system of TCM raw materials and preparations. The study took the TCM industry chain and the product life cycle as a clue and focused on the dimensions of TCM resource protection and plant cultivation(farming), production and quality supervision of TCM raw materials and preparations, and their market access and distribution. It analyzed the current situation of the regulation of TCM raw materials and preparations under the regulatory system of drugs, discussed the main problems, and put forward corresponding suggestions. The results can provide an important reference value for the subsequent improvement of the regulatory system of drugs and the construction of a prominent regulatory system of drugs in accordance with TCM characteristics.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/economics* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; China ; Quality Control ; Humans ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*

Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum is a precious animal-derived Chinese medicinal material, while there are often adulterants derived from animals not specified in the Chinese Pharmacopeia in the market, which disturbs the safety of medication. This study was conducted with the aim of strengthening the quality control of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum and standardizing the medication. To achieve digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum from different sources, a digital identification model was constructed based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E) combined with an adaptive boosting algorithm(Adaboost). The young furred antlers of sika deer, red deer, elk, and reindeer were processed and then subjected to polypeptide analysis by UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E. Then, the mass spectral data reflecting the polypeptide information were obtained by digital quantification. Next, the key data were obtained by feature screening based on Gini index, and the digital identification model was constructed by Adaboost. The model was evaluated based on the recall rate, F_1 composite score, and accuracy. Finally, the results of identification based on the constructed digital identification model were validated. The results showed that when the Gini index was used to screen the data of top 100 characteristic polypeptides, the digital identification model based on Adaboost had the best performance, with the recall rate, F_1 composite score, and accuracy not less than 0.953. The validation analysis showed that the accuracy of the identification of the 10 batches of samples was as high as 100.0%. Therefore, based on UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E and Adaboost algorithm, the digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum can be realized efficiently and accurately, which can provide reference for the quality control and original animal identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Animals ; Algorithms ; Antlers/chemistry* ; Boosting Machine Learning Algorithms ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Deer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Quality Control ; Reindeer ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Tissue Extracts/analysis*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the whole-genome differential methylation profile of patients with high-altitude polycythemia (HAPC). METHODS: In this study, a total of 20 adult male patients with HAPC were included, including 10 Tibetan and 10 Han patients. The control group consisted of 20 healthy adult males, including 10 Tibetan and 10 Han patients. Peripheral blood was collected from each group for DNA extraction and quality inspection, and DNA libraries were constructed. The differential methylation regions (DMRs) between groups were detected using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing, with enriched regions compared to those of the control group. The differential enrichment regions were selected, and the intersection of the enriched regions was associated with genes. The methylation enrichment regions that differed significantly between groups were filtered based on the number of enriched samples in the enriched regions between the groups. GO, KEGG functional, and pathway analysis were performed on the differentially associated gene sets to reveal significant differences between the patients and control groups at the functional and pathway levels. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, 17 152 sites with more than 25% difference and 15 558 sites with less than -25% difference were identified in Tibetan patients. The top 5 genes with the largest methylation differences between the two groups were MCCC2, RP3-399L15.3, ZNF621, RP11-394A14.2 and SLC39A10. The top significantly different pathways annotated in the differentially expressed genes pathway was serotonergic synapse. In comparison with the control group, 2 687 CpG sites with a greater than 25% difference and 2 602 CpG sites with a less than -25% difference were identified in Han patients. The top 5 genes with the largest methylation differences between the two groups were NAA25, CORO2B, PDC, ZNF853, and MLLT10. The top significantly different pathways annotated in the differentially expressed genes pathway were glutamatergic synapse, retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, Rap1 signaling pathway and cholinergic synapse. In comparison with the control group, 3 895 CpG sites with a greater than 25% difference and 3 969 CpG sites with a less than -25% difference were identified in HAPC patients. The maximum methylation difference between the two groups could reach 78.1%, while the minimum was -42.6%. The top 5 genes with the largest methylation differences between the two groups were MCCC2, ARSJ, CTNNA3, SLC39A10, and SWAP70. The top significantly different pathways annotated in the differentially expressed genes pathway was signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells. CONCLUSION The occurrence of HAPC may be related to abnormal changes in DNA methylation, and methylation sites may be helpful for the early diagnosis of HAPC.
Humans ; DNA Methylation ; Altitude ; Polycythemia/genetics* ; Male ; Adult ; CpG Islands

Objective:To investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of regulating miR-155 on young rats with dysfunction of blood coagulation.Methods:Twenty-six healthy and clean SD male rats were selected to establish the coagulopathy models.Twenty-four rats successfully established models and were randomly divided into three groups:model group,up-regulated miR-155 group and down-regulated miR-155 group,with 8 rats in each group.The expression of miR-155 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The changes of coagulation factors and coagulation indicators were observed.Liver pathological tissues were observed by HE staining.The expressions of HMGB1-RAGE/TLRs-NF-κB signaling pathway related proteins were detected by Western blot.Results:Compared with model group,the expressions of HMGB1,RAGE,TLR2,TLR4 and NF-κB were significantly increased in up-regulated miR-155 group(all P＜0.05),while decreased in down-regulated miR-155 group(all P＜0.05).Compared with model group,the expressions of coagulation factor Ⅱ,Ⅶ,Ⅸ,and X were significantly decreased in up-regulated miR-155 group(all P＜0.05),while increased in down-regulated miR-155 group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the expression of coagulation factor Ⅺ among the three groups(P＞0.05).Compared with model group,the levels of prothrombin time(PT)and activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT)were lower and fibrinogen(FIB)was higher in up-regulated miR-155 group(all P＜0.05),while in the down-regulated miR-155 group they were opposite.Conclusion:Down-regulation of miR-155 can effectively improve coagulation factors and coagulation indexes and inhibit inflammation in young rats with dysfunction of blood coagulopathy,and the mechanism may be related to HMGB1-RAGE/TLRs-NF-κ B signaling pathway.

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection in children with respiratory tract infection in Yangzhou , and provide theoretical guidance for the prevention of this disease. Methods Pharyngeal swab sample was collected from Children of 21 403 in the Respiratory Infection Outpatient Department of Subei People's Hospital in Jiangsu Province from January 2022 to December 2023,and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect MP-DNA in samples to analyze the detection of MP . A self-made questionnaire was used to collect information on children's hand hygiene, family dietary habits, indoor air conditioning usage, and outdoor exercise. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children. Results The overall infection rate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in resident children aged 0-14 in Yangzhou from 2022 to 2023 was 32.04%（6 857/21 403）. There was an age difference in the positive rate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children, with a higher incidence in the 7-14 years old ( P < 0.001) . There were differences in the infection rate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children with different BMI, geographical location, exercise intensity , frequency of using air conditioning ventilation mode, frequency of washing hands before and after meals, frequency of daily drinks、sweets or snacks, and frequency of brushing teeth per day ( P < 0.05 ) .The logistic regression results showed that age between 1-3 years old , BMI ≥ 24 , and never washing hands before and after meals were independent influencing factors for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children ; monthly cumulative precipitation , PM_2.5 , and O₃ increase the risk of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children , while PM10 reduces the risk of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children. Conclusion The positive rate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 7-14 year old children in Yangzhou is relatively high. BMI, never washing hands before and after meals, and meteorological factors are closely related to Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Objective To find potential biomarkers and analyzing metabolic pathways of the treatment by honey-processed Hedysari Radix,the cecal contents of rats with spleen-Qi deficiency were used as samples for analysis.Methods Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank,model,experimental and control groups.The rats in other groups except the control group were carried out by using the three-factor compound modeling method of bitter-cold diarrhea,excessive exertion and hunger and satiety disorders.Experimental group was given 12.60 g·kg-1 honey-processed Hedysari Radix;control group was given 0.63 g·kg-1 lactobacillus bifidum triplex tabletsa;control and model groups received with equal volume of distilled water for a total of 15 days.Measure body weight,anal temperature,immune organ index of rats.Ultra-pressure liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive-mass spectrometry technology was used to measure the levels of endogenous metabolites in cecum contents.Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and database"Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes"were used to identify potential differential metabolites and possible metabolic pathways.Results After the intervention,the average body weight of the experimental,control,model and blank groups was(216.87±7.85),(210.96±9.03),(159.47±5.18)and(293.51±22.98)g;anal temperature was(36.14±0.48),(35.40±0.64),(34.50±0.78)and(36.61±0.34)℃;the thymus indexes were(1.19±0.20),(1.24±0.25),(0.47±0.15)and(1.31±0.21)mg·g-1;the spleen indexes were(1.95±0.33),(2.18±0.28),(1.61±0.27)and(2.29±0.24)mg·g-1.Compared with the model group,the above indexes of the experimental group and the control group were significantly increased(all P＜0.01).A total of 14 potential biomarkers of Honey-processed Hedysari Radix in treating spleen-Qi deficiency syndrome were screened out in this study,which mainly involved amino acid metabolism such as tryptophan and glutamate,riboflavin metabolism and adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase metabolism.Conclusion Honey-processed Hedysari Radix can further protect the intestinal mucosal barrier and reduce the intestinal inflammatory response by improving the metabolic level of cecum contents in rats with spleen-Qi deficiency in cecum contents,thus exerting the effect of strengthening the spleen and tonifying the Qi.

Objective To investigate the effect of icotinib on right ventricular remodeling in rats with monocrotaline(MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension(PH).Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group(0.3％sodium carboxymethyl cellulose),model group and low,high dose experimental groups(30,60 mg·kg-1 icotinib),8 rats in each group.PH rat model was established by single intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg·kg-1 MCT in model group and low,high dose experimental groups.The drug was administered continuously for 4 weeks after MCT injection.The hemodynamic indexes of each group were detected.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)staining was used to detect the apoptosis of right ventricular cardiomyocytes.The protein levels of B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax),cleaved cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-3(cleaved-caspase-3),epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR),phosphorylated EGFR(p-EGFR),optic atrophy 1(Opa1)and mitofusin 2(Mfn2)were detected by Western blot analysis.Results The right ventricular systolic pressure in low,high dose experimental groups and control group,model group were(38.58±4.98),(34.15±3.88),(23.66±2.45)and(45.07±5.78)mmHg;the mean pulmonary artery pressure were(27.85±3.77),(24.25±3.09),(17.33±2.46)and(33.07±4.15)mmHg;the right ventricle(RV)to left ventricle+septum were(36.38±5.51)％,(33.63±4.69)％,(22.25±2.96)％and(42.50±7.33)％;the RV to tibial length were(69.33±7.86),(62.69±7.17),(49.12±6.42)and(78.22±9.07)mg·cm-1.There were significant differences in the above indexes between low,high dose experimental groups and model group(all P＜0.01).There were significant differences in Bcl-2,Bax,cleaved caspase-3,p-EGFR,Opa1,Mfn2 between low,high dose experimental groups and model group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion Icotinib can inhibit right ventricular remodeling in PH rats induced by MCT,and its mechanism may be related to reducing the phosphorylation level of EGFR in the right ventricle,alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Objective To observe the curative effect of comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)therapy for the treatment of refractory sudden hearing loss(i.e.,suffering sudden hearing loss more than 2 weeks),and to analyze the factors that may affect the prognosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out in 405 hospitalized patients with refractory sudden hearing loss who were treated in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology,the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from 2005 to 2022.The patients were all treated by comprehensive TCM therapy including oral administration of Chinese medicine,acupuncture,acupoint seed-pressing application after individualized syndrome differentiation.The overall clinical efficacy was evaluated,and the difference of efficacy in the patients with various courses of disease,degrees of deafness,types of hearing curve,concomitant symptoms and TCM syndrome types,having or not having previous treatment history was analyzed.Results For the 405 patients with refractory sudden hearing loss,the cure rate was 5.7％and the total effective rate was 28.1％.Among the 405 patients,the best efficacy was achieved in the patients with mild hearing loss,low-frequency decline type of hearing curve,and having no previous treatment history,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the efficacy of patients with different courses of disease,with or without concomitant symptoms,or with various syndrome types(P＞0.05).Conclusion The comprehensive TCM therapy has a certain effect on refractory sudden hearing loss.Patients with poor efficacy after conventional western medicine can still benefit from the comprehensive TCM therapy.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the associations of serum folate and/or vitamin B12 concentrations with obesity among Chinese children and adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted including 3,079 Chinese children and adolescents,aged 6 to 17 years,from Jiangsu,China.Anthropometric indices,such as,children's body mass index(BMI),BMI z-scores,waist circumference,and waist-to-height ratio were utilized.Multivariable linear regression and generalized additive models were used to investigate the associations of serum folate and vitamin B12 levels with anthropometric indices and odds of obesity. Results We observed that serum vitamin B12 concentrations were inversely associated with all anthropometric indices and the odds of general obesity[odds ratio(OR)= 0.68;95%confidence interval(CI)= 0.59,0.78]and abdominal obesity(OR = 0.68;95%CI = 0.60,0.77).When compared to participants with both serum vitamin levels in the two middle quartiles,those with both serum folate and vitamin B12 levels in the highest quartile were less prone to general(OR = 0.31,95%CI = 0.19,0.50)or abdominal obesity(OR = 0.46,95%CI = 0.31,0.67).Conversely,participants with vitamin B12 levels in the lowest quartile alongside folate levels in the highest quartile had higher odds of abdominal obesity(OR = 2.06,95%CI = 1.09,3.91). Conclusion Higher serum vitamin B12 concentrations,but not serum folate concentrations,were associated with lower odds of childhood obesity.Children and adolescents with high levels of vitamin B12 and folate were less likely to be obese.