BackgroundFear of progression is one of the typical psychological consequences in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. The level of fear of progression is affected by the illness perception status， and the link between social support and fear of progression is acknowledged， whereas the mechanism underlying the three remains unclear due to the lack of empirical research evidence and needs to be further studied. ObjectiveTo explore the mediating role of social support in the relationship between illness perception and fear of progression in COPD patients， and to provide references for effectively alleviating fear in COPD patients. MethodsA total of 435 COPD patients admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine， the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from March 9 to July 31， 2024 were selected as the study objects. The Chinese version of Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form （FoP-Q-SF）， Chinese version of Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire （BIPQ） and Social Support Rate Scale （SSRS） were used for the evaluation. Pearson's coefficient was calculated to assess the correlation among above scales. Model 4 of the Process macro 3.4.1 for SPSS 25.0 was used to test the mediating effect of social support on the relationship between illness perception and fear of progression， with Bootstrapping used to evaluate the significance of mediating effect. ResultsA total of 412 patients （94.71%） completed this study.BIPQ score was positively correlated with FoP-Q-SF score （r=0.238， P<0.01）， and negatively correlated with SSRS score in COPD patients （r=-0.260， P<0.01）. FoP-Q-SF score was negatively correlated with SSRS score （r=-0.271， P<0.01）. Social support mediated the relationship between illness perception and fear of progression， with an indirect effect value of 0.025 （95% CI： 0.009~0.041）， accounting for 13.02% of the total effect. ConclusionIllness perception can affect the fear of progression in COPD patients both directly and indirectly through social support. ［Funded by Nursing Research Project of Sichuan Province （number， H22010）］

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of plasma exchange (PE) in thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (MG), thereby to provide theoretical support for its application in the treatment of thymoma-associated MG. Methods: A total of 133 patients with thymoma-associated MG admitted from January 2018 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were matched using propensity score to reduce selection bias, yielding 22 matched pairs for both PE group (n=22) and non-PE group (n=22). Patient characteristics including gender, age of disease onset, course of disease, history of thymoma resection, clinical absolute scores [clinical absolute scores (CAS) and clinical relative scores (CRS)], and synchronized immunotherapy regimen of the two groups were analyzed. The CAS scores before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the CRS was used to assess the treatment efficiency. Safety of the two treatment regimens were also compared. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test or ANOVA, while categorical data were compared by the chi-square test. Results: A total of 133 patients were included and divided into two groups according to whether they underwent plasma exchange treatment: the PE group (n=22) and the non-PE group (n=111). To exclude bias caused by large difference in the number of cases between the two groups, we performed propensity score matching. After matching, the number of cases in both groups was 22. There was no significant difference in baseline clinical characteristics between the two groups (P>0.05), including gender, age of onset, duration of disease course, history of thymectomy and baseline CAS score before treatment. Compared to the non-PE group, patients in the PE group showed more significant improvement in CAS score (5.09±1.95 vs 3.59±1.50, P<0.05) and a higher CRS score (75.00% vs 50.00%, P<0.001). Compared to the non-PE group, PE group had significantly longer ICU stay, longer hospital stay and higher hospitalization cost (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse events between the two groups during treatment (P>0.05). During long-term follow-up, both the PE and non-PE groups showed relatively low 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence rate, with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study indicates that plasma exchange has clear value in the treatment of patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis. It can not only significantly improve patients' muscle strength to alleviate motor dysfunction and enhance quality of life, but also does not significantly increase the incidence of adverse reactions. Therefore, it can be regarded as one of the preferred treatment options that achieve a "balance between efficacy and safety" for such patients, and provides an important basis for optimizing treatment strategies, improving prognosis, and promoting the application of subsequent treatment regimens.

Wumei Pills, a classic traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula, are widely used in the treatment of biliary ascariasis and diarrhea. In recent years, studies have shown that Wumei Pills have advantages in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), while there are no relevant reports that systematically evaluate the efficacy of Wumei Pills in the treatment of T2DM. This study addresses this issue by systematically evaluating the efficacy and safety of Wumei Pills, aiming to provide an evidence-based basis for clinical practice. PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were researched for the randomized controlled trial(RCT) involving Wumei Pills for the treatment of T2DM that were published from inception to September 2024. RevMan 5.3 was used for the Meta-analysis of the data. A total of 18 RCTs were included, with a total of 1 437 patients. Meta-analysis produced the following results.(1)Treatment group outperformed control group in terms of overall response rate(RR=1.28, 95%CI[1.14, 1.43], P<0.000 1), fasting blood glucose(FPG)(WMD=-0.69, 95%CI[-0.93,-0.46], P<0.000 01), two-hour postprandial plasma glucose(2hPG)(WMD=-0.74, 95%CI[-1.17,-0.31], P<0.000 7), glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c)(WMD=-0.39, 95%CI[-0.60,-0.18], P=0.000 3), high-density lipoprotein(HDL)(WMD=0.38, 95%CI[0.28, 0.48], P<0.000 01), and body mass index(BMI)(WMD=-1.41, 95%CI[-2.40,-0.42], P=0.005).(2)The two groups had comparable effects regarding total cholesterol(TC)(WMD=-0.53, 95%CI[-1.13, 0.08], P=0.09) and low-density lipoprotein(LDL)(WMD=-0.25, 95%CI[-0.56, 0.06], P=0.12).(3)Triglycerides(TG)(WMD=-0.28,95%CI [-0.59,0.03],P=0.08), sensitivity analysis showed potential reduction effect(WMD=-0.20,95%CI[-0.36,-0.04],P=0.01). Occurrence of adverse drug reaction(RR=0.43,95%CI [0.23,0.80],P=0.007), sensitivity analysis showed significant disappearance(RR=0.56,95%CI[0.26,1.22],P=0.14), suggesting that the efficacy of treatment group was not better than that of control group. The results indicate that the treatment of T2DM with Wumei Pills is greatly related to the improvement of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and clinical efficacy. The findings provide a basis for clinical application of Wumei Pills in treating T2DM, while the conclusion remains to be verified by clinical studies with higher quality.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Glycated Hemoglobin/metabolism* ; Female

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of interferon-λ1 (IFN-λ1) on glucocorticoid (GC) resistance in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) stimulated by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). METHODS: HBECs were divided into five groups: control, dexamethasone, IFN-λ1, RSV, and RSV+IFN-λ1. CCK-8 assay was used to measure the effect of different concentrations of IFN-λ1 on the viability of HBECs, and the sensitivity of HBECs to dexamethasone was measured in each group. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). Western blot was used to measure the protein expression level of GR in cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and the nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio of GR was calculated. RESULTS: At 24 and 72 hours, the proliferation activity of HBECs increased with the increase in IFN-λ1 concentration in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P˂0.05). Compared with the RSV group, the RSV+IFN-λ1 group had significant reductions in the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of dexamethasone and the mRNA expression level of p38 MAPK (P<0.05), as well as significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of GR and MKP-1, the level of GR in cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and the nuclear/cytoplasmic GR ratio (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS IFN-λ1 can inhibit the p38 MAPK pathway by upregulating MKP-1, promote the nuclear translocation of GR, and thus ameliorate GC resistance in HBECs.
Humans ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Glucocorticoids/pharmacology* ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid/analysis* ; Dual Specificity Phosphatase 1/physiology* ; Dexamethasone/pharmacology* ; Drug Resistance/drug effects* ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Interferons/pharmacology* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects* ; Epithelial Cells/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cells, Cultured

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease that has been prevalent since December 2019. Chinese medicine (CM) has demonstrated its unique advantages in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of disease prevention, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression. This review summarized the relevant material components of CM in the treatment of COVID-19 by searching the relevant literature and reports on CM in the treatment of COVID-19 and combining with the physiological and pathological characteristics of the novel coronavirus. On the basis of sorting out experimental methods in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism of herb action was further clarified in terms of inhibiting virus invasion and replication and improving related complications. The aim of the article is to explore the strengths and characteristics of CM in the treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for the research and scientific, standardized treatment of COVID-19 with CM.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; SARS-CoV-2/drug effects* ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Animals

Sarin(GB)is a typical representative of nerve agents with high toxicity,and very low amount can cause death.GB can cause water and atmospheric environment poisoning,so the detection of GB in water and air is of great significance.In this work,a colorimetric sensor array(CSA)based on GB inhibition of cholinesterase activity was constructed to detect GB with high selectivity.A 4×4 colorimetric array was constructed using acetylcholinesterase(AChE),butyryl cholinesterase(BuChE)and the corresponding substrate acetylthiocholine iodide(S-ACh),butyryl thiocholine iodide(S-BCh),acetylcholine chloride(ACh),butyryl choline chloride(BCh)and 2,6-dichloroindophenol ethyl ester(DCIE).The linear curve of the sensor was Y=131.3×lgC+271.6(R2=0.997),where Y was the array response Euclidean distance,C was the concentration of GB(mg/L),the linear range was 0.03?0.32 mg/L,and the detection limit was 27.6 μg/L.The method could effectively distinguish chemical warfare agents(CWA)such as VX,Soman(GD),mustard gas(HD),Louie reagent(L),and had high anti-interference ability,sensitivity and good repeatability.It was successfully applied to the detection of GB in simulated water and simulated air samples,and the sample recovery rate was 97.2% ?100.9%.This method would be potentially applied to the field rapid detection of nerve agents.

Objective To investigate the anatomical and microscopic structures of interstitial fluid flow channels in the skin tissue of hand dorsum in human cadavers.Methods Totally 7 fresh cadavers within 12 hours post-mortem were included.MRI was used to observe the distribution of interstitial fluid flow from the first phalanx of the fingers to the wrist,precisely locating the flow channels.Based on imaging results,histological analyses were conducted to determine the histological characteristics of the flow channels.Furthermore,multi-immunofluorescence and microcomputed tomography(Micro-CT)techniques were employed to analyze the channels,and image post-processing was used to elucidate their anatomical structures at the microscopic level.Results After injecting a contrast agent into the first phalanx of ten finger specimens and applying repeated pressure,MRI image revealed centripetal long-range interstitial fluid flow along channels distinct from blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.Histological analysis and Micro-CT further confirmed that the flow primarily occurred within the fibrous connective tissue and adventitia of the skin.Conclusion The orderly fibrous connective tissue and adventitia in the skin form the interstitial fluid flow channels in the human hand dorsum skin,named as"stromal membrane channels"in the skin.

Under the new situation of establishing the new standard system for pharmaceutical packaging materials in the 2025 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and promulgating the appendix on pharmaceutical packaging ma-terials in the Good Manufacturing Practice for Drugs,it is urgently necessary to introduce relevant standards for quality agreements on pharmaceutical packaging materials.This article focuses on analyzing the development of group standards for pharmaceutical packaging materials under the new situation,the role and significance of quality agreements for pharmaceutical packaging materials,as well as the interpretation of key parts of the"Guidelines for the Management of Quality Agreements for Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials",in order to help enterprises quick-ly shift from the original"standard-only"approach to strengthening the quality management of the entire product life cycle through quality agreements.

Objective To retrospectively assess the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at the Huiyin point combined with Qingdu wash solution in the treatment of high-risk HPV infection.Methods A total of 264 patients who were initially diagnosed with high-risk HPV infection at the University City Gynecology Department of Guang-dong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2022 and June 2024 were enrolled in the study.These patients were divided into two groups based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.The ob-servation group included 134 patients who received acupuncture at the Huiyin acupoint combined with Qingdu wash solution,while the control group consisted of 130 patients who did not receive any intervention.The treatment pe-riod lasted for three months,during which the short-term clinical efficacy and safety profile were evaluated.Results The HR-HPV clearance rates in the observation group at 3 months and 6 months were 61.9%and 65.7%,respectively,which were significantly higher than those in the control group(16.9%and 21.5%),and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant(P<0.001).Following a three-month treatment regimen,the rate of HR-HPV positive-to-negative conversion in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group,with a statistically significant intergroup difference(P<0.001).The improvement in tra-ditional Chinese medicine(TCM)-related symptoms was also significantly better in the observation group compared to the control group(P<0.05).During the follow-up period,no cases of recurrence were observed in the observa-tion group,whereas the recurrence rate in the control group was 1.5%.Furthermore,no adverse reactions were re-ported in the observation group throughout the treatment period.Conclusion Acupuncture at the Huiyin point,when combined with Qingdu wash solution,can enhance the therapeutic outcomes of high-risk HPV infection and demonstrates a favorable safety profile.

Objective To study the risk factors and strain resistance of Escherichia coli with extended-spectrum β-lactamases(ESBL)-producing bloodstream infection,so as to provide clinical basis for rational use of antibiotics and effective prevention and control of bloodstream infection.Methods The clinical data of patients with bloodstream infections caused by Escherichia coli in a tertiary hospital in Chongqing from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively collected.The clinical characteristics and drug resistance of bloodstream infections caused by Escherichia coli were statistically analysed.According to the ESBL confirmation test of Escherichia coli strains,the patients were divided into the ESBL-producing group and the non-ESBL-producing group.The chi-square test was used to compare the differences in influencing factors between the two groups,and then the independent influencing factors of ESBL production were analyzed through multivariate Logistic regression.Results A total of 408 patients were included.The detection rate of ESBL-producing strains was 60.3％(246/408),and the detection rates in the nephrology department and the intensive care unit were relatively high(both＞76.0％).Diabetes[OR=1.98,95％CI(1.24,3.17)]and urinary tract intubation[OR=1.60,95％CI(1.02,2.51)]were independent influencing factors for bloodstream infection with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli.The resistance rate of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli to levofloxacin and ceftriaxone was＞90.0％.Moreover,the resistance rates of the second-generation cephalosporins(except ceftazidime),compound sulfamethoxazole,ciprofloxacin and amtronam were significantly higher than those in the non-ESBL-producing group(P＜0.05).Both groups of strains showed high sensitivity to amikacin and carbapenem drugs.Conclusion The severe current situation of bloodstream infections caused by ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in this region showing a high prevalence of drug resistance characteristics.Diabetes and urinary tract intubation,as independent risk factors,suggest that key monitoring should be implemented for such high-risk populations in clinical practice.Given that ESBL-producing strains remain sensitive to carbapenems and amikacin,it can be recommended as the first empirical medication.It is of great public health significance to achieve the effect of curbing the spread of such multi-drug resistant bacteria by establishing an early warning system based on risk factor assessment and standardized management of invasive operations.