The study focuses on the concept of multifunctional traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas and aims to evaluate the efficacy of the classical formula Xiaoyao San (逍遥散). Study employs the integrated evidence chain (Eff-iEC) method to organize, integrate, and evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in treating different diseases with the same therapy, and to investigate the feasibility of using Eff-iEC to evaluate the multifunctionality of TCM formulas. The evaluation covered Xiaoyao San's therapeutic effects on depression, premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and menopausal syndrome. Concurrently, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used for evaluation, and authoritative medical documents were incorporated to corroborate the recognition of Xiaoyao San within the medical community. Depression and menopausal syndrome received higher ratings than other conditions in the Eff-iEC, GRADE, and Medical Community Recognition assessments. The Eff-iEC evidence grade for Xiaoyao San was rated as "High" or above for chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and menopausal syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome received a "Moderate ⁺" rating. The GRADE evidence level was "Low-〇〇⨁⨁" for depression, premenstrual syndrome, and chronic hepatitis; "Moderate-〇⨁⨁⨁" for dyspepsia and menopausal syndrome; and "Very Low-〇〇〇⨁" for irritable bowel syndrome. Depression and menopausal syndrome had the highest inclusion frequency, appearing in all 4 categories. Premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, and dyspepsia are not recommended in Western medical guidelines, but they are included in TCM guidelines, the China National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List, and the China National Essential Drug List. Irritable bowel syndrome appears only in the China National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List and China National Essential Drug List. The evaluation results obtained using the Eff-iEC method align with Medical Community Recognition, providing an objective and comprehensive assessment of Xiaoyao San's efficacy. The findings suggest that Xiaoyao San has strong evidence for treating depression and menopausal syndrome. However, further experimental and clinical trials are needed to assess its efficacy in treating premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and dyspepsia. These results support the clinical efficacy and rational use of Xiaoyao San, expand the application scope of the Eff-iEC method, and offer valuable insights and methodological references for the comparative evaluation of multifunctional TCM formulas.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, the incidence and detection rate of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) have increased significantly. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) plays an indispensable role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of PCLs. However, evidence comparing the diagnostic performance of EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and fine-needle biopsy (FNB) remains limited. This study aims to compare the diagnostic yield, adequacy of tissue acquisition, and safety between EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB in evaluating PCLs to inform clinical practice. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on patients with PCLs who underwent either EUS-FNA or EUS-FNB between January 2014 and August 2021. The diagnostic yield, tissue acquisition adequacy, and incidence of adverse events were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients with PCLs were included (52 in the FNA group and 38 in the FNB group). The diagnostic yield was similar between the FNA and FNB groups (94.2% vs 94.7%, P>0.05). The adequacy of tissue acquisition was 71.2% in the FNA group and 81.6% in the FNB group (P>0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse events between the 2 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Both EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB demonstrate equally high diagnostic yields and tissue adequacy in PCLs, with excellent safety profiles. Both methods are safe and effective diagnostic tools for evaluating PCLs.
Humans ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; Pancreatic Cyst/diagnostic imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Adult ; Endosonography/methods* ; Pancreas/pathology* ; Diagnosis, Differential

Addressing the enduring challenge of evaluating traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of TCMs (Eff-iEC) has emerged. This paper explored its capacity through a demonstration study that evaluated the effectiveness evidence of six commonly used anti-hepatic fibrosis Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), including Biejiajian Pill (BP), Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP), Biejia Ruangan Compound (BRC), Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC), Anluo Huaxian Pill (AHP), and Heluo Shugan Capsule (HSC), using both Eff-iEC and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The recognition of these CPMs within the TCM academic community was also assessed through their inclusion in relevant medical documents. Results showed that the evidence of BRC and FHC received higher assessments in both Eff-iEC and GRADE system, while the assessments for others varied. Analysis of community recognition revealed that Eff-iEC more accurately reflects the clinical value of these CPMs, exhibiting superior evaluative capabilities. By breaking through the conventional pattern of TCMs effectiveness evaluation, Eff-iEC offers a novel epistemology that better aligns with the clinical realities and reasoning of TCMs, providing a coherent methodology for clinical decision-making, new drug evaluations, and health policy formulation.

Objective: To understand the changing trends and related factors of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding the three major infectious diseases (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, tuberculosis, hepatitis B) among freshmen in Jiangsu from 2019 to 2022, so as to provide a reference basis for the health education of infectious diseases in schools. Methods: From 2019 to 2022, a total of 33 944 freshmen from 20 universities in Jiangsu Province were randomly selected for four consecutive years to investigate their KAP levels online through self designed questionnaires on three major infectious diseases. The multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the changing trends of students KAP levels of the three major infectious diseases, and to explore the influencing factors of KAP. Results: From 2019 to 2022, the knowledge scores(18.0±3.1,18.4±3.2,18.7±3.2,18.8±3.2), related to the three major infectious diseases showed an upward trend ( F=436.50, P <0.01), and the positive attitude reporting rates were 81.77%, 81.46%, 82.68% and 81.74%, respectively. The reporting rates of positive practice were 80.11%, 79.25%, 79.08 % and 79.04%, respectively. Multiple linear regression showed that school type, parental education level, mother s occupation, average income per person in family and living arrangements during high school all had an impact on the knowledge ( β = -1.510 -0.559), attitudes ( β =-0.043-0.065) and practice ( β =-0.028-0.027) of the three major infectious diseases ( P < 0.05 ). The family residence areas only affected the reporting rate of positive attitude scores ( β =0.002-0.065), and whether only children or not affected the reporting rate of positive practice scores ( β =0.009)( P <0.05). The knowledge score showed an upward trend ( β= 0.297, P <0.01), the positive attitude reporting rate showed no statistically significant change ( β=0.001, P =0.22), and the positive practice reporting rate showed a downward trend ( β=-0.005, P <0.01). Conclusions Freshman in Jiangsu Province from 2019 to 2022 have shown a separation in KAP scores regarding the three major infectious diseases. Targeted measures should be taken to improve their health practice level.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease characterized by clonal plasma cell proliferation, with metabolic reprogramming. Abnormal metabolism of amino acids, glucose, lipids and nucleotides plays a crucial role in various pathological processes in MM, such as proliferation, metastasis, immune escaping and drug resistance. This review summarized the application of metabolomics technology in identifying biomarkers for MM and targeting related metabolic pathways. The objective is to guide further investigations into the metabolic mechanisms underlying MM and encourage innovation in clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies for this disease.

Objective To evaluate the impact of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)control culture construction on the hand hygiene(HH)compliance of health care workers(HCWs),and provide a basis for strengthening HAI management.Methods HCWs in a hospital in Xi'an City were selected as the research objects.On the occasion of World HH Day,a series of publicity activities on HH as well as HAI prevention and control were held.Pre-activi-ties period was April 1-30,2024.During May 1-31,2024,a series of publicity activities on HH as well as HAI prevention and control were carried out.The post-activities investigation period was June 1-30,2024.During De-cember 1-31,2024,HH compliance survey was carried out in batches in the whole hospital(including key depart-ments).HH compliance at different stages was compared.Results After a series of publicity activities on HH as well as HAI prevention and control,HCWs'HH compliance rate was improved.HH compliance rate of nursing staff increased from 70.15％to 85.11％;HH compliance rate of HCWs before contacting with patients increased from 47.83％to 78.38％;both with statistically significant difference(both P＜0.05).During December 1-31,2024,a batch survey on HH compliance of the whole hospital(including key departments)showed that the HH compliance rates of medical and nursing staff in key departments were higher than those of the whole hospital,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).HH compliance rates before aseptic operation and after contacting with patients in key departments were both higher than those of the whole hospital,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Publicity activities on HH as well as HAI prevention con-trol can improve HH compliance rate of HCWs.HAI managers should pay more attention to the general depart-ments and improve HH compliance rate of HCWs.

Objective:To assess the core competencies of internal medicine residents undergoing standardized residency training and to explore the effectiveness of core competency evaluation on mobile devices.Methods:The mobile formative evaluation module was developed based on the "Xueyiku" teaching management platform. From January to December 2023, clinical teachers were asked to evaluate 150 internal medicine residents based on the "Resident Core Competency Milestone Evaluation System in China Consortium of Elite Teaching Hospitals", and the results were analyzed using non-parametric tests.Results:Among the six core competencies of internal medicine residents, professionalism received the highest score, whereas teaching skill received a lower score (97.50 vs. 90.00; H=167.31, P<0.001). Second-year residents had significantly higher scores than first-year residents (93.00 vs. 90.00; P<0.001), but similar scores to third-year residents (93.00 vs. 93.00; P>0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in score among residents with different medical education backgrounds ( P>0.05). Conclusions:More emphasis should be placed on improving the teaching skills of internal medicine residents, along with the implementation of tiered progressive training. The mobile core competency evaluation is an effective means for assessing the comprehensive skills of residents in a timely manner.

Peritoneal metastasis is a common form of distant metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer, and it is typically associated with a poor prognosis. The development of peritoneal metastasis involves complex molecular mechanisms and multifactorial regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Due to the presence of the blood-peritoneal barrier, only a small amount of systemic medication reaches the peritoneal cavity, resulting in limited efficacy against peritoneal metastasis. Intraperitoneal administration shows significant therapeutic advantages as it can directly target the tumor microenvironment, maintain high local drug concentrations, and reduce systemic toxicity. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy, especially hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, has become a cornerstone therapeutic strategy in the clinical treatment of peritoneal metastasis. When selecting chemotherapy drugs and drug combinations, pharmacokinetic properties, efficacy, and safety must be comprehensively considered to optimize the treatment outcomes. In addition, the unique microenvironment of the peritoneal cavity provides new treatment approaches for biological treatment strategies, including antitoxins, vaccines, immune checkpoint inhibitors, etc. Techniques such as pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy and novel drug delivery systems demonstrate potential for enhanced efficacy, offering promising alternatives to improve patient outcomes. This article will review peritoneal barrier characteristics, intraperitoneal drug transport, intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and intraperitoneal biological therapies, thereby establishing a theoretical framework for precision therapy in colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis.

Objective To explore the correlation between residual cholesterol(RC)and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2(Lp-PLA2)in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A total of 362 T2DM patients visited our hospital from January 2022 to June 2023 were divided into RC≥0.78 mmol/L(HRC,n=196)group and RC<0.78 mmol/L(NRC,n=166)group based on the levels of RC.The clinical characteristics and related factors were compared between the two groups and the risk factors for RC were analyzed.Results Compared with NRC group,DM duration,SBP,DBP,TC,TG,rate of ACEI or ARBs use,non-HDL-C,Lp-PLA2 and IMT in HRC group increased(P<0.05)and LDL-C decreased(P<0.05).Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis showed that RC was positively correlated with age,DM duration,SBP,DBP,TC,TG,non-HDL-C,Lp-PLA2,IMT(P<0.05)and negatively correlated with LDL-C(P<0.05).Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that TC,TG,LDL-C,non-HDL-C,Lp-PLA2 and IMT were the influencing factors of RC in T2DM patients.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the cutoff value of RC was 0.85 mmol/L,and the cutoff value of Lp-PLA2 was 242 U/L.The predicted AUC of T2DM macroangiopathy respectively was 0.864 and 0.721,and the predicted AUC of RC combined with Lp-PLA2 was 0.896.Conclusions Serum RC is positively correlated with Lp-PLA2 in T2DM patients.The combined detection of these two indicators has a certain predictive value for T2DM macrovascular disease.

Objective·To investigate the genetic etiology of a rare and complex case clinically suspected to be methylmalonic acidemia(MMA),but with negative whole exome sequencing(WES)results,using a multi-omics sequencing approach.Methods·DNA and RNA samples were extracted from the peripheral blood of the proband and both parents.Targeted MMA-related gene Panel sequencing and WES were first performed.Subsequently,RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)and whole genome sequencing(WGS)were conducted to comprehensively analyze the child's genetic variants,their origins and potential inheritance patterns.Results·No pathogenic variants associated with the patient's phenotype were identified through the MMA Panel or standard WES analysis.Extended analysis of WES suggested the possibility of uniparental disomy(UPD)of chromosome 4.WGS revealed a homozygous splice-site variant(c.-66+2T>C)in the non-coding region of the metabolism of cobalamin associated A(MMAA)gene.The variant was located in the 5'untranslated region(5'UTR),specifically at the second base downstream of the splice donor site of exon 1(reference sequence:NM_172250).In genomic coordinates(hg19),the variant was located at base 146540561 on chromosome 4(chr4:146540561).Sanger sequencing confirmed that the mother was heterozygous for this variant,while the father did not carry it.RNA-seq showed no detectable expression of the MMAA gene on chromosome 4 in the patient.This was further confirmed by reverse transcription real time quantitative PCR,indicating nearly absent mRNA expression,suggesting that the non-coding splice-site variant affected transcriptional expression.Conclusion·A homozygous splice-site variant(c.-66+2T>C)in the non-coding region of the MMAA gene—outside the coverage of WES—is likely the pathogenic cause in this case,presumably resulting from maternal UPD of chromosome 4.