Jiuwei Xifeng Granules have become a Chinese patent medicine in the market. Because the formula contains Os Draconis, a top-level protected fossil of ancient organisms, the formula was to be improved by replacing Os Draconis with Ostreae Concha. To evaluate whether the improved formula has the same effectiveness and safety as the original formula, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, equivalence clinical trial was conducted. This study enrolled 288 tic disorder(TD) of children and assigned them into two groups in 1∶1. The treatment group and control group took the modified formula and original formula, respectively. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks, and follow-up visits were conducted at weeks 2, 4, and 6. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS)-total tic severity(TTS) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. The results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the declines in YGTSS-TSS score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The difference in YGTSS-TSS score(treatment group-control group) and the 95%CI of the full analysis set(FAS) were-0.17[-1.42, 1.08] and those of per-protocol set(PPS) were 0.29[-0.97, 1.56], which were within the equivalence boundary [-3, 3]. The equivalence test was therefore concluded. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary efficacy endpoints of effective rate for TD, total score and factor scores of YGTSS, clinical global impressions-severity(CGI-S) score, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) response rate, or symptom disappearance rate, and thus a complete evidence chain with the primary outcome was formed. A total of 6 adverse reactions were reported, including 4(2.82%) cases in the treatment group and 2(1.41%) cases in the control group, which showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. No serious suspected unexpected adverse reactions were reported, and no laboratory test results indicated serious clinically significant abnormalities. The results support the replacement of Os Draconis by Ostreae Concha in the original formula, and the efficacy and safety of the modified formula are consistent with those of the original formula.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tic Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

This study selected 6 529 plant-based Chinese materia medica(PCMM) from Chinese Materia Medica as research subjects and applied a random permutation test to explore the overall correlation characteristics between nature and flavor, as well as the correlation characteristics after distinguishing different medicinal parts and harvest seasons. The results showed that the overall correlation characteristics between nature and flavor in PCMM were significantly associated in the following pairs: cold and bitter, cool and bitter, cool and astringent, cool and light, neutral and sweet, neutral and astringent, neutral and light, neutral and sour, hot and pungent, and warm and pungent. When analyzing the data by distinguishing medicinal parts and/or harvest seasons, new correlation patterns emerged, characterized by the disappearance of some significant correlations and the emergence of new ones. When analyzing by medicinal parts alone, significant correlations were found in the following cases: cold and light in leaves, cold and salty in barks, cool and sweet in fruits and seeds, neutral and pungent in whole herbs, neutral and salty in stems, and warm and salty in flowers. However, no significant correlations were found between cool and bitter in stems and other types of herbs, cool and astringent in fruits, seeds, flowers, and other types of herbs, cool and light in leaves, fruits, seeds, barks, flowers and other types of herbs, neutral and sweet in barks, neutral and astringent in whole herbs and stems, neutral and light in leaves, fruits, seeds, and flowers, neutral and sour in whole herbs, stems, barks, flowers, and other types of herbs, and hot and pungent in whole herbs, stems, flowers, and other types of herbs. When analyzing by harvest season alone, significant correlations were found in the following cases: cold and salty, and cool and sour in herbs harvested in winter, and neutral and salty in herbs harvested year-round. However, no significant correlation was found between cool and light in herbs harvested in winter. When considering both medicinal parts and harvest seasons, compared to the independent influence of medicinal parts, 14 new significant correlations emerged(e.g., the correlation between cool and bitter in stems harvested in spring), while 53 previously significant correlations disappeared(e.g., the correlation between cool and bitter in barks harvested in summer). Compared to the independent influence of harvest seasons, 11 new significant correlations appeared(e.g., the correlation between cold and light in barks harvested in autumn), while 50 previously significant correlations disappeared(e.g., the correlation between hot and pungent in leaves harvested in winter). This study is the first to reveal the influence of medicinal parts and harvest seasons on the correlation between nature and flavor in PCMM, which highlights that these two factors can interact and jointly affect nature-flavor correlations. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms. This study provides a deeper understanding of the inherent scientific connotations of herbal properties and offers a theoretical foundation for the cultivation and harvesting of PCMM.
Seasons ; Plants, Medicinal/growth & development* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Taste

Case 1: A 19-day-old male infant presented with poor feeding and decreased activity for 2 weeks, worsening with poor responsiveness for 3 days. At 5 days old, he developed poor feeding and poor responsiveness, was hospitalized, and was found to have elevated blood ammonia and thrombocytopenia. Whole-genome genetic analysis revealed a pathogenic homozygous mutation in the PCCA gene, NM-000282.4: c.1834-1835del (p.Arg612AspfsTer44), leading to a diagnosis of propionic acidemia. Case 2: A 4-day-old male infant presented with poor responsiveness and feeding difficulties since birth, with elevated blood ammonia for 1 day. He showed weak sucking and deteriorating responsiveness, with blood ammonia >200 µmol/L. Genetic testing identified two heterozygous mutations in the MMUT gene: NM_000255.4: c.1677-1G>A and NM_000255.4: ex.5del, confirming methylmalonic acidemia. Case 3: A 20-day-old male infant presented with poor feeding for 15 days and skin petechiae for 8 days. He developed feeding difficulties at 5 days old and lower limb petechiae at 12 days old, with blood ammonia measured at 551.6 µmol/L. Genetic analysis found two heterozygous mutations in the PCCA gene: NM_000282.4: c.1118T>A (p.Met373Lys) and NM_000282.4: ex.16-18del, confirming propionic acidemia. In the first two cases, continuous hemodiafiltration was performed for 30 hours and 20 hours, respectively, before administering carglumic acid. In the third case, carglumic acid was administered orally without continuous hemodiafiltration, resulting in a decrease in blood ammonia from 551.6 µmol/L to 72.0 µmol/L within 6 hours, with a reduction rate of approximately 20-25 µmol/(kg·h), similar to the first two cases. Carglumic acid was effective in all three cases, suggesting it may help optimize future treatment protocols for organic acidemia.
Humans ; Male ; Infant, Newborn ; Propionic Acidemia/drug therapy* ; Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/genetics* ; Mutation ; Methylmalonyl-CoA Decarboxylase/genetics* ; Citrates/administration & dosage* ; Carbon-Carbon Ligases/genetics* ; Glutamates

Objective To explore the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of the sesquiterpene lactone compound ACT001 on rotenone(ROT)-induced Parkinson's disease(PD)model mouse.Methods SPF C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups,including control group,solvent control group,ROT model group,ACT001 5 mg/kg group(ROT+ACT001-5),ACT001 20 mg/kg group(ROT+ACT001-20),and levodopa(L-dopa)positive control group(ROT+L-dopa),with 9 mice in each group.The control group received an equivalent amount of intraperitoneal injection of saline,the solvent control group received an equivalent amount of rotenone solvent without rotenone,the remaining groups of mice were used to establish a PD mouse model by intraperitoneal injection of rotenone.Mice in different ACT001 dosage groups received intraperitoneal injections of high and low doses of ACT001,while the positive control group received levodopa intraperitoneally for 15 consecutive days.Behavioral changes in mice were assessed using open field,rotarod,pole-climbing,and balance beam tests.Immunofluorescence(IF)assay to detect the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)neurons,content of TH-positive fibers in the striatum and to detect the activation status of nigrostriatal microglia in the mouse midbrain;Real-time PCR was employed to measure the levels of interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the substantia nigra of the mouse brain.Western blotting was used to measure the protein levels of TH,nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)p65,NF-κB inhibitor α(IκBα),and phosphorylated IκBα(p-IκBα)in the substantia nigra of the mouse brain.Results Compared to the control group and the solvent control group,the rotenone-induced PD model group exhibited motor impairments in behavioral tests,a decrease in the number of TH positive neurons in the substantia nigra(P＜0.0001),decreased levels of TH-positive fibers in the striatum,activation of midbrain substantia microglia,and elevated levels of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α,p-IκBα,and NF-κB p65 expression.ACT001 significantly improved the behavioral impairments and substantia nigra damage in PD mice,increased the number of TH-positive neurons in the substantia nigra,increased levels of TH-positive fibers in the striatum,inhibition of microglial cell activation in the midbrain substantia nigra,and elevated the protein expression levels of IκBα while reducing the levels of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α,p-IκBα,and NF-κB p65 in the substantia nigra(P＜0.05).At a dose of 5 mg/kg,ACT001 significantly improved behavioral impairments in rotenone-induced PD mice,reduced the loss of dopaminergic neurons,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway and the suppression of inflammation.In summary,the intervention of ACT001 in the rotenone-induced PD mouse model inhibited the inflammatory response in the midbrain,increased the number of TH-positive neurons,and augmented the population of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra,exerting a protective effect on neurons.Conclusion ACT001 significantly improves behavioral deficits in ROT-induced PD mice,ameliorates of dopaminergic neuron loss from the midbrain substantia nigra and striatum,inhibits the activation of nigrostriatal microglia in the midbrain,and suppresses inflammatory responses by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To analyze the relationship between obesity indicators,muscle mass indices and hypertension in Dongxiang adults,and establish and evaluate a Nomogram model based on these indicators used to predict the risk of hypertension in this population.Methods A total of 1209 Dongxiang adults from Linxia Prefecture,Gansu Province were selected,11 obesity indicators and 5 muscle mass indicators,including neck circumference(NC),waist-to-hip ratio(WHR),BMI,ponderal index(PI),conicity index(CI),a body shape index(ABSI),body roundness index(BRI),abdominal volume index(AVI),hip index(HI),body adiposity index(BAI),and the ratio of limb fat mass to body weight(LFWR),appendicular skeletal muscle mass(ASM),appendicular skeletal muscle mass index(ASMI),appendicular skeletal muscle mass to BMI ratio(ASMBMI),skeletal muscle index(SMI),and trunk muscle mass to body weight ratio(TMWR)were measured.Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between each indicator and hypertension.Nomogram prediction model was constructed and validated by using R language.Results Among Dongxiang males,the NC,BMI,PI,WHR,CI,AVI,BRI,BAI,ASM,ASMI,and LFWR were lower in the normal and high-normal blood pressure groups compared to the hypertensive group,while SMI,ASMBMI,and TMWR were higher.Among females,similar trends were observed,with lower NC,BMI,PI,WHR,CI,AVI,BRI,BAI,and LFWR in the normal blood pressure and high-normal blood pressure groups compared to the hypertensive group,but SMI,ASMBMI,and TMWR higher than the hypertensive group(P＜0.05).Results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that age,NC,and WHR were risk factors for hypertension in Dongxiang adults,while was protective factor(P＜0.05).The area under curve(AUC)of the Nomogram model constructed based on these factors was 0.796,and the Bootstrap internal validation C-index was 0.7957,indicating good calibration of the model.Conclusion The Nomogram model constructed based on obesity and muscle mass indicators has good predictive efficiency for predicting the risk of hypertension in Dongxiang adults.

Monoamine neurotransmitters mainly include serotonin,dopamine,epinephrine,and norepinephrine.They play an indispensable regulatory role in key physiological activities such as emotion,sleep,and memory within the central nervous system.Precise detection of these neurotransmitters holds great significance in the field of neuroscience research.Detection methods for monoamine neurotransmitters encompass high-performance liquid chromatography,mass spectrometry,capillary electrophoresis,fluorescence spectroscopy,and electrochemical methods,etc.Compared with other methods,electrochemical methods offer advantages such as high sensitivity,good selectivity,low cost,strong portability,convenient operation,and capability for in vivo real-time detection.This article reviewed recent research progress in electrochemical detection of monoamine neurotransmitters,focusing on a retrospective and summary from three aspects:sensor electrode materials,detection of various monoamine neurotransmitters,and in vivo real-time analysis.Furthermore,the future development of electrochemical sensors for monoamine neurotransmitters was prospected.

By summarizing the mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns of oxyphenisatin substances,an analytical method was established for screening of illegally added oxyphenisatin compounds in weight-loss health foods using high performance liquid chromatography-in-source-fragmentation-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(HPLC-ISF-QTOF-MS),along with a quantitative method for 11 kinds of oxyphenisatin compounds.Based on the developed screening method,an oxyphenisatin derivative was discovered in the reference standards,which was tentatively identified as 4-(3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxoindolin-3-yl)phenyl acetate and confirmed by MS/MS analysis.The results showed that all 11 kinds of oxyphenisatin compounds had correlation coefficients greater than 0.9971,with limits of detection(LODs)ranging from 0.12 to 0.68 μg/L and limits of quantification(LOQ)from 0.21 to 2.29 μg/L.The LODs for 11 kinds of characteristic ions ranged from 0.45 to 9.11 μg/kg.At spiking levels of 25,50 and 100 μg/kg,the recoveries ranged from 78.9%to 117.3%.The instrumental precision,intra-day method precision and inter-day method precision were 0.23%?1.70%,0.7%?2.4%,and 1.1%?3.3%,respectively.The developed targeted and non-targeted detection method demonstrated high sensitivity,strong stability,rapid analysis,and an expanded screening range for oxyphenisatin substances,and provided robust technical support for regulatory authorities in combating illegal adulteration.

Objective To explore the application value of MRI diaphragmatic navigation technology combined with three dimensional liver acquisition with volume acceleration-flexible(3D LAVA-FLEX)sequence in abdominal enhanced imaging of infants and young children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on imaging data of 84 infants and young children who underwent abdominal enhanced MRI examination in our hospital between January 2021 and December 2023.All 84 infants and young children initially underwent conventional dynamic contrast-enhanced 3D LAVA-FLEX sequence scanning;the delayed phase images obtained were included in the dynamic enhancement group.Subsequently,diaphragmatic navigation combined with 3D LAVA-FLEX sequence examination was implemented,and the obtained images were included in the diaphragm navigation group.Subjective scoring was performed for images in both groups,while the signal to noise ratio(SNR),contrast to noise ratio(CNR),and artifact quantification(AQ)were measured and compared between the two groups.Results The respiratory motion artifacts,the clarity of liver parenchyma enhancement,the clarity of liver vascular enhancement,the clarity of spleen parenchyma enhancement and the overall image quality score in the diaphragm navigation group were higher than those in the dynamic enhancement group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in SNR and AQ between the two groups of images(P<0.000 1),while there was no statistically significant difference in CNR between the two groups of images(P>0.05).Conclusion Diaphragmatic navigation technology combined with 3D LAVA-FLEX sequence imaging can improve the image quality of abdominal MRI enhanced imaging in infants and young children,and provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

This review has introduced the Coronary Artery Tree description and Lesion EvaluaTion(CatLet or Hexu)angiographic scoring system,which,based solely on coronary angiography results,has characterized 6 types of right coronary artery,3 types of left descending artery,and 3 types of diagonal size,together resulting in 54 types of coronary circulation pattern.This novel angiographic scoring system can be utilized to account for coronary anatomy in its diversity,severity and complexity of diseased coronary arteries,and their subtended myocardial territories in jeopardy.The CatLet angiographic scoring system is unique in that the importance of a coronary artery is weighted according to its subtended myocardial segments,by which the variability of coronary artery has been accounted for and measured.Researchers at home and abroad have increasingly paid attention to its clinical utilities,which warrant further validation in the context of large sample size,prospective,and randomized controlled trials.The CatLet angiographic scoring system is accessible at www.catletscore.com.

Objective To explore the application value of MRI diaphragmatic navigation technology combined with three dimensional liver acquisition with volume acceleration-flexible(3D LAVA-FLEX)sequence in abdominal enhanced imaging of infants and young children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on imaging data of 84 infants and young children who underwent abdominal enhanced MRI examination in our hospital between January 2021 and December 2023.All 84 infants and young children initially underwent conventional dynamic contrast-enhanced 3D LAVA-FLEX sequence scanning;the delayed phase images obtained were included in the dynamic enhancement group.Subsequently,diaphragmatic navigation combined with 3D LAVA-FLEX sequence examination was implemented,and the obtained images were included in the diaphragm navigation group.Subjective scoring was performed for images in both groups,while the signal to noise ratio(SNR),contrast to noise ratio(CNR),and artifact quantification(AQ)were measured and compared between the two groups.Results The respiratory motion artifacts,the clarity of liver parenchyma enhancement,the clarity of liver vascular enhancement,the clarity of spleen parenchyma enhancement and the overall image quality score in the diaphragm navigation group were higher than those in the dynamic enhancement group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in SNR and AQ between the two groups of images(P<0.000 1),while there was no statistically significant difference in CNR between the two groups of images(P>0.05).Conclusion Diaphragmatic navigation technology combined with 3D LAVA-FLEX sequence imaging can improve the image quality of abdominal MRI enhanced imaging in infants and young children,and provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.