Chronic heart failure （CHF） is a group of complex clinical syndromes caused by abnormal changes in the structure and/or function of the heart due to various reasons， resulting in disorders of ventricular contraction and/or diastole. CHF is a condition where primary diseases such as coronary heart disease， hypertension and pulmonary heart disease recur frequently and persist for a long time， presenting blood stasis in meridians and collaterals， stagnation of water and dampness， and accumulation of Qi in collaterals. Its pathogenesis is complex and may involve myocardial energy metabolism disorders， oxidative stress responses， myocardial cell apoptosis， autophagy， inflammatory responses， etc. According to the theory of restraining hyperactivity to acquire harmony， we believe that under normal circumstances， the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK） signaling pathway functions normally， maintaining human physiological activities and energy metabolism. Under pathological conditions， the AMPK signaling pathway is abnormal， causing energy metabolism disorders， inflammatory responses， and myocardial fibrosis. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） can regulate the AMPK signaling pathway through multiple mechanisms， targets， and effects， effectively curbing the occurrence and development of CHF. It has gradually become a research hotspot in the prevention and treatment of this disease. Guided by the theory of TCM， our research group， through literature review， summarized the relationship between the AMPK pathway and CHF and reviewed the research progress in the prevention and control of CHF with TCM active ingredients， TCM compound prescriptions， and Chinese patent medicines via regulating the AMPK pathway. The review aims to clarify the mechanism and targets of TCM in the treatment of CHF by regulating the AMPK pathway and guide the clinical treatment and drug development for CHF.

This paper introduces the academic characteristics of Professor ZHANG Ren in treatment with acupuncture for refractory eye diseases in modern times, guided by "homotherapy for heteropathy" (same therapy for different diseases sharing the same pathogenesis). The refractory eye diseases in modern times include a variety of conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, high myopia and its complications, dry eye, cortical visual impairment and genetic eye diseases. The same therapy is used because these diseases share the similar location and pathogenesis. Professor ZHANG optimizes the methods of acupoint selection and provides the comprehensive prescriptions, "basic prescription, prescription based on disease differentiation, and supplementary prescription". A variety of acupuncture manipulation techniques are operated in clinical practice, such as compound needling methods, penetration needling, manipulations for promoting qi movement and conducting qi flow. "Early, regular and persistent" treatment is the common requirement with "the same acupoints, the same prescription and the same acupuncture method" as well as at "the same time". It is also proposed that the treatment should be provided flexibly according to the different symptoms, "identifying the differences within similarities".
Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Humans ; Eye Diseases/history* ; Acupuncture Points ; History, 20th Century ; China ; History, 21st Century

To report a case of Stormorken syndrome(STRMK)diagnosed in adulthood and to study its clinical,pathological and genetic characteristics.The individual was a 31-year-old male whose symptoms started from childhood with epilepsy as initial symptom.He gradually developed progressive muscle weakness and atrophy.The patient's clinical data,laboratory results,and imaging studies were collected.A biopsy on the patient's left gastrocnemius muscle was conducted.Simultaneously,whole-exome sequencing on both the patient and his parents was performed.The physical examination of the patient showed short stature,proximal muscle weakness with lower limb predominance,accompanied by joint contracture and scoliosis.Abdominal CT examination revealed asplenia and magnetic resonance image(MRI)showed obvious fat infiltration in the bilateral lower limb muscle.Muscle biopsy was consistent with tubular-aggregate myopathy.Genetic test indicated that the patient had a c.326A>G(p.His109Arg)heterozygous mutation in the stromal interaction molecule 1(STIM1)gene,a known pathogenic mutation.This study further enables neurologists to gain a better understanding of this rare disease.

To report a case of Stormorken syndrome(STRMK)diagnosed in adulthood and to study its clinical,pathological and genetic characteristics.The individual was a 31-year-old male whose symptoms started from childhood with epilepsy as initial symptom.He gradually developed progressive muscle weakness and atrophy.The patient's clinical data,laboratory results,and imaging studies were collected.A biopsy on the patient's left gastrocnemius muscle was conducted.Simultaneously,whole-exome sequencing on both the patient and his parents was performed.The physical examination of the patient showed short stature,proximal muscle weakness with lower limb predominance,accompanied by joint contracture and scoliosis.Abdominal CT examination revealed asplenia and magnetic resonance image(MRI)showed obvious fat infiltration in the bilateral lower limb muscle.Muscle biopsy was consistent with tubular-aggregate myopathy.Genetic test indicated that the patient had a c.326A>G(p.His109Arg)heterozygous mutation in the stromal interaction molecule 1(STIM1)gene,a known pathogenic mutation.This study further enables neurologists to gain a better understanding of this rare disease.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection posed a huge threat and burden to public healthcare in late 2022. Non-drug measures of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), such as acupuncture, cupping and moxibustion, are commonly used as adjuncts in China to help in severe cases, but their effects remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical effect of TCM non-drug measures in improving respiratory function and symptoms among patients with severe COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This study was designed as a multicenter, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial. Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. The treatment group received individualized TCM non-drug measures in combination with prone position ventilation, while the control group received prone position ventilation only for 5 consecutive days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measures were the percentage of patients with improved oxygen saturation (SpO₂) at the end of the 5-day intervention, as well as changes of patients' respiratory rates. The secondary outcome measures included changes in SpO₂ and total score on the self-made respiratory symptom scale. The improvement rate, defined as a 3-day consecutive increase in SpO₂, the duration of prone positioning, and adverse events were recorded as well. RESULTS: Among the 198 patients included in the intention-to-treat analysis, 159 (80.3%) completed all assessments on day 5, and 39 (19.7%) patients withdrew from the study. At the end of the intervention, 71 (91%) patients in the treatment group had SpO₂ above 93%, while 61 (75.3%) in the control group reached this level. The proportion of participant with improved SpO₂ was significantly greater in the intervention group (mean difference [MD] = 15.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.4, 27.1; P = 0.008). Compared to the baseline, with daily treatment there were significant daily decreases in respiratory rates in both groups, but no statistical differences between groups were found (all P ≥ 0.05). Compared to the control group, the respiratory-related symptoms score was lower among patients in the treatment group (MD = -1.7; 95% CI: -2.8, -0.5; P = 0.008) after day 3 of treatment. A gradual decrease in the total scores of both groups was also observed. Thirty-one adverse events occurred during the intervention, and 2 patients were transferred to the intensive care unit due to deterioration of their illness. CONCLUSION: TCM non-drug measures combined with prone positioning can effectively treat patients with severe COVID-19. The combined therapy significantly increased SpO₂ and improved symptom scores compared to prone positioning alone, thus improving the patients' respiratory function to help them recover. However, the improvement rate did not differ between the two groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300068319). Please cite this article as: Yin X, Jin Z, Li F, Huang L, Hu YM, Zhu BC, Wang ZQ, Li XY, Li JP, Lao LX, Mi YQ, Xu SF. Effectiveness and safety of adjunctive non-drug measures in improving respiratory symptoms among patients with severe COVID-19: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 637-644.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; China ; COVID-19/complications* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Moxibustion/methods* ; Oxygen Saturation ; Prone Position ; Respiration, Artificial ; Treatment Outcome

Mitochondrial dysfunction after spinal cord injury (SCI) is recognized as a crucial pathological mechanism for secondary SCI. Studies have indicated that mitochondrial transfer plays a significant role in the process of neural regeneration following injury. After mitochondria migrating to injured neurons, they mainly function via enhancing the energy metabolism level of damaged neurons and reducing oxidative stress. In this article, we present an exhaustive overview on mechanism of mitochondrial transfer, and impact on neural regeneration after mitochondrial transfer so as to provide valuable insights for further exploring the role of mitochondrial transfer in SCI progression and offer innovative perspective on potential therapeutic strategies for SCI.

In traditional clinical teaching of impacted tooth extraction, there are problems including limited observation fields for students, insufficient doctor-patient communication training, inadequate clinical thinking development, and low levels of clinical participation. Based on the core elements of visualizing jaw structure with perspective, formulating clinical strategy, immersing in clinical participation, and cultivating the spirit of caregiving, we developed a virtual reality simulation teaching platform for the clinical decision analysis of impacted tooth extraction. The virtual simulation-based platform can create three different impacted tooth scenarios in 3D, which demonstrates the process of clinical decision analysis of impacted tooth extraction through virtuality-reality interaction, allowing students to immerse in the discovery, analysis, and resolution of the medical and humanistic problems in the process of impacted tooth extraction. The questionnaire survey showed that 81.36% (48/59) of the students believed that the software could improve their clinical thinking ability; 76.27% (45/59) of the students believed that it could help them master the basic process of impacted tooth extraction; and 62.71% (37/59) of the students believed that it could improve their skills of impacted tooth extraction. By providing immersive learning experience, constructive teaching design, and multi-dimensional teaching evaluation, the software achieved the goals of cultivating students' clinical thinking ability and professional literacy in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Objective:To explore the force distribution on the maxillary dentition when the first and second molars distalized simultaneously with different step sizes using clear aligners in vitro in order to provide a theoretical basis for the rational design of molar distalization. Methods:Clear aligners were designed to simultaneously distalize the maxillary first and second molars bilaterally, with rectangular attachments placed on the buccal surfaces of the first and second premolars, as well as the second molars. Based on different step sizes, the aligners were divided into three groups: Group A (0.15 mm per step), Group B (0.20 mm per step), and Group C (0.25 mm per step). Ten aligners were fabricated for each group using 0.76 mm thick polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) sheets. A three-dimensional force measurement system was used to measure the forces exerted on each tooth by the aligners, the first and second molars served as the target teeth and the remaining teeth as anchorage teeth. The three-dimensional force data were compared among the three groups.Results:In the mesiodistal direction, the forces on the central and lateral incisors were relatively small among all three groups, with no statistically significant differences ( P>0.05). However, significant differences were observed in the forces on the canines, first premolars, second premolars, first molars, and second molars ( P<0.05). The distal forces on the second molars in Groups B and C were (6.13±1.45) N and (6.83±1.58) N, respectively, significantly higher than that in Group A [(3.51±1.01) N] ( P<0.05). The distal force on the first molars in Group C [(6.62±0.89) N] was significantly higher than that in Groups A and B ( P<0.05). The mesial reactive forces on the first and second premolars in Groups B and C were significantly higher than those in Group A ( P<0.05). The mesial reactive force on the canines in Group C [(-2.98±1.33) N] was significantly higher than that in Group A [(-1.69±0.68) N] ( P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between Groups B and C in the forces on the canines, first premolars, and second premolars ( P>0.05). In the buccolingual direction, there were no statistically significant differences in the forces on the central and lateral incisors among three groups ( P>0.05), but significant differences were observed in the forces on the canines, second premolars, and second molars ( P<0.05). The buccolingual forces on the canines, second premolars, and second molars in Group B were (-0.56±0.54), (-2.07±0.95), (1.13±0.55) N, respectively, significantly higher than those in Group A ( P<0.05), but there were no significant differences compared to Group C ( P>0.05). Compared to the mesiodistal and buccolingual forces, the vertical forces on the target and anchorage teeth were relatively small in all three groups. Conclusions:When using 0.76 mm thick PET-G sheets to fabricate clear aligners for simultaneous molar distalization, a step size of 0.20 mm per step is recommended. To prevent buccal tipping of the molars during distalization, it is advisable to design lingual displacement for the molars and buccal displacement for the adjacent anchorage teeth to counteract the unfavorable forces, with attachments placed on the primary anchorage teeth.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and related influencing factors of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(auto-HSCT)as first-line consolidation therapy for newly diagnosed elderly patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma(DLBCL).Methods:Retrospective study of clinical characteristics, therapeutic effect, and prognostic factors of newly diagnosed DLBCL elderly patients with an International Prognostic Index(IPI)score≥3 who underwent auto-HSCT in the Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University from January 2015 to August 2020.Results:Among the 31 patients, 18 were males and 13 were females, with a median age of 65(60-75)years.The 13 cases(41.9%)were involved in 2 sites outside lymph nodes, and 13 cases(41.9%)were involved in bone marrow.IPI medium and high risk(IPI=3 points)was found in 21 cases(67.7%), high risk(≥4 points)in 10 cases(32.2%). Before transplantation, 21(67.7%)patients achieved complete remission(CR), and the other 10(32.3%)patients were in the partial remission(PR). All patients after transplantation achieved hematopoietic reconstitution.The median time for neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 10(9-16)days and 12(8-58)days respectively.During a median follow-up of 20.9(3.1 to 73.0)months after transplantation, transplant-related mortality within 100 days was 3.2%(1/31). The 2-year overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)were(77.2±8.4)% and(72.7±8.3)%, respectively.Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the achieved partial remission status before auto-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation[OS( HR=30.064, 95% CI: 2.231-405.209, P=0.010), PFS( HR=9.165, 95% CI: 1.926-43.606, P=0.005)], and CD34 + cell count in graft <3×10 6/kg[OS( HR=12.004, 95% CI: 1.234-116.807, P=0.032), PFS( HR=6.115, 95% CI: 1.325-28.221, P=0.020)]were the independent poor prognostic factor affecting both OS and PFS in elderly lymphoma patients. Conclusions:Auto-HSCT may improve the survival rate of carefully selected elderly patients with DLBCL.Pretransplant disease status and the number of CD34 + cells in the graft are important factors to predict the efficiency of auto-HSCT of the patients.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) displays normal or near-normal left ventricular ejection fraction, diastolic dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy, and poor exercise capacity. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, possesses cardiovascular benefits. Adult male mice were assigned to chow or high-fat diet with L-NAME ("two-hit" model) for 15 weeks. Diastolic function was assessed using echocardiography and noninvasive Doppler technique. Myocardial morphology, mitochondrial ultrastructure, and cardiomyocyte mechanical properties were evaluated. Proteomics analysis, autophagic flux, and intracellular Ca²⁺ were also assessed in chow and HFpEF mice. The results show exercise intolerance and cardiac diastolic dysfunction in "two-hit"-induced HFpEF model, in which unfavorable geometric changes such as increased cell size, interstitial fibrosis, and mitochondrial swelling occurred in the myocardium. Diastolic dysfunction was indicated by the elevated E value, mitral E/A ratio, and E/e' ratio, decreased e' value and maximal velocity of re-lengthening (-dL/dt), and prolonged re-lengthening in HFpEF mice. The effects of these processes were alleviated by berberine. Moreover, berberine ameliorated autophagic flux, alleviated Drp1 mitochondrial localization, mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overload and fragmentation, and promoted intracellular Ca²⁺ reuptake into sarcoplasmic reticulum by regulating phospholamban and SERCA2a. Finally, berberine alleviated diastolic dysfunction in "two-hit" diet-induced HFpEF model possibly because of the promotion of autophagic flux, inhibition of mitochondrial fragmentation, and cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload.
Male ; Mice ; Animals ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Stroke Volume/physiology* ; Ventricular Function, Left/physiology* ; Berberine/therapeutic use* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mitochondrial Dynamics ; Myocardium ; Homeostasis