OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness of different bacterial cleaning methods and their effects on the general condition,nasal mucosal and systemic inflammation of mice.METHODS A total of 44 mice were randomly divided into six groups:4-antibiotic per os group(4ABX po)with 7 mice,5-antibiotic oral gavage group(5ABX og)with 8 mice,5-antibiotic intranasal group(5ABX in)with 8 mice,and each of their control groups with 7 mice.Body weight,water intake,and peripheral blood routine test of mice were measured.Bacterial culture of nasal lavage fluid(NLF)was performed;mRNA level of inflammatory mediators and histopathological analysis were conducted with mouse nasal mucosa.RESULTS Bacteria were cultured from all control groups,while Bacteria were cultured from all control groups,while one mouse in the 4ABX po group,three mice in the 5ABX og group,and two mice in the 5ABX in group showed no bacterial growth.The number of goblet cells in the nasal mucosa significantly increased in the 5ABX og group compared with its control group(P<0.05).The 5ABX in group exhibited significantly higher counts of peripheral blood lymphocytes and hemoglobin levels,as well as greater nasal mucosal thickness compared with its control group,with a notable decrease in goblet cells(P<0.05).No statistical differences were observed in body weight or the mRNA expression of nasal mucosal inflammatory mediators.CONCLUSION Different combinations of antibiotics and administration routes have varying effects on nasal bacteria,systemic and nasal mucosal inflammation in mice.Therefore,choosing appropriate protocols is crucial for the progression of subsequent research.

Mineral oil contaminants composed of saturated hydrocarbons(MOSH)and aromatic hydrocarbons(MOAH)are commonly found in edible oils and related processed foods.Currently,the analysis of mineral oils primarily employs the liquid chromatography-gas chromatography-flame ionization detector(LC-GC-FID)method.Liquid chromatography is used to purify and separate MOSH and MOAH from interfering substances,and the interface technology transfers MOSH or MOAH into different GC channels for quantitative analysis.The MOSH and MOAH chromatograms typically exhibit an irregular hump shape,with sharp peaks above the hump representing natural hydrocarbon interferences,which usually do not affect the identification of the hump profile.However,when the purification of interferences is incomplete,they can form one or more gaps above the hump,interfering with the accurate judgment and delineation of the hump profile,and leading to poor reproducibility of analysis results of mineral oil.In this study,an algorithm that mimicked the manual drawing of the hump shape or contour was proposed for automatically determining the mineral oil hump contour(i.e.,the lower envelope line).The algorithm used a multiple second-order difference quotient filtering method to identify and remove the gaps above the hump.The method involved first searching and determining the lowest value of the mineral oil hump,which was the valley point sequence,and then applying second-order difference quotient filtering to the valley point sequence.Compared to the hump,the second-order difference quotient of sharp peaks was a significantly larger negative value.By filtering out the points in the valley point sequence with larger negative second-order difference quotients(or multiple second-order difference quotients),the sharp peaks above the hump were removed.To verify the accuracy of the algorithm,42 different types of samples,including edible oils and milk powders were analyzed,using both the automatic algorithm and manual methods.The results showed that there were no significant differences in the detected mineral oil contents between these two methods.

With reference to the Information and Documentation-Resource Description (GB/T 3792-2021) and Bibliographical Description for Ancient Chinese Books (GB/T 3792.7-2008) and other cataloging standards and rules, drawing on the practical experience of cataloging ancient TCM books, Bibliographical Cataloging for Ancient TCM Books was formulated. This standard specifies the entry items and their order of ancient TCM books, cataloging identifier, cataloging text, cataloging information source, and cataloging item details. The standard can provide standardized and unified guiding principles and methods for the work of ancient TCM books, and promote the sharing and utilization of ancient TCM books.

Objective To investigate the effects of Yiqi Wenyang Lishui Formula(derived from Wuling San combined with Astragali Radix and Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen)on cardiac function and remodeling in heart failure(HF)patients with yang deficiency and fluid retention syndrome and to analyze risk factors for influencing therapeutic efficacy.Methods A total of 120 HF patients with yang deficiency and fluid retention syndrome admitted to Liaocheng Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2022 to January 2024 were enrolled and randomly divided into observation group(n=60)and control group(n=60)using a random number table.The control group received conventional western therapy,while the observation group received Yiqi Wenyang Lishui Formula additionally.Both groups were treated for 2 months.Changes in cardiac function indicators and remodeling markers were observed.Clinical efficacy was evaluated,and univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors affecting treatment outcomes.Results(1)The total effective rate was 81.67％(49/60)in the observation group versus 70.00％(42/60)in the control group.Intergroup comparison(by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy in the observation group was superior to the control group(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,both groups showed significant reductions compared to those before treatment in left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVESD),and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)(P＜0.01).The reduction in LVEDD,LVESD,and serum NT-proBNP levels in the observation group was significantly greater than that in the control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(3)Univariate analysis revealed that New York Heart Association(NYHA)functional classification,LVEDD,LVESD,and NT-proBNP levels were significantly associated with the therapeutic efficacy of the Yiqi Wenyang Lishui Formula in heart failure patients with yang deficiency and fluid retention syndrome(P＜0.05).(4)Logistic regression identified NYHA classification,LVEDD,LVESD,and NT-proBNP as independent risk factors(P＜0.05)in affecting therapeutic effect of Yiqi Wenyang Lishui Formula in treating HF with yang deficency and fluid retention syndrome,increasing the risk of ineffective treatment by 4.12-fold,1.21-fold,1.19-fold,and 1.00-fold,respectively.Conclusion Yiqi Wenyang Lishui Formula effectively improves cardiac function and remodeling in HF patients with yang deficiency and fluid retention syndrome.NYHA classification,LVEDD,LVESD,and NT-proBNP are independent risk factors for influencing efficacy,warranting close monitoring for optimized therapeutic adjustments.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Bushen Jianpi Formula(BSJPF)in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)of spleen-kidney deficiency type.Methods Seventy-two patients with T2DM complicated with NAFLD of spleen-kidney deficiency type admitted to Clifford Hospital from June 2023 to September 2024 were randomized into treatment group(n=36,receiving lifestyle intervention+metformin+BSJPF)and control group(n=36,lifestyle intervention+metformin alone)for 12 weeks.TCM syndrome scores,liver function markers,ultrasonographic grading of fatty liver,glycolipid metabolic parameters were observed,and the clinical efficacy and safety were assessed.Results(1)Regarding dropouts,during the study,2 patients in the treatment group dropped out,while none occurred in the control group.Ultimately,34 patients in the treatment group and 36 in the control group completed efficacy evaluation.(2)In terms of clinical efficacy,after 12 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate was 88.24％(30/34)in the treatment group versus 66.67％(24/36)in the control group.Intergroup comparison(by chi-square test)showed significantly superior efficacy in the treatment group(P＜0.05).(3)For liver function indicators,after treatment,serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT)levels decreased significantly in both groups compared to those before treatment(P＜0.05),with substantially greater reduction in the treatment group(P＜0.05).(4)Regarding fatty liver ultrasound grading,both groups showed improvement after treatment(P＜0.05),with significantly greater enhancement in the treatment group(P＜0.05).(5)For glucose-lipid metabolism markers,both groups exhibited decreased fasting blood glucose(FBG),2-hour postprandial glucose(2hPG),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),fasting insulin(FINS),insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR),total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)levels(P＜0.05),with treatment group showing markedly greater reductions(P＜0.05);both groups demonstrated increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)levels(P＜0.05),with treatment group showing significantly greater elevation(P＜0.05).(6)In TCM syndrome score assessment,both groups showed reduced scores after treatment(P＜0.05),with treatment group demonstrating significantly greater improvement(P＜0.05).(7)Regarding safety,routine blood/urine/stool tests,renal function indicators,and electrocardiograms remained normal in both groups.The adverse reaction rate was 2.94％(1/34)in treatment group versus 5.56％(2/36)in control group,with no statistically significant difference between groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion BSJPF combined with metformin demonstrates superior efficacy to metformin alone for patients with T2DM complicated with NAFLD of spleen-kidney deficiency type.It is effective in relieving clinical symptoms,enhancing TCM syndrome efficacy,improving liver enzymes,fatty liver grading and insulin resistance,and regulating glycolipid metabolism.

Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment strategies for elderly patients with ground-glass opacity (GGO). Methods The imaging features and postoperative pathological findings of the elderly patients with pulmonary GGO receiving surgery in our hospital from 2017 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an elderly patient group and a non-elderly patient group based on their age. Results Finally 575 patients were included in the study. There were 281 elderly patients, including 83 males and 198 females, with an average age of (67.0±5.3) years. There were 294 non-elderly patients, including 88 males and 206 females, with an average age of (49.1±7.3) years. Compared with the non-elderly patients, elderly GGO patients showed the following distinct clinical features: long observation time for lesions (P=0.001), high proportion of rough edges of GGO (P<0.001), significant pleural signs (P＜0.001) and bronchial signs (P＜0.001), and high proportion of type Ⅱ-Ⅳ GGO (P<0.001), lobectomy type (P=0.013), and invasive lesions reported in postoperative pathology (P<0.001). There was no statistical difference in the average hospital stay between the two groups (P=0.106). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that GGO diameter and GGO type were the main factors affecting the operation. Observation time, GGO diameter, GGO type and pleural signs were the main influencing factors for postoperative pathological infiltrative lesions. The cut-off value of GGO diameter in predicting infiltrating lesions was 10.5 mm in the elderly patients group. Conclusion The size and type of GGO are important factors in predicting invasive lesions and selecting surgical methods. Elderly patients with radiographic manifestations of type Ⅱ-Ⅳ GGO lesions with a diameter greater than 10.5 mm should be closely followed up.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease involving multiple inflammatory cells and cytokines. Its pathogenesis is complex, involving various cells and cytokines. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theory suggests that the pathogenesis of asthma is closely related to the dysfunction of internal organs such as the lungs, spleen, and kidneys. In contrast, modern immunological studies have revealed the central role of T helper 1(Th1)/T helper 2(Th2) and T helper 17(Th17)/regulatory T(Treg) cellular immune imbalance in the pathogenesis of asthma. Th1/Th2 imbalance is manifested as hyperfunction of Th2 cells, which promotes the synthesis of immunoglobulin E(IgE) and the activation of eosinophil granulocytes, leading to airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation.Meanwhile, Th17/Treg imbalance exacerbates the inflammatory response in the airways, further contributing to asthma pathology.Currently, therapeutic strategies for asthma are actively exploring potential targets for regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg immune responses. These targets include cytokines, transcription factors, key proteins, and non-coding RNAs. Precisely regulating the expression and function of these targets can effectively modulate the activation and differentiation of immune cells. In recent years,traditional Chinese medicine active ingredients have shown unique potential and prospects in the field of asthma treatment. Based on this, the present study systematically summarizes the efficacy and specific mechanisms of TCM active ingredients in treating asthma by regulating Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg immune balance through literature review and analysis. These active ingredients, including flavonoids, terpenoids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and phenolic acids, exert their effects through various mechanisms, such as inhibiting the activation of inflammatory cells, reducing the release of cytokines, and promoting the normal differentiation of immune cells. This study aims to provide a solid foundation for the widespread application and in-depth development of TCM in asthma treatment and to offer new ideas for clinical research and drug development of asthma.
Asthma/genetics* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Th2 Cells/drug effects* ; Th17 Cells/drug effects* ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/drug effects* ; Th1 Cells/drug effects* ; Animals ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Asthma, a chronic inflammatory airway disease with a high global prevalence, has a complex pathogenesis, in which airway remodeling plays a key role in the chronicity of the disease. Airway remodeling involves a series of pathophysiological changes, including airway epithelial damage, proliferation of mucous glands and goblet cells, subepithelial fibrosis, proliferation and migration of airway smooth muscle cells, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These complex pathological changes significantly increase airway resistance and responsiveness, forming an important pathological basis for refractory asthma. Currently, the regulatory mechanisms of airway remodeling focus on signaling pathways and regulatory targets. The signaling pathways include phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt), nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB), transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)/Smads, and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK). The regulatory targets include microRNAs(miRNAs), competing endogenous RNAs(ceRNAs), long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs), and circular RNAs(circRNAs). Key proteins involved in these processes include TGF-β1, silencing information regulator 2-related enzyme 1(SIRT1), chitinase 3-like protein 1(YKL-40), and adenosine deaminase-metalloproteinase 33(ADAM33). In recent years, the potential of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of asthma has become increasingly evident. Its active ingredients, extracts, and complexes can inhibit airway remodeling in asthma through multiple pathways, demonstrating a variety of effects, including anti-inflammatory actions, inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, attenuation of fibrosis and basement membrane thickening, reduction of mucus secretion, inhibition of vascular remodeling, modulation of immune imbalance, and antioxidative stress. This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the pathogenesis and therapeutic targets of asthma, offering theoretical support and innovative strategies for clinical research and drug development in the treatment of asthma.
Asthma/pathology* ; Humans ; Airway Remodeling/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism*

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between changes in intestinal toxicity and compositional alterations of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix(commonly known as Langdu) before and after milk processing, and to explore the detoxification mechanism of milk processing. Mice were intragastrically administered the 95% ethanol extract of raw Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, milk-decocted(milk-processed), and water-decocted(water-processed) Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Fecal morphology, fecal water content, and the release levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in different intestinal segments were used as indicators to evaluate the effects of different processing methods on the cathartic effect and intestinal inflammatory toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. LC-MS/MS was employed to analyze the small-molecule components in the raw product, the 95% ethanol extract of the milk-processed product, and the milky waste(precipitate) formed during milk processing, to assess the impact of milk processing on the chemical composition of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. The results showed that compared with the blank group, both the raw and water-processed Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix significantly increased the fecal morphology score, fecal water content, and the release levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in various intestinal segments(P<0.05). Compared with the raw group, all indicators in the milk-processed group significantly decreased(P<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in the water-processed group, indicating that milk, as an adjuvant in processing, plays a key role in reducing the intestinal toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Mass spectrometry results revealed that 29 components were identified in the raw product, including 28 terpenoids and 1 acetophenone. The content of these components decreased to varying extents after milk processing. A total of 28 components derived from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix were identified in the milky precipitate, of which 27 were terpenoids, suggesting that milk processing promotes the transfer of toxic components from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix into milk. To further investigate the effect of milk adjuvant processing on the toxic terpenoid components of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was used to observe the morphology of self-assembled casein micelles(the main protein in milk) in the milky precipitate. The micelles formed in casein-terpenoid solutions were characterized using particle size analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy. TEM observations confirmed the presence of casein micelles in the milky precipitate. Characterization results showed that with increasing concentrations of toxic terpenoids, the average particle size of casein micelles increased, fluorescence intensity of the solution decreased, the maximum absorption wavelength in the UV spectrum shifted, and significant changes occurred in the infrared spectrum, indicating that interactions occurred between casein micelles and toxic terpenoid components. These findings indicate that the cathartic effect of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix becomes milder and its intestinal inflammatory toxicity is reduced after milk processing. The detoxification mechanism is that terpenoid components in Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix reassemble with casein in milk to form micelles, promoting the transfer of some terpenoids into the milky precipitate.
Animals ; Mice ; Milk/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/immunology* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Female