This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds. Among them, 102 compounds were reported in R. tomentosum for the first time, and 36 compounds were identified by comparing them with reference compounds. The chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum leaves and stems showed slight differences, with 84 common chemical components accounting for 71.2% of the total 118 compounds. This study systematically characterized and identified the non-volatile chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum for the first time. The findings provide a reference for active ingredient research, quality control, and product development of R. tomentosum.
Rhododendron/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the differences in the implantation safety and stability of a S ₁ alar-iliac screw (S1AIS) or S2AIS for sacroiliac joint fixation, providing reference for selecting appropriate internal fixation in clinical practice. METHODS: Patients who underwent pelvic CT examination between January 2024 and December 2024 were selected. CT data from 80 patients with normal pelvic structure who met the selection criteria were included in a 1∶1 male to female ratio. CT digital reconstruction technology was used to measure the transverse and longitudinal diameters of the S1AIS and S2AIS insertable ranges, as well as the length, width, and sacral side length of the screw trajectory. The pelvic CT data from 30 patients were randomly selected based on a 1∶1 male to female ratio for three-dimensional (3D) printing of pelvic samples. The S1AIS/S2AIS with a diameter of 6.5 mm and 8.0 mm were implanted at the optimal entry/exit points on the left and right sides, respectively, to observe the perforation of the screw trajectory. The pelvic CT data from 1 patient was randomly selected for 3D printing of 10 pelvic samples to simulate Tile C2 fracture. They were divided into S1AIS group ( n=5) and S2AIS group ( n=5), with one S1AIS and one S2AIS fixation used for posterior sacroiliac joint separation, and the specimen stiffness and maximum load were measured by using an electric tension torsion dual axis universal mechanical tester. RESULTS: The anatomical parameter measurement showed that there was no significant difference in the length and width of the screw trajectory between S1AIS and S2AIS ( P>0.05), but the transverse and longitudinal diameters of the insertable ranges, as well as the sacral side length of the screw trajectory, were all greater than those of S2AIS, with significant differences ( P<0.05). After simulating the implantation of S1AIS and S2AIS with a diameter of 6.5 mm in pelvic specimens, no screw penetration was observed. Both S1AIS and S2AIS with a diameter of 8.0 mm showed screw penetration, with S2AIS having a higher incidence of posterior lateral sacral cortical penetration (46.7%) than S1AIS (3.3%) ( P<0.05). The biomechanical test showed that the stiffness and maximum load of S2AIS were significantly lower than those of S1AIS ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION As a method to fix the sacroiliac joint, the S1AIS has a larger insertable range, a longer sacral side length of the screw trajectory, a lower incidence of posterior lateral cortical rupture of the sacrum, and a greater fixation strength than S2AIS. Therefore, the implantation safety and fixation stability of the S1AIS are superior to S2AIS, and a diameter less than 8.0 mm screws should be selected as S2AIS for Chinese people.
Humans ; Bone Screws ; Sacroiliac Joint/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Female ; Sacrum/diagnostic imaging* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Ilium/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a hospital-made resuscitation pack, a Chinese medicinal herbal compound formula designed to enhance recovery in post-bronchoscopy patients. METHODS: In this randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, eligible patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to either the treatment or control groups. The patients in the treatment group applied the resuscitation pack, which contained aromatic compounded Chinese herbs. The patients in the control group applied a hospital-made, single herb placebo pack. Packs were placed on the Tiantu (CV 22) acupuncture point for 4 h as soon as the bronchoscopy finished. Efficacy indicators, such as recovery time, patients' symptoms including nausea and dizziness, and adverse events (AEs) were observed and compared. The outcome indices were evaluated at baseline, 1 and 24 h after the bronchoscopy. Subgroup analysis was further performed by patients' age and depth of sedation. RESULTS: When applying generalized estimating equations (GEE) to evaluate the intensity of post-bronchoscopy nausea and vomiting, the intensity was lower in the treatment group (163 cases) compared with the control group (162 cases; 95% CI: 0.004, 0.099, P=0.03]. Also, significantly lower intensity of nausea was observed in the 60-70 years of age subgroup (95% CI: 0.029, 0.169, P=0.006) and deep sedation subgroup (95% CI: 0.002, 0.124; P=0.04). There was no significant difference in dizziness between two groups by GEE (95% CI: -0.134, 0.297; P=0.459). In addition, no serious AEs were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS Our study found that the resuscitation pack markedly improved patients' symptoms by reducing nausea and vomiting after bronchoscopy without AEs, compared with placebo in the perioperative period. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR2000038299).
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Bronchoscopy/adverse effects* ; Single-Blind Method ; Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Resuscitation ; Adult ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVES: The major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA), a component of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene complex, is involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases including cancers and autoimmune disorders. Rosacea, a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex pathogenesis, potentially influenced by genetic and autoimmune factors. This study aims to investigate the relationship among MICA gene polymorphisms, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and susceptibility to rosacea, thereby offering new insights into the disease mechanism. METHODS: Peripheral blood DNA samples were collected from 84 patients with rosacea (rosacea group) and 223 healthy volunteers (control group) who visited the Dermatology Outpatient Department of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between November 2017 and November 2019. MICA genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-sequencing-based typing (PCR-SBT) and the next-generation sequencing (NGS), and the accuracy of the 2 methods was compared. The frequency distributions of MICA alleles between the 2 groups were analyzed. Amino acid clustering and SNP site analyses were conducted to identify haplotype-linked SNPs and to classify MICA polymorphic variants. Distribution differences of these classifications between groups were also examined. RESULTS: Blood tests in rosacea patients showed mildly elevated, with no significant changes in lymphocyte counts. Both PCR-SBT and NGS accurately identified MICA alleles. The most common alleles in the rosacea group were MICA*010:01, MICA*008:04, and MICA*019:01. The frequencies of MICA*002:01 and MICA*027 were significantly lower in the rosacea group compared to controls (6.55% vs 18.16% and 1.19% vs 5.38%, respectively), while and MICA*010:01 were significantly higher (7.74% vs 3.36% and 31.55% vs 18.61%, respectively; all P<0.05). Five short tandem repeat (STR) alleles were identified. Frequencies of MICA-A4 and MICA-A9 were lower in the rosacea group than in the control group (16.07% vs 23.32% and 7.74% vs 17.26%, respectively), whereas MICA-A6 was higher (10.12% vs 4.03%; all P<0.05). Clustering and SNP analysis identified 6 linked SNP sites, classifying MICA variants into Type I (C₃₆+M₁₂₉+K₁₇₃+G₂₀₆+W₂₁₀+S₂₁₅) and Type II (Y₃₆+V₁₂₉+E₁₇₃+S₂₀₆+R₂₁₀+T₂₁₅). Type I MICA variants were significantly associated with rosacea susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS MICA gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to rosacea, and there are 6 linked SNP sites within the MICA gene. Based on this, MICA polymorphic variants are classified into Type I and Type II, with Type I being more closely associated with disease development of rosacea.
Humans ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/genetics* ; Rosacea/genetics* ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics* ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Genotype ; Alleles ; Gene Frequency ; Haplotypes ; Case-Control Studies ; Aged ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

HDAC7, a member of class IIa HDACs, plays a pivotal regulatory role in tumor, immune, fibrosis, and angiogenesis, rendering it a potential therapeutic target. Nevertheless, due to the high similarity in the enzyme active sites of class IIa HDACs, inhibitors encounter challenges in discerning differences among them. Furthermore, the substitution of key residue in the active pocket of class IIa HDACs renders them pseudo-enzymes, leading to a limited impact of enzymatic inhibitors on their function. In this study, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology was employed to develop HDAC7 drugs. We developed an exceedingly selective HDAC7 PROTAC degrader B14 which showcased superior inhibitory effects on cell proliferation compared to TMP269 in various diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Subsequent investigations unveiled that B14 disrupts BCL6 forming a transcriptional inhibition complex by degrading HDAC7, thereby exerting proliferative inhibition in DLBCL. Our study broadened the understanding of the non-enzymatic functions of HDAC7 and underscored the importance of HDAC7 in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, particularly in DLBCL and AML.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive hematologic malignancy with a poor prognosis, despite advancements in treatment. Many patients struggle with relapse or refractory disease. Investigating the role of the super-enhancer (SE) regulated gene ubiquitin-specific protease 20 (USP20) in T-ALL could enhance targeted therapies and improve clinical outcomes. Analysis of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data from six T-ALL cell lines and seven pediatric samples identified USP20 as an SE-regulated driver gene. Utilizing the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and BloodSpot databases, it was found that USP20 is specifically highly expressed in T-ALL. Knocking down USP20 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increased apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in T-ALL cells. In vivo studies showed that USP20 knockdown reduced tumor growth and improved survival. The USP20 inhibitor GSK2643943A demonstrated similar anti-tumor effects. Mass spectrometry, RNA-Seq, and immunoprecipitation revealed that USP20 interacted with hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) and stabilized it by deubiquitination. Cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) results indicated that USP20 co-localized with HIF1A, jointly modulating target genes in T-ALL. This study identifies USP20 as a therapeutic target in T-ALL and suggests GSK2643943A as a potential treatment strategy.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining albumin-bound paclitaxel (abpaclitaxel) and anlotinib for ovarian cancer. In this study, 44 patients diagnosed with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer were enrolled. Patients received ab-paclitaxel along with anlotinib until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Efficacy was assessed according to RECIST 1.1 criteria or Rustin's criteria. The primary endpoint was the investigator-evaluated objective response rate (ORR). 44 patients were enrolled between January 2021 and March 2023 with a median age of 49 years. Twenty-nine had measurable lesions and 15 had non-measurable lesions. Overall, the investigator-evaluated ORR was 56.8% (25/44; 95% CI 0.411-0.713) in intention-to-treat population and 58.1% (25/43; 95% CI 0.422-0.726) in per-protocol population. The median progression-free survival was 9.8 months, and the median duration of response was 7.4 months. For safety, grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) included leukopenia, gum pain, hypertension, and hand-foot syndrome. The response rates were 55.0% (11/20) in patients with previous use of antiangiogenic reagents and who had previous use of PARP inhibitors. The combination of ab-paclitaxel and anlotinib showed promising anti-tumor activity and a manageable safety profile in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Patients with previous use of antiangiogenic drugs or PARP inhibitors still benefited from this protocol.
Humans ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Indoles/therapeutic use* ; Quinolines/therapeutic use* ; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial/drug therapy* ; Adult ; Ovarian Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/administration & dosage* ; Aged ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel/therapeutic use* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy* ; Progression-Free Survival ; Paclitaxel/administration & dosage* ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: The use of inserted sham acupuncture as a placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is controversial, because it may produce specific effects that cause an underestimation of the effect of acupuncture treatment. OBJECTIVE: This systematic survey investigates the magnitude of insert-specific effects of sham acupuncture and whether they affect the estimation of acupuncture treatment effects. SEARCH STRATEGY: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify acupuncture RCTs from their inception until December 2022. INCLUSION CRITERIA: RCTs that evaluated the effects of acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture and no treatment. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: The total effect measured for an acupuncture treatment group in RCTs were divided into three components, including the natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (controlled for no-treatment group), the placebo effect, and the specific effect of acupuncture. The first two constituted the contextual effect of acupuncture, which is mimicked by a sham acupuncture treatment group. The proportion of acupuncture total effect size was considered to be 1. The proportion of natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (PNE) and proportional contextual effect (PCE) of included RCTs were pooled using meta-analyses with a random-effect model. The proportion of acupuncture placebo effect was the difference between PCE and PNE in RCTs with non-inserted sham acupuncture. The proportion of insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture (PIES) was obtained by subtracting the proportion of acupuncture placebo effect and PNE from PCE in RCTs with inserted sham acupuncture. The impact of PIES on the estimation of acupuncture's treatment effect was evaluated by quantifying the percentage of RCTs that the effect of outcome changed from no statistical difference to statistical difference after removing PIES in the included studies, and the impact of PIES was externally validated in other acupuncture RCTs with an inserted sham acupuncture group that were not used to calculate PIES. RESULTS: This analysis included 32 studies with 5492 patients. The overall PNE was 0.335 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.255-0.415) and the PCE of acupuncture was 0.639 (95% CI, 0.567-0.710) of acupuncture's total effect. The proportional contribution of the placebo effect to acupuncture's total effect was 0.191, and the PIES was 0.189. When we modeled the exclusion of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, the acupuncture treatment effect changed from no difference to a significant difference in 45.45% of the included RCTs, and in 40.91% of the external validated RCTs. CONCLUSION The insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture in RCTs represents 18.90% of acupuncture's total effect and significantly affects the evaluation of the acupuncture treatment effect. More than 40% of RCTs that used inserted sham acupuncture would draw different conclusions if the PIES had been controlled for. Considering the impact of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, caution should be taken when using inserted sham acupuncture placebos in RCTs. Please cite this article as: Luo XC, Liu JL, Yao MH, Chen YM, Fan AY, Liang FR, Zhao JP, Zhao L, Zhou X, Zhong XY, Yang JH, Li B, Zhang Y, Sun X, Li L. Specific effect of inserted sham acupuncture and its impact on the estimation of acupuncture treatment effect in randomized controlled trials: A systematic survey. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):630-640.
Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Placebo Effect ; Placebos ; Treatment Outcome