Objective: To evaluate the comprehensive intervention effect of lunch for primary and secondary school students in Minhang District, so as to provide a theoretical and practical basis for lunch intervention in school. Methods: From October to December 2023, a convenience sampling method was used to select 1 937 students from one primary and secondary school in Minhang District.A comprehensive intervention measure focusing on "reducing oil and salt" for lunch recipe optimization and nutrition education was carried out, and a questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate the intervention effect three months later. Chi square test and Wilcoxon rank test were used to compare the data before and after the intervention. Results: After intervention, the use of cooking oil and salt, the supply of protein and fat in primary and secondary school lunches were reduced, and had no obvious impact on energy and other major nutrients. After intervention, compared to before intervention, the proportion of primary school students who felt that lunch was greasy decreased (8.9%, 6.2%, χ 2=4.35), and the proportion of primary and secondary school students who felt that lunch were delicious decreased significantly (33.2%, 23.2%; 63.9%, 53.5%, χ 2=26.39, 17.52) ( P < 0.05 ). Secondary school students also felt reduced variety of food ingredients (46.9%, 38.3%, χ 2=16.05, P <0.05). In addition, after intervention, the total surplus rate of primary school students meals decreased (7.4%, 4.4%, χ 2=5.73), mainly reflected in the decrease of the surplus rate of staple foods (7.1%, 2.4%, χ 2=17.39), while the surplus rate of vegetable dishes increased ( 16.0 %, 21.2%, χ 2=6.01) ( P <0.05). Although there was no significant change in the total surplus rate of meals for secondary school students, the surplus rate of staple foods decreased (12.9%, 5.4%, χ 2=33.52), while the surplus rates of meat and vegetable dishes increased (11.2%, 26.9%; 17.5%, 33.2%, χ 2=74.26, 61.88) ( P <0.05). After intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the overweight and obesity rates of primary school students ( χ 2=0.11,0.43) and secondary school students ( χ 2=0.01,0.00) compared to before intervention( P >0.05). After intervention, the lung capacity of primary school students [1 564 (1 269,1 890) mL] and sitting forward flexion [11.3 (7.6, 15.2) cm] increased compared to before intervention [1 522 (1 259, 1 819 ) mL, 10.5 (6.3, 13.5) cm] ( Z =2.20, 4.68, P <0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference in lung capacity and sitting forward flexion of secondary school students before and after intervention ( Z =-0.46, -0.08, P >0.05). Conclusion The comprehensive intervention of school lunch has promoted a significant decrease in the use of oil and salt in lunch and improved the quality of recipes, and has a positive impact on the situation of leftover lunch and the health of students to a certain extent.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of Chinese medicine (CM) Lianhua Qingwen Granule (LHQW) and Jingyin Gubiao Prescription (JYGB) in asymptomatic or mild patients with Omicron infection in the shelter hospital. METHODS: This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted in the largest shelter hospital in Shanghai, China, from April 10, 2022 to May 30, 2022. A total of 56,244 asymptomatic and mild Omicron cases were included and divided into 4 groups, i.e., non-administration group (23,702 cases), LHQW group (11,576 cases), JYGB group (12,112 cases), and dual combination of LHQW and JYGB group (8,854 cases). The length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was used to assess the effectiveness of LHQW and JYGB treatment on Omicron infection. RESULTS: Patients aged 41-60 years, with nadir threshold cycle (C_T) value of N gene <25, or those fully vaccinated preferred to receive CM therapy. Before or after propensity score matching (PSM), the multiple linear regression showed that LHQW and JYGB treatment were independent influence factors of LOS (both P<0.001). After PSM, there were significant differences in LOS between the LHQW/JYGB combination and the other groups (P<0.01). The results of factorial design ANOVA proved that the LHQW/JYGB combination therapy synergistically shortened LOS (P=0.032). CONCLUSIONS Patients with a nadir C_T value <25 were more likely to accept CM. The LHQW/JYGB combination therapy could shorten the LOS of Omicron-infected individuals in an isolated environment.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Hospitalization ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Length of Stay ; Young Adult ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors often experience constipation, which contributes to a reduced sense of well-being and a lower quality of life. Acupressure offers a non-pharmacological and non-invasive alternative therapy for treating constipation. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of home-based acupressure on constipation and subjective well-being among SCI survivors. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This randomized controlled trial randomly assigned 80 adults from Hong Kong with SCI to two study groups. Using a video demonstration filmed by a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, the intervention group performed home-based acupressure (self-administered or caregiver-assisted) twice daily, 15 min/session, for 10 consecutive days. The control group performed manual light touching of the abdomen with the same frequency and duration as the intervention group. Both groups received defecation education through a structured booklet. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The primary outcome was constipation severity. Secondary outcomes included bowel habits, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Focus group interviews were conducted after the intervention to collect subjective feedback from participants. RESULTS: Significant group-by-time interaction effects on constipation severity (P = 0.005) and quality of life (P = 0.001) revealed that home-based acupressure produced better results than the control. These treatment effects persisted at the one-month follow-up and continued to have a large effect size (Cohen's d > 0.8). Compared to the control group, the acupressure group also had improvements in anxiety (Cohen's d = 0.69) and depression (Cohen's d = 0.72) at the end of the intervention period. Three qualitative categories were identified from the focus group interviews: improvements in bowel function and management; reduced psychological distress following relief from constipation; and acceptability of home-based acupressure. CONCLUSION: Acupressure effectively relieves constipation, enhances psychological well-being, and improves quality of life in people with SCI. These data provide novel evidence supporting the use of home-based acupressure as an acceptable and effective therapy for treating constipation after SCI. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05558657). Please cite this article as: Li MQ, Li Y, Lam W, Yeung WF, Ho YS, Li JY, Sun TC, Yuen S, Hu YL, Yorke J. Home-based acupressure for managing constipation and subjective well-being in spinal cord injury survivors: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):660-669.
Humans ; Acupressure/methods* ; Constipation/psychology* ; Male ; Female ; Spinal Cord Injuries/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Quality of Life ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the effectiveness of drawing-based method in medical courses and their impact on students' learning habits,academic performance,and comprehensive competencies,in order to meet the demand for high-quality,interdisciplinary,and innovative talent,and provide theoretical support for integrating aesthetic education into medical training.Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among medical students(n=310)at Dalian Medical University,covering the frequency of using drawing method and their effects on learning outcomes,innovation ability,and humanistic qualities.Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test(P＜0.05).Results Totally 93.6％of students approved of using drawing method for learning medical courses,with 70.8％having developed a habit of drawing-based learning.Students with stronger drawing skills were more inclined to use drawing method and supported their application in teaching.The frequency of drawing-based learning was positively correlated with anatomy scores(P＜0.05).Students generally agreed that drawing method enhanced knowledge comprehension,learning interest,long-term memory,innovation ability,critical thinking,and humanistic qualities.However,students with weaker drawing skills perceived drawing method as potentially increasing learning burdens and being less efficient,but this perception significantly decreased with increased drawing frequency(P＜0.05).Conclusion Drawing methods are widely used in medical courses and effectively improve learning outcomes and comprehensive competencies.Drawing proficiency and frequency are key factors influencing students' acceptance and learning effectiveness.Future efforts should focus on promoting drawing method,strengthening students' drawing skills,and optimizing learning processes to deepen the integration of aesthetic education in medical training.

Ganoderic acid is a class of lanostane-type triterpenoids found in Ganoderma species, and is one of the most important pharmacologically active components in G. lucidum, exhibiting antioxidant, anti-neuropsychiatric, anti-tumor, and immune-enhancing properties. The content of ganoderic acid in G. lucidum is very low, and the traditional extraction process is complex, yielding minimal amounts at high cost. The biosynthetic pathway of G. lucidum triterpenoids(GLTs), including the synthesis of different structural forms of ganoderic acid from lanosterol, as well as the molecular regulatory mechanisms involving key regulatory enzyme genes and their functions, are not yet fully understood. With the continuous development of synthetic biology technologies, there has been a deeper understanding of the biosynthesis and metabolic regulation pathways of ganoderic acid and its derivatives at the molecular level. Research has explored the key regulatory enzyme genes related to ganoderic acid biosynthesis and their functions. Moreover, through the optimization of synthetic biology and culture conditions, large-scale production and preparation of GLTs at the cellular level have been achieved. This paper reviews and analyzes the latest research progress on the biosynthesis pathways and metabolic regulation of GLTs, focusing on the configuration of ganoderic acid and its derivatives, the biosynthetic pathways, key enzyme genes, transcription factors related to ganoderic acid biosynthesis, signal transduction mechanisms, and factors affecting triterpenoid biotransformation. This review is expected to provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for improving the efficient production of triterpenoid pharmacological components and the exploitation and utilization of G. lucidum resources.
Triterpenes/chemistry* ; Reishi/chemistry* ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Lanosterol

Amber and subfossil resins are subjects of interdisciplinary research across multiple fields. However, due to their diverse origins and complex compositions, different disciplines vary in their definitions and functional interpretations. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), amber has been utilized as a medicinal material since ancient time, with extensive historical documentation. However, its classification, provenance, and nomenclature remain ambiguous, and authentic medicinal amber artifacts are exceedingly rare. This study employed Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) to characterize amber and subfossil resins from various geological sources and commercially "medicinal amber". Additionally, historical literature and market surveys were analyzed to explore their provenance, composition, and functional attributes. The results indicate that amber and subfossil resins from different sources and with different compositions exhibit distinct fingerprint characteristics in the FTIR spectral range of 1 800-700 cm~(-1). "Medicinal amber" available in the market primarily consists of subfossil or modern resins, significantly differing in composition and structure from geological amber. This study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research on amber identification and resource management. It is essential to establish a systematic database of amber and subfossil resin characteristics and integrate modern analytical techniques to enhance research on their composition, pharmacological mechanisms, and potential therapeutic effects, thereby promoting the standardized utilization of amber resources and advancing the modernization of TCM.
Amber/history* ; Archaeology ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

This study aims to explore the effects and action mechanisms of the active ingredients in Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BYHWD), namely tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) and hydroxy-safflor yellow A(HSYA), on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reglucose-reoxygenation(OGD/R)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of microglia(MG). Network pharmacology was used to screen the effective monomer ingredients of BYHWD and determine the safe concentration range for each component. Inflammation and oxidative stress models were established to further screen the best ingredient combination and optimal concentration ratio with the most effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. OGD/R BV2 cell models were constructed, and BV2 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided into a normal group, a model group, an HSYA group, a TMP group, and an HSYA + TMP group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6). Oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase(SOD), nitric oxide(NO), and malondialdehyde(MDA), were also measured. Western blot was used to analyze the protein expression of both inflammation-related pathway [Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)] and oxidative stress-related pathway [nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)]. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the expression of proteins such as inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and arginase-1(Arg-1). The most effective ingredients for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in BYHWD were TMP and HSYA. Compared to the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, along with significantly higher protein expression of NF-κB, TLR4, Nrf2, and HO-1 and significantly lower SOD levels. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant. Compared to the model group, both the HSYA group and the TMP group showed significantly reduced levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, lower expression of NF-κB and TLR4 proteins, higher levels of SOD, and significantly increased protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was significantly reduced, while the expression of the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 was significantly increased. The results of the HSYA group and the TMP group had statistically significant differences from those of the model group. Compared to the HSYA group and the TMP group, the HSYA + TMP group showed further significant reductions in IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA levels, along with significant reductions in NF-κB and TLR4 protein expression, an increase in SOD levels, and elevated Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was reduced, while the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 expression increased significantly in the HSYA + TMP group compared to the TMP or HSYA group. The differences in the results were statistically significant between the HSYA + TMP group and the TMP or HSYA group. The findings indicated that the combined use of HSYA and TMP, the active ingredients of BYHWD, can effectively inhibit OGD/R-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of MG, showing superior effects compared to the individual use of either component.
Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Inflammation/genetics* ; Oxygen/metabolism* ; Pyrazines/pharmacology* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; NF-kappa B/immunology* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; Humans