This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of rubioncolin C(RuC) in inhibiting gastric cancer(GC). AGS and MGC803 cell lines were selected as cellular models. After treating the cells with RuC at different concentrations, the effects of RuC on the proliferation ability of GC cells were assessed using the CCK-8 method, real-time cellular analysis(RTCA), and colony formation assays. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe subcellular structural changes. Immunofluorescence was applied to detect LC3 fluorescent foci. Acridine orange staining was used to evaluate the state of intracellular lysosomes. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ, P62, and lysosomal cathepsin D(CTSD). The SuperPred online tool was used to predict the target proteins that bound to RuC, and molecular docking analysis was conducted to identify the interaction sites between RuC and CTSD. The drug affinity responsive target stability(DARTS) assay was performed to detect the direct binding interaction between RuC and CTSD. The results showed that RuC significantly inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of GC cells at low concentrations, with 24-hour half-maximal inhibitory concentrations(IC_(50)) of 3.422 and 2.697 μmol·L~(-1) for AGS and MGC803 cells, respectively. After 24 hours of treatment with RuC at concentrations of 1, 2, and 3 μmol·L~(-1), the colony formation rates for AGS cells were 61.0%±1.5%, 28.0%±0.5%, and 18.2%±0.5%, respectively, while the rates for MGC803 cells were 56.0%±0.5%, 23.3%±1.0%, and 11.8%±1.0%, all of which were significantly reduced. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that RuC promoted an increase in autophagosome formation in GC cells. Immunofluorescence detection showed that LC3 fluorescent foci of GC cells increased with the increase in RuC dose. RuC up-regulated the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ and P62 in GC cells. Acridine orange staining indicated that RuC altered the acidic environment of lysosomes. SuperPred online prediction identified CTSD as a potential target protein of RuC. Western blot analysis revealed that RuC induced the up-regulation of the inactive precursor of CTSD in GC cells. CTSD activity assays indicated that RuC reduced the activity of CTSD. Molecular docking simulations found that RuC bound to the substrate-binding region of CTSD, forming hydrogen bonds with the Tyr205 and Asp231 residues. Microscale thermophoresis and DARTS assays further confirmed that RuC directly bound to CTSD. In summary, RuC inhibits lysosomal activity by targeting and down-regulating the expression of CTSD, thereby inducing autophagosome accumulation in GC cells.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/enzymology* ; Cathepsin D/chemistry* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Autophagosomes/metabolism* ; Autophagy/drug effects*

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease that has been prevalent since December 2019. Chinese medicine (CM) has demonstrated its unique advantages in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of disease prevention, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression. This review summarized the relevant material components of CM in the treatment of COVID-19 by searching the relevant literature and reports on CM in the treatment of COVID-19 and combining with the physiological and pathological characteristics of the novel coronavirus. On the basis of sorting out experimental methods in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism of herb action was further clarified in terms of inhibiting virus invasion and replication and improving related complications. The aim of the article is to explore the strengths and characteristics of CM in the treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for the research and scientific, standardized treatment of COVID-19 with CM.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; SARS-CoV-2/drug effects* ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Animals

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

This experiment aims to study the taste-masking effects of different kinds of corrigent used individually and in combination on ibuprofen oral solution, in order to optimize the taste-masking formulation. Firstly, a wide range of corrigent and the mass fractions were extensively screened using electronic tongue technology. Subsequently, a combination of sensory evaluation, analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-fuzzy mathematics evaluation, and Box-Behnken experimental design were employed to comprehensively assess the taste-masking effects of different combinations of corrigent on ibuprofen oral solution, optimize the taste-masking formulation, and validate the results. The study received ethical approval from the Review Committee of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (ethical code: 2024BZYLL0102). The results showed that corrigent fractions and types were screened separately through single-factor experiments. Subsequently, a Box-Behnken response surface design combined with AHP and fuzzy mathematics evaluation was used to fit a functional model: Z = 688.310 11 - 3 023.722 22X₁ - 11.477 00X₂ + 62.721 67X₃ + 14.600 00X₁X₂ - 179.666 67X₁X₃ - 3.152 00X₂X₃ + 4 031.111 11X₁² + 0.525 28X₂² + 9.772 00X₃². This model is stable and reliable, determining the optimal taste-masking formulation to be 3.9 g·L^-1 of stevioside, 100 g L^-1 of xylitol, and 30 g L^-1 of methyl-β-cyclodextrin. The comprehensive score of the verification test is 88.14, with a relative RSD of 0.39%, indicating the feasibility of this model. This study achieved the improvement of the taste of ibuprofen oral solution through a combination of objective and subjective methods. Three types of corrigent were identified for enhancing drug taste, leading to the selection of the optimal taste-masking formulation for ibuprofen oral solution. This significantly enhanced the taste of the original formulation, improved patient compliance, and offered a new approach to mitigating the undesirable taste of formulations.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bendamustine combined with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (BPD regimen) in the treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) with extramedullary disease. Methods: This open, single-arm, multicenter prospective cohort study included 30 relapsed MM patients with extramedullary disease diagnosed in seven hospitals including Qingdao Municipal Hospital. The patients were treated with BPD regimen from February 2021 to November 2022. This study analyzed the efficacy and adverse reactions of the BPD regimen. Results: The median age of the 30 patients was 62 (47-72) years, of which 18 (60% ) had first-time recurrence. The overall response rate (ORR) of the 18 patients with first-time recurrence was 100%, of which three (16.7% ) achieved complete remission, 10 (55.5% ) achieved very good partial remission (VGPR), and five (27.8% ) achieved partial remission (PR). The ORR of 12 patients with recurrence after second-line or above treatment was 50%, including zero patients with ≥VGPR and six patients (50% ) with PR. Three cases (25% ) had stable disease, and three cases (25% ) had disease progression. The one-year progression free survival rate of all patients was 65.2% (95% CI 37.2% -83.1% ), and the 1-year overall survival rate was 90.0% (95% CI 76.2% -95.4% ). The common grade 3-4 hematology adverse reactions included two cases (6.7% ) of neutropenia and one case (3.3% ) of thrombocytopenia. The overall adverse reactions are controllable. Conclusions: The BPD regimen has good efficacy and tolerance in relapsed MM patients with extramedullary disease.
Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy* ; Bendamustine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use* ; Prospective Studies ; Dexamethasone/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use*

Objective To observe the potential mechanism of electroacupuncture regulating the erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor B2/erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor-interacting B2/big mitogen-activated protein kinase 1(EphB2/EphrinB2/BMK1) signaling pathway to improve neural damage in vascular dementia rats. Methods Eighty SD male adult rats were randomly divided into a sham surgery group, a model group, a non acupoint electroacupuncture group, a nimodipine group, and an electroacupuncture three needle group. The vascular dementia rat model was made by the modified Pulsinelli four vessel occlusion method. After grouping, the rats in each group were subjected to water maze test, HE staining, Nissl staining, and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) to observe the pathological changes in the hippocampal CA1 area, and the expression of EphB2 and BMK1 in the hippocampal CA1 area was detected by immunohistochemistry; Detection of EphB2 and BMK1 protein expression in rat hippocampal CA1 region was detected by Western blotting. Results Compared with the model group, the escape latency of vascular dementia rats treated with electroacupuncture and nimodipine decreased (P<0.05), while the number of crossing platforms significantly increased (P<0.05); The result of HE staining, Nissl staining and TEM showed that compared with the model group, the neurons in hippocampal CA1 area of rats in the EA Zhisanzhen group and nimodipine group were arranged orderly, and the morphology and structure of cells and organelle were complete; Immunohistochemical method and Western blotting showed that the expression of EphB2 and BMK1 in the CA1 region of hippocampus in the model group was significantly lower than that in the sham surgery group (P<0.05); Compared with the model group, the expression of EphB2 and BMK1 in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the electroacupuncture Zhisanzhen group significantly increased (P<0.05), while the expression of EphB2 and BMK1 in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the non acupoint electroacupuncture group was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Compared with the nimodipine group, the expression of EphB2 and BMK1 in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the electroacupuncture Zhisanzhen group significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture may improve the damage of hippocampal neurons in vascular dementia rats by increasing the expression of EphB2 and BMK1 in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, thereby improving the learning and memory of vascular dementia rats.

Objective To explore the range of normal female pelvic diameter lines in Tibetan nationality. Methods The subjects were Tibetan nationality female who underwent pelvic CT examination in the Radiology Department from January 2016 to December 2019 at the General Hospital of the Tibet Military Region of PLA. Ninty-six samples between the ages of 22 and 65 years, with an average age (46.06±11.42)years were recruited. Mimics 19.0 software was used to construct the digital three-dimensional model of pelvis, and to measure transverse diameter(TD), obstetric conjugate(OC), interspinous distance(ISD), sagittal midpelvic diameter(SMD), intertuberous distance(ITD), sagittal outlet diameter(SOD),diagonal conjugate diameter(DCD),sacrum length(SL), penal height(PH).Analysis of variance was used to compare different age groups, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between age and pelvic diameter. Results The linear measurement of TD was (132.08±6.15) mm, OC was (112.44±9.43) mm, ISD was (107.30±8.70), SMD was (129.06±7.73) mm, ITD was (123.02±12.08) mm, SOD was (118.80±8.87) mm, DCD was (127.49±9.80) mm, SL was (102.56±10.88) mm and PH was (36.57±4.57) mm.Cluster analysis showed that Lhasa Tibetans were closest to Uygurs. Conclusion The close clustering relationship between Tibetans and Uygurs in Lhasa suggests that there is a possibility of gene exchange between Tibetans and Uygurs in Hotan area in ancient times. The pelvic diameter of Tibetan women in Lhasa has changed significantly. Narrower OC, SL and PH make the pelvis flat, which is more and more detrimental to natural childbirth.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the clinical efficacy of internal fixation and total hip replacement in the treatment of displaced femoral neck fracture from 55 to 65 years. METHODS: From September 2016 to August 2020, 86 patients with Garden type Ⅲ or Ⅳ femoral neck fracture were divided into two groups according to different surgical methods. Among them, 38 patients were treated with lag screws for internal fixation, there were 26 males and 12 females, aged 55 to 64 years old with an average of(60.2±3.1) years;the other 48 patients were treated with total hip replacement, including 28 males and 20 females, aged from 57 to 65 years old with an average of(61.3±3.8) years. The time from injury to operation ranged from 1 to 3 days. The reoperation rate, incidence of deep infection, Harris score of hip joint function, visual analogue scale(VAS) of pain and patients reported outcome scores(European five-dimensional Health Questionnaire, EQ-5D) were compared between two groups. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 24 to 54 months with an average of (35.8±10.3) months. There was significant difference in reoperation rate between two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference on the incidence of deep infection, hip Harris score and VAS between two groups(P>0.05) . The postoperative EQ-5D score of patients with internal fixation was lower than that of total hip replacement, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Both the surgery of internal fixation and total hip replacement have similar effect in short-and medium term among the patients aged 55 to 65 years old. However, for the reoperation rate, the group of internal fixation was higher than that of total hip replacement. For the subjective functional score of patients, the group of internal fixation was lower than that of total hip replacement.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Femoral Neck Fractures/surgery* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Reoperation

Background: Cervical cancer is still present a major public health problem, especially in developing countries. In International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 2018, allowing assessment of retroperitoneal lymph nodes by imaging and/or pathological findings and, if deemed metastatic, the case is designated as stage IIIC (with r and p notations). Patients with lymph node metastases have lower overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and survival after recurrence, especially those who have unresectable macroscopical positive lymph nodes. Retrospective analysis suggests that there may be a benefit to debulking macroscopic nodes that would be otherwise difficult to sterilize with standard doses of radiation therapy. However, there are no prospective study reporting that resecting macroscopic nodes before concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) would improve PFS or OS of cervical cancer and no guidelines for surgical resection of bulky lymph nodes. The CQGOG0103 study is a prospective, multicenter and randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating lymph node dissection on stage IIICr of cervical cancer. Methods Eligible patients are histologically confirmed cervical squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, adeno-squamous cell carcinoma. Stage IIICr (confirmed by computed tomography [CT]/magnetic resonance imaging/positron emission tomography/CT) and the short diameter of image-positive lymph node ≥15 mm. 452 patients will be equally randomized to receive either CCRT (pelvic external-beam radiotherapy [EBRT]/extended-field EBRT + cisplatin [40 mg/m2] or carboplatin [the area under curve=2] every week for 5 cycles + brachytherapy) or open/minimally invasive pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection followed by CCRT. Randomization is stratified by status of para-aortic lymph node. The primary endpoint is PFS. Secondary endpoints are OS and surgical complications. A total of 452 patients will be enrolled from multiple hospitals in China within 4 years and followed up for 5 years.