Shengma Gegentang is one of the classic formulas in the Catalogue of Ancient Classic Prescriptions （Second Batch）. This study reviewed ancient and modern literature and used literature tracing and bibliometric methods to analyze the historical evolution， efficacy， indications， dosage decoctions， and modern clinical disease spectrum of Shengma Gegentang. The results indicated that the earliest record of Shengma Gegentang can be found in the Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang of the Song dynasty， but its origin can be traced back to the Shaoyao Siwu Jiejitang in the Beiji Qianjin Yaofang of the Tang dynasty. The composition dosage of Shengma Gegentang is 413 g of Cimicifugae Rhizoma， 619.5 g of Puerariae Lobatae Radix， 413 g of Paeoniae Radix Alba， and 413 g of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， which are ground into coarse powder. Each dose is 12.39 g， and the amount of water added is 300 mL. 100 mL of solution is decocted and taken at the right time. The four drugs in the formula play the role of relieving exterior syndrome， penetrating pathogenic factors， and detoxicating together. Its indications are widely involved in internal medicine， pediatrics， surgery， ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology， obstetrics and gynecology， sexually transmitted diseases， and other diseases， such as measles， sores， acne， spots， surgical gangrene， red eyes， toothache， chancre， and fetal poison. The epidemic diseases treated by Shengma Gegentang are complicated， including rash， pox， macula， numbness， summer diarrhea， dysentery， sha disease， febrile symptoms， spring warmth， winter warmth， and cold pestilence. At the same time， it is a plague prevention formula. Although Shengma Gegentang has a wide range of indications， it cannot be separated from the pathogenic mechanism of evil Qi blocking the muscle surface and heat in the lungs and stomach. The modern clinical disease spectrum of Shengma Gegentang involves the ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology system， nervous system， pediatric-related diseases and syndromes， skin system， hepatobiliary system， and digestive system. It plays a key role in the treatment of epidemic diseases such as measles， chronic hepatitis B， dysentery， and tetanus.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare decellularized nerve grafts from alpha-1, 3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) gene-edited pigs and explore their biocompatibility for xenotransplantation. METHODS: The sciatic nerves from wild-type pigs and GGTA1 gene-edited pigs were obtained and underwent decellularization. The alpha-galactosidase (α-gal) content in the sciatic nerves of GGTA1 gene-edited pigs was detected by using IB4 fluorescence staining and ELISA method to verify the knockout status of the GGTA1 gene, and using human sciatic nerve as a control. HE staining and scanning electron microscopy observation were used to observe the structure of the nerve samples. Immunofluorescence staining and DNA content determination were used to evaluate the degree of decellularization of the nerve samples. Fourteen nude mice were taken, and subcutaneous capsules were prepared on both sides of the spine. Decellularized nerve samples of wild-type pigs ( n=7) and GGTA1 gene-edited pigs ( n=7) were randomly implanted in the subcutaneous capsules. Blood was drawn at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after implantation to detect neutrophil counting. RESULTS: IB4 fluorescence staining and ELISA detection showed that GGTA1 gene was successfully knocked out in the nerves of GGTA1 gene-edited pigs. HE staining showed that the structure of the decellularized nerve from GGTA1 gene-edited pigs was well preserved; the nerve basement membrane tube structure was visible under scanning electron microscopy; no cell nuclei was observed, and the extracellular matrix components was retained in the nerve grafts by immunofluorescence staining; and the DNA content was significantly reduced when compared with the normal nerves ( P<0.05). In vivo experiments showed that the number of neutrophils in the two groups were similar at 1, 3, and 7 days after implantation, with no significant difference ( P>0.05); only at 5 days, the number of neutrophils was significantly lower in the GGTA1 gene-edited pigs than in the wild-type pigs ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION The decellularized nerve grafts from GGTA1 gene-edited pigs have well-preserved nerve structure, complete decellularization, retain the natural nerve basement membrane tube structure and components, and low immune response after xenotransplantation through in vitro experiments.
Animals ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Galactosyltransferases/genetics* ; Sciatic Nerve/immunology* ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Humans ; Graft Rejection/prevention & control* ; Gene Editing ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Heterografts/immunology* ; Animals, Genetically Modified ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Decellularized Extracellular Matrix

Sarcopenia is an age-related syndrome characterized by progressive and widespread loss of skeletal muscle mass and/or decline in muscle function.Its incidence increases year by year with aging and is influenced by multiple factors,including genetic background,lifestyle,nutritional status,and chronic diseases.Recent studies have revealed a significant correlation between sarcopenia and chronic coronary syndromes(CCS),not only in terms of the frequency of occurrence but also the se-verity of the conditions.Moreover,sarcopenia and CCS share common pathogenic mechanisms,en-compassing various pathophysiological processes such as chronic inflammation,oxidative stress,apop-tosis,and insulin resistance.This article aimed to review the current research progress on comorbidity relationship between sarcopenia and CCS,explore their shared pathophysiological basis,and discuss their impacts on clinical prognosis.

As a chronic metabolic disease,type 2 diabetes poses a significant threat to human health with increasing incidence.An increasing number of studies confirm that the pathogenesis of diabetes is closely related with alterations in multiple cellular signaling pathways.Although numerous studies have reported that traditional Chinese medicine compounds prevent diabetes by modulating cell signaling pathways,asystematic review of the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in modulating cell signaling pathways is still lacking.Therefore,this paper summarizes the research of type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment,which was found mainly related to the signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT,AMPK,MAPK,NF-κB,PPAR,TGF-β.This family of signaling pathways can treat type 2 diabetes by inhibiting pancreatic islet cell apoptosis,protecting pancreatic β-cell function,ameliorating insulin resistance,inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis,promoting glycogen synthesis,attenuating inflammation,and resisting oxidative stress.At the same time,we analyze the problems in current research and the future development trend,in order to provide a scientific theoretical basis for the drug development and clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine compound in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Qingyan Dropping Pills have the effects of relieving wind and heat, detoxifying, and promoting the pharynx. It is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicines to treat acute and chronic pharyngitis, as well as sore throats and dry throats caused by surgery. Recently, many studies have shown that Qingyan Dropping Pills have certain effects on bacteriostasis, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral activities. As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic enters the post-epidemic era, the regular use of drugs for COVID-19 pandemic symptoms has become a new trend. Therefore, there is a good market prospect to explore and develop Chinese patent medicines with antiviral effects. A preliminary study on the herbal formula and material basis of Qingyan Dropping Pills revealed that they have potential for antiviral applications. In this paper, the research on the quality study and antiviral effect of Qingyan Dropping Pills was reviewed, and the research direction of its secondary development was discussed to provide ideas and references for the new use of old traditional Chinese medicines.

Clinical data of 210 patients with early colorectal cancer and precancerous lesion treated by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the Digestive Endoscopy Center of the Seventh Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2015 to March 2018 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups according to the age: the elderly group (≥65 years old, 100 cases) and the non-elderly group (<65 years old, 110 cases). The en bloc resection rate, complete resection rate,and curative resection rate of the elderly group were 92.0% (92/100), 91.0% (91/100) and 89.0% (89/100), respectively. The above indicators of the non-elderly group were 90.9% (100/110) ( P=0.972), 90.0% (99/110) ( P=0.991) and 88.2% (97/110) ( P=1.000), respectively. The incidence of intraoperative perforation in the elderly group was 4.0% (4/100) and in the non-elderly group was 6.4% (7/110) ( P=0.543). Delayed postoperative bleeding rate was 2.0% (2/100) in the elderly group, and 0 (0/110) in the non-elderly group ( P=0.226). ESD is effective and safe in treating early colorectal cancer and precancerous lesion in elderly patients.

Objective:To explore the application value of two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) in evaluating diaphragm function, and to compare the ability of 2D-STI and conventional diaphragm ultrasonography in diagnosing diaphragmatic dysfunction and evaluating disease severity in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).Methods:A total of 58 AECOPD patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from January to October 2021 were retrospectively enrolled as AECOPD group, and 34 healthy subjects were recruited as control group during the same period. Repeatability test of diaphragmatic 2D-STI was performed. According to modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scores system and COPD Assessment Test (CAT), mMRC 0-1 and CAT<10 was classified as group A, mMRC≥2 and CAT≥10 was classified as group B. The baseline characteristics, conventional diaphragm ultrasonography parameters(thickening fraction and excursion) and 2D-STI parameters (longitudinal and radial strains) were compared between the AECOPD group and the control group, and the Spearman correlation between parameters of AECOPD group and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was analyzed. The differences of these parameters between group A and B were also compared. The ROC curve of conventional diaphragm ultrasonography parameters and 2D-STI parameters was plotted to differentiate group A from group B, and the diagnostic efficacy was evaluated.Results:Great intra- and inter-observer reproducibility was found for all diaphragmatic 2D-STI parameters, with ICCs above 0.80 for all measurements. The control group and the AECOPD group did not differ in age, sex and body mass index( P>0.05), whereas there were significant differences in smoking history, lung function, bilateral thickening fraction, excursion, longitudinal and radial strains( P<0.05). Compared with control group, patients in group A had a significant increase in diaphragm thickness ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in that between group B and control group ( P>0.05). The bilateral longitudinal strains, radial strains and thickening fraction of diaphragm were linearly correlated with FEV1 (right side rs=0.828, 0.794, 0.843, respectively; all P<0.001; left side rs=0.757, 0.704, 0.752, respectively; all P<0.001 ), while the correlation between excursion and FEV1 was not significant(right side rs=0.247, left side rs=0.253; all P>0.05). There were significant differences in bilateral longitudinal strains, radial strains and thickening fraction between group A and group B(all P<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in excursion between the two groups ( P>0.05). ROC analysis showed bilateral longitudinal and radial strains had higher accuracy in distinguishing group A from group B than thickening fraction and excursion(right side AUCs 0.90, 0.84, 0.78 and 0.62, respectively; left side AUCs 0.85, 0.83, 0.77 and 0.62, respectively). Conclusions:2D-STI is a real-time noninvasive technique for diaphragm function assessment, which has high clinical value. Compared with conventional ultrasonography, 2D-STI shows more accuracy and effectiveness in diagnosing diaphragmatic dysfunction and evaluating disease severity of patients with AECOPD.

Immune checkpoints are the crucial regulators of immune system and play essential roles in maintaining self-tolerance, preventing autoimmune responses, and minimizing tissue damage by regulating the duration and intensity of the immune response. Furthermore, immune checkpoints are usually overexpressed in cancer cells or noninvasive cells in tumor tissues and are capable of suppressing the antitumor response. Based on substantial physiological analyses as well as preclinical and clinical studies, checkpoint molecules have been evaluated as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of multiple types of cancers. In the last few years, extensive evidence has supported the immunoregulatory effects of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). The main advantage of TCMs and natural medicine is that they usually contain multiple active components, which can act on multiple targets at the same time, resulting in additive or synergistic effects. The strong immune regulation function of traditional Chinese medicine on immune checkpoints has also been of great interest. For example,

Objective: To explore the application of septoplasty and cheiloplasty in complete unilateral cleft lip repairment, and evaluate the effect on nasal shape correction. Methods: Twenty-four infants with complete unilateral cleft lip were divided into two groups: the correction group and the control group. Both groups underwent cheiloplasty by Mohler′s technique, septoplasty was performed in the correction group during the primary cheiloplasty. Six-month follow-up was taken to evaluate the nasal shape with the three dimensional images. Independent-samples t Test was performed using SPSS 21.0, to compare the nasal morphology between two groups. Results: All patients healed in the first stage, and were followed for 6 months after operations. There were no complication, including nasal septum perforation, occurred in either group.There were statistically significant differences in nasal parameters between the correction group and controls (P<0.05). The columellar width, nostril width on the affected side, and columella deviation of the correction group were smaller, than those of controls. The nose tip height, columellar height and nostril height on the affected side of the correction group were greater than those of the control group. Conclusions Septoplasty associated with the primary cheiloplasty in complete unilateral cleft lip repairment, shows better results in the elongation of the nasal columella, and the correction of septum deviation, and provides a stable nasal structure.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of pre-procedure simethicone on detection of pharynx by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Methods A total of 100 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinomas ( ESCCs) were enrolled in this prospective controlled trial and randomly assigned into two groups. The study group was given gargle with 5 mL simethicone plus 5 mL water combined with conventional procedure before gastroscopy. The control group was prepared according to the conventional procedure. The age, gender, tumor stage, lesion size, doctor＇s satisfaction and examination time between two groups were analyzed. Results The basic conditions between the two groups, including age, gender, and tumor stage were not significantly different (all P＞0. 05). The detection rate of superficial lesion in pharynx was higher in the study group than that in the control group, with no significant difference [8. 16%(4/49) VS 2. 04%( 1/49), P＝0. 362]. The median time of pharyngeal observation in the study group was less than that in the control group (21. 7 s VS 33. 9 s, P＝0. 000). The doctor was more satisfied in the study group than the control group (P＝0. 001). Conclusion Pre-procedure with simethicone improves the endoscopic visibility and detection rate of superficial squamous cell carcinoma with less observation time.