ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of modified Jinwei Guben Decoction （金卫固本汤， MJGD） combined with Bailing Capsule （百令胶囊， BC） in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） patients in the stable stage with qi deficiency， blood stasis and phlegm obstruction syndrome， in addition to conventional western medicine treatment. MethodsA total of 102 patients with stable COPD and qi deficiency， blood stasis， and phlegm obstruction syndrome were included in the study. According to the patients'preferences， they were divided into treatment group （49 cases） and control group （53 cases）. The control group received conventional western medicine treatment， while the treatment group was given MJGD （1 dose daily） combined with BC （2.0 g each time， three times a day） additionally. The treatment period was 3 months， and the patients were followed up for 1 year after the treatment. The acute exacerbation frequency （mild， moderate， severe） before treatment， during treatment， at 6-month follow-up， and at 1-year follow-up was compared between groups. Additionally， the lung function indicators such as FEV₁， FEV₁%pred， FVC， and FEV₁/FVC ratio， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， modified British Medical Research Council （mMRC） dyspnea scale， and the COPD Assessment Test （CAT） scores before and after treatment were compared. A logistic regression model was constructed to analyze the impact of MJGD combined with BC on clinical efficacy. ResultsFour patients dropped out from the treatment group and eight from the control group， leaving 45 patients of each group for statistical analysis. The number of mild and moderate acute exacerbations in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group during the treatment period， at 6-month follow-up and within 1 year of follow-up （P＜0.05） .The number of severe acute exacerbations was only lower in the treatment group than in the control group at 6-month follow-up （P＜0.05）. Compared with that before treatment， the number of acute exacerbations of all degrees in the treatment group was significantly reduced within 1 year of follow-up （P＜0.05），while only the number of mild acute exacerbations in the control group was significantly reduced within 1 year of follow-up （P＜0.05）. The treatment group showed significant improvement in FEV₁ and FEV₁%pred and FEV₁/FEV， while the control group showed a significant decline in FEV₁ and FVC （P＜0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in TCM syndrome scores， including coughing， sputum， wheezing， chest tightness， shortness of breath， and fatigue， as well as mMRC and CAT scores （P＜0.05）， with the treatment group having significantly lower scores than the control group （P＜0.05）. The overall clinical effective rate of in the treatment group was 93.33% （42/45）， significantly higher than that of the control group， 75.56% （34/45， P＜0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the use of MJGD combined with BC （OR = 4.68， 95%CI： 1.15 - 19.09， P = 0.03） was positively correlated with clinical efficacy. ConclusionsIn addition to conventional western medicine treatment， the combination of MJGD and BC can reduce the frequency of acute exacerbations， delay the decline of lung function， improve clinical symptoms， and significantly enhance the clinical efficacy in patients with stable COPD and qi deficiency， blood stasis， and phlegm obstruction syndrome.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Jinwei Pingchuan decoction combined with conventional Western medicine on the number of acute exacerbations， lung function， and clinical symptoms in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） with phlegm-heat obstruction in lung syndrome. MethodsA non-randomized controlled trial was conducted to include 60 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD with phlegm-heat obstruction in lung syndrome. Patients were divided into a treatment group and a control group based on whether they received Jinwei Pingchuan decoction， with 30 patients in each group. The treatment group received Jinwei Pingchuan decoction combined with conventional Western medicine therapy， while the control group received conventional Western medicine therapy alone. Both groups received treatment for 7 days. The number of acute exacerbations and lung function indices were followed up and recorded before treatment and three months after treatment. The following outcomes were observed before and after treatment： the number of acute exacerbations， lung function indices （forced expiratory volume in one second ［FEV₁］， percentage of predicted value ［FEV₁%pred］， forced vital capacity ［FVC］， and FEV₁/FVC ratio）， the degree of acute exacerbation， TCM syndrome score， COPD assessment test （CAT） score， modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Questionnaire （mMRC） score， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and white blood cell （WBC） count. ResultsAfter 3 months of follow-up， the treatment group showed a significant reduction in the number of acute exacerbations compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. After treatment， the treatment group had fewer acute exacerbations than the control group （P<0.05）. The degree of acute exacerbation in the treatment group improved significantly compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. After treatment， the degree of acute exacerbation in the treatment group was improved compared to the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding lung function， FEV₁， FEV₁%pred， FVC， and FEV₁/FVC ratio increased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）， and similar improvements were observed in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， FEV₁ and FVC were higher in the treatment group than the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding TCM syndrome scores， the scores for individual symptoms such as wheezing， cough， expectoration， chest tightness， shortness of breath， and fatigue， as well as the total score， decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. In the control group， the scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， fatigue， and palpitation， as well as the total score， also decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， the treatment group showed significantly lower scores for wheezing， cough， chest tightness， shortness of breath， and the total score than the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding the CAT score， the scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， climbing stairs， going out， activity， and energy， as well as the total score， decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. In the control group， the scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， sleep， energy， and the total score decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， the treatment group showed significantly lower scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， activity， and going out than the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding the mMRC score， CRP level， and WBC count， all these parameters decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）， and similar reductions were observed in the control group （P<0.05）. ConclusionJinwei Pingchuan decoction can reduce the number of acute exacerbations and the degree of acute exacerbation in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD with phlegm-heat obstruction in lung syndrome. It also improves lung function and symptoms such as cough and chest tightness， thereby enhancing the quality of life of patients.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Jinwei Pingchuan decoction combined with conventional Western medicine on the number of acute exacerbations， lung function， and clinical symptoms in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） with phlegm-heat obstruction in lung syndrome. MethodsA non-randomized controlled trial was conducted to include 60 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD with phlegm-heat obstruction in lung syndrome. Patients were divided into a treatment group and a control group based on whether they received Jinwei Pingchuan decoction， with 30 patients in each group. The treatment group received Jinwei Pingchuan decoction combined with conventional Western medicine therapy， while the control group received conventional Western medicine therapy alone. Both groups received treatment for 7 days. The number of acute exacerbations and lung function indices were followed up and recorded before treatment and three months after treatment. The following outcomes were observed before and after treatment： the number of acute exacerbations， lung function indices （forced expiratory volume in one second ［FEV₁］， percentage of predicted value ［FEV₁%pred］， forced vital capacity ［FVC］， and FEV₁/FVC ratio）， the degree of acute exacerbation， TCM syndrome score， COPD assessment test （CAT） score， modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Questionnaire （mMRC） score， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and white blood cell （WBC） count. ResultsAfter 3 months of follow-up， the treatment group showed a significant reduction in the number of acute exacerbations compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. After treatment， the treatment group had fewer acute exacerbations than the control group （P<0.05）. The degree of acute exacerbation in the treatment group improved significantly compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. After treatment， the degree of acute exacerbation in the treatment group was improved compared to the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding lung function， FEV₁， FEV₁%pred， FVC， and FEV₁/FVC ratio increased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）， and similar improvements were observed in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， FEV₁ and FVC were higher in the treatment group than the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding TCM syndrome scores， the scores for individual symptoms such as wheezing， cough， expectoration， chest tightness， shortness of breath， and fatigue， as well as the total score， decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. In the control group， the scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， fatigue， and palpitation， as well as the total score， also decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， the treatment group showed significantly lower scores for wheezing， cough， chest tightness， shortness of breath， and the total score than the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding the CAT score， the scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， climbing stairs， going out， activity， and energy， as well as the total score， decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. In the control group， the scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， sleep， energy， and the total score decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， the treatment group showed significantly lower scores for cough， expectoration， chest tightness， activity， and going out than the control group （P<0.05）. Regarding the mMRC score， CRP level， and WBC count， all these parameters decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the pre-treatment values （P<0.05）， and similar reductions were observed in the control group （P<0.05）. ConclusionJinwei Pingchuan decoction can reduce the number of acute exacerbations and the degree of acute exacerbation in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD with phlegm-heat obstruction in lung syndrome. It also improves lung function and symptoms such as cough and chest tightness， thereby enhancing the quality of life of patients.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Huayu Mingmu prescription on retinal angiogenesis and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR）-hypoxia inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor A （HIF-1α/VEGFA） signaling pathway in diabetic retinopathy （DR） rats. MethodsSixty-four SPF-grade male SD rats were used in the study. Eleven rats were randomly selected as the normal group， while the remaining 53 rats were fed a high-sugar， high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin （STZ） intraperitoneal injection to establish a type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） rat model. DR model evaluation was performed after 12 weeks of diabetes. The rats were then divided into model， low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Huayu Mingmu prescription （9.29， 18.57， 37.14 g·kg^-1）， and a calcium dobesilate group （0.16 g·kg^-1）， with 10 rats in each group. The rats were orally administered the corresponding doses of Huayu Mingmu prescription and calcium dobesilate. The normal and model groups received equal volumes of physiological saline via gavage for 8 consecutive weeks. Retinal vascular changes were observed through fundus photography， and pathological changes in retinal tissue were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Retinal microvascular pathological changes were examined through retinal vascular network preparation and periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining. Immunofluorescence （IF） was used to detect the expression of VEGFA and angiopoietin-2 （Ang-2） in retinal tissue. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， HIF-1α， VEGFA， and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to assess the mRNA expression of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， HIF-1α， VEGFA， and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significant pathological changes in retinal tissue， including the appearance of acellular capillaries， as well as significant endothelial cell （E） proliferation and pericyte （P） loss （P<0.01）. The E/P was significantly elevated （P<0.01）. Protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， HIF-1α， VEGFA， and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the expression of Ang-2 protein was significantly elevated （P<0.01）. In contrast， retinal tissue in the treatment groups showed alleviated pathological changes， with reduced endothelial cell proliferation and pericyte loss （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Among the treatment groups， the high-dose Huayu Mingmu prescription and the calcium dobesilate group exhibited a decreased E/P （P<0.01）. Protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， HIF-1α， VEGFA， and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of Ang-2 protein was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuayu Mingmu prescription can intervene in retinal neovascularization in DR rats， delay the progression of DR， and its mechanism may be related to antagonizing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR-HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo evaluate a third-generation applicator template for intracavitary combined with interstitial brachytherapy （IC-ISBT） suitable for locally advanced cervical cancer， aiming to improve therapeutic outcomes. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on patients with stage IB3-ⅣB cervical cancer treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2023 to October 2023. Magnetic resonance imaging data before and after external beam radiation therapy were collected and analyzed. According to the residual tumor after external beam radiation， high-risk clinical target volumes （HR-CTV） were delineated， based on which a third-generation IC-ISBT applicator template was designed. The dosimetric and therapeutic differences between using this applicator template （template implantation group） and traditional freehand interstitial implantation （freehand implantation group） were further compared. Statistical methods were used to analyze the data from both groups to test the efficacy and safety of the two approaches. ResultsThe third-generation applicator template could accommodate different cervical structures and optimize needle path layout. The tumor volume in the template implantation group was significantly larger than in the freehand implantation group， showing statistical differences. In terms of dosimetric coverage （V_100%）， the template implantation group exhibited significant statistical differences compared with the freehand implantation group， demonstrating superior dose coverage. Additionally， the third-generation template showed advantages in protecting the rectum and sigmoid colon by potentially reducing high-dose points， while there were no significant differences in bladder dosimetry between the two methods. The primary cervical lesion remission rates were similar between the two groups. ConclusionThe third-generation IC-ISBT applicator template is scientifically and rationally designed， especially for patients with larger tumor volumes and later stages. It is easy to operate， highly reproducible， and shows significant advantages in dose distribution and protection of surrounding critical organs. The template has the potential to be widely applied as a routine treatment option.

Kounis syndrome is an acute coronary syndrome triggered by an allergic reaction, which is clinically rare and frequently subject to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. This article presents a case report of a 70-year-old male patient who developed a rash, pruritus, and chest pain following colon polyp resection. Coronary angiography revealed occlusion of the left anterior descending artery, and blood flow was restored after stent implantation. However, the patient experienced recurrent symptoms accompanied by loss of consciousness. Drug skin tests confirmed positive reactions to chlorhexidine and fondaparinux sodium, leading to a diagnosis of type Ⅱ Kounis syndrome. By avoiding allergenic drugs and combining antihistamines with symptomatic treatment to correct myocardial ischemia, the patient′s clinical symptoms significantly improved, and he eventually recovered and was discharged from the hospital. This case underscores the importance of maintaining vigilance for this syndrome in patients with allergies accompanied by chest pain and promptly identifying and avoiding allergens.

Objective　To evaluate the in vitro synergistic antimicrobial effect of allicin combined with imipenem on clinically isolated carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), providing a reference for further in vivo pharmacodynamic studies. Methods Twenty-two strains of CRKP were selected as experimental subjects based on clinical drug sensitivity results. Pulling assay together with carbapenem inhibition enhancement assay were leveraged to identify the high adherence and β-lactamase phenotypes of CRKP. The combined effect of allicin and imipenem was confirmed using the zero interaction potency (ZIP) method. The antimicrobial effects of allicin, imipenem, and their combination against CRKP were tested separately in vitro by agar paper diffusion method. The organic combination of allicin and imipenem was exploited for detecting the diameter of the CRKP inhibitory circle and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The crystal violet semi-quantitative method was utilized to observe the effect of allicin combined with imipenem on CRKP biofilm formation. Results Among the 22 strains of CRKP, 6 strains exhibited high adhesion, accounting for 27.27%. The results of carbapenem inhibition enhancement demonstrated that all strains of CRKP were class A β-lactamase-producing. Allicin had a strong bactericidal effect on CRKP. According to the results of one-way ANOVA, the diameter of the circle of inhibition of allicin combined with imipenem (15.91±2.76)mm was significantly higher than that of the imipenem alone group (8.23±3.46) mm(F=46.39, P<0.001). The ZIP scoring and MIC methods confirmed that the combination of allicin and imipenem primarily exerted an additive effect. One-way ANOVA analysis of crystal violet absorbance values showed that compared to the control group (0.213±0.056), the total CRKP biofilm amount in the allicin combined with imipenem group was reduced (0.134±0.045) (F=3.211, P=0.045). Conclusions The results of bacterial inhibition experiments in vitro show that the combination of allicin and imipenem significantly increases the inhibitory ability of CRKP and inhibits biofilm formation effectively.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.07.004.].

OBJECTIVE To establish the characteristic chromatogram of the volatile oil in the standard decoction of Qingshang juantong decoction， and preliminarily infer the main active components of volatile oil that affect the clinical therapeutic effect. METHODS The volatile oil in the standard decoction of Qingshang juantong decoction was extracted by steam distillation. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography （UPLC） characteristic chromatograms of 15 batches of samples were established by the Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatographic Fingerprint （2012 edition）， and the similarity evaluation was carried out. The volatile oil of standard decoction was identified by UPLC coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF/MS）. Then the volatile oil components were analyzed by GC-MS. RESULTS The similarities of UPLC characteristic chromatograms for volatile oil of 15 batches of Qingshang juantong decoction were between 0.949 and 0.997. A total of 12 common peaks were obtained. According to the UPLC-Q-TOF/MS， the main components were methyl eugenol， E-ligustilide， E-butylidenephthalide and so on. A total of 23 components were identified by GC-MS， which were mainly 3，4，5-trimethoxy- methylbenzene， patchouli alcohol， Z-ligustilide and so on. CONCLUSIONS The characteristic chromatograms of the volatile oil in the standard decoction of Qingshang juantong decoction is established， and it is inferred that methyl eugenol， ligustilide， E- butylidenephthalide， patchouli alcohol， 3，4，5-trimethoxy-methylbenzene might be the main active components affecting the clinical therapeutic effect of the volatile oil of Qingshang juantong decoction.

Objective To develop a self-care scale for patients with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery and verify its reliability and validity.Methods Based on the model of knowledge,belief and practice,a questionnaire item pool was constructed after literature reviews and qualitative interviews.A questionnaire-based scale was drafted based on the established item pool by carrying out two rounds of consultation with 15 clinical nursing specialists,nursing administrators and nursing educators from 8 provinces or cities in China.Reliability and validity of the scale were tested using convenience sampling,involving 444 patients with breast cancer surgery related lymphedema from 7 general hospitals in Hubei and Henan provinces,China,between May and July 2023.Results The response rates for the two rounds of expert consultation were 93.75%and 93.33%,respectively.The authority coefficients of the two rounds were 0.86 and 0.89,respectively,and the coordination coefficients for the 2 rounds were 0.130 and 0.379,respectively.In the first round,the average importance rating was from 4.33 to 4.93 with the coefficient of variation from 0.05 to 0.19,and the full score ratio from 53.33%to 93.33%.In the second round,the average importance rating ranged from 2.86 to 4.93 with the coefficient of variation from 0.05 to 0.36,and the full score ratios from 7.14%to 92.86%.A total of 421 patients completed the survey.The overall Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was 0.943,the overall split-half reliability was 0.824,the scale-level content validity index(S-CVI)was 0.912,and the item-level content validity index(I-CVI)of the total scale ranged from 0.857 to 1.000.The KMO value of exploratory factor analysis was 0.919,the Bartrett spherical test value was 4671.724(P<0.001),and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 64.155%.Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit.After the reliability and validity tests,the scale was finalised and determined to consist of three dimensions with 33 items:knowledge(9 items),attitude(6 items)and behaviour(18 items).Conclusion The self-care scale for the patients with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery has demonstrated good reliability and validity,and makes it an effective assessment tool for the patients with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery.