Addressing the enduring challenge of evaluating traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of TCMs (Eff-iEC) has emerged. This paper explored its capacity through a demonstration study that evaluated the effectiveness evidence of six commonly used anti-hepatic fibrosis Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), including Biejiajian Pill (BP), Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP), Biejia Ruangan Compound (BRC), Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC), Anluo Huaxian Pill (AHP), and Heluo Shugan Capsule (HSC), using both Eff-iEC and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The recognition of these CPMs within the TCM academic community was also assessed through their inclusion in relevant medical documents. Results showed that the evidence of BRC and FHC received higher assessments in both Eff-iEC and GRADE system, while the assessments for others varied. Analysis of community recognition revealed that Eff-iEC more accurately reflects the clinical value of these CPMs, exhibiting superior evaluative capabilities. By breaking through the conventional pattern of TCMs effectiveness evaluation, Eff-iEC offers a novel epistemology that better aligns with the clinical realities and reasoning of TCMs, providing a coherent methodology for clinical decision-making, new drug evaluations, and health policy formulation.

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Patient 1,a 12-day-old female infant,presented with fever,cough,dyspnea,and elevated infection markers,requiring respiratory support.Metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)of blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed Legionella pneumophila(LP),leading to diagnoses of LP pneumonia and LP sepsis.The patient was treated with erythromycin for 15 days and azithromycin for 5 days,resulting in recovery and discharge.Patient 2,an 11-day-old female infant,presented with dyspnea,fever,elevated infection markers,and multiple organ dysfunction,requiring mechanical ventilation.mNGS of blood and cerebrospinal fluid indicated LP,leading to diagnoses of LP pneumonia,LP sepsis,and LP intracranial infection.The patient was treated with erythromycin for 19 days and was discharged after recovery.Neonatal LP pneumonia lacks specific clinical symptoms,and azithromycin is the preferred antimicrobial agent.The use of mNGS can provide early and definitive diagnosis for severe neonatal pneumonia of unknown origin.

Objective:To assess the clinical features and effectiveness of antiviral therapy in newborns with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) caused by congenital congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection, and to speculate the risk factors for poor hearing outcomes.Methods:A multicenter prospective cohort study wasconducted, enrolling 176 newborns diagnosed with cCMV at four research centers in Zhejiang Province from March 1, 2021, to April 30, 2024. Clinical characteristics at birth were recorded and hearing was followed up. The children were divided into groups based on their condition at birth, specifically into asymptomatic, mild symptom, and moderate to severe symptom groups. Additionally, they were divided into SNHL and normal hearing groups based on the results of air conduction brainstem audiometry at birth. And they were also divided into treatment and untreated groups according to antiviral treatment. Mann Whitney U test, and chi square test were used for inter group comparison to analyze the differences in clinical features between different disease groups, and to analyze the effects of clinical features, antiviral therapy, and other factors on hearing improvement. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors influencing hearing outcomes. Results:Among the cohort of 176 children diagnosed infection with cCMV, 90 cases were male and 86 cases were female. Of these, 79 cases were asymptomatic, 12 cases classified as mild cCMV and 85 cases as moderate to severe cCMV. Fifty cases belonged to SNHL group, with different degrees of severity, including 30 cases of mild, 9 cases of moderate, 5 cases of severe, and 6 cases of extremely severe SNHL. Among the 121 cases in the normal hearing group, 2 cases (1.7%) exhibited late-onset hearing loss despite having normal hearing at birth. Among 81 cases (46.0%) who completed the hearing follow-up, 71 cases (87.7%) had good hearing outcomes and 10 cases (12.3%) had poor hearing outcomes. Among the 81 children, 29 cases (35.8%) had SNHL at birth. During follow-up, the hearing threshold improved in 19 cases (65.5%), remained stable in 7 cases (24.1%) and progressed in 3 cases (10.3%). A total of 26 cases in the treatment group and 55 cases in the untreated group completed the hearing follow-up assessment. The rate of hearing improvement in the treatment group was found to be higher compared to the untreated group (13 cases (50.0%) vs. 6 cases (10.9%), χ2=15.00, P<0.01), with individuals in the treatment group having a 4.58 times greater likelihood of experiencing hearing improvement ( RR=4.58,95% CI 1.96-10.70, P<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in hearing outcomes between the antiviral treatment group and the untreated group ( RR=0.90, 95% CI 0.57-1.41, P=0.517). Multivariate analysis further confirmed SNHL ( OR=11.58, 95% CI 2.10-63.93, P=0.005) and preterm birth ( OR=4.98, 95% CI 1.06-23.41, P=0.042) as independent risk factors for poor hearing outcomes. Conclusions:SNHL resulting from cCMV infection presents symptoms at birth and can be improved by antiviral therapy. Poor hearing outcomes are associated with SNHL and prematurity.

Objective To investigate the association of 13 single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)sites in 6 phalange-bone development related genes[fibroblast growth factor receptor 2(FGFR2),indian hedgehog signaling molecule(IHH),Msh homeobox 1(MSX1),Runx family transcription factor 2(RUNX2),SRY-box transcription factor 9(SOX9),Wnt family member 5A(WNT5A)]with human index-ring finger length ratio(2D∶4D).Methods Digital cameras were used to take frontal photographs of the hands of 731 college students(358 males and 373 females)in Ningxia,and image analysis software was used to mark anatomical points and measure finger lengths of index(2th)and ring(4th);genotyping of 13 SNP sites(rs1047057,rs755793,rs41258305,rs3731881,rs3100776,rs12532,rs3821949,rs45585135,rs3749863,rs1042667,rs12601701,rs1829556,rs3732750)for 6 genes by multiplex PCR;One-Way ANOVA or independent sample t-test indirectly assessed the association between 2D∶4D and 13 SNP sites.Results Both left and right hand 2D∶4D were significantly higher in females than males in Ningxia college students(all P<0.01);no statistically significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of the 13 SNP sites among different sexes(all P>0.05);among different sexes,male left hand 2D∶4D was significantly associated with the genotype of SOX9 gene rs12601701 site(P<0.05)and right hand 2D∶4D was significantly associated with the genotype of WNT5A gene rs1829556 site(P<0.05);the female right hand 2D∶4D was significantly associated with the MSX1 gene rs12532(P<0.01)and rs3821949(P<0.05)sites genotypes.Conclusion SOX9(rs12601701),WNT5A(rs1829556)and MSX1(rs12532 and rs3821949)gene polymorphisms may be associated with the formation of 2D∶4D in Ningxia population.

Objective To construct curcumin pyrazole derivative by the reaction of diketone of curcumin and benzylhydrazine based on the above structure-activity relationship,and to explore its antioxidant activity to provide experimental basis for the development of curcumin antioxidant derivative.Methods Curcumin-N-substituted pyrazole derivative was synthesized from curcumin and benzylhydrazine.The structures of the derivative were confirmed by infrared spectroscopy(IR),nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-NMR,13C-NMR)and LC-MS.The antioxidant activity in vitro of the derivative was evaluated by determination of curcumin and its pyrazole derivative scavenging ability for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)free radical and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid(ABTS)free radical.Results Curcumin pyrazole derivative was successfully synthesized.Curcumin and its pyrazole derivative showed good free radical scavenging effects in the range of 4.6-73.6,6.25-100 μg·mL-1,respectively,with a significant dose-effect relationship.The half-maximal inhibition(IC50)values of curcumin and its pyrazole derivatives determined by DPPH method were 14.24,40.37 μg·mL-1,respectively,while the IC50 values of curcumin and its pyrazole derivatives determined by ABTS method were 36.65,19.26 μg·mL-1,respectively.Conclusion The antioxidant activity of β-dione of curcumin was retained through the substitution of the pyrazole ring,and the curcumin pyrazole derivative deserves further investigation as a potential antioxidant.

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis patients exerts the features of wind-damp and stasis obstruction,sinew injury and bone damage,therefore,the therapy of dispelling wind and removing dampness,dredging blood vessels,unblocking meridians and collaterals,invigorating spleen and kidney,and strengthening muscles and bones was proposed,hereinafter referred to as Qushi Tongmai method.Under the guidance of Qushi Tongmai method,rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with Chinese medicine based on the modification of empirical formulas such as Kunduan Yimu Formula,Nanxu Yimu Granules and Santeng Shujin Formula,and classical formulas such as Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Decoction,Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction and Banxia Xiexin Decoction according to the deficiency and excess of healthy qi and pathogenic qi as well as the specific symptoms.Moreover,the soft exact,external treatment and functional exercise can be also included.The Chinese medicine therapy combined with the soft exact,external treatment and functional exercise constitutes a unique Chinese medicine system for the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.The results of a series of clinical and experimental studies indicated that Qushi Tongmai method exerts efficiency-enhancing and toxin-reducing effect in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,and the establishment of Qushi Tongmai method is a theoretical innovation in exerting the advantages of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective To investigate the association between the index finger and ring finger length ratio (2D ∶ 4D) and of four loci (rs6461992‚ rs6968828‚ rs7801581‚ rs17427875) polymorphism of homeobox (HOX) A11 gene among Ningxia college students. Methods Digit camera was used to collect frontal hand photos of 667 Han college students (348 males and 319 females) from Ningxia province; Image analysis software was used to mark the anatomical points and measure finger lengths of the index and ring fingers of both hands; multiplex PCR was used to detect each locus polymorphisms of HOXA11 gene; statistical software was used to compare and analyze the differences and associations of 2D ∶4D and gene polymorphisms between different genders. Results Among Ningxia Han college students‚ both left hand and right hand 2D ∶ 4D were significantly higher in females than those of in males (all P< 0. 05)‚ and there were no significant sex differences in right-left hand 2D ∶4D; the genotypes and allele frequencies of rs7801581 locus of HOXA11 gene differed significantly between genders (all P < 0. 05)‚ and none of the other locus polymorphisms showed any significant sex differences; only female left hand 2D ∶4D was significantly associated with rs6461992 locus genotype in the relationship between 2D ∶4D and HOXA11 polymorphisms (P<0. 05). Conclusion There were significant sex differences in 2D ∶ 4D among Han college students in Ningxia‚ and the rs6461992 locus polymorphism of HOXA11 gene may be associated with the formation of 2D ∶4D in females.

Autophagy is mediated by multiple molecules and pathways. In cardiovascular diseases， autophagy can play a role through key signaling pathways such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mTOR， mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPK）， p53， Wnt/β-catenin， etc. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） monomers for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis such as hydroxysafflor yellow A， ginsenoside Rb1， salidroside， ligustrin， curcumin， etc.， and TCM prescription and preparations such as Huangqi baoxin decoction， Taohong siwu decoction， Tongxinluo capsule， Shuangshen ningxin capsule， Suxiao jiuxin pills， etc. can regulate autophagy through the above-mentioned key signaling pathways， thereby alleviating the progression of cardiovascular diseases.