OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Aim To study whether intravenous injec-tion of miR-129-3p mimetic(agomir)can resist bone loss caused by hind limb disuse,and to provide new i-deas for preventing bone loss in microgravity environ-ment.Methods Forty-eight C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into the control group(CON),tail suspension model group(TS),tail suspension+miR-129-3p agomir administration group(miRNA)and tail suspension+miR-129-3p negative sequence agomir control group(NC).The miRNA group was given 4 mg·kg-1 miR-129-3p agomir by intravenous injection into the medial canthus twice a week.The NC agomir group were consistent with those in the miR-129-3p agomir group,and the CON and TS groups were given only equal volumes of normal saline.After four weeks,all mice were sacrificed and samples were collected.Micro-CT scan of femur,three-point femur bending test,serum bone metabolism index detection,oxidative stress index detection and osteogenesis-related protein expression analysis in bone tissue were per-formed.Results After four weeks,the number of tra-becular bone in the TS group was significantly re-duced,and Tb.BMD,Tb.Th,Tb.N,Tb.BS/TV and Tb.BV/TV were significantly lower than those in the CON group(P＜0.01).While Tb.Sp TS group was significantly higher than the CON group(P＜0.05),the maximum load and flexural strength of the femur significantly decreased(P＜0.01),the content of ser-um bone formation index PINP was significantly lower than that of the CON group(P＜0.01),and the con-tent of bone resorption index CTX-I was significantly higher than that of the CON group(P＜0.01),the content of serum oxidative damage indexes 8-iso-PGF2α and 8-OHdG significantly increased(P＜0.01),and the expression of osteogenesis-related pro-teins in bone tissue markedly decreased(P＜0.01).However,the increase or decrease of all indexes in miRNA group was significantly lower than that in TS group.Conclusions miR-129-3p mimetic can signifi-cantly reduce bone loss caused by hind limb disuse.This experiment provides a new idea and method for preventing bone loss in microgravity environment.

The study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of Xinyang Tablets( XYP) in modulating the fat mass and obesity-associated protein(FTO)/N6-methyladenosine(m6A) signaling pathway to ameliorate ventricular remodeling in heart failure(HF). A mouse model of HF was established by transverse aortic constriction(TAC). Mice were randomized into sham, model, XYP(low, medium, and high doses), and positive control( perindopril) groups(n= 10). From day 3 post-surgery, mice were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage for 6 consecutive weeks. Following the treatment, echocardiography was employed to evaluate the cardiac function, and RT-qPCR was employed to determine the relative m RNA levels of key markers, including atrial natriuretic peptide( ANP), B-type natriuretic peptide( BNP), β-myosin heavy chain(β-MHC), collagen type I alpha chain(Col1α), collagen type Ⅲ alpha chain(Col3α), alpha smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), and FTO. The cardiac tissue was stained with Masson's trichrome and wheat germ agglutinin(WGA) to reveal the pathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression levels of Col1α, Col3α, α-SMA, and FTO in the myocardial tissue. The m6A modification level in the myocardial tissue was measured by the m6A assay kit. An H9c2 cell model of cardiomyocyte injury was induced by angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ), and small interfering RNA(siRNA) was employed to knock down FTO expression. RT-qPCR was conducted to assess the relative m RNA levels of FTO and other genes associated with cardiac remodeling. The m6A modification level was measured by the m6A assay kit, and Western blot was employed to determine the phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(p-PI3K)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K) and phosphorylated serine/threonine kinase(p-Akt)/serine/threonine kinase(Akt) ratios in cardiomyocytes. The results of animal experiments showed that the XYP treatment significantly improved the cardiac function, reduced fibrosis, up-regulated the m RNA and protein levels of FTO, and lowered the m6A modification level compared with the model group. The results of cell experiments showed that the XYP-containing serum markedly up-regulated the m RNA level of FTO while decreasing the m6A modification level and the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, FTO knockdown reversed the protective effects of XYP-containing serum on Ang Ⅱ-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In conclusion, XYP may ameliorate ventricular remodeling by regulating the FTO/m6A axis, thereby inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Animals ; Ventricular Remodeling/drug effects* ; Heart Failure/physiopathology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice ; Male ; Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Adenosine/analogs & derivatives* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

This study investigates the effect and underlying mechanism of Guizhi Tongluo Tablets(GZTL) in treating atherosclerosis(AS) in a mouse model. Apolipoprotein E-knockout(ApoE~(-/-)) mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: model, high-, medium-, and low-dose GZTL, and atorvastatin(ATV), and age-matched C57BL/6J mice were selected as the control group. ApoE~(-/-) mice in other groups except the control group were fed with a high-fat diet for the modeling of AS and administrated with corresponding drugs via gavage for 8 weeks. General conditions, signs of blood stasis, and body mass of mice were monitored. Aortic plaques and their stability were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, and oil red O staining. Serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) were measured by biochemical assays, and those of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6) were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL). Single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq) was employed to analyze the differential expression of CD72hi macrophages(CD72hi-Mφ) in the aortas of AS patients and mice. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to visualize CD72hi-Mφ expression in mouse aortic plaques, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was utilized to determine the mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the aorta. The results demonstrated that compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant increases in body mass, aortic plaque area proportion, necrotic core area proportion, and lipid deposition, a notable decrease in collagen fiber content, and an increase in apoptosis. Additionally, the model group showcased elevated serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6, alongside marked upregulations in the mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the aorta. In comparison with the model group, the GZTL groups and the ATV group showed a reduction in body mass, and the medium-and high-dose GZTL groups and the ATV group demonstrated reductions in aortic plaque area proportion, necrotic core area proportion, and lipid deposition, an increase in collagen fiber content, and a decrease in apoptosis. Furthermore, the treatment goups showcased lowered serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. The data of scRNA-seq revealed significantly elevated CD72hi-Mφ signaling in carotid plaques of AS patients compared with that in the normal arterial tissue. Animal experiments confirmed that CD72hi-Mφ expression, along with several pro-inflammatory cytokines, was significantly upregulated in the aortas of AS mice, which were downregulated by GZTL treatment. In conclusion, GZTL may alleviate AS by inhibiting CD72hi-Mφ activity.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Atherosclerosis/immunology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Male ; Humans ; Apolipoproteins E/genetics* ; Tablets ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Knockout

This study aims to systematically characterize the targeted effects of Quanduzhong Capsules on cartilage lesions in knee osteoarthritis by integrating spatial transcriptomics data mining and animal experiments validation, thereby elucidating the related molecular mechanisms. A knee osteoarthritis model was established using Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats, via a modified Hulth method. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining was employed to detect knee osteoarthritis-associated pathological changes in knee cartilage. Candidate targets of Quanduzhong Capsules were collected from the HIT 2.0 database, followed by bioinformatics analysis of spatial transcriptomics datasets(GSE254844) from cartilage tissues in clinical knee osteoarthritis patients to identify spatially specific disease genes. Furthermore, a "formula candidate targets-spatially specific genes in cartilage lesions" interaction network was constructed to explore the effects and major mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules in distinct cartilage regions. Experimental validation was conducted through immunohistochemistry using animal-derived biospecimens. The results indicated that Quanduzhong Capsules effectively inhibited the degenerative changes in the cartilage of affected joints in rats, which was associated with the regulation of Quanduzhong Capsules on the thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)-bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2(BMPR2)-fibronectin 1(FN1)-matrix metallopeptidase 2(MMP2) signal axis in the articular cartilage surface and superficial zones, subsequently inhibiting cartilage matrix degradation leading to oxidative stress and inflammatory diffusion. In summary, this study clarifies the spatially specific targeted effects and protective mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules within pathological cartilage regions in knee osteoarthritis, providing theoretical and experimental support for the clinical application of this drug in the targeted therapy on the inflamed cartilage.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Male ; Humans ; Capsules ; Female ; Disease Models, Animal

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Aging is comprehensively influenced by multiple fac-tors such as internal genes,cellular metabolism,external envi-ronment,and lifestyle habits.Among them,epigenetic regula-tion plays a core role.Epigenetic modifications,including DNA methylation,histone modification,heterochromatin remodeling,and non-coding RNA regulation,act in concert with the three-di-mensional genome architecture to precisely regulate gene expres-sion.This review elaborates on the factors influencing epigenetic regulation,as well as the mechanisms of how epigenetics affects the occurrence of organismal aging and the corresponding inter-vention strategies,providing relevant insights for uncovering the mechanisms of aging and preventing/treating aging-related disea-ses.

AIM To compare total sugar,total protein,total phenol,total flavonoid,calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside,liquiritin,lobetyolin,quercetin,isoferulic acid,hesperidin,glycyrrhizic acid contents and their antioxidant activities,hypoglycemic activities of big honey pill,small honey pill,water pill,concentrated pill,granule,mixture and decoction of Buzhong Yiqi Recipe.METHODS Anthraquinone-sulfuric acid method,Coomassie brilliant blue method,Folin-phenol colorimetry method,sodium nitrite-aluminum nitrate method and HPLC were adopted in the content determination of total sugar,total protein,total phenol,total flavonoid and seven constituents,respectively,after which the scavenging capacities,reducing powers on DPPH·free radical,ABTS+free radical,hydroxyl free radical,and inhibition capacity on α-glucosidase activity were detected.Subsequently,correlation analysis was performed.RESULTS Total sugar,total protein,total phenol and total flavonoid contents demonstrated significant differences among different dosage forms(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside,glycyrrhizin,codonoside and quercetin displayed the highest contents in the decoction,while those of isoferulic acid,hesperidin and glycyrrhizin were observable in the mixture.The water pill exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity,while those of the concentrated pill and mixture were weak;the big honey pill exhibited the strongest hypoglycemic activity,while that of the decoction was the weakest.Total protein,total phenol,total flavonoid and liquiritin contents displayed significant positive correlations between antioxidant activity(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),while hesperidin content displayed significant negative correlation between the latter(P＜0.05);total protein,calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside,codonoside and quercetin contents displayed significant negative correlations between hypoglycemic activity(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Active constituent contents and their biological activities of Buzhong Yiqi Recipe with different dosage forms exist differences,total sugar,total protein,total flavonoids,calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside,licorice glycoside,hesperidin,codonoside and quercetin can be taken as quality control indices for this prescription.

Objective:To examine the manifestations and causes of administrative burden among primary healthcare professionals,and to explore its impact on job burnout through the mediating role of role conflict,providing theoretical and empirical support for governance-level burden-reduction strategies.Methods:An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed,focusing on primary healthcare professionals in Shandong Province.In the first phase,in-depth interviews were conducted with 175 participants;in the second phase,a questionnaire survey of 1,096 participants and follow-up interviews with 107 participants were carried out.Results:The proportions of respondents who reported"heavy"or"very heavy"burdens were 62.7%for inspection,54.8%for documentation,51.8%for reporting,and 24.4%for meetings.Structural equation modeling showed that administrative burden had a direct effect on job burnout(0.150)and an indirect effect through role conflict(0.093).Qualitative findings further indicated that administrative burden largely stemmed from public health traceability requirements and medical insurance policies,and operated through both resource-based and value-based conflicts.Conclusions:Primary healthcare professionals face considerable administrative burdens,which may heighten job burnout through role conflict.Governance reforms should optimize inspection and assessment,streamline data reporting,refine record-keeping,and promote collaborative governance to break the chain of institutional pressure leading to burnout.

Objective:To examine the manifestations and causes of administrative burden among primary healthcare professionals,and to explore its impact on job burnout through the mediating role of role conflict,providing theoretical and empirical support for governance-level burden-reduction strategies.Methods:An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed,focusing on primary healthcare professionals in Shandong Province.In the first phase,in-depth interviews were conducted with 175 participants;in the second phase,a questionnaire survey of 1,096 participants and follow-up interviews with 107 participants were carried out.Results:The proportions of respondents who reported"heavy"or"very heavy"burdens were 62.7%for inspection,54.8%for documentation,51.8%for reporting,and 24.4%for meetings.Structural equation modeling showed that administrative burden had a direct effect on job burnout(0.150)and an indirect effect through role conflict(0.093).Qualitative findings further indicated that administrative burden largely stemmed from public health traceability requirements and medical insurance policies,and operated through both resource-based and value-based conflicts.Conclusions:Primary healthcare professionals face considerable administrative burdens,which may heighten job burnout through role conflict.Governance reforms should optimize inspection and assessment,streamline data reporting,refine record-keeping,and promote collaborative governance to break the chain of institutional pressure leading to burnout.