Objective To investigate the biological functions of the ERG3 gene in Candida albicans and its potential value in antifungal therapy. Methods The ERG3 null mutant was constructed by the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, microbroth dilution method, hyphal induction and mouse systemic infection models were carried out to evaluate sterol metabolism, drug susceptibility, hyphal formation ability and pathogenicity in C. albicans. Results The disruption of the ERG3 gene led to disordered sterol metabolism in C. albicans with a significant increased level of episterol, 14α-methylfecosterol and ergosta-7,22-dienol. The ERG3 null mutant exhibited significantly reduced susceptibility to antifungal azole and polyene drugs, which suggested that ERG3 involve in regulating drug resistance. Although the disruption of ERG3 inhibited hyphal growth and biofilm formation, it did not significantly alter the pathogenicity of the strain in a mouse model of systemic fungal infection. Conclusion The ERG3 gene was a key regulator in the ergosterol synthesis pathway in C. albicans. Its deletion induced multi-drug resistance by reshaping sterol metabolism, while pathogenicity maintenance depended on compensatory mechanisms. This study provided critical insights for developing antifungal drugs targeting sterol metabolism and overcoming drug resistance.

Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

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

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen composite (nHAC) on bone graft fusion after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in patients with cervical spondylosis and low bone mass. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 47 patients with low bone mass who underwent ACDF from 2017 to 2021. They were divided into the nHAC group and the allogeneic bone group according to different bone graft materials. The nHAC group included 26 cases, with 8 males and 18 females;aged 50 to 78 years old with an average of (62.81±7.79) years old;the CT value of C₂-C₇ vertebrae was (264.16±36.33) HU. The allogeneic bone group included 21 cases, with 9 males and 12 females;aged 54 to 75 years old with an average of (65.95±6.58) years old;the CT value of C₂-C₇ vertebrae was (272.39±40.44) HU. The visual analogue scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) spinal cord function score were compared before surgery, 1 week after surgery, and at the last follow-up to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Imaging assessment included C₂-C₇ Cobb angle, surgical segment height, intervertebral fusion, and whether the cage subsidence occurred at 1 week after surgery and the last follow-up. RESULTS: The follow-up duration ranged from 26 to 39 months with an average of (33.27±3.34) months in the nHAC group and 26 to 41 months with an average of (31.86±3.57) months in the allogeneic bone group. At 1 week after surgery and the last follow-up, the VAS, NDI scores, and JOA scores in both groups were significantly improved compared with those before surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). At 1 week after surgery, the C₂-C₇ Cobb angles in the nHAC group and the allogeneic bone group were (14.26±10.32)° and (14.28±8.20)° respectively, which were significantly different from those before surgery (P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the C₂-C₇ Cobb angles in both groups were smaller than those at 1 week after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). At 1 week after surgery, the height of the surgical segment in the nHAC group was (31.65±2.55) mm, and that in the allogeneic bone group was (33.63±3.26) mm, which were significantly different from those before surgery (P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the height of the surgical segment in both groups decreased compared with that at 1 week after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). At the last follow-up, 39 surgical segments were fused and 6 cages subsided in the nHAC group;40 surgical segments were fused and 7 cages subsided in the allogeneic bone group;there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the CT value of vertebrae without cage subsidence, the CT value of vertebrae with cage subsidence in both groups was significantly lower, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The application of nHAC in ACDF for patients with low bone mass can achieve effective fusion of the surgical segment. There is no significant difference in improving clinical efficacy, intervertebral fusion, and cage subsidence compared with the allogeneic bone group. With the extension of follow-up time, the C₂-C₇ Cobb angle decreases, the height of the surgical segment is lost, and the cage subsides in both the nHAC group and the allogeneic bone group, which may be related to low bone mass. Low bone mass may be one of the risk factors for cervical spine sequence changes, surgical segment height loss, and cage subsidence after ACDF.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Spondylosis/physiopathology* ; Spinal Fusion/methods* ; Cervical Vertebrae/surgery* ; Aged ; Diskectomy ; Durapatite ; Retrospective Studies ; Collagen/chemistry*

Objective To clarify whether the use of dynamic coronary artery roadmap(DCR)technology in a low-dose mode with 7.5 frames per second during coronary intervention can further reduce the total radiation dose,fluoroscopy time,and contrast agent usage.Methods A total of 94 patients,who received coronary angiography at the Shanghai Tongji Hospital of China between July 2022 and December 2022,were enrolled in this study.The patients were randomly divided into DCR group(n=53)and control group(n=41).DCR technology was used in the DCR group to guide the performance of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI),while low-dose mode coronary angiography was adopted in the control group.The total air kerma(AK),dose-area product(DAP),intraoperative fluoroscopy time,and contrast agent usage were compared between the two groups.Results In the DCR group AK was(597.9±222.8)mGy,which was significantly lower than(717.0±326.8)mGy in the control group(P=0.039);DAP was(33.2±13.3)Gycm2/s,which was also remarkably lower than(41.3±21.5)Gycm2/s in the control group(P=0.027).In the DCR group and the control group,the intraoperative fluoroscopy time was(9.8± 3.3)min and(12.1±4.3)min respectively(P＜0.01),and the contrast agent usage was(122.3±19.0)mL and(130.5± 28.5)mL respectively(P=0.116).Conclusion In a low-dose mode during coronary intervention,the use of DCR technology can further reduce radiation dose,fluoroscopy time,and contrast agent usage.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:236-239)

Objective To provide a longitudinal evaluation tool based on the frequency of aggressive be-havior for the aggression assessment of schizophrenia patients.Methods The Life History of Aggression was translated and revised to form the Life History of Aggression-Chinese Version(LHA-CV)based on 369 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in the Chengdu community and compulsory medical insti-tution.The reliability of LHA-CV was analyzed by means of split-half reliability,test-retest reliability and inter-evaluator consistency.The validity was analyzed by item analysis,construct validity and crite-rion validity.Results Item analysis found that LHA-CV had good homogeneity and discriminant validity.Exploratory factor analysis found that the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)test value was 0.80,and the Bartlett's sphericity test χ2=1203.46(P<0.05),and it revealed four factors including non-physical ag-gression,physical aggression,self-directed aggression and antisocial behavior/consequences.The factor loadings for all 11 items were greater than 0.40.Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the factor model,Chi-square degree of freedom(χ2/df)was 3.61,root mean square error of approxima-tion(RMSEA)was 0.07,goodness-of-fit index(GFI)was 0.92,comparative fit index(CFI)was 0.90,incremental fit index(IFI)was 0.90,and the discriminant validity of each factor was good.The criterion validity test showed the total score of LHA-CV was positively correlated with the aggressive behavior level of MacArthur Community Violence Instrument,the total score of Buss-Perry Aggression Scale,and the score of Antisocial Personality Disorder Subscale of Personality Diagnostic Question-naire-4th Edition Plus(PDQ-4+_ASPD,P<0.05).The Cronbach's α coefficient of non-physical aggres-sion,physical aggression,self-directed aggression,antisocial behavior/consequences and LHA-CV total score were 0.82,0.73,0.74,0.56 and 0.79,respectively.The test-retest reliability,Spearman-Brown split-half reliability and intra-class correlation coefficient of LHA-CV total score were 0.82(P<0.05),0.66 and 0.99,respectively.Conclusion LHA-CV has good reliability and validity,and can be used as an evaluation tool for longitudinally assessing aggressive behavior in schizophrenia patients.

Objective:This study analyzed the provincial policy on the"dual channel"management of drugs,provided suggestions for improving the"dual channel"management models.Methods:From May 10,2021 to April 10,2024,the official websites of the Healthcare Security Administration and the Health Commission of various provinces were searched for policy documents related to the"dual channel"management,and the text data were statistically analyzed.Results:The"dual-channel"management policies of various provinces coexisted with commonalities and differences.Conclusions:It is recommended to refine the access standards of the drug catalog,standardize the setting of the entry threshold of pharmaceutical institutions,scientifically determine the level of medical insurance treatment,and formulate differentiated drug identification and management methods,so as to further weaken the policy restrictive factors.

C-Glycosides are important natural products with various bioactivities. In plant biosynthetic pathways, the C-glycosylation step is usually catalyzed by C-glycosyltransferases (CGTs), and most of them prefer to accept uridine 5'-diphosphate glucose (UDP-Glc) as sugar donor. No CGTs favoring UDP-rhamnose (UDP-Rha) as sugar donor has been reported, thus far. Herein, we report the first selective C-rhamnosyltransferase VtCGTc from the medicinal plant Viola tricolor. VtCGTc could efficiently catalyze C-rhamnosylation of 2-hydroxynaringenin 3-C-glucoside, and exhibited high selectivity towards UDP-Rha. Mechanisms for the sugar donor selectivity of VtCGTc were investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation (MM/GBSA) binding free energy calculations. Val144 played a vital role in recognizing UDP-Rha, and the V144T mutant could efficiently utilize UDP-Glc. This work provides a new and efficient approach to prepare flavonoid C-rhamnosides such as violanthin and iso-violanthin.

This study aimed to prepare silk fibroin nanoparticles (SF-NPs) and assess the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of the formulation. An optimized and simplified solvent displacement method was employed to obtain SF-NPs. Single-factor prescription screening, such as silk fibroin (SF) solution concentration, the ratio of SF solution to organic solvent, ultrasonication power and time, and different types of organic phases, was used to optimize the formulation. The characterization of the optimal formulation included particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, morphology, and stability. The in vitro cell compatibility of the nanoparticles was evaluated using CCK-8 and Calcein-AM/PI cell viability staining. The results showed that when SF concentration was 20 mg·mL^-1, volume ratio of aqueous phase to acetone was 1∶6, ultrasonic power was 80 W and ultrasonic time was 3 min, the best SF-NPs was obtained. The nanoparticles prepared in this study exhibit a near-spherical shape, with a uniform size distribution, having an average size of 144.8 nm, a PDI of 0.174, and a zeta potential of -27.35 mV. Results from in vitro cell experiments demonstrate excellent cell compatibility of SF-NPs, showing the ability to promote cell proliferation. The SF-NPs which were successfully prepared in this study exhibit uniform particle size and excellent biocompatibility.