Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is characterized by high mortality and recurrence rates. Common treatments include hepatectomy, liver transplantation, ablation therapy, interventional therapy, radiotherapy, systemic therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). While exhibiting specific advantages, these approaches are associated with varying degrees of adverse effects. To alleviate patients' suffering and burdens, it is crucial to explore additional treatments and elucidate the pathogenesis of HCC, laying a foundation for the development of new TCM-based drugs. With emerging research on gut microbiota, it has been revealed that microbiota plays a vital role in the development of HCC by influencing intestinal barrier function, microbial metabolites, and immune regulation. TCM, with its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics, has been increasingly recognized as a vital therapeutic treatment for HCC, particularly in patients at intermediate or advanced stages, by prolonging survival and improving quality of life. Recent global studies demonstrate that TCM exerts anti-HCC effects by modulating gut microbiota, restoring intestinal barrier function, regulating microbial composition and its metabolites, suppressing inflammation, and enhancing immune responses, thereby inhibiting the malignant phenotype of HCC. This review aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which gut microbiota contributes to the development and progression of HCC and highlight the regulatory effects of TCM, addressing the current gap in systematic understanding of the "TCM-gut microbiota-HCC" axis. The findings provide theoretical support for integrating TCM with western medicine in HCC treatment and promote the transition from basic research to precision clinical therapy through microbiota-targeted drug development and TCM-based interventions.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/microbiology* ; Liver Neoplasms/microbiology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

The therapeutic effects of Yueju Pills on depression and cardiovascular diseases have been widely recognized. Previous studies have shown that the drug can significantly improve depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) combined with atherosclerosis(AS). Given the complex pathogenesis of psychocardiac diseases, this study integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology to systematically elucidate the mechanism of Yueju Pills in alleviating depressive symptoms in psychocardiac diseases. The results demonstrate that, after Yueju Pill intervention, the levels of 9 abnormal metabolites in the hippocampus restore to normal ranges, primarily involving key pathways or signaling pathways, including the cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), glycine/serine/threonine metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. In a high-fat diet-induced CUMS ApoE~(-/-) mouse model, Yueju Pills significantly increases adenosine monophosphate(AMP) levels and decreases L-alanine and D-glyceric acid levels in the hippocampus. In conclusion, Yueju Pills exert antidepressant effects by regulating multiple metabolic axes, including glycine/serine/threonine metabolism and the cAMP, mTOR signaling pathways. Network pharmacology predictions reveal that the treatment of CUMS combined with AS by its core active components may be realized through modulating pathways concerning neuroinflammation and synaptic plasticity, including serine/threonine-protein kinase 1(AKT1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1(MAPK1), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2). This study provides a theoretical reference for the clinical application of Yueju Pills in alleviating the depressive symptoms of psychocardiac diseases.
Animals ; Network Pharmacology ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Metabolomics ; Male ; Depression/genetics* ; Humans ; Hippocampus/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Human brain banks use a standardized protocol to collect,process and store post-mortem human brains and related tissues,along with relevant clinical information,and to provide the tissue samples and data as a resource to foster neuroscience research according to a standardized operating protocols(SOP).Human brain bank serves as the foundation for neuroscience research and the diagnosis of neurological disorders,highlighting the crucial rule of ensuring the consistency of standardized quality for brain tissue samples.The first version of SOP in 2017 was published by the China Human Brain Bank Consortium.As members increases from different regions in China,a revised SOP was drafted by experts from the China Human Brain Bank Consortium to meet the growing demands for neuroscience research.The revised SOP places a strong emphasis on ethical standards,incorporates neuropathological evaluation of brain regions,and provides clarity on spinal cord sampling and pathological assessment.Notable enhancements in this updated version of the SOP include reinforced ethical guidelines,inclusion of matching controls in recruitment,and expansion of brain regions to be sampled for neuropathological evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupuncture combined with bloodletting on the expression of inflammatory factors in serum, the morphology of sensitized skin tissue and the mast cell degranulation in urticaria rats, and to explore the potential mechanism of this therapy for urticaria. METHODS: Among 42 SD rats of SPF grade, 6 rats were randomly collected for the preparation of sensitized antiserum; and the rest 36 rats were randomized into a blank group, a model group, a positive drug group, an acupuncture group, a bloodletting group and a combined treatment group (acupuncture + bloodletting), 6 rats in each one. The rat model of urticaria was established by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. In the positive drug group, loratadine (1 mg•kg^-1) by gavage was administered once a day. In the acupuncture group, 1 h after gavage with 0.9% NaCl (1 mL), acupuncture was delivered at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Zhongwan" (CV 12), and bilateral "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Xuehai" (SP 10) for 15 min, once daily . In the bloodletting group, 1 h after gavage with 0.9% NaCl (1 mL), bloodletting was operated at "Dazhui" (GV 14) and bilateral "Geshu" (BL 17), around 0.1 mL of bleeding volume at each point, once daily. In the combined treatment group, 1 h after gavage with 0.9% NaCl (1 mL), the interventions as the acupuncture group and the bloodletting group were adopted, once daily. All the interventions started on day 6 of modeling, lasting 2 weeks. After intervention completion, antigenic stimulation was performed in the rats of each group. Using ELISA, the levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), tryptase (TPS), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected. The diameter of the blue spots of the sensitized skin on the back was measured with ruler in each rat. The morphology of sensitized skin tissue was observed using HE staining, and the degranulation of mast cells was observed using Toluidine blue staining. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, in the model group, the levels of serum IgE, TPS, IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α increased (P<0.01), the diameter of blue spot on the sensitized part of the rat back was larger (P<0.01), the degranulation rate of mast cells was elevated (P<0.01), and there were obvious inflammatory cell infiltration and edema in the dermis of sensitized skin tissue on the rat back. Compared with the model group, the serum levels of IgE, TPS, IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α were reduced in the positive drug group, the acupuncture group, the bloodletting group and the combined treatment group (P<0.01, P<0.05); skin blue spot diameter was smaller in the positive drug group and the combined treatment group (P<0.05); the degranulation rate of mast cells decreased in the positive drug group, the acupuncture group, the bloodletting group and the combined treatment group (P<0.01); and the dermal edema, inflammatory infiltration were attenuated in the positive drug group, the acupuncture group, the bloodletting group and the combined treatment group. Compared with the acupuncture group and the bloodletting group, the serum levels of IgE, TPS, IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α, as well as the degranulation rate of mast cells in the sensitized tissue were lower in the positive drug group and the combined treatment group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture combined with bloodletting effectively suppress mast cell degranulation in the sensitized skin tissue on the back of urticaria rats, and ameliorate the histopathological morphology. Its effect mechanism may be related to inhibiting the differentiation and proliferation of helper T cells 2 and regulating the humoral immune response.
Animals ; Rats ; Mast Cells/immunology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Cell Degranulation ; Humans ; Bloodletting ; Urticaria/immunology* ; Female ; Acupuncture Points ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Interleukin-4/blood* ; Interleukin-5/blood* ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Disease Models, Animal

In 2020, the prevalence of abnormal spinal curvature among 54 079 students in Shandong Province was 1.54%. The multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that, compared with those in primary school, economically underdeveloped areas, and non-residential schools, students in middle and high schools, economically average areas, and residential schools had a higher risk of abnormal spinal curvature, with OR (95%CI) values of 2.029 (1.662-2.476), 2.746 (2.208-3.416), 2.237 (1.740-2.875) and 2.057 (1.705-2.483), respectively. Compared with those in economically underdeveloped areas, who were underweight, who had seat adjustments≤1 time per academic year, and who had physical education classes≤1 per week, students in economically developed areas, who were normal weight, overweight, and obese, who had seat adjustments≥2 times per academic year, and who had physical education classes 2-3 or≥4 per week, had a lower risk of abnormal spinal curvature, with OR (95%CI) values of 0.690 (0.521-0.915), 0.722 (0.546-0.955), 0.535 (0.389-0.735), 0.383 (0.274-0.535), 0.835 (0.711-0.980), 0.561 (0.474-0.663) and 0.491 (0.315-0.766), respectively.
Humans ; Risk Factors ; Prevalence ; Spinal Curvatures ; Schools ; Students

In 2020, the prevalence of abnormal spinal curvature among 54 079 students in Shandong Province was 1.54%. The multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that, compared with those in primary school, economically underdeveloped areas, and non-residential schools, students in middle and high schools, economically average areas, and residential schools had a higher risk of abnormal spinal curvature, with OR (95%CI) values of 2.029 (1.662-2.476), 2.746 (2.208-3.416), 2.237 (1.740-2.875) and 2.057 (1.705-2.483), respectively. Compared with those in economically underdeveloped areas, who were underweight, who had seat adjustments≤1 time per academic year, and who had physical education classes≤1 per week, students in economically developed areas, who were normal weight, overweight, and obese, who had seat adjustments≥2 times per academic year, and who had physical education classes 2-3 or≥4 per week, had a lower risk of abnormal spinal curvature, with OR (95%CI) values of 0.690 (0.521-0.915), 0.722 (0.546-0.955), 0.535 (0.389-0.735), 0.383 (0.274-0.535), 0.835 (0.711-0.980), 0.561 (0.474-0.663) and 0.491 (0.315-0.766), respectively.
Humans ; Risk Factors ; Prevalence ; Spinal Curvatures ; Schools ; Students

The modernization and development of traditional Chinese medicine has led to higher standards for the quality of traditional Chinese medicine products. The extraction process is a crucial component of traditional Chinese medicine production, and it directly impacts the final quality of the product. However, the currently relied upon methods for quality assurance of the extraction process, such as simple wet chemical analysis, have several limitations, including time consumption and labor intensity, and do not offer precise control of the extraction process. As a result, there is significant value in incorporating near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the production process of traditional Chinese medicine to improve the quality control of the final products. In this study, we focused on the extraction process of Xiao'er Xiaoji Zhike oral liquid (XXZOL), using near-infrared spectra collected by both a Fourier transform near-infrared spectrometer and a portable near-infrared spectrometer. We used the concentration of synephrine, a quality control index component specified by the pharmacopoeia, to achieve rapid and accurate detection in the extraction process. Moreover, we developed a model transfer method to facilitate the transfer of models between the two types of near-infrared spectrometers (analytical grade and portable), thus resolving the low resolution, poor performance, and insufficient prediction accuracy issues of portable instruments. Our findings enable the rapid screening and quality analysis of XXZOL onsite, which is significant for quality monitoring during the traditional Chinese medicine production process.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of serum perfluoroalkyl substances （PFASs） exposure and potential influencing factors among community residents in Songjiang District， Shanghai. MethodsIn August 2021， residents who underwent routine health checkups in a community in Songjiang District， Shanghai were recruited as study subjects. The inclusion criteria were adult residents who had lived in the area for more than 3 years， had no occupational exposure history， no underlying diseases， were not pregnant， and were able to complete the questionnaire independently and sign the informed consent form. A questionnaire survey was conducted and venous blood samples were collected. The concentrations of 15 PFASs in serum were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS）. Ordered multi-class logistic regression， interquartile range （IQR）， and odds ratio （OR） were used to explore the influencing factors and risk magnitude of serum PFASs concentrations. ResultsOf the 15 PFASs， 14 were detected， and the detection rates of 7 PFASs were higher than 50%. The highest detected concentrations among the PFASs were PFOS （perfluorooctane sulfonate）， PFOA （perfluorooctanoic acid）， and PFHxS （perfluorohexane sulfonate）， with median concentrations of 48.61 μg∙L^-1， 37.29 μg∙L^-1， and 36.51 μg∙L^-1， respectively. The strongest correlation was between PFDA and PFUnDA （r=0.93， P<0.05）， followed by PFOS and PFDA （r=0.86， P<0.05）. Age， frequency of plastic product use， time spent indoors per day， personal annual income， tea consumption， and daily water intake were potential factors for exposure to PFASs. Among them， age was positively correlated with PFASs； tea consumption was positively correlated with PFNA and PFOA； PFHpA was negatively correlated with the frequency of plastic product use and personal annual income； and PFOS was negatively correlated with the time spent indoors per day. ConclusionThe exposure to serum PFASs among community residents in Songjiang District was relatively serious， and the main components were traditional PFOA， PFOS， and PFHx. Different sociodemographic characteristics had varying degrees of influence on the concentrations of PFASs in serum. The impact of PFASs exposure on the health of community residents deserves further investigation.

The dental operative microscope has been widely employed in the field of dentistry, particularly in endodontics and operative dentistry, resulting in significant advancements in the effectiveness of root canal therapy, endodontic surgery, and dental restoration. However, the improper use of this microscope continues to be common in clinical settings, primarily due to operators' insufficient understanding and proficiency in both the features and established operating procedures of this equipment. In October 2019, Professor Jingping Liang, Vice Chairman of the Society of Cariology and Endodontology, Chinese Stomatological Association, organized a consensus meeting with Chinese experts in endodontics and operative dentistry. The objective of this meeting was to establish a standard operation procedure for the dental operative microscope. Subsequently, a consensus was reached and officially issued. Over the span of about four years, the content of this consensus has been further developed and improved through practical experience.
Humans ; Dentistry, Operative ; Consensus ; Endodontics ; Root Canal Therapy ; Dental Care