ObjectiveTo observe the antidepressant effect of Chaihu Shugansan combined with ferulic acid on the rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress （CUMS） and explore the mechanism from the histomorphology of frontal cortex， expression of key molecules in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）/tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB） signaling pathway， and changes in monoamine neurotransmitter levels. MethodsSixty adult male SD rats were randomized into six groups （n=10）： blank control， depression model， Chaihu Shugansan （3.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， ferulic acid （50 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， Chaihu Shugansan （3.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1） + ferulic acid （50 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， and fluoxetine （2.1 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. Rats in other groups except the blank control group were subjected to a mild chronic unpredictable stress stimulus every day. Seven stimuli were used， including fasting with free access to water for 24 h， water deprivation with free access to food for 24 h， wetting the bedding with water in the cage， restraint for 3 h， tail clamping for 1 min， swimming in ice water at 4 ℃， and day and night reversal. Each stimulus was used 1 to 3 times， and the modeling lasted for a total of 21 days. At the same time of stimulation， rats in each medication group were treated with corresponding agents by gavage， while those in the blank control group and the depression model group received equal volumes of normal saline by gavage. The open field test， sucrose preference test， and forced swimming test were conducted before and after modeling. The rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of 3% pentobarbital sodium， and the frontal cortex was isolated on ice. The mRNA and protein levels of BDNF， TrkB， and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-responsive element-binding protein （CREB） in the frontal cortex were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， dopamine （DA）， and norepinephrine （NE） in the frontal cortex were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Light microscopy was employed to observe the histopathological changes in the frontal cortex. ResultsCompared with the blank control group， the depression model group showed reduced body mass （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased number of crossings and rearings in the open field test and sucrose preference （P<0.01）， prolonged time of immobility in the forced swimming test （P<0.01）， reduced neuronal cells， increased necrotic cells， and darkening cell staining in the frontal cortex， down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of BDNF， TrkB， CREB， and lowered levels of 5-HT， NE， and DA in the frontal cortex （P<0.01）. Compared with the depression model group， each intervention group showed improved general state， increased body mass （P<0.05）， increased number of crossings （P<0.05）， shortened immobility time in the forced swimming test （P<0.01）， increased neuronal cells， reduced necrotic cells， and lightened cellular staining in the frontal cortex， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of BDNF， TrkB and CREB， and elevated levels of 5-HT， NE， and DA in the frontal cortex （P<0.01）. Moreover， the Chaihu Shugansan + ferulic acid group outperformed the Chaihu Shugansan group and the ferulic acid group in increasing the body mass and the 5-HT content in the frontal cortex （P<0.05）. The combination group outperformed the Chaihu Shugansan group regarding the number of rearings and up-regulation in the mRNA level of BDNF in the frontal cortex （P<0.05）， and it was superior to the ferulic acid group in terms of shortening the immobility time in the forced swimming test， up-regulating the mRNA levels of BDNF， TrkB， and CREB and the protein levels of BDNF and CREB in the frontal cortex， and increasing the DA content in the frontal cortex （P<0.05）. ConclusionChaihu Shugansan combined with ferulic acid can exert antidepressant effect on the rat model of CUMS by regulating the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway and monoamine neurotransmitter content in the frontal cortex. Moreover， the antidepressant effect of Chaihu Shugansan combined with ferulic acid was more significant than that of Chaihu Shugansan and ferulic acid used alone.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of Maxing Loushi decoction in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （AECOPD） with phlegm turbidity obstructing lung syndrome， and to investigate its effects on inflammatory factors， immune function， and the programmed death-1（PD-1）/programmed death-ligand 1 （PD-L1） signaling pathway. MethodsA randomized controlled study was conducted， enrolling 90 hospitalized patients with AECOPD and phlegm turbidity obstructing lung syndrome in the Respiratory and Emergency Departments of Dongzhimen Hospital， Beijing University of Chinese Medicine， from April 2024 to December 2024. Patients were randomly assigned to a control group and an observation group using a random number table， with 45 patients in each group. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment， while the observation group received additional Maxing Loushi decoction for 14 days. Clinical efficacy， COPD Assessment Test （CAT） score， modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale （mMRC）， 6-minute walk test （6MWT）， serum inflammatory factors， T lymphocyte subsets， and serum PD-1/PD-L1 levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. ResultsThe total clinical effective rate was 78.57% （33/42） in the control group and 95.35% （41/43） in the observation group， with the observation group showing significantly higher efficacy than that of the control group. The difference was statistically significant （χ² = 5.136， P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in CAT and mMRC scores （P<0.05， P<0.01） and significant increases in 6MWT compared to baseline （P<0.01）. The observation group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group in this regard. Levels of inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein （CRP）， procalcitonin （PCT）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， monocyte chemoattractant protein-1（MCP-1）， and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α （MIP-1α） were significantly reduced in both groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with greater reductions in the observation group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. CD8⁺ levels were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， while CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ levels were significantly increased in both groups after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with more significant improvements observed in the observation group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Serum PD-1 levels were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and PD-L1 levels were increased significantly in both groups after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with more pronounced changes in the observation group （P<0.05）. ConclusionMaxing Loushi decoction demonstrates definite therapeutic efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for patients with AECOPD and phlegm turbidity obstructing lung syndrome. It contributes to reducing serum inflammatory factors， improving immune function， and regulating the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of Maxing Loushi decoction in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （AECOPD） with phlegm turbidity obstructing lung syndrome， and to investigate its effects on inflammatory factors， immune function， and the programmed death-1（PD-1）/programmed death-ligand 1 （PD-L1） signaling pathway. MethodsA randomized controlled study was conducted， enrolling 90 hospitalized patients with AECOPD and phlegm turbidity obstructing lung syndrome in the Respiratory and Emergency Departments of Dongzhimen Hospital， Beijing University of Chinese Medicine， from April 2024 to December 2024. Patients were randomly assigned to a control group and an observation group using a random number table， with 45 patients in each group. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment， while the observation group received additional Maxing Loushi decoction for 14 days. Clinical efficacy， COPD Assessment Test （CAT） score， modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale （mMRC）， 6-minute walk test （6MWT）， serum inflammatory factors， T lymphocyte subsets， and serum PD-1/PD-L1 levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. ResultsThe total clinical effective rate was 78.57% （33/42） in the control group and 95.35% （41/43） in the observation group， with the observation group showing significantly higher efficacy than that of the control group. The difference was statistically significant （χ² = 5.136， P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in CAT and mMRC scores （P<0.05， P<0.01） and significant increases in 6MWT compared to baseline （P<0.01）. The observation group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group in this regard. Levels of inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein （CRP）， procalcitonin （PCT）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， monocyte chemoattractant protein-1（MCP-1）， and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α （MIP-1α） were significantly reduced in both groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with greater reductions in the observation group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. CD8⁺ levels were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， while CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ levels were significantly increased in both groups after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with more significant improvements observed in the observation group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Serum PD-1 levels were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and PD-L1 levels were increased significantly in both groups after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with more pronounced changes in the observation group （P<0.05）. ConclusionMaxing Loushi decoction demonstrates definite therapeutic efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for patients with AECOPD and phlegm turbidity obstructing lung syndrome. It contributes to reducing serum inflammatory factors， improving immune function， and regulating the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the enrollment scale and distribution of Master's Degree in Pediatrics programs in China, and to provide a reference for promoting pediatric education and disciplinary development.Methods:Data on colleges and universities authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics in 2023 were collected, sorted, and analyzed for the number, structure, distribution, and enrollment scale and direction of these institutions using descriptive statistics.Results:Among the 117 clinical medicine academic master's degree programs in China, 72 enroll pediatric academic master's degree candidates, with an enrollment of 260 students. Among the 120 master's degree programs in clinical medicine, 104 enroll professional master's degree candidates, enrolling 1 195 students. Enrollment is mainly concentrated in East China, "non-double first-class" colleges and universities, medical colleges and universities with subject level B, and enrollment is carried out in the direction of secondary disciplines.Conclusions:The number of colleges and universities authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics was small, and the distribution of these colleges and universities was unbalanced. The enrollment scale was small and the orientation of Professional Master's Degree was not reasonable. Some colleges and universities were authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics, but did not enroll any students. It is suggested to increase the number of colleges and universities authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics and strengthen the staffing of pediatric departments. The aim is to expand the enrollment scale of candidates for Master's Degree in Pediatrics, improving the differential training of candidates for Academic Master's Degree and Professional Master's Degree, and attach importance to the construction of pediatrics.

Objective:To analyze the scores and differences of various aspects of public health graduate education management in China, and to provide suggestions for universities to enhance graduate education management.Methods:Based on the data from the 2021 National Survey on Education Satisfaction and Job Evaluation of Medical Graduate Supervisors, we described the public health graduate education management in China from the five perspectives of student enrollment, curriculum, practice, research, and school management. The t-test and analysis of variance were used to analyze the differences in individual characteristics. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze factors influencing the scores of public health graduate education management. Results:Supervisors gave the highest score to curriculum and teaching (mean score, 4.00±0.77), followed by management system and input (mean score, 3.97±0.87), research conditions and achievements (mean score, 3.93±0.80), practical education conditions and effects (mean score, 3.80±0.91), and discipline attractiveness and enrollment quality (mean score, 3.70±0.84). Supervisors who supervised professional degrees, doctoral students, and located in the eastern region gave relatively high scores to public health graduate education, and those with associate professor titles gave relatively low scores.Conclusions:The quality of students recruited for public health graduate education needs to be improved, curriculum design and teaching method need to be adjusted, practice conditions need to be improved, research funding is insufficient, and the construction of academic communication platforms needs to be improved. The relevant universities/colleges need to strengthen the management and increase the investment to promote the high-quality development of public health graduate education.

Objective:In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with previous 96-week treatment with tenofovir amibufenamide (TMF) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), we investigated the efficacy of sequential TMF treatment from 96 to 144 weeks.Methods:Enrolled subjects who were previously assigned (2:1) to receive either 25 mg TMF or 300 mg TDF with matching placebo for 96 weeks received extended or switched TMF treatment for 48 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated based on virological, serological, biological parameters, and fibrosis staging. Statistical analysis was performed using the McNemar test, t-test, or Log-Rank test according to the data. Results:593 subjects from the initial TMF group and 287 subjects from the TDF group were included at week 144, with the proportions of HBV DNA<20 IU/ml at week 144 being 86.2% and 83.3%, respectively, and 78.1% and 73.8% in patients with baseline HBV DNA levels ≥8 log10 IU/ml. Resistance to tenofovir was not detected in both groups. For HBeAg loss and seroconversion rates, both groups showed a further increase from week 96 to 144 and the 3-year cumulative rates of HBeAg loss were about 35% in each group. However, HBsAg levels were less affected during 96 to 144 weeks. For patients switched from TDF to TMF, a substantial further increase in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization rate was observed (11.4%), along with improved FIB-4 scores.Conclusion:After 144 weeks of TMF treatment, CHB patients achieved high rates of virological, serological, and biochemical responses, as well as improved liver fibrosis outcomes. Also, switching to TMF resulted in significant benefits in ALT normalization rates (NCT03903796).

Objective:In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with previous 96-week treatment with tenofovir amibufenamide (TMF) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), we investigated the safety profile of sequential TMF treatment from 96 to 144 weeks.Methods:Enrolled subjects that previously assigned (2:1) to receive either 25 mg TMF or 300 mg TDF with matching placebo for 96 weeks received extending or switching TMF treatment for 48 weeks. Safety profiles of kidney, bone, metabolism, body weight, and others were evaluated.Results:666 subjects from the initial TMF group and 336 subjects from TDF group with at least one dose of assigned treatment were included at week 144. The overall safety profile was favorable in each group and generally similar between extended or switched TMF treatments from week 96 to 144. In subjects switching from TDF to TMF, the non-indexed estimated glomerular filtration rate (by non-indexed CKD-EPI formula) and creatinine clearance (by Cockcroft-Gault formula) were both increased, which were (2.31±8.33) ml/min and (4.24±13.94) ml/min, respectively. These changes were also higher than those in subjects with extending TMF treatment [(0.91±8.06) ml/min and (1.30±13.94) ml/min]. Meanwhile, switching to TMF also led to an increase of the bone mineral density (BMD) by 0.75% in hip and 1.41% in spine. On the other side, a slight change in TC/HDL ratio by 0.16 (IQR: 0.00, 0.43) and an increase in body mass index (BMI) by (0.54±0.98) kg/m 2 were oberved with patients switched to TMF, which were significantly higher than that in TMF group. Conclusion:CHB patients receiving 144 weeks of TMF treatment showed favorable safety profile. After switching to TMF, the bone and renal safety was significantly improved in TDF group, though experienceing change in metabolic parameters and weight gain (NCT03903796).

Objective:To investigate the clinical features of pregnant associated Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (PTCM).Methods:We reviewed reported PTCM cases published from January 2007 to June 2022 using the keywords "Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy""Takotsubo cardiomyopathy" "stress cardiomyopathy" AND "parturition" "pregnancy" "cesarean delivery" "postpartum" "peripartum" "eclampsia" "abortion" in Pubmed and Web of Science databases and the corresponding Chinese words in Wanfang and Chinese Medical Journal Network. Age, obstetric history, mode of delivery, mode of anesthesia, etiological factors, clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis of PTCM were recorded. Descriptive statistical analysis was adopted.Results:A total of 55 articles were included, covering 60 patients with PTCM. (1) Age and time of onset: The age of onset was (32.4±6.0) years old. PTCM occurred most frequently during labor [42% (25/60)] and within one day postpartum [32% (19/60)] and during the gestational period [13%(8/60), 33.0 weeks (24.5-37.7 weeks)]. (2) Delivery-related factors: There were 38% (16/42) primiparas and 60% (25/42) multiparas. Among them, 67% (38/57) and 18% (10/57) were delivered by cesarean section and vaginal delivery, respectively. PCTM often lacks obvious triggers [40% (24/60)], with the most common inducing factor being pregnancy-related diseases [27% (16/60)]. (3) Clinical features: The initial symptoms of PTCM were dyspnea [44% (26/59)], followed by chest pain accompanied by dyspnea [17% (10/59)]. The most common subtype of PTCM was the apical type [45% (26/58)], followed by the basal type [24% (14/58)], while the biventricular type was the least common [3% (2/58)] in the PTCM classification. The left ventricular ejection fraction was (31.6±12.1) % at the onset of PTCM, which recovered to (58.2±7.6) % at discharge. PCTM was often complicated by pulmonary edema [67% (40/60)] and cardiogenic shock [55% (33/60)]. (4) Treatment and prognosis: Patients with PCTM usually require noninvasive or invasive ventilator-assisted ventilation [40% (23/58)]. One pregnant woman and five neonates died, while the remaining patients recovered well.Conclusions:PTCM should be considered in differential diagnosis of patients experiencing dyspnea and chest pain during labor and pregnancy. PTCM patients are younger and have more pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock. Mechanical ventilation is often required, but the prognosis is favorable.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is an RNA molecule that does not code to express proteins, and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of a variety of tumors. As an lncRNA, SPRY4-IT1 is highly expressed in breast cancer tissues, and can be used as an upstream and downstream regulator of breast cancer, promoting the progression of breast cancer, and is closely related to breast cancer stage and prognosis. In-depth study of the molecular mechanism associated with SPRY4-IT1 and breast cancer can provide new ideas for discovering biomarkers for early diagnosis of breast cancer, assessing disease prognosis and finding targeting sites.

Objective: To explore the association between the cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents in six provinces in China. Methods: Using a multi-stage sampling method, 3 002 adults aged 18-70 were selected from the western region (Sichuan), eastern region (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing), central region (Henan), and northeastern region (Heilongjiang) of China from July 2020 to March 2021. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants and their cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior were collected through questionnaire. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior. Results: The age of 3 002 subjects was (42.3±13.4) years, among which 63.8% (1 914) were female, 66.7% knew the Nutrition Facts Panel, 49.8% would read it when purchasing, 30.7% could understand it, and 56.6% (1 699) bought prepackaged food more than once a week. The results of multivariate analysis showed that after adjusting for relevant confounding factors, compared with the participants knowing but not reading the Nutrition Facts Panel, the group knowing and reading was more likely to buy 11 types of prepackaged food at least once a week (all P<0.05). Compared with the participants reading but not understanding the Nutrition Facts Panel, the group reading and understanding was less likely to buy 11 types of prepackaged food at least once a week (all P<0.05). Conclusion: There was a correlation between cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Food Labeling/methods* ; Food ; Nutritional Status ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; China ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice