OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of pharyngeal cavity and genoglossus muscle exercises in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAHS)left over after palatopharyngoplasty with diastolic cardiac dysfunction.METHODS A total of 75 patients with mild OSAHS left after palatopharyngoplasty with diastolic cardiac dysfunction from January 2021 to August 2023 were selected for retrospective study.Among them,37 patients underwent pharyngeal cavity and mentoglossum muscle exercise(observation group),while 38 patients did not(control group).Using postoperative data as baseline value.mean blood oxygen saturation(MSpO2),lowest oxygen saturation(LSpO2),sleep efficiency,apnea index(AI),sleep latency,apnea hypopnea index(AHI),hypopnea index(HI),microarousal index(MAI),rapid eye movement latency,arterial blood pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2),pH,arterial partial oxygen pressure(PaO2),left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVDs),blood lactic acid,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),Tei index,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVDd),daytime Epworth sleepiness scale(ESS)score,Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)score and incidence of adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)were compared at baseline and 3 months later.RESULTS After 3 months,AHI,HI and AI in observation group were lower than those in control group,and MSpO2 and LSpO2 were higher than those in control group(P<0.05);Sleep efficiency of observation group was higher than control group,daytime ESS score,PSQI score and MAI were lower than control group(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in PaCO2,LVDd,PaO2,blood lactic acid,sleep latency,pH,LVEF,rapid eye movement latency,LVDd,Tei index between the observation group and the control group(P>0.05).The incidence of MACE in the observation group was 5.41%(2/37),compared with 13.16%(5/38)in the control group,there was no significant difference(P>0.05).CONCLUSION In patients with mild OSAHS left after palatopharyngoplasty with diastolic cardiac dysfunction,the exercise of pharyngeal cavity and genoglossus can improve hypopnea,alleviate clinical symptoms and improve sleep quality,but it has limited effect on the improvement of cardiac function.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of using catheter fenestration technology in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)supplied by the right inferior phrenic artery(RIPA).Methods From March 2023 to May 2023,five HCC patients,whose HCC lesions were supplied by RIP A,received TACE by using catheter fenestration technology to accomplish the superselective catheterization of RIPA after the conventional microcatheter catheterization of RIPA failed.Results Superselective catheterization of RIPA and TACE were successfully accomplished in all the 5 patients,with a surgical success rate of 100％.The time spent for superselective catheterization of RIPA was(3.2±2.39)minutes.After TACE,the levels of the tumor indicators were decreased when compared with the pre-TACE values,while the liver function indexes showed no obvious damage.Based on the mRECIST criteria,PR was obtained in 3 patients and CR was obtained in 2 patients.None of the five patients developed serious adverse reactions.Conclusion In treating patients with HCC supplied by RIPA,the use of catheter fenestration technology can safely and effectively improve the success rate of superselective catheterization of RIPA during TACE.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of meridian massage in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation(LDH).Methods Between July 2020 and April 2023,82 patients with lumbar disc herniation were selected,including 58 males and 24 females,aged from 23 to 55 years old with an average of(43.76±6.64)years old.According to the different treatment methods,they were divided into observation group and control group with 41 cases in each group.The control group was treated with routine treatment,and the observation group was treated with meridian massage on the basis of routine treatment.In the control group,there were 30 males and 11 females;aged from 22 to 52 years old with an average of(42.27±9.34)years old;the Body mass index(BMI)ranged from 19 to 28 kg·m-2 with an average of(23.82±1.08)kg·m-2;the course of disease ranged from 0.5 to 3.0 years(2.40±0.48)years.There were 28 cases in L4,5 segment and 13 cases in L5S1 segment.In the observation group,there were 28 males and 13 females;the age ranged from 19 to 54 years old(42.19±9.26)years old;the BMI ranged from 18 to 29 kg·m-2 with an average of(23.73±1.15)kg·m-2;the course of disease ranged from 0.6 to 2.8 with an average of(2.56±0.45)years;there were 26 cases in L4,5 segment and 15 cases in L5S1 segment.Visual analogue scale(VAS),Oswestry disability index(ODI),M-JOA score and TCM syndrome score were measured before and after 3 courses of treatment,and the clinical efficacy was evaluated by the standard of curative effect evaluation.Results After treatment,VAS[(3.24±1.45)vs(4.46±0.64)],ODI[(11.45±1.98)％vs(17.21±2.74)％]and TCM symptom score[(2.03±0.27)vs(3.99±0.54)]of the observation group were lower than those of the control group.The score of M-JOA[(23.43±2.61)vs(19.37±1.62)]increased(P＜0.05).The scores of VAS,ODI andTCM symptoms in the observation group were lower than those in the control group,while the scores of M-JOA were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Meridian massage is effective in the treatment of LDH,which can effectivelyrelieve low back pain,improve clinical symptoms and increaselumbar function,which is worthy of clinical promotion.

This paper introduced the overview of the "eight trends" of Chinese medicinal materials(CMM) industry in 2021, analyzed the problems of CMM production, and put forward development suggestions. Specifically, "eight trends" could be summarized as follows.(1) The growing area of CMM tended to be stable, and some provinces began to release the local catalog of Dao-di herbs.(2) The protection process of new varieties accelerated, and a number of excellent varieties were bred.(3) The theory of ecological cultivation was further enriched, and the demonstration effect of ecological cultivation technology was prominent.(4) Some CMM realized complete mechanization and formed typical model cases.(5) The number of cultivation bases using the traceability platform increased, and provincial internet trading platforms were set up.(6) The construction of CMM industrial clusters accelerated, and the number of provincial-level regional brands increased rapidly.(7) Many new agricultural business entities were founded nationwide, and a variety of methods were used to drive the intensified development of CMM.(8) A number of local TCM laws were promulgated, and the management regulation of food and medicine homology substances catalogs was issued. On this basis, four suggestions for CMM production were proposed.(1) It is suggested to speed up the formulation of the national catalog of Dao-di herbs and carry out the certification of Dao-di herbs production bases.(2) Ecological planting of forest and grassland medicine should be further strengthened in terms of technical research and promotion based on the principle of ecological priority.(3) The basic work of disaster prevention should be paid more attention and technical measures for disaster mitigation should be developed.(4) The planted area of commonly used CMM should be incorporated into the national regular statistical system.
Agriculture ; Certification ; Commerce ; Industry ; China

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

Diabetic kidney disease is an important microvascular complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Its pathological characteristics mainly include epithelial mesenchymal transition(EMT) in glomerulus, podocyte apoptosis and autophagy, and damage of glomerular filtration barrier. Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway is specifically regulated by a variety of mechanisms, and is a classic pathway involved in physiological activities such as apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. At present, many studies have found that TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease. Traditional Chinese medicine has significant advantages in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease for its multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics, and some traditional Chinese medicine extracts, traditional Chinese medicines and traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription improve the renal injury of diabetic kidney disease by regulating TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. This study clarified the mechanism of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in diabetic kidney disease by expounding the relationship between the key targets of the pathway and diabetic kidney disease, and summarized the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease by interfering with TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in recent years, to provide reference for drug research and clinical treatment of diabetic kidney disease in the future.
Humans ; Diabetic Nephropathies/genetics* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Kidney/pathology* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Smad Proteins/metabolism* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus/genetics*

Carbon dioxide peaking and carbon neutrality have become hot issues of political and economic activities in China and abroad. The structure and development of various industries in China will be profoundly affected in the process of accomplishing "Dual Carbon" goals. Eco-agriculture of Chinese medicine(EACM) highlights the balance and sustainable development of the ecosystem while producing high-quality medicinal materials. With chemically synthesized fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators prohibited, EACM emphasizes the recycling of agricultural and sideline products and the reduction of waste output, which results in the minimal negative impact on the ecological environment. Therefore, it is typical agriculture with low-carbon sources and high-carbon sinks. This study reviewed the mechanism and potential of EACM in carbon dioxide peaking and carbon neutrality, analyzed the specific ways of EACM in reducing carbon sources and increasing carbon sinks based on the typical ecological planting pattern, and proposed the point of view to strengthen EACM as well as the "Dual Carbon" theory and research methods, so as to direct low-carbon and efficient deve-lopment. Furthermore, this study advocated to comprehensively promote the transformation of Chinese medicine production from chemical agriculture to eco-agriculture to improve the comprehensive benefits of contribution rate of carbon neutrality, explore and establish carbon sink compensation mechanism to ensure the sustainable and healthy development of EACM, and strengthen the training of EACM and "Dual Carbon" theory and technologies to continuously improve the capacity of EACM in sustainable development. This study is expected to provide a reference for the development of ecological functions in EACM and the development of economic functions through ecological functions.
Agriculture ; Carbon Dioxide ; China ; Ecosystem ; Fertilizers ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective: To explore the effect of down-regulation of retinol binding protein 2 (RBP2) expression on the biological characteristics of ovarian cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods: Knockdown of RBP2 and cisplatin (DDP)-resistant ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i was established, the negative control group and blank control group were also set. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the cell proliferation ability, flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis, scratch test and Transwell invasion test were used to detect cell migration and invasion ability, real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot were used to detect the expressions of molecular markers related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The effect of RBP2 on the growth of ovarian cancer was verified through experiment of transplanted tumors in nude mice, and the relationships between RBP2 expression and tumor metastasis and patient prognosis were analyzed using the clinical data of ovarian cancer in TCGA database. Results: After down-regulating the expression of RBP2, the proliferation ability of SKOV3/DDP cell was significantly reduced. On the fifth day, the proliferation activities of SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group, negative control group and blank control group were (56.67±4.16)%, (84.67±3.51) and (87.00±4.00)% respectively, with statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The apoptosis rate of SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group was (14.19±1.50)%, higher than (8.77±0.75)% of the negative control group and (7.48±0.52)% of the blank control group (P<0.001). The number of invasive cells of SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group was (55.20±2.39), lower than (82.60±5.18) and (80.80±7.26) of the negative control group and the blank control group, respectively (P<0.001). The scratch healing rate of SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group was (28.47±2.72)%, lower than (50.58±4.06)% and (48.92±4.63)% of the negative control group and the blank control group, respectively (P<0.001). The mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadherin in the SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group were higher than those in the negative control group (P=0.015, P<0.001) and the blank control group (P=0.006, P<0.001). The mRNA and protein expression of N-cadherin in SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group were lower than those in the negative control group (P=0.012, P<0.001) and the blank control group (P=0.005, P<0.001). The mRNA and protein expressions of vimentin in SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group were also lower than those in the negative control group (P=0.016, P=0.001) and the blank control group (P=0.011, P=0.001). Five weeks after the cells inoculated into the nude mice, the tumor volume of SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group, negative control group and blank control group were statistically significant different. The tumor volume of SKOV3/DDP-RBP2i group was smaller than those of negative control group and blank control group (P=0.001). Bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression of RBP2 in patients with metastatic ovarian cancer was higher than that without metastasis (P=0.043), and the median overall survival of ovarian cancer patients with high RBP2 expression was 41 months, shorter than 69 months of low RBP2 expression patients (P<0.001). Conclusion: Downregulation of the expression of RBP2 in SKOV3/DDP cells can inhibit cell migration and invasion, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of EMT.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cisplatin/pharmacology* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics* ; Female ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology* ; Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular/metabolism*

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic in Ejina banner, Inner Mongolia, in October 2021 and provide evidence for the improvement of COVID-19 prevention and control. Methods: The information about the time, area and population distributions of COVID-19 cases in Ejina before November 13, 2021 and the gene sequencing result of the isolates were collected for a statistical descriptive analysis. Results: The first COVID-19 case in Ejina occurred on 7 October, 2021. A total of 164 COVID-19 cases were reported from October 19 to November 12. Most cases were distributed in 6 communities in Darahub (156 cases, 95.12%). The result of full gene sequencing of the isolates indicted that the pathogen was Delta variant (B.1.617.2). The male to female ratio of the cases was 1.3∶1. The age of cases ranged from 1 to 85 years, and the cases aged 20-59 years accounted for 78.66%. The main clinical symptoms were sore throat (91 cases, 91.92%), cough (49 cases, 49.49%) and fever (23 cases, 23.23%). Most cases were ordinary ones (81 cases, 49.39%) and mild ones (68 cases, 41.46%). The cases were mainly detected at the isolation points (84 cases, 51.22%) and through population based nucleic acid testing (62 cases, 37.80%). The basic reproduction number (R₀) of COVID-19 was 5.3, the average incubation period was 3.9 days. The local government rapidly started Ⅳ level emergency response and conducted 10 rounds of nucleic acid tests. The transferring of travelers reduced the risk for the further spread of COVID-19 in Ejina. Conclusions: The epidemic of COVID-19 in Ejina characterized by strong transmission, short incubation period, herd susceptibility and case clustering. Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was the pathogen, which might be imported from Zeke port. Comprehensive prevention and control measures, such as closed-loop management and vaccination, should be continued. The successful transferring of the patients and travelers provided evidence for the effective and precise prevention and control of COVID-19 in a routine manner.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; COVID-19 ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Epidemics ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo investigate inhibitory effect of extracts from Veronica peregrina （EVP） on the osteoclastic bone metastasis induced by breast cancer cells. MethodBone metastasis model was established by injection of MDA-MB-231 cells， a human breast cancer cell line， into the left ventricle of BALB/c nude mice. The expression of human cytokeratin-19 （Ck-19） gene in mouse bone marrow was determined by nested polymerase chain reaction（PCR） to assess the bone metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells. To assess the effects of EVP on the activation of bone marrow macrophages （BMMs）， we counted the multinuclear cells and measured the secretion of Cathepsin K. Western blot was adopted to assess the effects of EVP on receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB （RANK）， Runt-related transcription factor 2 （ Runx2 ）， phosphorylated Runx2 （p-Runx2）， and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in BMMs. Gelatin zymography was employed to determine the activities of matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs）. ResultCompared with that in the blank group， Ck-19 expression was down-regulated in EVP groups （P<0.05）. The multinucleated cells increased when the BMMs were induced by soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand （sRANKL）， which was inhibited by EVP （P<0.05）. The level of cathepsin K in the supernatant of sRANKL group increased compared with that of the blank group， while EVP groups had lower cathepsin K levels than sRANKL group （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the sRANKL group showed up-regulated RANK expression， Runx2 phosphorylation， and MMP-9 expression （P<0.05）， while the expression levels of RANK， p-Runx2， and MMP-9 were down-regulated when the cells were incubated with EVP （P<0.05）. Furthermore， exposure of BMMs to sRANKL resulted in an increase in gelatin hydrolyzation compared with the blank group （P<0.01）， which， however， was reversed in EVP groups （P<0.05）. ConclusionEVP significantly inhibits bone marrow metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells， which may be associated with the suppression of osteoclast activation by inhibiting Runx2 phosphorylation.