According to the relevant requirements of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and relevant reports, this article briefly introduces the basic principles, research ideas, and precautions for the revision of the “characteristics” standards of Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces. In recent years, enterprises and social media reported that the characteristics of Chinese medicinal materials in the market did not fully comply with the characteristics specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Therefore, this article explored the variation in the characteristics of Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces and its main reasons, scientific and reasonable revision of the “characteristics” of Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces, the new methods for identifying properties, as well as the issues that need to be noted in revising the characteristics of Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces, which provided reference for the revision of the “characteristics” standards of Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology for two children with Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia, stereotypic hand movements, and impaired language (MEDHSIL). METHODS: Two children who had visited the Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital on October 15, 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for both patients. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of their family members. RESULTS: The two children were respectively found to harbor a heterozygous c.138delC (p.Ile47Serfs*42) variant and a c.833del (p.L278*) variant of the MEF2C gene. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), both variants were predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+PS2+PM2_Supporting). CONCLUSION The c.138delC and c.833del variants of the MEF2C gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of MEDHSIL in the two children. Above findings have enriched the mutational spectrum of the MEF2C gene and enabled genetic counseling for their families.
Child ; Humans ; Family ; Genetic Counseling ; Language ; MEF2 Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Muscle Hypotonia/genetics* ; Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of mild to moderate, single segment lumbar spondylolisthesis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 48 surgical cases of grade Ⅰ to Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2020 to March 2022. Among them, 24 cases treated with DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion surgery were classified as the DELTA group, and 24 cases treated with traditional minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) surgery were classified as the MIS-TLIF group. Two groups of patients were compared in terms of perioperative indicators (surgical time, postoperative drainage volume, incision length, hospital stay), clinical efficacy [Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score for low back and leg pain, lumbar Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores (JOA), improved MacNab standard excellence rate], and lumbar fusion rate (Bridwell intervertebral fusion grade).Results:The DELTA group had longer surgical time than the MIS-TLIF group, and the postoperative drainage volume, incision length, and hospital stay were all lower than the MIS-TLIF group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The VAS score of lower back and leg pain and lumbar JOA score of the two groups of patients at 1 week, 3 months, and the last follow-up were significantly improved compared to those before surgery (all P<0.01), and the DELTA group had better VAS score of lower back and leg pain and lumbar JOA score at all time points after surgery than the MIS-TLIF group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The improved MacNab standard was used to evaluate the efficacy of the two groups of patients at the last follow-up after surgery, and there was no statistically significant difference in the excellent and good rates ( P>0.05); There was no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05) in the fusion rate between the two groups. Conclusions:DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion has a significant therapeutic effect on lumbar spondylolisthesis, with the advantages of small surgical incision and fast recovery; After crossing the DELTA endoscopic learning curve and optimizing surgical procedures, this technology can become an alternative to MIS-TLIF technology.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of Delta endoscopic lumbar decompression fusion for the treatment of giant lumbar disc herniation(GILDH).Method A retrospective analysis was performed on 36 cases of GILDH from April 2020 to May 2022,including 18 cases in the Delta group and 18 cases in the open group.There was no statistically significant difference in gender,age,and responsible section between the two groups of patients.Compare the surgical time,perioperative indicators,and clinical efficacy between the two groups.Results The intraoperative bleeding and drainage volume in the Delta group were lower than those in the open group,the incision length and hospital stay were shorter than those in the open group,the degree of paraspinal muscle injury was lighter than that in the open group,and the surgical time was longer than that in the open group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05);The lumbago visual analogue scale(VAS)of the two groups of patients at each postoperative period was significantly reduced compared to preoperative,and the lumbar spine function score of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)was significantly increased compared to preoperative,with statistical significance(P＜0.05);The lumbago VAS of the Delta group was significantly lower than that of the open group at all postoperative stages,and the lumbar spine function JOA score was significantly higher than that of the open group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05);There was no statistically significant difference in the modified MacNab score between the two groups of patients at the last follow-up after surgery(P＞0.05).Conclusion Delta endoscopic lumbar decompression fusion for GILDH has significant therapeutic effects,with advantages such as less bleeding,small surgical incision,and fast postoperative recovery;After crossing the Delta endoscopic learning curve and optimizing the surgical process,this technology can become an alternative to conventional open surgery.

Objective:To investigate the expression of mucin-4 (MUC4) in meningiomas.Methods:Totally 258 cases of meningiomas and 165 cases of other brain tumors were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of China University of Science and Technology (Anhui Provincial Hospital) from 2011 to 2017. MUC4, EMA, PR, SSTR-2 protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, and their expression in meningiomas and other tumor tissue was compared.Results:The 258 patients with meningioma included 85 males and 173 females, with a mean age of 69 years. Among the meningiomas, 192, 54 and 12 were WHO grades Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively. The overall expression rate of MUC4 in meningiomas was 67.8% (175/258), including 46/46 (100.0%) in meningothelial meningiomas, 3/3 in secretory meningiomas, 44/45 (97.8%) in angiomatous meningiomas, 37/41 (90.2%) in atypical meningiomas, 3/4 in metaplastic meningiomas, 2/3 in microcystic meningiomas, 7/11 in psammomatous meningiomas, 7/11 in chordoid meningiomas, 14/28 (50.0%) in transitional meningiomas, 1/2 in clear cell meningiomas, 1/2 in papillary meningiomas, 4/9 in anaplastic meningiomas, 7/52 (13.5%) in fibrous meningiomas, and 0/1 in rhabdoid meningiomas. In addition, MUC4 was expressed in 44 EMA negative meningiomas and in four SSTR-2 negative meningiomas. PR, EMA, SSTR-2 were expressed in 149 cases (57.7%), 173 cases (67.1%), 235 cases (91.1%) of meningiomas, respectively. MUC4 was not expressed in other tumors in the central nervous system, including schwannomas, neurofibromas, solitary fibrous tumors/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC), hemangioblastoma, gliomas and ependymomas.Conclusion:MUC4 is widely expressed in meningiomas and has great value in distinguishing meningiomas from other non-meningeal epithelial tumorsof the central nervous system.

Objective: To study the effects of altitude exposure and altitude exposure on mental health of Tibetan cadres. Methods: 105 cadres in Tibet were selected as the research objects. Among them, 74 cadres in Shannan and Lhasa of Tibet (average altitude 3 680 m), 31 in Shigaze and Ali (above 3 800 m) and 14 in Ali (above 4 300 m) were selected. Using Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ascension Insomnia Scale (AIS), 105 Tibetan aid cadres were tested by SAS, SDS, AIS and SCL-90 one week after entering Tibet and one week before leaving the plateau. The scores were collected and the mental health and sleep status of Tibetan aid workers were measured. Results: The number of positive items of SCL-90 of 105 Tibetan cadres increased from (13.21±9.05) one week after entering Tibet to (38.35±18.84) one week before leaving Tibet. SAS, SDS and AIS also increased from (25.49±5.19), (26.41±5.15), (5.16±3.54) points one week after entering Tibet to (36.78±7.53), (41.42±9.15), (8.71±4.64) points one week before leaving Tibet. The difference was significant in the last week (Z = 8.420, 8.689, 6.277, P<0.01). The correlation analysis between SCL-90 and SAS, SDS and AIS showed that SCL-90 was positively correlated with SAS, SDS and AIS scores (r = 0.651, 0.616, 0.356, P<0.01). Different altitudes have an effect on the mental health of Tibetan aid cadres. The paranoid item scores of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude>4 300 m in SCL-90 were (1.68 ± 0.50) points, which were higher than those of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude<4 300 m (1.24±0.28) points and (1.40± 0.38) points. The difference was statistically significant (F=5.255, P=0.007); The SDS scores of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude>4 300 m were (46.64 ± 7.24) points, which were higher than those of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude<4 300 m (40.76 ± 8.99) points and (40.58 ± 8.28) points. The difference was statistically significant (F=3.223, P=0.044). Conclusion Exposure to high altitude affects the mental health of cadres assisting Tibet to varying degrees. The mental health of cadres assisting Tibet deserves attention.

Objective To explore the effects of aripiprazole on clinical symptoms and neurotrophic factor levels in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Forty patients with schizophrenia and 40 normal controls were included in the study. The clinical symptoms of patients receiving aripiprazole only for 12 weeks were evaluated by using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT), Continuous Performance Test, Digit-Symbol Coding Test and Trail Making Test-A were used to evaluate the cognitive function both in patients and controls. Serum levels of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Neurotrophin 3 (NT-3) were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results The clinical scores, cognitive function and levels of neurotrophic factors were different before and after treatment (P<0.01). And those were significantly lower in patients than in control group (P<0.05). Before treatment, BDNF was negatively correlated with PANSS negative symptom score (r=-0.362, P=0.022);NGF was related to the total score of PANSS (r=0.332, P=0.037) and positive symptoms (r=0.401, P=0.010); NT-3 was associated with negative symptom scores (r=-0.376, P=0.017) and SCWT-color words (r=0.332, P=0.037) in patient group. After treatment, the increase in BDNF was correlated with the reduction in PANSS total score (r=0.371, P=0.018), negative symptom score (r=0.345, P=0.029) and general pathology score (r=0.342, P=0.031). There was a correlation of the increase of NGF with the decrease of PANSS total scores (r=0.437, P=0.005) and with positive symptom scores (r=0.357, P=0.024). Conclusion Treatment with Aripiprazole can improve the clinical symptoms and cognitive functiona impairments in patients with schizophrenia, which may be related to the increase in serum levels of BDNF, NGF and NT-3.

The liver injury induced by Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (PM) was investigated based on idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity model co-treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a non-hepatotoxic dose. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were intragastrically administered with three doses (18.9, 37.8, 75.6 g crude drug per kg body weight) of 50% alcohol extracts of PM alone or co-treated with non-toxic dose of LPS (2.8 mg·kg(-1)) via tail vein injection. The plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were assayed and the isolated livers were evaluated for histopathological changes. The dose-toxicity relationships of single treatment of PM or co-treatment of LPS were investigated comparatively to elucidate the idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of PM. The results showed that no significant alterations of plasma ALT and AST activities were observed in the groups of solo-administration of LPS (2.8 mg·kg(-1), i.v.) or different dosage (18.9, 37.8 and 75.6 g·kg(-1), i.g.) of PM, compared to normal control group (P > 0.05); while significant elevations were observed in the co-administration groups of PM and LPS. Treatment with LPS alone caused slight infiltration of inflammatory cells in portal area but no evident hepatocytes injury. Co-treatment with LPS and PM (75.6 g·kg(-1), i.g.) caused hepatocyte focal necrosis, loss of central vein intima and a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration in portal areas. When further reduce the dosage of PM, significant increases of plasma ALT and AST activities (P < 0.05) were still observed in co-administration groups of LPS and PM (1.08 or 2.16 g·kg(-1)), but not in LPS or PM solo-administration groups. Nevertheless, the co-treatment of low dosage of PM (0.54 g·kg(-1)) with LPS did not induce any alteration of plasma ALT and AST. In conclusion, intragastric administration with 75.6 g·kg(-1) of PM did not induce liver injury in normal rats model; while the 2 folds of clinical equivalent dose of PM (1.08 g·kg(-1)) could result in liver injury in the LPS-based idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity model, which could be used to evaluate the idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of PM.

Objective To establish the electric controlled cortical impact (eCCI)-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) model in rats with different severity in degree,which may serve as a suitable platform to provide experimental evidence for the pathophysiological following TBI.Methods A total of 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups and sham group.TBI rats (n=10/group) were positioned beneath the controlled cortical impactor device (eCCI) and subjected to impact injury at 2 mm depth of penetration,for a sustained depression of 200 ms,at 4 m/s,5 m/s,6 m/s velocity for mild,moderate,and severe TBI,respectively.Sham-operated rats (n=10) underwent identical surgical procedures,including craniotomy,without receiving the cortical impact.Neurological function and regional cerebral flow (24 h after CCI),contusion volume,histopathological,and ultrastructural changes (48 h after CCI) were measured,respectively.Results The severity of the pathological changes in rats was increased as the injury aggravated.The eCCI device impacted the brain at 4 m/s,5 m/s,6 m/s velocity for mild,moderate,and severe TBI,respectively.TBI groups showed impaired neurological function,and decreased rCBF lower than that of sham-operated group (all P＜0.01).Furthermore,neuronal pathological abnormalities in TBI groups,including neuron shrinking,perineuronal vacuole,and structural abnormalities of mitochondria.Increased severity of injury was apparent following the increased level of the impacted velocity,and significant differences were observed between TBI groups (P＜0.05).Conclusion The TBI animal model with mild,moderate,and severe brain injury can be established successfully by 4 m/s,5 m/s,and 6 m/s of impact velocity respectively with the eCCI-6.3 device.The novel eCCI-induced TBI model in rats possibly serves as a novel useful approach in the development of TBI models.

Descurainiae, Lepidii Semen and their it adulterants were identified by analysising their ITS2 sequences. The genomic DNA was extracted from 46 samples including Descurainiae and Lepidii Semen and their it adulterants. Their ITS2 sequences were amplified, and purified PCR products were sequenced. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using CodonCode Aligner v 4.25. The genetic distances, variable sites and the neighbor-joning (NJ) phylogenetic tree were computed by MEGA 6.0 in accordance with the Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model. The results showed that the intra-specific genetic distances of Descurainia sophia and Lepidium apetalum were 0.021 and 0.010, which were smaller than inter-specific ones of D. sophia, L. apetalum and their adulterants. The NJ tree showed that both D. sophia and L. apetalum were clustered into one monophyletic branch, and clearly separated with their sibling species. Therefore ITS2 sequence was able to identify Descurainiae and Lep-idii Semen and its adulterants to ensure the quality of medicines and clinical efficacy.