In view of the few studies on the influence of Armillaria spp. infection on the content of the chemical components in different parts of Polyporus umbellatus sclerotia, this study determined the biomass of P. umbellatus sclerotia and the contents of ergosterol, polyporusterone A, polyporusterone B and polysaccharide in the separated cavity wall of the sclerotia and the uninfected part of the sclerotia in different harvesting years under the conditions of A. gallica and A. mellea infection respectively. According to the difference of content and dynamic changes of the polysaccharide and the steroid substances, the superior Armillaria sp. was screened to obtain the best harvest years of P. umbellatus. Using HPLC and UV-VIS spectrophotometry methods, the contents of ergosterol, polyporusterone A, polyporusterone B and polysaccharide in P. umbellatus sclerotia infected by the two Armillaria spp. in different years were determined. In addition, the differentially expressed genes related to P. umbellatus polysaccharide synthesis were screened according to the transcriptomic data of different parts of P. umbellatus after A. mellea infection. With the increase of years, the biomass of sclerotia infected by different Armillaria spp. had significant differences, and there were significant differences in the four components of sclerotia. The four components of the separated cavity wall of the sclerotia were significantly higher than those of the uninfected part. The best harvest time was the third year after cultivation. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the infection of Armillaria spp. could significantly promote polysaccharide synthesis, which provided a basis for polysaccharide content determination at the molecular level. The study clarified the influence of different Armillaria spp. infection on the accumulation of chemical components of P. umbellatus sclerotia, laying a foundation for exploring the symbiosis mechanism and provided a scientific clue for screening superior Armillaria sp. and guiding the artificial cultivation of P. umbellatus sclerotia.

Since the implementation of drug registration in China, the classification of Chinese medicine has greatly met the needs of public health and effectively guided the transformation, inheritance, and innovation of research achievements on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). In the past 30 years, the development of new Chinese medicine has followed the registration transformation model of " one prescription for single drug". This model refers to the R&D and registration system of modern drugs, and approximates to the " law-abiding" medication method in TCM clinic, while it rarely reflects the sequential therapy of syndrome differentiation and comprehensive treatment with multiple measures. In 2017, Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Review and Approval System and Encouraging the Innovation of Drugs and Medical Devices released by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council pointed out that it is necessary to " establish and improve the registration and technical evaluation system in line with the characteristics of Chinese medicine, and handle the relationship between the traditional advantages of Chinese medicine and the requirements of modern drug research". Therefore, based on the development law and characteristics of TCM, clinical thinking should be highlighted in the current technical requirements and registration system of research and development of Chinese medicine. Based on the current situation of registration supervision of Chinese medicine and the modern drug research in China, the present study analyzed limitations and deficiency of " one prescription for single drug" in the research and development of Chinese medicine. Additionally, a new type of " series prescriptions" was proposed, which was consistent with clinical thinking and clinical reality. This study is expected to contribute to the independent innovation and high-quality development of the TCM industry.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prescriptions ; Public Health

Disabled Persons/rehabilitation* ; Humans ; International Classification of Diseases ; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Objective:To observe the effect of pressure therapy on the formation of hypertrophic scars(HTS) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) / Sma and Mad homolog proteins (Smad) signaling pathway.Methods:Twelve adult healthy New Zealand white rabbits(provided by the Animal Experiment Center of the Air Force Military Medical University) were wounded with 1 cm round punch on 4 sites of the ventral side of each ear. Round scalpels were used to make incisions along the marked lines, dissect the skin and perichondrium. The remaining tissue was scraped off to expose the wound surface. Scar formation was observed on the 28th day after surgery. After the establishment of rabbit ear HTS models, the right ears were used as self-controls, while the left ears were set as the experimental group. Two hypertrophic scars were randomly selected from each rabbit ear, 24 per group. Experimental group: 4-0 nylon silk thread was used to sew the pressure pad on the circular NdFeB magnets pad with a diameter of 1.5 cm to the rabbit ear cartilage. Flexiforce pressure sensor was used to measure the pressure, and the pads were adjusted to maintain a pressure of 20-25 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) for more than 23 h per day. Control group: no treatment. On the 40th day of pressure therapy, the general morphology of rabbit ear scars were observed, and the tissues were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining for histological study. The scar elevation index (SEI), the number of fibroblasts, and the thickness of the stratum corneum were calculated. The relative mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, collagen type (Collagen )Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were measured with qPCR; Western blotting was used to detect the relative protein expression levels of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 (the ratio of p-Smad3 and Smad3 proteins). Statistical analysis was performed with Excel 2019 and GraphPad Prism 8.0. The measurement data conformed to normal distribution and was expressed as Mean±SD. Student’s t-test was used for the comparison between two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 96 wounds were formed in 12 rabbits, 27 wounds had no obvious hyperplasia, and the remaining 69 wounds formed hypertrophic scar tissue blocks with a prominent skin surface, firm texture, and dark red appearance. The scars formation rate was 71.9% (69/96). On the 40th day after the application of pressure, the scars in the experimental group were significantly reduced, softer, and the color was slightly lighter compared with the control group. The results of HE staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining showed that the thickness of the stratum corneum, SEI, and the number of fibroblasts were (69.33±6.03) μm, 1.30±0.08, and (236.30±14.64) cells/field, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(114.00±10.15) μm, 1.72±0.05, (320.30±14.57) cells/field] (all P<0.01). Abundance in capillaries, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts were not observed in the dermal layer. The collagen fibers were orderly arranged and sparse. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the relative expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA mRNA in the experimental group were 0.48±0.08, 0.58±0.05, 0.04±0.01, 0.15±0.02, 0.31±0.03, respectively, lower than those of the control group(1.00±0.07, 1.00±0.05, 1.00±0.08, 1.00±0.10, 1.00±0.06) (all P<0.01). The results of Western blotting showed that the relative protein expression of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 in the experimental group were 0.65±0.03, 0.07±0.01, 0.43±0.03, 0.53±0.03, 0.54±0.03, all lower than the control group’s 1.02±0.06, 0.93±0.05, 0.92±0.03, 0.82±0.03, 0.92±0.03 (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Pressure therapy can significantly inhibit the hyperplasia of scars, improve the structure of HTS tissue, facilitate the normal arrangement of collagen fiber, and reduce the excessive deposition of collagen. Pressure therapy may inhibit scar proliferation by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Objective:To observe the effect of pressure therapy on the formation of hypertrophic scars(HTS) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) / Sma and Mad homolog proteins (Smad) signaling pathway.Methods:Twelve adult healthy New Zealand white rabbits(provided by the Animal Experiment Center of the Air Force Military Medical University) were wounded with 1 cm round punch on 4 sites of the ventral side of each ear. Round scalpels were used to make incisions along the marked lines, dissect the skin and perichondrium. The remaining tissue was scraped off to expose the wound surface. Scar formation was observed on the 28th day after surgery. After the establishment of rabbit ear HTS models, the right ears were used as self-controls, while the left ears were set as the experimental group. Two hypertrophic scars were randomly selected from each rabbit ear, 24 per group. Experimental group: 4-0 nylon silk thread was used to sew the pressure pad on the circular NdFeB magnets pad with a diameter of 1.5 cm to the rabbit ear cartilage. Flexiforce pressure sensor was used to measure the pressure, and the pads were adjusted to maintain a pressure of 20-25 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) for more than 23 h per day. Control group: no treatment. On the 40th day of pressure therapy, the general morphology of rabbit ear scars were observed, and the tissues were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining for histological study. The scar elevation index (SEI), the number of fibroblasts, and the thickness of the stratum corneum were calculated. The relative mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, collagen type (Collagen )Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were measured with qPCR; Western blotting was used to detect the relative protein expression levels of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 (the ratio of p-Smad3 and Smad3 proteins). Statistical analysis was performed with Excel 2019 and GraphPad Prism 8.0. The measurement data conformed to normal distribution and was expressed as Mean±SD. Student’s t-test was used for the comparison between two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 96 wounds were formed in 12 rabbits, 27 wounds had no obvious hyperplasia, and the remaining 69 wounds formed hypertrophic scar tissue blocks with a prominent skin surface, firm texture, and dark red appearance. The scars formation rate was 71.9% (69/96). On the 40th day after the application of pressure, the scars in the experimental group were significantly reduced, softer, and the color was slightly lighter compared with the control group. The results of HE staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining showed that the thickness of the stratum corneum, SEI, and the number of fibroblasts were (69.33±6.03) μm, 1.30±0.08, and (236.30±14.64) cells/field, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(114.00±10.15) μm, 1.72±0.05, (320.30±14.57) cells/field] (all P<0.01). Abundance in capillaries, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts were not observed in the dermal layer. The collagen fibers were orderly arranged and sparse. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the relative expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA mRNA in the experimental group were 0.48±0.08, 0.58±0.05, 0.04±0.01, 0.15±0.02, 0.31±0.03, respectively, lower than those of the control group(1.00±0.07, 1.00±0.05, 1.00±0.08, 1.00±0.10, 1.00±0.06) (all P<0.01). The results of Western blotting showed that the relative protein expression of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 in the experimental group were 0.65±0.03, 0.07±0.01, 0.43±0.03, 0.53±0.03, 0.54±0.03, all lower than the control group’s 1.02±0.06, 0.93±0.05, 0.92±0.03, 0.82±0.03, 0.92±0.03 (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Pressure therapy can significantly inhibit the hyperplasia of scars, improve the structure of HTS tissue, facilitate the normal arrangement of collagen fiber, and reduce the excessive deposition of collagen. Pressure therapy may inhibit scar proliferation by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of vestibular syncope (VS) associated with drop attacks (DA) in delayed endolymphatic hydrops (DEH). Methods: DEH cases with complete data were retrospectively analyzed, including three DEH cases with DA and VS (VS group), and six DEH cases without DA or VS (control group). The clinical profile, the results of neurotological examinations [such as pure tone audiometry, electrocochleography (EcochG), caloric test, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), and video head impulse test (vHIT)] and treatment outcomes were analyzed. Results: (1) In the VS group, there were three cases of ipsilateral DEH; in the control group, there were six cases of ipsilateral type. One case in each group had a history of migraine. (2) The prevalence of abnormal results in caloric test, vHIT, cervical VEMP, and ocular VEMP in the VS group was 3/3, 1/3, 2/2, and 2/2, respectively, and in the control group was 3/6, 0/3, 1/6, and 4/6, respectively. Two cases in each group underwent EcochG, and no identifiable waveform was elicited on the affected side, and-SP/AP ratio of unaffected side was less than 0.4. (3) Patients in both groups were initially treated with conservative medication. Two cases in the VS group subsequently received intratympanic injections of dexamethasone. No DA or VS occurred during a follow-up period lasting over one year. All patients achieved good control of vertigo during the follow-up period. Conclusions: VS may occur in the patients with DEH. The differential diagnosis of syncope in patients with otogenic vertiginous disease can help improve clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Endolymphatic Hydrops/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Syncope ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials ; Vestibule, Labyrinth

Objective:This study examined the associations between the levels of bile acids in early pregnancy and the occurrence of overweight.Methods:From 2010 to 2012, 22 302 pregnant women were recruited by Tianjin Women and Children′s Health Center to investigate gestational diabetes. Two hundred and forty-three women with gestational diabetes mellitus provided overnight fasting blood samples in the first trimester, and 243 counterparts without gestational diabetes mellitus matched on age were selected randomly to establish a nested case-control study. The association between bile acids and overweight were evaluated by binary logistic regression with data from 166 overweight pregnant women (body mass index≥24.0 kg/m 2) and 320 normal weight subjects (body mass index <24.0 kg/m 2). Results:Compared to non-overweight group, the level of primary unconjugated bile acids in overweight group was significantly higher. After adjustment of confounding factors, the OR of cholic acid (CA)>0.086 nmol/mL for overweight was 2.09 (95% CI 1.14-3.80, adjusted P=0.040), and OR of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA)>0.043 nmol/mL was 2.15 (95% CI 1.22-3.78, adjusted P=0.040) compared with the lower groups. However, the significant associations between the other bile acids and overweight were not detected. Stepwise selection was used to identify significant bile acid species in logistic regression. We found that only CA was independently associated with overweight, and the OR of CA>0.086 nmol/mL vs≤0.086 nmol/mL was 2.03 (95% CI 1.11-3.74, P=0.022). Conclusion:CA and CDCA in early pregnancy maybe associated with overweight, and CA might be independently associated with overweight.

Professor
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Angina, Stable ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion

COVID-19/virology* ; Humans ; Pandemics ; SARS-CoV-2/physiology*

This study investigated the relationship among the severity of hearing impairment,vestibular function and balance function in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).A total of 35 ISSNHL patients (including 21 patients with vertigo) were enrolled.All of the patients underwent audiometry,sensory organization test (SOT),caloric test,cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) test.Significant relationship was found between vertigo and hearing loss grade (P=0.009),and between SOT VEST grade and hearing loss grade (P=0.001).The abnormal rate of oVEMP test was the highest,followed by the abnormal rates of caloric and cVEMP tests,not only in patients with vertigo but also in those without vertigo.The vestibular end organs were more susceptible to damage in patients with vertigo (compared with patients without vertigo).Significant relationship was found between presence of vertigo and SOT VEST grade (P=0.010).We demonstrated that vestibular end organs may be impaired not only in patients with vertigo but also in patients without vertigo.The cochlear and vestibular impairment could be more serious in patients with vertigo than in those without vertigo.Vertigo does not necessarily bear a causal relationship with the impairment of the vestibular end organs.SOT VEST grade could be used to reflect the presence of vertigo state in the ISSNHL patients.Apart from audiometry,the function of peripheral vestibular end organs and balance function should be evaluated to comprehensively understand ISSNHL.Better assessment of the condition will help us in clinical diagnosis,treatment and prognosis evaluation of ISSNHL.