Objective To investigate the effect of evodiamine on renal fibrosis in rats with chronic renal failure(CRF)by regulating sphingosine kinase 1(SphK1)/S1P signaling pathway.Methods CRF rat model was established by feeding 0.5％adenine diet.The rats after modeling were randomly divided into model group,evodiamine low-and high-dose groups,Niaoduqing Granules group and evodiamine high-dose+K6PC-5(SphK1 activator)group.At the end of intervention,the levels of 24-hour urinary protein(24 h-UTP),serum urea nitrogen(BUN)and serum creatinine(SCr)were detected.The levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP-1)and interleukin 6(IL-6)in serum of rats were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The pathological changes of renal tissue and collagen volume fraction(CVF)were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Masson staining.The mRNA expressions of transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1)and type Ⅳcollagen(COL-Ⅳ)in renal tissue were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The protein expressions of SphK1 and S1P in renal tissue were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the normal group,the model group showed obvious inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition,the number of glomeruli decreased in renal tissue,and the expression levels of SCr,BUN,24h-UTP,IL-6,MCP-1,CVF,mRNA expressions of TGF-β1 and COL-Ⅳ,protein expessions of SphK1 and S1P were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the histopathological changes of the low-dose and high-dose evodiamine groups and the Niaoduqing Granules group was improved,and the expression levels of SCr,BUN,24 h-UTP,IL-6,MCP-1,CVF,mRNA expressions of TGF-β1 and COL-Ⅳ,protein expessions of SphK1 and S1P were significantly decreased.For intergroup comparison of each index,there were differences between the low-dose evodiamine group and the high-dose evodiamine group(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between the high-dose evodiamine group and the Niaoduqing Granules group(P＞0.05).Compared with the high-dose evodiamine group,the histopathological changes of the high-dose evodiamine+K6PC-5 group was further aggravated,and the improvement effect of all indexes were reversed(P＜0.05).Conclusion Evodiamine improves renal fibrosis in CRF rats by inhibiting SphK1/S1P signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy on post-stroke dysphagia treated with four-step acupuncture therapy for opening orifices and benefiting throat combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation. METHODS: Sixty patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, with 30 cases in each group. The neuromuscular electrical stimulation was adopted in the control group. Besides the treatment as the control group, in the observation group, the four-step acupuncture therapy for opening orifices and benefiting throat was supplemented. Step 1: the three areas of scalp acupuncture on the affected side were stimulated. Step 2: pricking method was operated on the posterior pharyngeal wall. Step 3: bleeding technique was operated at Jinjin (EX-HN 12) and Yuye (EX-HN 13). Step 4: deep insertion of needle was operated at three-pharynx points. The needles were retained for 30 min at the three areas of scalp acupuncture and the three-pharynx points. The intervention of each group was delivered once daily, 6 times a week, at the interval of 1 day. One course of treatment was 1 week and 4 successive courses were required. The rating of Kubota water swallow test, the score of standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) and the rating of Rosenbek penetration- aspiration scale (PAS) were observed before and after treatment in patients of the two groups. The incidence of clinical complications and clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with those before treatment, the rating of Kubota water swallow test, the scores of SSA and the rating of PAS of patients in the two groups were decreased after treatment (P<0.01), and the values of the observation group were lower than those of the control group after treatment (P<0.05). The incidence of clinical complications in the observation group was 13.3% (4/30), lower than 36.7% (11/30) in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.3% (28/30), which was better than 70.0% (21/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The four-step acupuncture therapy for opening orifices and benefiting throat combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation can improve the swallowing function of patients with post-stroke dysphagia and reduce the incidence of clinical complications.
Humans ; Pharynx ; Deglutition Disorders/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Stroke/complications* ; Water ; Electric Stimulation

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of auricular thumbtack needle on breast feeding and lactation function in primiparous women with cesarean section, and to explore its mechanism of action from the perspective of lactation-related gene expression. METHODS: One hundred cases of primiparous women with cesarean section were randomly divided into an observation group (50 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (50 cases, 2 cases were eliminated). The patients in the control group were treated with routine obstetric care. Based on the treatment of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with auricular thumbtack needle at Neifenmi (CO₁₈), Xiong (AH₁₀), Xiongzhui (AH₁₁), Shenmen (TF₄), and Jiaogan (AH_6a), etc., with one side of auricular point selected, only once for a total of 3 d. The lactation initiation time, lactation adequacy rate at postpartum 72 h, exclusive breastfeeding rate at postpartum 42 d, and breastfeeding score after treatment were compared between the two groups. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot method were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of TDP-43, Btn1A1 and XDH. RESULTS: After treatment, the lactation initiation time in the observation group was earlier than that in the control group (P<0.01), and breastfeeding score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The lactation adequacy rate at postpartum 72 h was 63.8% (30/47) in the observation group, which was higher than 41.7% (20/48) in the control group (P<0.05). The exclusive breastfeeding rate at postpartum 42 d was 72.3% (34/47) in the observation group, which was higher than 47.9% (23/48) in the control group (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of TDP-43 and Btn1A1 in breast milk in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference in mRNA and protein expression of XDH in breast milk between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The auricular thumbtack needle in addition to routine care could promote lactation initiation, improve lactation adequacy rate and exclusive breastfeeding rate in primiparous women with cesarean section, and the action mechanism may be related to up-regulation of TDP-43 and Btn1A1 expression.
Pregnancy ; Humans ; Female ; Breast Feeding ; Cesarean Section ; Lactation ; Milk, Human ; DNA-Binding Proteins

【Objective】 To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the collection of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) in pediatric patients with thalassemia major (TM) weighing 20 kg or less. 【Methods】 PBSCs collection data of 170 pediatric patients with TM weighing 20 kg or less from January 2013 to December 2020 in our center were reviewed. Safety was assessed by the occurrence of adverse events during apheresis procedures, and efficacy was evaluated by the number of CD34+ cells collected. 【Results】 A total of 171 PBSCs procedures were performed on 170 patients with TM weighing 20 kg or less, with a median age of (4.98±1.53) years and a median weight of (17.30±2.18) kg. The probability of collecting at least 1×10⁶ CD34+ cells/kg during a single course of apheresis was 99.41% (169/170), with a median (5.88±4.23) ×10⁶ CD34+ cells collected per kg of weight of the recipient. A minimum pre-apheresis hemoglobin (Hb) of 60 g/L in patients with TM weighing 20 kg or less was safe and feasible. The most common adverse event of G-CSF mobilization in TM patients is bone pain, with the incidence of 7.65% (13/170), which was higher than that of healthy children donors in our center. The most common adverse events during the collection were pain at the puncture site of the femoral vein (6.47%, 11/170) and low pressure of the fluid (2.92%, 5/170). And no serious complications related to PBSCs mobilization, central venous catheter(CVC)placement or the apheresis procedure occurred. 【Conclusion】 PBSCs collection by COM.TEC blood cell separator in children weighing 20 kg or less is safe and efficacious.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medication on pregnancy outcomes in patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) infertility of kidney deficiency and blood stasis, and to explore its effects on the protein expression of serum p38MAPK and JAK/STAT. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with RIF infertility of kidney deficiency and blood stasis who were scheduled for artificial cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer were randomly divided into an observation group (31 cases, 4 cases dropped out) and a control group (31 cases, 3 cases were eliminated). The patients in the control group were treated with conventional artificial cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer. On the basis of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medication. Acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Guanyuan (CV 4) and bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Guilai (ST 29), Zusanli (ST 36), Taichong (LR 3), Shenshu (BL 23), Ciliao (BL 32), with each session lasting for 30 minutes, once every other day. Chinese herbal medication was administered to Bushen Huoxue (tonifing the kidney and activating blood circulation) decoction, with one dose per day, starting from the 3rd to 5th day of the menstrual cycle and continuing until 1 day before embryo transfer. Clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, live birth rate, and biochemical pregnancy rate were compared between the two groups. TCM symptom score, platelet count (PLT), and plasma D-dimer level were assessed before treatment and 1 day before embryo transfer. Western blot method was used to detect the expression of serum P38MAPK, JAK, and STAT proteins before treatment and 1 day before embryo transfer. RESULTS: In the observation group, the clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, and live birth rate were higher (P<0.05), while the biochemical pregnancy rate was lower (P<0.05) than those in the control group. One day before embryo transfer, both groups showed a decrease in TCM symptom scores, PLT, and plasma D-dimer levels compared to those before treatment (P<0.05), and the observation group had lower TCM symptom scores and plasma D-dimer levels than the control group (P<0.05). One day before embryo transfer, the expression levels of serum p38MAPK, JAK, and STAT proteins in both groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the observation group had lower serum p38MAPK protein expression than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medication can improve the clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, live birth rate, and reduce the biochemical pregnancy rate in RIF infertility patients of kidney deficiency and blood stasis. Its mechanism of action may be related to down-regulating plasma D-dimer level and protein expression of serum p38MAPK.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Menstrual Cycle ; Infertility, Female/drug therapy* ; Kidney ; Treatment Outcome ; Acupuncture Points

Background/Aims: Stigma related with antidepressants is prevalent in patients with functional dyspepsia. It affects medication compliance and efficacy.Herbal medicine acquired a deep-rooted cultural identity in relieving dyspeptic symptoms in Asians. The research was designed to compare the effectiveness of Zhizhu Kuanzhong capsules (ZZKZ) versus doxepin hydrochloride (doxepin) on alleviating stigma and medication nonadherence among patients with refractory FD (rFD). Methods: Patients with rFD from February 2021 to February 2022 were randomly allocated to receive either doxepin (n = 56) or ZZKZ (n = 57) combined with omeprazole for 4 weeks. Medication possession ratio (MPR), the disease- and medication-associated stigma were analyzed. The scales were utilized to assess dyspeptic symptoms (Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire) and psychological conditions (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire). Results: The MPR values for ZZKZ were significantly higher than those for doxepin (P < 0.001). The stigma scores decreased in ZZKZ group while increased in doxepin group compared to baseline after treatment. The proportion of patients showing ZZKZ-associated stigma was significantly lower than doxepin-associated stigma (P < 0.001). The MPR values were negatively correlated with posttreatment stigma scores in both groups (P < 0.001). Dyspeptic symptoms and psychological condition were improved in both groups after treatment, with no significant difference on post-treatment Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, or Patient Health Questionnaire scores between 2 groups. Conclusion ZZKZ is superior to doxepin in alleviating stigma and medication non-adherence, with comparable efficacy in improving dyspeptic symptoms and psychological condition of patients with rFD.

In the clinical practice of rheumatic immune diseases in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM），it`s still unclear about the dominant diseases and breakthrough points. It`s urgent missions to formulate TCM diagnosis and treatment guidelines widely recognized and integrated by traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. In order to clarify the dominant diseases and breakthrough points in rheumatism，China association of Chinese medicine initiated a research group covering experts in the field of rheumatism of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Based on questionnaire survey and on-site discussion，experts had reached the following consensus. Evidence-based medicine research using modern medical methods and scientific methods should be carried out to provide objective clinical evidences. "Four mutuality" were put forward as the basis for the work of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine，that is the mutual communication using the exchangeable context，the mutual explanation using common theories，the mutual certification using common standards，and the mutual integration using common means. Key works should focus on solving refractory rheumatism in the future. In terms of dominant diseases and breakthrough points，this paper introduces 21 breakthrough points in 6 dominant diseases，including rheumatoid arthritis，ankylosing spondylitis，Sjogren's syndrome，hyperuricemia and gout，systemic lupus erythematosus and fibromyalgia syndrome. Advice on this discussion can provide valuable references for developing the treatment scheme of rheumatism with TCM and integrated Chinese and Western medicine and clinical practice and scientific research.

Cardiovascular diseases， with high incidence and high mortality， belong to the category of "chest impediment and heart pain" in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. Chinese medicines have unique effect on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases with little side effects. Huoxin pills， one of the National Essential Drugs， is formulated based on the basic pathogenesis of weak pulse at Yang and wiry pulse at Yin and the pathological basis of myocardial ischemia and hypoxia and used for treating angina pectoris of coronary heart disease （Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome）. This medicine is derived from the classic famous prescription and is composed of ten precious Chinese medicinal herbs. It can replenish Qi， activate blood， and warm collaterals to diffuse impediment by enhancing myocardial contractility and cardiac output to improve micro-circulation and increase coronary blood flow， regulating immune functions， alleviating inflammation， detoxifying， and tranquilizing mind. Clinically， it is suitable for patients with angina pectoris caused by the lack of heart Yang， chest tightness， shortness of breath， palpitation， fear of cold for limbs and so on， especially for the elderly with Yang deficiency or the patients with a history of myocardial infarction. On the basis of the available research reports， this paper explains the formula meaning of Huoxin pills from the perspective of the basic pathogenesis of coronary heart disease and predicts its action targets， location and links. Furthermore， we expound the mechanism of action of Huoxin pills based on basic research and clinical evidence-based research， aiming to provide data support and evidence for the clinical application of this medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between early lymphocyte responses and the prognosis in severely injured patients. METHODS: Consecutive patients with severe trauma who were treated in Peking University People's Hospital Trauma Medical Center between June 2017 and June 2020 were enrolled in this restropective chart-review study. According to the responses of lymphocyte after severe injury, the patients were divided into three groups, group 1: lymphopenia-returned to normal; group 2: persistent lymphopenia; group 3: never lymphopenic, and the outcome of 28 d were recorded. Clinical data such as gender, age, base excess, mechanism of injury, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), injury severity score (ISS) and massive blood transfusion were collected. Perform statistical analysis on the collected clinical data to understand the trend of lymphocyte changes in early trauma and the relationship with prognosis. In order to eliminate the interference of age, stratification was carried out according to whether the age was ≥ 65 years old, in different age groups, they were grouped according to whether the length of stay was ≥ 28 d, and the relationship between lymphocyte trend and length of stay was discussed. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients were included, 66 males and 17 females. The main injury mechanisms were traffic accident injuries and high-altitude fall injuries. The average ISS was (30±11) points. 65 patients had lymphopenia on the day of injury, 32 of them returned to normal on the 5th day, and the rest did not recover; the other 18 patients had normal lymphocyte levels after injury. Patients which are failure to normalize lymphopenia within the first 5 days following admission was related with the long hospitalization time and higher 28 d mortality rate. After further stratification by age, failure to normalize lymphopenia within the first 5 days following admission in the elderly group (age ≥65 years) was a risk factor for prolonged hospital stay (≥28 d), P=0.04. While in younger group, a high level of neutrophils within the first 5 d following admission was a risk factor for bad outcome. CONCLUSION A failure to normalize lymphopenia in severely injured patients is associated with significantly higher mortality and longer hospital stay. This study reveals lymphocytes can be used as a reliable indicator for the prognostic evaluation.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Length of Stay ; Lymphopenia/etiology* ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies