Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common type of head and neck malignancy, has a poor prognosis owing to its high invasiveness and high rate of cervical lymph node metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex microenvironment that is essential for tumor cell survival. Tumor-associated immune cell (TAIC), the main stromal cell of TME, regulates the proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and anti-tumor immunity of OSCC. M2-tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote the invasion and metastasis of OSCC through the macrophage migration inhibitory factor/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3/interleukin (IL)-1β axis, while N2-tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) regulate the proliferation and EMT of OSCC through the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway. Meanwhile, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accelerate the progression of OSCC by secreting IL-6, IL-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β; T cells promote inflammation by secreting IL-17 and inhibit inflammation-mediated tumor immune response by secreting IL-10 and TGF-β; and natural killer (NK) cells recognize and attack OSCC cells to inhibit OSCC progression. TAIC interaction network also regulates OSCC progression. M2-TAMs regulate the invasion and metastasis of OSCC by promoting T cell apoptosis through the secretion of IL-10 and programmed death-ligand (PD-L) -1, while N2-TANs inhibit T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity by secreting LOX-1 and arginase-1. MDSCs inhibit the proliferation and anti-tumor effects of CD8+ T cells through the inactivation of programmed cell death (PD)-1/PD-L1 signaling. Additionally, MDSCs inhibit the proliferation of T cells by decreasing the expression of the CD3-zeta chain and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Moreover, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and NK cells were found to be positively correlated in OSCC progression. Therefore, target regulation, related signaling pathways, and the interaction network of TAIC may serve as promising therapeutic targets in the immunotherapy of OSCC. In this review, we summarize the recent research on the effects of TAIC and their interaction network in the TME in the progression of OSCC and explore its application in the early diagnosis and treatment of OSCC

Objective: To investigate the objective characteristics of tongue manifestation in different stages of damp-heat syndrome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 134 patients with DKD G3-5 stages who met the diagnostic criteria for damp-heat syndrome in DKD. The patients were treated at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, from May 2023 to January 2024. The patients were divided into three groups: DKD G3, DKD G4, and DKD G5 stage, with 53, 33, and 48 patients in each group, respectively. Clinical general data (gender, age, and body mass index) and damp-heat syndrome scores were collected from the patients. The YZAI-02 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) AI Tongue Image Acquisition Device was used to capture tongue images from these patients. The accompanying AI Open Platform for TCM Tongue Diagnosis of the device was used to analyze and extract tongue manifestation features, including objective data on tongue color, tongue quality, coating color, and coating texture. Clinical data and objective tongue manifestation characteristics were compared among patients with DKD G3-5 based on their DKD damp-heat syndrome status. Results: No statistically significant difference in gender or body mass index was observed among the three patient groups. The DKD G3 stage group had the highest age (P<0.05). The DKD G3 stage group had a lower score for symptoms of poor appetite and anorexia(P<0.05) than the DKD G5 group. No statistically significant difference was observed in damp-heat syndrome scores among the three groups. Compared with the DKD G5 stage group, the DKD G3 stage group showed a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue (P<0.05). The DKD G4 stage group exhibited an increased proportion of crimson at the root of the tongue, a decreased proportion of thick white tongue coating at the root, a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue, an increased hue value (indicating color tone) of the tongue color in the middle, an increased brightness value (indicating color lightness) of the tongue coating color in the middle, and an increased thickness of the tongue coating (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in other tongue color proportions, color chroma values, body characteristics, coating color proportions, coating color chroma values, and coating texture characteristics among the three groups. Conclusion Tongue features differ in different stages of DKD damp-heat syndrome in multiple dimensions, enabling the inference that during the DKD G5 stage, the degree of qi and blood deficiency in the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach is prominent. Dampness is more likely to accumulate in the lower jiao, particularly in the kidneys, whereas heat evil in the spleen and stomach is the most severe. These insights provide novel ideas for the clinical treatment of DKD.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of various oral Chinese patent medicines in the adjuvant treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome （CP/CPPS） based on network Meta-analysis. MethodRandomized controlled trials （RCTs） of oral Chinese patent medicine in the adjuvant treatment of CP/CPPS were retrieved from the databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang， VIP， SinoMed， PubMed， Cochrane Library， EMbase， and Web of Science from database inception to November， 2022. The quality of the included literature was evaluated according to the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool， and the data were analyzed by RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16 software. ResultA total of 63 RCTs were included， with 13 kinds of oral Chinese patent medicines involved， including Qianlie Shutong capsules， Ningmitai capsules， Qianlie Beixi capsules， Sanjin tablets， etc. The results of the network Meta-analysis showed that in terms of clinical effective rate， the intervention measure ranked first was Qianlie Beixi capsules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing pain， the intervention measure ranked first was Sanjin tablets combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing urination disorder， the intervention measure ranked first was Relinqing granules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of improving quality of life， the intervention measure ranked first was Qianlie Beixi capsules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing the total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index （NIH-CPSI） score， the intervention measure ranked first was Yinhua Miyanling tablets combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing leukocyte count in prostatic secretions， the intervention measure ranked first was Qianlie Jiedu capsules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of safety， the intervention measure with the least adverse reactions was Qianlie Shutong capsules combined with conventional western medicine. The cluster analysis results showed that Qianlie Shutong capsules combined with conventional western medicine had outstanding efficacy and high safety. ConclusionOral Chinese patent medicine in the adjuvant treatment of CP/CPPS can improve the comprehensive efficacy， reduce the NIH-CPSI score and leukocyte count in prostatic secretions， and improve the quality of life of patients. For clinical treatment， the preferred choice is Qianlie Beixi capsules or Qianlie Shutong capsules combined with conventional western medicine. Limited by the quantity and quality of literature included in this study， the results need to be verified by high-quality studies with a larger sample size.

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that nicotine can activate the dopamine system,slowing the progression of Parkinson's disease,but the specific mechanism is still unclear.Research on the neuroprotective mechanism of nicotine in animal models of Parkinson's disease is lacking. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the neuroprotective effect of nicotine on rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease in mice. METHODS:Twenty-eight C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into vehicle group,rotenone group,autophagy agonist group and nicotine group,with seven mice in each group.Dopaminergic nerve damage was induced by rotenone in C57BL/6 mice,and the autophagy agonist(rapamycin)or nicotine was given before modeling.The spatial exploration function of the mice was observed by open field test.Western blot and Q-PCR were used to detect the expression of α-synuclein,autophagy related factors Beclin-1 and P62,and apoptosis-related factors Bax,Bcl-2 and Cleaved-caspase3 in the nigra of each group.The deposition of mitochondria,autophagosomes and lipofuscin in nigra cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy.The survival of neurons was observed by Nissl staining.The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase was observed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The open field test showed that the distance,average speed and time of movement were reduced in the rotenone group compared with the solvent group.Compared with the rotenone group,the exercise distance,average speed and exercise time of mice were increased in the nicotine group and autophagy agonist group(P＜0.05).The results of immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry showed that the mean fluorescence intensity and mean absorbance value of tyrosine hydroxylase in the rotenone group decreased compared with that in the solvent group.Compared with the rotenone group,the mean fluorescence intensity and mean absorbance value of tyrosine hydroxylase were increased in the nicotine group and autophagy agonist group.Western blot and Q-PCR results showed that compared with the solvent group,the expressions of α-synuclein and P62 in the rotenone group were increased,while Beclin-1 expression was decreased(P＜0.05);compared with the rotenone group,the expression of α-synuclein and P62 decreased in the nicotine group and autophagy agonist group,and the expression of Beclin-1 increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the solvent group,the expressions of Bax and Cleaved caspase3 were increased and Bcl-2 expression was decreased in the rotenone group(P＜0.05);compared with the rothenone group,the expressions of Bax and Cleaved-caspase3 were decreased and the expression of Bcl-2 was increased in the nicotine and autophagy agonist groups(P＜0.05).To conclude,nicotine may have a dopaminergic neuroprotective effect on rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease mouse models by improving autophagy dysfunction and reducing apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE To predict the core ingredients, targets and signaling pathways of Sanhuang ointment in the treatment of haemorrhoids based on network pharmacology, and preliminarily discuss the mechanism of action preliminarily by means of molecular docking and experimental verification. METHODS Active ingredients, targets and haemorrhoid related targets of Sanhuang ointment were obtained through literature research and database screening. Association networks were constructed and core targets were screened by Cytoscape, and gene function analysis and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted. Autodock Vina was used for molecular docking verification, and the regulatory effects of Sanhuang ointment on core targets were verified by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The 77 active ingredients and 61 potential targets of Sanhuang ointment for treating haemorrhoids were collected. KEGG showed that Sanhuang ointment could regulate calcium signaling pathways, neuroactive ligand receptor interactions, cGMP-PKG pathway, etc. Affect 6 core targets of CGRP, NK-1R, TRPV1, VEGF, IL-6 and TNF-α. Molecular docking showed that Sanhuang ointment had a good affinity with target protein, and animal experiments verified that Sanhuang ointment could inhibit the expression of IL-6, CGRP, substance P, and promote the expression of VEGF. CONCLUSION Sanhuang ointment may act on CGRP, NK-1R and other targets, regulate Calcium signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt pathways, and exert analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis to treat haemorrhoids.

ObjectiveTo observe the effectiveness and safety of the Chinese herbal medicine Mingshi Granules （明视方颗粒） for low myopia in children with heart yang insufficiency. MethodsA multicentre， prospective， double-blind randomised controlled study was conducted， in which 290 children with low myopia from 8 centres were randomly divided into 145 cases in the treatment group and 145 cases in the control group， and the treatment group was given education， dispensing glasses， and Chinese herbal medicine Mingshi Granules， while the control group was given education， dispensing glasses， and granules placebo. Both Mingshi Granules and placebo granules were taken orally， 1 bag each time， twice daily， 4 weeks of oral intake and 2 weeks of rest as 1 course of treatment， a total of 4 courses of treatment （24 weeks）. Equivalent spherical lenses， best naked-eye distance visual acuity， ocular axis， corneal curvature K1， adjustment amplitude， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom scores， calculate the amount of progression of equivalent spherical lenses， were observed at the 12th and the 24th week of treatment， at the 36th week and 48th week of follow-up， resectively， the control rate of myopia progression was evaluated at the 24th week， and safety indexes were observed before treatment. ResultsThe amount of progression of equivalent spherical lenses was lower in the treatment group than in the control group at the 48-week follow-up （P＜0.05）. The control rate of myopia progression at 24 weeks after treatment in the treatment group was higher （57.60%， 72/125） than that in the control group （44.63%， 54/121） （P＜0.05）. The best naked-eye distance visual acuity at 36-week follow-up in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group （P＜0.05）. Equivalent spherical lenses were significantly lower in both groups at all observation time points compared with pre-treatment （P＜0.05）， and were higher in the treatment group than in the control group at the 48-week follow-up （P＜0.05）. The ocular axes of both groups were significantly higher at each observation time point after treatment and at follow-up compared with before treatment （P＜0.05）. The amount of eye axis growth in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group at 24 weeks after treatment and at the 48-week follow-up （P＜0.05）. Corneal curvature K1 was significantly lower in the treatment group at the 24th week of treatment compared to pre-treatment （P＜0.05）. The magnitude of adjustment in the treatment group was significantly higher at the 36-week follow-up and at the 48-week follow-up than before treatment （P＜0.05）. The scores of white/dark complexion， white coating thin pulse， fatigue and total TCM symptom scores of children in both groups at the 12th， 24th， 36th and 48th weeks of follow-up were significantly lower than those before treatment （P＜0.05）； the scores of blurred vision at the 24th and 36th weeks of follow-up were significantly lower than those before treatment （P＜0.05）； and the scores of blurred vision in the treatment group at the 48th week of follow-up were signi-ficantly lower than those before treatment （P＜0.05）. In the treatment group， the score of fatigue was higher than that of the control group at the 36-week follow-up， and the score of blurred vision was lower than that of the control group at the 48-week follow-up （P＜0.05）. No adverse reactions or obvious abnormalities of the safety indexes were observed of the two groups during the treatment. ConclusionChinese herbal medicine Mingshi Granules showed the effect of controlling the progression of low myopia， improving the best naked eye distance visual acuity， slowing down the growth of the eye axis， improving some of the TCM symptoms， with good safety.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of morin-induced autophagy in non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells based on mTOR/STAT3 signaling axis.Methods A549 cells were divided into blank group and 30,60,90,120 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups.After 24,48 and 72 hours of culture,the cell proliferation activity was detected by CCK-8 method,and the cell inhibition rate was calculated.A549 cells were divided into blank group and 30,90,150 μg·mL-1 morin groups.After 14 days of culture,the cell proliferation was detected by colony formation assay.After 24 hours of culture,the cell proliferation ability was detected by BeyoClickTM EdU-488.Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry;acridine orange staining was used to detect cell autophagy;the formation of autophagosomes was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Western Blot was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis,autophagy and mTOR/STAT3 signaling axis-related proteins in cells.A549 cells were divided into blank group,blank group + chloroquine(10 μg·mL-1)group,morin(30,150 μg·mL-1)group,morin(30,150 μg·mL-1)+ chloroquine(10 μg·mL-1)group.After 48 hours of intervention,the cell activity was detected by CCK-8 method,and the cell survival rate was calculated.Results Compared with the blank group,the inhibition rate of A549 cells in 60,90,120,150 μ g·mL-1 of morin group was significantly increased after 24 hours of intervention(P＜0.05,P＜0.001).The inhibition rates of A549 cells in 30,60,90,120 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups were significantly increased after 48 and 72 hours of intervention(P＜0.001).The number of A549 cell colonies and the number of green fluorescent proliferation positive cells in the 30,90,150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups were significantly decreased(P＜0.01,P＜0.001),the apoptosis rate was significantly increased(P＜0.01,P＜0.001),and the protein expression level of cleaved-PARP was significantly increased(P＜0.001).The protein expression levels of p-P38/P38 MAPK in A549 cells of 90 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups were significantly increased(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Different degrees of orange fluorescence appeared in A549 cells of 30,90 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups,and the orange fluorescence of 90 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups was significant.Autophagosomes and autolysosomes appeared in the cytoplasm of A549 cells in 150 μg·mL-1 of morin group,respectively.The protein expression of LC3-Ⅱ in A549 cells of 150 μg·mL-1 of morin group was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05).The protein expression of Atg16L1-Ⅱ in A549 cells of 90,150 μg·mL-1 of morin group was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.001),and the protein expressions of p-mTOR/mTOR and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.001).Compared with the morin(150 μg·mL-1)group,the survival rate of A549 cells in the morin(150 μg·mL-1)+chloroquine(10 μg·mL-1)group was significantly increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Morin can promote the apoptosis of A549 cells and induce autophagy in A549 cells,and the mechanism may be related to mTOR/STAT3 axis.

Objective To analyze the competition status and spatial autocorrelation of Beijing medical market from 2015 to 2019.Methods The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index(HHI)was used to calculate the degree of market competi-tion in 16 districts of Beijing,and the Moran index was used to calculate the spatial autocorrelation of market compe-tition.Results Except for the number of discharged patients,the average HHI of the number of health technicians,the number of beds and the total number of medical visits in 16 medical markets in Beijing from 2015 to 2019 showed a downward trend between 0.2 and 0.4,and the spatial global Moran index of the HHI index was all less than 0,showing a spatial negative correlation with the degree of competition in the medical market.Conclusion The medical market competition in Beijing is strengthened,the competition gap between urban and rural areas is large,and the competition in adjacent markets is mutually exclusive.It is suggested to strengthen the differentiated develop-ment of hospitals,strengthen the balanced layout between regions,and promote the low-competitive market with cross-regional medical association,forming a positive spillover effect.

Objective To compare the immediate effects of acupuncture at the true and false acupoints of Yanglingquan on functional connectivity in sensorimotor network(SMN)and dorsal attentional network(DAN)of stroke patients based on functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)technology;To explore the central regulatory mechanism and acupoint specificity of acupuncture in stroke patients with hemiplegia.Methods Totally 20 patients with stroke and hemiplegia were included in the study.fMRI scans of acupuncture at the true and false acupoints of Yanglingquan were performed once every 2 weeks,and motion-related SMN and DAN were extracted by independent component analysis to compare the differences in functional connectivity.Results In SMN,after acupuncture at the Yanglingquan true acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture.The enhanced brain areas included the right anterior central gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus,cuneiform lobe,and anterior cuneiform lobe,as well as the left middle temporal gyrus,occipital gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,parahippocampal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus,and superior temporal gyrus.After acupuncture at the Yanglingquan false acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture.The enhanced brain areas included the right anterior central gyrus,superior frontal gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,and cingulate gyrus,as well as the left medial frontal gyrus,anterior cingulate gyrus,lentiform nucleus,and caudate nucleus.In DAN,after acupuncture at the Yanglingquan true acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture.The enhanced brain areas included the right anterior cingulate lobe,superior temporal gyrus,middle temporal gyrus,and occipital gyrus,as well as the left cingulate gyrus,posterior cingulate gyrus,and anterior cingulate lobe.After acupuncture at the Yanglingquan false acupoint,the functional connectivity was enhanced compared with before acupuncture,and the enhanced brain areas included the right anterior cingulate gyrus,left anterior cingulate gyrus,and medial frontal gyrus.Conclusion Acupuncture at Yanglingquan can activate SMN and DAN bilateral related brain regions in patients with hemiplegia,which may promote the recovery of motor function by regulating the initiation and execution of motor activities,and has more acupoint specificity compared with false acupoint.

Objective:To explore the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a cohort aged 40 years and above in Songjiang District, Shanghai, and to analyze the association of Mediterranean diet pattern and dietary approaches in stopping hypertension pattern (DASH) with the risk of developing COPD.Methods:Based on a natural population cohort in Songjiang District, Shanghai, 27 474 adults aged 40 years and above who did not have COPD at baseline were enrolled in the study. The Cox proportional risk regression model was used to analyze the association of baseline Mediterranean diet pattern score and DASH score with the risk of COPD, and the hazard ratio ( HR) of the risk and its 95% CI were calculated. Restricted cubic spline was used to analyze the nonlinear association between the two diet scores and the risk of COPD. Stratified analyses were performed according to gender, age, smoking status, etcetera. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by censoring cases diagnosed within one year after the baseline survey or people with a history of malignant tumor disease. Results:As of June 30, 2023, after a median follow-up time of 6.21 years, there were 1 089 (4.0%) new COPD cases with an incidence density of 64.00 per 10 000 person-years. After adjusting for relevant confounders, in the Mediterranean tertile subgroups under diet pattern score, the risk of developing COPD could be reduced by approximately 14% in the intermediate scoring group ( HR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.75-0.99) and 15% in the highest scoring group ( HR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.72-0.99) compared to the lowest scoring group. The association remained after censoring cases diagnosed within one year of the baseline survey ( HR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.95; HR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.68-0.97) or censoring people with a history of malignant tumor disease ( HR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.97; HR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.71-0.99). No statistical association was found between the DASH score and the risk of COPD. Conclusions:The Mediterranean diet pattern was associated with a lower risk of COPD. Increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains and decreasing the intake of red meat and others can reduce the risk of COPD. No association was found between the DASH dietary pattern and the risk of COPD in this community population.