ObjectiveTo observe the analgesic efficacy and safety of Qihuang acupuncture theory combined with opioid analgesics in patients with moderate to severe cancer pain due to lung cancer. MethodsPatients with moderate to severe cancer pain from lung cancer were randomly divided into Qihuang acupuncture group and control group， with 33 cases in each group. The control group was treated with long-acting opioid analgesics at maintenance doses and supplementary analgesic medications as needed. In case of breakthrough pain， short-acting opioids were used for rescue. The Qihuang acupuncture group received Qihuang acupuncture treatment in addition to the treatment used in the control group， administered once every other day， with 3 sessions constituting one treatment course. The treatment duration for both groups was 5 days. The primary outcome was the change in pain intensity， measured using the numerical rating scale （NRS） before and after treatment， and the NRS change rate was calculated. Secondary endpoints included the daily NRS change rate， the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group （ECOG） Performance Status （PS） score， the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire （EORTC QLQ-C30） score， and the 24-hour equivalent hydrocodone sustained-release tablet dose. Laboratory tests， including routine blood， urine， stool， liver function， and kidney function， were performed before and after treatment. Adverse events were recorded throughout the trial. ResultsAll patients completed the trial， and both groups showed a decrease in average NRS scores and PS scores after treatment， with the Qihuang acupuncture group showing lower average NRS scores and PS scores than the control group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. After treatment， the NRS change rate in the Qihuang acupuncture group was （0.42±0.17）， significantly higher than that in the control group （0.14±0.27， P＜0.01）. The daily NRS change rate during treatment was also higher in the Qihuang acupuncture group compared to the control group （P＜0.01）. The Qihuang acupuncture group showed an increase in overall health status and functional scores in the EORTC QLQ-C30， and a decrease in symptom scores for fatigue， nausea and vomiting， pain， dyspnea， insomnia， appetite loss， constipation， and financial difficulties. In contrast， overall health status and constipation scores in the control group increased， while scores of fatigue， nausea and vomiting， pain， and appetite loss decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. After treatment， the 24-hour equivalent hydrocodone sustained-release tablet dose did not show significant difference in the Qihuang acupuncture group （P＞0.05）， while the control group showed a significant increase in the 24-hour dose （P＜0.01）. No significant abnormalities were observed in laboratory tests before and after treatment in either group. During the study， the incidence of nausea and vomiting as well as constipation in the Qihuang acupuncture group was both 3.03% （1/33）， while the incidence in the control group was 27.27% （9/33） and 36.36% （12/33）， respectively， with the Qihuang acupuncture group showing significantly lower incidence （P＜0.01）. No serious adverse reactions were observed in either group. ConclusionQihuang acupuncture therapy combined with opioid analgesics is more effective than using opioids alone in relieving pain in patients with moderate to severe cancer pain due to lung cancer. It can improve the patients' physical condition and quality of life， reduce the dose of opioid analgesics， and has good safety.

BACKGROUND:Gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds can mimic unique anatomical features in musculoskeletal tissues,showing great potential for repairing injured musculoskeletal tissues. OBJECTIVE:To review the latest research advances in gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds for tissue engineering in the musculoskeletal system and describe their advantages and fabrication strategies. METHODS:The first author of the article searched the Web of Science and PubMed databases for articles published from 2000 to 2023 with search terms"gradient,bone regeneration,scaffold".Finally,76 papers were analyzed and summarized after the screening. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)As an important means of efficient and high-quality repair of skeletal system tissues,gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds are currently designed bionically for the natural gradient characteristics of bone tissue,bone-cartilage,and tendon-bone tissue.These scaffolds can mimic the extracellular matrix of native tissues to a certain extent in terms of structure and composition,thus promoting cell adhesion,migration,proliferation,differentiation,and regenerative recovery of damaged tissues to their native state.(2)Advanced manufacturing technology provides more possibilities for gradient artificial bone repair scaffold preparation:Gradient electrospun fiber scaffolds constructed by spatially differentiated fiber arrangement and loading of biologically active substances have been developed;gradient 3D printed scaffolds fabricated by layered stacking,graded porosity,and bio-3D printing technology;gradient hydrogel scaffolds fabricated by in-situ layered injections,simple layer-by-layer stacking,and freeze-drying method;and in addition,there are also scaffolds made by other modalities or multi-method coupling.These scaffolds have demonstrated good biocompatibility in vitro experiments,were able to accelerate tissue regeneration in small animal tests,and were observed to have significantly improved histological structure.(3)The currently developed gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds have problems such as mismatch of gradient scales,unclear material-tissue interactions,and side effects caused by degradation products,which need to be further optimized by combining the strengths of related disciplines and clinical needs in the future.

Objective To investigate the effects of Aconite decoction （AD） on the viability and polarization of murine RAW264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide （LPS） or interleukin-4 （IL-4）. Methods Cytotoxicity of AD was assessed by the CCK-8 assay. RAW264.7 cells were polarized toward M1 phenotype by LPS or M2 phenotype by IL-4, followed by treatment with varying concentrations of AD. Macrophage polarization was analyzed by flow cytometry. Quantitative PCR was performed to measure mRNA expression of polarization-associated markers （IL-6, iNOS, Arg1, and Ym1）. ELISA was used to quantify secreted cytokines （TNF-α and IL-10）in the supernatant. Results At non-toxic concentrations, IL-6 and iNOS mRNA levels in LPS-stimulated cells were significantly upregulated while Arg1 and Ym1 expression in IL-4-treated groups were downregulated by AD. Concurrently, TNF-α secretion in LPS-induced M1 polarization was enhanced but IL-10 production in IL-4-induced M2 polarization was suppressed by AD. Conclusion AD could promote macrophage proliferation and viability, augments LPS-driven M1 polarization, and inhibit IL-4-mediated M2 polarization, which provided experimental evidence for the potential application of AD in tumor immunotherapy.

Objective To explore and analyze the related factors of kinesiophobia in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) during cardiac rehabilitation exercise period, and to evaluate the effect of cognitive behavior therapy on improving kinesiophobia and promoting rehabilitation. Methods A total of 352 elderly patients with CHD admitted to the hospital were included from October 2023 to October 2024. Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-11 (TSK-11) was adopted to evaluate the kinesiophobia status. Patients with kinesiophobia were randomly grouped. Routine intervention (routine group, n=82) and cognitive behavior intervention (study group, n=82) were implemented respectively. The intervention effects were observed in both groups. Results Among the 352 patients, 46.59 % (164/352 ) of elderly patients with coronary heart disease had different degrees of kinesiophobia. The proportions of female, divorced/widowed, revascularization and family relationship disharmony and scores of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD7) in patients with kinesiophobia were higher than those in patients without kinesiophobia (P<0.05) while the scores of General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were lower compared with those in patients without kinesiophobia (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis found that female, divorced/widowed, family relationship disharmony, revascularization and scores of PHQ9, TSK-11, GAD7, GSES and SSRS were related to kinesiophobia (P<0.05). After intervention, the scores of TSK-11, PHQ9 and GAD7 in the study group were lower while the scores of GSES and SSRS, 6 min walking test distance, and cardiopulmonary exercise test peak oxygen uptake and anaerobic threshold were higher compared to the routine group (P<0.05). Conclusion The kinesiophobia in elderly patients with CHD during cardiac rehabilitation is related to gender, revascularization and psychosocial factors. Clinically, cognitive behavior intervention should be provided according to the situation and guided to carry out rehabilitation exercise regularly so as to promote improvement of cardiopulmonary function.

Objective To explore and analyze the related factors of kinesiophobia in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) during cardiac rehabilitation exercise period, and to evaluate the effect of cognitive behavior therapy on improving kinesiophobia and promoting rehabilitation. Methods A total of 352 elderly patients with CHD admitted to the hospital were included from October 2023 to October 2024. Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-11 (TSK-11) was adopted to evaluate the kinesiophobia status. Patients with kinesiophobia were randomly grouped. Routine intervention (routine group, n=82) and cognitive behavior intervention (study group, n=82) were implemented respectively. The intervention effects were observed in both groups. Results Among the 352 patients, 46.59 % (164/352 ) of elderly patients with coronary heart disease had different degrees of kinesiophobia. The proportions of female, divorced/widowed, revascularization and family relationship disharmony and scores of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD7) in patients with kinesiophobia were higher than those in patients without kinesiophobia (P<0.05) while the scores of General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were lower compared with those in patients without kinesiophobia (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis found that female, divorced/widowed, family relationship disharmony, revascularization and scores of PHQ9, TSK-11, GAD7, GSES and SSRS were related to kinesiophobia (P<0.05). After intervention, the scores of TSK-11, PHQ9 and GAD7 in the study group were lower while the scores of GSES and SSRS, 6 min walking test distance, and cardiopulmonary exercise test peak oxygen uptake and anaerobic threshold were higher compared to the routine group (P<0.05). Conclusion The kinesiophobia in elderly patients with CHD during cardiac rehabilitation is related to gender, revascularization and psychosocial factors. Clinically, cognitive behavior intervention should be provided according to the situation and guided to carry out rehabilitation exercise regularly so as to promote improvement of cardiopulmonary function.

ObjectiveTo study the effect and mechanism of Yixintai on mitochondrial fission proteins in the rat model of chronic heart failure. MethodTen of 60 SD rats were randomly selected as the sham operation group， and the remaining 50 rats were subjected to ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for the modeling of heart failure post myocardial infarction. The successfully modeled rats were randomized into model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （1.4， 2.8， and 5.6 g·kg^-1， respectively） Yixintai， and trimetazidine （10 mg·kg^-1） groups. The rats were administrated with corresponding doses of drugs by gavage， and the rats in the model group and sham operation group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage for 28 consecutive days. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was then employed to measure the levels of amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide （NT-pro BNP）， B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP）， and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in the serum. Color Doppler ultrasound imaging was conducted to examine the cardiac function indicators. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining were conducted to observe the pathological changes in the heart， and Image J was used to calculate collagen volume fraction （CVF）. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the ultrastructural changes of myocardial cells. Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was employed to measure the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of mitochondrial fission protein 1 （Fis1） and mitochondrial fission factor （Mff） in the outer mitochondrial membrane of the myocardial tissue. ResultCompared with the sham operation group， the model group showed elevated levels of NT-pro BNP and BNP in the serum， decreased ATP content， left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， and left ventricular fraction shortening （LVFS）， increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVIDd） and left ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVIDs）， disarrangement of myocardial cells， inflammatory cell infiltration， increased collagen fibers and CVF， damaged myocardium and mitochondria， and increased apoptosis rate of myocardial cells， and up-regulated expression of Fis1 and Mff in the cardiac tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， different doses of Yixintai and trimetazidine lowered the serum levels of NT-pro BNP and BNP （P<0.05）， increased the ATP content （P<0.05）， increased LVEF and LVFS （P<0.01）， decreased LVIDd and LVIDs （P<0.01）. Moreover， the drugs alleviated the myocardial inflammatory damage and fibrosis， reduced CVF （P<0.01）， repaired the myocardial mitochondrial structure， and decreased the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells （P<0.01）. Medium- and high-dose Yixintai and trimetazidine down-regulated the expression of Fis1 and Mff in the myocardial tissue （P<0.05）. ConclusionYixintai can improve mitochondrial structure， reduce myocardial cell apoptosis， and improve cardiac function by inhibiting the expression of Fis1 and Mff in the myocardial tissue.

BACKGROUND:There is an increasing demand for orthodontic treatment,and periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics(PAOO)technique can make it possible to move orthodontic teeth that are limited by thin alveolar bone. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biomechanics of orthodontic tooth movement before and after periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics(PAOO)surgery to increase alveolar bone volume using the three-dimensional finite element method. METHODS:A patient undergoing PAOO surgery before orthodontic treatment to increase bone volume on the labial side of the mandibular anterior region was selected.The patient was under invisible orthodontics.Two three-dimensional finite element models were constructed based on the patient's preoperative and 6-month postoperative cone beam CT data.Both models simulated the movement of tooth 33:experiment Ⅰ:distal-central movement of 0.25 mm;experiment Ⅱ:lingual movement of 0.25 mm;and experiment Ⅲ:intrusion movement of 0.10 mm.The stress distribution and initial displacement trend of tooth 33,periodontal ligament and surrounding alveolar bone under the action of the invisible aligner were analyzed before and after the PAOO procedure. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Dental stress analysis:In the same orthodontic tooth movement,the maximum Von-Mises stress and overall stress values of tooth 33 were all higher before surgery than after surgery;there were similar distribution areas of maximum equivalent stress and overall distribution trends of Von-Mises stress before and after surgery.Periodontal ligament stress analysis:In the same orthodontic tooth movement,the maximum Von-Mises stress and overall stress values of the periodontal ligament were higher before surgery than after surgery,and there were similar distribution areas of the maximum equivalent stress and overall distribution trends of Von-Mises stress before and after surgery.Alveolar bone stress analysis:In the same orthodontic tooth movement,the maximum Von-Mises stress values of the alveolar bone around tooth 33 were higher before surgery than after surgery,while the equivalent stress distribution showed a gradual decrease from the top of the alveolar ridge to the root.Initial displacement analysis:In the same orthodontic tooth movement,the initial displacements in the main displacement direction for all six observation points of tooth 33 were smaller before surgery than after surgery,and showed a tendency to gradually decrease from the tooth tip to the apex.Therefore,there were differences in the biomechanical characteristics of orthodontic tooth movement before and after the PAOO surgery.With the clear aligner,the postoperative equivalent stress values on the dentition,periodontal ligament,and surrounding alveolar bone were lower than before the surgery,and the initial displacements of the orthodontic teeth after the surgery are larger than before.These findings suggest that PAOO can release the restriction of thin alveolar bone on the movement of orthodontic tooth by increasing alveolar bone thickness,effectively improving the force on the roots,periodontal ligament,and alveolar bone,avoiding the stress concentration on orthodontic tooth in the thin alveolar bone area that can cause complications when moving,and improving the efficiency of tooth movement.

BACKGROUND:Frog active peptides have rich activities,such as antibacterial and anti-tumor,and are expected to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance. OBJECTIVE:The active peptide QUB2984 was discovered in the skin secretions of Agalychnis callidryas.Its structure and properties were simulated by bioinformatics.The peptide was synthesized,purified,and identified and its biological functions were investigated. METHODS:Agalychnis callidryas skin secretions were collected by electrostimulation.The sequence of QUB2984 was obtained through constructing a cDNA library with isolated mRNA.BLAST was used for peptide sequence alignment.Besides that,Iterative Threading ASSEmbly Refinement(I-TASSER)and HeliQuest tools were used for protein secondary structure simulation.It was synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis,purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography,and structurally confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.The purified peptide was used to evaluate its biological activity.Its antibacterial effect was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory concentration method.Its cytotoxic effect was detected by MTT assay.Its safety was investigated by a hemolysis test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Peptide QUB2984 had basically α-spiral structure,with a relatively intact hydrophobic surface,and a certain destructive ability to biofilm.The third amino acid position of QUB2984 was composed of W and had a G-X-G structure.(2)The minimum inhibitory concentration of QUB2984 against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus was 2 μmol/L,the minimum inhibitory concentration against gram-negative Escherichia coli was 2 μmol/L,and the minimum inhibitory concentration against the fungus Candida albicans was 8 μmol/L.(3)The active peptide QUB2984 had obvious inhibitory effect on human non-small cell lung cancer cells NCI-H838 at 10-5 mol/L concentration,and the hemolytic effect on horse red cells at 64 μmol/L concentration was 50%.(4)The results showed that QUB2984 had anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity,and it had a positive charge of +3,which was conducive to contact with bacteria or cells.

Objective:To explore the mediating role of aging attitude and anxiety in the relationship between self-worth and depression among the elderly.Methods:From July to August 2022, a total of 536 elderly people in Shijiazhuang University for the Elderly were surveyed by the elderly self-worth scale, generalized anxiety disorder-7(GAD-7), attitudes to aging questionnaire(AAQ) and patient health questionnaire(PHQ-9). SPSS 26.0 software was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.AMOS 24.0 was used to construct an intermediation model, and Bootstrap method was used for mediating effect testing.Results:(1)The score of self-worth was 101.00 (92.00, 112.00), the score of aging attitude was 92.00 (83.00, 101.75), the score of anxiety was 2.00(0, 6.00), and the score of depression was 2.00 (0, 5.00). (2)Self-worth was positively correlated with aging attitude ( r=0.67, P<0.01), while negatively correlated with anxiety ( r=-0.45, P<0.01) and depression ( r=-0.48, P<0.01). The aging attitude was negatively correlated with anxiety ( r=-0.41, P<0.01) and depression ( r=-0.41, P<0.01). Anxiety was positively correlated with depression ( r=0.71, P<0.01). (3)The indirect effect of aging attitude between self-worth and depression in the elderly was -0.016, accounting for 19.75% (-0.016/-0.081)of the total indirect effect.The indirect effect of anxiety between self-worth and depression in the elderly was -0.045, accounting for 55.56%(-0.045/-0.081) of the total indirect effect.The chain mediating effect of aging attitude and anxiety between self-worth and depression in the elderly was -0.020, accounting for 24.69%(-0.020/-0.081) of the total indirect effect. Conclusion:Aging attitude and anxiety play a chain mediating role between self-worth and depression in the elderly.

Chronic heart failure(CHF)is a common and frequent clinical condition with complex pathogenesis.The micro-inflammatory state exists in the development of CHF and is manifested by a continuous increase in inflammatory proteins and inflammatory cytokines in the circulation,affecting the body's metabolism and immune function.Micro-inflammatory state of CHF belongs to the syndrome of deficiency in nature and excess in superficiality in the TCM field.The basic pathogenesis of CHF is"deficiency qi retention";the nature is the deficiency of heart energy and the superficiality is retention of qi,blood stagnation,phlegm,water and dampness,with"deficiency,stagnation and water"running throughout the disease.Therefore,based on the theory of"deficiency qi retention",this article took"reinforcing deficiency and removing stagnation"as its basic treatment method,regulated the body's immunity and inflammatory indicators such as serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein,tumor necrosis factor-α,in order to alleviate the micro-inflammatory state,which is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of CHF.