Conducting and reporting the Delphi method in traditional Chinese medicine syndrome diagnosis research: A cross-sectional analysis.

Background: The Delphi method has been extensively used to reach a consensus in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome diagnosis research when subjective judgment is not uniform and objective evidence is lacking. The conduct and reporting of the Delphi method in TCM syndrome diagnosis research have never been critiqued. Our study aims to explore the consistency of using this technique and assess the reporting quality. Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed to scope articles reporting the conduct of the Delphi method in TCM syndrome diagnosis research. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang and SinoMed databases with the restriction of Chinese and English language from their inception to March 25, 2023. A standardized extraction form was designed to collect demographics and methodological processes reflecting the rigor and transparency in TCM syndrome diagnosis research. Results: A total of 1832 studies were screened, and 50 were included. The median number of panels was 30 (IQR 20-34.5) and only 12 (24.0 %) studies were with a heterogeneous sample of panels. Two rounds was most common (37/50; 74.0 %), followed by three (7/50; 14.0 %), and only 13 (26.0 %) studies determined the number of rounds a priori. The reporting quality varied, with 18.0 % (9/50) reporting anonymity, 30.0 % (15/50) describing the controlled feedback, 20.0 % (10/50) reporting the procedure duration (7.14 ± 3.29 months) and 26.0 % (13/50) predefining the consensus. Conclusion: The Delphi method is inconsistently conducted and nontransparently reported in TCM syndrome diagnosis research. Standardized criteria are urgently needed for best practices in future research.

Dyadic association between mindfulness, family avoidance of communication about cancer and fear of cancer recurrence among breast cancer couples: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The research focused on examining the dyadic relationship between mindfulness, fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), and family avoidance of communication about cancer (FACC) within breast cancer couples. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional approach to gather data from 249 breast cancer couples. Participants completed self-report measures assessing mindfulness, FCR, and FACC. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model was applied to analyze how each individual's and their partner's mindfulness affected their own and their partner's FCR, as well as the mediating role of FACC in this relationship. RESULTS: The study found that the average FCR score for breast cancer patients was (32.59 ± 10.05), while their spouses had a score of (34.39 ± 8.60). The bootstrap method showed that self-FACC as a mediator between mindfulness in breast cancer couples and their own FCR (patient: ß = -0.044, P = 0.019; spouse: ß = -0.046, P = 0.007). Patients' FACC influenced the connection between their mindfulness and spouses' FCR (ß = -0.031, P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the potential for interventions that focus on mindfulness and communication enhancement to alleviate FCR and improve the overall well-being of breast cancer couples.

Anti-fatigue effect of traditional Chinese medicines: A review.

A third of the world's population suffers from unexplained fatigue, hugely impacting work learning, efficiency, and health. The fatigue development may be a concomitant state of a disease or the side effect of a drug, or muscle fatigue induced by intense exercise. However, there are no authoritative guides or clinical medication recommendations for various fatigue classifications. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) are used as dietary supplements or healthcare products with specific anti-fatigue effects. Thus, TCM may be a potential treatment for fatigue. In this review, we outline the pathogenesis of fatigue, awareness of fatigue in Chinese and western medicine, pharmacodynamics mechanism, and substances. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive summary of fatigue and forecast the potential effect of novel herbal-based medicines against fatigue.

Safety Assessment of Canola Oil Extracted by Aid of Pulsed Electric Field: Genetic, Acute and Subacute Toxicity.

Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a nonthermal technology resulting in the rupture of cell membranes and increasing the electrical conductivity and the permeability of intracellular material. There was little work about the safety of food treated by PEF. The acute, subacute oral, and genetic toxicities were investigated to explore the safety of canola oil extracted by aid of PEF treatment (PTCO). The results showed that no negative consequences were caused by PEF. PTCO was regarded as practically non-toxic with a LD50 higher than 40 g/kg bw. No oil intake-related mortality, clinical, weight gain and organ coefficient abnormalities were observed. The histopathological symptoms indicated a mild load but not obvious toxicities on liver and kidney. The 28-day subacute toxicity test confirmed that less than 10 g/kg·d bw of oil intake did not exhibit any intake-related changes in physical, physiological, biochemical, hematological, and histopathological signs. The less than 4 of atherosclerosis index suggested that no risk of cardiovascular disease caused by PTCO intake. It was speculated that the PEF treatment would not cause any safety issues to food products.

Migration and Distribution of PAH4 in Oil to French Fries Traced Using a Stable Isotope during Frying.

Isotope-labeled four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH4-d12) were applied to study the migration and distribution of PAH4 in oil to French fries during frying. The results showed that the mobilities of PAH4-d12 showed a downtrend within 0-6 h and then an uptrend, and PAH4-d12 were mainly distributed in the crust of the French fries, especially five-ring PAHs-d12. The correlation analysis showed that PAH4-d12 migration was mainly caused by oil absorption of French fries. The low fluidity of the oil slowed down the PAH4-d12 migration, which was accelerated as the total polar component increased (higher than 15-20%). Additionally, higher frying temperature enhanced the crust ratio and porous structure of French fries, which explained the abundant five-ring PAHs-d12 distributed in the crust. This study provided references for optimizing the frying parameters: the exposure of PAH4 in French fries to humans can be reduced by controlling the oil quality and weakening the crust of the French fries.

A review on selenium-enriched proteins: preparation, purification, identification, bioavailability, bioactivities and application.

Selenium (Se) deficiency can cause many diseases and thereby affect human health. Traditional inorganic Se supplements have disadvantages of toxicity and low bioavailability. Se-Enriched proteins exhibit good bio-accessibility and high biological activities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the preparation, purification, identification, bioavailability, bioactivities and application of Se-enriched proteins. The method of extracting Se-enriched proteins from animals, microorganisms and plants mainly includes solvent extraction (water, salt, ethanol and alkali solution extraction) and novel extraction technologies (ultrasound-assisted and pulsed electric field assisted extraction). Se-Enriched proteins and their hydrolysates exhibit good bioactivities, mainly including antioxidant activity, immune regulation, neuroprotective activity, and inhibition of hyperglycemic activity, among others. Future research should focus on the relationship between Se-enriched protein metabolism and the selenium regulatory protein metabolic pathway by using multi-omics technology. In addition, it is necessary to comprehensively study the structure-activity relationship of Se-enriched proteins/hydrolysates from different sources, to further clarify their bioactive mechanism and to verify their health benefits in vivo.

A Novel Method for Identifying Parkin Binding Agents in Complex Preparations of Herbal Medicines.

Parkin is a crucial E3 ubiquitin ligase for initiating mitophagy through the PINK1/Parkin pathway. Regulating the expression and activity of parkin can remedy mitophagy and human disease. We developed an efficient method to isolate natural parkin ligands from herbal medicines by combining centrifugal ultrafiltration and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The heterologous expression technology identified functionally active and pure parkin proteins. After evaluating the reliability of the method using DL-selenomethionine and DL-dithiothreitol as positive controls, this method was successfully applied to capture parkin ligands from Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix and Sophorae Flavescentis Radix. LC/MS identified seven novel parkin-targeting compounds, namely, 7,4'-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-8-(γ, γ-dimethylallyl)-flavanone, kushenol I, kurarinone, sophoraflavanone G, torachrysone-8-O-glucoside, apigenin, and emodin, supported by the molecular docking analysis. Five of the seven novel compounds (kushenol I, kurarinone, sophoraflavanone G, apigenin, and emodin) can activate parkin in in vitro autoubiquitination assays. Meanwhile, kushenol I and kurarinone had antisteatosis activity in fat emulsion-damaged human hepatocytes. These results confirmed the effectiveness of the method for identifying parkin ligands from complex preparations, useful to advance drug discovery from medicinal herbs.

Poor Clinical Outcomes and Immunoevasive Contexture in Intratumoral IL-10-Producing Macrophages Enriched Gastric Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of IL-10+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in gastric cancer. BACKGROUND: Due to the plasticity and diversity of TAMs, it is necessary to phenotypically and functionally classify subsets of TAMs to better understand the critical role of TAMs in cancer progression. TAMs expressing interleukin-10 (IL-10) have been found to facilitate immune evasion in many malignancies, but the role of IL-10+ TAMs in gastric cancer remains obscure. METHODS: Four hundred and sixty-eight tumor tissue microarray specimens, 52 fresh tumor tissue samples of gastric cancer patients from Zhongshan Hospital, and data of 298 gastric cancer patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed. IL-10+ TAM level and immune contexture were examined by CIBERSORT, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Clinical outcomes were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox model. RESULTS: Gastric cancer patients with high IL-10+ TAM infiltration exhibited poor prognosis and inferior therapeutic responsiveness to fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. IL-10+ TAM infiltration yielded an immunoevasive tumor microenvironment featured by regulatory T cell infiltration and CD8+ T cell dysfunction. The combinational analysis of IL-10+ TAM and CD8+ T cell infiltration stratified patients into distinct risk groups with different clinical outcomes. Moreover, IL-10+ TAM infiltration was correlated with tumor-intrinsic characteristics including EBV status, PD-L1 expression, and genome stability in gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that IL-10+ TAMs might drive an immunoevasive microenvironment and determine poor prognosis and inferior therapeutic responsiveness to fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy, indicating IL-10+ TAMs could be applied as a potential target for immunotherapeutic approach in gastric cancer.

[Overview and prospect of research and development cooperation in traditional medicine between China and Thailand].

Under the background of the Belt and Road Initiative, the exchange of traditional medicine has become inevitable. China and Thailand are amicable neighbors, and the cooperation between the two countries in the field of traditional medicine has become increasingly close in recent years. Nevertheless, on account of the differences in culture, region, politics, economy and so on, the two countries have common features and unique characteristics in the theoretical system of traditional medicine, quality standard control of medicinal materials, research and development and use of medicinal materials. This paper summarizes the similarities and differences as well as the development opportunities of traditional medicine between China and Thailand. The specific content involves the development history, resources, and use of medicinal resources in Thailand, the main achievements and existing problems of modern research of Thai medicine, the spread and development of Chinese medicine in Thailand, and the spread and development of Thai medicine in China. Furthermore, the paper outlines the recent situation of traditional medicine interflow and cooperation between the two countries, and predicts the prospects for cooperation and development of traditional medicine between China and Thailand in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, especially in the joint research and development and the improvement of quality standards of important medicinal plant varieties commonly used by the two countries and circulated across the border. Through the exchange and mutual learning, we can step up the traditional medicine cooperation between China and Thailand, which will provide advantageous conditions for the safety of medicine use as well as political and social stability between the two countries.

Intratumoral CD103+CD4+ T cell infiltration defines immunoevasive contexture and poor clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients.

Our previous study has identified intratumoral CD103+CD8+ T cells as a favorable prognostic factor in gastric cancer. However, the significance of CD103+CD4+ T cells in gastric cancer hasn't yet been elucidated. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance and phenotype characteristics of intratumoral CD103+CD4+ T cells in gastric cancer. In our study, 469 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples and 24 fresh tissue specimens of patients with gastric cancer from Zhongshan Hospital were included. We manifested that intratumoral CD103+CD4+ T cells in gastric cancer predicted poor overall survival and inferior responsiveness to fluorouracil-based ACT. The density and phenotypic characteristics of CD103+CD4+ T cells in gastric cancer were detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, which showed that CD103+CD4+ T cells exhibited an immunosuppressive phenotype and higher retention capacity in tumor tissues. Furthermore, increased CD103+CD4+ T cells contributed to CD8+T cell dysfunction with decreased granzyme B (GZMB), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and perforin (PRF-1) expression in gastric cancer. Overall, this study revealed that intratumoral CD103+CD4+T cell infiltration defined immunoevasive contexture and predicted poor prognosis and inferior responsiveness to fluorouracil-based ACT. Therefore, we recommended that CD103+CD4+ T cells might be a potential immunotherapeutic target for gastric cancer.

[Mechanisms of histamine ameliorating memory impairment induced by pentylenetetrazole-kindling epilepsy in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of neuronal histamine on spatial memory acquisition impairment in rats with pentylenetetrazole-kindling epilepsy, and to explore its mechanisms. Methods: A subconvulsive dose of pentylenetetrazole (35 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected in rats every 48 h to induce chemical kindling until fully kindled. Morris water maze was used to measure the spatial memory acquisition of the rats one week after fully pentylenetetrazole-kindled, and the histamine contents in different brain areas were measured spectrofluorometrically. Different dosages of hitidine (the precursor of histamine), pyrilamine (H1 receptor antagonist), and zolantidine (H2 receptor antagonist) were intraperitoneally injected, and their effects on spatial memory acquisition of the rats were observed. Results: Compared with control group, escape latencies were significantly prolonged on Morris water maze training day 2 and day 3 in pentylenetetrazole-kindling epilepsy rats (all P<0.05); and the histamine contents in hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus were decreased significantly (all P<0.05). Escape latencies were markedly shortened on day 3 by intraperitoneally injected with histidine 500 mg/kg, and on day 2 and day 3 by intraperitoneally injected with histidine 1000 mg/kg in pentylenetetrazole-kindling epilepsy rats (all P<0.05). The protection of histidine was reversed by zolantidine (10 and 20 mg/kg), but not by pyrilamine. Conclusion: Neuronal histamine can improve the spatial memory acquisition impairment in rats with pentylenetetrazole-kindling epilepsy, and the activation of H2 receptors is possibly involved in the protective effects of histamine.