The Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Malignancies via Regulatory Cell Death Pathways and the Tumor Immune Microenvironment: A Review of Recent Advances.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has achieved high clinical efficacy in treating malignancies in recent years and is thus gradually becoming an important therapy for patients with advanced tumor for its benefits in reducing side effects and improving patients' immune status. However, it has not been internationally recognized for cancer treatment because TCM's anti-tumor mechanism is not fully elucidated, limiting its clinical application and international promotion. This review traced the mechanism of the TCM-mediated tumor cell death pathway and its effect on remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment, its direct impact on the microenvironment, its anti-tumor effect in combination with immunotherapy, and the current status of clinical application of TCM on tumor treatment. TCM can induce tumor cell death in many regulatory cell death (RCD) pathways, including apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis. In addition, TCM-induced cell death could increase the immune cells' infiltration with an anti-tumor effect in the tumor tissue and elevate the proportion of these cells in the spleen or peripheral blood, enhancing the anti-tumor capacity of the tumor-bearing host. Moreover, TCM can directly affect immune function by increasing the population or activating the sub-type immune cells with an anti-tumor role. It was concluded that TCM could induce a pan-tumor death modality, remodeling the local TIME differently. It can also improve the systemic immune status of tumor-bearing hosts. This review aims to establish a theoretical basis for the clinical application of TCM in tumor treatment and to provide a reference for TCM's potential in combination with immunotherapy in cancer treatment.

Mindfulness and loneliness in retired older adults in China: mediation effects of positive and negative affect.

Objectives: Drawing from the mindfulness framework and the broaden-and-build theory, this study investigates the extent to which mindfulness influences loneliness and whether the relation is mediated by positive and negative affect.Method: Data were collected from 748 retired older adults aged 60 and above in Chengdu, China in 2022. Loneliness and mindfulness were measured by the UCLA loneliness scale and by the short-form version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, while the positive and negative affect was assessed by the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule.Results: The results of this study show that mindfulness was positively associated with positive affect (ß = 0.37, p<.001), negatively related to negative affect (ß=-0.21, p<.001) and loneliness (ß=-0.13, p<.001), and had an indirect effect on loneliness via positive and negative affect (ß=-0.20, p<.001).Conclusion: The findings suggest that mindfulness could be a positive resource for improving mental health and reducing loneliness among retired older adults in China.

The potential for traditional Chinese therapy in treating sleep disorders caused by COVID-19 through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2019, it has spread rapidly across the globe. Sleep disorders caused by COVID-19 have become a major concern for COVID-19 patients and recovered patients. So far, there's no effective therapy on this. Traditional Chinese therapy (TCT) has a great effect on sleep disorders, with rare side effects and no obvious withdrawal symptoms. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, a neuroregulatory pathway in the central nervous system that uses cholinergic neurons and neurotransmitters to suppress inflammatory responses, has been reported to be associated with sleep disorders and psychiatric symptoms. Many studies have shown that TCT activates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP), inhibits inflammation, and relieves associated symptoms. Therefore, we believe that TCT may be a potential therapeutic strategy to alleviate sleep disorders induced by COVID-19 through CAP. In this review, we analyzed the relationship between cytokine storm induced by Coronavirus and sleep disorders, explained the influence of CAP on sleep disorders, discussed the TCT's effect on CAP, and summarized the treatment effect of TCT on sleep disorders. Based on these practical researches and theoretical basis, we propose potential strategies to effectively improve the sleep disorders caused by COVID-19.

Sini powder with paroxetine ameliorates major depressive disorder by modulating circadian rhythm: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Circadian rhythm disorder is a significant risk factor for mental diseases, and the recovery of circadian rhythm function has gradually become a signal of effective antidepressant therapy. Sini powder (SNP) is a classical, traditional Chinese formula for depression treatment. However, few clinical reports have been recorded. This randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial (ChiCTR1900022700) aimed to explore the efficacy of SNP on depression via regulating circadian rhythm. In total, 36 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were enrolled for 4-weeks medication and 6-weeks follow-up. HAMD-24 score and circadian rhythm index, including dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and phase angle difference (PAD), were included in the assessment. DLMO and PAD were statistically significant in the SNP group after 4 weeks of treatment (p < .05) and with greater improvement in DLMO (p = .03). In addition, DLMO and the HAMD-24 score showed a positive correlation (p < .05); the HAMD-24 score degree decreased significantly over time (p < .001). Similarly, interaction effects were shown significantly between group and time (p = .049). The duration of SNP supplementation was relatively short, and the sample size was relatively small. SNP granules combined with paroxetine tablets have definite efficacy in improving the circadian rhythms of MDD patients, reflecting the therapeutic advantages of traditional Chinese medicine as antidepressants.

Social Support, Mindfulness, and Job Burnout of Social Workers in China.

In the last 20 years, amid extensive social and economic reforms, China's social structure and community life have changed considerably. A large number of social workers are needed to provide many more social services to community residents. The central government has issued many policies to rapidly develop human service organizations and increase the number of social workers. Thus, by the end of 2019, the number of social workers has reached more than 1.5 million in China. At the same time, local governments have issued many policies to promote an increase in the number of social workers. According to statistics from the Chengdu Civil Affairs Bureau, from 2010 to 2021, the number of social workers in Chengdu City increased, remarkably, from 553 to 17,622. Although the number of social workers has increased rapidly, some problems still exist. According to a survey by the Chengdu Social Workers Association, the turnover rate of social workers has reached approximately 20% in Chengdu City in 2018. Therefore, we aim to determine what influences social workers' job burnout. Through regression analysis and mediation effect tests, we found the following: First, when controlling for gender, age, education, and workday, social support of social workers had a significant negative impact on job burnout ( ß = - 0.376). Second, the mindfulness of social workers had a significant negative impact on job burnout ( ß = - 0.320). Third, the mindfulness of social workers played a mediating role between social support and job burnout. The mediating effect was -0.116 (p < 0.001). Fourth, among the three dimensions of social support, mindfulness played a partially mediating role in family support and other support. The mediating effect between other support, which is the support from leaders and colleagues, and job burnout was the strongest, with a mediating effect of -0.109 (p < 0.001). In other words, the support provided by agency leaders and colleagues can maximize the level of mindfulness of social workers, thereby reducing social workers' job burnout most effectively. We can thus reduce social workers' job burnout by improving their level of mindfulness and the social support for them in China.

Job Demands, Resources, and Burnout in Social Workers in China: Mediation Effect of Mindfulness.

Internationally, human service professionals, including social workers, experience high burnout and turnover rates. Despite the recent and rapid development of contemporary social work in China, Chinese social workers similarly experience significant rates of burnout. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the factors that contribute to social work burnout. This study applied the job demands and resources (JD-R) model to examine the effects of JD-R on burnout in social workers (n = 897) from Chengdu, China, and whether these relations are mediated by state mindfulness. Structural equation modeling results supported the previously hypothesized dual process by which JD-R affect burnout, specifically in a sample of social workers in China. Job demands (JD) were positively associated with burnout, while job resources (JR) were negatively associated with burnout. These relations were partially mediated by state mindfulness. JR had a strong, positive direct effect on mindfulness (ß = 0.38), and its total effect on burnout was high (ß = -0.56). Meanwhile, JD had a slight negative direct effect on mindfulness (ß = -0.09), and its total effect on burnout was 0.42. The results suggest that the implementation of mindfulness-based interventions for social workers can potentially mitigate the effect of JD on burnout, as well as increase the effect of JR on burnout.

Mind Over Matter: Mindfulness, Income, Resilience, and Life Quality of Vocational High School Students in China.

Many social welfare programs focus on the provision of cash assistance and cash transfers to improve the quality of life (QoL) of those living in low-income households. While there is literature to support a positive relationship between income and QoL, studies have shown that QoL is impacted by non-income-related factors. This study examined the effects of income and mindfulness on QoL through a mediator, resilience, and attempts to answer the question of how important income is to QoL, relative to a non-income-based determinant, mindfulness. Using a sample of 905 emerging adults from the senior class of a secondary vocational high school based in an impoverished county of China, we studied two key determinants of QoL, income and mindfulness, as well as respective pathways, during a particularly critical stage of life. The results indicated that mindfulness had strong direct and indirect effects on QoL via resilience, while income had only limited indirect effects on QoL via resilience. Policy implications were discussed.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of the spreading moxibustion on rheumatoid arthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Fifty-six cases of RA were randomly divided into a spreading moxibustion group of 31 cases and an acupuncture group of 25 cases. The spreading moxibustion group were treated by moxibustion on the Governor Vessel, from Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2), and bilateral corresponding Jiaji (EX-B 2), with drug powder composed of Qianghuo (Notoperygium root), Duhuo (Pubescent angelica root), Niuxi (Achyranthes root), etc. and fresh mashed ginger were spread at the points; and the acupuncture group were treated by simple acupuncture at Dazhu (GV 14) and Shenzhu (GV 12), etc. They were treated for 50 days. RESULTS: The effective rate was 100.0% in the spreading moxibustion group and 84.0% in the acupuncture group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Spreading moxibustion has an significant therapeutic effect on rheumatoid arthritis.

[Study on supercritical CO2 extraction of fatty oils from the seed of Akebia trifoliata (Thunb) Koidz].

The extraction of fatty oils from the seed of Akebia trifoliata (Thunb) Koidz with supercritical CO2 was studied. The effects of extraction pressure, extraction temperature on the yields were discussed. The optimal condition of this method was as follow: extraction pressure 30 MPa, extraction temerature 45 degrees C, separator I pressure 11 MPa, separator I temperature 50 degrees C, separator II pressure 6MPa, separator II temperature 45 degrees C, extraction period 2 hours. Compared with the traditional solvent extraction, with a GC-MS analysis, it revealed that the component extracted with supercritical CO2 was basically consistent with that extracted with petroleum ether, and it was rich unsaturated fatty acid.

[Effects of scalp catgut embedding on SOD, NO, MDA in the rat with Parkinson's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of scalp catgut embedding for treatment of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Parkinson's disease model rats were prepared, and randomly divided into a model group, scalp acupuncture group, medication group, with a control group set up. The scalp acupuncture group were treated with catgut embedding at "the chorea-trembling conroued area" lateral to "Baihui" (GV 20) and the medication group with intra-gastric perfusion of L-dopa suspension. After treatment for 30 days, behavior indexes were investigated and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the brain were detected. RESULTS: MDA content in the brain of the model rats were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), NO level significantly increased (P < 0.05) by scalp catgut embedding, with no significant change of SOD activity (P > 0.05); and the behavior indexes and tissue and form of the brain had significant improvement. CONCLUSION: Scalp catgut embedding has regulative action on anti-oxidant enzyme system in the Parkinson's disease rats, has significant improvement of cells, tissues and form of the brain.