Objective To explore the differential expression and mechanisms of bone formation-related genes in osteoporosis(OP)leveraging bioinformatics and machine learning methodologies;and to predict the active ingredients of ...Objective To explore the differential expression and mechanisms of bone formation-related genes in osteoporosis(OP)leveraging bioinformatics and machine learning methodologies;and to predict the active ingredients of targeted traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)herbs.Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)and GeneCards databases were employed to conduct a comprehensive screening of genes and disease-associated loci pertinent to the pathogenesis of OP.The R package was utilized as the analytical tool for the identification of differentially expressed genes.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)logis-tic regression analysis and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination(SVM-RFE)algorithm were employed in defining the genetic signature specific to OP.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses for the selected pivotal genes were conducted.The cell-type identification by estimating rela-tive subsets of RNA transcripts(CIBERSORT)algorithm was leveraged to examine the infiltra-tion patterns of immune cells;with Spearman’s rank correlation analysis utilized to assess the relationship between the expression levels of the genes and the presence of immune cells.Coremine Medical Database was used to screen out potential TCM herbs for the treatment of OP.Comparative Toxicogenomics Database(CTD)was employed for forecasting the TCM ac-tive ingredients targeting the key genes.AutoDock Vina 1.2.2 and GROMACS 2020 softwares were employed to conclude analysis results;facilitating the exploration of binding affinity and conformational dynamics between the TCM active ingredients and their biological targets.Results Ten genes were identified by intersecting the results from the GEO and GeneCards databases.Through the application of LASSO regression and SVM-RFE algorithm;four piv-otal genes were selected:coat protein(CP);kallikrein 3(KLK3);polymeraseγ(POLG);and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4(TRPV4).GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analy-ses revealed that these trait genes were predominantly engaged in the regulation of defense response activation;maintenance of cellular metal ion balance;and the production of chemokine ligand 5.These genes were notably associated with signaling pathways such as ferroptosis;porphyrin metabolism;and base excision repair.Immune infiltration analysis showed that key genes were highly correlated with immune cells.Macrophage M0;M1;M2;and resting dendritic cell were significantly different between groups;and there were signifi-cant differences between different groups(P<0.05).The interaction counts of resveratrol;curcumin;and quercetin with KLK3 were 7;3;and 2;respectively.It shows that the interac-tions of resveratrol;curcumin;and quercetin with KLK3 were substantial.Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed the robust binding affinity of these bioactive compounds to the target genes.Conclusion Pivotal genes including CP;KLK3;POLG;and TRPV4;exhibited commendable significant prognostic value;and played a crucial role in the diagnostic assessment of OP.Resveratrol;curcumin;and quercetin;natural compounds found in TCM;showed promise in their potential to effectively modulate the bone-forming gene KLK3.This study provides a sci-entific basis for the interpretation of the pathogenesis of OP and the development of clinical drugs.展开更多
Objective To systematically analyze the current status of outcomes reporting in clinical trials on treating stasis acute mastitis with Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage.Methods We searched CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,S...Objective To systematically analyze the current status of outcomes reporting in clinical trials on treating stasis acute mastitis with Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage.Methods We searched CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,Sino Med,Pub Med,Web of Science,Embase,Cochrane library,JBI,CINAHL,Psyc INFO,Clinical Trials Registry Platform portal,Clinical Trials Registry,Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry,Center Watch Registry from inception to May 15,2022 to find randomized controlled trials,non-randomized controlled trials,case series and cohort studies which reported the outcomes of stasis acute mastitis managed with Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage,with search terms of mastitis,acute mastitis,lactation mastitis,puerperal mastitis,breast problem,breast engorgement,milk stasis,blocked ducked,breast pain,breast massage,and acupoint massage.Outcomes and the measurement schemes(measurement methods,timing of assessing outcome,frequency of assessing outcome,measurers)were extracted from the included studies.We used the Management of Otitis Media with Effusion in Children with Cleft Palate(MOMENT)to assess the quality of each study,then categorized outcomes derived from the included studies into different domains according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Arthritis Clinic Trials(OMERACT)Filter 2.1 framework.Results We identified 85 clinical trials,in which 54 different outcomes were reported.A total of 81.2%(69/85)of studies were assessed as medium quality with a mean score of 2.6,and 18.8%(16/85)as low quality with a mean score of 0.9.These outcomes were organized in three core areas.Lump size(89.4%,76/85)was the most frequently reported outcome,followed by breast pain(69.4%,59/85)and milk excretion(68.2%,58/85).Five methods were used to assess lump size and four methods to assess breast pain.Conclusions The outcomes reported in clinical trials regarding stasis acute mastitis treated by Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage are heterogeneous.Developing a core outcome set to achieve consistent standards for reporting outcomes and modalities for validation of the outcomes is clearly warranted.展开更多
Traditional Chinese medicine breast massage,also known as breast Tuina or manual expression of breast milk,is a technique of using certain manipulations to act on specific positions or acupoints of the breast to promo...Traditional Chinese medicine breast massage,also known as breast Tuina or manual expression of breast milk,is a technique of using certain manipulations to act on specific positions or acupoints of the breast to promote blood and lymphatic circulation of breast and facilitate the discharge of stagnant milk.This technique is widely used in China to treat breastfeeding problems such as breast engorgement,mastitis,and postpartum hypogalactia.In this article,we introduce the definition and standardization process of breast massage,elaborate the operating procedures of breast massage in detail,and summarize and discuss the current situation of its clinical application,so as to provide a reference for its wide application and in‑depth research.展开更多
BACKGROUND Conservative treatments have been reported to diminish or resolve clinical symptoms of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation(LIDH)within a few weeks.CASE SUMMARY Computed tomography and magnetic resonance i...BACKGROUND Conservative treatments have been reported to diminish or resolve clinical symptoms of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation(LIDH)within a few weeks.CASE SUMMARY Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)of the lumbar region of a 25-yearold male diagnosed with LIDH showed prolapse of the L5/S2 disc.The disc extended 1.0 cm beyond the vertebral edge and hung along the posterior vertebral edge.The patient elected a conservative treatment regimen that included traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),acupuncture,and massage.During a follow-up period of more than 12 mo,good improvement in pain was reported without complications.MRI of the lumbar region after 12 mo showed obvious reabsorption of the herniation.CONCLUSION A conservative treatment regimen of TCM,acupuncture,and massage promoted reabsorption of a prolapsed disc.展开更多
Objective:To assess outcome indicators in clinical trials and provide a reference for establishing a core outcome set to treat hyperplasia of mammary gland(HMG)with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Eight onli...Objective:To assess outcome indicators in clinical trials and provide a reference for establishing a core outcome set to treat hyperplasia of mammary gland(HMG)with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Eight online databases were searched from their inception to December 31,2022,to assess outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of HMG treated with TCM.The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool.All outcomes were extracted,classified,and described.Results:A total of 8249 articles were initially retrieved.Of these,70 articles were eligible and involved 10618 participants with HMG.A total of 17 outcome indicators with a frequency of 271 times were involved and were collected according to six outcome domains.Conclusions:The core outcomes of RCTs of HMG treated with TCM are large and divergent.There are problems in evaluation standards,primary and secondary outcomes,TCM characteristic indicators,long-term prognosis,and standardization of reporting.It is recommended to strengthen the trial design and actively construct the core outcome sets with TCM characteristics for HMG.展开更多
Objective:To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine for improving bone damage in rheumatoid arthritis(RA),and provide guidance for clinical treatment.Methods:computer retrieval China hown...Objective:To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine for improving bone damage in rheumatoid arthritis(RA),and provide guidance for clinical treatment.Methods:computer retrieval China hownet database(CNKI),Chinese biomedical literature retrieval(SinoMed),ten thousand Data knowledge service system(WanFang Data),VIP full-text database(VIP),PubMed,MedLine and the cochrane library,collect relevant Chinese medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,bone destruction randomized controlled trial(RCT),screening from built by researchers at the two libraries to literature in February 2020,to extract the required indicators,and incorporated into RevMan 5.2 analysis.Results:a total of 1291 patients were included in 14 RCTS.The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group,The traditional Chinese medicine treatment group could improve the 25-hydroxyvitamin D of patients with RA bone damage,which was better than the western medicine control group,and the difference was statistically significant.TCM treatment group can improve the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts(nuclear factor B receptor activating factor;Bone mineral density;Bone alkaline phosphatase;Bone protectin;(osteocalcin),and was superior to the western medicine control group,the difference was statistically significant;(3)traditional Chinese medicine treatment group can improve RA patients with bone destruction of the balance of osteoblast and osteoclast(Ⅰtype collagen amino terminal propeptide before;Carboxy-terminal peptide of collagen;The effect of nuclear factor B receptor activator factor and bone protectin was similar to that of the western medicine control group,and the difference was not statistically significant.Conclusion:At present,the existing evidence can prove that Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis bone damage has an exact effect,regulate the function of osteoblasts and osteoclasts,improve the level of bone metabolism of patients,prevent the progress of bone damage.展开更多
Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferative disease of plasma cells. Its main feature is the malignant proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells and the secretion of a large number of monoclonal immunoglobulins. Beca...Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferative disease of plasma cells. Its main feature is the malignant proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells and the secretion of a large number of monoclonal immunoglobulins. Because of the uncontrolled proliferation, extensive infiltration of malignant plasma cells, and the appearance and deposition of a large number of monoclonal immunoglobulins, normal polyclonal plasma cell proliferation and polyclonal immunoglobulin secretion are inhibited. It can cause extensive bone destruction, hypercalcemia, repeated infection, renal insufficiency, high viscosity syndrome and other clinical manifestations, which can alsolead to adverse consequences.In view of these unique clinical manifestations and pathological features of multiple myeloma, we systematically expounded the pathological characteristics of multiple myeloma and the treatment of traditional Chinese medicine from extensive bone destruction and hypercalcemia on the basis of Chinese and Western medicine. In order to provide theoretical support and clinical guidance for the treatment of multiple bone marrow tumors with bone destruction and hypercalcemia.展开更多
Objective: To systematically assess the effect of traditional Chinese medicine washing (TCM washing) combined withmassage for the treatment of neonatal jaundice.Methods and analysis: Databases, including PubMed, t...Objective: To systematically assess the effect of traditional Chinese medicine washing (TCM washing) combined withmassage for the treatment of neonatal jaundice.Methods and analysis: Databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, the ChineseBiomedical Literature Database (CBM), CNKI, and Wanfang Data were electronically searched for randomizedcontrolled trials (from inception to July 2017). The methodological qualities of included trials were evaluated by theCochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.Results: Overall, thirteen trials with a total of 1998 participants were included. The results of meta-analysis indicatedthat TCM washing combined with massage group was significantly superior to the control group in the first meconiumtime (MD, -16.67; 95% CI, -24.59 to -8.74; P〈0.001), time for transformation of meconium (MD, -15.44; 95% CI,-23.59 to -7.28; P〈0.001), transcutaneous bilirubin index changes [after treating three days (MD, -1.99; 95% CI, -2.57 to-1.40; P〈0.001), after treating four days (MD, -1.86; 95% CI, -2.77 to -0.95; P〈0.001), after treating five days (MD,-2.44; 95% CI, -3.47 to -1.42; P〈0.001), after treating six days (MD, -2.23; 95% CI, -3.30 to -1.16; P〈0.001), and thechanges of serum bilirubin levels [after treating five days (MD, -3.17; 95% CI, -5.83 to -0.50; P=0.02), after treating sixdays (MD, -1.63; 95% CI, -3.10 to -0.16; P=0.03), after treating fifteen days (MD,-1.20; 95% CI, -1.99 to -0.41; P=0.003).Conclusions: TCM washing combined with massage may be an effective therapy for the treatment of neonatal jaundice.It can accelerate the excretion of meconium, shorten the time for transformation of meconium, and decreasetranscutaneous bilirubin index and the level of serum bilirubin. But it should be careful to interpreting these findings.Well-designed RCTs are needed to further clarify the conclusion.展开更多
The treatment and signaling pathway regulation effects of kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine on osteoporosis have been widely studied,but without a systematic summary currently.This review comprehensively c...The treatment and signaling pathway regulation effects of kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine on osteoporosis have been widely studied,but without a systematic summary currently.This review comprehensively collected and analyzed the traditional Chinese medicine on the treatment and signaling pathway regulation of osteoporosis in recent ten years,such as Epimedium,Drynariae Rhizoma,Cnidium,Eucommia,Psoralen and Dipsacus.Based on the existing findings,we concluded the following conclusions:(1)kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine treats osteoporosis mainly through BMP-Smads,Wnt/β-catenin,MAPK,PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote osteoblast bone formation and through OPG/RANKL/RANK,estrogen,CTSK signaling pathway to inhibit osteoclasts of bone resorption.(1)Epimedium,Drynariae Rhizoma,Cnidium and Psoralen up-regulate the key proteins and genes of BMP-Smads and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways to promote bone formation.(2)Epimedium,Drynariae Rhizoma,Cnidium,Eucommia,Psoralen,Dipsacusinhibit the bone resorption by mediating the OPG/RANKL/RANK signaling pathway.(2)Kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine prevent and treat osteoporosis through a variety of ways:Icariin,Naringin,Osthol,Psoralen can regulate BMP-Smads,Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to promote bone formation,but also activate OPG/RANKL/RANK,CTSK and other signaling pathway to inhibit bone resorption.(3)The crosstalk of the signaling pathways and the animal experiments of the traditional Chinese medicine on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis as well as their multi-target mechanism and comprehensive regulation need further clarification.展开更多
Objective:To analyze the implementation status of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)nursing protocols for type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:Totally 420 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were given TCM ...Objective:To analyze the implementation status of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)nursing protocols for type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:Totally 420 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were given TCM nursing protocols by syndrome differentiation.A quantitative and qualitative investigation was conducted to patients who received TCM nursing and nurses who performed TCM nursing techniques.Results:According to the self-evaluation outcomes of patients,TCM nursing protocols were effective to relieve polydipsia,polyuria,fatigue and other symptoms.Patients exhibited a high level of compliance with nursing techniques such as auricular point pressing,acupoint massage,Chinese herbal foot-bath and moxibustion.The interview showed that patients could benefit from the TCM nursing protocols,and nurses considered that application of TCM nursing protocols could enhance their awareness of TCM knowledge and practice skills.Conclusion:The application of TCM nursing protocols is effective to relieve clinical symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus.It can also improve the knowledge level and practice skills of nurses in TCM hospitals.展开更多
Objective:This study aimed to develop a core outcome set(COS)for use in future studies of stable angina pectoris(SAP)in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Systematic literature reviews and qualitative interview...Objective:This study aimed to develop a core outcome set(COS)for use in future studies of stable angina pectoris(SAP)in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Systematic literature reviews and qualitative interviews with cardiologists and patients with SAP treated using TCM were conducted to generate a set of outcomes.Outcomes were prioritized by stakeholders via two rounds of an online Delphi survey and face-to-face consensus meetings.Following the final consensus meeting,a final COS was generated.Results:An initial set of 324 outcomes was identified.A preliminary list of 65 outcomes was employed in the Delphi study.In total,223 participants from seven stakeholder groups were invited to score outcomes in the first Delphi round:87 completed round 1 and 47 completed round 2.Thirty-one participants attended the consensus meeting and agreed on a final core set of outcomes comprising six items across four domains:frequency of angina attack,duration of angina attack,Seattle angina questionnaire,total exercise duration in the exercise treadmill test,cardiovascular events,and QT interval on electrocardiography.Conclusions:The COS developed in this study provides the minimum requirements for measurement and reporting in future TCM clinical trials for the treatment of SAP.The employment of this COS may reduce heterogeneity across trials and facilitate evidencebased decision-making for stakeholders.展开更多
BACKGROUND A patient with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease had a ruptured posterior cortex of the fractured vertebral body, which caused spinal cord compression. An open surgery was considered the best choice of operation. ...BACKGROUND A patient with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease had a ruptured posterior cortex of the fractured vertebral body, which caused spinal cord compression. An open surgery was considered the best choice of operation. However, the patient and her family refused open surgery and instead demanded a minimally invasive surgical treatment such as percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP). After preoperative discussion, we finally adopted the novel therapy of traditional Chinese medicine manipulative reduction(TCMMR) combined with PVP.CASE SUMMARY A patient with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease exhibiting bone block-induced spinal cord compression was admitted to our hospital. She suffered from a variety of medical disorders but refused open surgery, and instead asked for PVP surgery. TCMMR, in parallel with PVP, was used to restore the height of the compressed vertebral body and reduce the symptoms of spinal cord compression by the bone block in order to strengthen the vertebral body and prevent further collapse. The surgery was very successful. The height of the compressed vertebra was restored, and the symptom of spinal cord compression by bone block was reduced successfully via TCMMR. The fractured vertebra was solidified by the PVP. The pain visual analog score declined from preoperative 7 scores to postoperative 2 scores, and the Frankel spinal cord scale increased from preoperative D degree to postoperative E degree.CONCLUSION The new method has advantages in treating patients with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease who cannot be treated with open surgery.展开更多
Objective:This work aimed to present a descriptive analysis of the outcome measures used in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for patients with stable angina pectoris,and to provide baseline data for...Objective:This work aimed to present a descriptive analysis of the outcome measures used in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for patients with stable angina pectoris,and to provide baseline data for the development of core outcome sets(COSs)for relevant clinical trials.Methods:Medical databases were searched to identify randomized trials of the effects of TCM for the treatment of stable angina pectoris.Outcome measures of each trial were extracted.Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the baseline characteristics of outcomes in clinical trials of TCM.Results:94 randomized trials(with 9,111 participants)involving 79 different outcomes were identified.The mean number of outcomes was 5(1-21 per trial).The 5 most commonly reported outcomes were efficacy rate of electrocardiogram,efficacy rate of angina pectoris,efficacy rate of TCM syndrome,fasting lipid indices,and withdrawal rate of nitroglycerin.Several challenges were identified:(1)significant heterogeneity of outcomes and differences in the technique and timing of the measurement of the same outcome;(2)transformation of continuous data into categorical data and presented as such in>90% of trials;(3)few trials on the outcomes associated with the advantages and characteristics of TCM;and(4)selective reporting of outcomes.Conclusions:The outcomes used are excessively heterogenous,and the choice of some outcomes(timing and techniques)for measurement is confusing or inappropriate.Hence,developing and implementing a COS is necessary for greater consistency.展开更多
Objectives:To provide a theoretical basis for the development of the new products of Poria cocos-Atractylodes macrocephala couplet medicine.Methods:All prescription preparations containing Poria cocos and Atractylodes...Objectives:To provide a theoretical basis for the development of the new products of Poria cocos-Atractylodes macrocephala couplet medicine.Methods:All prescription preparations containing Poria cocos and Atractylodes macrocephala were collected from the Drug Standards of the Ministry of Public Health Drug Standard·Traditional Chinese Medicine Set Prescription Preparation(called Traditional Chinese Medicine Set Prescription Preparation for short).After standardization,the information of each prescription preparation was input into the Chinese Traditional Medicine Inheritance Support Platform(V2.5),and the relevant rules of the software were adopted.Data mining methods were used to analyze the frequency of drugs,main symptoms and diseases in prescriptions,and to analyze the regularity of prescriptions.The prescription rules of top 2 high frequency attending syndromes and diseases were analyzed.Results:There were total of 337 prescription preparations containing couplet medicine of Poria cocos and Atractylodes macrocephala,107 kinds of main symptoms and 66 kinds of diseases.The high frequency syndromes were deficiency of Qi and blood and weakness of spleen and stomach,and the high frequency syndromes were anorexia and irregular menstruation.Conclusion:The couplet medicine of Poria cocos-atractylodes macrocephala prescription is mainly used to treat digestive tract diseases and gynecological diseases;it mostly takes tonifying deficiency efficat.It can treat different diseases being compatible with different medicinal materials.The study can provide theoretical basis for clinical application and new drug development of the couplet medicine of Poria cocos-atractylodes macrocephala.展开更多
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is a common chronic liver disease characterized by diffuse hepatic steatosis.With the improvement of people's living standard,the incidence rate of NAFLD has been increasing...Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is a common chronic liver disease characterized by diffuse hepatic steatosis.With the improvement of people's living standard,the incidence rate of NAFLD has been increasing,which has become one of the global health problems in 21st Century.However,there is no specific drug or standard treatment for NAFLD,which brings challenges to treatment.Acupuncture,moxibustion,massage and other external therapies based on the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine have obvious curative effect in the clinical treatment of NAFLD,but the mechanism has not been systematically explained,which makes the clinical promotion evidence insufficient.This paper aims to summarize the researches on the treatment of NAFLD by external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine in recent years,and analyze its possible mechanism,so as to provide a scientific theoretical basis for future basic experiments and clinical research,and form a set of standardized clinical diagnosis and treatment scheme with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine.展开更多
Objective:To systematically access the effects of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment versus western medicine treatment alone in glioma.Methods:Published randomized controlled trials were inc...Objective:To systematically access the effects of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment versus western medicine treatment alone in glioma.Methods:Published randomized controlled trials were included from electronic databases(Cochrane Library,Pubmed,Embase,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang database,Chinese Scientific Journal Database,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database.Deadline on January 30,2020).The Cochrane handbook was referred to evaluate the methodological quality.Curative efficacy,gastrointestinal side effects,bone marrow suppression,survival time and quality of life(Karnofsky)were compared between the two groups.Meta-analysis was conducted using Reveman 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software.Results:Twelve randomized controlled trials involved 886 cases were selected,including 446 cases in the trial group and 440 cases in the control group.The meta-analysis indicated that the overall efficacy of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine showed significant improvement compared with western medicine alone.The effects included reduced tumor size(RR=1.32,95%CI(1.18,1.49),P<0.05),gastrointestinal adverse reactions(RR=0.42,95%CI(0.30,0.60),P<0.05),bone marrow suppression(RR=0.437,95%CI(0.282,0.677),P<0.05),and improved KPS score(SMD=0.632,95%CI(0.312,0.952),P<0.05).Conclusion:For patients with glioma,integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment can be one of the options for a better treatment.展开更多
In the long history of the Chinese nation,traditional Chinese medicine has made great contributions to the protection of the health of the Chinese people.Given that many pathological processes can cause tissue damage,...In the long history of the Chinese nation,traditional Chinese medicine has made great contributions to the protection of the health of the Chinese people.Given that many pathological processes can cause tissue damage,does Chinese medicine also promote tissue regeneration in the process of disease recovery?It has been found from recent research articles that traditional Chinese medicine can promote tissue regeneration in the treatment of diseases.The following is an illustration of the role of Chinese medicine in selected parts of the study.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(81960877).
文摘Objective To explore the differential expression and mechanisms of bone formation-related genes in osteoporosis(OP)leveraging bioinformatics and machine learning methodologies;and to predict the active ingredients of targeted traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)herbs.Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)and GeneCards databases were employed to conduct a comprehensive screening of genes and disease-associated loci pertinent to the pathogenesis of OP.The R package was utilized as the analytical tool for the identification of differentially expressed genes.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)logis-tic regression analysis and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination(SVM-RFE)algorithm were employed in defining the genetic signature specific to OP.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses for the selected pivotal genes were conducted.The cell-type identification by estimating rela-tive subsets of RNA transcripts(CIBERSORT)algorithm was leveraged to examine the infiltra-tion patterns of immune cells;with Spearman’s rank correlation analysis utilized to assess the relationship between the expression levels of the genes and the presence of immune cells.Coremine Medical Database was used to screen out potential TCM herbs for the treatment of OP.Comparative Toxicogenomics Database(CTD)was employed for forecasting the TCM ac-tive ingredients targeting the key genes.AutoDock Vina 1.2.2 and GROMACS 2020 softwares were employed to conclude analysis results;facilitating the exploration of binding affinity and conformational dynamics between the TCM active ingredients and their biological targets.Results Ten genes were identified by intersecting the results from the GEO and GeneCards databases.Through the application of LASSO regression and SVM-RFE algorithm;four piv-otal genes were selected:coat protein(CP);kallikrein 3(KLK3);polymeraseγ(POLG);and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4(TRPV4).GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analy-ses revealed that these trait genes were predominantly engaged in the regulation of defense response activation;maintenance of cellular metal ion balance;and the production of chemokine ligand 5.These genes were notably associated with signaling pathways such as ferroptosis;porphyrin metabolism;and base excision repair.Immune infiltration analysis showed that key genes were highly correlated with immune cells.Macrophage M0;M1;M2;and resting dendritic cell were significantly different between groups;and there were signifi-cant differences between different groups(P<0.05).The interaction counts of resveratrol;curcumin;and quercetin with KLK3 were 7;3;and 2;respectively.It shows that the interac-tions of resveratrol;curcumin;and quercetin with KLK3 were substantial.Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed the robust binding affinity of these bioactive compounds to the target genes.Conclusion Pivotal genes including CP;KLK3;POLG;and TRPV4;exhibited commendable significant prognostic value;and played a crucial role in the diagnostic assessment of OP.Resveratrol;curcumin;and quercetin;natural compounds found in TCM;showed promise in their potential to effectively modulate the bone-forming gene KLK3.This study provides a sci-entific basis for the interpretation of the pathogenesis of OP and the development of clinical drugs.
基金supported by Special Funds for Basic Research Business Expenses of Central Universities(2022-JYB-PY-004).
文摘Objective To systematically analyze the current status of outcomes reporting in clinical trials on treating stasis acute mastitis with Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage.Methods We searched CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,Sino Med,Pub Med,Web of Science,Embase,Cochrane library,JBI,CINAHL,Psyc INFO,Clinical Trials Registry Platform portal,Clinical Trials Registry,Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry,Center Watch Registry from inception to May 15,2022 to find randomized controlled trials,non-randomized controlled trials,case series and cohort studies which reported the outcomes of stasis acute mastitis managed with Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage,with search terms of mastitis,acute mastitis,lactation mastitis,puerperal mastitis,breast problem,breast engorgement,milk stasis,blocked ducked,breast pain,breast massage,and acupoint massage.Outcomes and the measurement schemes(measurement methods,timing of assessing outcome,frequency of assessing outcome,measurers)were extracted from the included studies.We used the Management of Otitis Media with Effusion in Children with Cleft Palate(MOMENT)to assess the quality of each study,then categorized outcomes derived from the included studies into different domains according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Arthritis Clinic Trials(OMERACT)Filter 2.1 framework.Results We identified 85 clinical trials,in which 54 different outcomes were reported.A total of 81.2%(69/85)of studies were assessed as medium quality with a mean score of 2.6,and 18.8%(16/85)as low quality with a mean score of 0.9.These outcomes were organized in three core areas.Lump size(89.4%,76/85)was the most frequently reported outcome,followed by breast pain(69.4%,59/85)and milk excretion(68.2%,58/85).Five methods were used to assess lump size and four methods to assess breast pain.Conclusions The outcomes reported in clinical trials regarding stasis acute mastitis treated by Traditional Chinese Medicine breast massage are heterogeneous.Developing a core outcome set to achieve consistent standards for reporting outcomes and modalities for validation of the outcomes is clearly warranted.
文摘Traditional Chinese medicine breast massage,also known as breast Tuina or manual expression of breast milk,is a technique of using certain manipulations to act on specific positions or acupoints of the breast to promote blood and lymphatic circulation of breast and facilitate the discharge of stagnant milk.This technique is widely used in China to treat breastfeeding problems such as breast engorgement,mastitis,and postpartum hypogalactia.In this article,we introduce the definition and standardization process of breast massage,elaborate the operating procedures of breast massage in detail,and summarize and discuss the current situation of its clinical application,so as to provide a reference for its wide application and in‑depth research.
基金Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China,No.82004495Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,China,No.ZR2020QH318+1 种基金The 69th batch of a grant from China Postdoctoral Foundation,No.2021M691985Taishan Scholars Young Experts Program,China,No.tsqn202211349.
文摘BACKGROUND Conservative treatments have been reported to diminish or resolve clinical symptoms of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation(LIDH)within a few weeks.CASE SUMMARY Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)of the lumbar region of a 25-yearold male diagnosed with LIDH showed prolapse of the L5/S2 disc.The disc extended 1.0 cm beyond the vertebral edge and hung along the posterior vertebral edge.The patient elected a conservative treatment regimen that included traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),acupuncture,and massage.During a follow-up period of more than 12 mo,good improvement in pain was reported without complications.MRI of the lumbar region after 12 mo showed obvious reabsorption of the herniation.CONCLUSION A conservative treatment regimen of TCM,acupuncture,and massage promoted reabsorption of a prolapsed disc.
基金This study was supported by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine(SATCM-2015-BZ402).
文摘Objective:To assess outcome indicators in clinical trials and provide a reference for establishing a core outcome set to treat hyperplasia of mammary gland(HMG)with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Eight online databases were searched from their inception to December 31,2022,to assess outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of HMG treated with TCM.The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool.All outcomes were extracted,classified,and described.Results:A total of 8249 articles were initially retrieved.Of these,70 articles were eligible and involved 10618 participants with HMG.A total of 17 outcome indicators with a frequency of 271 times were involved and were collected according to six outcome domains.Conclusions:The core outcomes of RCTs of HMG treated with TCM are large and divergent.There are problems in evaluation standards,primary and secondary outcomes,TCM characteristic indicators,long-term prognosis,and standardization of reporting.It is recommended to strengthen the trial design and actively construct the core outcome sets with TCM characteristics for HMG.
基金Ministry of Science and Ttechnology National Key R&D Program Key Project of TCM Modernization Research(No.2018YFC1705204)General projects of NSFC(No.81973655)+5 种基金Foreign Science and Technology Cooperation Projects of Anhui Provincial Key Research and Development Plan(No.201904b11020011)Anhui Provincial Quality Engineering Teaching Research Project(No.2018jyxm1068)Construction Project of Famous TCM Liu Jian studio in Anhui Province(No.2018-11)National Training Program for Innovative Talents of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.2019-128)Key Research and Development Projects in Anhui Province(No.201904a07020004)Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Applied Foundation and Development of Modern Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.2016080503B041)The 12th Batch of"115"Innovation Teams in Anhui Province(No.2019-1)。
文摘Objective:To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine for improving bone damage in rheumatoid arthritis(RA),and provide guidance for clinical treatment.Methods:computer retrieval China hownet database(CNKI),Chinese biomedical literature retrieval(SinoMed),ten thousand Data knowledge service system(WanFang Data),VIP full-text database(VIP),PubMed,MedLine and the cochrane library,collect relevant Chinese medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,bone destruction randomized controlled trial(RCT),screening from built by researchers at the two libraries to literature in February 2020,to extract the required indicators,and incorporated into RevMan 5.2 analysis.Results:a total of 1291 patients were included in 14 RCTS.The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group,The traditional Chinese medicine treatment group could improve the 25-hydroxyvitamin D of patients with RA bone damage,which was better than the western medicine control group,and the difference was statistically significant.TCM treatment group can improve the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts(nuclear factor B receptor activating factor;Bone mineral density;Bone alkaline phosphatase;Bone protectin;(osteocalcin),and was superior to the western medicine control group,the difference was statistically significant;(3)traditional Chinese medicine treatment group can improve RA patients with bone destruction of the balance of osteoblast and osteoclast(Ⅰtype collagen amino terminal propeptide before;Carboxy-terminal peptide of collagen;The effect of nuclear factor B receptor activator factor and bone protectin was similar to that of the western medicine control group,and the difference was not statistically significant.Conclusion:At present,the existing evidence can prove that Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis bone damage has an exact effect,regulate the function of osteoblasts and osteoclasts,improve the level of bone metabolism of patients,prevent the progress of bone damage.
文摘Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferative disease of plasma cells. Its main feature is the malignant proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells and the secretion of a large number of monoclonal immunoglobulins. Because of the uncontrolled proliferation, extensive infiltration of malignant plasma cells, and the appearance and deposition of a large number of monoclonal immunoglobulins, normal polyclonal plasma cell proliferation and polyclonal immunoglobulin secretion are inhibited. It can cause extensive bone destruction, hypercalcemia, repeated infection, renal insufficiency, high viscosity syndrome and other clinical manifestations, which can alsolead to adverse consequences.In view of these unique clinical manifestations and pathological features of multiple myeloma, we systematically expounded the pathological characteristics of multiple myeloma and the treatment of traditional Chinese medicine from extensive bone destruction and hypercalcemia on the basis of Chinese and Western medicine. In order to provide theoretical support and clinical guidance for the treatment of multiple bone marrow tumors with bone destruction and hypercalcemia.
文摘Objective: To systematically assess the effect of traditional Chinese medicine washing (TCM washing) combined withmassage for the treatment of neonatal jaundice.Methods and analysis: Databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, the ChineseBiomedical Literature Database (CBM), CNKI, and Wanfang Data were electronically searched for randomizedcontrolled trials (from inception to July 2017). The methodological qualities of included trials were evaluated by theCochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.Results: Overall, thirteen trials with a total of 1998 participants were included. The results of meta-analysis indicatedthat TCM washing combined with massage group was significantly superior to the control group in the first meconiumtime (MD, -16.67; 95% CI, -24.59 to -8.74; P〈0.001), time for transformation of meconium (MD, -15.44; 95% CI,-23.59 to -7.28; P〈0.001), transcutaneous bilirubin index changes [after treating three days (MD, -1.99; 95% CI, -2.57 to-1.40; P〈0.001), after treating four days (MD, -1.86; 95% CI, -2.77 to -0.95; P〈0.001), after treating five days (MD,-2.44; 95% CI, -3.47 to -1.42; P〈0.001), after treating six days (MD, -2.23; 95% CI, -3.30 to -1.16; P〈0.001), and thechanges of serum bilirubin levels [after treating five days (MD, -3.17; 95% CI, -5.83 to -0.50; P=0.02), after treating sixdays (MD, -1.63; 95% CI, -3.10 to -0.16; P=0.03), after treating fifteen days (MD,-1.20; 95% CI, -1.99 to -0.41; P=0.003).Conclusions: TCM washing combined with massage may be an effective therapy for the treatment of neonatal jaundice.It can accelerate the excretion of meconium, shorten the time for transformation of meconium, and decreasetranscutaneous bilirubin index and the level of serum bilirubin. But it should be careful to interpreting these findings.Well-designed RCTs are needed to further clarify the conclusion.
文摘The treatment and signaling pathway regulation effects of kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine on osteoporosis have been widely studied,but without a systematic summary currently.This review comprehensively collected and analyzed the traditional Chinese medicine on the treatment and signaling pathway regulation of osteoporosis in recent ten years,such as Epimedium,Drynariae Rhizoma,Cnidium,Eucommia,Psoralen and Dipsacus.Based on the existing findings,we concluded the following conclusions:(1)kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine treats osteoporosis mainly through BMP-Smads,Wnt/β-catenin,MAPK,PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote osteoblast bone formation and through OPG/RANKL/RANK,estrogen,CTSK signaling pathway to inhibit osteoclasts of bone resorption.(1)Epimedium,Drynariae Rhizoma,Cnidium and Psoralen up-regulate the key proteins and genes of BMP-Smads and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways to promote bone formation.(2)Epimedium,Drynariae Rhizoma,Cnidium,Eucommia,Psoralen,Dipsacusinhibit the bone resorption by mediating the OPG/RANKL/RANK signaling pathway.(2)Kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine prevent and treat osteoporosis through a variety of ways:Icariin,Naringin,Osthol,Psoralen can regulate BMP-Smads,Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to promote bone formation,but also activate OPG/RANKL/RANK,CTSK and other signaling pathway to inhibit bone resorption.(3)The crosstalk of the signaling pathways and the animal experiments of the traditional Chinese medicine on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis as well as their multi-target mechanism and comprehensive regulation need further clarification.
文摘Objective:To analyze the implementation status of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)nursing protocols for type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:Totally 420 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were given TCM nursing protocols by syndrome differentiation.A quantitative and qualitative investigation was conducted to patients who received TCM nursing and nurses who performed TCM nursing techniques.Results:According to the self-evaluation outcomes of patients,TCM nursing protocols were effective to relieve polydipsia,polyuria,fatigue and other symptoms.Patients exhibited a high level of compliance with nursing techniques such as auricular point pressing,acupoint massage,Chinese herbal foot-bath and moxibustion.The interview showed that patients could benefit from the TCM nursing protocols,and nurses considered that application of TCM nursing protocols could enhance their awareness of TCM knowledge and practice skills.Conclusion:The application of TCM nursing protocols is effective to relieve clinical symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus.It can also improve the knowledge level and practice skills of nurses in TCM hospitals.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81473544).
文摘Objective:This study aimed to develop a core outcome set(COS)for use in future studies of stable angina pectoris(SAP)in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Systematic literature reviews and qualitative interviews with cardiologists and patients with SAP treated using TCM were conducted to generate a set of outcomes.Outcomes were prioritized by stakeholders via two rounds of an online Delphi survey and face-to-face consensus meetings.Following the final consensus meeting,a final COS was generated.Results:An initial set of 324 outcomes was identified.A preliminary list of 65 outcomes was employed in the Delphi study.In total,223 participants from seven stakeholder groups were invited to score outcomes in the first Delphi round:87 completed round 1 and 47 completed round 2.Thirty-one participants attended the consensus meeting and agreed on a final core set of outcomes comprising six items across four domains:frequency of angina attack,duration of angina attack,Seattle angina questionnaire,total exercise duration in the exercise treadmill test,cardiovascular events,and QT interval on electrocardiography.Conclusions:The COS developed in this study provides the minimum requirements for measurement and reporting in future TCM clinical trials for the treatment of SAP.The employment of this COS may reduce heterogeneity across trials and facilitate evidencebased decision-making for stakeholders.
文摘BACKGROUND A patient with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease had a ruptured posterior cortex of the fractured vertebral body, which caused spinal cord compression. An open surgery was considered the best choice of operation. However, the patient and her family refused open surgery and instead demanded a minimally invasive surgical treatment such as percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP). After preoperative discussion, we finally adopted the novel therapy of traditional Chinese medicine manipulative reduction(TCMMR) combined with PVP.CASE SUMMARY A patient with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease exhibiting bone block-induced spinal cord compression was admitted to our hospital. She suffered from a variety of medical disorders but refused open surgery, and instead asked for PVP surgery. TCMMR, in parallel with PVP, was used to restore the height of the compressed vertebral body and reduce the symptoms of spinal cord compression by the bone block in order to strengthen the vertebral body and prevent further collapse. The surgery was very successful. The height of the compressed vertebra was restored, and the symptom of spinal cord compression by bone block was reduced successfully via TCMMR. The fractured vertebra was solidified by the PVP. The pain visual analog score declined from preoperative 7 scores to postoperative 2 scores, and the Frankel spinal cord scale increased from preoperative D degree to postoperative E degree.CONCLUSION The new method has advantages in treating patients with type Ⅲ Kummell’s disease who cannot be treated with open surgery.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation Project of China(81473544)Ministry of Education Program for Innovative Research Team(IRT1276)+2 种基金National key research and development projects of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine(2019YFC1710000,2019YFC1710003)Henan Youth Talent Promotion Project(2020HYTP060)the National Basic Research Program of China(2015CB554401).
文摘Objective:This work aimed to present a descriptive analysis of the outcome measures used in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for patients with stable angina pectoris,and to provide baseline data for the development of core outcome sets(COSs)for relevant clinical trials.Methods:Medical databases were searched to identify randomized trials of the effects of TCM for the treatment of stable angina pectoris.Outcome measures of each trial were extracted.Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the baseline characteristics of outcomes in clinical trials of TCM.Results:94 randomized trials(with 9,111 participants)involving 79 different outcomes were identified.The mean number of outcomes was 5(1-21 per trial).The 5 most commonly reported outcomes were efficacy rate of electrocardiogram,efficacy rate of angina pectoris,efficacy rate of TCM syndrome,fasting lipid indices,and withdrawal rate of nitroglycerin.Several challenges were identified:(1)significant heterogeneity of outcomes and differences in the technique and timing of the measurement of the same outcome;(2)transformation of continuous data into categorical data and presented as such in>90% of trials;(3)few trials on the outcomes associated with the advantages and characteristics of TCM;and(4)selective reporting of outcomes.Conclusions:The outcomes used are excessively heterogenous,and the choice of some outcomes(timing and techniques)for measurement is confusing or inappropriate.Hence,developing and implementing a COS is necessary for greater consistency.
文摘Objectives:To provide a theoretical basis for the development of the new products of Poria cocos-Atractylodes macrocephala couplet medicine.Methods:All prescription preparations containing Poria cocos and Atractylodes macrocephala were collected from the Drug Standards of the Ministry of Public Health Drug Standard·Traditional Chinese Medicine Set Prescription Preparation(called Traditional Chinese Medicine Set Prescription Preparation for short).After standardization,the information of each prescription preparation was input into the Chinese Traditional Medicine Inheritance Support Platform(V2.5),and the relevant rules of the software were adopted.Data mining methods were used to analyze the frequency of drugs,main symptoms and diseases in prescriptions,and to analyze the regularity of prescriptions.The prescription rules of top 2 high frequency attending syndromes and diseases were analyzed.Results:There were total of 337 prescription preparations containing couplet medicine of Poria cocos and Atractylodes macrocephala,107 kinds of main symptoms and 66 kinds of diseases.The high frequency syndromes were deficiency of Qi and blood and weakness of spleen and stomach,and the high frequency syndromes were anorexia and irregular menstruation.Conclusion:The couplet medicine of Poria cocos-atractylodes macrocephala prescription is mainly used to treat digestive tract diseases and gynecological diseases;it mostly takes tonifying deficiency efficat.It can treat different diseases being compatible with different medicinal materials.The study can provide theoretical basis for clinical application and new drug development of the couplet medicine of Poria cocos-atractylodes macrocephala.
基金Qihuang scholar of the"hundred and ten million"talent project of Inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese Medicine(2018)National key project on modernization of traditional Chinese medicine(No.2018YFC1707800)The three-year Action Plan for Further Speed Up the Development of Chinese Medicine in Shanghai[No.ZY(2018-2020)-CCCX-2004-02]。
文摘Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is a common chronic liver disease characterized by diffuse hepatic steatosis.With the improvement of people's living standard,the incidence rate of NAFLD has been increasing,which has become one of the global health problems in 21st Century.However,there is no specific drug or standard treatment for NAFLD,which brings challenges to treatment.Acupuncture,moxibustion,massage and other external therapies based on the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine have obvious curative effect in the clinical treatment of NAFLD,but the mechanism has not been systematically explained,which makes the clinical promotion evidence insufficient.This paper aims to summarize the researches on the treatment of NAFLD by external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine in recent years,and analyze its possible mechanism,so as to provide a scientific theoretical basis for future basic experiments and clinical research,and form a set of standardized clinical diagnosis and treatment scheme with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(NO.81601754)Key Research and Development project of Shandong Province(2018GSF118141)。
文摘Objective:To systematically access the effects of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment versus western medicine treatment alone in glioma.Methods:Published randomized controlled trials were included from electronic databases(Cochrane Library,Pubmed,Embase,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang database,Chinese Scientific Journal Database,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database.Deadline on January 30,2020).The Cochrane handbook was referred to evaluate the methodological quality.Curative efficacy,gastrointestinal side effects,bone marrow suppression,survival time and quality of life(Karnofsky)were compared between the two groups.Meta-analysis was conducted using Reveman 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software.Results:Twelve randomized controlled trials involved 886 cases were selected,including 446 cases in the trial group and 440 cases in the control group.The meta-analysis indicated that the overall efficacy of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine showed significant improvement compared with western medicine alone.The effects included reduced tumor size(RR=1.32,95%CI(1.18,1.49),P<0.05),gastrointestinal adverse reactions(RR=0.42,95%CI(0.30,0.60),P<0.05),bone marrow suppression(RR=0.437,95%CI(0.282,0.677),P<0.05),and improved KPS score(SMD=0.632,95%CI(0.312,0.952),P<0.05).Conclusion:For patients with glioma,integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment can be one of the options for a better treatment.
文摘In the long history of the Chinese nation,traditional Chinese medicine has made great contributions to the protection of the health of the Chinese people.Given that many pathological processes can cause tissue damage,does Chinese medicine also promote tissue regeneration in the process of disease recovery?It has been found from recent research articles that traditional Chinese medicine can promote tissue regeneration in the treatment of diseases.The following is an illustration of the role of Chinese medicine in selected parts of the study.