Hypertrophic scar is a fibrous hyperplastic disorder that arises from skin injuries. The current therapeutic modalities are constrained by the dense and rigid scar tissue which impedes effective drug delivery. Additionally, insufficient autophagic activity in fibroblasts hinders their apoptosis, leading to excessive matrix deposition. Here, we developed an active microneedle (MN) system to overcome these challenges by integrating micromotor-driven drug delivery with autophagy regulation to remodel the scar microenvironment. Specifically, sodium bicarbonate and citric acid were introduced into the MNs as a built-in engine to generate CO₂ bubbles, thereby enabling enhanced lateral and vertical drug diffusion into dense scar tissue. The system concurrently encapsulated curcumin (Cur), an autophagy activator, and triamcinolone acetonide (TA), synergistically inducing fibroblast apoptosis by upregulating autophagic activity. In vitro studies demonstrated that active MNs achieved efficient drug penetration within isolated scar tissue. The rabbit hypertrophic scar model revealed that TA-Cur MNs significantly reduced the scar elevation index, suppressed collagen I and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression, and elevated LC3 protein levels. These findings highlight the potential of the active MN system as an efficacious platform for autonomous augmented drug delivery and autophagy-targeted therapy in fibrotic disorder treatments.

Objective:To establish and validate reference intervals of serum vitamin K for healthy children in China.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to May 2023, involving 807 healthy children aged 0 to 14 years, selected by stratified random sampling based on the population distribution of children in eastern, central, western, and northeastern China. Sample collection was carried out in 16 hospitals across 12 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Basic information of the children was collected using a standardized self-design questionnaire. Serum levels of vitamin K 1 and vitamin K 2 (menaquinone-4 (MK-4), menaquinone-7 (MK-7)) were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The reference intervals was established by direct approach. The children were divided into different groups by age. Inter-group comparisons were conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test, and the reference intervals ( P2.5- P97.5) were determined using non-parametric methods. Screening 40 healthy children for small sample validation based on age groups within the reference range(25 from eastern, 10 from central, and 5 from western regions). Results:The age of the 807 children was 5.00 (2.00, 9.81) years, and 495 (61.3%) were males and 312 (38.7%) females. Reference intervals were established for 795 children, of whom 303 children were aged 1 month to 3 years and 492 were aged 4 to 14 years. The reference intervals for serum vitamin K 1 were 0.09-4.54 μg/L for children aged 1 month to 3 years, and 0.10-1.73 μg/L for 4-14 years. For MK-7, the intervals were 0.07-1.42 μg/L for 1 month to 3 years and 0.19-2.03 μg/L for 4-14 years. The reference intervals for MK-4 in children aged 1 month to 14 years were 0-0.42 μg/L. The measured values of serum vitamin K 1, MK-4, and MK-7 in the validation samples did not exceed the reference limit in more than 2 samples. Conclusion:Reference intervals for vitamin K 1, MK-4, and MK-7 in healthy children aged 1 month to 14 years have been established and validated, and can be used to assess vitamin K nutritional status in children.

Objective To investigate the status quo of pain catastrophizing(PC)in the patients with di-abetic peripheral neuropathic pain(DPNP),and to analyze the influencing factors to provide reference for for-mulating clinical preventive intervention strategies.Methods A total of 206 patients with DPNP admitted and treated in the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were selected as the research sub-jects by convenience sampling method.The general data questionnaire,Numerical Rating Scale(NRS),Pain Catastrophizing scale(PCS),Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS)and diabetes distress scale(DDS)were used to conduct the investigation.Results The incidence rate of PC in 206 cases of DPNP patients was 44.66％(92/206),and the total score of PCS was(30.10±5.16)points.The results of multiple linear regres-sion analysis showed that the gender,duration of diabetes(≥10 years),multiple drug use,number of compli-cations(＞5),NRS score,PSSS score and scores of DDS dimensions were the main influencing factors of PC(all P＜0.05),which could explain 92.3％of the total variation of PC.Conclusion The PC incidence rate in the patients with DPNP is high.Clinical healthcare workers should pay attention to the evaluation of PC in these patients,and formulate the scientific and effective targeted intervention measures according to the main influen-cing factors to help the patients to reduce the pain burden in order to reduce the level of PC.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment plays a crucial role in the pathological processes of aging-accompanied neurological diseases (AAND). Meanwhile, circadian rhythms disruption and gut microbiota dysbiosis are associated with increased morbidity of neurological diseases in the accelerated aging population. Importantly, circadian rhythms disruption and gut microbiota dysbiosis are also known to induce the generation of toxic metabolites and pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in disruption of BBB integrity. Collectively, this provides a new perspective for exploring the relationship among circadian rhythms, gut microbes, and the BBB in aging-accompanied neurological diseases. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the interplay between circadian rhythm disturbances and gut microbiota dysbiosis, and their potential roles in the BBB disruption that occurs in AAND. Based on existing literature, we discuss and propose potential mechanisms underlying BBB damage induced by dysregulated circadian rhythms and gut microbiota, which would serve as the basis for developing potential interventions to protect the BBB in the aging population through targeting the BBB by exploiting its links with gut microbiota and circadian rhythms for treating AAND.

Objective:To explore the rules of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescriptions of gastroesophageal reflux disease based on Ancient and Modern Medical Records Cloud Platform.Method:The relevant medical cases from ancient medical case database, modern medical case database, shared medical case database and famous doctors' medical case database in Ancient and Modern Medical Records Cloud Platform (V2.3.8) were selected, and frequency analysis, attribute analysis, association analysis, cluster analysis and complex network analysis were performed on the herbs.Results:A total of 107 medical records were obtained, including 225 TCMs. The core medicines were Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Rhizoma Coptidis, Poria, and Fructus Evodiae. The drug property was mainly cold and warm, and the herbal tastes bitter and pungent. The meridian tropism of drugs mainly manifested in the spleen and stomach meridians. The core herbal pairs were Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae and Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae. The core prescription consisted of 17 herbs including Radix Glycyrrhizae, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Rhizoma Coptidis, Fructus Evodiae, Poria, Endoconcha Sepiae, Herba Taraxaci, Fructus Aurantii, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Bupleuri, Jiang Banxia, Rhizoma Cyperi, Radix Aucklandiae, Caulis Bambusae In Taenia, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, Fructus Amomi, and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae. Conclusions:Chinese medicine treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease is mainly based on Chaihu Shugan Powder, Zuojin Pill, and Wendan Decoction. Moreover, we need to combine with clinical symptoms to add or subtract herbs.

Objective:To analyze the intervention effect of rehabilitation platform-based online psycho-education on patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in remission stage.Methods:In this randomized controlled study, 91 patients with BD in remission stage who attended the community health center in Xicheng District, Beijing from July to August 2021 were randomly divided into a test group (46 cases) and a control group (45 cases) according to a 1∶1 ratio using the random number table. Baseline data were collected from both groups, and the control group received conventional medication and community telephone follow-up, while the test group was given online mental health education in the form of a WeChat subscription number on this basis, including BD mental health education course push (twice a week) and disease self-management (daily recording of mood, sleep, medication, exercise and gratitude diary), and the intervention period was 6 months in both groups. During the intervention, one patient in the test group was admitted to hospital due to exacerbation of mental illness and the trial was terminated. A total of 90 cases were included in the study. The scores of Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale (PDD) were assessed at baseline, after 3 months and 6 months of intervention in both groups, respectively. And the differences in baseline data between the two groups were compared using two independent samples t test and χ2 test, and the repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare the differences in MARS, HAMD, YMRS, and PDD scores between the two groups before and after the intervention, and to analyze the intervention effects of network mental health education based on the rehabilitation platform on patients in remission stage of BD. Results:After 6 months of intervention, MARS scores in the test group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(8.47±1.75) vs (7.47±1.85)], and was significantly higher than that at baseline (7.36±2.13) and after 3 months of intervention (8.04±1.68) (all P<0.05). YMRS and PDD scores in the test group were significantly lower than those at baseline after 3 and 6 months of intervention [YMRS, 2.0(1.0,4.0),2.0(0,3.0) vs 3.0(1.0,5.5); PDD, (31.18±4.65), (30.13±4.76) vs (32.51±4.51)] (all P<0.05); the differences in YMRS and PDD scores in the control group were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in HAMD scores between the two groups before and after the intervention (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Combining mental health education based on rehabilitation platform with conventional medication and community management can significantly improve the medication compliance of patients with BD in remission stage, and improve their manic symptoms and reduce the stigma of the disease.