1.Research progress on oral microecological imbalance and intervention strategies after radiotherapy for head and neck tumors
LIU Xue ; LI Yufei ; YANG Xinyao ; LI Hao ; ZHANG Ailin ; CUI Lei ; HUANG Zhengwei ; HOU Lili
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(4):385-394
Radiotherapy is a crucial treatment modality for head and neck tumors. However, while effectively killing tumor cells, it significantly disrupts the homeostasis of the oral microecology, which is closely associated with various complications such as radiation-induced oral mucositis. Literature review indicates that as radiotherapy doses accumulate and treatment durations extend, the richness and diversity of the oral microbiota show a declining trend, with the genus Streptococcus decreasing most markedly. In contrast, radiotherapy selectively promotes the proliferation of bacterial phyla such as Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, which are rich in opportunistic pathogens. Mechanistically, radiotherapy activates the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway, triggering chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, damaging the epithelial barrier, suppressing local immunity, and causing damage to organs such as the salivary glands. It can also induce systemic diseases via the oral-gut axis, forming a multi-level, interconnected pathogenic network. In terms of interventions, treatment strategies including probiotics and prebiotics have shown promising efficacy against side effects such as radiation-induced oral mucositis. Saliva-based oral microbiota transplantation is an emerging strategy that is expected to become widely utilized for restoring oral microecological balance. Existing interventions provide preliminary pathways for clinical practice, but this field still faces several key scientific questions. The association between oral microecology and systemic diseases remains largely correlative, lacking causal evidence. Furthermore, critical parameters for oral microbiota transplantation, such as donor screening criteria, transplantation protocols, and long-term safety, are not yet well-defined. Therefore, future research should focus on conducting large-scale clinical trials to establish standardized protocols and safety evaluation systems for oral microecological interventions, and explore combined treatment therapies such as probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiota transplantation to advance the development of personalized precision modulation. These will enable more effective management of radiotherapy-induced oral microecological dysbiosis and improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with head and neck tumors.
2.Current Status,Challenges,and Strategies of Basic Research on the Brain-Gut Interaction Theory for Spleen and Stomach Diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Ting CHEN ; Jinxia ZHU ; Xiaohua HOU ; Xiaoli ZHANG ; Lifei ZHENG ; Lei ZHANG ; Xinxin WANG ; Xuan LI ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(5):517-522
The brain-gut interaction theory is a multidimensional integrative concept based on the brain-gut axis, involving neural, endocrine, and immune regulatory networks as well as the gut microbiota. Zang-fu organs (脏腑) theory in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shows a high degree of consistency with the brain-gut interaction theory, and the core functions such as the spleen and stomach governing the ascending of the clear and descending of the turbid, the liver governing the free flow of qi, and the heart governing mental and emotional activities are closely associated with the multi-level regulatory mechanisms of the brain-gut axis. TCM therapy can modulate brain-gut interactions through multiple pathways in the treatment of spleen and stomach diseases, including the regulation of gastrointestinal hormone secretion, neurotransmitter levels, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, immune homeostasis and inflammatory responses, as well as the gut microecology. However, current basic research on the brain-gut interaction theory in TCM for spleen and stomach diseases still faces several challenges, such as difficulties in integrating TCM spleen-stomach theory with modern pathophysiology, lack of innovation in research concepts, and limitations in research methodologies. It is therefore proposed that multidisciplinary collaboration, multi-omics technologies, and targeted research approaches should be adopted to provide more comprehensive methods for basic research on TCM spleen and stomach diseases, thereby promoting the in-depth development of brain-gut interaction theory.
3.Expert consensus on precise intervention with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for sleep disorders in the elderly
Yuan SHAO ; Jian WANG ; Wei LIANG ; Yingli ZHANG ; Gangqiang HOU ; Xia LI ; Yi XING ; Lu WANG ; Shi TANG ; Yongjun WANG
Sichuan Mental Health 2026;39(2):97-105
In recent years, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has garnered significant attention as a therapeutic approach for sleep disorders in the elderly. However, the prevailing rTMS protocols are predominantly developed based on normative neurophysiological data derived from young adults and fail to incorporate individualized parameters tailored to the brain characteristics of the elderly. To address this gap, the consensus development group synthesized the latest evidence from 2010 to 2025 and established a standardized rTMS protocol specifically for elderly patients with sleep disorders. Adhering to the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) framework, systematically screened randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews regarding rTMS in the treatment of sleep disorders across various conditions. Meanwhile, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was employed to rigorously grade the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations. This consensus guideline delineates precise rTMS protocols for the management of sleep disorders in the elderly, highlights the adjustment of stimulation intensity according to scalp-cortex distance recommends either MRI‑guided neuronavigation or the Beam F3/F4 heuristic approach for accurate target localization, thereby providing precise rTMS intervention protocol for sleep disorders in the elderly, aiming to enhance clinical efficacy while ensuring treatment safety. [Funded by National Key Research and Development Program (number, 2023YFC3603200); General Program of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (number, JCYJ20240813112859008, JCYJ20240813112900002); Youth Program of Shenzhen Kangning Hospital (number, KN2023A004); www.guidelines-registry.cn number, PREPARE-2026CN530]
4.Nomogram based on multimodal MRI radiomics for discriminating molecular subtypes of HER-2-negative breast cancer
Qun WANG ; Hongli PAN ; Xiaohu LI ; Yongqiang YU ; Yunwen YAN ; Weishu HOU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):715-723
ObjectiveTo explore the value of a multimodal MRI-based radiomics nomogram for differentiating human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) negative breast cancer molecular subtypes.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 190 patients with HER-2 negative breast cancer who underwent multimodal MRI examination, and the patients were divided into two molecular subtype groups: a HER-2 low expression group (n=108) and a HER-2 zero expression group (n=82). The cases were randomly stratified and sampled at a ratio of 7∶3 and divided into a training set of 133 cases and a testing set of 57 cases. The clinical and radiological features of the patients were collected, the radiomics features based on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI were extracted, and the clinical-radiological model, unimodal radiomics model, multimodal radiomics model, and combined model were constructed respectively. Then the nomogram combined multimodal radiomics signature (radsocre) with clinical-radiological features was used to construct a visualized predictive model, and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to compare the effectiveness of different models in distinguishing HER-2 low expression and zero expression subtypes.ResultsA significant difference in radscore was demonstrated between the HER-2 low and HER-2 zero expression groups in both the training (P<0.000 1) and testing sets (P<0.01). The AUC of the multimodal radiomics model in the training set and the testing set were 0.914 and 0.836, respectively, which was superior to any unimodal radiomics model. The nomogram demonstrated great diagnostic efficacy (AUC=0.930 in training set; AUC=0.865 in testing set).ConclusionA multimodal MRI-based nomogram incorporating radsocre and clinical-radiological features can accurately distinguish the subtypes of HER-2 negative breast cancer.
5.The application value of deep learning image reconstruction algorithm in ultra-low dose abdominal CT scanning
Xing TANG ; Yuncheng LI ; Hongmin SHU ; Weishu HOU ; Jun WANG ; Xiaohu LI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):758-762
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of various strength levels of deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithms for improving non-contrast abdominal CT image quality at ultra-low radiation doses, by comparing ultra-low-dose DLIR images with low-dose filtered back projection (FBP) images. MethodsA prospective collection of 85 patients undergoing non-contrast abdominal CT scans was performed, and a self-controlled study method was employed to conduct low-dose (LD) group and ultra-low-dose (ULD) group scans. The LD group used a noise index of 10 and employed FBP for image reconstruction (LD-FBP group). The ULD group used a noise index of 30 and employed DLIR at different levels (low, medium, high), resulting in three subgroups of reconstructed images: ULD-DLIR-L, ULD-DLIR-M, and ULD-DLIR-H. For each group, CT values, standard devia-tion (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were measured and calculated for the liver, spleen, kidneys, aorta, psoas major, and subcutaneous fat. Effective dose (ED) was also recorded. Two radiologists independently performed subjective evaluations of image quality using a 5-point scale. ResultsCompared with the LD-FBP group, the ULD-DLIR-L group showed significantly lower SNR and CNR values in the liver, spleen, kidneys, aorta, and psoas major (P<0.001), while the ULD-DLIR-H group exhibited significantly higher values (P<0.001). The difference of SNR and CNR values for the ULD-DLIR-M group showed no statistically significant difference. For subjective evaluation, the scores of the ULD-DLIR-L and ULD-DLIR-M groups were lower than those of the LD-FBP group, while there was no statistically significant difference in scores between the ULD-DLIR-H group and the LD-FBP group. The ED value of the ULD group was approximately 88% lower than that of the LD group. ConclusionCompared with the LD-FBP group, the ULD-DLIR-H group significantly reduces SD values while increasing SNR and CNR values, effectively improving the image quality of non-contrast abdominal CT scans.
6.Three-dimensional displacement and risk factors of midshaft clavicle fractures treated with titanium elastic intramedullary nailing
Junwei ZHANG ; Lingling CHEN ; Zhenyuan MA ; Weizhi NIE ; Chaohui LI ; Haitao WANG ; Laibao DUAN ; Jinyong HOU ; Hongzheng BI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(2):269-277
BACKGROUND:Titanium elastic intramedullary nailing for the treatment of significantly displaced midshaft clavicle fractures has the characteristics of minimally invasive and elastic fixation.The displacement of the fracture is closely related to the later function.However,there are few studies on the three-dimensional displacement analysis of the fracture ends before surgery and after intramedullary fixation such as titanium elastic intramedullary nailing.OBJECTIVE:To explore the three-dimensional displacement of fracture ends after midshaft clavicle fracture and fixation with titanium elastic intramedullary nails,and to analyze the risk factors.METHODS:A total of 91 patients with midshaft clavicle fracture(fracture end shortening ≥15 mm)admitted to Wendeng Orthopedic Hospital of Shandong Province from April 2019 to April 2024 were selected,including 57 males and 34 females,aged(51.73±10.21)years old.All patients received closed reduction and internal fixation with titanium elastic intramedullary nail.CT scans of the affected clavicle were performed before and on the first day after surgery.The CT data were imported into Mimics software for modeling.The length of the clavicle,lateral displacement of the fracture end,and rotation of the distal end of the fracture along the X,Y,and Z axes were measured and recorded before and after surgery.Pearson correlation coefficient was used for correlation analysis of various parameters,and generalized linear regression was used to evaluate risk factors.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Preoperatively,the variable that increased the risk of lateral displacement was the number of comminuted bone fragments,the variable that increased the risk of shortening displacement was male patients,and the variable that increased the risk of Z-axis rotation was the left limb.Shortening displacement was significantly positively correlated with lateral displacement(r=0.715,P<0.001);shortening displacement was significantly positively correlated with X-axis rotation displacement and Y-axis rotation displacement(r=0.265,P=0.028;r=0.303,P=0.011);lateral displacement was significantly positively correlated with Y-axis rotation and Z-axis rotation(r=0.258,P=0.032;r=0.250,P=0.038);X-axis rotation was significantly positively correlated with Y-axis rotation(r=0.382,P=0.001),and Z-axis rotation was significantly positively correlated with Y-axis rotation(r=0.280,P=0.020).(2)Postoperatively:The number of scapula fractures and comminuted bone fragments were variables that increased the risk of postoperative shortening and lateral displacement:Preoperative X-,Y-,and Z-axis rotation displacements were risk variables that increased postoperative X-,Y-,and Z-axis rotation displacements,respectively.Postoperative lateral displacement was significantly positively correlated with postoperative shortening and displacement(r=0.584,P=0.000),and postoperative lateral displacement was also significantly positively correlated with postoperative Y axis rotation and Z axis rotation(r=0.360,P=0.002;r=0.250,P=0.038).Postoperative Y axis rotation was significantly positively correlated with postoperative Z axis rotation(r=0.248,P=0.040).(3)The results showed that the three-dimensional displacement of the clavicle end before and after surgery was affected by many factors,especially the number of comminuted bone fragments,scapula fractures,gender,and original rotation displacement.At the same time,there were complex correlations between various displacements,especially the correlation between shortening displacement and lateral displacement was the strongest.
7.Main physiological changes in skeletal muscle aging and the multimechanism regulatory role of exercise
Chaowen HOU ; Zhaojin LI ; Jianda KONG ; Shuli ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1464-1475
BACKGROUND:Skeletal muscle aging is associated with various chronic diseases.Exercise is considered an important means to delay this process,but the multimechanism regulation of exercise intervention strategies still requires in-depth exploration.OBJECTIVE:To systematically outline the main physiological changes in skeletal muscle aging and explore the multiple mechanisms by which exercise regulates these changes,thereby providing a theoretical basis for basic research and clinical applications.METHODS:By searching databases such as Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,CNKI,WanFang,and VIP,relevant literature from database inception to October 2024 was retrieved by the first author,including original research articles and reviews.The search terms were"skeletal muscle aging,sarcopenia,exercise regulation,physical activity,chronic inflammation,inflammaging,mitochondrial dysfunction,extracellular matrix fibrosis,lipid mediators,satellite cells"in English and Chinese.Literature was screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria,and the included 95 articles underwent quality assessment and data extraction.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The core manifestations of skeletal muscle aging are the decline in muscle mass,strength,and function,closely related to various physiological changes.The decreased protein synthesis capacity and accelerated degradation rate in muscles lead to muscle atrophy and functional decline.Additionally,dysfunction of satellite cells is considered a key factor in the reduced regenerative capacity of muscles.Mitochondrial dysfunction is another important factor leading to muscle fatigue and energy metabolism disorders,directly affecting the metabolic activity and endurance of skeletal muscles.Chronic inflammatory responses and extracellular matrix fibrosis further exacerbate muscle aging.These factors interact synergistically,collectively resulting in skeletal muscle degeneration.(2)Exercise is widely recognized as an important means to delay skeletal muscle aging.Exercise alleviates chronic low-grade inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle by regulating the immune system,increasing the secretion of anti-inflammatory factors,and inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory factors,thereby mitigating the damage of inflammation to muscles.Exercise also enhances mitochondrial biogenesis and function,improves the muscle's energy metabolism capacity,and consequently increases endurance and strength.Furthermore,exercise regulates lipid metabolism and the synthesis of lipid mediators,reduces fat accumulation and alleviates fat-induced inflammatory responses,thereby further protecting skeletal muscles.The mechanical stimulation from exercise promotes the remodeling of the extracellular matrix,reduces fibrosis occurrence,and improves muscle structure and function.Additionally,exercise activates satellite cells,enhancing the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscles,especially notable with strength training and high-intensity interval training.(3)Future research should include large-scale,multicenter clinical trials to evaluate the comprehensive effects of long-term exercise interventions on skeletal muscle aging.By analyzing data from genomics,metabolomics,and other fields,exploring individual differences in responses to exercise interventions can provide more precise theoretical bases for personalized exercise strategies.Besides exercise,the impacts of other interventions such as nutritional supplementation and pharmacological treatments on skeletal muscle aging should not be overlooked.Future studies can explore the combined use of exercise with these interventions to achieve more significant effects.
8.Effect and mechanism by which Pterocarya hupehensis skan total flavonoids regulates the proliferation,migration and apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes
Zhuoma BAO ; Ziming HOU ; Lu JIANG ; Weiyi LI ; Zongxing ZHANG ; Daozhong LIU ; Lin YUAN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(4):816-823
BACKGROUND:Studies have confirmed that Pterocarya hupehensis skan total flavonoids(PHSTF)can improve the level of collagen-induced arthritis in rats,but there is still a lack of research on the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in fibroblast-like synoviocytes and its effect on related cell functions.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of PHSTF on lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation,migration and apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes based on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathwayMETHODS:Fibroblast-like synoviocytes were divided into control group,lipopolysaccharide group,lipopolysaccharide+low-,medium-,and high-dose PHSTF groups(10,20,and 40 μg/mL),lipopolysaccharide+Wnt pathway inhibitor DKK1 group,and lipopolysaccharide+Wnt pathway inhibitor DKK1+high-dose PHSTF group(40 μg/mL).The cell counting kit-8 method was used to detect the effect of PHSTF on the viability of fibroblast-like synoviocytes,and the final drug concentration and time were screened.Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes.Cell scratch assay,EDU staining and cell cloning assay were used to detect the migration and proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes.Western blot assay was used to detect the protein expression levels of Wnt3a,β-catenin,tumorigenic genes,matrix metalloproteinase 2,matrix metalloproteinase 9,Bax and Bcl-2 in fibroblast-like synoviocytes.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the control group,the cell viability decreased significantly when the concentration of PHSTF was>40 μg/mL(P<0.01).Therefore,the drug concentration of≤40 μg/mL was selected for subsequent experiments.(2)Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the wound healing rate,cell clone formation rate and the number of EDU-positive cells in the low-,medium-and high-dose PHSTF groups were significantly reduced,while the apoptosis rate was significantly increased(P<0.05-0.01).(3)Western blot results showed that compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,low-,medium-and high-dose PHSTF significantly inhibited cellular Wnt3a,β-catenin,cellular tumorigenic genes,matrix metalloproteinase 2,matrix metalloproteinase 9,and Bcl-2 protein expression,and promoted the expression of Bax protein(P<0.01).(4)Compared with the DKK1 group,the combination of DKK1 and high-dose PHSTF significantly inhibited the protein expression of Wnt3a,β-catenin,matrix metalloproteinase 2,matrix metalloproteinase 9 and Bcl-2 protein expression and promoted the protein expression of Bax(P<0.01).To conclude,PHSTF may inhibit the proliferation and migration of fibroblast-like synoviocytes and promote apoptosis by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
9.Level and related factors of latent tuberculosis infection in junior and senior high school freshmen in Lanzhou from 2023 to 2024
FANG Qian, ZHANG Li, QIAO Xiaowei, WANG Yuhong, JIA Juanli, HOU Yan
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(2):287-290
Objective:
To investigate the current status of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among freshmen in junior and senior high schools in Lanzhou, so as to provide scientific basis for improving the tuberculosis prevention and control strategy in schools.
Methods:
The screening results of 74 516 freshmen in senior and boarding junior high schools in Lanzhou during 2023 and 2024 were collected. The Chi square test and multivariate Logistic regression model were applied to analyze LTBI level, strongly positive risk for tuberculin skin test (TST) and related factors of the freshmen.
Results:
During 2023 and 2024, the screening rate of tuberculosis among freshmen in senior and boarding junior high schools in Lanzhou was 93.45%, of which the positive rate for TST was 5.71%, the infection rate for LTBI was 3.80%, and the strongly positive rate for TST was 1.24%. There were statistically significant differences in the screening rate of tuberculosis among freshmen in different years, grades, regions, school types and districts ( χ 2=5.34, 2 463.88, 3 516.13, 132.34, 4 436.56, all P <0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that senior high schools ( OR =1.62, 2.18) and urban areas ( OR =2.08, 3.07 ) were all related factors for LTBI and strong positivity for TST among freshmen; schools located in Xigu District, Honggu District, Yongdeng County, Yuzhong County, and Lanzhou New Area ( OR =3.57, 5.67, 9.12, 3.70, 3.64) were related factors of strong positivity for TST among freshmen (all P <0.05).
Conclusions
The LTBI level among freshmen in senior and boarding junior high schools in Lanzhou is relatively low. Grades and regions are related factors for LTBI and strong positivity for TST.
10.Key Issues and Research Ideas of Traditional Chinese Medicine Anti-aging Guided by Essence-Qi-spirit Theory of Qiluo Doctrine
Peipei JIN ; Liping CHANG ; Cong WEI ; Mengnan LI ; Hui QI ; Hongrong LI ; Yunlong HOU ; Zhenhua JIA
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(9):240-246
Aging has emerged as a cutting edge and hotspot in global life science field, with anti-aging and geriatric disease prevention and treatment becoming critical issues urgently demanding solutions in international medical communities. In the face of the challenge of accelerating global population aging, in-depth exploration of aging mechanisms and the development of effective intervention strategies hold significant scientific and clinical value. This study supported by the national key research and development program of China, employed the essence-Qi-spirit theory of Qiluo doctrine as its guiding framework, focusing on the key scientific issue of the core traditional Chinese pathogenesis of aging, namely "depletion of kidney essence, deficiency of primordial Qi, and impairment of body and spirit". The treatment principle of "tonifying the kidney to replenish essence, harmonizing Yin and Yang, warming and invigorating primordial Qi, and nourishing the body and spirit" was established. Centered on holistic aging, systemic aging, and aging-related diseases, the research integrated multidisciplinary research approaches to construct multi-modal aging models and a multi-dimensional evaluation system, and it utilized multi-omics technologies to deeply analyze aging mechanisms. By systematically reviewing historical kidney-tonifying and anti-aging formulas and combining big data with artificial intelligence technologies, an information database of anti-aging traditional Chinese medicine substance was developed to reveal the differences and synergistic effects of various treatment methods and formulas on anti-aging. Based on this treatment method, the research integrated two millennia of kidney-tonifying medicinal experience to develop the innovative anti-aging traditional Chinese medicine, namely Bazhi Bushen capsules. It was validated that this capsule can delay holistic and systemic aging through multiple targets and mechanisms, thereby elucidating the scientific connotation of the essence-Qi-spirit theory of Qiluo doctrine in guiding anti-aging research from multiple dimensions and providing robust support for leveraging the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine to occupy the commanding heights of international anti-aging research.


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