Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） is an important intracellular transcription factor widely involved in the processes such as immune response， inflammatory response， cell proliferation， and apoptosis. The abnormal activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in various liver diseases including chronic hepatitis， liver fibrosis， liver cirrhosis， and hepatocellular carcinoma. Extensive studies have shown that inhibiting NF-κB activity may effectively reduce inflammation and fibrosis and improve metabolic disorders. Several natural compounds， such as matrine and salvianolic acid B， have shown the potential in suppressing NF-κB activity， thereby exerting anti-inflammatory， anti-fibrotic， and anti-tumor effects. This article systematically reviews the critical role of the NF-κB signaling pathway in liver diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target， in order to highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for liver diseases and provide new directions for the treatment of liver diseases.

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is a malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Recent studies have shown that neutrophil extracellular traps （NETs） play an important role in the development， progression， and immune escape of HCC. NETs are released by neutrophils and mainly consist of DNA， histones， and antimicrobial molecules， and in addition to immune defense， they are also involved in the initiation， metastasis， and thrombosis of HCC. This article elaborates on the formation and regulatory mechanisms of NETs， explores their potential mechanisms in the initiation， metastasis， immune escape， and thrombosis of HCC， and discusses the prospect of NETs as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC， in order to provide new ideas for the precise treatment of HCC in the future and promote the early diagnosis and effective treatment of HCC.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and and clinical efficacy of lingual mucosa replacement ureteral stenosis repair and plasty for the treatment of long segment ureteral polyps.Methods:Clinical data of 3 patients (4 sides) with long-segment ureteral polyps admitted to the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from October 2017 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Two cases were male and one case was female. The ages were22, 16, and 45 years old. Preoperative urologic ultrasound, CT urography and ureteroscopy were performed. The lesions were located on the left side in 3 cases and on the right side in 1 case; the stenosis was located in the middle and upper ureter; the length of the ureteral stenosis was 6, 7, 6, and 6 cm, respectively; and the preoperative blood creatinine was 72, 85, and 70 μmol/L, respectively. Three cases underwent ureteral stenosis repair and plasty with tongue mucosal substitution. During the operation, the ureter was fully exposed and longitudinally incised, polyps were removed, and 7.0-10.0 cm long and 1.5-2.0 cm wide lingual mucosa was harvested according to the length of the stenosis, and then the lingual mucosa was transplanted to the muscular layer and the inner surface of the sheath in the stenosed ureter, fixed with 6-0 thread until the muscular layer was rolled into shape and wrapped with a large omentum. All of them left one double-J tube in the ureter on the affected side. Perioperative results and complications were recorded. The patients' blood creatinine and anterior and posterior renal pelvic diameters were compared before and after treatment.Results:In our study, all three 4-sided surgeries were successfully completed without any serious intraoperative or postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo score ≥ grade Ⅲ). Mean surgical. Time was (240.0±49.0) min, intraoperative bleeding was 50 ml, postoperative drain retention time was (6.3±2.5) d, and median postoperative hospitalization time was 6.5(3, 9)d. The double J-tube was removed at 3 months postoperatively, and renal function and imaging tests were reviewed. Because the postoperative follow-up results of patient 1 were missing, the mean value of blood creatinine in the other 2 patients was 73.0 μmol/L at 3 months postoperatively, which was significantly improved compared with the preoperative value of 58.2 μmol/L, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). And the average value of anterior and posterior renal pelvic separation diameters of the other 2 patients after surgery was <5 mm, which was significantly improved compared with the preoperative value of 17.9 mm, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05).There was no restenosis in all 2 patients after surgery, and the intravenous urography showed that the ureter was patent after the surgery, and the degree of urinary obstruction did not aggravate. The group was followed up for 3 to 8 months (mean 4.7 months), and no recent complications have occurred so far. Conclusions:Lingual mucosa replacement ureteral stenosis repair and plasty for the treatment of ureteral polyps in the long segment has a high success rate and precise efficacy, and its operation is feasible.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and and clinical efficacy of lingual mucosa replacement ureteral stenosis repair and plasty for the treatment of long segment ureteral polyps.Methods:Clinical data of 3 patients (4 sides) with long-segment ureteral polyps admitted to the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from October 2017 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Two cases were male and one case was female. The ages were22, 16, and 45 years old. Preoperative urologic ultrasound, CT urography and ureteroscopy were performed. The lesions were located on the left side in 3 cases and on the right side in 1 case; the stenosis was located in the middle and upper ureter; the length of the ureteral stenosis was 6, 7, 6, and 6 cm, respectively; and the preoperative blood creatinine was 72, 85, and 70 μmol/L, respectively. Three cases underwent ureteral stenosis repair and plasty with tongue mucosal substitution. During the operation, the ureter was fully exposed and longitudinally incised, polyps were removed, and 7.0-10.0 cm long and 1.5-2.0 cm wide lingual mucosa was harvested according to the length of the stenosis, and then the lingual mucosa was transplanted to the muscular layer and the inner surface of the sheath in the stenosed ureter, fixed with 6-0 thread until the muscular layer was rolled into shape and wrapped with a large omentum. All of them left one double-J tube in the ureter on the affected side. Perioperative results and complications were recorded. The patients' blood creatinine and anterior and posterior renal pelvic diameters were compared before and after treatment.Results:In our study, all three 4-sided surgeries were successfully completed without any serious intraoperative or postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo score ≥ grade Ⅲ). Mean surgical. Time was (240.0±49.0) min, intraoperative bleeding was 50 ml, postoperative drain retention time was (6.3±2.5) d, and median postoperative hospitalization time was 6.5(3, 9)d. The double J-tube was removed at 3 months postoperatively, and renal function and imaging tests were reviewed. Because the postoperative follow-up results of patient 1 were missing, the mean value of blood creatinine in the other 2 patients was 73.0 μmol/L at 3 months postoperatively, which was significantly improved compared with the preoperative value of 58.2 μmol/L, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). And the average value of anterior and posterior renal pelvic separation diameters of the other 2 patients after surgery was <5 mm, which was significantly improved compared with the preoperative value of 17.9 mm, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05).There was no restenosis in all 2 patients after surgery, and the intravenous urography showed that the ureter was patent after the surgery, and the degree of urinary obstruction did not aggravate. The group was followed up for 3 to 8 months (mean 4.7 months), and no recent complications have occurred so far. Conclusions:Lingual mucosa replacement ureteral stenosis repair and plasty for the treatment of ureteral polyps in the long segment has a high success rate and precise efficacy, and its operation is feasible.

Insomnia disorder is a common disease in acupuncture clinics.There is a tendency for the theory to solidify and lag behind the clinic.In this paper,we examined insomnia disorder from the perspective of acupuncture and moxibustion theory.Based on the general law of acupuncture and moxibustion to recognize the disease,we concerned that the basic understanding of the disease has commonality between ancient and modern medical practitioners,and the theory can be deconstructed as follows:the theory of"yin and yang"is the starting point and the root of the theory,the theory of"spirit regulars the sleep"is the directly related theory,the theory of internal organs is the basis of the disease mechanism,the theory of meridians and acupoints is the key to diagnosis and treatment,and the theory of acupuncture and moxibustion is the key to treatment.The improvement and development of the theory of acupuncture for insomnia disorder can be carried out on this basis.

Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on interleukin(IL)-9/IL-9 receptor(IL-9R)in the colon tissue of rats with ulcerative colitis(UC)and investigate the protective mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion on the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC rats. Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal control(NC)group and a modeling group.UC models were prepared by giving 4%dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)water for 7 d.After the successful construction of the UC rat model,the modeling group was randomly divided into a UC group,a herb-insulated moxibustion(HM)group,and an electroacupuncture(EA)group.HM and EA interventions at bilateral Tianshu(ST25)were performed once a day for 7 d.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the colon.The serum concentrations of IL-9,IL-6,IL-1β,and hemoglobin-H(HbH)were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The protein expression levels of IL-9,IL-9R,claudin-2,zonula occludens-1(ZO-1),and occludin in the colon tissue were measured by Western blotting or immuno-histochemistry.Immunofluorescence was used to detect the co-expression of PU.1 and CD4 with the IL-9 protein. Results:Compared with the NC group,the colon tissue of UC rats was severely damaged and ulcerated with congestion and edema,and the colonic histopathological score increased significantly(P<0.01).The serum HbH concentration decreased significantly(P<0.01),while the serum concentrations of IL-9,IL-6,and IL-1β increased(P<0.01).The protein expression of colonic ZO-1 and occludin decreased significantly(P<0.01),while the protein expression of colonic IL-9 and IL-9R increased(P<0.05).The positive co-expression levels of IL-9/PU.1 and IL-9/CD4 increased in the colon tissue(P<0.05).Compared with the UC group,the colonic mucosal structures were gradually repaired in both HM group and EA group,and healed ulcers could be observed,the colonic histopathological score decreased significantly(P<0.05).The serum concentration of HbH increased(P<0.01),while the serum concentrations of IL-9,IL-6,and IL-1β decreased(P<0.05).The protein expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin increased(P<0.05),while the protein expression levels of IL-9 and IL-9R decreased(P<0.01).The positive co-expression levels of IL-9/PU.1 and IL-9/CD4 decreased in the colon tissue(P<0.05). Conclusion:Both HM and EA can inhibit the protein expression levels of IL-9 and IL-9R in the UC colon by regulating the transcription factor PU.1,promote the repair of intestinal mucosal barrier,and down-regulate protein contents of proinflammatory factors IL-9,IL-6,and IL-1β in the serum,which may be one of the key mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion in reducing the inflammation of UC colonic mucosa and protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier.

Objective:To investigate the effects of 3 adhesives on the bond force and durability of polished and glazed zirconia ceram-ics to orthodontic metal brackets respectively.Methods:Universal adhesives,Single Bond Universal(SBU)and Prime&Bond Universal(PBU)were respectively used to bond polished and glazed zirconia to metal braces of maxillary central incisors using TransbondTM MIP(TM)as the control.The shear bond strength(SBS),the fracture morphology and adhesive residual index(ARI)were examed after wa-ter bath or water bath-thermal cycling storage.Results:The adhesive(P＜0.001)and storage conditions(P＜0.001)significantly af-fected the shear bond strength of zirconia to brackets.There was no significant difference between the polished or glazed groups(P=0.09).SBU showed the stronger SBS and lower ABI,there were significant differences in ARI scores among the 3 cements(P＜0.001).Conclusion:SBU may have better bonding performance than PBU and TM in the orthodontic bonding of polished or glazed zir-conia surfaces to the zirconia ceramics.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of herb-partitioned moxibustion in relieving rat intestinal inflammation by focusing on the neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs)in Crohn disease(CD)development. Methods:Rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group,a herb-partitioned moxibustion group,and a mesalazine group.The CD rat model was prepared with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid except for rats in the normal group.Rats in the normal group and model group did not receive any treatment but had the same fixation as the other groups.Rats in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group received herb-partitioned moxibustion at Qihai(CV6)and bilateral Tianshu(ST25).Rats in the mesalazine group received intragastric administration of mesalazine enteric-coated tablets.The general situation of rats in each group was recorded,and the histopathological changes in the colon were observed and scored by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The serum concentrations of NETs DNA(NETs-DNA),neutrophil elastase(NE)-DNA,and myeloperoxidase(MPO)-DNA were detected by ABC enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the citrullinated histone 3(citH3),MPO,and NE protein and mRNA expression levels in rat colon tissue were observed by immunofluorescence and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results:Compared with the normal group,the mucosal ulcer reached the muscularis,the epithelium was incomplete,the goblet cells decreased obviously with significant inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon;the colonic mucosa damage index(CMDI)score increased significantly(P<0.01);the serum NETs-DNA,NE-DNA,and MPO-DNA concentrations increased(P<0.05);the NE,citH3,and MPO protein and mRNA expression in the colonic tissue increased significantly in the model group(P<0.01 or P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the mucosal epithelium in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the mesalazine group was repaired and the goblet cells increased with a few infiltrating inflammatory cells in the colon;the CMDI score decreased(P<0.01);the serum NETs-DNA,NE-DNA,and MPO-DNA concentrations decreased(P<0.05);the NE,citH3,and MPO protein and mRNA expression in the colonic tissue was down-regulated(P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion:Herb-partitioned moxibustion reduced the serum NETs complex and inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of NETs complex in the colon tissue,which may be one mechanism of herb-partitioned moxibustion in relieving colon mucosal inflammation in CD.