ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the action mechanism by which Banxia Xiexintang （BXT） inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） in chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） rats by regulating the interleukin-17（IL-17）/extracellular regulated protein kinases（ERK）/CCAAT enhancer binding protein β（C/EBPβ）signaling pathway， thereby providing new theoretical evidence for the treatment of CAG with classic traditional Chinese medicine formulas. MethodsA CAG rat model was established by using the combined factor method. After successful modeling， the rats were randomly divided into the model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （0.549， 1.098， 2.196 g·kg^-1， respectively） of BXT， and the positive drug group （vitacoenzyme， 0.3 g·kg^-1）. A normal control group was also set up. After 8 weeks of intervention， the pathological changes of gastric tissue were evaluated. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the contents of IL-17， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2）， and C/EBPβ in serum， as well as the contents of EMT markers in gastric mucosal tissue including E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and vimentin. The immunohistochemistry method was employed to determine the localization and protein expression levels of IL-17， p-ERK， and C/EBPβ in gastric mucosal tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of C/EBPβ， ERK， and its phosphorylated form （p）-ERK in gastric mucosa. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was applied to measure the mRNA expression levels of ERK， COX-2， and C/EBPβ in gastric mucosa. ResultsCompared with those in the normal control group， the rats in the model group showed gastric mucosal glandular atrophy and inflammatory cell infiltration. The protein and their related mRNA expressions of C/EBPβ， ERK， and p-ERK in gastric mucosa were significantly increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The levels of IL-17， TNF-α， COX-2， and C/EBPβ in serum were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The contents of N-cadherin and vimentin in gastric mucosal tissue were significantly increased， while the content of E-cadherin was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， after intervention with different doses of BXT， the pathological damage of the gastric mucosa was improved to varying degrees. The protein and mRNA expressions of C/EBPβ， ERK， and p-ERK in gastric mucosa were significantly reduced （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The levels of IL-17， TNF-α， COX-2， and C/EBP β in serum were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The contents of N-cadherin and vimentin in gastric mucosa tissue were decreased， while the content of E-cadherin was increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionBXT can effectively improve the pathological damage of gastric mucosal tissue in CAG rats. Its action mechanism may be related to reducing the levels of IL-17 and TNF-α in serum， regulating the IL-17/ERK/C/EBPβ signaling pathway and inhibiting the EMT process.

As a conventional surgical procedure for repairing skull defect areas using autologous or artificial materials, postoperative complications of cranioplasty remain a clinical challenge that needs to be addressed. Implant exposure is a common and severe complication not only may lead to surgical failure but also exhibits significant individual variations in clinical manifestations. Treatment method must be selected based on specific conditions, and the issue of whether to retain or remove the repair material still remains a subject of academic controversy. This article mainly summarized the characteristics, causes, retention of exposed repair materials and treatment method reported in recent years, aiming to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To explore and construct the clinical questions and outcome indicators of the Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome;To provide a basis for the subsequent preparation of this guide to form recommendations.Methods First,by searching the databases of seven major Chinese and English journals,including CNKI,the preliminary list of clinical problems and outcome indicators in the Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome were sorted out,and then the clinical questions and outcome indicators that formed the recommendations of the guide were finally determined based on the modified Delphi method in the form of three rounds of online.The first two rounds were conducted in the form of online questionnaires filled out by experts,and the importance ratings of clinical issues and outcome indicators were imported into the SPSS 27.0 software for statistical analysis.The first and second rounds of clinical questions and outcome indicators were rated as the average score≥4,full score frequency≥30%,and the coefficient of variation≤25%,respectively;the inclusion criteria for entering the second round of evaluation were an average score of≥7 and an average score of≤25%.The third round would be further discussed and voted on by experts in an online consensus meeting,with a voting rate of≥80%as the standard to determine the final items to be included in the guidelines.Results A total of 109 questionnaires were distributed nationwide in the first round of inquiry,and 107 were collected;a total of 20 questionnaires were distributed for the second round of expert research,and 20 were collected.The positive coefficients of the first and second rounds of experts were 98.17%and 100%;the Cronbach coefficients of clinical questions were 0.937 and 0.943,respectively;the Cronbach coefficients of the outcome indicators were 0.970 and 0.940,respectively.In the third round,a total of 22 experts participated in the meeting and all voted,resulting in a positive coefficient of 100%and an authority coefficient of 0.88.13 clinical questions and 17 outcome indicators were finally included in Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Conclusion According to the results of the above three rounds of modified Delphi method,it indicates that the questionnaire survey in the process of formulating the guidelines is highly reliable,which can provide a reliable basis for the writing of this guide,and to provide a reference for the development of acupuncture guidelines in related fields.

ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence rate of sarcopenia in patients with Wilson’s disease （WD）-related liver cirrhosis， as well as the risk factors for sarcopenia and their impact on clinical outcomes. MethodsA total of 140 patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis who were treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2020， and according to the third lumbar skeletal muscle mass index （L3 SMI）， the patients were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group. Nutritional risk screening， anthropometric measurements， and blood biochemical tests were performed for the patients to identify the influencing factors for sarcopenia. The patients were followed up for 36 — 48 months， and survival status and complications were compared between the two groups. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test were used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A binary Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for sarcopenia， and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for the prognosis of patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted， and the Log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. ResultsAmong the 140 patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis， 53 （37.9%） developed sarcopenia， with significantly lower body mass index （BMI） and L3 SMI than the patients without sarcopenia （t=10.550 and 3.982， both P<0.001）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age （odds ratio ［OR］=2.243， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.196 — 4.208， P=0.012）， sex （OR=0.450， 95%CI： 0.232 — 0.872， P=0.018）， BMI （OR=0.126， 95%CI： 0.089 — 0.294， P<0.001）， and hepatic encephalopathy （OR=8.367， 95%CI： 2.423 — 28.897， P<0.001） were the main influencing factors for sarcopenia in patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis. Compared with the non-sarcopenia group， the sarcopenia group had significantly higher mortality rate （χ²=6.158， P=0.019） and significantly higher incidence rates of infection （χ²=8.008， P=0.040）， recurrent abdominal/pleural efflux （χ²=17.742， P<0.001）， and hepatic encephalopathy （χ²=4.338， P=0.039）. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that sarcopenia （hazard ratio ［HR］=4.685， P=0.002） and hepatic encephalopathy （HR=19.156， P<0.001） were independent risk factors for death in patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed a significant reduction in survival rate in the patients with sarcopenia （P=0.003）. ConclusionSarcopenia is one of the manifestations of malnutrition in patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis， which increases the risk of mortality and other complications and has an adverse effect on prognosis. There is an increased risk of sarcopenia in male patients or patients with hepatic encephalopathy， a lower level of BMI or an older age.

Lumbar disc (LD) herniation and aging are prevalent conditions that can result in substantial morbidity. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms connecting the LD aging and herniation, particularly focusing on cellular senescence and molecular alterations in the nucleus pulposus (NP). We performed a detailed analysis of NP samples from a diverse cohort, including individuals of varying ages and those with diagnosed LD herniation. Our methodology combined histological assessments with single-nucleus RNA sequencing to identify phenotypic and molecular changes related to NP aging and herniation. We discovered that cellular senescence and a decrease in nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs) are central to both processes. Additionally, we found an age-related increase in NFAT1 expression that promotes NPPC senescence and contributes to both aging and herniation of LD. This research offers fresh insights into LD aging and its associated pathologies, potentially guiding the development of new therapeutic strategies to target the root causes of LD herniation and aging.
Intervertebral Disc Displacement/metabolism* ; Humans ; Aging/pathology* ; Nucleus Pulposus/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Transcriptome ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology* ; Adult ; Cellular Senescence ; Stem Cells/pathology* ; Aged ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/metabolism*

Objective To investigate the role of matrix GLA protein(MGP)in the pathogenesis of idiopathic calcium oxalate kidney stones(ICOS),and to find potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease evaluation.Methods A total of 120 patients admitted to our hospital from September 2021 to September 2023 were prospectively included,of which 60 patients with ICOS were in the calculus group and 60 patients without calculus were in the control group.Serum biochemical indexes and immunohistochemical scores of the two groups were detected,urinary MGP levels were determined by ELISA,and MGP mRNA and protein expression in renal papilla tissues were detected by qPCR and Western blot.The independent risk factors of ICOS were screened by Logistic regression analysis,and the prediction model was drawn by nomogram.Results Compared with control group,urinary MGP content in calculus group was decreased[(1 805.91±244.44)pg/ml vs.(2 014.79±252.14)pg/mnl,P＜0.05).Expression of MGP mRNA and MGP protein in renal papillae decreased(0.89±0.15 vs.1.00±0.00,P=0.001)and decreased(0.87±0.18 vs.1.00±0.00,P＜0.05).MGP immunohistochemical scores of renal tissue were decreased[4(2-6)scores vs.6(4-8)scores,P＜0.001].Multivariate analysis showed that urinary calcium(OR=1.370),urinary MGP(OR=1.127),renal papilla MGP relative expression level(OR=27.532)and renal tissue MGP immunohistochemical score(OR=1.359)were independent risk factors for ICOS.Area under ROC curve of the nomogram prediction model built based on the above factors is 0.839,indicating that the model has good differentiation ability in risk prediction.Conclusion MGP is closely related to the pathogenesis of ICOS.Urinary and renal tissue MGP levels may be potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease assessment of ICOS.

Objective To investigate the role of matrix GLA protein(MGP)in the pathogenesis of idiopathic calcium oxalate kidney stones(ICOS),and to find potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease evaluation.Methods A total of 120 patients admitted to our hospital from September 2021 to September 2023 were prospectively included,of which 60 patients with ICOS were in the calculus group and 60 patients without calculus were in the control group.Serum biochemical indexes and immunohistochemical scores of the two groups were detected,urinary MGP levels were determined by ELISA,and MGP mRNA and protein expression in renal papilla tissues were detected by qPCR and Western blot.The independent risk factors of ICOS were screened by Logistic regression analysis,and the prediction model was drawn by nomogram.Results Compared with control group,urinary MGP content in calculus group was decreased[(1 805.91±244.44)pg/ml vs.(2 014.79±252.14)pg/mnl,P＜0.05).Expression of MGP mRNA and MGP protein in renal papillae decreased(0.89±0.15 vs.1.00±0.00,P=0.001)and decreased(0.87±0.18 vs.1.00±0.00,P＜0.05).MGP immunohistochemical scores of renal tissue were decreased[4(2-6)scores vs.6(4-8)scores,P＜0.001].Multivariate analysis showed that urinary calcium(OR=1.370),urinary MGP(OR=1.127),renal papilla MGP relative expression level(OR=27.532)and renal tissue MGP immunohistochemical score(OR=1.359)were independent risk factors for ICOS.Area under ROC curve of the nomogram prediction model built based on the above factors is 0.839,indicating that the model has good differentiation ability in risk prediction.Conclusion MGP is closely related to the pathogenesis of ICOS.Urinary and renal tissue MGP levels may be potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease assessment of ICOS.

As a conventional surgical procedure for repairing skull defect areas using autologous or artificial materials, postoperative complications of cranioplasty remain a clinical challenge that needs to be addressed. Implant exposure is a common and severe complication not only may lead to surgical failure but also exhibits significant individual variations in clinical manifestations. Treatment method must be selected based on specific conditions, and the issue of whether to retain or remove the repair material still remains a subject of academic controversy. This article mainly summarized the characteristics, causes, retention of exposed repair materials and treatment method reported in recent years, aiming to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To explore and construct the clinical questions and outcome indicators of the Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome;To provide a basis for the subsequent preparation of this guide to form recommendations.Methods First,by searching the databases of seven major Chinese and English journals,including CNKI,the preliminary list of clinical problems and outcome indicators in the Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome were sorted out,and then the clinical questions and outcome indicators that formed the recommendations of the guide were finally determined based on the modified Delphi method in the form of three rounds of online.The first two rounds were conducted in the form of online questionnaires filled out by experts,and the importance ratings of clinical issues and outcome indicators were imported into the SPSS 27.0 software for statistical analysis.The first and second rounds of clinical questions and outcome indicators were rated as the average score≥4,full score frequency≥30%,and the coefficient of variation≤25%,respectively;the inclusion criteria for entering the second round of evaluation were an average score of≥7 and an average score of≤25%.The third round would be further discussed and voted on by experts in an online consensus meeting,with a voting rate of≥80%as the standard to determine the final items to be included in the guidelines.Results A total of 109 questionnaires were distributed nationwide in the first round of inquiry,and 107 were collected;a total of 20 questionnaires were distributed for the second round of expert research,and 20 were collected.The positive coefficients of the first and second rounds of experts were 98.17%and 100%;the Cronbach coefficients of clinical questions were 0.937 and 0.943,respectively;the Cronbach coefficients of the outcome indicators were 0.970 and 0.940,respectively.In the third round,a total of 22 experts participated in the meeting and all voted,resulting in a positive coefficient of 100%and an authority coefficient of 0.88.13 clinical questions and 17 outcome indicators were finally included in Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Conclusion According to the results of the above three rounds of modified Delphi method,it indicates that the questionnaire survey in the process of formulating the guidelines is highly reliable,which can provide a reliable basis for the writing of this guide,and to provide a reference for the development of acupuncture guidelines in related fields.

In order to promote the development of hair transplantation, particularly the establishment of standards, the Hair Transplantation Expert Group of Plastic and Aesthetic National Medical Quality Control Center invited experts in the field of hair transplantation across China and formed a draft of the Expert Consensus on Standard Terminology for Hair Transplantation based on the collation of relevant literature and monographs. By combining Delphi methodology and consensus meetings, the expert group conducted several rounds of consultations on issues such as follicular unit anatomy, harvesting, dissection, and implantation, ultimately presenting 54 terminologies. This consensus considers the original Chinese and English meanings as well as the professional characteristics of terms used in hair transplantation, highlights the unique features and advantages of hair transplantation, and preserves its essence while promoting innovation, with the hope of providing valuable reference for clinical researchers engaged in hair transplantation both domestically and internationally, and better facilitating the standardization and advancement of the field.