ObjectiveTo investigate whether Bushen Huoxue prescription improves embryo implantation through regulating exosomal miRNA to enhance maternal-fetal interface communication based on Bushen Huoxue therapy. MethodsIn the animal experiment， all the rats （except for the blank group） were administered hydroxyurea （450 mg·kg^-1） via gavage for 10 d， as well as epinephrine （0.3 mg·kg^-1） and mifepristone （5.5 mg·kg^-1） via subcutaneous injection for 7 d to establish an implantation disorder model of kidney deficiency and blood stasis type. The Bushen Huoxue prescription （BSHX） groups were administered the prescription at different doses （7.30 g·kg^-1 for the high-dose group， 3.65 g·kg^-1 for the medium-dose group， and 1.83 g·kg^-1 for the low-dose group） via gavage. The dydrogesterone group was administered the corresponding medicine （2.63 mg·kg^-1） via gavage. After intervention for 10 days， uterine histopathological changes were observed via hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Mucin （MUC1）， forkhead box protein O1 （FoxO1）， and homeobox A10 （HoxA10） expression levels were detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Cell experiment selected primary endometrial epithelial cells （EEC） and trophoblast cells （TC） as research subjects. Exosome-free medicated serum was prepared by ultracentrifugation and cultured in complete medium. Exosomes were isolated from cell supernatants by ultracentrifugation for cross-co-culture. After 48 h， migration and invasion abilities were assessed by scratch and Transwell assays. Sequencing was then performed on EEC-origin exosomal miRNA. ResultsThe model rats exhibited thin endometrium， along with reduced blood vessels， glandules， and pinopode numbers. BSHX improved endometrial morphology and increased pinopode numbers. MUC1， FoxO1， and HoxA10 expressions were downregulated in the model rats， while these parameters were upregulated after BSHX medium- and high-dose intervention. In the cell experiment， after exosome-free medicated serum intervention for 24 h， migration and invasion abilities were enhanced in the BSHX groups （P<0.01）. In EEC-origin exosomal miRNA sequencing， gene ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） analyses revealed enrichment in biological processes （gastrulation， neuronal differentiation， alongside cell development and regeneration）， involving the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， FoxO1， Wnt， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， and tumor necrosis factor （TNF） signaling pathways. ConclusionBSHX promotes embryo implantation by improving endometrial receptivity via regulating exosomal miRNA. These findings provide potential targets for exosomal miRNA-based assisted reproductive strategies and a novel theoretical basis for infertility treatment by traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective To analyze the efficacy, safety, and learning curve of the three-lobe holmium laser enucleation of the prostate(HoLEP)in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)in a county-level hospital.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 65 BPH patients who underwent the three-lobe HoLEP performed by a single surgeon at the Department of Urology, Yining County People's Hospital, during Dec.2023 and Jun.2024.The enucleation efficiency was calculated by dividing the weight of the enucleated prostatic tissue by the enucleation time.A case scatter diagram of enucleation efficiency was plotted according to the chronological order of the operations, and the learning curve was analyzed after fitting.Based on the inflection points of the learning curve, the learning process was divided into the initial learning, mastery, and proficiency phases.The basic clinical data, perioperative indicators, postoperative complications, and follow-up indicators were compared among the different learning phases.Results All 65 procedures were successfully completed.Marked by the enucleation efficiency reaching a plateau, cases 1-20 were defined as the initial learning phase, cases 21-40 as the mastery phase, and cases 41 onwards as the proficiency phase.The prostate volume in the proficiency phase was significantly larger than that in the initial learning and mastery phases(both P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in other baseline characteristics among the three groups(all P＞0.05).The operation time [(105.50±19.12)min vs.(85.25±26.92)min vs.(69.00±23.58)min] and enucleation time [(76.90±14.19)min vs.(63.70±22.24)min vs.(48.80±20.48)min] showed a decreasing trend across the three groups(all P＜0.05).The enucleation efficiency in both the mastery and proficiency phases was significantly higher than that in the initial learning phase [(1.16±0.44)g/min vs.(0.85 ±0.25)g/min, P＜0.05;(1.36±0.49)g/min vs.(0.85±0.25)g/min, P＜0.05].The enucleation efficiency in the proficiency phase was slightly higher than that in the mastery phase, but the difference was not statistically significant(P= 0.389).There was no significant difference in the incidence of perioperative complications among the three groups(all P＞0.05).At the 6-month follow-up, the international prostate symptom score(IPSS), post-void residual(PVR), and maximum urinary flow(Qmax)were significantly improved compared to preoperative values in all three groups(all P＜0.05);however, no significant differences were observed among the three groups(all P＞0.05).Conclusion The three-lobe HoLEP for the treatment of BPH is safe and effective in a county-level hospital setting.Surgeons with some experience in endoscopic surgery can preliminarily master this technique after a learning period of approximately 20 procedures.

Tumor is the result of long-term and unlimited proliferation of cells. Tumor cells adjust various metabolic fluxes to meet increased bioenergy and biosynthetic requirements. Serine is one of the eight non-essential amino acids in the human body. It plays an important role in a variety of physiological activities and can provide one carbon unit, glycine, etc. for cell proliferation. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of glycine and serine. It is highly expressed in a variety of tumors and is a potential target for anti-tumor drugs. This article focuses on the potential of SHMT as a new target for cancer treatment and the preliminary application of its inhibitors in preclinical studies of tumors, providing reference for the development of new targeted drugs for tumors.

ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in the patients with concurrent knee osteoarthritis （KOA） and postmenopausal osteoporosis （PMOP） and provide a scientific basis for precise TCM syndrome differentiation， diagnosis， and treatment of such concurrent diseases. MethodsA prospective， multicenter， cross-sectional clinical survey was conducted to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndromes in the patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA. Excel 2021 was used to statistically analyze the general characteristics of the included patients. Continuous variables were reported as x¯±s， and binary variables were reported as percentages. UCINET and Gephi were used to construct a complex "isease-syndrome-symptom" network for in-depth mining. Topological structure indicators， edge connection information between nodes， and weighted adjacency matrices were calculated by UCINET and Python. Gephi was used for complex network visualization. ResultsA total of 157 patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA from 12 TCM hospitals or community health service centers were selected for the collection of TCM syndrome and symptom information. A total of 4 main TCM syndromes were obtained， which were kidney-Yang deficiency （47.13%）， liver-kidney Yin deficiency （36.94%）， spleen-kidney Yang deficiency （8.92%）， and kidney Yin-Yang deficiency （7.01%）. In addition， 10 concurrent syndromes （mainly Qi stagnation and blood stasis， Qi and blood deficiency， spleen Yang deficiency， and cold-dampness） were identified. Based on the results of comprehensive frequency statistics and complex network analysis， as well as TCM theoretical knowledge and relevant guidelines， the general characteristics of concurrent PMOP and KOA and the main TCM syndromes in the dimensions of physical symptoms， pain， tongue and pulse manifestations， and defecation and urination were obtained. ConclusionThe main TCM syndromes in the patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA may be kidney Yang deficiency， liver-kidney Yin deficiency， spleen-kidney Yang deficiency， and kidney Yin-Yang deficiency， among which kidney Yang deficiency and liver-kidney Yin deficiency are the core TCM syndromes.

ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in the patients with concurrent knee osteoarthritis （KOA） and postmenopausal osteoporosis （PMOP） and provide a scientific basis for precise TCM syndrome differentiation， diagnosis， and treatment of such concurrent diseases. MethodsA prospective， multicenter， cross-sectional clinical survey was conducted to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndromes in the patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA. Excel 2021 was used to statistically analyze the general characteristics of the included patients. Continuous variables were reported as x¯±s， and binary variables were reported as percentages. UCINET and Gephi were used to construct a complex "isease-syndrome-symptom" network for in-depth mining. Topological structure indicators， edge connection information between nodes， and weighted adjacency matrices were calculated by UCINET and Python. Gephi was used for complex network visualization. ResultsA total of 157 patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA from 12 TCM hospitals or community health service centers were selected for the collection of TCM syndrome and symptom information. A total of 4 main TCM syndromes were obtained， which were kidney-Yang deficiency （47.13%）， liver-kidney Yin deficiency （36.94%）， spleen-kidney Yang deficiency （8.92%）， and kidney Yin-Yang deficiency （7.01%）. In addition， 10 concurrent syndromes （mainly Qi stagnation and blood stasis， Qi and blood deficiency， spleen Yang deficiency， and cold-dampness） were identified. Based on the results of comprehensive frequency statistics and complex network analysis， as well as TCM theoretical knowledge and relevant guidelines， the general characteristics of concurrent PMOP and KOA and the main TCM syndromes in the dimensions of physical symptoms， pain， tongue and pulse manifestations， and defecation and urination were obtained. ConclusionThe main TCM syndromes in the patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA may be kidney Yang deficiency， liver-kidney Yin deficiency， spleen-kidney Yang deficiency， and kidney Yin-Yang deficiency， among which kidney Yang deficiency and liver-kidney Yin deficiency are the core TCM syndromes.

Objective: To investigate the trends in incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer in cancer registration areas of Anhui Province from 2014 to 2020, so as to provide the basis for formulating prevention and control measures. Methods: The incidence and mortality data of esophageal cancer in Anhui Province from 2014 to 2020 was collected through the Cancer Registry in Anhui Province. The crude incidence and crude mortality were calculated. The Chinese population-standardized rate was standardized using the age structure of the standard population from the Fifth National Population Census in 2000. The trends in incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer were analyzed using the average annual percent change (APPC), stratified by genders, urban/rural areas, and ages. Results: In Anhui Province, the rank of esophageal cancer incidence dropped from the third in 2014 to the sixth in 2020. Concurrently, the crude incidence and Chinese population-standardized incidence declined from 28.74/100 000 and 20.74/100 000 to 19.23/100 000 and 10.59/100 000, respectively (AAPC=-5.846%, -9.658%, both P<0.05). The mortality rank remained stable at the fourth in 2014 and 2020, while the crude mortality and Chinese population-standardized mortality decreased from 19.96/100 000 and 14.09/100 000 to 16.00/100 000 and 8.41/100 000, respectively (AAPC=-3.542%, -7.784%, both P<0.05). The Chinese population-standardized incidence (AAPC=-9.682%, -9.188%, -6.175% and -12.575%, all P<0.05) and Chinese population-standardized mortality (AAPC=-7.734%. -7.447%. -5.366% and -10.209%, all P<0.05) showed declining trends in males, females, urban, and rural areas, respectively. From 2014 to 2020 in Anhui Province, the crude incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer generally increased with age. However, significant declining trends were observed in crude incidence (AAPC=-12.779%, -11.701%, -11.955% and -5.751%, all P<0.05) and crude mortality (AAPC=-12.255%, -11.120%, -10.985% and -5.751%, all P<0.05) for the age groups of 40-<50, 50-<60, 60-<70, 70-<80 years. A significant declining trend in crude incidence was also seen in the ≥80 years group (APPC=-6.334%, P<0.05), but the trend in crude mortality was no statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion In registration areas of Anhui Province, the incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer exhibited a declining trend from 2014 to 2020, calling for focused attention on the middle-aged and elderly population and enhanced health behaviors such as tobacco and alcohol control.

[Purpose]To analyze cancer incidence and mortality in Anhui cancer registration areas in 2019 and the trends from 2015 to 2019.[Methods]Data from 42 cancer registration areas in Anhui Province in 2019 meeting quality control requirements were collected.The incidence,mor-tality,age-standardized rates by Chinese standard population and world standard population,age-specific rate,accumulation rate(0～74 years old)and the top 10 cancers of high incidence and mortality were calculated by urban and rural areas,sexes and age groups.The standard population of China in 2000 was used for age-standardized incidence or mortality rate(ASIRC or ASMRC),and the Segi world standard population was used for age-standardized incidence or mortality rate(ASIRW or ASMRW),respectively.Joinpoint was used to analyze the incidence and mortality trends from 2015 to 2019,and the annual percentage change(APC)was estimated.[Results]In 2019,the reported incidence rate(crude rate)in Anhui cancer registration areas was 282.87/105(313.24/105 for male,251.19/105 for female),ASIRC and ASIRW were 183.85/105 and 178.94/105,respectively,with the cumulative incidence rate of 20.35％.There was no significant change in the incidence of malignant tumors from 2015 to 2019(APC=-1.00％,P＞0.05).The reported mortality rate(crude rate)was 167.20/105(214.67/105 for male,117.67/105 for female),ASMRC and ASMRW were 98.41/105 and 97.15/105,and the cumulative mortality rate was 10.68％.There was no significant change in the mortality rate of malignant tumors from 2015 to 2019(APC=-3.44％,P＞0.05).The incidence and mortality rate of lung cancer ranked the first in urban and rural popu-lations of all genders.The incidence rate of female breast cancer ranked the third and the mortali-ty rate ranked the sixth of all malignancies.The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in men were higher than those in women,and higher in rural areas than those in urban areas,and the main cancer types of rural and urban areas tended to be the same.[Conclusion]From 2015 to 2019,there was no significant change in the incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in the cancer registration areas of Anhui Province,but it is still necessary to prevent and treat lung can-cer and female breast cancer.

Objective:To investigate the effects of lipids and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in Artemisia pollen on the induction of allergic rhinitis in a murine model. Methods:BALB/c mice were randomly divided into seven groups using the random number table method as follows: defatted pollen group (TZ group, n=5), defatted pollen+ LPS group (TZLPS group, n=5), non-defatted pollen group (WTZ group, n=5), non-defatted pollen+ LPS group (WTZLPS group, n=5), PBS group ( n=5), PBS+ LPS group (PBSLPS group, n=5), and blank control group ( n=6). On days 1, 8, and 15, the mice in the TZ and TZLPS groups received a subcutaneous injection in the neck region with 0.1 ml of defatted Artemisia pollen extract (20 μg/ml); the WTZ and WTZLPS groups were administered 0.1 ml of non-defatted Artemisia pollen extract (20 μg/ml), while the PBS and PBSLPS groups were injected with 0.1 ml of PBS (0.1 mol/L). From days 22 to 28, the mice were subjected to intranasal challenge to induce allergic rhinitis symptoms. The TZ, WTZ, and PBS groups received nasal administration of 10 μl per nostril of defatted Artemisia pollen extract (500 μg/ml), non-defatted Artemisia pollen extract (500 μg/ml), and PBS (0.1 mol/L), respectively. For the TZLPS, WTZLPS, and PBSLPS groups, an additional 260 EU (5.2 μl) of LPS was co-administered per nostril alongside the corresponding base solutions. The blank control group received no intervention during this phase. The behaviors of the mice were observed; the levels of specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a in serum samples were detected by ELISA; the pathological changes in nasal mucosa and lung tissues were observed by HE staining, and the expression of both IL-4 and IL-5 was observed by immunohistochemistry. One-way analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Following Artemisia pollen antigen challenge, the total TZ group (TZLPS group+ TZ group) exhibited significantly higher behavioral scores as compared with the total PBS group (PBSLPS group+ PBS group) and the blank control group (both P<0.001). Serum analysis revealed that the total TZ group showed markedly elevated levels of Artemisia-specific IgE compared with the total WTZ group (WTZLPS group+ WTZ group) and the total PBS group ( P<0.05, P<0.001), along with significantly higher IgG1 levels than the total PBS and blank control groups ( P<0.05, P<0.001), while no significant differences in IgG2a levels were observed among these groups (all P>0.05). In local inflammatory responses, eosinophil infiltration and IL-4/IL-5 expression in both nasal mucosa and lung tissues of mice in the total TZ group were significantly higher than those in the total PBS and blank control groups (all P<0.001). Notably, eosinophil counts in nasal mucosa of mice in the total TZ group surpassed those in the total WTZ group ( P<0.05), whereas no significant differences in IL-4/IL-5 expression in mouse nasal mucosa were detected between the total TZ and total WTZ groups (both P>0.05). LPS supplementation in pollen extracts showed no significant effects on the specific IgE, IgG1, or IgG2a levels in serum across groups (all P>0.05), nor did it alter eosinophil activation or IL-4 expression in mouse nasal mucosa (all P>0.05). However, compared with the TZ group, eosinophil counts and IL-4 expression in lung tissues of mice in the TZLPS group were significantly increased (both P<0.001). Conclusions:This study successfully establishes a mouse model of Artemisia pollen allergy, and finds that the defatting treatment of Artemisia pollen can induce more intense inflammatory response. The presence or absence of LPS in pollen has no significant effect on allergic inflammation in the nasal mucosa, but it can cause different degrees of damage to the lung tissues of mice.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of three-dimensional visualization-assisted intermuscular versus conventional intermuscular cervical expansive open-door laminoplasty (CEOL) in the treatment of cervical spinal cord injury without fracture or dislocation (CSCIWFD).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 58 patients with CSCIWFD admitted to Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from October 2021 to January 2024, including 39 males and 19 females, aged 36-77 years [(52.9±8.9)years]. Among them, 26 patients were treated with three-dimensional visualization-assisted intermuscular CEOL (three-dimensional visualization group), while 32 patients were treated with conventional intermuscular CEOL (conventional intermuscular group). All patients were treated with CEOL in 4 segments (C 3-C 6), comprising 104 surgical segments in the three-dimensional visualization group and 128 in the conventional intermuscular group. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups, including the operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, accuracy rate of open-door and hinge placement at the surgical levels, visual analogue scale (VAS) of the neck and shoulder and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score preoperatively, at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale preoperatively and at the last follow-up, and postoperative complication rate. Results:All patients were followed up for 12-24 months [(17.5±3.1)months]. The operative duration and intraoperative blood loss were (117.0±12.3)minutes and (151.3±30.9)ml in the three-dimensional visualization group, which were shorter or less than (131.9±15.0)minutes and (184.7±42.9)ml in the conventional intermuscular group ( P<0.01). The accuracy rate of open-door and hinge placement at the surgical levels was 94.2% (98/104) in the three-dimensional visualization group, significantly higher than 83.6% (107/128) in the conventional intermuscular group ( P<0.05). The VAS scores of the neck and shoulder preoperatively, at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months postoperatively, and at the last follow-up were 6.0(5.0, 7.0)points, 3.5(3.0, 4.0)points, 3.0(2.0, 3.0)points, 2.0(1.0, 3.0)points, 2.0(1.0, 2.3)points, and 2.0(1.0, 2.0)points in the three-dimensional visualization group, which were not statistically different from 5.0(4.3, 6.8)points, 4.0(3.0, 4.0)points, 3.0(2.0, 3.0)points, 2.0(1.3, 2.0)points, 2.0(1.0, 2.8)points, and 2.0(1.0, 2.0)points in the conventional intermuscular group ( P>0.05). The VAS scores of the neck and shoulder in the two groups were significantly decreased at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively from the preoperative values ( P<0.05), while they were stabilized at 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up compared with those at 3 months postoperatively, with no significant difference among them ( P>0.05). The JOA scores were (8.1±2.8)points, (10.0±2.6)points, (10.5±2.6)points, (11.6±2.3)points, (12.7±2.3)points, and (13.7±2.4)points in the three-dimensional visualization group, which were not statistically different from (8.8±2.2)points, (10.3±2.1)points, (10.8±2.0)points, (12.0±2.0)points, (12.9±2.0)points, and (13.8±2.1)points in the conventional intermuscular group ( P>0.05). The JOA scores of the two groups showed continuous improvement at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up in comparison with the preoperatively values ( P<0.05). Although no significant difference was observed between the two groups in ASIA grade preoperatively and at the last follow-up ( P>0.05), the ASIA grade at the last follow-up was significantly improved compared with that before surgery in both groups ( P<0.05). The postoperative complication rate was 12% (3/26) in the three-dimensional visualization group, significantly lower than 38% (12/32) in the conventional intermuscular group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with the conventional intermuscular approach, the three-dimensional visualization-assisted intermuscular CEOL offers advantages in reducing surgical trauma, improving surgical precision, and lowering the postoperative complication rate in the treatment of CSCIWFD.

Pollen allergen-induced allergic rhinitis(AR),also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis(SAR),typically manifests during the period of pollen dissemination by anemophilous plants.The prevalence of SAR has more than doubled over the past three decades.The etiology of SAR is multifaceted,involving factors such as pollen allergens,environmental and climatic conditions,genetic predispositions,and the immunological status of the individual.Animal models provide a critical tool for elucidating the mechanisms underlying AR and advancing the development of effective preventive and therapeutic strategies.This review synthesizes the recent pertinent domestic and international literature on pollen-sensitized AR animal experiments.It systematically delineates the factors influencing the efficacy of these models,including the selection of animal strains,the production and associated challenges of sensitizing agents,specifically pollen antigens,the utilization and limitations of adjuvants,the procedural steps involved in model creation,and the method ologies for evaluating model effectiveness.The insights provided are intended to offer guidance and support for the development of appropriate animal models of pollen-induced AR,thereby facilitating both fundamental and applied research in this area.