Benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） is a common chronic progressive disease in middle-aged and elderly men， characterized by prostate enlargement and bladder outlet obstruction， leading to symptoms such as frequent urination， urgency， and difficulty urinating. The pathogenesis of BPH involves factors such as aging， hormonal metabolic abnormalities， inflammatory responses， and imbalances in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Currently， the main treatment methods for BPH include medication， physical therapy， and surgical intervention. However， medication may cause side effects like sexual dysfunction and hypotension， physical therapy has limited efficacy， and surgery carries risks and postoperative complications. Therefore， there is an urgent need to find safer and more effective treatment options. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its focus on treatment based on syndrome differentiation and a holistic approach， offers therapeutic advantages through multiple pathways and mechanisms. Recent studies have shown that TCM regulates pathways such as phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPK）， nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2/antioxidant response element （Nrf2/ARE）， androgen receptor （AR）， transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/Smad， and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor （HIF-1α/VEGF） to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response， reduce prostate cell proliferation， and promote apoptosis， thus exerting therapeutic effects. This article summarizes and analyzes the roles of these signaling pathways in the occurrence and development of BPH and the mechanisms of TCM intervention， aiming to provide scientific evidence for clinical treatment and drug development for BPH.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） is a common chronic progressive disease in middle-aged and elderly men， characterized by prostate enlargement and bladder outlet obstruction， leading to symptoms such as frequent urination， urgency， and difficulty urinating. The pathogenesis of BPH involves factors such as aging， hormonal metabolic abnormalities， inflammatory responses， and imbalances in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Currently， the main treatment methods for BPH include medication， physical therapy， and surgical intervention. However， medication may cause side effects like sexual dysfunction and hypotension， physical therapy has limited efficacy， and surgery carries risks and postoperative complications. Therefore， there is an urgent need to find safer and more effective treatment options. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its focus on treatment based on syndrome differentiation and a holistic approach， offers therapeutic advantages through multiple pathways and mechanisms. Recent studies have shown that TCM regulates pathways such as phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPK）， nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2/antioxidant response element （Nrf2/ARE）， androgen receptor （AR）， transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/Smad， and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor （HIF-1α/VEGF） to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response， reduce prostate cell proliferation， and promote apoptosis， thus exerting therapeutic effects. This article summarizes and analyzes the roles of these signaling pathways in the occurrence and development of BPH and the mechanisms of TCM intervention， aiming to provide scientific evidence for clinical treatment and drug development for BPH.

Scar makeup is a specialized technique that involves concealing scars on exposed areas of the patients using makeup techniques based on color theory and "band-aid" theory as well as light and dark technique. Scar makeup serves as an effective supplement to conventional scar management. Scar makeup significantly promotes the psychological health and improves the quality of life for patients with scar. This review outlined the key characteristics, underlying principles, and practical method of scar camouflage; summarized advances in materials and clinical applications; described the current development of scar makeup clinics and therapist training; and highlighted existing challenges. This review aims to provide a valuable reference toward the establishment of scar makeup clinics in China.

Objective:To develop an evaluation index system for the quality management process of investigator-initiated trials(IITs) in ophthalmology, providing a scientific tool and reference for improving clinical research quality and standardized management.Methods:Key quality management elements of ophthalmology IITs were identified through a literature review and experts interviews. A three-round Delphi consultation was conducted with experts from 16 provinces and municipalities in China who specialize in ophthalmic clinical research management. The importance of each index was scored, and weighting calculations were performed. Based on ranking and feasibility, a validated quality index system for ophthalmology IITs was established.Results:A three-tier index system was developed, comprising three first-level indicators (structure, process, and outcome), 15 secondary indicators, and 44 tertiary indicators. The expert authority coefficient was 0.87, and the response rates for the three Delphi rounds were 100%, 92.58%, and 100%, respectively. Among the first-level indicators, the highest weight was assigned to ″Structure″ (0.443 2). The top three secondary indicators were ″Data analysis report″ (0.098 3), ″Study protocol execution and data archiving″ (0.096 0), and ″Research team″ (0.094 1). At the tertiary level, the highest-ranked indicators were ″Data cleaning, verification, and database locking″ (0.049 2), ″Archiving and preservation of research data″ (0.048 8), and ″Execution of statistical analysis as planned″ (0.048 4).Conclusions:The ophthalmology IIT process quality evaluation index system developed in this study is scientifically grounded and will provides a valuable reference for standardizing quality management and further empirical research in ophthalmology IITs.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of m6A methylation modification patterns in mRNA of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and its effect in the pathogenesis of the disease.Methods:From March 2022 to May 2023, five untreated MDD patients were assigned to the MDD group, and five healthy individuals were enrolled as the healthy control group at the First Psychiatric Hospital of Harbin.Microarray analysis was performed to determine the m6A modification profiles and gene expression patterns of mRNA in MDD. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted to elucidate the effect of m6A methylation in the development of depression. Finally, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation combined with quantitative PCR (MeRIP-qPCR) was used to validate the m6A methylation levels of key mRNAs (GRM4, CAMKK2). Data were analyzed using R software (version 4.2.0) with t-test and Fisher's exact test. Results:Significant differences in m6A-modified mRNAs were observed between MDD patients and healthy controls. A total of 513 mRNAs (180 hypermethylated and 333 hypomethylated) exhibited differential m6A modifications in MDD patients. GO and KEGG analysis revealed that hypermethylated mRNAs were primarily enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, while hypomethylated mRNAs were associated with the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. Additionally, a total of 350 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified (171 upregulated and 179 downregulated), enriched in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathways. MeRIP-qPCR results demonstrated that the m6A methylation level of GRM4 in MDD patients (25.40±2.38) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (9.40±1.00) ( t=13.88, P<0.05), whereas the methylation level of CAMKK2 (19.63±6.60) was significantly lower than that in healthy controls (30.51±7.20) ( t=2.48, P<0.05). Conclusion:The m6A modification expression profile is abnormal in patients with major depressive disorder, which may be involved in the pathogenesis and development of MDD, and the identification of key pathways may provide new clues and evidence for the development of more effective therapeutic targets for MDD.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of m6A methylation modification patterns in mRNA of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and its effect in the pathogenesis of the disease.Methods:From March 2022 to May 2023, five untreated MDD patients were assigned to the MDD group, and five healthy individuals were enrolled as the healthy control group at the First Psychiatric Hospital of Harbin.Microarray analysis was performed to determine the m6A modification profiles and gene expression patterns of mRNA in MDD. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted to elucidate the effect of m6A methylation in the development of depression. Finally, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation combined with quantitative PCR (MeRIP-qPCR) was used to validate the m6A methylation levels of key mRNAs (GRM4, CAMKK2). Data were analyzed using R software (version 4.2.0) with t-test and Fisher's exact test. Results:Significant differences in m6A-modified mRNAs were observed between MDD patients and healthy controls. A total of 513 mRNAs (180 hypermethylated and 333 hypomethylated) exhibited differential m6A modifications in MDD patients. GO and KEGG analysis revealed that hypermethylated mRNAs were primarily enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, while hypomethylated mRNAs were associated with the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. Additionally, a total of 350 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified (171 upregulated and 179 downregulated), enriched in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathways. MeRIP-qPCR results demonstrated that the m6A methylation level of GRM4 in MDD patients (25.40±2.38) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (9.40±1.00) ( t=13.88, P<0.05), whereas the methylation level of CAMKK2 (19.63±6.60) was significantly lower than that in healthy controls (30.51±7.20) ( t=2.48, P<0.05). Conclusion:The m6A modification expression profile is abnormal in patients with major depressive disorder, which may be involved in the pathogenesis and development of MDD, and the identification of key pathways may provide new clues and evidence for the development of more effective therapeutic targets for MDD.

Scar makeup is a specialized technique that involves concealing scars on exposed areas of the patients using makeup techniques based on color theory and "band-aid" theory as well as light and dark technique. Scar makeup serves as an effective supplement to conventional scar management. Scar makeup significantly promotes the psychological health and improves the quality of life for patients with scar. This review outlined the key characteristics, underlying principles, and practical method of scar camouflage; summarized advances in materials and clinical applications; described the current development of scar makeup clinics and therapist training; and highlighted existing challenges. This review aims to provide a valuable reference toward the establishment of scar makeup clinics in China.

Objective:To develop an evaluation index system for the quality management process of investigator-initiated trials(IITs) in ophthalmology, providing a scientific tool and reference for improving clinical research quality and standardized management.Methods:Key quality management elements of ophthalmology IITs were identified through a literature review and experts interviews. A three-round Delphi consultation was conducted with experts from 16 provinces and municipalities in China who specialize in ophthalmic clinical research management. The importance of each index was scored, and weighting calculations were performed. Based on ranking and feasibility, a validated quality index system for ophthalmology IITs was established.Results:A three-tier index system was developed, comprising three first-level indicators (structure, process, and outcome), 15 secondary indicators, and 44 tertiary indicators. The expert authority coefficient was 0.87, and the response rates for the three Delphi rounds were 100%, 92.58%, and 100%, respectively. Among the first-level indicators, the highest weight was assigned to ″Structure″ (0.443 2). The top three secondary indicators were ″Data analysis report″ (0.098 3), ″Study protocol execution and data archiving″ (0.096 0), and ″Research team″ (0.094 1). At the tertiary level, the highest-ranked indicators were ″Data cleaning, verification, and database locking″ (0.049 2), ″Archiving and preservation of research data″ (0.048 8), and ″Execution of statistical analysis as planned″ (0.048 4).Conclusions:The ophthalmology IIT process quality evaluation index system developed in this study is scientifically grounded and will provides a valuable reference for standardizing quality management and further empirical research in ophthalmology IITs.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), to improve the awareness of clinicians.Methods:A total of 120 PTB patients complicated with PTE (PTE group) and 120 PTB patients without PTB (control group) admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022 were included. Clinical data from both groups were collected and compared. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square tests and Mann-Whitney U test, and binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for PTE in PTB patients. Results:The age of the PTE group was 69.00(63.00, 76.75) years. The rates of comorbid chronic pulmonary diseases, respiratory failure, and diabetes in PTE group were 40.00%(48/120), 24.17%(29/120), and 12.50%(15/120), respectively.The incidence rates of dyspnea, chest distress, chest pain, and palpitations in PTE group were 80.83%(97/120), 21.67%(26/120), 23.33%(28/120), and 10.00%(12/120), respectively. The D-dimer level in PTE group was 3.34 (2.05, 6.60) mg/L. These results were all higher than those in the control group (10.00%(12/120), 7.50%(9/120), 3.33%(4/120), 36.67%(44/120), 6.67%(8/120), 13.33%(16/120), 3.33%(4/120), and 0.97(0.41, 2.11) mg/L, respectively). The differences were all statistically significant ( χ2=28.80, 12.51, 6.92, 48.30, 11.10, 4.01 and 4.29, respectively, Z=-8.76; all P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (odds ratio( OR)=1.057), comorbid chronic pulmonary diseases ( OR=2.998), diabetes ( OR=8.703), presence of dyspnea ( OR=5.132), and elevated D-dimer levels ( OR=1.672) were independent risk factors for PTE in PTB patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Older age, comorbid chronic pulmonary diseases, diabetes, dyspnea and elevated D-dimer levels are risk factors for PTE in PTB patients. Clinicians should remain vigilant to these factors to reduce the risk of missing PTE in this population.

The treatment of primary angle closure glaucoma(PACG),especially in the initial phase,is crucial to the prognostic effect.Currently,we have multiple PACG treatment options but lack high-level clinical research evidence as a reference for determining the optimal treatment strategy for PACG.This article reviews and discusses both domestic and in-ternational PACG treatment methods with their efficacy,influencing factors,and complications,providing a reference for the selection of initial treatment methods for PACG.