Diabetic cardiomyopathy （DCM） is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus and is a major threat to global health. As a key mechanism in the occurrence and progression of DCM， the inflammatory response persists throughout the entire course of the DCM. The Gaozhuo theory suggests that the basic pathogenesis of inflammatory injury in DCM is the Qi deficiency of spleen and kidney and Gaozhuo invasion， and divides the pathological process into three phases： Gaozhuo invasion， turbid heat damage to the channels， and turbid blood stasis and heat junction. Among them， the Qi deficiency of spleen and kidney and the endogenous formation of Gaozhuo represent the process of inflammatory factor formation induced by glucose metabolism disorders. Turbid heat damage to the channels refers to the process of myocardial inflammatory injury mediated by inflammatory factors， and turbid blood stasis and heat junction are the process of myocardial injury developing toward myocardial fibrosis and ventricular remodeling. As the disease continues to progress， it eventually develops into a depletion of the heart Yang， leading to the ultimate regression of heart failure. According to the theory of Gaozhuo， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） should regulate inflammatory injury in DCM by strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney to address the root cause， and resolving dampness and lowering turbidity to treat the symptoms. If the turbidity has been stored for a long time and turns into heat， strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney， and clearing heat and resolving turbidity should be the therapy. If the turbidity， stasis， and heat are knotted in the heart and collaterals， strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney， and resolving stasis and lowering turbidity should be the therapy. TCM compounds and monomers can regulate the inflammatory response in DCM. TCM compounds can be divided into the categories for benefiting Qi to resolve turbidity， benefiting Qi and clearing heat to resolve turbidity， and benefiting Qi and activating blood to reduce turbidity. The compounds can inhibit upstream signals of inflammation and expression of inflammatory factors， improve the inflammatory damage to myocardium and blood vessels， myocardial fibrosis， and cardiac systole and diastole， and thus slow down the onset and progression of DCM.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of elbow-wrist functional orthosis on plantar pressure distribution and balance function in stroke patients with hemiplegia. MethodsFrom June, 2024 to April, 2025, 60 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia were recruited from Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, and Shanghai Hebin Rehabilitation Hospital. They were randomly divided into control group (n = 30) and intervention group (n = 30). The control group received routine neurological rehabilitation, while the intervention group received additional training with an elbow-wrist functional orthosis on the affected side, for eight weeks. Before and after intervention, the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) of the elbow joint, plantar pressure symmetry index (SI), plantar contact area and mean plantar pressure were recorded, and balance and mobility were assessed using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up & Go Test (TUGT) and 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT). ResultsTwo cases dropped out in the control group. After treatment, MAS grades of the elbow joint, forefoot SI, affected side plantar pressure area, BBS scores, TUGT and 10MWT of both groups improved (|Z| > 3.969, |t| > 3.528, P < 0.01), while the hindfoot SI and average pressure of the affected foot improved in the intervention group (∣t∣ > 4.264, P < 0.001). Except for TUGT and 10MWT, the intervention group was superior to the control group (∣Z∣ > 2.030, ∣t∣ > 2.096, P < 0.05). ConclusionThe elbow-wrist functional orthosis can enhance balance function in stroke patients with hemiplegia by reducing upper-limb spasticity, optimizing center-of-gravity distribution, and improving postural control.

Objective To explore the effects of combined exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and high-fat diet on liver lipid metabolism and hepatocyte senescence in mice, and to elucidate the potential mechanisms of the onset and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods Specific pathogen free C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups, with 10 mice with equal numbers of each sex in each group. The mice in the control group and the simple BPA group were fed with regular diet, while others four groups of mice were fed with high-fat diet. At the same time, the mice in the simple BPA group were intragastric administered with BPA at a dose of 50 μg/kg body weight, while the mice in the low-, medium- and high-dose BPA+high-fat groups were intragastric administered with BPA at doses of 5, 50 and 500 μg/kg body weight respectively. The mice in the control group and the high-fat group were intragastric administered with the same volume of corn oil once per day for 90 consecutive days. Liver tissues were subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Oil Red O staining. Liver coefficients and lipid-stained area ratios were calculated. Serum level of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were determined using an automatic biochemical analyzer. The hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 levels were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relative expression of cholesterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), CCAAT enhancer binding protein α, P16, and phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) in liver tissues was detected using Western blotting. The interaction effect of the combined exposure to BPA and high-fat diet was observed based on the result of mice in the control group, the simple high-fat group, the simple BPA group, and the medium-dose BPA group+high-fat group (the combined exposure group) using a 2×2 factorial design. The results of mice in the simple high-fat group and the low-, medium-, and high-dose BPA+high-fat groups were used to observe the effect of BPA exposure dose under high-fat diet conditions. Results i) The interactive effect of combined exposure to BPA and high fat. The HE and Oil Red O staining results indicated that the combined exposure to BPA and high-fat diet successfully established NAFLD in mice. The interactive effect of combined exposure to BPA and high-fat diet on serum ALT activity and the relative expression of P16 in the liver tissue of female mice, as well as the serum ALT and AST activities and the relative expression of SREBP1 in the liver tissue of male mice was significant (all P<0.05). Specifically, the serum ALT activity of male mice in the combined exposure group was higher than that in the simple high-fat group (P<0.05), while the ALT activity in the serum of female mice in the combined exposure group was lower than that in the simple BPA group (P<0.05). The relative expression of SREBP1 protein in the liver tissue of male mice in the combined exposure group was higher than that in the control group, the simple high-fat group, and the simple BPA group (all P<0.05). For the other indicators, there were no significant differences in the interactive effect of combined exposure to BPA and high-fat diet (all P>0.05). ii) Dose effects of BPA exposure. The HE and Oil Red O staining result showed that the degree of vacuolar steatosis in the liver of female and male mice of medium- and high-dose BPA + high-fat groups was aggravated, and the range of inflammatory cell infiltration was expanded when compared with same-sex mice in the simple high-fat group. The serum ALT activity and the fat stained area ratio, as well as the relative expression of P16 in liver tissue of female mice in high-dose BPA + high-fat group increased (all P<0.05), while the level of IL-10 in liver tissue decreased (P<0.05), compared with the female mice in simple high-fat group. The serum ALT activity, the TNF-α level in liver tissue, and the relative expression of SREBP1, P16 and γ-H2AX proteins in liver tissue of male mice in high-dose BPA + high-fat group increased (all P<0.05), while the IL-6 level in liver tissue decreased (P<0.05), compared with the male mice in simple high-fat group. For the female or male mice in the low- and medium-dose BPA + high-fat groups, only some of the above indicators showed significant changes (all P<0.05). Conclusion The combined exposure to BPA and high-fat diet has a synergistic effect on the onset and development of NAFLD. The mechanism may be related to inducing cellular senescence and modulation of lipid synthesis pathways, thereby affecting liver steatosis. The exposure dose of BPA may affect the synergistic effect.

ObjectiveTo investigate the application of the novel inflammatory factor adsorption column CA280 combined with low-dose plasma exchange （LPE） in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF）. MethodsA prospective cohort study was designed， and a total of 93 ACLF patients who were admitted to The Ninth Hospital of Nanchang from June 2023 to January 2025 were enrolled and randomly divided into DPMAS+LPE group with 50 patients and CA280+LPE group with 43 patients. In addition to comprehensive medical treatment， the patients in the DPMAS+LPE group received DPMAS and LPE treatment， and those in the CA280+LPE group received CA280 and LPE treatment. The two groups were observed in terms of routine blood test results， liver function parameters， renal function markers， electrolytes， coagulation function parameters， cytokines， adverse events， and 28-day prognosis before surgery （baseline）， during surgery （DPMAS or CA280）， and after surgery （after sequential LPE treatment）. The paired t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data before and after treatment within each group， and the independent-samples t test was used for comparison between groups； the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data before and after treatment within each group， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. The chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups， and the Spearman test was used for correlation analysis. ResultsAfter CA280 treatment， the ACLF patients had significant reductions in the levels of cytokines （IL-6， IL-8， IL-10， TNF-α， and IFN-γ）， liver function parameters （ALT， AST， ALP， TBil， DBil， Alb， and glutathione reductase）， and the renal function marker urea nitrogen （all P<0.05）， and in terms of coagulation function parameters， there were significant increases in prothrombin time， activated partial thromboplastin time （APTT）， thrombin time， and international normalized ratio （INR） and significant reductions in prothrombin activity （PTA） and fibrinogen （FIB） （all P<0.05）. Compared with the DPMAS+LPE group， the CA280+LPE group showed better improvements in the serum cytokines IL-8 （Z=-2.63， P=0.009）， IL-10 （Z=-3.94， P<0.001）， and TNF-α （Z=-1.53， P=0.023）， and the two artificial liver support systems had a similar effect in improving liver function （ALT， AST， GGT， GR， TBil， and DBil） （all P >0.05）， but the CA280+LPE group showed a significantly greater reduction in Alb （Z=-2.08， P=0.037）. CA280+LPE was more effective in reducing uric acid （Z=-2.97， P=0.003）. Compared with DPMAS+LPE， CA280+LPE treatment resulted in a significant reduction in INR （Z=-4.01， P<0.001）， a significant increase in APTT （Z=-2.53， P=0.011）， and significant greater increases in PTA （Z=-6.28， P<0.001） and FIB （Z=-3.93， P<0.001）. There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of adverse reactions and the rate of improvement at discharge between the two groups （all P>0.05）. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that IL-6 was significantly correlated with WBC （r=0.22， P=0.042）， TBil （r=0.29， P=0.005）， and FIB （r=-0.33， P=0.003）； IL-8 was positively correlated with APTT （r=0.37， P<0.001） and INR （r=0.25， P=0.013）； TNF-α was significantly correlated with WBC （r=0.40， P<0.001） and TBil （r=0.34， P<0.001）. ConclusionCompared with DPMAS， CA280 combined with LPE can effectively clear proinflammatory cytokines and improve liver function in ACLF patients， but it has a certain impact on Alb and coagulation function. This regimen provides a new option for the individualized treatment of ACLF and can improve the short-term prognosis of patients， but further studies are needed to verify its long-term efficacy.

In recent years, mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-EXO) have garnered increasing attention in the field of stomatology and have become an established research area in biomedical research. This article reviews the engineering of exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells and their application in the field of stomatology, in order to provide new ideas for the development of stomatology. Exosomes are nanoscale membrane vesicles secreted by cells and contain a variety of proteins, RNAs, lipids, and other biomolecules. They are transported through the circulatory system and can interact with other cells to regulate their biological behavior and participate in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. In the treatment of oral diseases, exosomes have shown great potential due to their natural biological activity and versatility. However, studies have found that relying solely on the function of natural exosomes may not fully meet the complex clinical requirements. Therefore, the concept of engineered exosomes has emerged. Engineered exosomes can be modified by bioengineering technology to enhance their targeting, allowing them to reach the lesion site more accurately. At the same time, engineered exosomes can also be surface modified or loaded internally to carry specific therapeutic molecules, such as drugs, gene editing tools or signaling molecules to improve the therapeutic effect. In addition, this engineered treatment can also confer greater stability to exosomes, making them better able to resist clearance by the immune system when circulating in the body, extending their half-life, and improving the effectiveness of treatment. Although engineered exosomes have attracted extensive attention in the fields of stomatology and other fields, their application is still mainly in the stage of basic research. To promote the clinical application of engineered exosomes, it is necessary to provide more sufficient evidence of biocompatibility and clarify their therapeutic effect and mechanism.

Animal models combining disease and syndrome are important research tools to explore the nature of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes. At present, the construction and evaluation methods of animal models have preliminarily established the foundation for standardized development. Qi-yin deficiency syndrome is a common type of TCM syndrome in cardiovascular diseases. It is an important pathogenic factor causing the onset, pathological damage, and chronic nature of cardiovascular diseases, as well as triggering other illnesses. The establishment of an animal model of cardiovascular disease with the characteristics of Qi-yin deficiency, along with an objective and standardized evaluation system, has become an important part of modern cardiovascular disease research. In recent years, research on the construction and evaluation of animal models of heart Qi-yin deficiency syndrome has increased, but the construction methods and evaluation criteria vary. Compared with other animal models, the literature is limited, lacking statistics and overall analysis. Therefore, based on the scientific connotation of heart Qi-yin deficiency syndrome, this article systematically reviews the evaluation system of its animal model, covering multidimensional methods such as macroscopic characterization assessment, physicochemical indicators and objective evaluation, and syndrome differentiation based on prescriptions. The specific model construction strategies are described, including single-factor induction methods (sleep deprivation, chronic intermittent hypoxia, arterial occlusion, high-salt feeding) and the compound-factor induction methods (sleep deprivation combined with drug method, chronic intermittent hypoxia combined with drug method, exhaustive swimming combined with drug method). Meanwhile, application examples of each model in the research are listed, the existing problems in the current model construction and evaluation are analyzed, and optimization directions are proposed, such as promoting the compound factor induction strategy and improving the objectivity of the evaluation criteria. This article aims to provide theoretical references for constructing an animal model of heart Qi-yin deficiency syndrome that conforms to TCM characteristics, and thereby laying a scientific foundation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases with TCM.

Intelligent acupuncture-moxibustion medical equipment is an important force in promoting the inheritance, innovation, and modernization of acupuncture-moxibustion. This paper reviews the development status of intelligent acupuncture-moxibustion medical equipment and related new technologies, as well as the challenges faced. It is found that, with the advancement of technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, acupuncture-moxibustion medical equipment has shown characteristics of greater precision, miniaturization, intelligence, and portability. However, deficiencies remain in areas such as standardization and regulation, including relatively low rates of effective transformation and a lack of innovation in research outcomes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to formulate corresponding strategies: improving the development of relevant standards for intelligent acupuncture-moxibustion medical equipment, encouraging the integration of medicine and engineering, cultivating interdisciplinary talents, and strengthening the protection of invention patents. It is necessary to establish a demand-oriented pathway connecting "equipment development, equipment evaluation, product formation" through multiple stages such as talent training and research project initiation, thereby promoting the modernization and standardization of intelligent acupuncture-moxibustion medical equipment and supporting the revitalization of traditional medicine.
Moxibustion/instrumentation* ; Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/trends* ; Artificial Intelligence

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of early precise lower limb weight-bearing functional rehabilitation after open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fractures.Methods:A restropective multi-center study was conducted to enroll the eligible 120 patients with malleolar fracture who received the same surgical treatment from March 2023 to December 2023 at the trauma centers in 7 tertiary hospitals according to the inclusion criteria. They were assigned into a study group ( n=60) for precise lower limb weight-bearing functional rehabilitation with the assistance of intelligent lower limb walking rehabilitation crutches and a control group ( n=60) for conventional weight-bearing functional rehabilitation which was gradually increased according to their own feelings under the protection of a walking boot. All the 60 patients in the study group completed their final follow-ups. They were 25 males and 35 females, with an age of (43.8±16.6) years and a body mass index of (25.3±2.3) kg/m 2. Only 51 patients in the control group completed their final follow-ups. They were 27 males and 24 females, with an age of (45.1±16.4) years and a body mass index of (24.7±2.3) kg/m 2. When their incisions healed and their sutures were removed 2 weeks after operation, the patients were guided to start lower limb weight-bearing functional rehabilitation, and exercises for foot and ankle joint mobility and lower limb muscles. The end point of follow-up was 12 weeks after operation. The 2 groups were compared in terms of the crutch-off rates, thigh circumferences, calf circumferences, dorsiflexions, plantarflexions, ankle swellings, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores, and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at 6 and 12 weeks after operation. The complications were also recorded in the 2 groups. Results:No statistically significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). At 6 and 12 weeks after operation, the crutch-off rates [41.7% (25/60) and 100.0% (60/60)], dorsiflexions (69.3%±21.6% and 82.9%±26.3%) and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores [(68.5±7.6) points and (96.9±3.7) points] in the study group were significantly better than those in the control group [13.7% (7/51) and 39.2% (20/51), 61.5%±16.5% and 72.0%±14.3%, (61.9±9.3) points and (90.1±7.2) points] ( P<0.05). At 6 weeks after operation, the thigh circumference (97.4%±1.9%), calf circumference (97.3%±1.9%), and plantarflexion (76.6%±19.8%) in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (95.9%±2.5%, 94.6%±3.2%, and 63.9%±16.9%) ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in ankle swelling at 6 or 12 weeks after operation, or thigh or calf circumference, plantarflexion, or VAS pain score at 12 weeks after operation ( P>0.05). No wound complications, secondary fracture displacement, or loosening of internal fixation occurred in either group during the follow-up period. There were no cases of nonunion or delayed union. Conclusions:Early lower limb weight-bearing functional rehabilitation after open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fractures demonstrates good safety. Precise weight-bearing rehabilitation accelerates functional recovery of the ankle, enabling earlier return to normal daily activities.

OBJECTIVE To establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker （QAMS） method for simultaneous determination of six flavonoids and two phenolic acids in Perilla frutescens leaves using scutellarin and rosmarinic acid as internal reference substances， and apply this method to determine the contents of eight components in 20 batches of P. frutescens leaves samples from different regions. METHODS Scutellarin served as the internal reference to calculate relative correction factors （RCFs） for scutellarin-7-O-diglucuronide， luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide， apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide， luteolin-7-O- β-D-glucuronide and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide. Rosmarinic acid was employed as the internal reference to determine the RCF for caffeic acid. The contents of the above flavonoids and phenolic acids were calculated with QAMS， and compared with the results of external standard method. RESULTS The eight analytes demonstrated excellent linearity within their respective concentration ranges （r≥0.999 0）. The mean recovery rates for spiked samples ranged from 95.60% to 102.15%， with relative standard deviations （RSDs） of 0.72% to 2.70% （n＝6）. The method exhibited good precision， repeatability， and stability （RSD＜2.50%， n＝6）. Variations in instruments， columns， column temperature， flow rate， and formic acid volume fraction had minimal impact on the RCFs （RSD＜3%， n＝3）. Comparison with the external standard method showed no significant differences in the content of each component across batches， except for caffeic acid in the ZS12 batch （absolute value of RE＜5%， n＝2）. The contents of six CARS-21） flavonoid components in P. frutescens leaves samples varied significantly across different geographic origins， while the content of total flavonoids showed no significant difference. In contrast， the contents of two phenolic acid components and total phenolic acid exhibited significant variation among samples from different regions. CONCLUSIONS The developed QAMS method can simultaneously determine the contents of six flavonoids and two phenolic acids in P. frutescens leaves. It is convenient for detection， highly accurate， and cost-effective. This method is suitable for the quality control of P. frutescens leaves， and the variation of flavonoid and phenolic acid content in samples from different regions provides a reference for the selection of optimal cultivation areas.