ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with bloodletting and cupping in the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria（CSU） and to explore its potential mechanisms of action. MethodsSeventy CSU patients were randomly divided into loratadine group and acupuncture + bloodletting group， with 35 patients in each group. The loratadine group received oral loratadine tablets， 10 mg once daily in the evening. The acupuncture + bloodletting group received acupuncture at Zhongwan （CV 12）， Guanyuan （CV 4）， Tianshu （ST 25）， Zusanli （ST 36）， Sanyinjiao （SP 6）， Xuehai （SP 10）， Quchi （LI 11）， Hegu （LI 4）， Taichong （LR 3）， Baihui （GV 20）， and Shenting （GV 24）， once daily，along with bloodletting and cupping at Dazhui （GV 14） and Geshu （BL 17）， every other day. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The 7-day urticaria activity score（UAS7） was assessed before and after the treatment， and levels of serum immunoglobulin E （IgE）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-5 （IL-5）， eosinophil cationic protein （ECP）， plasma tissue factor （TF）， activated factor Ⅶ （FⅦa）， prothrombin fragment 1+2 （F1+2）， D-dimer （D-D） and complement component 5a （C5a） were detected. ResultsA total of 65 patients were included in the final analysis， 32 in the loratadine group and 33 in the acupuncture + bloodletting group. Before treatment， there was no significant difference in UAS7 score， serum IgE， IL-4， IL-5， ECP levels， or plasma TF， FⅦa， F1+2， D-D， C5a levels between groups （P＞ 0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in UAS7 score， serum IgE， IL-4， IL-5， and plasma TF， FⅦa， F1+2， D-D， and C5a levels compared to those before treatment （P＜0.01）. However， after treatment， there was no significant difference in UAS7 score and serum ECP， IgE， IL-4， IL-5 levels between groups （P＞0.05）. The acupuncture + bloodletting group showed lower plasma TF， FⅦa， F1+2， D-D and C5a levels compared to the loratadine group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionAcupuncture combined with bloodletting and cupping can effectively improve the skin symptoms of CSU patients and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors. The potential mechanism of action may involve the regulation of the coagulation-complement-mast cell activation axis， thereby inhibiting mast cell degranulation.

Esophagogastric variceal bleeding is a common complication and the leading cause of death in advanced liver cirrhosis， and endoscopic variceal ligation （EVL） and endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection （ECI） are commonly used treatment strategies. Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common hematological complications in liver cirrhosis， and patients with severe thrombocytopenia have the potential risk of bleeding， which may affect treatment decision-making by clinicians and endoscopists. This article reviews the evolution of guidelines and clinical research advances regarding EVL/ECI in China and globally， in order to provide a basis for decision making among clinicians.

OBJECTIVE To explore the potential mechanism of action of Gexia zhuyu decoction in the intervention of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） based on ferroptosis. METHODS With the help of network pharmacology， the central targets of Gexia zhuyu decoction intervening in ferroptosis of MAFLD were screened， then gene ontology， Kyoto Encyclopedia Gene and Genomes enrichment analysis and molecular docking were performed. Juvenile zebrafish with normal development at 3 d post-fertilization were randomly divided into control group， model group （5 mmol/L thioacetamide）， magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate group （positive control， 5 mg/mL）， and Gexia zhuyu decoction low- ， medium- and high- concentration groups （20， 40， 80 μg/mL， calculated by crude drugs）. After cultured for 72 h， the contents of alanine transaminase （ALT）， aspartate transaminase （AST）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione （GSH）， reactive oxygen species （ROS） and Fe2+ were determined； the cellular structure of the liver tissues and hepatic steatosis were observed； the protein expression of silence information regulator 1 （SIRT1）， nuclear factor- erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） and glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） were detected. RESULTS The central targets of potential active ingredients of Gexia zhuyu decoction that act on ferroptosis in MAFLD included tumor proteins p53， SIRT1， Nrf2， etc.， which were enriched in biological processes such as positive/negative regulation of RNA polymerase Ⅱ promoter transcription， cellular components such as nucleus and cytoplasm， molecular functions such as protein binding， as well as signaling pathways such as ferroptosis and the cancer pathway， and they might be tightly linked to the main active ingredients. Compared with model group， the contents of ALT， AST， TC， TG， MDA， ROS and Fe2+ were all decreased significantly in each administration group， while the contents of SOD and GSH were increased significantly （P＜0.05）； the pathological damage of liver tissue cells had improved， and the accumulation of liver lipids had decreased. The protein expressions of SIRT1， Nrf2 and GPX4 had been significantly upregulated （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Gexia zhuyu decoction can regulate lipid metabolism， improve the level of oxidative stress， maintain Fe2+ homeostasis， and inhibit the process of ferroptosis in juvenile zebrafish with MAFLD， and the above effects may be related to the activation of the SIRT1/Nrf2/GPX4 axis.

Dachengqi Decoction is a classic prescription attacked by Yangming excessive syndromes in clinic, which has the effects of relieving heat, softening and dispersing knots, etc., and is often used in the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction caused by various diseases. This article reviewed the recent studies on the chemical compositions and pharmacological effects of Dachengqi Decoction in recent years. On this basis, combined with the "five principles" of TCM quality markers, the quality markers of Dachengqi Decoction were predicted and analyzed. It is suggested that emodin, Rhein, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, synephrine, hesperidin, naringin, magnolol and magnolol can be used as quality markers of Dachengqi Decoction.

Objective:To analyze the effect of mucosal ligament preservation on the outcome of arthroscopic repair of meniscus injury.Methods:A total of 77 patients with knee meniscus tears caused by sports injuries who underwent arthroscopic meniscus repair or suture in Zhengzhou Orthopaedic Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023, were retrospectively analyzed. Including 45 males and 32 females, aged 38.57±13.54 years (range, 52-87 years), body mass index 24.72±4.01 kg/m 2 (range, 34.14-13.61 kg/m 2). All patients complained of knee pain, limited activity and walking weakness. The symptoms were not relieved after 1 month of conservative treatment, which seriously affected daily work and life. According to the intraoperative treatment of mucosal ligament, the patients were divided into mucosal ligament preservation group and mucosal ligament removal group. The visual analogue score (VAS), Lysholm score, and total blood loss were compared between the two groups. Results:All patients successfully completed the operation and were followed up for an average of 5.23±2.16 months (range, 3-9 months). The operation time was 47.59±16.81 min in mucosal ligament preservation group and 45.25±15.93 min in mucosal ligament removal group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups ( t=0.628, P=0.532). The total blood loss in the mucosal ligament preservation group was 246±193 ml, which was less than 343±211 ml in the mucosal ligament removal group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=2.095, P=0.040). None of the patients received allogeneic blood transfusion. The hematocrit of the mucosal ligament preservation group was 42.48%±4.57% before operation and 39.42%±4.65% on the third day after operation, while that of the mucosal ligament removal group was 41.24%±4.16% and 38.95%±3.80%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t=0.016, P=0.004; t=0.004, P=0.016). There was no significant difference between the two groups before operation and on the third day after operation ( t=0.217, P=0.545; t=0.629, P=0.159). The preoperative VAS score of mucosal ligament preservation group was 7.25±1.10, which was higher than that of 3 months after operation (0.83±1.06), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=0.062, P<0.001). The preoperative VAS score of mucosal ligament removal group was 7.16±1.21, which was higher than that of 3 months after operation (1.05±1.13), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=0.017, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in VAS scores between the two groups before operation and at 3 months after operation ( t=0.144, P=0.740; t= 0.273, P=0.603). The preoperative Lysholm score of mucosal ligament preservation group was 31.76±7.54, which was significantly lower than that of 3 months after operation 87.30±4.12 ( t=-39.329, P<0.001); The Lysholm score of the mucosal ligament removal group was 34.13±7.32 before operation, which was lower than 89.05±4.45 at 3 months after operation, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-40.172, P<0.001); There was no significant difference in Lysholm score between the two groups before operation and 3 months after operation ( t=1.395, P=0.167; t=1.766, P=0.081). Conclusion:The preservation of mucosal ligament in arthroscopic surgery for meniscus injury does not prolong the operation time. It can reduce the total intraoperative blood loss, and the postoperative knee function recovery is similar to that of mucosal ligament removal.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), as well as associations with advanced fibrosis.Methods:CHB patients who underwent liver biopsy at Tianjin Second People′s Hospital from June 2016 to September 2019 were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had concomitant MAFLD; a CHB group and a MAFLD-CHB group. t-tests and Chi-square tests were used to compare pathological characteristics and basic features in the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze factors associated with advanced fibrosis. Results:The CHB group included 110 patients, and the MAFLD-CHB group included 272 patients. There were significant differences in smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension incidence, body metabolic index, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, fasting plasma glucose, and platelets (PLT) between the two groups (all P<0.05). The MAFLD-CHB group had a higher incidence of advanced fibrosis than the CHB group ( P<0.05). In logistic regression analysis MAFLD [odds ratio ( OR)=2.204, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.018-4.774, P=0.045], GGT ( OR=1.008, 95% CI 1.002-1.013, P=0.005), and PLT ( OR=0.995, 95% CI 0.991-0.999, P=0.019) were associated with advanced fibrosis (all P<0.05). In the MAFLD-CHB group type 2 diabetes ( OR=3.281, 95% CI 1.375-7.832, P=0.007), GGT ( OR=1.011, 95% CI 1.003-1.018, P=0.005), and PLT ( OR=0.993, 95% CI 0.988-0.998, P=0.004) were associated with advanced fibrosis ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Patients with MAFLD-CHB are more likely to develop advanced fibrosis than patients with CHB alone. In the MAFLD-CHB group type 2 diabetes mellitus was associated with advanced fibrosis. It is important to strictly control relevant risk factors in MAFLD-CHB patients, especially in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective To analyze the evaluation value of serum troponin Ⅰ(TnⅠ)combined with soluble CD163(sCD163)in the disease condition and prognosis of the patients with acute cholecystitis.Methods The clinical data of 125 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted and treated in the hospital from October 2022 to October 2023 were retrospectively collected.The patients were divided into the mild group(n=33),moderate group(n=51)and severe group(n=41)according to the severity of disease condition.The levels of serum TnⅠ,sCD163,interleukin(IL)-6,C reactive protein(CRP),total bilirubin(TBIL)and alanine aminotrans-ferase(ALT)were detected.The patients were divided into the good prognosis group(n=95)and poor prog-nosis group(n=30)according the occurrence of complications such as abdominal pain,dyspepsia and cholan-gitis within postoperative 3 months.The preoperative indicators were compared between the two groups.The influencing factors of prognosis in the patients were evaluated by the logistic regress analysis.The receiver op-erating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficiency of TnⅠ and sCD163 in evalua-ting the disease condition and prognosis of the patients.Results The levels of TnⅠ,sCD163,IL-6,CRP,TBIL and ALT in the mild group were(0.78±0.23)μg/L,(25.01±3.15)mg/L,(62.52±7.61)pg/mL,(32.47±4.11)mg/L,(35.65±4.61)μmol/L and(79.75±7.23)U/L respectively,which were lower than those in the moderate group and severe group(P＜0.05).The TnⅠ level in the good prognosis group was(0.99±0.37)μg/L,which was lower than(1.82±0.51)μg/L in the poor prognosis group(P＜0.05);the sCD163 level in the good prognosis group was(27.46±3.50)mg/L,which was lower than[(33.12±4.13)mg/L]in the poor prognosis group(P＜0.05).The logistic analysis showed that TnⅠ,SCD163,IL-6,CRP,TBIL and ALT all were the important factors affecting the prognosis in the patients;the ROC curve showed the area under the curve(AUC)of TnⅠ combined with SCD163 for evaluating the disease condition was 0.966(95％CI:0.937-0.995),which for evaluating the prognosis was 0.948(95％CI:0.903-0.993).Conclusion Serum TnⅠ com-bined with sCD163 has a high application value in the assessment of the disease condition and prognosis in the patients with acute cholecystitis.

Objective:To explore the clinical and genetic features of two Chinese pedigrees affected with Autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder 49 (MRD49).Methods:Two MRD49 pedigrees which were admitted to the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University respectively on January 28, 2021 and November 10, 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the two pedigrees were collected and analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the probands and their family members. The probands were subjected to mutational analysis by high-throughput sequencing. Candidate variants were validated using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (q-PCR) or Sanger sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University (No. SDFE-IRB/T-2022002).Results:Proband 1 had presented with language delay, motor retardation and intellectual disability, and his maternal grandmother, mother, aunt and cousin all had various degrees of intellectual disability. Sequencing results showed that proband 1 had deletion of exons 3 ~ 7 of the TRIP12 gene. q-PCR verification showed that his mother, aunt, maternal grandmother and cousin had all harbored the same deletion. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was classified as pathogenic (PVS1+ PM2_Supporting+ PP1). Proband 2, who had mainly presented with language delay, motor retardation and intellectual disability, and was found to harbor a heterozygous c.3010C>T (p.Arg1004*) variant of the TRIP12 gene, which was verified to be de novo in origin. Based on the guidelines from the ACMG, the variant was classified as pathogenic (PVS1+ PS2+ PM2_Supporting). Conclusion:This study had diagnosed two MRD49 families through high-throughput sequencing. Above findings have enriched the phenotypic and mutational spectrum of MRD49 in China, which has also facilitated genetic counseling for the two pedigrees.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has become the most common liver disease in the world and is an important risk factor for the progression to hepatocellular carcinoma.However,the pathogenesis of NAFLD remains unclear,and there is still a lack of specific treatment measures.Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins(SREBP)are an important nuclear transcription factor,which mainly maintains the balance of lipid metabolism inside the body by activating the genes associated with the synthesis and uptake of cholesterol,fatty acids,and triglycerides,and therefore,SREBP are a target for the treatment of metabolic diseases.This article reviews the latest advances in SREBP in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and the latest evidence of SREBP-targeted therapy for NAFLD.It is worth noting that recent studies have shown that SREBP inhibition can cause liver injury together with autophagy damage.Therefore,excessive inhibition of lipogenesis may exert a counterproductive effect on the treatment of NAFLD.In conclusion,SREBP is a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD;the molecular mechanism of SREBP in lipid metabolism is regulated by many factors,and these factors are being deeply explored and analyzed,which has an important clinical significance for the treatment of NAFLD.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the influence of ceramic type and thickness on the masking abili-ty and final aesthetic effects of chairside machinable all-ceramic crowns.Methods Six kinds from three types chairside machinable ceramic materials(IPS e.max CAD HT/MT/LT,IPS Empress LT,and VITA Suprinity HT/T)in shade A2 were fabricated to slice specimens into 1.0,1.5,and 2.0 mm-thick sections(n=10).The color parameters of the speci-mens against black and white tiles and four resin substrates(A2,A4,B3,and C4 shade)were measured with a spectro-photometer.The translucency parameter(TP)was calculated using color parameters measured over standard white and black backgrounds.The color differences(ΔE)were cal-culated between there substrate shades(A4,B3,C4)and A2 shade(control group).Two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)was performed on the TP values.The two va-riables were ceramic type and ceramic thickness.Three-way ANOVA was used to determine the effects of ceramic materials,ceramic thickness,and substrate shades on the ΔE values,followed by Tukey test for multiple comparisons(α=0.05).Results Ceramic type,ceramic thickness,and sub-strate shade significantly affected the ΔE values(P<0.001).The L* and b* values of the specimens increased with in-creasing ceramic thickness,except in substrate A2,whereas the ΔE values decreased.The color difference of all 1.0 mm-thick specimens or all specimens over the substrates C4 shade exceeded the clinically acceptable threshold(ΔE>3.3).Conclusion The masking ability of chairside machinable all-ceramic crowns is influenced by ceramic type and thick-ness,and ceramic material.The thickness of ceramic less than 2.0 mm cannot mask the gray shade abutment.