Liver diseases, particularly cirrhosis and cancer, significantly threat human health for a long time, and their diagnosis and treatment are important topics in medical research. Tradi-tional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have focused on biochemical properties of liver diseases, yet often neglecting the mechanical microenvironment of liver at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. This oversight makes it difficult to meet clinical needs. Recent advancements in biomechanics and mechanobiology have underscored the importance of mechanical properties of liver in understanding disease mechanisms, presenting profound implications for both basic research and clinical practice. However, there is still a lack of in-depth exploration of the mechanical properties of liver in both basic research and clinical treatment, making it unclear of the specific mechanisms and application scenarios. The authors propose and introduce the emerging field of liver mechanomedicine, examine the biomechanical properties of liver and their alterations during disease progression, elucidate mechanobiological mechanisms of cellular mechanical responses and signal transduction, explore the application of mechanical characteristics in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases, aiming to provide a new perspective for basic research and clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

For middle-aged and elderly patients with conditions such as spinal fractures and degenerative spinal diseases, spinal internal fixation is a core surgical procedure for reconstructing spinal stability, heavily relying on the biomechanical stability provided by pedicle screw systems. Whereas, these patients are often complicated by osteoporosis that can significantly compromise the stability of the bone-pedicle screw interface, leading to a marked increase in pedicle screw loosening and surgical failure rates. The bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique, which involves injecting bone cement into the vertebral body or screw trajectory to optimize the mechanical properties of the bone-pedicle screw composite, has been proven to significantly enhance fixation strength and effectively prevent screw-related failures, thereby reducing the incidence of internal fixation failure in high-risk populations undergoing spinal fusion. However, the widespread clinical application of this technique has faced challenges such as inaccurate clinical decision-making (indication and contraindication selection), non-standardized operative practices, and insufficient awareness of complication prevention, resulting in considerable variability in clinical outcomes and even severe complications. To address this, Prof. Luo Fei from First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University initiated the project and the Chinese Association Orthopaedic Surgeons organized relevant experts to develop the Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique ( version 2025), based on current evidence. The guidelines put forward 8 recommendations regarding the clinical value, scope of application, and operational standards of the technique, aiming to provide evidence-based medical support and technical standardization for clinical decision-making.

Aim To compare the differences in the in vitro anti-precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PL-GC)activities of different polar extracts from Bombyx batryticatus.Methods Bombyx batryticatus was ex-tracted by ethanol reflux,and the extract was further partitioned using different polarity organic solvents to obtain four fractions:petroleum ether(SYM),ethyl acetate(YSYZ),n-butanol(ZDC),and aqueous phase(SX).The PLGC cell model was established by inducing malignant transformation in GES-1 cells using N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG).The optimal concentration of four extracts were determined by CCK-8 assay.The proliferation,migration and in-vasion of cells in each group were detected by plate cloning,scratch healing and Transwell assay,respec-tively.The expression levels of E-cadherin,Vimentin and key proteins of the PI3 K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in cells of each group were detected by West-ern blot.Meanwhile,chemical components of the four extracts were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.Re-sults Compared with the normal group,the prolifera-tion,migration and invasion abilities of cells in the PL-GC group were significantly enhanced,the expression levels of E-cadherin proteins of PLGC cells were down-regulated,and the expression levels of Vimentin,p-PI3K,p-AKT and p-mTOR proteins of PLGC cells were up-regulated.Compared with the PLGC group,the four extracts attenuated the proliferation,migration and invasion abilities of PLGC cells,down-regulated the protein expression levels of Vimentin,p-PI3K,p-AKT and p-mTOR,and upregulated E-cadherin ex-pression in cells of the SYM,YSYZ,and ZDC groups.There was no statistical significance in the SX group.In addition,there were significant differences in the chemical components of the four different polar extracts of Bombyx batryticatus.The differential compounds were cysteine,histidine,etc.Conclusions The four different polar extracts of Bombyx batryticatus all can exert in vitro anti-PLGC effects by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to inhibit the EMT process.Among them,the extract of n-butanol had the strongest activity,followed by the extracts of ethyl ace-tate and petroleum ether.The aqueous phase had the weakest activity,and the difference in activity may be related to the different compounds such as Cysteine and Histidine.

Aim To compare the differences in the in vitro anti-precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PL-GC)activities of different polar extracts from Bombyx batryticatus.Methods Bombyx batryticatus was ex-tracted by ethanol reflux,and the extract was further partitioned using different polarity organic solvents to obtain four fractions:petroleum ether(SYM),ethyl acetate(YSYZ),n-butanol(ZDC),and aqueous phase(SX).The PLGC cell model was established by inducing malignant transformation in GES-1 cells using N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG).The optimal concentration of four extracts were determined by CCK-8 assay.The proliferation,migration and in-vasion of cells in each group were detected by plate cloning,scratch healing and Transwell assay,respec-tively.The expression levels of E-cadherin,Vimentin and key proteins of the PI3 K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in cells of each group were detected by West-ern blot.Meanwhile,chemical components of the four extracts were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.Re-sults Compared with the normal group,the prolifera-tion,migration and invasion abilities of cells in the PL-GC group were significantly enhanced,the expression levels of E-cadherin proteins of PLGC cells were down-regulated,and the expression levels of Vimentin,p-PI3K,p-AKT and p-mTOR proteins of PLGC cells were up-regulated.Compared with the PLGC group,the four extracts attenuated the proliferation,migration and invasion abilities of PLGC cells,down-regulated the protein expression levels of Vimentin,p-PI3K,p-AKT and p-mTOR,and upregulated E-cadherin ex-pression in cells of the SYM,YSYZ,and ZDC groups.There was no statistical significance in the SX group.In addition,there were significant differences in the chemical components of the four different polar extracts of Bombyx batryticatus.The differential compounds were cysteine,histidine,etc.Conclusions The four different polar extracts of Bombyx batryticatus all can exert in vitro anti-PLGC effects by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to inhibit the EMT process.Among them,the extract of n-butanol had the strongest activity,followed by the extracts of ethyl ace-tate and petroleum ether.The aqueous phase had the weakest activity,and the difference in activity may be related to the different compounds such as Cysteine and Histidine.

Liver diseases, particularly cirrhosis and cancer, significantly threat human health for a long time, and their diagnosis and treatment are important topics in medical research. Tradi-tional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have focused on biochemical properties of liver diseases, yet often neglecting the mechanical microenvironment of liver at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. This oversight makes it difficult to meet clinical needs. Recent advancements in biomechanics and mechanobiology have underscored the importance of mechanical properties of liver in understanding disease mechanisms, presenting profound implications for both basic research and clinical practice. However, there is still a lack of in-depth exploration of the mechanical properties of liver in both basic research and clinical treatment, making it unclear of the specific mechanisms and application scenarios. The authors propose and introduce the emerging field of liver mechanomedicine, examine the biomechanical properties of liver and their alterations during disease progression, elucidate mechanobiological mechanisms of cellular mechanical responses and signal transduction, explore the application of mechanical characteristics in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases, aiming to provide a new perspective for basic research and clinical practice.

For middle-aged and elderly patients with conditions such as spinal fractures and degenerative spinal diseases, spinal internal fixation is a core surgical procedure for reconstructing spinal stability, heavily relying on the biomechanical stability provided by pedicle screw systems. Whereas, these patients are often complicated by osteoporosis that can significantly compromise the stability of the bone-pedicle screw interface, leading to a marked increase in pedicle screw loosening and surgical failure rates. The bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique, which involves injecting bone cement into the vertebral body or screw trajectory to optimize the mechanical properties of the bone-pedicle screw composite, has been proven to significantly enhance fixation strength and effectively prevent screw-related failures, thereby reducing the incidence of internal fixation failure in high-risk populations undergoing spinal fusion. However, the widespread clinical application of this technique has faced challenges such as inaccurate clinical decision-making (indication and contraindication selection), non-standardized operative practices, and insufficient awareness of complication prevention, resulting in considerable variability in clinical outcomes and even severe complications. To address this, Prof. Luo Fei from First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University initiated the project and the Chinese Association Orthopaedic Surgeons organized relevant experts to develop the Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique ( version 2025), based on current evidence. The guidelines put forward 8 recommendations regarding the clinical value, scope of application, and operational standards of the technique, aiming to provide evidence-based medical support and technical standardization for clinical decision-making.

Objective To explore clinical effect of vancomycin calcium sulfate combined with internal fixation on cal-caneal beak-like fracture secondary to calcaneal osteomyelitis caused by diabetic foot.Methods From April 2018 to October 2021,a retrospective analysis was performed on 5 patients with calcaneal bone osteomyelitis secondary to diabetic foot,includ-ing 2 males and 3 females,aged from 48 to 60 years old;diabetes course ranged from 5 to 13 years;the courses of diabetic foot disease ranged from 18 to 52 days;5 patients were grade Ⅲ according to Wagner classification.All patients were treated with debridement,vancomycin bone cement implantation,negative pressure aspiration at stage Ⅰ,vancomycin calcium sulfate and internal fixation at stage Ⅱ for calcaneal beak-like fracture.Surgical incision and fracture healing time were recorded,and the recurrence of osteomyelitis was observed.American Orthopedic Foot Andankle Society(AOFAS)score and exudation at 12 months after operation were evaluated.Results Five patients were successfully completed operation without lower extremity vascular occlusion,and were followed up for 16 to 36 months.The wound healing time after internal fixation ranged from 16 to 26 days,and healing time of fractures ranged from 16 to 27 weeks.AOFAS score ranged from 65 to 91 at 12 months after oper-ation,and 2 patients got excellent result,2 good and 1 fair.Among them,1 patient with skin ulcer on the back of foot caused by scalding at 5 months after operation(non-complication),was recovered after treatment;the wound leakage complication oc-curred in 2 patients,and were recovered after dressing change.No osteomyelitis or fracture occurred in all patients.Conclusion Vancomycin calcium sulfate with internal fixation in treating calcaneal osteomyelitis secondary to calcaneal osteomyelitis caused by diabetic foot could not only control infection,but also promote fracture healing,and obtain good clinical results.

Background/Aims: Four-week treatment of linvencorvir (RO7049389) was generally safe and well tolerated, and showed anti-viral activity in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. This study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of 48-week treatment with linvencorvir plus standard of care (SoC) in CHB patients. Methods: This was a multicentre, non-randomized, non-controlled, open-label phase 2 study enrolling three cohorts: nucleos(t)ide analogue (NUC)-suppressed patients received linvencorvir plus NUC (Cohort A, n=32); treatment-naïve patients received linvencorvir plus NUC without (Cohort B, n=10) or with (Cohort C, n=30) pegylated interferon-α (Peg-IFN-α). Treatment duration was 48 weeks, followed by NUC alone for 24 weeks. Results: 68 patients completed the study. No patient achieved functional cure (sustained HBsAg loss and unquantifiable HBV DNA). By Week 48, 89% of treatment-naïve patients (10/10 Cohort B; 24/28 Cohort C) reached unquantifiable HBV DNA. Unquantifiable HBV RNA was achieved in 92% of patients with quantifiable baseline HBV RNA (14/15 Cohort A, 8/8 Cohort B, 22/25 Cohort C) at Week 48 along with partially sustained HBV RNA responses in treatment-naïve patients during follow-up period. Pronounced reductions in HBeAg and HBcrAg were observed in treatment-naïve patients, while HBsAg decline was only observed in Cohort C. Most adverse events were grade 1–2, and no linvencorvir-related serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions 48-week linvencorvir plus SoC was generally safe and well tolerated, and resulted in potent HBV DNA and RNA suppression. However, 48-week linvencorvir plus NUC with or without Peg-IFN did not result in the achievement of functional cure in any patient.

Phosphatase and tensin-homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is an important cancer suppressor gene. Its pathogenic mutation leads to PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), a rare syndrome also known as Cowden syndrome, which is relevant to early-onset hereditary breast cancer (BC). In this paper, we report three patients with unilateral multicentric BC and synchronous and metachronous bilateral BC who harbored PTEN gene mutations, and summarize the clinical manifestations, pathological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up outcomes to provide reference for management of PTEN gene mutation-related BC among the Cowden syndrome population.