OBJECTIVE To identify tortoiseshell glue and antler glue in Qichong zuogui granules， and determine the contents of 12 chemical components. METHODS Identification and content determination were performed by using liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） method. The identification was performed on Hypersil GOLD column with a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid solution （gradient elution）； the electrospray ion source was used to scan in the positive ion multi-reaction detection mode. The mass charge ratio （m/z） 631.3→546.4， 631.3→921.4 was the detection ion pair for tortoiseshell glue， and the m/z 765.4→554.0， 765.4→733.0 was the detection ion pair for antler glue. The determination method for 12 chemical components was as follows： Accucore C18 column， methanol-0.1% formic acid as mobile phase （gradient elution）； scanning range of positive and negative ions was m/z 100→1 000 with the electric spray ion source and single ion detection scanning mode. RESULTS Average retention times of the molecular ion peaks for characteristic peptide segments of tortoiseshell glue and antler glue were 6.28 and 6.77 min， respectively； the linear relationship of 12 chemical components was good within their respective concentration ranges， such as astragaloside Ⅳ， calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside， calycosin， chlorogenic acid， ferulic acid， betaine， amygdalin， rutin， hydroxysafflor yellow A， hyperoside， loganin， cyasterone （r＞0.999）； RSDs for precision， stability （24 h） and reproducibility tests were all less than 5%. The average sample recovery rates ranged from 98.04% to 101.08%. The average contents of 12 components were 1.83， 25.73， 13.76，56.71， 23.80， 49.82， 807.49， 15.01， 317.02， 60.21， 202.71 and 17.70 μg/g， respectively. CONCLUSIONS In this study， tortoiseshell glue and antler glue in Qixiong zuogui granules are identified， and the contents of 12 chemical components therein are determined. This provides a reference for the quality control of this granule.

The shaoyang meridian is an important pivot between the internal organs and meridians system， with the functions of regulating qi and blood， balancing yin and yang， and coordinating the ascending and descending movement of qi. Dysfunction of the shaoyang pivot can lead to spleen and kidney deficiency， impaired liver and gallbladder qi regulation， and stagnation of qi and blood. It is believed that the onset and progression of Crohn's disease are closely related to shaoyang pivot dysfunction， with the core pathogenesis characterized by shaoyang disharmony， spleen deficiency， dampness retention， and blood stasis. Based on this understanding， the treatment principle centers on harmonizing the shaoyang pivot， supplemented by methods such as warming and nourishing the spleen and stomach， tonifying shaoyang， and soothing the liver and benefiting the gallbladder. Acupuncture is employed to target key acupoints along the shaoyang meridian to restore its regulatory functions， improve spleen and stomach transformation and transportation， facilitate liver and gallbladder qi flow， and promote the circulation of qi and blood. This provides a practical therapeutic approach for acupuncture-based treatment of Crohn's disease.

Microalgae possess high photosynthetic efficiency, robust adaptability, and substantial biomass, serving as excellent biological resources for large-scale cultivation. Malic enzyme (ME), a ubiquitous metabolic enzyme in living organisms, catalyzes the decarboxylation of malate to produce pyruvate, CO₂, and NAD(P)H, playing a role in multiple metabolic pathways including energy metabolism, photosynthesis, respiration, and biosynthesis. In this study, we identified the Scenedesmus quadricauda malic enzyme gene (SqME) and its biological functions, aiming to provide excellent target genes for the genetic improvement of higher plants. Based on the RNA-seq data from S. quadricauda under the biofilm cultivation mode with high CO₂ and light energy transfer efficiency and small water use, a highly expressed gene (SqME) functionally annotated as ME was cloned. The physicochemical properties of the SqME-encoded protein were systematically analyzed by bioinformatics tools. The subcellular localization of SqME was determined via transient transformation in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The biological functions of SqME were identified via genetic transformation in Nicotiana tabacum, and the potential of SqME in the genetic improvement of higher plants was evaluated. The ORF of SqME was 1 770 bp, encoding 590 amino acid residues, and the encoded protein was located in chloroplasts. SqME was a NADP-ME, with the typical structural characteristics of ME. The ME activity in the transgenic N. tabacum plant was 1.8 folds of that in the wild-type control. Heterologous expression of SqME increased the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll by 20.9%, 26.9%, and 25.2%, respectively, compared with the control. The transgenic tobacco leaves showed an increase of 54.0% in the fluorescence parameter NPQ and a decrease of 30.1% in Fo compared with the control. Moreover, the biomass, total lipids, and soluble sugars in the transgenic tobacco leaves enhanced by 20.5%, 25.7%, and 9.5%, respectively. On the contrary, the starch and protein content in the transgenic tobacco leaves decreased by 22.4% and 12.2%, respectively. Collectively, the SqME-encoded protein exhibited a strong enzymatic activity. Heterologous expressing of SqME could significantly enhance photosynthetic protection, photosynthesis, and biomass accumulation in the host. Additionally, SqME can facilitate carbon metabolism remodeling in the host, driving more carbon flux towards lipid synthesis. Therefore, SqME can be applied in the genetic improvement of higher plants for enhancing photosynthetic carbon fixation and lipid accumulation. These findings provide scientific references for mining of functional genes from S. quadricauda and application of these genes in the genetic engineering of higher plants.
Nicotiana/genetics* ; Photosynthesis/physiology* ; Malate Dehydrogenase/biosynthesis* ; Plant Leaves/genetics* ; Scenedesmus/enzymology* ; Carbon Cycle/genetics* ; Lipid Metabolism/genetics* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism*

Osteoporosis （OP） is a systemic metabolic bone disease characterized by bone microstructure degeneration and bone mass loss， which has a high prevalence and disability rate. Effective prevention and treatment of OP is a major difficulty in the medical community. The nature of OP is that multiple pathological factors lead to the imbalance of human bone homeostasis maintained by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic cell death pathway， and its fundamental cause is cell damage caused by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown that ferroptosis is involved in and affects the occurrence and development of OP， which leads to OP by mediating the imbalance of bone homeostasis. Ferroptosis is an adjustable form of programmed cell death. The intervention of ferroptosis can regulate the damage degree and death process of osteoblasts and osteoclasts， which is beneficial to maintain bone homeostasis， slow down the development process of OP， improve the clinical symptoms of patients， reduce the risk of disability， and improve their quality of life. However， there are few studies on ferroptosis in OP. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is a medical treasure with unique characteristics and great application value in China. It has been widely used in China and has a long history. It has the multi-target and multi-pathway advantages in the treatment of OP， with high safety， few toxic and side effects， and low treatment cost， and has a significant effect in clinical application. The intervention of TCM in ferroptosis to regulate bone homeostasis may be a new direction for the prevention and treatment of OP in the future. This article summarized the regulatory mechanisms related to ferroptosis， discussed the role of ferroptosis in bone homeostasis， and reviewed the current status and progress of active ingredients in TCM compounds and monomers in the regulation of OP through ferroptosis， so as to provide a theoretical basis for the participation of TCM in the prevention and treatment of OP in the future.

Background::Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is commonly diagnosed in women of child-bearing age, but whether pregnancy influences the prognosis of DTC remains controversial. This study aimed to summarize existing evidence regarding the association of pregnancy with recurrence risk in patients previously treated for DTC.Methods::We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus based on the prespecified protocol registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022367896). After study selection, two researchers independently extracted data from the included studies. For quantitative data synthesis, we used random-effects meta-analysis models to pool the proportion of recurrence (for pregnant women only) and odds ratio (OR; comparing the risk of recurrence between the pregnancy group and the nonpregnancy group), respectively. Then we conducted subgroup analyses to explore whether risk of recurrence differed by response to therapy status or duration of follow-up time. We also assessed quality of the included studies.Results::A total of ten studies were included. The sample size ranged from 8 to 235, with participants’ age at pregnancy or delivery ranging from 28 to 35 years. The follow-up time varied from 0.1 to 36.0 years. The pooled proportion of recurrence in all pregnant patients was 0.13 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.06-0.25; I2: 0.58). Among six included studies reporting response to therapy status before pregnancy, we observed a trend for increasingly higher risk of recurrence from excellent, indeterminate, and biochemically incomplete to structurally incomplete response to therapy ( Ptrend <0.05). The pooled risk of recurrence in the pregnancy group showed no evidence of a significant difference from that in the nonpregnancy group (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.45-1.23; I2: 0). The difference in follow-up time (below/above five years) was not associated with either the proportion of recurrence in all pregnant patients ( P >0.05) or the OR of recurrence in studies with a comparison group ( P >0.05). Two included studies that focused on patients with distant metastasis also did not show a significant difference in disease recurrence between pregnancy and nonpregnancy groups (OR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.14-1.87; I2: 59%]). Conclusion::In general, pregnancy appears to have a minimal association with the disease recurrence of DTC with initial treatment. Clinicians should pay more attention to progression of DTC among pregnant women with biochemical and/or structural persistence.Registration::PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; No. CRD42022367896.

Traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome (TSOFS) is a symptom complex caused by nerve entrapment in the supraorbital fissure after skull base trauma. If the compressed cranial nerve in the supraorbital fissure is not decompressed surgically, ptosis, diplopia and eye movement disorder may exist for a long time and seriously affect the patients′ quality of life. Since its overall incidence is not high, it is not familiarized with the majority of neurosurgeons and some TSOFS may be complicated with skull base vascular injury. If the supraorbital fissure surgery is performed without treatment of vascular injury, it may cause massive hemorrhage, and disability and even life-threatening in severe cases. At present, there is no consensus or guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS that can be referred to both domestically and internationally. To improve the understanding of TSOFS among clinical physicians and establish standardized diagnosis and treatment plans, the Skull Base Trauma Group of the Neurorepair Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Traumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized relevant experts to formulate Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome ( version 2024) based on evidence of evidence-based medicine and clinical experience of diagnosis and treatment. This consensus puts forward 12 recommendations on the diagnosis, classification, treatment, efficacy evaluation and follow-up of TSOFS, aiming to provide references for neurosurgeons from hospitals of all levels to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and adverse reactions of whole-lung low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) in patients with severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods:Eight patients with severe/critical COVID-19 treated in the Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from January to June 2023 who were treated with whole-lung LDRT after deteriorating or failing to improve post-medical treatment were enrolled in this single-arm phase I clinical trial. They received anterior-posterior penetrating radiation in a supine or prone position, with a total dose range from 0.5 to 1.5 Gy and a dose weight ratio of 1∶1. The oxygenation status, inflammatory markers, and imaging changes before and after radiotherapy were analyzed, and patients were followed up for acute radiation-induced adverse reactions.Results:One week after LDRT, the SaO 2/FiO 2 or PaO 2/FiO 2 indices increased in seven patients (87.5%), inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) decreased in seven patients (87.5%), and chest CT/chest radiographs revealed a significant reduction in the extent of pneumonia involvement in 5 patients (62.5%). No evident acute radiation-related adverse reactions were observed. Conclusions:Whole-lung LDRT with a dose range from 0.5 to 1.5 Gy can reduce inflammatory markers, improve clinical symptoms, and promote inflammatory absorption in patients with severe/critical COVID-19 who responded poorly to medical treatment while not inducing acute adverse reactions.

Objective:To compare the prognosis of percutaneous versus laparoscopic microwave ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) classified as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage 0 to A, and evaluate the impact of these two ablation modalities on treatment outcome.Methods:Clinical data of 198 patients with HCC of BCLC stages 0 to A undergoing microwave ablation treatment at the Second Hospital of Jiaxing and Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January 2011 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 149 males and 49 females, aged (57.4±9.6) years. Patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment modality: percutaneous microwave ablation group ( n=133) and laparoscopic microwave ablation group ( n=65). Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival rates. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression to assess the impacts of percutaneous and laparoscopic microwave ablation on prognosis. Results:The median overall survivals for the percutaneous and laparoscopic microwave ablation groups were 54 months and 77 months, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survival rates postoperatively were 95.6%, 67.3%, 47.4% for the percutaneous group, and 100.0%, 79.9%, 60.4% for the laparoscopic group, respectively, with the latter showing superior cumulative survival rates ( χ2=4.53, P=0.033). The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 27 months for the percutaneous group and 52 months for the laparoscopic group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS postoperatively were 67.4%, 41.1% and 32.8% for the percutaneous group, and 81.5%, 58.1%, and 46.7% for the laparoscopic group, respectively, with the latter showing superior RFS, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=7.20, P=0.007). Multivariate analysis indicated that percutaneous microwave ablation was associated with an increased risk of death ( HR=2.475, 95% CI: 1.423-4.305, P=0.001) and recurrence ( HR=1.996, 95% CI: 1.255-3.176, P=0.004). Conclusion:Laparoscopic approach was superior to percutaneous microwave ablation in patients with HCC of BCLC stages 0 to A, and percutaneous microwave ablation could be a risk factor for poor prognosis in these patients.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of over-the-top reconstruction combined with the modified Lemaire technique in the treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries with pivot-shift positive.Methods:From March 2020 to October 2021, a total of 46 patients with ACL injury and pivot-shift test grade II or above were admitted to Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Dalian University. There were 28 males and 18 females, aged 28.0±10.5 years (range, 15-45 years). All cases were unilateral, including 17 cases of left knee and 29 cases of right knee. The pivot-shift test showed that 30 cases were grade II and 16 cases were grade III, and the cause of injury was sports injury. The semitendinosus muscle and gracilis muscle were harvested, and the ACL was reconstructed with the over-the-top combined modified Lemaire technique. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lysholm score and KT-2000 side-to-side difference before and after operation were compared.Results:All patients successfully completed the operation and were followed up for 26.6±2.3 months (range, 24-28 months). The Lysholm scores of the patients at 3 months and 24 months after operation were 73.6±4.3 and 91.6±2.8, which were higher than those before operation (58.5±4.6), and the difference was statistically significant ( F=18.351, P<0.001). The IKDC scores of patients at 3 months and 24 months after operation were 59.0±2.0 and 91.8±3.2, respectively, which were higher than those before operation 50.3±2.8, and the difference was statistically significant ( F=17.290, P<0.001). The side-to-side difference of KT-2000 was 1.7±0.8 mm and 1.5±0.4 mm at 3 and 24 months after operation, respectively, which was lower than that before operation (5.9±1.1 mm), and the difference was statistically significant ( F=14.192, P<0.001). At 24 months after operation, 3 patients had pivot shift test grade I and 4 patients had Lachman test grade I, but they complained of good knee stability and did not receive further treatment. At the last follow-up, there were no complications such as incision and intra-articular infection, deep vein thrombosis, knee stiffness, quadriceps musculus ossificans myositis, and reconstruction ligament rupture. All patients returned to sports with an average time of 15.7±2.6 months (range, 12-24 months). Conclusion:Over-the-top reconstruction combined with the modified Lemaire technique for the treatment of ACL injury with positive pivot shift test effectively improves knee function and promotes the patient's return to sports, with a low incidence of surgical complications.

Objective To explore the application value of telmisartan combined with calcium dobesilate in patients with non-dipper hypertension complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A total of 260 patients with non-dipper hypertension complicated with T2DM in the endocrinology department of our hospital were selected in this study from January 2021 to December 2022.All the patients were randomly divided into telmisartan group(Tel,n=110)and telmisartan+calcium dobesilate group(Tel+Cal-dob,n=150).The blood pressure level,blood pressure rhythm changes,brachial flow mediated dilatation(FMD),carotid radial pulse wave velocity(crPWV),vasomotor factors[nitric oxide(NO),endothelin-1(ET-1),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)]and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results There was no significant difference in general data and biochemical indexes between the two groups(P>0.05).After 3,6 and 12 months of treatment,the FMD and NO were higher,while the dSBP,dDBP,24 hSBP,24 hDBP,nSBP,nDBP,crPWV,ET-1 and VEGF were lower than before treatment in both groups(P<0.05).After 3,6 and 12 months of treatment,the FMD and NO were higher,while dSBP,dDBP,24 hSBP,24 hDBP,nSBP,nDBP,crPWV,ET-1 and VEGF were lower in Tel+Cal-dob group than in Tel group(P<0.05).After 3,6 and 12 months of treatment,the conversion rates of dipper blood pressure were higher in Tel+Cal-dob groupthan in Tel group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse effects between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Telmisartan combined with calcium dobesilate is effective in the treatment of patients with non-dipper hypertension complicated with T2DM.