To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of DEAD-box helicase 3 X-linked （DDX3X） in immune-mediated liver injury （ILI）， and to clarify its mechanism by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS）-dependent apoptotic pathway and its association with the clinical progression of hepatitis B. MethodsMice were given injection of concanavalin A （ConA） via the caudal vein to establish a model of ILI， PBS （control group） and different concentrations of ConA were injected into the tail vein of hepatocyte-specific DDX3X-knockout mice （DDX3X^ΔHep and DDX3X-flox mice （DDX3X^fl/fl）， respectively.. The log-rank survival analysis， measurement of the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， and HE staining of liver tissue were performed to assess liver injury， and qRT-PCR and Western Blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78）， CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein （CHOP）， and DDX3X in liver tissue. Intraperitoneal injection of 4-phenylbutyric acid （4-PBA， 100 mg/kg） was performed to inhibit ERS. Serum samples （n=30） and liver tissue samples （n=6） were collected from healthy controls， chronic hepatitis B （CHB） patients， and hepatitis B virus-associated liver failure （HBV-LF） patients； ELISA was used to measure the serum level of DDX3X， and qRT-PCR/Western Blot was used to analyze the expression of targets in liver tissue. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the control group of mice， the expression of DDX3X in the liver of mice induced by ConA was significantly increased after liver injury （P<0.05）， and hepatocyte-specific DDX3X knockout increased the 72-hour survival rate of mice by 55% （compared with 20% in the DDX3X^fl/fl group）， with significant reductions in the serum levels of ALT and AST （P<0.000 1） and the expression levels of the ERS markers GRP78 and CHOP （P<0.05）. After ERS was inhibited by 4-PBA， there was alleviation of liver injury （with reductions in ALT and AST， P <0.001） and a reduction in DDX3X expression （P<0.01）. The analysis of clinical samples showed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of liver DDX3X in CHB patients and HBV-LF patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls （all P<0.01）， and there was a significant increase in the serum level of DDX3X in HBV-LF patients （P<0.000 1）. ConclusionDDX3X exacerbates ILI by regulating the ERS-dependent apoptotic pathway （GRP78/CHOP）， and its expression is associated with the progression of hepatitis B. Therefore， it can be used as a potential therapeutic target.

Background Depressive symptoms have become a significant factor affecting the physical and mental health of the occupational population, and workers in petroleum refining enterprises face multiple stressors in their work environment. Objective To explore the impact of occupational noise exposure on depressive symptoms among workers in a petroleum refining enterprise. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2024 using a questionnaire survey among workers of a petroleum refining enterprise in Hainan Province. Basic information of the subjects was collected. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to measure depressive symptoms, the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale was used to assess sleep quality, and the Chinese version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale was used to evaluate occupational stress. Chi-square test was employed to compare the differences in reporting depressive symptoms among populations with different characteristics. Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the impact of occupational noise exposure and other factors on depressive symptoms. Results The overall positive rate of depressive symptoms in the study population was 42.7%. The results of the multifactor analysis indicated that compared with the control group, employees in both the low-exposure and high-exposure groups had elevated odds of depressive symptoms, with OR (95%CI) of 2.244 (1.131, 4.454) and 1.970 (1.009, 3.850), respectively. This association remained robust after adjusting for potential confounders, including gender, age, work tenure, and other occupational exposures. Additionally, female [OR (95%CI)=1.483 (1.039, 2.118)], exposure to benzene, toluene, or xylene [OR (95%CI)=1.621 (1.208, 2.174)], sleep disturbance [OR (95%CI)=3.772 (2.942, 4.838)], and occupational stress [OR (95%CI)=2.018 (1.575, 2.585)] were also significantly associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms. Conclusion The positive rate of depressive symptoms is relatively high among employees in this petrochemical enterprise, and occupational noise exposure may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms.

Background: Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications. Methods: A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18–45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were established. Correlations with body-composition metrics, ethnicity, and the menstrual cycle were investigated. Results: The HPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high precision (intra- and inter-assay CVs < 15%), accuracy, and sensitivity. All eight hormones exhibited significant age-related declines (P < 0.001 for seven hormones; P = 0.001 for 11-OH A4). Notably, 11-OH A4 levels were significantly lower in the 35–45-yr (3.05 nmol/L) and 25–34-yr (3.09 nmol/L) age groups than in the 18–24-yr (3.57 nmol/L) age group, whereas no significant difference was observed between the 35–45-yr and 25–34-yr age groups. Weak negative correlations were observed between the body mass index and corticosterone and cortisone levels, whereas ethnicity and the menstrual cycle showed no significant associations with hormone levels. Conclusions We developed an HPLC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneously quantifying eight adrenocortical hormones, including 11-OH A4, and defined age-specific reference intervals for reproductive-aged Chinese women. These findings advance the clinical utility of adrenocortical hormones in diagnosing and managing reproductive disorders.

ObjectiveTo reveal the compatibility rules of the core compound formula and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） components for prevention and treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） by Huazhuo Jiedu （turbidity-resolving and detoxifying） therapy through uniform design in view of the potential regulatory pathway of endogenous turbid-toxin retention in CAG， elucidate the potential pathway by which the compound formulas regulate the Wnt/β-catenin-connexin 43 （CX43） signaling axis， demonstrated the efficacy enhancement and toxicity attenuation among the components， thus providing experimental evidence for the scientific application of multi-component， multi-target compatibility in TCM compound formulas. MethodsA mouse model of CAG was established with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea （MNU）. Sixty mice were randomly allocated into 5 groups （n=12 per group）： blank control， model， low-dose Huazhuo Jiedu core compound formula （HXFF-L， 4.004 g·kg^-1）， high-dose Huazhuo Jiedu core compound formula （HXFF-H， 8.008 g·kg^-1）， and positive control （folic acid at 11 mg·kg^-1 + vitamin B₁₂ at 14 mg·kg^-1）. The therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanism of the core compound formula were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff （AB-PAS） staining， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， transmission electron microscopy （TEM）， immunofluorescence assay， and Western blot. The chemical components of the core compound formula were detected and effective components were screened by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry （UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS）. Another 120 mice were randomized into blank control， model， and 8 HXFF component-combination groups with different dosages （uniform design groups 1-8， n=12 per group）. A uniform design was adopted， with pathological scores of mouse gastric tissue as well as serum levels of pepsinogen Ⅰ （PGⅠ）， pepsinogen Ⅱ （PGⅡ）， and gastrin 17 （GAS17） set as dependent variables. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to predict the optimal proportion of core components in the compound formula and explore its compatibility rules. ResultsPharmacodynamic validation showed that compared with the blank control group， the model group had decreased gastric weight index （P<0.01） and increased pathological damage score and inflammatory factor levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， these indicators were reversed in the HXFF-L， HXFF-H， and positive control groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Immunofluorescence results showed that CX43 expression was downregulated in the model group compared with the blank control group （P<0.01） and upregulated in the HXFF-H and positive control groups compared with the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot results showed that compared with the blank control group， the model group demonstrated upregulated protein levels of Wnt and β-catenin in the gastric tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， the protein level of Wnt was downregulated in the HXFF-L， HXFF-H， and positive control groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while that of β-catenin was downregulated only in the HXFF-H group （P<0.05）. A total of 25 compounds were identified in the core compound formula， including 9 from Coptidis Rhizoma， 10 from Pogostemonis Herba， 2 from Scorpio， and 4 from Lilii Bulbus. According to the category and origin of compounds， Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids， Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils， Scorpio peptides， and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids were finally selected for component research. The predicted optimal combination of TCM components was as follows： Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids at 75 mg·kg^-1， Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils at 2.25 mg·kg^-1， Scorpio protein extract at 90 mg·kg^-1， and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids at 9 mg·kg^-1. Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids， Scorpio protein extract， Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils， and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids can ameliorate pathological lesions of the gastric tissue. Scorpio protein extract exerted positive regulatory effects on the gastric function， while Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids showed negative correlations with partial gastric function indicators. Further investigations are required to clarify their dose-effect relationships and safety profiles. ConclusionThis study， for the first time， predicts the optimal proportion and synergistic regulatory mechanism of the core compound formula of Huazhuo Jiedu therapy， revealing the synergistic compatibility logic of its components. It provides a novel strategy for the precise TCM treatment of CAG and the modern development of compound formulas.

ObjectiveTo reveal the compatibility rules of the core compound formula and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） components for prevention and treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） by Huazhuo Jiedu （turbidity-resolving and detoxifying） therapy through uniform design in view of the potential regulatory pathway of endogenous turbid-toxin retention in CAG， elucidate the potential pathway by which the compound formulas regulate the Wnt/β-catenin-connexin 43 （CX43） signaling axis， demonstrated the efficacy enhancement and toxicity attenuation among the components， thus providing experimental evidence for the scientific application of multi-component， multi-target compatibility in TCM compound formulas. MethodsA mouse model of CAG was established with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea （MNU）. Sixty mice were randomly allocated into 5 groups （n=12 per group）： blank control， model， low-dose Huazhuo Jiedu core compound formula （HXFF-L， 4.004 g·kg^-1）， high-dose Huazhuo Jiedu core compound formula （HXFF-H， 8.008 g·kg^-1）， and positive control （folic acid at 11 mg·kg^-1 + vitamin B₁₂ at 14 mg·kg^-1）. The therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanism of the core compound formula were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff （AB-PAS） staining， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， transmission electron microscopy （TEM）， immunofluorescence assay， and Western blot. The chemical components of the core compound formula were detected and effective components were screened by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry （UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS）. Another 120 mice were randomized into blank control， model， and 8 HXFF component-combination groups with different dosages （uniform design groups 1-8， n=12 per group）. A uniform design was adopted， with pathological scores of mouse gastric tissue as well as serum levels of pepsinogen Ⅰ （PGⅠ）， pepsinogen Ⅱ （PGⅡ）， and gastrin 17 （GAS17） set as dependent variables. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to predict the optimal proportion of core components in the compound formula and explore its compatibility rules. ResultsPharmacodynamic validation showed that compared with the blank control group， the model group had decreased gastric weight index （P<0.01） and increased pathological damage score and inflammatory factor levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， these indicators were reversed in the HXFF-L， HXFF-H， and positive control groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Immunofluorescence results showed that CX43 expression was downregulated in the model group compared with the blank control group （P<0.01） and upregulated in the HXFF-H and positive control groups compared with the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot results showed that compared with the blank control group， the model group demonstrated upregulated protein levels of Wnt and β-catenin in the gastric tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， the protein level of Wnt was downregulated in the HXFF-L， HXFF-H， and positive control groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while that of β-catenin was downregulated only in the HXFF-H group （P<0.05）. A total of 25 compounds were identified in the core compound formula， including 9 from Coptidis Rhizoma， 10 from Pogostemonis Herba， 2 from Scorpio， and 4 from Lilii Bulbus. According to the category and origin of compounds， Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids， Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils， Scorpio peptides， and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids were finally selected for component research. The predicted optimal combination of TCM components was as follows： Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids at 75 mg·kg^-1， Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils at 2.25 mg·kg^-1， Scorpio protein extract at 90 mg·kg^-1， and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids at 9 mg·kg^-1. Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids， Scorpio protein extract， Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils， and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids can ameliorate pathological lesions of the gastric tissue. Scorpio protein extract exerted positive regulatory effects on the gastric function， while Pogostemonis Herba volatile oils and Lilii Bulbus alkaloids showed negative correlations with partial gastric function indicators. Further investigations are required to clarify their dose-effect relationships and safety profiles. ConclusionThis study， for the first time， predicts the optimal proportion and synergistic regulatory mechanism of the core compound formula of Huazhuo Jiedu therapy， revealing the synergistic compatibility logic of its components. It provides a novel strategy for the precise TCM treatment of CAG and the modern development of compound formulas.

Background Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) has become a popular choice in prediction models due to its high efficiency and speed. However, the "black box" issues in machine learning models lead to poor model interpretability. At present, few studies have evaluated the severity of occupational injuries from the perspective of LightGBM model and model interpretability. Objective To evaluate the application value of LightGBM models and model interpretability methods in occupational injury prediction. Methods The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) occupational injury data set of mining industry workers from 1983 to 2022 was used. Injury severity (death/fatal occupational injury and permanent/partial disability) was used as the outcome variable, and the predictor variables included the month of occurrence, age, sex, time of accident, time since beginning of shift, accident time interval from shift start, total experience, total mining experience, experience at this mine, cause of injury, accident type, activity of injury, source of injury, body part of injury, work environment type, product category, and nature of injury. Feature sets were screened using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression. A LightGBM model was then employed to predict occupational injury, with area under curve (AUC) of the model serving as the primary evaluation metric; an AUC closer to 1 indicates better predictive performance of the model. The interpretability of the model was evaluated using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP). Results Through Lasso regression, 7 key influencing factors were identified, including accident time interval from shift start, experience at this mine, cause of injury, accident type, body part of injury, nature of injury, and work environment type. A LightGBM model, constructed based on feature selection via Lasso regression, demonstrated good predictive performance with an AUC value of 0.9941 (95%CI: 0.9917, 0.9966), accuracy of 0.9743, specificity of 0.9781, and sensitivity of 0.9640. The predicted probability of fatal occupational injuries showed high consistency with the actual probability of fatal occupational injuries. In the occupational injury prediction model, the importance of each indicator was analyzed through its SHAP value, and it was found that the body part of injury and the nature of injury were the two main features that affected the prediction results of the model, and the impacts of other features were relatively small. The distribution of SHAP values across body part of injury was broad, with significant impacts on the model's prediction of fatal risk, particularly for injuries to the head and neck, as well as multi-part injuries. The nature of injury also exerted influences on the model in different directions, with suffocation/drowning, crushing, and multi-part injuries having a greater impact on the risk of fatal occupational injuries. Conclusion LightGBM model is capable of efficiently processing large-scale data and providing high-precision prediction results. Research on model interpretability aids in more accurately exploring and analyzing various key risk factors for fatal occupational injuries among mining workers, and further reveals the complex interactions among these factors. This, in turn, enables better preventive intervention and protection measures, as well as optimal resource allocation for labor workers.

The data of 44 scalp acupuncture schools are collected to analyze their commonalities in theoretical foundations, needling sites, techniques, and indications. The integration of these characteristics into an optimized, unified scalp acupuncture protocol has become an inevitable trend. The paper discusses the potential for a unified scalp acupuncture protocol from aspects such as theoretical unification, the relationships between point areas, lines, and sites, and needle numbers. It also explores the primary issues and solutions involved in unifying scalp acupuncture protocols, providing a reference for standardization and unification in scalp acupuncture protocol.
Scalp ; Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Acupuncture Points

This article analyzes the current status of the researches on acupuncture-moxibustion for idiopathic facial palsy (Bell's palsy). Acupuncture-moxibustion is widely applied in treatment of Bell's palsy and the relevant researches are enriched. But the hierarchical discussion on the effectiveness is reported inadequately. Consequently, the necessity and advantages of acupuncture-moxibustion are hardly prominent. Besides, the safety of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment is not fully explored. The common shortcomings are presented in professional study and statistical designs, and the quality of the evidences is not high. The recommendation strength of acupuncture-moxibustion is weak in international guidelines. The crucial questions are not deeply discussed, and there are lack of the recognized optimal protocol in clinical practical guidelines. It is suggested that the researches should improve the evaluation of the disease itself that may affect the prognosis of Bell's palsy, such as location, conditions and duration of illness, basic diseases and syndrome/pattern differentiation. The effect of acupuncture-moxibustion should be verified hierarchically, the questions on safety should be emphasized, the quality of study should be improved, the staging of treatment should be specified and the effect of acupuncture-moxibustion should be evaluated in multi-dimensions, and the elements of acupuncture-moxibustion should be optimized systematically in the aspects of timing, acupoint selection, needle devices, manipulation, intervention measures and regimen composition. So as to promote the research of acupuncture-moxibustion for Bell's palsy to a new process.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Moxibustion ; Bell Palsy/therapy*

The paper introduces Professor FAN Gangqi's clinical experience in treatment of migraine. Regarding the syndrome/pattern differentiation of TCM, a four-approach framework is established, identifying the nature of illness, analyzing the syndrome/pattern and pathogenesis, determining the stage of illness, and identifying body constitution. In treatment, the principle of treatment is determined in line with syndrome/pattern differentiation, so as to ensure the therapeutic effect by means of "four dimensions". The acupuncture regimens are formulated in terms of the illness stages, "strong needling stimulation in acute stage for analgesia, and needle retaining in chronic stage for long-term effect". "Focusing on neuovascular pathway" is the effective approach to treatment of migraine with acupuncture and moxiubstion. The clinical holistic model by combining acupuncture with medication is advocated because that "the single acupuncture is weak in therapeutic effect, but with medication combined, the effect is enhanced". The different acupuncture techniques are provided comprehensively in treatment of migraine such as horizontal and row-like needling, collateral needling at Taiyang (EX-HN5), acupuncture at Sankong (Yuyao [EX-HN4], Sibai [ST2] and Jiachengjiang [Extra]), acupoint injection at Tianyou (TE16) and Renying (ST9), and acupoint embedding therapy at Fengchi (GB20).
Humans ; Migraine Disorders/diagnosis* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Moxibustion ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Male ; Adult