ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Simiaowan on intestinal barrier function and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） binding cassette transporter G2 （ABCG2） expression in hyperuricemic （HUA） rats， and elucidate its therapeutic mechanisms. MethodsForty male Sprague Dawley （SD） rats were randomized into a normal group， a model group， low-dose （282.6 mg·kg^-1） and high-dose （565.2 mg·kg^-1） Simiaowan groups， and a Benzbromarone （4.7 mg·kg^-1） group. The HUA model was established via intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate （ip） combined with oral gavage of hypoxanthine （ig） for 14 days. Following modeling， treatments were administered for 14 days. Samples were collected and weighed 4 h after final dosing. Blood uric acid and hepatic function were analyzed. Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and Chiu's scoring was conducted. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） quantified tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， diamine oxidase （DAO）， and D-lactic acid （D-LA） levels. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， Western blot， and immunohistochemistry assessed the expression of Claudin-1， Occludin， occludens-1 （ZO-1）， and ABCG2 mRNAs and proteins. 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing characterized ileal microbiota. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited epithelial shedding in the ileal villus， structural disruption， infiltration of extensive inflammatory cells， and significantly elevated Chiu's scores （P<0.01）. The DAO， TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， LPS， and D-LA levels in the ileum were markedly increased （P<0.01）， while mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin 1， Occludin， ZO-1， and ABCG2， as well as positive staining area and proportion， were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Simiaowan groups at all doses showed improved epithelial damage in the ileal villus， significantly lowered Chiu's scores （P<0.01）， significantly reduced DAO， TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， LPS， and D-LA levels in the ileum （P<0.01）， and upregulated mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin 1， Occludin， ZO-1， and ABCG2， as well as positive staining area and proportion （P<0.01）. The 16S rDNA results showed that in the model group， the α-diversity index of the ileal microbiota was increased， and species diversity and richness were enhanced， with microbiota dysfunction observed. The community structure of the gut microbiota was significantly different from that of the normal microbiota. The abundance of probiotics was decreased， and the abundance of pathogenic bacteria was increased， with butyrate-producing bacteria showing a low abundance. In contrast， Simiaowan at all doses reduced species diversity and richness， regulated microbiota dysfunction， and promoted the shift of the structure of the gut microbiota community towards a normal one. This increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria， decreased the abundance of harmful bacteria， and restored the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria. ConclusionSimiaowan enhances ileal uric acid excretion and further alleviates HUA by modulating the gut microbiota composition to improve the intestinal barrier and upregulate the expression of the urate transporter ABCG2 in HUA rats.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Simiao Wan improve intestinal uric acid excretion in hyperuricemic （HUA） rats by inhibiting ferroptosis via the solute carrier family 7 member 11/glutathione peroxidase 4 （SLC7A11/GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly assigned to a normal group， a model group， a low-dose Simiao Wan group （282.6 mg·kg^-1）， a high-dose Simiao Wan group （565.2 mg·kg^-1）， an etoricoxib group （5.4 mg·kg^-1）， and a ferroptosis inhibitor （Fer-1） group （2 mg·kg^-1）. Except for the normal group， rats in all other groups were intraperitoneally injected with potassium oxonate （100 mg·kg^-1） combined with intragastric administration of hypoxanthine （500 mg·kg^-1） to establish the HUA rat model. After 21 days， rats in each administration group received the corresponding dose of drug by gavage， rats in the Fer-1 group received intraperitoneal injection of Fer-1， and rats in the normal and model groups were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. After sampling， serum levels of uric acid （SUA）， creatinine （Cr）， and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） were measured using biochemical assays. The content of ferrous ion （Fe²⁺）， reduced glutathione （GSH）， and malondialdehyde （MDA）， as well as superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity in ileal tissues were determined. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe the histopathological changes in the ileum， and transmission electron microscopy was used to observe mitochondrial alterations in the ileal tissue. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression levels of GPX4， ferritin heavy chain 1 （FTH1）， acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 （ACSL4）， SLC7A11， and ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 （ABCG2） in ileal tissue. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the mRNA expression of GPX4， FTH1， ACSL4， SLC7A11， and ABCG2 in the ileal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significantly elevated serum UA， Cr， and BUN levels （P<0.01）， significantly increased content of MDA and Fe²⁺ in ileal tissue， and significantly decreased GSH content and SOD activity （P<0.01）. HE staining showed extensive shedding of the ileal villous epithelium， disrupted and disorganized villous structure， and incomplete local tissue architecture. Transmission electron microscopy revealed reduced mitochondrial volume， decreased or even vanished cristae， indicating ultrastructural features characteristic of ferroptosis. Molecular and immunohistochemical results demonstrated that the protein and mRNA expression levels of GPX4， FTH1， SLC7A11， and ABCG2 were significantly downregulated， whereas those of ACSL4 were significantly upregulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， after intervention with Simiao Wan， the serum UA， Cr， and BUN levels significantly decreased in all dose groups （P<0.05，P<0.01）， the MDA and Fe²⁺ content in ileal tissues were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the GSH content and SOD activity significantly increased （P<0.01）. HE staining showed that the shedding of ileal villous epithelium was markedly alleviated， the villous structure became relatively intact and regularly arranged， and local tissue damage was obviously improved. Transmission electron microscopy showed attenuated mitochondrial damage， improvement in mitochondrial shrinkage， and partial restoration of mitochondrial cristae. Molecular and immunohistochemical results showed that Simiao Wan upregulated GPX4， FTH1， SLC7A11， and ABCG2， and downregulated ACSL4 in a dose-dependent manner. In the high‑dose group， all indices improved significantly （P<0.05，P<0.01）， whereas in the low‑dose group， only improving trends were observed for FTH1， SLC7A11 mRNA， and ABCG2 protein. ConclusionSimiao Wan may inhibit ferroptosis of ileal epithelial cells by regulating the SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway， and upregulate the expression of the uric acid transporter ABCG2， thereby promoting intestinal uric acid excretion and improving HUA.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure in treating high transsphincteric fistulas. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the success rate of LIFT treatment in 82 patients with high transsphincteric fistulas involving at least one-third of the external sphincter. This study was carried out across 2 centers from November 2009 to February 2023. Results: All patients underwent successful surgery with a median operative time of 48.9 minutes (range, 20–80 minutes), and no intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. The median follow-up duration was 85.5 months (range, 4–120 months), with 5 patients (6.1%) lost to follow-up. Treatment was successful in 62 patients, whose symptoms disappeared and both the external opening and the intersphincteric incision completely healed, yielding an overall efficiency rate of 80.5%. There were 15 cases (19.5%) of treatment failure, including 6 (7.8%) that converted to intersphincteric anal fistula and 9 (11.7%) that experienced persistent or recurrent fistulas. Only 1 patient reported minor overflow during the postoperative follow-up, but no other patients reported any significant discomfort. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with surgical success and those with treatment failure in terms of fistula length, history of previous abscess or anal fistula surgery, number of external orifices or fistulas, and location of fistulas (all P>0.05). Conclusion LIFT is a safe and effective sphincter-preserving procedure that yields satisfactory healing outcomes and has minimal impact on anal function.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure in treating high transsphincteric fistulas. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the success rate of LIFT treatment in 82 patients with high transsphincteric fistulas involving at least one-third of the external sphincter. This study was carried out across 2 centers from November 2009 to February 2023. Results: All patients underwent successful surgery with a median operative time of 48.9 minutes (range, 20–80 minutes), and no intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. The median follow-up duration was 85.5 months (range, 4–120 months), with 5 patients (6.1%) lost to follow-up. Treatment was successful in 62 patients, whose symptoms disappeared and both the external opening and the intersphincteric incision completely healed, yielding an overall efficiency rate of 80.5%. There were 15 cases (19.5%) of treatment failure, including 6 (7.8%) that converted to intersphincteric anal fistula and 9 (11.7%) that experienced persistent or recurrent fistulas. Only 1 patient reported minor overflow during the postoperative follow-up, but no other patients reported any significant discomfort. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with surgical success and those with treatment failure in terms of fistula length, history of previous abscess or anal fistula surgery, number of external orifices or fistulas, and location of fistulas (all P>0.05). Conclusion LIFT is a safe and effective sphincter-preserving procedure that yields satisfactory healing outcomes and has minimal impact on anal function.

During tumor progression, the mechanical properties of the tumor microenvironment play a pivotal regulatory role. As core mechanical indicators, cellular stiffness and extracellular matrix stiffness profoundly influence tumor development through multiple pathways, including cytoskeletal remodeling, activation of signaling pathways, and metabolic regulation. Studies have demonstrated that the tissue stiffness of various solid tumors is significantly higher than that of corresponding normal tissues, while their cellular stiffness exhibits the opposite trend. This mechanical characteristic is also observed in oral squamous cell carcinoma and exerts crucial regulatory effects during tumor progression. This review systematically summarizes the molecular composition and regulatory mechanisms underlying the stiffness of tumor cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). Mainstream stiffness detection technologies such as atomic force microscopy, microfluidic deformation, and real-time deformability cytometry are outlined, with particular emphasis on their applications and limitations in oncology research. This review comprehensively analyzes how mechanical properties regulate key processes in tumor progression, including growth, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, drug resistance, and immune escape. This review synthesizes biomechanics-based therapeutic strategies, including: ① targeting the regulation of tumor cell stiffness through cytoskeletal modulators and cholesterol-depleting agents to enhance immune responses; ② reducing ECM stiffness by matrix remodeling enzyme inhibitors, ECM component modulators, or receptor antagonists to improve drug delivery efficiency, and combining with immunotherapy or photothermal therapy for enhanced therapeutic effects; ③ enhancing the mechanical adaptability and anti-tumor activity of immune cells through pharmacological or genetic approaches. This review establishes a robust conceptual framework for developing novel anti-tumor therapeutic strategies and provides insights for future clinical management of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Venous malformation is a common congenital, non-tumor vascular malformation, accounting for about 60% of all vascular malformations, of which 40% occur in the head and neck. Due to the complex anatomical structure of the oral and maxillofacial region and the diverse classification of venous malformations, their clinical treatment poses certain difficulties and challenges. This article systematically elaborates on the etiology, clinical manifestations, imaging features, and clinical treatment strategies of venous malformations in the oral and maxillofacial region. Molecular genetic studies have shown that the occurrence and development of venous malformations are closely related to abnormal activation of the ANGPT/TIE2/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway; its clinical manifestations are gradually growing blue purple masses and its histological features are tortuous venous ducts; and clinical imaging examinations have high specificity, among which digital subtraction angiography classification has important clinical guidance value for the treatment of venous malformation sclerosis. According to different classifications, strategies, such as sclerosis treatment, surgical treatment, and laser treatment, can be applied separately or in combination. This article also explores the advantages and disadvantages of targeted therapy in the treatment of venous malformations, with a focus on improving clinical outcomes while reducing complications. At the same time, through the analysis of typical clinical cases, it summarizes the key points of diagnosis and treatment and treatment plans, in order to provide a reference for improving the clinical efficacy of venous malformation treatment and reducing treatment complications.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure in treating high transsphincteric fistulas. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the success rate of LIFT treatment in 82 patients with high transsphincteric fistulas involving at least one-third of the external sphincter. This study was carried out across 2 centers from November 2009 to February 2023. Results: All patients underwent successful surgery with a median operative time of 48.9 minutes (range, 20–80 minutes), and no intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. The median follow-up duration was 85.5 months (range, 4–120 months), with 5 patients (6.1%) lost to follow-up. Treatment was successful in 62 patients, whose symptoms disappeared and both the external opening and the intersphincteric incision completely healed, yielding an overall efficiency rate of 80.5%. There were 15 cases (19.5%) of treatment failure, including 6 (7.8%) that converted to intersphincteric anal fistula and 9 (11.7%) that experienced persistent or recurrent fistulas. Only 1 patient reported minor overflow during the postoperative follow-up, but no other patients reported any significant discomfort. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with surgical success and those with treatment failure in terms of fistula length, history of previous abscess or anal fistula surgery, number of external orifices or fistulas, and location of fistulas (all P>0.05). Conclusion LIFT is a safe and effective sphincter-preserving procedure that yields satisfactory healing outcomes and has minimal impact on anal function.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure in treating high transsphincteric fistulas. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the success rate of LIFT treatment in 82 patients with high transsphincteric fistulas involving at least one-third of the external sphincter. This study was carried out across 2 centers from November 2009 to February 2023. Results: All patients underwent successful surgery with a median operative time of 48.9 minutes (range, 20–80 minutes), and no intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. The median follow-up duration was 85.5 months (range, 4–120 months), with 5 patients (6.1%) lost to follow-up. Treatment was successful in 62 patients, whose symptoms disappeared and both the external opening and the intersphincteric incision completely healed, yielding an overall efficiency rate of 80.5%. There were 15 cases (19.5%) of treatment failure, including 6 (7.8%) that converted to intersphincteric anal fistula and 9 (11.7%) that experienced persistent or recurrent fistulas. Only 1 patient reported minor overflow during the postoperative follow-up, but no other patients reported any significant discomfort. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with surgical success and those with treatment failure in terms of fistula length, history of previous abscess or anal fistula surgery, number of external orifices or fistulas, and location of fistulas (all P>0.05). Conclusion LIFT is a safe and effective sphincter-preserving procedure that yields satisfactory healing outcomes and has minimal impact on anal function.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure in treating high transsphincteric fistulas. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the success rate of LIFT treatment in 82 patients with high transsphincteric fistulas involving at least one-third of the external sphincter. This study was carried out across 2 centers from November 2009 to February 2023. Results: All patients underwent successful surgery with a median operative time of 48.9 minutes (range, 20–80 minutes), and no intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. The median follow-up duration was 85.5 months (range, 4–120 months), with 5 patients (6.1%) lost to follow-up. Treatment was successful in 62 patients, whose symptoms disappeared and both the external opening and the intersphincteric incision completely healed, yielding an overall efficiency rate of 80.5%. There were 15 cases (19.5%) of treatment failure, including 6 (7.8%) that converted to intersphincteric anal fistula and 9 (11.7%) that experienced persistent or recurrent fistulas. Only 1 patient reported minor overflow during the postoperative follow-up, but no other patients reported any significant discomfort. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with surgical success and those with treatment failure in terms of fistula length, history of previous abscess or anal fistula surgery, number of external orifices or fistulas, and location of fistulas (all P>0.05). Conclusion LIFT is a safe and effective sphincter-preserving procedure that yields satisfactory healing outcomes and has minimal impact on anal function.