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.

[Objective] To explore the diagnosis and treatment experience of tension hydrocele. [Methods] The clinical data of 2 patients with tension hydrocele treated in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.Relevant literature was retrieved to analyze the clinical characteristics of this disease. [Results] Case 1 was diagnosed due to swelling and pain of the left scrotum after trauma for more than one month, which worsened for one day.Physical examination showed high tension in the left scrotum and positive light transmission test.Ultrasound examination revealed that the blood flow signal in the left testis disappeared.Emergency left scrotal exploration and hydrocelectomy were performed.There was no sign of testis torsion during the operation.Case 2 was diagnosed mainly due to hydrocele of the right testis for 1 year, which worsened for 1 week and complicated with testis distension and pain.Physical examination showed high tension in the right scrotum and positive light transmission test.Ultrasound examination revealed that the blood flow signal in the right testis decreased.After 40ml of fluid was extracted under ultrasound monitoring, the blood flow signal in the right testis recovered.Hydrocelectomy was performed the next day.During the follow-up of 8 months, there was no recurrence of hydrocele.A search of domestic and foreign literature showed that there were no reports in domestic literature, while a total of 11 cases were reported in foreign literature. [Conclusion] Tension hydrocele of the testis is a rare emergency of the scrotum.Surgery or decompression should be performed as soon as possible to restore testicular blood supply, and hydrocelectomy should be performed simultaneously or in stages to prevent recurrence.

Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse and obstruction during sleep.Polysomnography is the gold standard for diagnosing OSA,but it is expensive,time-consuming,and can cause discomfort for patients.In recent years,acoustic-based approaches for detecting OSA have emerged as a research focus.This review summarizes recent advances in OSA automatic detection techniques based on snoring and speech signals,and systematically examines their applications in diagnosis,severity assessment,and localization of obstruction sites.Findings indicate that the acoustic features of snoring and speech signals hold significant value for OSA screening,and when combined with machine learning and deep learning models,it can achieve high diagnostic accuracy.Future research should focus on elucidating the relationship between acoustic features and the pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA,integrating multimodal information,and advancing the clinical application of wearable devices,with the aim of promoting intelligent,non-invasive,and cost-effective screening technologies for OSA.

BACKGROUND:With the continuous development of medical technology,the treatment of distal radius fractures is facing the need for more precise and personalized treatment.The traditional splint fixation method has some limitations in clinical application,which often has defects such as unstable fixation and easy to occur pressure sores.The validation of the improved 3D printed splint with rapid grid-free simulation is expected to lead to more accurate and effective treatment options for distal radius fractures.OBJECTIVE:To explore the design method of 3D printed splint for distal radius fracture based on clinical defect improvement and verify its clinical efficacy by rapid grid-free analysis.METHODS:Clinical defects of splint fixation of extended distal radius fracture were retrospectively analyzed,and 3D printed small splint was designed with specific improvement.The digital models of traditional splint and improved new 3D printed splint were made by Computer Aided Design drawing.Total,bone,soft tissue,and splint displacement and stress distribution were calculated through simulation analysis using rapid grid-free analysis tools.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the traditional splint,the improved new 3D printing splint exerteded more balanced pressure on the skin without obvious stress concentration,and had better body surface adhesion.The displacement was smaller and the movement range was more reasonable.(2)An 3D printed splint based on clinical defect improvement can be designed.Rapid grid-free analysis verifies the advantages of the improved 3D splint,providing a basis for clinical application.

Objective:To compare the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic outcomes between patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)and non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma(nccRCC)accompanied by venous tumor thrombus.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical and pathological data from patients with RCC and venous tumor thrombus treated in the Depart-ment of Urology at Peking University Third Hospital between January 2014 and February 2024.Patients were stratified into two groups based on pathological type:ccRCC and nccRCC.Comparisons of baseline characteristics,intraoperative situation,and prognosis between the two groups were performed using t-tests,Mann-Whitney U tests,chi-square tests,and Log-rank tests.Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results:A total of 437 patients were included,with a median age of 58 years,including 317 males and 120 females.The cohort comprised 366 cases of ccRCC and 71 cases of nccRCC.The non-clear cell group included 38 cases(53.5％)of papillary renal cell carcinoma,2 cases(2.8％)of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma,11 cases(15.5％)of unclassified renal cell carcinoma,19 cases(26.8％)of molecularly defined renal cell carcinoma,and 1 case(1.4％)of collecting duct carcinoma.Compared with the clear cell renal carcinoma group,patients in the non-clear cell carcinoma group demonstrated a younger age at diagnosis(59 years vs.55 years,P=0.010),larger tumor size(8.4 cm vs.9.5 cm,P=0.025),higher rates of lymph node metastasis(56.8％vs.70.6％,P=0.034),more advanced tumor thrombus(P＜0.001)and pathological grading(P=0.010),longer surgical duration(272 minutes vs.289 minutes,P=0.023),and shorter overall survival(80 months vs.35 months,P＜0.001).Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that histologic type,distant metastasis,tumor thrombus grading,and sarcomatoid/rhabdoid differentiation were prognostic factors in the renal cell carcinoma patients with venous tumor thrombus.No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of gender,body mass index,tumor laterality,distant metastasis,sarcomatoid or rhabdoid differentiation,American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)score,surgical approach,conversion to open surgery,blood loss,or transfusion of red blood cells and plasma.Conclusion:Compared with pa-tients with clear cell renal carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus,those with non-clear cell carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus exhibit earlier onset,more aggressive disease progression,and poorer prognosis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2018.08.009.].

Circular RNAs(circRNAs)are a class of closed-loop non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs)formed by head-to-tail covalent bonds.CircRNAs participate in the development of osteoarthritis by regulating extracellular matrix degrada-tion,inflammatory response and homeostasis of chondrocytes;It regulates the osteogenic differentiation of bone mar-row mesenchymal stem cells,the activity of bone microvascular endothelial cells and angiogenesis to affect femoral head necrosis;It regulates the differentiation of bone marrow stem cells,osteoblasts and osteoclasts to cause osteo-porosis and it affects the invasion,metastasis and drug resistance of osteosarcoma through different pathogenesis.CircRNAs are expected to become a new clinical diagnostic marker in the future.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical value of dose-escalated postoperative radiotherapy(PORT)in improving local control and survival outcomes for head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma(ACC)patients.METHODS This retrospective study analyzed 336 ACC patients treated with surgery plus PORT at Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2015 to January 2021.Cohort stratification compared high-dose(>60 Gy,n=146)and conventional-dose(≤60 Gy,n=190)regimens.Survival analysis employed Kaplan-Meier estimates with log-rank testing,complemented by multivariate Cox regression for risk adjustment.RESULTS The cohort demonstrated 39.29%(132/336)cumulative local failure rate.The overall survival rates at 1,3,and 5 years after surgery were 98.81%,94.05%,and 90.48%,respectively.Dose-response relationships revealed:1.Significantly reduced local recurrence with high-dose PORT(28.08%vs.47.89%,P<0.001),corresponding to 41.37%lower recurrence risk(a HR=0.59,95%CI=0.38-0.91;P=0.041);2.Superior progression-free survival in the high-dose group(3-year:86.99%vs.76.32%;5-year:82.19%vs.66.32%,all P<0.05);3.Comparable overall survival between groups(median OS:200 vs.160 months,P=0.292).CONCLUSION Dose escalation beyond 60 Gy significantly enhances locoregional control and progression-free survival in head and neck ACC without conferring overall survival advantage,likely reflecting the disease's characteristic indolent metastatic progression.These results establish>60 Gy as an optimal dose threshold for PORT in high-risk ACC management.

BACKGROUND:We have successfully established an animal model of small ear pig in southern Yunnan province with internal tension relieving technique combined with autologous Achilles tendon for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,and verified the stability and reliability of the model.However,whether internal tension relieving technique can promote the ligamentalization process of autologous Achilles tendon graft has not been studied. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the differences in the process of ligamentalization between conventional reconstruction and internal reduction reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament by gross view,histology and electron microscopy. METHODS:Thirty adult female small ear pigs in southern Yunnan province were selected.Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was performed on the left knee joint with the ipsilateral knee Achilles tendon(n=30 in the normal group),and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was performed on the right knee joint with the ipsilateral knee Achilles tendon combined with the internal relaxation and enhancement system(n=30 in the relaxation group).The autogenous right forelimb was used as the control group;the anterior cruciate ligament was exposed but not severed or surgically treated.At 12,24,and 48 weeks after surgery,10 animals were sacrificed,respectively.The left and right knee joint specimens were taken for gross morphological observation to evaluate the graft morphology.MAS score was used to evaluate the excellent and good rate of the ligament at each time point.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to evaluate the degree of ligament graft vascularization.Collagen fibers and nuclear morphology were observed,and nuclear morphology was scored.Ultrastructural remodeling was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The ligament healing shape of the relaxation group was better at various time points after surgery,and the excellent and good rate of MAS score was higher(P<0.05).Moreover,the relaxation group could obtain higher ligament vascularization score(P<0.05).(2)The arrangement of collagen bundles and fiber bundles in the two groups gradually tended to be orderly,and the transverse fiber connections between collagen gradually increased and thickened,suggesting that the strength and shape degree of the grafts were gradually improved,but the ligament remodeling in the relaxation group was always faster than that in the normal group at various time points after surgery.(3)The diameter,distribution density,and arrangement degree of collagen fibers in the relaxation group were better than those in the normal group at all time points,especially in the comparison of collagen fiber diameter between and within the relaxation group(P<0.05).

Objective To investigate the effects of cucurbitacin B (CucB) on alleviating skin lesions and inflammation in psoriasis mice via the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Methods The expression of genes associated with the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in psoriatic lesions and non-lesional skin was analyzed, and hallmark gene set enrichment analysis was performed. The cytotoxicity of CucB on BMDMs was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. The expression levels of genes and proteins related to the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, along with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, were measured at different concentrations of CucB using quantitative PCR, Western blotting, and ELISA. Imiquimod-induced psoriasis BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: normal group, model group, low-dose CucB group [0.1 mg/ (kg.d)], and high-dose CucB group [0.4 mg/ (kg.d)], with five mice per group. PASI scoring was performed to assess the severity of psoriasis after 6 days of treatment, and HE staining was conducted to observe pathological damage. Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines and their secretion were detected by qPCR and ELISA. Results Most cGAS-STING signaling-related genes were upregulated in lesional skin of psoriasis patients, and the hallmark gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the most significantly upregulated genes were primarily associated with immune response signaling pathways. CucB inhibited dsDNA-induced phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and STING proteins in both bone-marrow derived macrophages(BMDMs) and THP-1 cells. CucB also suppressed dsDNA-induced mRNA expression of IFNB1, TNF, IFIT1, CXCL10, ISG15, and reduced the secretion of cytokines such as IFN-β, IL-1β, and TNF-α in THP-1 cells. In the imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model, CucB treatment reduced psoriatic symptoms, alleviated skin lesions, and attenuated inflammation. ELISA and qPCR results showed that CucB significantly reduced serum secretion levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, as well as the mRNA levels of IL23A, IL1B, IL6, TNF, and IFNB1. Conclusion CucB inhibits cytoplasmic DNA-induced activationc of the GAS-STING pathway. CucB significantly attenuates skin lesions and inflammation in IMQ-induced psoriatic mice, and the potential molecular mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of the cGAS-STING pathway.
Animals ; Psoriasis/pathology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mice ; Nucleotidyltransferases/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Skin/metabolism* ; Triterpenes/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Male