[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

Reproductive system diseases are among the primary contributors to the decline in social fertility rates and the intensification of aging, posing significant threats to both physical and mental health, as well as quality of life. Recent research has revealed the substantial potential of the gut microbiota in improving reproductive system diseases. Under healthy conditions, the gut microbiota maintains a dynamic balance, whereas dysfunction can trigger immune-inflammatory responses, metabolic disorders, and other issues, subsequently leading to reproductive system diseases through the gut-gonadal axis. Reproductive diseases, in turn, can exacerbate gut microbiota imbalance. This article reviews the impact of the gut microbiota and its metabolites on both male and female reproductive systems, analyzing changes in typical gut microorganisms and their metabolites related to reproductive function. The composition, diversity, and metabolites of gut bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Firmicutes, including short-chain fatty acids, 5-hydroxytryptamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and bile acids, are closely linked to reproductive function. As reproductive diseases develop, intestinal immune function typically undergoes changes, and the expression levels of immune-related factors, such as Toll-like receptors and inflammatory cytokines (including IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β), also vary. The gut microbiota and its metabolites influence reproductive hormones such as estrogen, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone, thereby affecting folliculogenesis and spermatogenesis. Additionally, the metabolism and absorption of vitamins can also impact spermatogenesis through the gut-testis axis. As the relationship between the gut microbiota and reproductive diseases becomes clearer, targeted regulation of the gut microbiota can be employed to address reproductive system issues in both humans and animals. This article discusses the regulation of the gut microbiota and intestinal immune function through microecological preparations, fecal microbiota transplantation, and drug therapy to treat reproductive diseases. Microbial preparations and drug therapy can help maintain the intestinal barrier and reduce chronic inflammation. Fecal microbiota transplantation involves transferring feces from healthy individuals into the recipient’s intestine, enhancing mucosal integrity and increasing microbial diversity. This article also delves into the underlying mechanisms by which the gut microbiota influences reproductive capacity through the gut-gonadal axis and explores the latest research in diagnosing and treating reproductive diseases using gut microbiota. The goal is to restore reproductive capacity by targeting the regulation of the gut microbiota. While the gut microbiota holds promise as a therapeutic target for reproductive diseases, several challenges remain. First, research on the association between gut microbiota and reproductive diseases is insufficient to establish a clear causal relationship, which is essential for proposing effective therapeutic methods targeting the gut microbiota. Second, although gut microbiota metabolites can influence lipid, glucose, and hormone synthesis and metabolism via various signaling pathways—thereby indirectly affecting ovarian and testicular function—more in-depth research is required to understand the direct effects of these metabolites on germ cells or granulosa cells. Lastly, the specific efficacy of gut microbiota in treating reproductive diseases is influenced by multiple factors, necessitating further mechanistic research and clinical studies to validate and optimize treatment regimens.

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

Objective:To analyze the relationship between neck pain severity and duration and cervical sagittal parameters in non-specific neck pain (NNP) patients from a real world data, and to initially explore the relationship between NNP and cervical sagittal position sequence.Methods:The clinical data of 126 patients with main complaint of neck pain in the outpatient department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January to September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. This cohort included 84 female and 42 male patients with a mean age of (42.21±14.88) years (aged from 15 to 76 years). According to the duration of neck pain was more than 3 month or not, patients were divided into acute neck pain group ( n=57) and chronic neck pain group ( n=69). Patients were divided into mild neck pain group ( n=72) and moderate and severe neck pain group ( n=54) according to the severity of neck pain. The duration and visual analogue scale (VAS) of neck pain for each patient was recorded. Cervical sagittal related parameters, including cervical lordosis (C 2-C 7 Cobb′ angle, CL), C 2-C 7 sagittal vertical axis (cSVA), T 1 slope (TS) were measured by cervical lateral X-ray, and the value of T 1 slope minus cervical lordosis (TS-CL) was calculated. At the same time, cervical lateral X-ray was used to record whether the patient had cervical kyphosis and whether the patient was associated with ossification of the nuchal ligament (ONL). The VAS score of neck pain was expressed as the median (interquartile) [ M( Q1, Q3)]. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as mean±standard deviation( ± s), and the comparison between groups was conducted using the t-test; the comparison of count data were represented as cases and percentage, and was conducted by Chi-square test. Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of VAS score and duration of neck pain with age, gender, imaging parameters (CL, cSVA, TS, TS-CL), cervical kyphosis and ONL. Results:The median VAS score of all patients with neck pain was 4(3, 5). For all patients, VAS score of neck pain was significantly correlated with cSVA ( P=0.029) and TS-CL ( P=0.028). There was no correlation between VAS score and CL ( P=0.235), TS ( P=0.355), with cervical kyphosis or not ( P=0.988), or with ONL or not ( P=0.181). The TS-CL values of acute neck pain group and chronic neck pain group were (11.80±8.38)° and (8.77±7.61)°, respectively, with a significant difference ( P=0.035). There was no significant difference in the incidence of cSVA, CL, TS, ONL and cervical kyphosis between the two groups ( P>0.05). The cSVA of mild neck pain group and moderate and severe neck pain group were (1.16±0.94) cm and (1.80±1.04) cm, respectively. CL was (12.25±10.76)° and (8.27±9.08)°, respectively. The TS-CL values were (8.11±7.54)° and (12.84±8.04)°, respectively, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The incidence of ONL in moderate and severe neck pain group was significantly higher (35.2% vs 19.4%), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The severity of NNP was significantly correlated with cSVA, the more severe the neck pain, the more the mismatch between TS and CL was presented. Compared with chronic neck pain, patients with acute neck pain tended to appear TS and CL mismatch. There was a large value of cSVA and TS-CL in moderate and severe neck pain patients. The incidence of ONL was significantly increased in patients with moderate and severe neck pain.

Objective:To evaluate the perioperative application effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) clinical pathway in percutaneous vertebro plasty (PVP).Methods:The clinical data of 274 patients who underwent PVP treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2023 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the different numbers of surgical segments: the single-segment group ( n=211) and the multisegment group ( n=63). Patients in the single-segment group underwent single-segment surgery, while patients in the multisegment group underwent surgery on ≥2 segments. The core points of the ERAS clinical pathway adopted in this study include perioperative education, pain management, early mobilization, application of "outfast", and joint guidance from the departments of nutrition and rehabilitation. Comparison was made between the two groups of patients in terms of visual analog scale (VAS) scores for low back pain at preoperative, 2 h, 6 h, 24 h postoperatively, and on the day of discharge; Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores preoperatively and on the day of discharge; time to first ambulation postoperatively, total length of hospital stay, postoperative length of stay, perioperative complications, and perioperative application of Opioid consumption. Measurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and the independent sample t-test was used for comparison between groups; count data were expressed as cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. The VAS pain scores at each stage of the perioperative period were evaluated using repeated measures analysis of variance or generalized estimating equations. Results:Compared with that before the operation [(6.17±0.93) points, (6.29±0.83) points], the VAS scores of low back pain of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group at 2 hours after surgery [(3.09±0.82) points, (3.27±0.65) points], 6 hours after surgery [(2.60±0.79) points, (2.62±0.55) points], and 24 hours after surgery [(1.89±0.77) points, (1.97±0.72) points] and on the day of discharge [(1.72±0.71) points, (1.81±0.64) points] were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the same stage, the VAS scores of low back pain in both groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The ODI scores of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group on the day of discharge [(24.21±2.35) points, (24.63±3.31) points] were significantly lower than those before the operation [(64.50±4.81) points, (65.52±4.08) points], and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in perioperative complications and the proportion of Opioid drug application between the two groups of patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:For patients with single-segment or multisegment OVCF, PVP surgical treatment under ERAS clinical pathway management can achieve immediate pain relief, early ambulation exercise, and satisfactory perioperative efficacy.

Objective:To explore the risk factors of cement leakage into the spinal canal in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for spinal metastases.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the case data of 211 patients with spinal metastases who underwent PVP in the Department of Orthopaedics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2016 to June 2024. According to the presence or absence of intraspinal bone cement leakage after surgery, the patients were divided into the leakage group ( n=45) and the non-leakage group ( n=166). The clinical data of the two groups, including gender, age, bone mineral density T-score, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, operation time, and bone cement injection volume, were collected and statistically analyzed. Measurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and the independent samples t-test was used for comparison between groups; count data were expressed as the number of cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. Univariate analysis was used to explore the possible risk factors for intraspinal bone cement leakage after PVP, and then the indicators with statistically significant differences in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate Logistic regression analysis to identify the independent risk factors. Results:A total of 45 patients out of 211 patients with PVP surgery had cement leakage into the spinal canal after surgery, with an incidence rate of 21.3%. There were statistically significant differences between the leakage group and the non-leakage group in terms of whether the posterior wall of the vertebral body was broken, operation time, the injection volume of bone cement, distribution of injured vertebrae, and viscosity of bone cement ( P<0.05). The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the broken posterior wall of the vertebral body, large injection volume of bone cement, and low viscosity of bone cement were the independent risk factors for the occurrence of cement leakage into the spinal canal in PVP for spinal metastases ( P<0.05). Conclusion:When PVP surgery is used to treat spinal metastases, broken posterior wall of the vertebral body, large injection volume of bone cement, and low viscosity of bone cement can increase the incidence of postoperative intravertebral cement leakage, and the operation should be performed with caution.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for pneumonia complicating infectious mononucleosis(IM)in adults and construct a nomogram prediction model.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 198 IM patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from January 2015 to December 2021.Patients were divided into pneumonia group(n=52)and non-pneumonia group(n=146)based on whether pulmonary infection occurred during hospitalization.The baseline data(age,gender,place of onset,etc.),clinical manifestations(maximum body temperature,lymph node enlargement,splenomegaly,etc.),and inflammatory indicators[white blood cell count(WBC),C-reactive protein(CRP),etc.]were compared between the two groups.Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to analyze the key indicators affecting the hospital stay of IM patients.Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for pneumonia complicating IM in adults and construct a nomogram prediction model based on the identified risk factors.The predictive efficacy of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and the consistency of the model was assessed using the calibration curve.The fit of the model was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test.Additionally,the sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of the model were assessed using confusion matrix.Results Compared with non-pneumonia group,the pneumonia group had a significantly higher proportion of patients from rural areas,with body mass index(BMI)≥24 kg/m2,smoking history,hepatomegaly,fever duration of≥7 d,as well as increased total hospitalization costs and average daily hospitalization costs,and prolonged hospital stay(P<0.05).The proportion of patients with a history of antibiotic use was lower in the pneumonia group(P<0.05).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients from rural areas,with BMI≥24 kg/m2,smoking history,no prophylactic use of antibiotics,fever duration≥7 d,and hepatomegaly had significantly prolonged hospital stays(P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that living in a rural area(OR=4.089,P<0.05),hepatomegaly(OR=4.082,P<0.05),and elevated WBC(OR=1.205,P<0.05)were independent risk factors for pneumonia complicating IM in adults,while the prophylactic use of antibiotics(OR=0.142,P<0.05)was an independent protective factor.The area under the ROC curve of the constructed nomogram prediction model was 0.827(95%CI 0.762-0.892),and the slope of the calibration curve was close to 1,and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed χ2=5.299,P=0.725,indicating good consistency and fit of the prediction model.The results of the confusion matrix assessment showed that the sensitivity of the model was 0.669(0.624-0.773),the specificity was 0.827(0.724-0.930),and the accuracy was 0.732(0.665-0.793).Conclusion The nomogram prediction model based on place of onset,hepatomegaly,the prophylactic use of antibiotics and WBC has excellent fit and discrimination,providing an effective quantitative tool for prognosis assessment of IM.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of drawing-based method in medical courses and their impact on students' learning habits,academic performance,and comprehensive competencies,in order to meet the demand for high-quality,interdisciplinary,and innovative talent,and provide theoretical support for integrating aesthetic education into medical training.Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among medical students(n=310)at Dalian Medical University,covering the frequency of using drawing method and their effects on learning outcomes,innovation ability,and humanistic qualities.Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test(P＜0.05).Results Totally 93.6％of students approved of using drawing method for learning medical courses,with 70.8％having developed a habit of drawing-based learning.Students with stronger drawing skills were more inclined to use drawing method and supported their application in teaching.The frequency of drawing-based learning was positively correlated with anatomy scores(P＜0.05).Students generally agreed that drawing method enhanced knowledge comprehension,learning interest,long-term memory,innovation ability,critical thinking,and humanistic qualities.However,students with weaker drawing skills perceived drawing method as potentially increasing learning burdens and being less efficient,but this perception significantly decreased with increased drawing frequency(P＜0.05).Conclusion Drawing methods are widely used in medical courses and effectively improve learning outcomes and comprehensive competencies.Drawing proficiency and frequency are key factors influencing students' acceptance and learning effectiveness.Future efforts should focus on promoting drawing method,strengthening students' drawing skills,and optimizing learning processes to deepen the integration of aesthetic education in medical training.