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.

Background and aims The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown. Methods The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways. Conclusions PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.

The increasing prevalence of aging has led to a rising incidence of comorbidity of sarcopenia and obesity, posing significant burdens on socioeconomic and public health. Current research has systematically explored the pathogenesis of each condition; however, the mechanisms underlying their comorbidity remain unclear. This study reviews the current literature on sarcopenia and obesity in the aging population, focusing on their shared biological mechanisms, which include loss of autophagy, abnormal macrophage function, mitochondrial dysfunction, and reduced sex hormone secretion. It also identifies metabolic mechanisms such as insulin resistance, vitamin D metabolism abnormalities, dysregulation of iron metabolism, decreased levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and gut microbiota imbalances. Additionally, this study also explores the important role of genetic factors, such as alleles and microRNAs, in the co-occurrence of sarcopenia and obesity. A better understanding of these mechanisms is vital for developing clinical interventions and preventive strategies.
Humans ; Sarcopenia/physiopathology* ; Obesity/physiopathology* ; Aging/physiology* ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Insulin Resistance ; Comorbidity ; Vitamin D/metabolism* ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Mitochondria ; MicroRNAs

Objective To compare the performance and efficacy of prognostic models constructed by different machine learning algorithms in predicting the survival period of lung transplantation (LTx) recipients. Methods Data from 483 recipients who underwent LTx were retrospectively collected. All recipients were divided into a training set and a validation set at a ratio of 7:3. The 24 collected variables were screened based on variable importance (VIMP). Prognostic models were constructed using random survival forest (RSF) and extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBoost). The performance of the models was evaluated using the integrated area under the curve (iAUC) and time-dependent area under the curve (tAUC). Results There were no significant statistical differences in the variables between the training set and the validation set. The top 15 variables ranked by VIMP were used for modeling and the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) was determined as the most important factor. Compared with the XGBoost model, the RSF model demonstrated better performance in predicting the survival period of recipients (iAUC 0.773 vs. 0.723). The RSF model also showed better performance in predicting the 6-month survival period (tAUC _{6 months} 0.884 vs. 0.809, P = 0.009) and 1-year survival period (tAUC _{1 year} 0.896 vs. 0.825, P = 0.013) of recipients. Based on the prediction cut-off values of the two algorithms, LTx recipients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. The survival analysis results of both models showed that the survival rate of recipients in the high-risk group was significantly lower than that in the low-risk group (P<0.001). Conclusions Compared with XGBoost, the machine learning prognostic model developed based on the RSF algorithm may preferably predict the survival period of LTx recipients.

OBJECTIVE: A new three-dimensional(3D) classification of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial avulsion fracture based on computed tomography(CT) features was established and the significance in clinical treatment was explored in this study. METHODS: From May 2013 to November 2023, 43 cases of PCL tibial avulsion fracture in the Second Hospital of Jilin University were analyzed retrospectively, including 29 males and 14 females, aged (34.3±8.5) years. According to traditional Meyers and McKeever classification, 3 cases were typeⅠ;2 cases of typeⅡ;38 cases were type Ⅲ. Based on the characteristics of CT images, 43 patients were given specific treatment strategies and followed up to evaluate the curative effect. According to the degree of fracture displacement, involved range and the integrity of fracture block demonstrated by CT images, the new three-dimensional classification of PCL avulsion fracture was established. Kappa coefficient was used for consistency test. RESULTS: A new 3D classification of PCL tibial avulsion fracture was established. TypeⅠwas the non-displaced fracture (displacement degree ≤3 mm), in which typeⅠa was the avulsion range limited in the posterior intercondylar fossa, and Ib was the avulsion range beyond the posterior intercondylar fossa. TypeⅡrepresented the displaced fracture in the posterior intercondylar fossa (avulsion limited to the posterior intercondylar fossa and fracture displacement>3 mm), in which typeⅡa represented a slight displacement with a intact broken block and the posterior elevation of the avulsion (hinge mechanism), typeⅡb represented the complete separation of fracture ends with a intact fracture block, and typeⅡc was the comminuted fracture. Type Ⅲ was the displaced fracture beyond the posterior intercondylar fossa (avulsion involving the articular surface of the tibial plateau or the intercondylar ridge and the degree of displacement > 3 mm), among which type Ⅲa was the simple fracture with intact broken block, type Ⅲb represented the comminuted fracture, and type Ⅲc was the complex fracture with tibial plateau fracture. According to this new 3D classification, 43 patients were classified as type Ia in 2 cases and typeⅠb in 1 case;typeⅡa in 2 cases, typeⅡb in 15 cases and typeⅡc in 7 cases;type Ⅲa in 2 cases, type Ⅲb in 5 cases and type Ⅲc in 9 cases. All the 43 cases in this study achieved bone union. At the last follow-up, according to the hospital for special surgery knee score(HSS)evaluation system for the knee joint function, 27 cases were excellent, 11 cases were good, 5 cases were fair. The average Kappa value of inter-observer reliability in the first stage was 0.793, and the second stage was 0.855. The average Kappa value of the whole stage was 0.839, indicating high level of consistency. The average Kappa value of intra-observer reliability was 0.893, indicating high level of consistency. CONCLUSION The 3D classification of PCL tibial avulsion fracture is intuitive, demonstrating a high level of reliability. It has a certain guiding significance for the selection of clinical treatment methods, and it is suggested to be promoted and applied as a new classification system in clinical practice.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament/surgery* ; Adult ; Tibial Fractures/classification* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Fractures, Avulsion/classification* ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Objective:To explore the potential lesional range of keloids by analyzing the transcriptomic characteristics, and to provide a molecular basis for understanding the recurrence of keloids following surgical excision.Methods:From July to December in 2022, 3 patients clinically diagnosed with keloids and treated with surgical excision at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Peking University First Hospital were included in the study. Samples of keloids and keloid-adjacent dermis were collected from these 3 patients, and normal dermal tissues adjacent to benign skin tumors were collected from 4 patients and served as controls. Dermal fibroblasts were obtained by primary cell culture and purification, which were then subsequently passaged to the second generation for transcriptome sequencing. Differential gene expression analysis, gene ontology (GO) -based functional analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed. While analyzing differential expression genes, those with a fold change (FC) > 2 and a P value < 0.05 were defined as upregulated genes, whereas those with a FC < 0.5 and a P value < 0.05 were considered downregulated genes. The accuracy of the results was further validated by comparing them with published single-cell sequencing data on keloid and keloid-adjacent tissues (HRA000425 in GSA database) and single-cell sequencing data on the normal dermis (GSE130973 in GEO database). Key genes in keloid-adjacent dermal fibroblasts were validated in tissue samples from this study and the literature. Results:Compared with keloid-derived fibroblasts, keloid-adjacent and control dermal fibroblasts shared 63 upregulated genes enriched in biological processes including lipid transport ( P = 0.038) and ion transport ( P = 0.040) ; compared with control dermal fibroblasts, keloid-adjacent and keloid-derived fibroblasts shared 56 upregulated genes enriched in the transforming growth factor β signaling pathway ( P < 0.001), etc. When comparing keloid-derived fibroblasts and keloid-adjacent fibroblasts with control dermal fibroblasts, 79 genes were uniquely upregulated only in keloid-adjacent fibroblasts; after filtering based on gene expression thresholds and consistency, 13 candidate genes (average expression level > 1 000 and variance of expression level within groups < 30 000) closely related to the transcriptomic characteristics of keloid-derived fibroblasts were identified, including genes inhibiting keloid formation such as SMAD6 and SMAD7, as well as those promoting keloid formation such as MSX1, SNAI1, and EDN1, which were enriched in the biological processes such as cell growth, ossification and cartilage development (all P < 0.01). The enrichment analysis of the above-mentioned 13 genes on the ChEA3 website identified some enriched transcription factors, such as myogenic differentiation protein 1 (MYOD1) and myogenin (MYOG) (both P < 0.05) . Conclusions:Compared with keloid-derived fibroblasts and control dermal fibroblasts, the transcriptomics of keloid-adjacent fibroblasts were characterized by high-level coexpression of genes involved in both the inhibition and promotion of keloid formation, which may provide a molecular explanation for the similarity in morphology between keloid-adjacent tissues and normal skin tissues as well as for the potential mechanisms underlying the high recurrence rate of keloids.

OBJECTIVE: To assess relationships between cold spells and genitourinary hospitalization risk. METHODS: Hospitalization records for genitourinary system diseases (GUDs) from 16 districts in Beijing (2013-2018) were analyzed. Cold spells were defined based on varying intensity thresholds. A two-stage analytical method was employed: first, generalized linear models assessed district-specific associations between cold spells and hospitalizations; second, random-effects meta-analysis aggregated the district-level results. Subgroup analyses were performed by admission type (emergency vs. outpatient), age, and sex. RESULTS: A total of 271,579 GUD-related hospitalizations were recorded. Cold spells (p1day2，daily mean temperature below the 1 ^st percentiles of the daily mean temperature distribution from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018, lasting for two or more consecutive days) were linked to a significant rise in hospitalization risks: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.32-1.56) for all GUDs, 1.35 (95% CI: 1.23-1.49) for urinary system diseases, and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.28-1.67) for renal failure, when compared to non-cold spell days. Emergency admissions showed higher risk increases than outpatient admissions. CONCLUSION Extreme cold spells significantly elevate hospitalization risks for GUDs. This highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions to mitigate cold-related health impacts, especially for vulnerable populations.
Humans ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Cold Temperature/adverse effects* ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Child ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Female Urogenital Diseases/etiology* ; Male Urogenital Diseases/etiology* ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Factors

Objective To develop and validate a fast Monte Carlo(MC)-based patient-specific quality assurance(PSQA)tool using the treatment log files that is suitable to be used in the online adaptive radiotherapy for pencil beam scanning proton therapy(PBSPT-ART).Methods The proposed tool first used the delivery log file of a PBSPT plan to reversely reconstruct the PBSPT(rPBSPT)plan,and then used an in-house developed graphic processing unit(GPU)-accelerated virtual particle MC(VPMC)dose engine to calculate the dose distribution of the rPBSPT plan.The rPBSPT dose calculated by VPMC was then compared to the rPBSPT dose calculated by another independent MC dose engine(MCsquare),using 3D gamma analysis to verify the accuracy of VPMC calculation.As a demonstration of the feasibility of developed log file-based PSQA,the VPMC calculated dose of the rPBSPT plan was compared to the pre-delivery second check dose of the corresponding PBSPT plan calculated by MCsquare,using 3D gamma analysis.3D gamma analysis employes a criterion of 2 mm/2%/10%.Twenty patients with different disease sites were representatively selected to validate the efficiency and accuracy of the tool.Results The average calculation time of a rPBSPT plan by VPMC was(5.88±4.00)s in the accuracy verification.Compared to MCsquare,the passing rate of the 3D gamma analysis was 99.47%±0.72%.In the proposed PSQA tool demonstration,the passing rate of comparing the VPMC calculated rPBSPT dose to MCsquare calculated second check dose of the corresponding PBSPT plan was 98.91%±0.92%.Conclusion The accuracy and efficiency of the tool can meet the requirements of PSQA in the online PBSPT-ART workflow.

Objective To explore the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndromes in patients with adenomyosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data collected from patients with adenomyosis between December 2019 and April 2022 based on a cross-sectional survey.Variables included age,body mass index(BMI),disease duration,geographical region,dysmenorrhea,menstrual flow,diagnosis and treatment goals,history of adenomyosis-related surgery,postoperative recurrence,and carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)and carbohydrate antigen 199(CA199)levels.The distribution pattern of TCM syndromes,including general information of patients with different syndromes,CA125 and CA199 levels,were analyzed.The relationship between syndromes and age,BMI,duration of disease,geographic region,and history of adenomyosis-related surgery were analyzed using the multinomial logistic regression.Results A total of 1,816 patients with adenomyosis were included.The most common TCM syndrome was syndrome of cold coagulation and blood stasis(36.84%).The other four TCM syndromes,ranked by frequency,were syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis(25.39%),syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency(17.35%),syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis(15.97%),and syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis(4.46%).Significant differences in age,disease duration,and BMI were observed among patients with different TCM syndromes(P<0.05).Patients with syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis,syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis,were younger than those with syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis.Patients with syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis had a longer disease duration than those with syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency.Patients with syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency had lower BMI(P<0.05)than those with syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis.The most common symptom in North China,East China,Southwest China,Northwest China,and Northeast China was syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis,accounting for 45.39%,35.98%,30.33%,41.38%,and 50.00%,respectively.The most common syndrome in Southern and Central China was syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis,accounting for 31.34%and 36.23%respectively.Differences in syndrome distribution were observed between patients in East,Southwest,South,and Central China and those in North China(P<0.05).Syndrome distribution also varied significantly across different diagnosis and treatment goals,as well as menstrual conditions(P<0.05).For treatment goals such as pain relief,lesion control,menstrual flow reduction,and recurrence prevention,the dominant syndromes were syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis(40.67%,37.13%,36.95%,and 43.35%,respectively)and syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis(29.35%,26.39%,26.10%,and 25.75%,respectively).Among patients seeking assisted pregnancy,the primary syndromes were syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis(41.12%)and syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis(18.69%).Patients with dysmenorrhea were mostly diagnosed with syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis(39.95%)and syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis(28.52%).Differences in syndrome distribution were observed between patients with small and large menstrual volume,with a higher proportion of syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis in patients with small menstrual volume(P<0.05).However,no significant difference was noted in the distribution of TCM syndromes in different treatment stages.Additionally,no statistical significance was observed in the CA125 and CA199 levels among patients with various TCM syndromes.Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that compared with syndrome of cold congelation and blood stasis,the course of disease was the influencing factor of syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency,BMI was the influencing factor of syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis and syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis,and geography was the influencing factor of syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency,syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis,syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis,and syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis.Conclusion Syndrome of cold coagulation and blood stasis is the most prevalent TCM syndrome among patients with adenomyosis,and the distribution of TCM syndromes has a specific regularity.The syndromes are independently correlated with region,disease duration,and BMI.