OBJECTIVE: To investigate the variability of bone metabolism levels among different populations and its association with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) pain. METHODS: A total of 50 people (control group) who participated in physical examination from January 2023 to June 2023 were selected, including 26 males and 24 females, wtih a mean aged of (52.14±9.04) years old ranging 41 to 65 years old. The other 50 patients with knee osteoarthritis(case group) who attended the outpatient clinic of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department in the same time period, including 19 males and 31 females, with a mean age of (53.60±7.76) years old ranging 40 to 65 years. The two groups of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) and bone metabolism markers, such as 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol[25(OH)D], β-isomerized typeⅠcollagen C-telopeptide breakdown products (β-CTX), total typeⅠprocollagen N-terminal propeptide (t-PINP), osteocalcin (OC), parathormone (PTH) levels were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used to compare the correlation between two groups of bone metabolism related markers and WOMAC. RESULTS: The WOMAC score of the case group (39.90±2.34) was higher than that of the control group (3.60±0.57), with significant difference (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups of 25 (OH)D, β-CTX and PTH (P>0.05). The t-PINP and OC of the case group were (62.90±52.40) and (19.88±10.15) ng·ml-1, respectively, and those of the control group were (38.86±10.82) and (14.90±3.62) ng·ml^-1, respectively;the t-PINP and OC of the case group were higher than those of the control group, with significant difference (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that t-PINP was positively correlated with WOMAC pain score in the case group (r²=0.045, P<0.01). CONCLUSION Bone metabolism levels in the serum of patients with knee osteoarthritis are different from those of healthy people, and the difference between OC and t-PINP is the most obvious, and the concentration of t-PINP levels is positively correlated with pain symptoms in patients with KOA. However, the specific mechanism of correlation between the bone metabolism levels of patients with KOA and their pain symptoms needs to be further elucidated by basic experimental research as well as by enlarging the samples.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism* ; Aged ; Adult ; Bone and Bones/metabolism* ; Pain/etiology* ; Biomarkers/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Xuanshen Yishen Decoction (XYD) in the treatment of hypertension. METHODS: Hospital electronic medical records from 2019-2023 were utilized to emulate a randomized pragmatic clinical trial. Hypertensive participants were eligible if they were aged ⩾40 years with baseline systolic blood pressure (BP) ⩾140 mm Hg. Patients treated with XYD plus antihypertensive regimen were assigned to the treatment group, whereas those who followed only antihypertensive regimen were assigned to the control group. The primary outcome assessed was the attainment rate of intensive BP control at discharge, with the secondary outcome focusing on the 6-month all-cause readmission rate. RESULTS: The study included 3,302 patients, comprising 2,943 individuals in the control group and 359 in the treatment group. Compared with the control group, a higher proportion in the treatment group achieved the target BP for intensive BP control [8.09% vs. 17.5%; odds ratio (OR)=2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.68 to 3.13; P<0.001], particularly in individuals with high homocysteine levels (OR=3.13; 95% CI=1.72 to 5.71; P<0.001; P for interaction=0.041). Furthermore, the 6-month all-cause readmission rate in the treatment group was lower than in the control group (hazard ratio=0.58; 95% CI=0.36 to 0.91; P=0.019), and the robustness of the results was confirmed by sensitivity analyse. CONCLUSIONS XYD could be a complementary therapy for intensive BP control. Our study offers real-world evidence and guides the choice of complementary and alternative therapies. (Registration No. ChiCTR2400086589).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology* ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Patient Readmission ; Treatment Outcome

Clear aligner treatment is a novel technique in current orthodontic practice. Distinct from traditional fixed orthodontic appliances, clear aligners have different material features and biomechanical characteristics and treatment efficiencies, presenting new clinical challenges. Therefore, a comprehensive and systematic description of the key clinical aspects of clear aligner treatment is essential to enhance treatment efficacy and facilitate the advancement and wide adoption of this new technique. This expert consensus discusses case selection and grading of treatment difficulty, principle of clear aligner therapy, clinical procedures and potential complications, which are crucial to the clinical success of clear aligner treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Orthodontic Appliance Design ; Orthodontic Appliances, Removable ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Malocclusion/therapy* ; Orthodontics, Corrective/instrumentation*

Chiropractic therapy is a therapeutic approach for regulating the spine and is widely employed in clinical practice for multiple disorders, including constipation. The theory of "bone strengthening and tendon softening" originated from Huang Di Nei Jing, holding that bones maintain normal anatomical forms and relative positional relationships, and tendons are supple and free from damage. Only when the structures and functions of both are normal can the human body sustain normal physiological activities. In accordance with this theory, clinical treatment mainly aims at adjusting the relationship between tendons and bones and restoring the balance between them to address diseases. Based on the theory of "bone strengthening and tendon softening" and taking the essence of "tendons" as the starting point, this article explored the pathogenic mechanism of outlet obstructive constipation and the clinical application of chiropractic therapy in the treatment of outlet obstructive constipation. Pathological changes of the musculotendinous meridians and abnormal spinal structures are significant pathogenic factors for outlet obstructive constipation. Therefore, in clinical practice, spinal techniques such as guided manipulation, massage, and reconstructive techniques can be used to soften muscles, correct bones, and regulate intestinal stagnation.

Three-dimensional ordered porous carbon materials exhibit potential application prospects as excellent drug supports in drug delivery systems due to their high specific surface area, tunable pore structure, and excellent biocompatibility. In this study, three-dimensional ordered porous carbon materials were prepared using Acanthopanax senticosus herbal residues as raw material and KOH as activating agent through a one-step pyrolysis method. The prepared carbon-based material was systematically characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show that the three-dimensional ordered porous carbon materials prepared with KOH as the activator via pyrolysis possess abundant functional groups, high porosity, and high specific surface area, with a specific surface area of 1 471.6 m²·g^-1. The three-dimensional ordered porous carbon materials prepared at 800 ℃ exhibits a high drug loading capacity (78.0%) and drug release rate (86.8%) for 5-fluorouracil. Three-dimensional orderly porous carbon materials show significant application advantages in drug construction, and their high specific surface area and adjustable pore size structure significantly improve the drug load rate and drug release rate, providing a solid foundation for the development of efficient and accurate drug delivery system.

Objective:To study the diagnostic value of the artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic system, ACR TI-RADS classification and AI+ ACR TI-RADS combined diagnostic performance in benign and malignant thyroid nodules and its guiding significance for surgical treatment.Methods:From Nov. 1, 2021, to Feb. 26, 2022, 349 patients with 605 thyroid nodules who received surgical treatment in Department of Thyroid (Hernia) Surgery, Department of General Surgery, the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, were selected. There were 95 males and 254 females, male: female=1:2.67, aged 16-78 years, and the nodule diameter was 0.2-5.6 cm. SPSS 26.0 and R studio software were used for data processing. AI diagnostic system, ACR TI-RADS grading and AI+ ACR TI-RADS combined diagnostic efficacy were statistically analyzed, respectively. ROC curve analysis was performed in parallel.Results:The AUC value of AI+ ACR TI-RADS combined diagnosis was 0.900, greater than 0.857 of AI diagnostic system and 0.788 of ACR TI-RADS, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z= 7.631, both P<0.001) . The sensitivity of the combined diagnosis was 95.32%, the specificity was 84.61%, the accuracy was 92.56%, the positive predictive value was 94.69%, the negative predictive value was 86.27%, the missed diagnosis rate was 4.68%, and the misdiagnosis rate was 15.38%, which were better than the other two diagnostic methods. With an excellent coincidence rate with postoperative pathological results ( Kappa=0.804, P<0.001) . The accuracy of combined diagnosis in identifying the maximum diameter of different tumors was 89.58% for d≤0.5 cm, 96.09% for 0.54.0 cm, better than the other two diagnostic methods. Conclusions:The combined application of AI+ACR TI-RADS has a certain primary screening value in evaluating thyroid nodule properties. The combined diagnosis of the two can more effectively determine the benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

The name， origin， place of origin， medicinal parts， harvesting and processing of lotus are verified by consulting ancient Chinese herbal medicines and medical books， combined with modern literature， providing a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing lotus. According to textual research， the original base of lotus is Nelumbo nucifera since ancient times， rhizome （Nelumbinis Rhizomatis Nodus）， leaf （Nelumbinis Folium）， seed （Nelumbinis Semen）， embryo （Nelumbinis Plumula）， receptacle （Nelumbinis Receptaculum）， stamen （Nelumbinis Stamen） and other medicinal parts of N. nucifera can be used as medicine and have different clinical effects. Nelumbinis Semen was originally produced in Henan， and then gradually expanded to Jiangnan. Today， it can be cultivated and planted throughout the country， with Fujian， Hunan， and Jiangxi as the authentic production areas. After combing the medicinal parts of N. nucifera and the historical evolution of its processing， it is suggested that the dried and mature fruits of N. nucifera taking in autumn and removing the shell and Nelumbinis Plumula should be used in Qingxin Lianziyin. Nelumbinis Folium in Erdongtang should be harvested in summer and autumn， and the raw products was used as medicine and processed in accordance with the provision of the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Based on the ancient literature of all dynasties， this article makes a systematic textual research on the name， origin， producing area， quality， harvesting and processing of Zisu （Perillae） in the famous classical formulas， so as to clarify the information of the drug in different historical periods and provide a reference for the development and utilization of the related formulas. The main origin of Perillae in the ancient literature was Perilla frutescens var. frutescens （purple leaf type）， followed by P. frutescens var. acuta （purple leaf type）， but not Baisu. Modern chemical composition studies also show that there are obvious differences between Perillae and Baisu， which provides a scientific basis for distinguishing them. Although they are often treated as a species in plant classification， P. frutescens var. frutescens （purple leaf type） is recommended in the development of famous classical formulas， and Baisu should be avoided. Perillae is widely distributed， but its producing area did not record in most of the literature in the past dynasties， or the producing area is described as everywhere today. In the period of the Southern and Northern dynasties， the medicinal parts of Perillae included stems， leaves and seeds， and doctors in the Ming dynasty began to pay attention to the differentiation of different medicinal parts. The harvesting and processing methods of Perillae in the past dynasties are close to that of today. Perillae Fructus is mostly stir-fried and ground into medicine， Perillae Folium and Perillae Caulis are mainly simple cleansing. In production， we can refer to the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Through consulting the ancient herbal and medical books， combined with the field investigation， the name， origin， collection and processing of Dendrobium medicinal materials were researched， which provided a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing this kind of herbs. Due to the wide distribution of D. officinale， the Dendrobium species represented by D. officinale and D. huoshanense， which are short， fleshy and rich in mucus， should be the most mainstream of Dendrobium medicinal materials in previous dynasties. Compared with Shihu， Muhu with loose texture， long and hollow is born on trees. According to the characteristic description， it should be D. nobile， D. fimbriatum and so on， of which D. nobile was the mainstream. The Chinese meaning of Jinchai was confused in the past dynasties， so it was not suitable to be treated as a plant name. The production areas of Dendrobium medicinal materials in the past dynasties have changed with the discovery of varieties， artificial cultivation and other factors. Lu'an， Anhui province， was the earliest recorded in the Han and Wei dynasties. Since the Tang and Song dynasties， it had been extended to Guangdong and Guangxi， and it was considered that "Dendrobii Caulis in Guangnan was the best". In the Ming dynasty， Sichuan and Zhejiang products were highly praised， and in the Qing dynasty， Huoshan products were highly praised. Dendrobium medicinal materials had been used as medicine by stems in all dynasties. The medicinal materials were divided into fresh products and dry products. The fresh products can be used immediately after removing the sediment from the roots. The dry products need further processing， most of them used wine as auxiliary materials for steaming， simmer to paste or decoction into medicine. D. officinale and D. huoshanense have special processing specifications since the middle of Qing dynasty， that is， "Fengdou". According to the research results， in Ganluyin， the effect of Dendrobium medicinal materials is mainly heat clearing， and D. nobile with bitter taste can be selected. The main effect of Dendrobium medicinal materials in Dihuang Yinzi is tonic， D. officinale or D. huoshanense can be selected.

In this study， name， origin， producing areas， harvesting time and processing methods of ancient Alismatis Rhizoma were systematically researched by consulting the literature of ancient herbs， medical and prescription books， so as to provide a basis for the development of famous classical formula containing this herb. According to textual research， the main base of ancient Alismatis Rhizoma was Alisma plantago-aquatica and A. orientale. A. canaliculatum and A. gramineum and other genera were sometimes used as the source of Alismatis Rhizoma， there was a confusion of medicinal varieties. The earliest producing area of Alismatis Rhizoma was in today's Henan province， and later Hanzhong， Shaanxi province， became the high-quality producing area of Alismatis Rhizoma. Since the Ming dynasty， its production area expanded to Fujian. In the Qing dynasty， Jian'ou in Fujian was the authentic production area of Alismatis Rhizoma. In the period of the Republic of China， Sichuan and Jiangxi were added to the production areas of Alismatis Rhizoma. Based on the research results， it is suggested that the dried tubers of A. orientale from Fujian and Jiangxi or A. plantago-aquatica from Sichuan should be used in the famous classical formulas. In ancient times， Alismatis Rhizoma was processed by wine， but most of the standards and specifications in modern times are no longer included the processing specifications of Alismatis Rhizoma with wine. Although salt-processed Alismatis Rhizoma is commonly used in modern times， it didn't become one of the main processing methods until the Qing dynasty. According to the relevant national documents， it is suggested that Alismatis Rhizoma without clear processing requirements in famous classical formulas should be used as raw products， and the formulas with processing requirements should be selected as processed products such as salt and wine according to the meaning of the formulas.