Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a well-accepted therapy for atopic dermatitis (AD). However, there are currently no evidence-based guidelines integrating TCM and Western medicine for the treatment of AD, limiting the clinical application of such combined approaches. Therefore, the China Association of Chinese Medicine initiated the development of the current guideline, focusing on key issues related to the use of TCM in the treatment of AD. This guideline was developed in accordance with the principles of the guideline formulation manual published by the World Health Organization. A comprehensive review of the literature on the combined use of TCM and Western medicine to treat AD was conducted. The findings were extensively discussed by experts in dermatology and pharmacy with expertise in both TCM and Western medicine. This guideline comprises 23 recommendations across seven major areas, including TCM syndrome differentiation and classification of AD, principles and application scenarios of TCM combined with Western medicine for treating AD, outcome indicators for evaluating clinical efficacy of AD treatment, integration of TCM pattern classification and Western medicine across disease stages, daily management of AD, the use of internal TCM therapies and proprietary Chinese medicines, and TCM external treatments. Please cite this article as: Du XR, Wu MY, Tao MC, Lin Y, Gu CY, Wu MF, Cao Y, Chen DC, Li W, Wang HW, Wang Y, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Liu X, Su XF, Li FL. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):641-653.
Dermatitis, Atopic/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Integrative Medicine ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and genetic risk and their combined effects on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 318,085 biobank participants from the UK. Physical activity was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-genetic-risk groups based on their polygenic risk scores. Multivariate Cox regression models and multiplicative interaction analyses were used. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 13 years, 9,209 participants were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For low genetic risk, compared to low physical activity, the hazard ratios ( HRs) for moderate and high physical activity were 0.853 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 0.748-0.972) and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.727-0.950), respectively. For intermediate genetic risk, the HRs were 0.829 (95% CI: 0.758-0.905) and 0.835 (95% CI: 0.764-0.914), respectively. For participants with high genetic risk, the HRs were 0.809 (95% CI: 0.746-0.877) and 0.818 (95% CI: 0.754-0.888), respectively. A significant interaction was observed between genetic risk and physical activity. CONCLUSION Moderate or high levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across all genetic risk groups, highlighting the need to tailor activity interventions for genetically susceptible individuals.
Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology* ; Exercise ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Aged ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Risk Factors ; United Kingdom/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Adult

Processing for deodorization is widely used in the production of animal-derived Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose combined with chemometrics was employed to analyze the overall odor difference of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(focusing on that derived from Cervus nippon Temminck in this study) before and after processing. The results showed that the electronic nose effectively distinguished between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. HS-GC-MS was used to identify and quantify the volatile components in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, and 35 and 37 volatile components were detected in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces, respectively. The medicinal materials and decoction pieces contained 28 common volatile components contributing to the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor activity value(OAV) of each volatile component was calculated based on the olfactory threshold and relative content. The results showed that there were 17 key odor substances such as isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutyraldehyde, hexanal, and methanethiol in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. All of them had bad odor and were the main source of the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The results of principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) showed that there were significant differences in volatile components between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. Based on the thresholds of P<0.05 and Variable Importance in Projection(VIP)>1, 21 differential volatile odor components were screened out. Among them, isopentanol, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, n-nonanal, and dimethylamine were the key differential odor compounds between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor compounds and their relative content reduced, and some flavor substances such as esters were produced after processing with wine, which was the main reason for the reduction of the odor after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Odorants/analysis* ; Electronic Nose ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Animals ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis* ; Deer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*

Vertebral refracture following percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA) is commonly seen in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures (OTLCF). It can lead to recurrent pain, loss of vertebral height, progression of kyphosis, and even neurological dysfunction, significantly impairing patients′ quality of life. Current diagnosis and treatment face multiple challenges, including high misdiagnosis rate, difficulty in choosing between surgical and non-surgical treatment options, lack of standardized surgical protocols, interference from intralesional bone cement during procedures, inadequate stability of internal fixation in osteoporotic bone, and suboptimal compliance of anti-osteoporotic therapy. Establishing a standardized diagnostic and therapeutic framework is urgently needed. To standardize the management process and improve outcomes for vertebral refractures after PVA in elderly OTLCF patients, Spinal Trauma Group of the Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field to develop Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of vertebral refracture after percutaneous vertebral augmentation in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures ( version 2025), based on current literature and clinical experience, and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and clinical applicability. A total of 11 recommendations were proposed, encompassing diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of vertebral refracture after PVA in elderly patients with OTLCF, aiming to provide a foundation for a standardized management.

Neuroscience,a cutting-edge field in interdisciplinary research,consistently draws considerable research interest,of which quantitatively probing the neurochemical dynamics is essential for brain science research.In vivoelectrochemical analysis,featuring with high sensitivity,high spatiotemporal resolution,free from transfection,and designable electrode/solution interfaces,provides important tools for in vivo neurochemicals sensing.Fast scan cyclic voltammetry combined with microelectrodes can not only enable precise detection of dopamine but also is compatible with existing neurosurgical equipment.This offers new opportunities for the clinical application of in vivo electrochemical analysis and paves new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases.This review summarized recent progress of in vivo electrochemical techniques for brain neurochemistry and addressed key clinical challenges and their potential solutions.

This study was aimed at providing basic data for the control and prevention of Yersinia enterocolitica(Ye)infections.Ye isolates from stool samples collected from patients with diarrhea in a Beijing district between January 2019 and June 2024 were studied.Basic patient information and stool samples were collected,and quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)was applied to enriched cultures.Further analyses included virulence gene detection,whole-genome sequencing,and drug resistance detection.The detection rate of Ye was 0.76%(11/1 439),according to culture methods,thus yielding 12 Ye strains from distinct patients:11 isolated during the study period and 1 from 2017.The 12 Ye positive patients were 6-41 years of age,and their clinical presentations predominantly featured watery stools(66.67%,8/12)and loose stools(33.33%,4/12).The frequencies of nausea,vomiting,and fever were 41.67%(5/12),41.67%(5/12),and 8.33%(1/12),respectively.The drug resistance rates of Ye to TET,AMP,and NAL were 50.00%(6/12),33.33%(4/12),and 25.00%(3/12),respectively.One Ye strain exhibited multidrug resistance to ETP,MEM,TET,CIP,NAL,and AMP.According to qPCR detection of five common virulence genes,two Ye strains were identified as ystA+/ystB-type(ystA+/ystB-/ail+/yadA+/virF+),whereas ten strains were identified as ystA-/ystB+type(ystA-/ystB+/ail-/yadA-/virF-).VFDB database analysis based on genome sequences indicated that 12 Ye strains carried an average of 11 key virulence genes associated with adhesion,invasion,protease activity,and flagellar movement,and predicted 106 virulence genes and 12 virulence gene profiles.Only the two ystA+/ystB-Ye strains contained elements related to the TTSS and ABC transporter function.Detection of ystA-/ystB+Ye in stool isolation and culture of diarrhea cases might potentially have been missed in some cases,thus highlighting the importance of fluorescence PCR screening of fecal growth solutions to enhance isolation efficiency.Moreover,our findings revealed the genetic diversity of Ye isolated from diarrhea cases,thereby indicating the presence of multiple types of virulence genes within this pathogen.

Objective To develop nanobodies with broad-spectrum reactivity,specificity,and high sensitivity that can be used for detecting multiple subtypes of influenza A virus,and to establish a nanobody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method.Methods Gene sequences of twelve nanobodies against influenza A virus were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)and nanobody databases.The nanoantibodies were prepared using molecular biological techniques including gene synthesis and recombinant expression.The binding activity,specificity,sensitivity,and affinity of these nanobodies were determined by ELISA screening and Gator affinity analysis.A double-antibody sandwich ELISA assay was established by combining the selected nanobody with a traditional mouse monoclonal antibody.Results Twelve nanobodies were expressed and purified.Two nanobodies capable of binding to multiple subtypes of influenza virus including H1,H3,H5,H7,and H9 were obtained and designated as VHH54 and KV108.Both nanobodies showed no cross-reactivity with other respiratory virus antigens.Furthermore,the KV108 nanobody exhibited the highest binding affinity,with a dissociation constant of 5.94×10-9mol/L for the influenza virus nucleoprotein(NP),and the lowest detection concentration for the NP antigen reached 0.00064 μg/mL.The double-antibody sandwich ELISA,using a combination of KV108 and a mouse monoclonal antibody,could sensitively detect the five common subtypes of influenza A virus(H1N1,H3N2,H5N1,H7N9,and H9N2).The lowest detection limit reached 110-403 PFU/mL,which was higher than that of the commercial colloidal gold kitfor influenza virus detection.Conclusion This study has identified a nanobody KV108,which is capable of binding to multiple subtypes of influenza virus,and established a nanobody-based ELISA method that can detect multiple subtypes of influenza A virus.This study can facilitate the development of nanobody-based influenza detection technologies.

Objective:To explore the composition of gut microbiome, the characteristics of virulence factor genes and their relationship with liver metabolic inflammation in overweight or obese children.Methods:A case-control design was conducted. From the children who visited the West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University for medical or physical examinations between August 2021 and April 2022, a total of 23 obese children (obesity group), 8 overweight children (overweight group), and 22 healthy children (control group) were recruited. The body mass index of children was calculated after anthropometric measurements; metabolic inflammation indexes such as the levels of fasting blood glucose and hepatic function and renal function etc. were detected. The composition and abundance of gut microbiota in the feces of the children were detected by metagenomic sequencing technology and the Shannon index and Simpson index were calculated to assess the α diversity of virulence factor genes. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for pairwise comparison between groups. The Spearman′s rank correlation test was used for correlation analysis, and the Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to correct the P-value of multiple tests. Results:The obese group included 23 children aged 8.5 (6.3, 11.8) years, of whom 9 (39%) were male. The overweight group consisted of 8 children aged 9.2 (5.5, 12.3) years, of whom 4 were male. The control group comprised 22 children aged 5.3 (5.1, 5.4) years, of whom 10 (45%) were male. The obese group exhibited higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), globulin, and uric acid compared to those of the control group (all P<0.05), with ALT also higher than that of the overweight group ( P<0.05). The levels of fasting blood glucose, γ-GT, globulin, and uric acid in the overweight group were all higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). The abundance of Coprococcus A (0.76 (0.00, 3.11) vs. 0.00 (0.00, 0.00), false discovery rate ( FDR)<0.05) and Parasutterella (0.89 (0.08, 1.79) vs. 0.00 (0.00, 0.08), FDR<0.05) in the gut of children in the obese group were both higher than those of the control group. The number of virulence factor genes in the obese group was higher than those of the control group (941 (886, 977) vs. 890 (807, 920), P<0.05). The Simpson index and Shannon index of gut microbial virulence factor genes in the obese group were both higher than those of the control group (0.993 (0.992, 0.993) vs. 0.991(0.990, 0.991), (5.50 (5.46, 5.56) vs. 5.37 (5.30, 5.43), both P<0.01). The abundance of gut microbiota virulence factors genes all showed positive correlations with fasting blood glucose, ALT, γ-GT, and uric acid levels in children (all r>0.3, all FDR<0.05). The abundance of 17 gut microbial virulence factor genes were all positively associated with γ-GT levels (all r>0.3, all FDR<0.05). The virulence factor genes (LpxH, LpxB, LpxK) of lipopolysaccharide were all positively correlated with plasma γ-GT and globulin levels (all r>0.3, all FDR<0.05). Conclusions:Overweight or obese children exhibited elevated liver metabolic-inflammatory markers compared to their normal-weight counterparts. Notably, obese children demonstrated gut microbiota dysbiosis accompanied by enrichment of virulence factor genes, which may promote liver metabolic inflammation through pathways such as lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis.

Objective:To investigate multi-system involvement in Kennedy′s disease and its association with disease progression.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, laboratory, and electrophysiological data from 48 genetically confirmed patients with Kennedy′s disease at the Department of Neurology, First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, between February 2016 and February 2024. The disease progression rate was calculated based on the functional scores at baseline and follow-up. Correlation analyses and multiple linear regression models were employed to assess the relationships among clinical variables and to identify potential predictors of disease progression.Results:The age of muscle weakness onset ranged from 16 to 66 years (mean 42±11 years), with a diagnostic delay of 5.0 (3.0, 9.8) years. Lower limb weakness was the most common initial symptom in 72.9% (35/48) of patients, and 37.5% (18/48) exhibited non-motor manifestations prior to the onset of weakness. Core motor manifestations included bulbar weakness (89.6%, 43/48) and symmetric proximal limb weakness (83.3%, 40/48), frequently accompanied by gynecomastia (74.2%, 23/31) and sexual dysfunction (64.6%, 31/48). The median CAG repeat length was 43 (42, 46), which showed a significant negative correlation with the age at onset ( r=-0.406, P=0.004). Patients with CAG repeats > 43 had a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction. Elevated serum muscle enzymes were observed in 97.9% (47/48), and abnormal sex hormone levels were detected in 81.2% (39/48). Sensory neuropathy was present in 68.1% (32/47), with CAG repeat length inversely correlating with compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes in the median ( β=-0.29; t=-2.27, P=0.029) and ulnar ( β=-0.22; t=-2.23, P=0.031) nerves. Low-frequency repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) revealed a decrement in 43.3% (13/30) of patients, most commonly affecting the axillary and spinal accessory nerves. The disease progression rate was 1.3±0.3 (range: 0.5-2.0). Furthermore, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels were negatively correlated with disease progression rate ( r=-0.303, P=0.036). Conclusions:Kennedy′s disease presents with diverse initial manifestations and frequent multi-system involvement. Non-motor manifestations may precede muscle weakness, serving as valuable clues for early diagnosis. Widespread sex hormone abnormalities (particularly testosterone/luteinizing hormone dysregulation) support the role of androgen insensitivity in disease pathogenesis. Sensory neuropathies are frequent and not length-dependent. The presence of decremental responses on low-frequency RNS suggests neuromuscular junction dysfunction, which may underlie motor impairment in patients with Kennedy′s disease. Finally, serum CK-MB may serve as a potential biomarker for disease progression.

Objective:To detect the expression levels of 12 cytokines in the plasma of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and explore their association with PBC disease activity and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapeutic response.Methods:This study enrolled 127 patients with PBC who visited Peking Union Medical College Hospital between December 2021 and November 2023 (PBC group) and 32 healthy controls who underwent physical examinations during the same period (control group). The expression of 12 cytokines was measured using flow cytometry, and compared between groups. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between cytokine levels and five laboratory indicators reflecting PBC disease activity [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), total bilirubin (TBil), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bile acid (TBA)]. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of cytokines in distinguishing between patients who responded to UDCA treatment and those who did not.Results:The plasma interleukin (IL)-8 levels between the PBC group and healthy controls showed no significant differences, and the plasma IFN-γ levels in PBC patients were significantly higher than those in health controls ( P<0.05). Spearman analysis showed that IL-8 was positively correlated with ALP, GGT, TBil, AST, and TBA ( R2=0.348, 0.401, 0.406, 0.495, 0.417; all P<0.01), and negative correlation was observed between IFN-γand ALP, GGT, and TBA levels ( R2=-0.265, -0.253, -0.232; all P<0.05). The plasma IL-8 level in 52 PBC patients who did not respond to UDCA treatment was significantly higher, while the IFN-γ level was significantly lower than those in 56 PBC patients who responded to UDCA treatment (both P<0.05). ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve for distinguishing plasma IL-8 and IFN-γlevels between PBC patients responding to UDCA treatment and not is 0.631 and 0.783, respectively. The sensitivities were 87.5% and 90.5%, and the specificities were 44.2% and 57.9%, respectively. Conclusion:The levels of plasma IL-8 and IFN-γ are correlated with the disease activity of PBC and can be used to reflect the therapeutic responses to UDCA in PBC patients.