ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Jingui Shenqiwan （JSW） and Liuwei Dihuangwan （LDW） on the reproductive ability and brain function of normal mice and compare the actions of the two medications. MethodsSeven groups of female and male mice were divided at a ratio of 2∶1. Except for the control group， the other six groups were as follows： a group of both males and females receiving JSW （3.0 g·kg^-1）， a group of both males and females receiving LDW （4.5 g·kg^-1）， a group of males receiving water and females receiving JSW， a group of males receiving water while females receiving LDW， a group of females receiving water while males receiving JSW， and a group of females receiving water while males receiving LDW. Each group was administered the drug for 14 days and then caged together at a 2∶1 （female∶male） ratio to detect the number of pregnant mice and calculate the pregnancy rate. Pregnant mice continued receiving the drug until they naturally gave birth， which was followed by the observation of newborn mice， calculation of their average number， and the measurement of the offspring's preference for sugar water and neonatal recognition index. At the end of the experiment， the weights of the thymus and spleen were measured to calculate the organ coefficients， and mRNA or protein expression was analyzed in the brain and testes or ovaries. A 1% sucrose solution was used to examine the euphoria of their brain reward systems， while novel object recognition test （NOR） was applied to assess their memory capabilities. mRNA expression was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） assay， and protein expression was analyzed with Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， oral administration of JSW to both male and female mice for 14 days significantly increased the pregnancy rate of female mice on day 2 after being caged together （P<0.05）， while LDW showed a trend but no statistical significance. Additionally， compared with the control group， JSW could upregulate the gene expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH） in the thalamus， as well as reproductive stem cell factor （SCF） and tyrosine kinase receptor （c-Kit） in the testes and reproductive stem cell marker mouse vasa homologue （MVH） in the ovaries， upregulate the expression of proteins influencing neuronal functional activity， such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， in hippocampal neurons （P<0.05）， and enhance sucrose preference in male mice （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， JSW significantly increased sucrose preference and novel object recognition index in offspring mice （P<0.05）， which was related to the upregulation of hippocampal dopamine D1 receptor （D1R） and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor （Nmdar） gene expression. Compared with the control group， both JSW and LDW could upregulate the protein expression of glucocorticoid receptor （GR）， BDNF， and tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB） in the hippocampus of offspring mice （P<0.05）. ConclusionJSW significantly enhances the reproductive ability of normal mice， which is not only related to the release of gonadotropin but also associated with its regulation of brain function. Additionally， JSW has a certain regulatory effect on the brain function of the offspring mice.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck malignancy. Approximately 50% to 60% of patients with OSCC are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage (clinical staging III-IVa). Even with comprehensive and sequential treatment primarily based on surgery, the 5-year overall survival rate remains below 50%, and patients often suffer from postoperative functional impairments such as difficulties with speaking and swallowing. Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitors are increasingly used in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC and have shown encouraging efficacy. However, clinical practice still faces key challenges, including the definition of indications, optimization of combination regimens, and standards for efficacy evaluation. Based on the latest research advances worldwide and the clinical experience of the expert group, this expert consensus systematically evaluates the application of PD-1 inhibitors in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC, covering combination strategies, treatment cycles and surgical timing, efficacy assessment, use of biomarkers, management of special populations and immune related adverse events, principles for immunotherapy rechallenge, and function preservation strategies. After multiple rounds of panel discussion and through anonymous voting using the Delphi method, the following consensus statements have been formulated: 1) Neoadjuvant therapy with PD-1 inhibitors can be used preoperatively in patients with locally advanced OSCC. The preferred regimen is a PD-1 inhibitor combined with platinum based chemotherapy, administered for 2-3 cycles. 2) During the efficacy evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy, radiographic assessment should follow the dual criteria of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 and immune RECIST (iRECIST). After surgery, systematic pathological evaluation of both the primary lesion and regional lymph nodes is required. For combination chemotherapy regimens, PD-L1 expression and combined positive score need not be used as mandatory inclusion or exclusion criteria. 3) For special populations such as the elderly (≥ 70 years), individuals with stable HIV viral load, and carriers of chronic HBV/HCV, PD-1 inhibitors may be used cautiously under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), with close monitoring for adverse events. 4) For patients with a poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, continuation of the original treatment regimen is not recommended; the subsequent treatment plan should be adjusted promptly after MDT assessment. Organ transplant recipients and patients with active autoimmune diseases are not recommended to receive neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor therapy due to the high risk of immune related activation. Rechallenge is generally not advised for patients who have experienced high risk immune related adverse events such as immune mediated myocarditis, neurotoxicity, or pneumonitis. 5) For patients with a good pathological response, individualized de escalation surgery and function preservation strategies can be explored. This consensus aims to promote the standardized, safe, and precise application of neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor strategies in the management of locally advanced OSCC patients.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Shenge Bushen Capsules （SBC） on sexual development in normal 3-week-old mice. MethodsThe experiment consisted of two parts. In the first part， mice were divided into four groups： The control group and the low， medium， and high-dose SBC groups （234.7， 469.4， 938.7 mg·kg^-1， respectively）. In the second part， mice were divided into four groups： Control group， Pseudostellariae Radix polysaccharide （PRP） group， total flavonoids group， and SBC group， all receiving a dose of 469.4 mg·kg^-1. After 7 days of administration， the vaginal opening of female mice and the descent of testes and scrotum in male mice， as well as the ovarian and testicular organ indices， were observed. After 4 weeks of administration， female and male mice were housed together for 2 days， and the pregnancy rate of females was monitored. After delivery， the pregnant female mice continued receiving the treatment for 4 weeks， and the sexual development of their offspring， including vaginal opening， testicular descent， and organ indices of ovaries and testes， was observed. Serum sex hormones were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH） and growth hormone （GH） proteins in the hypothalamus was assessed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， there was no significant effect on the vaginal opening of female mice or the descent of testes in male mice after 7 days of SBC administration. After 4 weeks of administration， the pregnancy rate in the low-dose group was significantly reduced （P<0.05）， but no significant effects were observed in the other groups. The three doses of SBC did not significantly affect the ovarian or testicular organ indices， and there was no significant upregulation in the expression of GnRH or GH in the hypothalamus. The primary component of SBC， Pseudostellariae Radix polysaccharide， significantly reduced the vaginal opening in female mice after 7 days of administration （P<0.05）. After 4 weeks， the serum estradiol levels of non-pregnant female mice were decreased （P<0.05）， but there was no significant effect on the expression of GnRH or GH proteins in the hypothalamus of either male or female mice. Additionally， there were no significant effects on precocious puberty indicators， such as vaginal opening and testicular descent， in the offspring mice. ConclusionSBC does not significantly promote precocious puberty in young mice， and it does not have any noticeable effects on the pregnancy rate of adult mice or the sexual development of their offspring.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of minimally invasive double anchoring combined with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for Kümmell disease.Methods:The clinical data of 24 patients with Kümmell disease who were treated with minimally invasive double anchoring combined with PKP in Cangzhou People's Hospital from October 2022 to March 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, there were 2 T 10 vertebrae, 5 T 11 vertebrae, 7 T 12 vertebrae, 6 L 1 vertebrae, and 4 L 2 vertebrae. There were 6 males and 18 females. The average age was 72.05±4.52 years (range, 66-80 years). The bone mineral density T value was -3.41±0.77 (range, -2.5-4.5). The stages of Li's Kümmell disease included 13 cases of stage II and 11 cases of stage III. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and volume of bone cement injected were recorded. The vertebral index, vertebral angle and Cobb angle of diseased segment were measured before and after operation. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the degree of pain, the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) low back pain scale were used to assess spinal function. The Medical Outcome Study short form 36 item health survey (SF-36) was used to assess the general health status of the patients. The postoperative symptom recovery was evaluated by Odom criteria. Results:The mean operative time of the 24 patients was 35.32±6.86 min, the injected volume of bone cement was 4.39±1.72 ml, and the intraoperative blood loss was 16.56±5.21 ml. All patients were followed up for 10 to 14 months, with an average of 11.7 months. Postoperative CT examination showed that the screw positions were satisfactory, and no loosening or displacement of bone cement mass occurred. On the first day after surgery, the vertebral body index, vertebral body angle and Cobb angle of diseased segment were 77.71%±2.75%, 12.40°±1.53° and 25.77°±4.49°, respectively, which represented significant improvements from the preoperative values of 43.09%±5.66%, 22.12°±2.92° and 46.98°±5.68° before surgery ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the values were 76.18%±2.32%, 12.41°±2.53°, 26.14°±4.87°, respectively, which were significantly improved compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05), but there was no statistical significance compared with the first day after surgery ( P>0.05). The VAS, ODI and JOA scores on the first day after surgery were 2.11±0.87 points, 22.46±5.49 points and 27.68±2.45 points, respectively, which were significantly improved compared with those before surgery 7.50±0.98 points, 76.25±8.56 points and 14.96±4.91 points ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the values were 2.26±0.88, 23.87±3.25 and 26.58±2.77, respectively, which were significantly improved compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05), and there was no statistical significance compared with the first day after surgery ( P>0.05). All 24 patients completed SF-36 scale assessment, and the results showed that there were statistically significant differences in physiological function, physiological role, physical pain, general health status, social function scores and mental health between the patients before surgery and the last follow-up ( P<0.05), while there were no statistically significant differences in vitality and emotional function ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, the Odom criteria showed excellent results in 18 cases, good in 4 cases, and fair in 2 cases. Conclusions:The application of minimally invasive double anchoring (single nail fixation) combined with PKP in the treatment of Kümmell disease can effectively prevent the loosening and displacement of bone cement masses, and the fixation effect is satisfactory, which can restore the height of the injured vertebrum, reduce kyphosis and improve spinal function. The clinical symptoms of the patients were significantly improved, and the quality of life was enhanced.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous versus electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of pulmonary nodules. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of high-risk pulmonary nodule patients who underwent MWA at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between 2022 and 2023. The pathological diagnosis rate, complications, and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were compared between the CT group and the ENB group. Results There were 61 patients in the CT group, including 30 males and 31 females, with an average age of (67.22±9.13) years. There were 53 patients in the ENB group, including 29 males and 24 females, with an average age of (65.29±13.76) years. The pathological diagnosis rate in the CT group was slightly higher than that in the ENB group (88.52% vs. 71.69%, P=0.03). However, the ENB group exhibited a lower incidence of perioperative complications, including pneumothorax (16.39% vs. 3.77%, P=0.03), hemoptysis (19.67% vs. 5.66%, P=0.05), and pain (22.95% vs. 7.55%, P=0.03). There was no statistically significant difference in PFS rate between the two groups [HR=1.17, 95%CI (0.23, 5.81), P=0.85]. Conclusion Both CT-guided and ENB-guided MWA are effective treatment modalities for high-risk pulmonary nodules.

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

Objective To explore the effect of maternal exercise on blood pressure,cardiac pheno-type and susceptibility to myocardial is chemia/reperfusion(MI/R)injury in adult male offsprings of mice.Methods Pregnant mice were randomly divided into a sedentary group(p-Ctr)and an exercise group(p-EX),each of 12.The exercise group underwent daily 60-minutenon-weight bearing swim-ming from gestational day(GD)1 to 18,6 days a week.Then,their male offsprings at 3 months of age(3M)were selected as the research subjects,namely the Ctr-3M group and the EX-3M group,with 12 mice in each group.The MI/R model was established by ligation of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery(LAD)surgery(30 min of ischemia,24 h of reperfusion).Then,the systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and mean arterial pressure(MAP)were monitored non-invasively via tail artery blood pressure measurement,while the cardiac function was detected by using the small animal ultrasound.Moreover,the cardiac morphology and col-lagen volume fraction(CVF)of myocardium was observed by HE staining and Masson staining,respec-tively.Meanwhile,the cross-sectional area(CSA)of myocardial cells and myocardial infarction area(INF/AAR)was measured using WGA staining and Evans Blue-TTC double staining,accordingly.What's more,the apoptosis index(AI)of myocardial cells and serum cardiac troponin I(cTnI)were de-tected by using TUNEL staining and ELISA,respectively,while the expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins were determined by using Western blotting.Results 1)From GD11 to GD19,the body weight of females in the p-EX group was always significantly lower than that in the p-Ctr group(GD11,GD13;P<0.05;GD12,GD14～GD19;P<0.01),but there was no significant difference in the litter size and abortion rate(P>0.05).2)There were no significant differences between the EX-3M and Ctr-3M groups in the heart weight(HW),body weight(BW)and heart weight to body weight ratio(HW/BW),SBP,DBP,MAP,myocardial CVF,and CSA of male offsprings(P>0.05).After MI/R surgery,in both p-Ctr and p-EX groups,myocardial transverse striations disappeared and cardiomyocytes were disarranged with degeneration and necrosis.Moreover,CVF of the EX-3M group was significantly lower than the Ctr-3M group after MI/R surgery(P<0.05).3)No significant differenc-es were found between the Ctr-3M and EX-3M groups in the average cardiac ejection fraction(EF),fractional shortening(FS),left ventricle internal diameter in diastole(LVIDd),and left ventricle inter-nal diameter in systole(LVIDs)(P>0.05).However,after the MI/R surgery,the postoperative EF and FS(P<0.01),and LVIDs(P<0.05)in the EX-3M group were significantly higher than the Ctr-3M group,without significant difference in LVIDd(P>0.05).4)After MI/R surgery,the average AI,INF/AAR and serum cTnI level of the EX-3M group were significantly lower than the Ctr-3M group(P<0.01 for all).5)The relative expression level of myocardial Bcl-2 protein after MI/R surgery in the EX-3M group was significantly higher than the Ctr-3M group(P<0.05),while that of myocardial Bax protein(P<0.05)and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio(P<0.01)were significantly lower than the latter.Conclu-sions Prenatal exercise significantly reduces the susceptibility to myocardial ischemia injury in 3-month-old male mice offspring,improves the contractile function of their heart,and attenuates the degree of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and necrosis,exerting a cardioprotective effect in MI/R injury.

At present,more and more scientific experiments are used in the research of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),which promotes the elucidation of the effects of TCM.However,the real significance of scientific experiment lies in the discussion of the original theory,and in the guidance role in the original theory based on the discovery.Therefore,it will lose its real significance and value to only position scientific experiments as"explain"the mechanism of TCM effects rather than guiding the clarification and development of the principles of TCM.This paper analyzes the theoretical paradigms of modern science and TCM from the perspective of historical development,and theoretically discusses the due position and importance of scientific experiments in the theoretical research and development of TCM on their similarities and differences and their possible intersections.It holds that although scientific experiment and TCM belong to different theoretical paradigms,their objective materiality from clinical practice determines the interconnectedness between scientific experiment and TCM,that is,linking scientific experiment and TCM with the pathophysiological changes;In order to ensure the correctness of the connection between this scientific experiment and TCM,we should pay attention to the implementation of the scientific concept in scientific experiments to ensure the specificity of the research results,and finally making due contributions to the development of TCM theory.

BACKGROUND: Research has indicated that the disease burden of alopecia areata (AA) in China exceeds the global average. Therefore, accurate and updated epidemiological information is crucial for policymakers. In this study, we aimed to comprehensively assess the disease burden of AA in China. METHODS: The following four key indicators were utilized: the prevalence of cases; disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs); the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR); and the age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) of AA according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021. We analyzed the epidemiological burden of AA in China during 2021, examined changes between 1990 and 2021, and performed a Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis to predict trends over the course of the next decade (2022-2030). Additionally, a Gaussian process regression model was applied to estimate the relationship between the gross domestic product (GDP) and the ASPR and ASDR of AA at the provincial level between 1992 and 2021. RESULTS: In 2021, the estimated number of patients with AA in China was approximately 3.49 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 3.37-3.62 million); of these patients, 1.20 million (95% UI, 1.16-1.25 million) were male and 2.29 million (95% UI, 2.20-2.37 million) were female. This large number of patients with AA resulted in a total of 114,431.25 DALYs (95% UI, 74,780.27-160,318.96 DALYs). Additionally, the ASPR and ASDR were 224.61 per 100,000 population (95% UI, 216.73-232.65 per 100,000 population) and 7.41 per 100,000 population (95% UI, 4.85-10.44 per 100,000 population), respectively; both of these rates were higher than the global averages. The most affected demographic groups were young and female individuals 25-39 years of age. Slight regional disparities were observed, with the northern and central regions of China bearing comparatively higher burdens. Between 1990 and 2021, the health loss and disease burden caused by AA in China remained relatively stable. The ASPR and ASDR of AA increased with the GDP when the annual GDP was less than 2 trillion Chinese yuan; however, a downward trend was observed as the GDP surpassed 2 trillion Chinese yuan. A slight upward trend in the disease burden of AA in China is predicted to occur over the next decade. CONCLUSIONS AA continues to be a public health concern in China that shows no signs of declining. Targeted efforts for young individuals and females are necessary because they experience a disproportionately high burden of AA.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Alopecia Areata/epidemiology* ; Global Burden of Disease ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Bayes Theorem ; Child ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Child, Preschool

Objective:To identify the risk factors influencing the prognosis of patients with advanced breast cancer through LASSO-Logistic regression analysis and construct a nomogram model to evaluate their prognostic risk.Methods:A total of 178 patients with advanced breast cancer who visited the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery of Chengyang District People’s Hospital of Qingdao City from Jan. 2015 to Jan. 2023 were selected as the research subjects. According to the follow-up results, the patients were divided into a good-prognosis group and a poor-prognosis group. Clinical data of the patients were collected. LASSO-Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with advanced breast cancer. A nomogram model was constructed based on the analysis results. The predictive efficacy of the model for the prognostic risk of patients with advanced breast cancer was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test.Results:During the follow-up, 5 patients were lost to follow-up. Among the final 173 patients included, 60 had poor prognoses (accounting for 34.68%), and 113 had good prognoses (accounting for 65.32%). There were significant differences between the poor prognosis group and the good prognosis group in terms of the number of lymph node metastases ( χ 2=18.12), the number of organ metastases ( χ 2=14.28), the difference in ADC before and after treatment ( t=17.35), the difference in SER before and after treatment ( t=9.57), the enhancement of the echo behind the breast after treatment ( χ 2=13.00), and the proportion of increased calcification ( χ 2=8.06) (both P < 0.05). The clinical data with significant differences in the univariate analysis were included in the LASSO regression analysis. Six factors were finally selected: number of lymph node metastases > 5, number of organ metastases > 1, difference in ADC values before and after treatment, difference in SER values before and after treatment, enhanced echo behind the breast, and increased calcification. These six factors selected by LASSO regression were included in the Logistic regression analysis. The results showed that number of organ metastases > 1 ( OR=2.208, 95% CI: 1.153-3.263), small difference in ADC values before and after treatment ( OR=0.448, 95% CI: 0.287-0.608), enhanced echo behind the breast ( OR=2.474, 95% CI: 1.063-3.886), and increased calcification ( OR=3.762, 95% CI: 1.831-5.693) were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with advanced breast cancer (both P<0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on the analysis results. The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the model was 0.778. The H-L test results showed that the calibration curve fit well with the ideal curve, with χ 2 = 0.69 and P = 0.273. Conclusion:The nomogram model constructed based on LASSO-Logistic regression analysis has good predictive efficacy for the prognosis of patients with advanced breast cancer.