This paper introduces the "eight-dimensional materia medica framework" theory proposed by Professor TONG Xiaolin and， in light of his academic perspectives and clinical experience， explores its inheritance and innovation of the concept of "four pillars of medicinals" by ZHANG Jiebin of Ming-dynasty from multiple angles. Building upon the four foundational medicinals， Renshen （Panax ginseng）， Shudihuang （Rehmannia glutinosa Praeparata）， Fuzi （Aconitum carmichaelii Praeparata）， and Dahuang （Rheum palmatum）， as the "four pillars of medicinals"， and using eight-principle pattern differentiation framework， this theory expands the representative medicinals to eight. It establishes the "eight-dimensional materia medica framework"， i.e. exterior-Mahuang （Ephedra sinica）， interior-Rougui （Cinnamomum cassia）， cold-Huanglian （Coptis chinensis）， heat-Ganjiang （Zingiber officinale）， deficiency-Renshen （Panax ginseng）， excess-Dahuang （Rheum palmatum）， yin-Shudihuang （Rehmannia glutinosa Praeparata）， and yang-Fuzi （Aconitum carmichaelii Praeparata）. This framework highlights the pivotal roles of these eight medicinals in the treatment of exterior and interior patterns， cold and heat syndromes， deficiency and excess conditions， as well as yin deficiency and yang deficiency. Integrated with the state-target differentiation and treatment theory， this approach enriches the traditional actions of the eight representative medicinals by incorporating findings from modern pharmacological research， achieving a transition from macroscopic regulation of pathological states to microscopic target-oriented intervention. Furthermore， through investigations into dose-effect relationships and the expansion of principles for herbal compatibility， the clinical practicality of the "eight-dimensional materia medica framework" is further demonstrated， promoting the integrative development of Chinese and western medicine at the level of clinical application of Chinese materia medica.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of interleukin （IL）-17A in acute inhalational pneumonia induced by the highly drug-resistant and hypervirulent Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300-R in mice. MethodsAn acute inhalational pneumonia model was established in mice using an aerosolized pulmonary delivery technique. RNA sequencing （RNA-seq） and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were employed to examine the expression dynamics of Il17a mRNA and IL-17A protein， respectively， in the lungs of infected mice. Il17a knockout （Il17a^-/-） mice were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. The survival rate， body weight， bacterial load in lung tissue， and histopathological changes were compared between Il17a^-/- and wild-type （WT） mice following inhalational infection with USA300-R. Results12 hours after USA300-R infection， compared to pre-infection， the expression level of Il17a mRNA in lung tissue and the level of IL-17A protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） increased by approximately 50-fold （P<0.01） and 6-fold （P<0.001）， respectively. Compared to WT mice， Il17a^-/- mice exhibited approximately 10-fold higher bacterial loads in lung tissue at both 12 and 24 hours post-infection （P<0.001， P<0.05）. However， they showed significantly attenuated lung histopathological injury， reduced alveolar wall thickening， markedly decreased neutrophil infiltration， and an approximately 50% improvement in survival rate （P<0.05）. ConclusionIn acute Staphylococcus aureus USA300-R inhalational pneumonia， IL-17A contributes to bacterial clearance by recruiting neutrophils； however， excessive neutrophil infiltration exacerbates pulmonary inflammation and injury， reduces survival rates， and represents a potential therapeutic target.

Objective : To identify autophagy-related genes involved in pulmonary infection caused by the highly drug-resistant and virulent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300 ( USA300) ，and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms ， thereby providing potential targets for immunotherapy． Methods: The GSE220943 dataset of a USA300-induced pulmonary infection mouse model was obtained from the GEO database． Differentially expressed genes ( DEGs ) were identified using the DESeq2 package． Autophagy-related genes ( ARGs) were retrieved from the MSigDB and Autophagy databases．Weighted gene co-expression network analysis ( WGCNA) was performed to construct gene co-expression modules．Genes overlapping among DEGs，ARGs，and WGCNA modules were identified as autophagy-related DEGs．Gene Ontology ( GO) enrichment analysis was con- ducted using the clusterProfiler R package，while Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes ( KEGG) pathway en- richment analysis was performed via the Metascape platform．Immune cell infiltration was analyzed using the Immu- CellAI-mouse website．A protein - protein interaction ( PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database， and hub genes were identified through topological analysis in Cytoscape． Receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC) curves were plotted via the website https: / /www．bioinformatics．com．cn． Finally，key gene expression was validated in mouse lung tissues by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR ( RT-qPCR) ． Results: A total of 6 135，4 075，3 680，and 2 342 differentially expressed genes ( DEGs) were identified at 12，24，48，and 96 hours post-infection，respectively．By integrating DEGs，autophagy-related genes ( ARGs) ，and WGCNA mod- ules，19 autophagy-related DEGs were identified． GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that these genes were mainly involved in CD4 + T cell activation and regulation，innate immune responses，and autophagosome mem- brane formation．Immune infiltration analysis revealed that innate immune cells such as neutrophils and dendritic cells predominated during the early phase of infection，while γδ T cells and M2 macrophages became more promi- nent in the later stages．PPI network analysis identified 12 hub autophagy-related genes，among which three upreg- ulated key genes ( Eif2ak2，Ikbke，and Nfkbiz) were further confirmed．The area under the ROC curve for all three genes was 1. 000．RT-qPCR validation demonstrated significantly elevated expression of these three genes in lung tissues at 24 hours post-infection ( all P＜0. 05) ． Conclusion Eif2ak2，Ikbke，and Nfkbiz may be involved in the pulmonary infection caused by USA300 by promoting autophagy and hold promise as potential targets for immuno- therapy．

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of tirofiban in the treatment of branch atheromatous disease(BAD)in elderly patients.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 215 elderly BAD patients admitted to our department from June 2021 to June 2023.According to their treatment,they were divided into tirofiban group 1(55 cases)and control group 1(160 ca-ses).Using propensity score matching in a ratio of 1∶1 algorithm for adjustment,the differences in baseline features between the two groups were eliminated,and there were finally 53 cases in the tirofiban group 2 and 53 cases in the control group 2 after matching.The NIHSS scores before treatment and at 24 h and 7 d after treatment were collected.All of them were followed up for 90 d,and modified Rankin scale(mRS)was applied to evaluate the prognosis.Results The tirofiban group 1 had significantly lower NIHSS score at 24 h and 7 d after treatment and shorter length of hospital stay than the control group 1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),so were in the tirofiban group 2 than the control group[3(1,4)vs 3(2,6),1(0,3)vs 1(1,4),8(6,10)d vs 9(8,11)d,P＜0.05].The proportion of mRS score ≤1 was obviously larger in the tirofiban group 1 than the control group 1(P＜0.01).The tirofiban group 2 obtained notably larger proportions of mRS score≤1 and≤2(71.7％vs 43.4％,P=0.003;79.2％vs 60.4％,P=0.034),and smaller proportion of mRS≥4(5.7％vs 20.8％,P=0.045)when compared with the control group 2.Logistic regression analysis indicated that in the patients without diabetes and those non-smoking,tirofiban was associated with increased good outcomes(OR=0.266,95％CI:0.090-0.788,P=0.017;OR=0.341,95％CI:0.107-0.931,P=0.046).Conclusion Tirofiban may effectively improve the clinical outcomes in the elderly BAD patients.But further randomized controlled trials are needed for verification.

With the vigorous promotion of the national "dual-carbon" program, the new energy industry represented by lithium-ion batteries is developing rapidly, and micro-and nano-scale cathode materials, as the core components of lithium-ion batteries, have been applied and produced in large quantities, and the industrial population has increased dramatically, but the health effects of their occupational exposure are still not clear. This paper summarizes the potential health hazards of exposure to this new type of material in terms of the main types and characteristics of cathode materials, health hazard studies and exposure limits. It establishes a scientific foundation for occupational health risk assessment in workers exposed to cathode materials.

This consensus was developed by the Orthodontic Society of the Chinese Stomatological Association to provide a systematic, scientific, and practical guideline for informed consent in orthodontic care. Orthodontic treatment is typically lengthy, highly individualized, and involves multiple factors such as growth and development, occlusal function, and facial esthetics. Rapid technological advances and diverse risk profiles make the traditional reliance on orthodontist experience or institutional templates insufficient to ensure patients′ full understanding and autonomous decision-making. To address this, the expert panel conducted extensive reviews of domestic and international guidelines, analyzed representative dispute cases, and performed multicenter patient-clinician surveys. Using a multi-round Delphi method, the group established a standardized informed consent framework covering the initial consultation, treatment, and retention phases. The consensus emphasizes that informed consent is not only a fundamental legal and ethical requirement but also a key step in building trust, improving patient compliance, and enhancing treatment satisfaction. Orthodontists should clearly and comprehensively explain treatment plans, potential risks, uncertainties, and associated costs, while respecting the autonomy of patients or guardians, and maintain continuous communication and dynamic evaluation throughout the treatment process. The release of this consensus provides unified and authoritative guidance for clinical orthodontics, helping to standardize informed consent, enhance its transparency, safeguard patient rights, reduce medical risks, and promote high-quality, sustainable development of orthodontic practice.

Objective:To investigate the impact of the number of cesarean deliveries on adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 904 singleton pregnant women who underwent cesarean delivery at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 1st, 2019 to December 31st, 2023. The women were grouped according to the number of cesarean deliveries: those undergoing their first cesarean delivery (1CD group, 7 231 cases), those undergoing their second cesarean delivery (2CD group, 3 749 cases), those undergoing their third cesarean delivery (3CD group, 841 cases), and those undergoing their fourth or more cesarean deliveries (4CD group, 83 cases). Differences in clinical characteristics, related surgical procedures, and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes among the groups were compared. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of the number of cesarean deliveries on related surgical procedures and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.Results:(1) During the 5-year period, the total number of women undergoing cesarean delivery in our hospital showed a slight downward trend, while the proportion of women undergoing three or more cesarean deliveries increased. (2) Compared with women undergoing their first cesarean delivery, women in each repeat cesarean delivery group were older, had higher proportions of advanced maternal age and pre-pregnancy body mass index, and had more pregnancies, deliveries, and induced abortions; the incidence of placenta previa, placental implantation, antepartum hemorrhage, gestational hyperglycemia, and failed trial of labor requiring conversion to surgery was higher, while the incidence of premature rupture of membranes was lower; the proportions of ureteral stent placement, adhesiolysis of the pelvic and abdominal cavities, uterine rupture, uterine reconstruction, uterine artery ligation, hysterectomy, postpartum hemorrhage, and postoperative intestinal obstruction were higher, and the amount of postpartum hemorrhage was greater; the gestational age at delivery of neonates was earlier, but the rates of preterm birth at 28-31 +6 and 32-33 +6 weeks of gestation were lower; the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) for all comparisons. (3) The number of cesarean deliveries was not an independent risk factor for the dose-dependent occurrence of placenta previa (a OR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.98-1.01; P=0.261). In women without placenta previa, the number of cesarean deliveries was not a risk factor for placental implantation (a OR=1.12, 95% CI: 0.90-1.39; P=0.320). However, in women with placenta previa, the number of cesarean deliveries was a risk factor for placental implantation (a OR=4.01, 95% CI: 3.08-5.22; P<0.001). In the overall population, the number of cesarean deliveries was a risk factor for ureteral stent placement, adhesiolysis of the pelvic and abdominal cavities, bladder rupture repair, uterine rupture, uterine reconstruction, uterine artery ligation, hysterectomy, postpartum hemorrhage, and preterm birth (all P<0.05). However, the number of cesarean deliveries was not a risk factor for postoperative intestinal obstruction, admission to the intensive care unit, neonatal asphyxia, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, or neonatal death (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The number of cesarean deliveries could lead to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, but the relationship is not simply dose-dependent. It is speculated that the occurrence of severe adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes is more closely related to maternal complications and comorbidities, as well as whether multidisciplinary comprehensive management was received.

Objective:To construct a predictive model of ≥ grade 2 radiation esophagitis (RE) in patients with esophageal cancer during concurrent radiochemotherapy (CRT) based on machine learning (ML) algorithm.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 276 patients with esophageal cancer who had received CRT at Lu'an Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2018 to January 2023. The occurrence of RE was evaluated according to grading criteria of RE developed by American Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, with ≥ grade 2 RE as the outcome event. After screening variables through the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, the dataset was re-established. The dataset was then divided into training set ( n=193) and testing set ( n=83) in a 7∶3 ratio and included in four ML models: random forest (RF) , decision tree (DT) , extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) , and support vector machine (SVM) . In the models, data training and model optimization were conducted in the training set, and model performance was evaluated in the testing set using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. The area under the curve (AUC) , accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F1 score were calculated to assess the model. SHAP analysis was used to explain the optimal model. Results:By the end of follow-up, 91 cases (32.97%) of esophageal cancer patients had experienced ≥ grade 2 RE during CRT. There were statistically significant differences in tumor lesion length ( Z=-5.53, P<0.001) , Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score ( χ2=5.92, P=0.015) , the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score ( χ2=4.01, P=0.045) , hypertension ( χ2=15.35, P<0.001) , diabetes ( χ2=13.06, P<0.001) , white blood cell count ( Z=-6.59, P<0.001) , neutrophil count ( Z=-6.72, P<0.001) , and radiotherapy dose ( χ2=9.81, P=0.002) between ≥ grade 2 RE occurrence group ( n=91) and no occurrence group ( n=185) . After LASSO regression screening, 7 characteristic variables were ultimately selected, which were tumor lesion length, ECOG score, KPS score, neutrophil count, hypertension, diabetes, and radiotherapy dose. ROC curve analysis showed that the XGBoost model had better predictive performance, with an AUC of 0.90, accuracy of 0.82, precision of 0.80, sensitivity of 0.73, and F1 score of 0.76. The AUC, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F1 score of RF model were 0.89, 0.78, 0.76, 0.48, and 0.59, respectively. The AUC, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F1 score of DT model were 0.72, 0.72, 0.44, 0.60, and 0.52, respectively. The AUC of SVM model was 0.74, with an accuracy of 0.82, precision of 0.52, sensitivity of 0.88, and F1 score of 0.65. The XGBoost model was explained using SHAP analysis, which indicated that the tumor lesion length, neutrophil count, hypertension, diabetes, and radiotherapy dose had a strong predictive ability for the occurrence of ≥ grade 2 RE during CRT in esophageal cancer patients. Conclusions:The model established based on the XGBoost method has good predictive performance for the occurrence of ≥ grade 2 RE in esophageal cancer patients during CRT. Meanwhile, combined with SHAP analysis, it can provide an intuitive understanding of the impact of important features in the model on the outcome.

ObjectivesTo analyze the trends in mortality and disease burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) among the registered residents in Danyang City, Jiangsu Province, from 2013 to 2023, and to provide a scientific basis for developing CRC prevention and control strategies. MethodsMortality surveillance data on CRC among the registered residents in Danyang City from 2013 to 2023 were collected and analyzed. Crude mortality rate (CMR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), years of life lost (YLL) due to premature death, and YLL rate were calculated. The annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) of CMR, ASMR and YLL rate were calculated with Joinpoint Regression Program 4.9.0.1. ResultsA total of 1 920 deaths from colorectal cancer were recorded in Danyang City during 2013‒2023, with an average annual CMR of 21.75/100 000, which showed an upward trend (APC=6.47%, 95%CI: 4.21%‒8.79%, P<0.001), with higher CMR observed in males than that in females. The overall ASMR by Chinese standard population was 12.10/100 000, with no obvious temporal trends (APC=1.37%, P=0.364). ASMR increased with age, particularly after 45 years. The total YLL due to CRC was 34 711 person-years, with an average YLL rate of 3.93‰. The YLL rate showed a significant upward trend from 2013 to 2023 (APC=4.96%, 95%CI: 4.08%‒18.16%, P<0.001) in Danyang City. ConclusionThe mortality rate of colorectal cancer in Danyang City is relatively high and has shown a rising trend, resulting in an increasing disease burden on the residents year by year. Continued efforts to strengthen CRC prevention and control are needed, particularly targeting males and the elderly population.

ObjectiveThe effects of two microbial fertilizers （Bacillus subtilis fertilizer and Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer） on the growth and development， the accumulation of active ingredients， and the microbial community diversity of rhizosphere soil of Atractylodes chinensis were investigated. MethodsA field experiment was carried out with two-year-old Atractylodes chinensis as the test material. Plant samples were collected during the wilt stage （September 26， 2023） to determine the general agronomic traits of Atractylodes chinensis. High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was utilized to evaluate the effects of microbial fertilizers on the synthesis and accumulation of four active ingredients （atractylodin， atractylon， β-eudesmol， and atractylenolide Ⅰ） in Atractylodes chinensi. PacBio Sequel sequencing technology was used to explore the differences in bacterial community structures and diversity in the rhizosphere soil of Atractylodes chinensis treated with different microbial fertilizers. ResultsThe two microbial fertilizers had significant growth-promoting effects on Atractylodes chinensis. Compared with those of the CK group， the stem diameter， stem and leaf dry and fresh weight， and rhizome dry and fresh weight of Atractylodes chinensis significantly increased by 0.47-1.07 times （P<0.05） after the application of the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer （16 kg/667 m²）， and those significantly increased by 0.62-0.96 times （P<0.05） after the application of the Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer （1.5 kg/667 m²）. The effect on plant height was not significant. The application of two microbial fertilizers was beneficial to the accumulation of atractylodin， atractylon， β-eudesmol， and atractylenolide Ⅰ （P<0.01）， and the effect of the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer on the accumulation of active ingredients of Atractylodes chinensis was better than that of the Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that compared with the CK group， the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer （8 kg/667 m²） could significantly increase the diversity of rhizosphere bacterial species by regulating the Simpson index and Shannon index （P<0.05）， and the Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer significantly reduced the bacterial diversity （P<0.05）. The relative abundance of dominant bacteria was compared at the phylum and genus levels. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria （45.73%） and Burkholderia_Caballeronia_Paraburkholderia （9.98%） significantly increased after the application of the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer （P<0.01）， and the relative abundance of Acidobacteriota （20.53%） and Sphingomonas （3.63%） increased significantly （P<0.01） after the application of the Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer. The relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer was slightly higher than that in the Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer. Pearson correlation analysis showed that Burkholderia_Caballeronia_Paraburkholderia and Sphingomonas were positively correlated with the content of atractylodin， atractylon， β-eudesmol， and atractylenolide Ⅰ （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe application of the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer and Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer can increase the yield of medicinal materials and promote the synthesis and accumulation of active ingredients by regulating the rhizosphere microecological diversity of Atractylodes chinensis， and the application effect of the Bacillus subtilis fertilizer is better than that of the Trichoderma harzianum-Purpureocillium lilacinum compound fertilizer.