ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

During orthodontic treatment, clinical monitoring of patients is a crucial factor in determining treatment success. It aids in timely problem detection and resolution, ensuring adherence to the intended treatment plan. In recent years, digital technology has increasingly permeated orthodontic clinical diagnosis and treatment, facilitating clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and follow-up monitoring. This review summarizes recent advancements in digital technology for monitoring orthodontic tooth movement, related complications, and appliance-wearing compliance. It aims to provide insights for researchers and clinicians to enhance the application of digital technology in orthodontics, improve treatment outcomes, and optimize patient experience. The digitization of diagnostic data and the visualization of dental models make chair-side follow-up monitoring more convenient, accurate, and efficient. At the same time, the emergence of remote monitoring technology allows orthodontists to promptly identify oral health issues in patients and take corresponding measures. Furthermore, the multimodal data fusion method offers valuable insights into the monitoring of the root-alveolar relationship. Artificial intelligence technology has made initial strides in automating the identification of orthodontic tooth movement, associated complications, and patient compliance evaluation. Sensors are effective tools for monitoring patient adherence and providing data-driven support for clinical decision-making. The application of digital technology in orthodontic monitoring holds great promise. However, challenges like technical bottlenecks, ethical considerations, and patient acceptance remain.

Objective:To evaluate preoperative high-resolution thin-layer cervical enhanced CT used to predict the venous route of the submental flap reflux vein and its relationship with adjacent structures in order to guide the anatomical understanding and protection of submental flap in pharyngeal cancer surgery.Methods:Sixty consecutive patients with pharyngeal cancer who underwent submental flap repair surgery in our department from March 2022 to December 2024, as well as 60 patients who were accepted neck dissection suffering other cancers, were selected. Before surgery, high-resolution cervical enhanced CT scans were performed, and the position of the transverse section of the facial vein in the venous phase horizontal image gradually variation tendency was focused layer by layer. The direction and adjacent relationship of the submental flap reflux veins were determined and recorded. Combined with 60 patients with other head and neck tumors who underwent neck dissection in our department during the same period (a total of 120 cases, 240 sides), the classification and management of the draining veins of Fang′s mental flap were conducted. Type Ⅰ mainly drains into the internal jugular vein; Type Ⅱ mainly drains into the external jugular vein and Type Ⅲ mainly drains into the anterior jugular vein (often accompanied by an external jugular draining branch). The status and proportion of venous drainage were analyzed.Results:Vascular predictive coincidence rate was 98.3% (59/60) among the 60 patients with pharyngeal cancer. Only one patient was predicted to have a simple return to the external jugular vein. However, during the operation, in addition to the main return to the external jugular vein, a small portion also returned to the internal jugular vein. Submental flap reflux vessels were classified into three types based on intraoperative submental flap venous return in 60 cases of laryngopharyngeal cancer, in conjunction with the analysis of venous return patterns from 240 cervical CT scans. Type Ⅰ mainly refluxed to the internal jugular vein, accounting for 42.1%. Type Ⅱ mainly refluxed to the external jugular vein (47.9%). Type Ⅲ mainly refluxed to the anterior jugular vein (10.0%). The total detection rate of CT reading of 240 venous reflux was 98.7% (237/240). Vascular predictive coincidence rate was 97.9%(235/240).Conclusion:The detailed analysis of submental venous return vessels can accurately predict the direction of reflux veins and its surrounding areas by preoperative high-resolution enhanced CT scan. This provides reliable guidance for the anatomy and protection of the submental flap reflux veins during surgery.

Objective:To compare the survival outcomes of different subsequent treatment regimens in patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) who achieved partial response (PR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on the gross tumor volume regression rate (GTVRR).Methods:This retrospective study included patients with locally advanced HPSCC treated at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, from January 2011 to December 2023. The cohort included 135 males and 3 females, aged from 35 to 77 years. All patients received 2-3 cycles of TPF regimen (paclitaxel+cisplatin+5-fluorouracil) neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Subsequent treatments included concurrent chemoradiotherapy or surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. The impacts of different subsequent treatment modalities on the survivals and prognoses of patients were compared based on GTVRR thresholds of 50% and 70%. The χ 2 test was used to analyze influencing factors; survival analysis and intergroup comparisons were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test; prognostic factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Results:The 5-year OS and PFS rates were 56.5% and 47.9%, respectively, while, the 10-year OS and PFS rates were 25.8% and 21.2%, respectively. The median OS was 75 months, and the median PFS was 48 months. The laryngeal function preservation rate for the entire cohort was 83.3%. The patients who underwent surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy had significantly better OS and PFS outcomes than those treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy ( P<0.05). Stratification based on GTVRR revealed that the surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy regimen was particularly effective for PR patients with a GTVRR of 30%-70%, showing significantly better OS and PFS compared to the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The optimal subsequent treatment for PR-HPSCC may be surgery-based comprehensive treatment, particularly for patients with a GTVRR of 30%-70%. This study offers valuable insights for the stratified treatment of HPSCC, which could contribute to improving overall patient prognosis.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of an obstetric artificial intelligence (AI) assistant combined with a family-centered health education model on maternal self-care ability, comfort status, and spousal caregiving ability.Methods:This prospective, single-center, parallel randomized controlled trial used 1∶1 randomization and was conducted as a superiority trial. Postpartum mothers and their spouses admitted to family-style single rooms at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between October 2024 and April 2025 were enrolled and randomly assigned to control or intervention groups using a random number table. The control group received conventional health education, while the intervention group received conventional health education plus the AI-assisted family-centered model. Interventions were administered at 2 hours, 6 hours, and 24 hours postpartum, and before discharge. Outcomes included maternal self-care ability, comfort status, and spousal caregiving ability, which were assessed at 2 hours postpartum and before discharge. Data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests and Chi square tests. Results:Of the 88 mother-spouse dyads initially recruited, four were excluded due to mother-infant separation (e.g., neonatal jaundice), leaving 84 dyads (42 per group). After the intervention, the intervention group showed significantly higher maternal self-care ability scores [(192.81±13.80) vs. (181.00±21.41) scores, t=3.00], higher maternal comfort scores [(104.43±7.52) vs. (96.00±14.29) scores, t=3.38], and better spousal caregiving ability [(6.07±3.13) vs. (9.50±5.02) scores, t=－3.76] compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The obstetric AI assistant combined with a family-centered health education model significantly improved maternal self-care ability and comfort status, as well as spousal caregiving ability.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep interruption(SI)cycles on emotional behavior in ICR mice,and to establish a mouse model of comorbid anxiety and depression induced by SI.Methods Seventy-two male ICR mice(4～5 weeks old)were divided randomly into a blank group and a model group.Mice in the model group were subjected to SI stress modeling for 1,2,and 3 weeks,respectively.After modeling,emotional behaviors were evaluated using open-field,elevated plus maze,light-dark box,marble-burying,and forced-swimming tests.Serum corticosterone levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results Mice in the model group buried significantly more marbles after 1 week of SI stress,compared with the blank group(P＜0.05).After 2 weeks of stress,mice in the model group also showed a significant decrease in the number of crossings in the light-dark box(P＜0.05)and a significant increase in the number of marbles buried(P＜0.01)compared with the control group.After 3 weeks of stress,mice in the model group showed a significant increase in the number of marbles buried(P＜0.05),a significant decrease in the number of crossings in the light-dark box(P＜0.05),and a significant increase in immobility time in the forced-swim test(P＜0.01).Conclusions ICR mice exhibited significant anxiety-related behaviors after 2 weeks of SI modeling and significant anxiety-and depressive-related behavioral changes after 3 weeks.Three weeks of SI stress can be used to establish a model of comorbid anxiety and depression.

This study analyzed the genetic evolutionary characteristics of sandflies and their effects on the spread of kala-azar in various environments in endemic provinces in China,to provide a scientific basis for kala-azar disease prevention and control.Sand-flies were collected in kala-azar endemic areas such as southern Xinjiang,the large hilly areas of southern Gansu,the northern Sich-uan and Taihang Mountains,and surrounding small hills.The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b gene fragments of mito-chondrial DNA were amplified to identify sandfly species.The COI and Cytb gene sequences of sandflies from southern Xinjiang and Si-chuan recorded in NCBI were also collected.The intraspecific and interspecific genetic differences of sandflies were calculated in MEGA11.0,and a phylogenetic tree was constructed through the neighbor-joining method,for analysis of the genetic and evolutionary characteristics of sandfly populations and their effects on disease transmission.A total of 155 sandflies were collected from nine sam-pling sites in seven provinces of China;the species included Phlebotomus chinensis,Phlebotomus wui,and Sergentomyia squamirostris.Five sandfly species belonging to two genera were collected:P.chinensis,P.wui,and Phlebotomus alexandri in the genus Phleboto-mus,and S.squamirostris in the genus Sergentomyia.Genetic evolution analysis based on COI and Cytb gene sequences indicated intra-specific genetic distances of 0-0.062 and 0-0.056,respectively,and interspecific genetic distances of 0.126-0.176 and 0.110-0.171,respectively.The phylogenetic tree indicated that P.wui,P.alexandri,Phlebotomus longiductus,and S.squamirostris clus-tered into one branch.The sequences of P.chinensis in the large and small hilly areas clustered into two geographical clades.In the small hilly areas,the sequences of P.chinensis aggregates showed small genetic differences,the pathogen infection was consistent,and the cases showed an epidemic spread trend.Large genetic differences at the molecular level were observed among sandflies in dif-ferent ecological regions,thus indicating key effects on leishmaniasis transmission.On the basis of these findings,prevention and con-trol strategies should be adapted to local conditions,and precise and effective prevention and control measures should be formulated according to the genetic evolution characteristics of sandflies in different regions,to better control the transmission of Kala-azar.