The core pathogenesis of childhood IgA vasculitis nephritis （IgAVN） lies in the intermingled conditions of heat， stasis and deficiency. Deficiency is the fundamental cause， while heat acts as the predominant manifestation at the initial stage， and stasis serves as the key factor leading to protracted illness. Based on this understanding， the overall therapeutic principle of clearing heat and cooling blood， dissolving stasis and unblocking collaterals， reinforcing healthy qi and consolidating the root is established. A self-formulated Qingre Zhixue Formula （清热止血方） is used as the basic prescription. According to the characteristics of different disease stages， childhood IgAVN is further classified into three main syndrome types， including blood heat with stasis obstruction， deficiency of both qi and yin， and deficiency of both spleen and kidney， with corresponding syndrome-based treatments. Throughout the treatment process， emphasis is placed on dissolving stasis and unblocking collaterals， while protecting the spleen and stomach of children and maintaining healthy qi. This paper provides new perspectives for diagnosis and treatment of childhood IgAVN with traditional Chinese medicine.

Triptolide （TP）， the core active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Tripterygium wilfordii ， exhibits remarkable pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory， immunosuppressive and anti-tumor effects， and holds broad application prospects in the treatment of major diseases such as autoimmune diseases and malignant tumors. However， TP has a narrow therapeutic window and causes multi-organ toxicities including liver， kidney and reproductive toxicities， which severely restrict its safe clinical application and new drug development. Therefore， toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement has become a core scientific problem urgently to be solved in this field. This paper systematically reviews the four core strategies for TP toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement， including structural modification， dosage form improvement， herbal compatibility， and external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine. Among them， structural modification optimizes the toxic and efficacy characteristics of TP from the molecular structure level， with typica l derivatives including （5 R ）-5-hydroxy triptolide， ZT01， PG490-88， etc. Dosage form modification achieves toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement via targeted and sustained-controlled drug release of diverse delivery systems. It includes triptolide preparations such as nanoparticles， liposomes， microemulsion gels and liquid crystals， possessing favorable clinical transformation potential. The herbal compatibility and external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine conform to the holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine and have a profound clinical application foundation， but their mechanisms of action are insufficiently elucidated， and they lack unified standardized specifications and high-quality evidence-based proof. In the future， we should rely on multi-omics technology to elucidate the toxic and efficacy mechanisms， integrate technologies to optimize preparations， improve the evaluation system and promote clinical transformation.

The core pathogenesis of childhood IgA vasculitis nephritis （IgAVN） lies in the intermingled conditions of heat， stasis and deficiency. Deficiency is the fundamental cause， while heat acts as the predominant manifestation at the initial stage， and stasis serves as the key factor leading to protracted illness. Based on this understanding， the overall therapeutic principle of clearing heat and cooling blood， dissolving stasis and unblocking collaterals， reinforcing healthy qi and consolidating the root is established. A self-formulated Qingre Zhixue Formula （清热止血方） is used as the basic prescription. According to the characteristics of different disease stages， childhood IgAVN is further classified into three main syndrome types， including blood heat with stasis obstruction， deficiency of both qi and yin， and deficiency of both spleen and kidney， with corresponding syndrome-based treatments. Throughout the treatment process， emphasis is placed on dissolving stasis and unblocking collaterals， while protecting the spleen and stomach of children and maintaining healthy qi. This paper provides new perspectives for diagnosis and treatment of childhood IgAVN with traditional Chinese medicine.

BACKGROUND:Eucommia ulmoides has a certain osteogenic effect,which can promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.However,it is unclear whether Eucommia ulmoides has effects on alveolar bone formation and Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism by which Eucommia ulmoides promotes alveolar bone formation in ovariectomized rats based on the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. METHODS:Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into five groups:blank control group,sham-operation group,model group,low-dose group Eucommia ulmoides group,and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides group,with twelve rats in each group.Osteoporosis animal models were constructed by bilateral oophorectomy in the model group and the low-dose and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups.The sham-operation group underwent the same method to remove adipose tissue of equal mass around the bilateral ovaries.Three months after surgery,the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups were given 2.1 g/kg/d and 4.2 g/kg/d Eucommia ulmoides by gavage,respectively.The sham-operation group and model group were given the same amount of physiological saline by gavage.After 12 weeks of drug intervention,the changes in alveolar bone mass of rats in each group were observed through Micro-CT;hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological structural changes of alveolar bone in rats;enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the expression levels of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin in the serum of rats;western blot was used to detect the expression levels of β-Catenin and Frizzled9 receptor proteins in the alveolar bone of rats;and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of osteocalcin,Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2),alkaline phosphatase,β-catenin,and frizzled9 mRNAs in alveolar bone tissues of rats. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group,bone volume fraction,trabecular number,trabecular thickness,and bone mineral density were reduced in the model group(P＜0.05),and trabecular separation was elevated(P＜0.05).Pathological observation showed that the arrangement of trabeculae was disordered and irregular,the trabeculae were thinned or broken,and the marrow cavity was enlarged in the model group,with a significant reduction in bone volume;the level of alkaline phosphatase in the serum was increased(P＜0.05),and the level of osteocalcin was decreased(P＜0.05);mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase,osteocalcin,Runx2,β-catenin,and frizzled9 were decreased(P＜0.05);protein expression of β-Catenin and Frizzled9 was decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups showed an increase in bone volume fraction,trabecular number,trabecular thickness,and bone mineral density(P＜0.05)and a decrease in trabecular separation(P＜0.05).In the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups,bone trabeculae were slightly aligned and thickened,with a significant increase in bone mass.Compared with the model group,the serum level of alkaline phosphatase was reduced(P＜0.05)and the serum level of osteocalcin was elevated(P＜0.05)in the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups.Compared with the model group,the mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase,osteocalcin,Runx2,β-catenin,and frizzled9 were increased in the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the protein expression of Frizzled9 was increased in the low-dose Eucommia ulmoides group(P＜0.05),while the protein expression of β-Catenin and Frizzled9 was increased in the high-dose Eucommia ulmoides group(P＜0.05).Compared with the low-dose Eucommia ulmoides group,the high-dose Eucommia ulmoides group had a more significant improvement in the above indexes.To conclude,Eucommia ulmoides can effectively promote the alveolar bone formation,and its mechanism of action might be related to the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae ( Mp) infection among hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in a single center in Beijing and provide reference for the prevention and treatment of Mp infection. Methods:Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) samples of hospitalized children with ARTIs were collected from Beijing Friendship Hospital during two periods: from April 2018 to March 2019 and from September 2020 to August 2022. qPCR was used to detect Mp nucleic acids, and for Mp-positive samples, the mixed infections with 15 common respiratory viruses were detected. Statistical analysis was conducted using Chi-square test, Fisher′s exact test, and independent samples t-test. Results:From April 2018 to March 2019, 1 572 NPA samples were collected, with 104 positive for Mp (6.62%). From September 2020 to August 2022, 622 samples were collected, with 22 Mp-positive samples (3.54%). There was statistically significant difference in the positive rates between the two time periods ( P<0.05). From April 2018 to March 2019, the positive rate of Mp was higher in children aged ≥5 years than in those <5 years [13.03% (46/353) vs 4.76% (58/1 219), P<0.05]; the positive rates in summer (9.54%, 35/367) and autumn (7.93%, 33/416) were higher than those in spring (3.03%, 11/363) and winter (5.87%, 25/426), with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05); co-infections with other respiratory viruses were detected in 42 out of the 104 Mp-positive cases (40.38%), primarily with human rhinovirus (35.71%, 15/42) or human coronavirus NL63 (19.05%, 8/42). From September 2020 to August 2022, Mp infections mainly occurred in children aged ≥5 years [72.73% (16/22)], and co-infections with other respiratory viruses were detected in four cases (18.18%, 4/22). The Mp-infected children were mainly diagnosed with pneumonia, and there was no significant difference in clinical symptoms between Mp-infected patients with or without viral coinfection. Conclusions:The positive rate of Mp among hospitalized children with ARTIs in Beijing from September 2020 to August 2022 is significantly lower than that observed from April 2018 to March 2019. Mp is an important cause of ARTIs in children, especially in patients aged ≥5 years. Mp infection is often accompanied by viral co-infections, with high incidence in summer and autumn.

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of postnatal cytomegalovirus (pCMV) infection in very preterm infants or very low birth weight infants.Methods:This was a case-control study. A total of 50 very preterm or very low birth weight infants who were hospitalized and diagnosed with pCMV infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2019 to June 2024, were enrolled as the pCMV group. Meanwhile, through propensity score matching, each infant in the pCMV group was paired with a very preterm or very low birth weight infant without cytomegalovirus infection during the same period, constituting the control group, also consisting of 50 cases. Subsequently, the pCMV group was divided into a treated subgroup and an untreated subgroup according to antiviral treatment. Clinical data of all enrolled infants, including clinical features, laboratory test results, and clinical outcomes were collected. Differences in relevant parameters were analyzed using with χ2 test or continuity-corrected χ2 test or Fisher′s exact test, independent-samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test as appropriate. Logistic regression was employed to analyze the risk factors, and Spearman correlation analysis was applied for non-normal distribution data or ordinal data. Results:There were no significant differences between the pCMV group and the control group in terms of gestational age, birth weight, proportion of male infants, Apgar score at the 1 st minute and 5 th minute and days of breastfeeding during the first 3 weeks of life (all P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the duration of hospital stay and invasive mechanical ventilation were both longer in the pCMV group (both P<0.05). The risks of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, and hearing impairment were all higher in the pCMV group when compared with the control group(all P<0.05). The body weight and body length of the infants in the pCMV group were both lower than those of in the control group at the corrected gestational age of 36 weeks (both P<0.05). pCMV infections were associated with the increased incidence of both necrotizing enterocolitis ( OR=11.50, 95% CI 1.94-68.30, P=0.007) and severe intraventricular hemorrhage ( OR=6.82, 95% CI 1.19-38.97, P=0.031) in very preterm infants or very low birth weight infants. In the treated group, the platelet count was significantly improved after 6-8 weeks of antiviral treatment compared with that before treatment ((245±19)×10 9/L vs. (119±14)×10 9/L, t=5.37, P<0.001). Conclusions:Very preterm infants or very low birth weight infants with postnatal cytomegalovirus infection have longer hospital stay and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, and are highly susceptible to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, hearing impairment, and growth restriction. Antiviral treatment can effectively ameliorate thrombocytopenia in these infants.

Objective:To investigate the current application of blood purification in the treatment of acute poisoning within Jiangsu Province and to evaluate the impact of extracorporeal blood purification on the clinical outcomes of critically poisoned patients.Methods:This multicenter, cross-sectional real-world observational study followed patients presenting with poisoning to the emergency departments of nine hospitals in Jiangsu Province between June 2015 and May 2019. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, vital signs within the first hour of emergency presentation, treatment modalities, length of hospital stay, and survival outcomes. Clinical data from patients who underwent extracorporeal blood purification were compared with those who did not, using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Chi-square test.Results:A total of 4 178 poisoning cases were included between June 2015 and May 2019. Among them, 21.7% (908/4 178) received blood purification therapy, while 78.3% (3 270/4 178) did not. Hemoperfusion (90.4%) was the most frequently employed method, followed by continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (4.4%). In combined blood purification modalities, 4.8% underwent hemoperfusion combined with CRRT, 0.1% received hemoperfusion with plasma exchange, and another 0.1% underwent hemoperfusion combined with both CRRT and plasma exchange. Among patients who underwent blood purification, pesticide poisoning was the most prevalent (76.3%), with the most common toxic agents being paraquat (23.7%), dichlorvos (8.7%), methamidophos (5.2%), omethoate (4.0%), and glyphosate (3.7%). Compared to the non-blood purification group, patients in the blood purification group were more likely to present within the first hour with a low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (3-8) (22.6% vs. 9.7%, P <0.05), low mean arterial pressure (8.0% vs. 3.2%, P <0.05), longer hospital stays [5(3,9) days vs. 2(1,4) days, P <0.05] and a higher in-hospital mortality rate (21.1% vs. 5.3%, P <0.05). Follow-up via telephone 28 days after discharge revealed a survival rate of 78.9%, with a mortality rate of 21.1% in the blood purification group. Conclusions:Hemoperfusion is the most commonly utilized blood purification technique for treating poisoning in Jiangsu Province, with pesticides being the primary toxic agents treated. Although the mortality rate is higher in the blood purification group, the intervention may still contribute to improved patient outcomes.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different surgical approaches for extracting high-positioned supernumerary teeth in the maxillary anterior midline region.Three surgical methods,the labial approach,the palatal approach,and a longitudinal incision beside the upper lip frenum were compared.Methods A total of 102 patients were recruited from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Anhui Medical University between January and September 2024.They were randomly assigned via a random-digit table to three groups:the labial approach group(n=32),the palatal approach group(n=34),and the longitudinal incision beside the upper lip frenum group(n=36).Operation time,bone removal volume,post-operative midfacial swelling,degree of pain,and patient satisfaction across the three groups were recorded and compared.Results The average operation time in the labial approach group((20.50±3.02)min)and the longitudinal incision group((21.66±2.31)min)were both significantly shorter than that in the palatal approach group((29.19±3.40)min).In contrast,the palatal approach group demonstrated markedly lower postoperative swelling and pain scores(P＜0.05),along with the highest patient satisfaction,as reflected in the OHIP-14 scale.However,the palatal approach required the greatest bone removal volume,measuring(91.19±9.86)mm3.Conclusion Despite the palatal approach yielding superior outcomes in terms of postoperative pain control,swelling reduction,and patient satisfaction,it necessitated longer operation time and involved greater bone removal.Meanwhile,the labial approach and the longitudinal incision beside the upper lip frenum were comparable in all measured parameters,showing no statistically significant differences.Therefore,when extracting high midline impacted teeth in the maxillary anterior region,the choice of surgical approach should balance safety,minimal invasiveness,and patient satisfaction.

Objective:To characterize the brain structure of Chinese children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using artificial intelligence automatic brain segmentation technique, and to analyze the correlation between the characteristics of the brain structure and the degree of brain development.Methods:A case-control study.The data of 52 children who were diagnosed with ASD according to the diagnostic criteria for ASD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition of the United States at the Department of Psychology of Qingdao University Affiliated Women and Children′s Hospital from January 2023 to April 2024 were prospectively analyzed.Meanwhile, 48 gender- and age-matched typically developing (TD) children in Qingdao were also included.The three-dimensional T1 weighted imaging sequences of all patients were obtained using a GE 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging scanner.Automated brain segmentation techniques were used to obtain the standardized volumes of each brain structure (the ratio of the absolute volume of the brain structure to the whole brain volume).Two-independent-samples t and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare the standardized volumes of different brain regions between the 2 groups.Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were used to depict the correlations between volume data of brain areas with significant differences and Gesell Developmental Scale scores. Results:Compared with those in the TD group, the volumes of the left grey matter[25.45%(0.70%) vs.25.16%(1.05%)], the right grey matter [(25.89±0.71)% vs.(25.51±0.73)%], the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex [(0.62±0.03)% vs.(0.59±0.05)%], the right medial orbitofrontal cortex[(0.48±0.04)% vs.(0.46±0.04)%], the right pars triangularis [(0.38±0.07)% vs.(0.35±0.05)%], the left hippocampus [0.22%(0.04%) vs.0.20%(0.02%)], the right hippocampus [0.23%(0.04%) vs.0.22%(0.02%)], the left parahippocampal gyrus [0.15%(0.03%) vs.0.14%(0.02%)], the right parahippocampal gyrus [(0.15±0.02)% vs.(0.14±0.02)%], the left fusiform gyrus [(0.82±0.08)% vs.(0.78±0.08)%], the right superior temporal gyrus [(0.96±0.10)% vs.(0.90±0.09)%], the left insular lobe [(0.54±0.03)% vs.(0.53±0.04)%], the right insular lobe [(0.55±0.03)% vs.(0.53±0.04)%], the right inferior parietal cortex [(1.40±0.16)% vs.(1.33±0.12)%], the right precuneus cortex [(0.99±0.09)% vs.(0.94±0.09)%], the right putamen [(0.37±0.04)% vs.(0.35±0.03)%], the left pallidum [(0.14±0.01)% vs.(0.13±0.01)%], the right pallidum [0.14%(0.02%) vs.0.13%(0.01%)], and the right thalamus [(0.51±0.04)% vs.(0.49±0.03)%] were significantly increased in the ASD group (all P<0.05).Nonetheless, the volumes of the left pericalcarine cortex [(0.19±0.04)% vs.(0.20±0.04)%] and the corpus callosum posterior region [0.05%(0.01%) vs.0.06%(0.01%)] in the ASD group were considerably smaller than those in the TD group (all P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that the right thalamus volume was negatively correlated with the Gesell-adaptation development quotient in children with ASD ( r=-0.276, P=0.048).The volumes of the left fusiform gyrus and left pericalcarine cortex were negatively correlated with the Gesell-fine motor development quotient in children with ASD ( r=-0.290, P=0.037; r=-0.368, P=0.007). The right precuneus cortex volume was negatively correlated with the Gesell-personal and social competence development quotient in children with ASD ( r=-0.396, P=0.007). Conclusions:Children with ASD show abnormalities in the volumes of multiple brain regions, and some brain regions are related to the degree of brain development.Automatic brain segmentation technology based on artificial intelligence can rapidly and directly measure and display the volume of brain structures in both ASD and TD children.

Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of low-dose steroid combined with tacrolimus or cyclophosphamide in treating adult idiopathic membranous nephropathy(IMN).Methods A prospective cohort design was used to collect clinical data on IMN patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from December 2018 to April 2022.The patients were divided into the exposure group(low-dose steroid combined with tacrolimus)and control group(low-dose steroid combined with cyclophosphamide)according to the treatment regimen.Propensity score matching was employed to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups.The total response rate was taken as the effect index,cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted by using the decision tree model,and single factor sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were used to verify the robustness of the cost-effectiveness analysis results.Results A total of 112 patients with IMN were included.After propensity score matching,46 patients were included in the exposed and control groups,respectively.The total remission rate of the exposure group was 84.78％,with the cost of 13,352.64 yuan and the cost-effectiveness ratio of 157.50.In the control group,the total remission rate was 80.43％,the cost was 8,154.18 yuan,and the cost-effectiveness ratio was 101.38.The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the two groups was 1 195.05,and the sensitivity analysis results were consistent with those of the cost-effectiveness analysis.Conclusion The two treatment schemes have their own advantages in the treatment of IMN.The cost-effectiveness ratio of low-dose hormone combined with tacrolimus is relatively higher,and the combination of low-dose hormone with cyclophosphamide is more economical.Both schemes have certain clinical promotion value..