OBJECTIVE To predict and validate the mechanisms of Chaiqi yigan granules （CQYG） improving hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. METHODS The signaling pathways of CQYG intervention in HCC were predicted using network pharmacology. A mice model of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma was established by injecting H22 hepatoma cells into the axilla. Successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model group （normal saline）， sorafenib group （positive control， 50 mg/kg）， and CQYG low-， medium- and high-dose groups （24.83， 49.66， 99.32 g/kg）， with 10 mice in each group. Mice in each group were administered the corresponding drug solution or normal saline intragastrically， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. After last administration， pathological morphological changes in the tumor tissues of mice were observed in each group. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of the nuclear proliferation antigen Ki-67 in tumor tissues of mice. Western blot assay was used to measure the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） [N-cadherin， E-cadherin， Vimentin， matrix metalloproteinase 7 （MMP7）] and the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway [p38 MAPK， phosphorylated p38 MAPK， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）， phosphorylated JNK， extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2）， phosphorylated ERK1/2] in tumor tissue of mice. RESULTS Network pharmacology analysis revealed that metabolic pathways， pathways in cancer， and the MAPK signaling pathway were key signaling pathways through which CQYG exert their anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects. In animal experiments， the tumor tissues of mice in the model group exhibited dense tumor cells and vigorous growth. Compared with model group， CQYG high-dose group showed a decreased density of tumor cells in the tumor tissues of mice. Moreover， the expression levels of Ki-67， N-cadherin， MMP7 and Vimentin proteins， along with the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and JNK proteins， were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）. The expression level of E-cadherin protein was significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）， the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK protein was increased， the difference was not statistically significant （ P ＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS CQYG can inhibit EMT by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway， thereby suppressing tumor cell invasion and metastasis and ultimately exerting a therapeutic effect in improving HCC.

ObjectiveTo analyze the distribution characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） constitution and factors associated with hyperuricemia （HUA） in the HUA population， providing a reference for persona-lized prevention and management of HUA. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals who had completed both serum uric acid （SUA） testing and TCM constitution identification during health examinations. According to SUA levels， participants were divided into a hyperuricemia group and a normal SUA group； according to the constitution identification results， participants were classified into balanced constitution， single biased constitution， and mixed constitution. The distribution characteristics of TCM constitution were compared between the two groups； participants in the hyperuricemia group were stratified by sex and age （≥18 years and ＜40 years， ≥40 years）， and the distribution characteristics of TCM constitution were compared across different sex and age groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with HUA， with further stratified analyses by sex and age. ResultsA total of 10 920 participants were included， comprising 4170 cases （38.19%） in the hyperuricemia group and 6750 cases （61.81%） in the normal serum uric acid group. According to TCM constitution， there were 420 cases （3.85%） with balanced constitution， 6108 cases （55.93%） with single biased constitution， and 4392 cases （40.22%） with mixed constitution. In the hyperuricemia group， there were 80 cases （19.05%） with balanced constitution； 2275 cases （37.25%） with single biased constitution， among which damp-heat constitution （1205 cases， 52.97%）， phlegm-dampness constitution （500 cases， 21.98%）， and qi-stagnation constitution （181 cases， 7.96%） accounted for relatively high proportions； and 1815 cases （41.33%） with mixed constitution， among which mixed constitution involving phlegm-dampness （51.35%， 932 cases）， mixed constitution involving blood stasis （47.00%， 853 cases）， and mixed constitution involving damp-heat （41.21%， 748 cases） accounted for relatively high proportions. Logistic regression showed that qi-stagnation constitution （OR=1.68）， mixed constitution involving qi-stagnation （OR=1.53）， mixed constitution involving phlegm-dampness （OR=1.55）， and mixed constitution involving blood stasis （OR=1.50） were independently associated with HUA （P＜0.05）. Sex-stratified analysis showed that mixed constitution involving phlegm-dampness was positively associated with HUA risk in females； age-stratified analysis showed that， among individuals aged ≥18 and ＜40 years， qi-stagnation constitution， mixed constitution involving qi stagnation， and mixed constitution involving phlegm-dampness were positively associated with HUA risk （all P＜0.05）. ConclusionThe prevalence of HUA differs markedly by sex and age. Mixed constitution accounts for a higher proportion of HUA patients. Qi-stagnation constitution， mixed constitution involving qi stagnation， mixed constitution involving phlegm-dampness， and mixed constitution involving blood stasis are associated with HUA. Notably， the specific association of mixed constitution involving phlegm-dampness in females and qi-stagnation constitution in young adults is particularly prominent.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA)is the most prevalent joint disease in childhood.The disease is defined as arthritis of unknown etiology,involving one or more joints,with onset before the age of 16 years and symptomatic duration of more than 6 weeks.Temporomandibular joint(TMJ)arthritis is a common manifestation of JIA,but it often develops insidiously.Failing to diag-nose and treat it promptly may lead to maxillofacial dysfunction and dentofacial deformity,and negatively affect the patient's quality of life.Therefore,early diagnosis and disease management of TMJ arthritis are crucial.This article reviews the occurrence of JIA-TMJ arthritis and its progress in clinical diagnosis and disease treatment in recent years,aiming to provide some reference for den-tists in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of JIA.

Objective To analyze the scanning parameters and radiation dose characteristics of pediatric CT examinations in Jiangxi Province, China, and to provide a basis for optimizing radiation protection in children. Methods The data of 1021 CT scans in children aged 0-15 years were collected from seven hospitals in Jiangxi Province, including one provincial hospital, four municipal hospitals, and two county-level hospitals. The data consisted of 405 head scans, 352 chest scans, and 264 abdominal scans. The scanning parameters kV, mAs, and scan length as well as the dose metrics weighted CT dose index and dose length product (DLP) were analyzed. Differences across age groups, anatomical regions, and hospitals were compared using one-way analysis of variance, and the results were compared with domestic and foreign studies. Results There were significant differences in scanning parameters and radiation doses among children of different age groups in CT examinations, and the differences between hospitals were also significant. The chest mAs and DLP in Hospital E were significantly higher than those in Hospital A, and the abdominal DLP in Hospital D was 4.3 times that of Hospital A. Compared with domestic and foreign studies, the DLP values of various anatomical regions in the < 1 year group were generally higher in the present study. The abdominal DLP in the < 1 year group (232.4 mGy·cm) was 3.3 times that in Tianjin. The head DLP in the 1-5 year group was higher than those in Germany and the United States. The chest DLP of the 11-15 year group was higher than that in Germany but lower than that in Henan Province. Conclusion There are significant differences in radiation doses received by children during CT examination in Jiangxi Province by age, anatomical region, and hospital, with some metrics exceeding domestic and international levels. Recommendations include optimizing scanning parameters (e.g., reducing mA/kV and adopting automatic exposure control technology), standardizing scan ranges, and establishing local diagnostic reference levels to mitigate radiation risks.

AIM:To observe the defocus state and myopia control in myopic children wearing single-vision, defocus, and orthokeratology lenses using multispectral refraction topography(MRT).METHODS: A total of 279 myopic patients aged 8-14 years old, with a spherical equivalent(SE)from -7.00 to -0.50 D, treated at the Chengdu Aier Eye Hospital from June 2022 to December 2023. Patients who volunteered for the study were assigned to three groups. A total of 94 cases were provided with single-vision spectacle lenses(SVL group), 90 cases received individualized ocular refraction customization(IORC group), and 95 cases received orthokeratology lenses(OK group). Simultaneously, the three groups were further categorized into low(-3.00 to -0.50 D), moderate(-6.00 to -3.25 D), and high myopia(-7.00 to -6.25 D)groups according to different SE. MRT was used to measure and compare the defocus changes of the retina in supperior, inferior, nasal, and temporal quadrants(RDV-S, RDV-I, RDV-N, RDV-T), and three angles of field of view, including 0-15°, 15°-30°, and 30°-45°(RDV-15, RDV-30, RDV-45)in the three groups(the data divide for the connected regions is grouped to the latter group). A one-way analysis of variance was used for intergroup comparisons. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to analyze the factors related to changes in the axial length(AL)at 1 a after intervention.RESULTS:There were significant differences in 1-year SE and AL growth among patients in the SVL, IORC, and OK groups before and after intervention(P<0.001). The 1-year SE and the difference of AL growth in patients with low myopia was significantly different among SVL, IORC, and OK groups(P<0.001); however, there was no significant difference between the IORC and OK groups(P>0.05); there were significant differences in the SE and AL growth changes between the OK group and the IORC and SVL groups in moderate myopia(P<0.001); and there were significant differences between the OK group and the IORC and SVL groups in SE and AL growth of high myopia group after wearing lenses for 1 a(P<0.001), while there were no significant differences between the IORC and SVL groups(P>0.05). In addition, there were significant differences in the relative peripheral refractive errors(RPRE)of 4 quadrants and 3 eccentric regions among the three groups of patients in different degrees of myopia groups(P<0.001). Pair-wise comparison of the growth difference of eccentric D-RDV-15 in low myopia group after wearing lenses for 1 a showed significant differences between the SVL, IORC, and OK groups(P<0.001), but no significant differences between the IORC and OK groups(P>0.05). The angle of field of view D-RDV-30 in moderate myopia subgroups was statistically different between the SVL group and the IORC and OK groups after wearing lenses for 1 a(P<0.001), while the IORC and OK groups showed no significant differences(P>0.05); the angle of field of view D-RDV-15 in high myopia subgroups was statistically different between the OK group and the IORC and SVL groups after wearing lenses for 1 a(P<0.001), but there was no significant difference between the IORC and SVL groups(P>0.05). Univariate and multivariate linear regression model analysis showed that the changes in D-TRVD, D-RDV-45, D-RDV-N, and D-RDV-I correlated with the increase in the difference in 1 a AL.CONCLUSION: MRT can be used to guide the clinical control of myopia. Myopia development is related to the peripheral retinal defocus state, and the difference of defocus quantity in the inferior nasal side at 30°-45° eccentricity may be a factor regulating the rapid progression of myopia.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA)is the most prevalent joint disease in childhood.The disease is defined as arthritis of unknown etiology,involving one or more joints,with onset before the age of 16 years and symptomatic duration of more than 6 weeks.Temporomandibular joint(TMJ)arthritis is a common manifestation of JIA,but it often develops insidiously.Failing to diag-nose and treat it promptly may lead to maxillofacial dysfunction and dentofacial deformity,and negatively affect the patient's quality of life.Therefore,early diagnosis and disease management of TMJ arthritis are crucial.This article reviews the occurrence of JIA-TMJ arthritis and its progress in clinical diagnosis and disease treatment in recent years,aiming to provide some reference for den-tists in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of JIA.

Objective:To investigate the effects of Yisui Shengxue Decoction on the regulation of Notch signaling pathway on bone marrow hematopoiesis in mice with aplastic anemia(AA).Methods:A total of 60 CByB6F1 mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,positive control cyclosporine(CsA)group,low-dose(YSSX-L)group and high-dose(YSSX-H)group of Chinese herbal compound Yisui Shengxue Decoction,with 12 mice in each group.Except for the blank group,the mice in each group were given 5 Gy X-ray irradiation combined with tail vein infusion of lymphocytes to establish the immune-mediated AA mouse model.The low and high dose groups were given 8.6 and 17.2 g/(kg?d)of Yisui Shengxue Decoction by gavage,the model group and the blank group were given equal volume of saline by gavage,and the positive control group was given 25 mg/(kg?d)of cyclosporine by ga-vage for 14 days.The mice were tested for white blood cell count(WBC),red blood cell count(RBC),hemoglobin(Hb),platelet count(PLT)and bone marrow nucleated cell count in peripheral blood,bone marrow pathological changes and the levels of IFN-γ,IL-4 and IL-5 in peripheral serum,and T-lymphocyte transcription factors T-bet,GATA3,RORγt,FOXP3 mRNA and protein in spleen tissues,as well as the expression levels of Notch signaling pathway-related genes and protein in spleen tissues.Results:Compared with the blank group,the peripheral blood WBC,RBC,Hb,PLT,bone marrow nucleated cell count,expressions of serum IL-4,IL-5 and spleen tissue GATA3,FOXP3 mRNA and protein were significantly lower in the model group(P<0.01),and the expressions of serum IFN-γ,spleen tissue T-bet,RORγt mRNA and protein,and Notch1,Jagged1,DLL4 mRNA and protein were significantly in-creased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,peripheral blood WBC,RBC,Hb,PLT,bone marrow nucleated cell count,ex-pressions of serum IL-4,IL-5 and spleen tissue GATA3,FOXP3 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in each intervention group(P<0.05),and the expression of serum IFN-γ and spleen tissue T-bet,RORγt mRNA and protein as well as Notch1,Jagged1,DLL4 mRNA and protein were significantly reduced(P<0.05).Conclusion:Yisui Shengxue Decoction can improve bone marrow he-matopoietic function and regulate immune disorders in AA mice,and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of Notch signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the effects of Yisui Shengxue Decoction on the regulation of Notch signaling pathway on bone marrow hematopoiesis in mice with aplastic anemia(AA).Methods:A total of 60 CByB6F1 mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,positive control cyclosporine(CsA)group,low-dose(YSSX-L)group and high-dose(YSSX-H)group of Chinese herbal compound Yisui Shengxue Decoction,with 12 mice in each group.Except for the blank group,the mice in each group were given 5 Gy X-ray irradiation combined with tail vein infusion of lymphocytes to establish the immune-mediated AA mouse model.The low and high dose groups were given 8.6 and 17.2 g/(kg?d)of Yisui Shengxue Decoction by gavage,the model group and the blank group were given equal volume of saline by gavage,and the positive control group was given 25 mg/(kg?d)of cyclosporine by ga-vage for 14 days.The mice were tested for white blood cell count(WBC),red blood cell count(RBC),hemoglobin(Hb),platelet count(PLT)and bone marrow nucleated cell count in peripheral blood,bone marrow pathological changes and the levels of IFN-γ,IL-4 and IL-5 in peripheral serum,and T-lymphocyte transcription factors T-bet,GATA3,RORγt,FOXP3 mRNA and protein in spleen tissues,as well as the expression levels of Notch signaling pathway-related genes and protein in spleen tissues.Results:Compared with the blank group,the peripheral blood WBC,RBC,Hb,PLT,bone marrow nucleated cell count,expressions of serum IL-4,IL-5 and spleen tissue GATA3,FOXP3 mRNA and protein were significantly lower in the model group(P<0.01),and the expressions of serum IFN-γ,spleen tissue T-bet,RORγt mRNA and protein,and Notch1,Jagged1,DLL4 mRNA and protein were significantly in-creased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,peripheral blood WBC,RBC,Hb,PLT,bone marrow nucleated cell count,ex-pressions of serum IL-4,IL-5 and spleen tissue GATA3,FOXP3 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in each intervention group(P<0.05),and the expression of serum IFN-γ and spleen tissue T-bet,RORγt mRNA and protein as well as Notch1,Jagged1,DLL4 mRNA and protein were significantly reduced(P<0.05).Conclusion:Yisui Shengxue Decoction can improve bone marrow he-matopoietic function and regulate immune disorders in AA mice,and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of Notch signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the current situation of the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for portal hypertension, which should aid the development of TIPS in China.Methods:The China Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) initiated this study that comprehensively investigated the basic situation of TIPS for portal hypertension in China through network research. The survey included the following: the number of surgical cases, main indications, the development of Early-TIPS, TIPS for portal vein cavernous transformation, collateral circulation embolization, intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurement, commonly used stent types, conventional anticoagulation and time, postoperative follow-up, obstacles, and the application of domestic instruments.Results:According to the survey, a total of 13 527 TIPS operations were carried out in 545 hospitals participating in the survey in 2021, and 94.1% of the hospital had the habit of routine follow-up after TIPS. Most hospitals believed that the main indications of TIPS were the control of acute bleeding (42.6%) and the prevention of rebleeding (40.7%). 48.1% of the teams carried out early or priority TIPS, 53.0% of the teams carried out TIPS for the cavernous transformation of the portal vein, and 81.0% chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation. Most of them used coils and biological glue as embolic materials, and 78.5% of the team routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements. In selecting TIPS stents, 57.1% of the hospitals woulel choose Viator-specific stents, 57.2% woulel choose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS, and the duration of anticoagulation was between 3-6 months (55.4%). The limitation of TIPS surgery was mainly due to cost (72.3%) and insufficient understanding of doctors in related departments (77.4%). Most teams accepted the domestic instruments used in TIPS (92.7%).Conclusions:This survey shows that TIPS treatment is an essential part of treating portal hypertension in China. The total number of TIPS cases is far from that of patients with portal hypertension. In the future, it is still necessary to popularize TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications, routine operations, and instrument application.

Objective:To observe the mechanism of electroacupuncture on nerve repair in mice with neuropathic pain based on the protein kinase C(PKC)-purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 3(P2X3)signal pathway.Methods:A total of 48 mice were randomly divided into sham group,model group,acupuncture group and electroacupuncture group,with 12 mice in each group.Except the sham group,the other mice were constructed with chronic constriction injury(CCI)model.On the 8th day after operation,acupuncture group and electroacupuncture group received acupuncture and electroacupuncture interventions for 7 days.Mechanical withdrawal threshold(MWT)and thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)were measured before operation and 3rd,5th,7th,10th,12th and 14th day after operation.All mice were killed 15 days after operation.The histomorphology of sciatic nerve was ob-served by HE staining.The levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in spinal cord were detected by ELISA.PKC and P2X3 levels in spinal cord tis-sue were detected by Western blot.PKC and P2X3 expressions in spinal cord neurons were detected by Immunofluorescence.Results:In the sham group,the neuronal cells were of different sizes,the cell membrane was intact,the cytoplasm was fine and granular,the nucleus was large and round,and the nucleolus was clearlyvisible in the middle.Atrophic neurons could be seen in the model group,myelinated nerve fibers were disordered,axons were swollen,and spaces were formed between neurons.Compared with the model group,the number of atrophic neurons decreased in the acupuncture group and the electroacupuncture group(P<0.05),the arrange-ment of myelinated nerve fibers improved and the improvement in the electroacupuncture group was more obvious than that in the acu-puncture group.Compared with the sham group at the same time point,on the 3rd,5th,7th,10th,12th and 14th day after opera-tion,the MWT and TWL values of the model group,acupuncture group and electroacupuncture group decreased significantly(P<0.05),while the expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,PKC,P2X3,the numbers of PKC and P2X3 positive cells and the average optical den-sity increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the values of MWT and TWL in the acupuncture group and electroacupunc-ture group increased significantly on the 10th,12th and 14th day after operation(P<0.05),while the expression of IL-1β,TNF-α,PKC,P2X3,the number of PKC and P2X3 positive cells and the average optical density decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the acu-puncture group,the values of MWT and TWL in the electroacupuncture group increased significantly on the 10th,12th and 14th day after operation(P<0.05),while the expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,PKC,P2X3,the numbers of PKC and P2X3 positive cells and the average optical density decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Electroacupuncture can reduce the neuroinflammatory reaction of CCI model mice,reduce the expression levels of PKC and P2X3,improve the morphology of sciatic nerve cells and the arrangement of myelinated nerve fibers,reduce the gap between neurons,increase the values of MWT and TWL,and relieve the degree of neuropathic pain.