Recent clinical trials have demonstrated a protective effect in using traditional Chinese medicine Tongxinluo (TXL) capsule to treat atherosclerosis. However, clinical evidence of the effects of TXL treatment on coronary plaque vulnerability is unavailable. In response, we developed this study to investigate the hypothesis that on the basis of statin therapy, treatment with TXL capsule may stabilize coronary lesions in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The TXL-CAP study was an investigator-initiated, randomized, double-blind clinical trial conducted across 18 medical centers in China. Patients with ACS aging from 18 to 80 years old who had a non-intervened coronary target lesion with a fibrous cap thickness (FCT) < 100 μm and lipid arc > 90° as defined by optical coherence tomography (OCT) were recruited. A total of 220 patients who met the selection criteria but did not meet the exclusion criteria will be finally recruited and randomized to receive treatment with TXL (n = 110) or placebo (n = 110) for a duration of 12 months. The primary endpoint was the difference in the minimum FCT of the coronary target lesion between TXL and placebo groups at the end of the 12-month follow-up. Secondary endpoints included: (1) changes of the maximum lipid arc and length of the target plaque, and the percentage of lipid, fibrous, and calcified plaques at the end of the 12-month period; (2) the incidence of composite cardiovascular events and coronary revascularization within the 12 months; (3) changes in the grade and scores of the angina pectoris as assessed using the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) grading system and Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ) score, respectively; and (4) changes in hs-CRP serum levels. The results of the TXL-CAP trial will provide additional clinical data for revealing whether TXL capsules stabilizes coronary vulnerable plaques in Chinese ACS patients.

In recent years, gut microbiota has been increasingly recognized as a key player in ethanol metabolism and the development of related diseases. On one hand, ethanol intake directly affects the gut, leading to significant alterations in microbial diversity and composition. On the other hand, gut microbiota influences ethanol-induced damage to various organs, especially the liver, through multiple metabolic byproducts (such as short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, propionate, and acetate), modulation of immune responses, alteration of intestinal barrier function, and regulation of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes. Given the close association between gut microbiota and ethanol metabolism, the gut microbiome presents a promising therapeutic target for alcohol-related liver diseases. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding how gut microbiota affects ethanol metabolism, aiming to elucidate its role in the onset and progression of ethanol-related diseases and to provide a theoretical basis and novel targets for microbiota-based interventions.
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Ethanol/metabolism* ; Humans ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic/metabolism* ; Animals ; Alcohol Drinking/metabolism*

Objective:To investigate two cases of rare pathogenic genes,initiation codon mutations in HBA2 gene,combined with Southeast Asian deletion and their family members to understand the relationship of HBA2:c.2T＞C and HBA2:c.2delT mutations with clinical phenotype.Methods:The peripheral blood of family members was obtained for blood cell analysis and capillary electrophoresis hemoglobin analysis.Gap-PCR and reverse dot blotting(RDB)were used to detect common types of mutations in α-thalassaemia gene.Sanger sequencing was used to analyze HBA1 and HBA2 gene sequence.Results:Two proband genotypes were identified as--SEA/αα with HBA2:c.2T＞C and--SEA/αα with HBA2:c.2delT.HBA2:c.2T＞C/WT and HBA2:c.2delT/WT was detected in family members.They all presented with microcytic hypochromic anemia.Conclusion:When HBA2:c.2T＞C and HBA2:c.2delT are heterozygous that can lead to static α-thalassemia phenotype,and when combined with mild α-thalassemia,they can lead to the clinical manifestations of hemoglobin H disease.This study provides a basis for genetic counseling.

Objective:To perform molecular diagnosis and pedigree analysis for one case with α-thalassemia who does not conform to the genetic laws,and explore the effects of a newly discovered rare mutation(HBA2:c.*12G＞A)on clinical phenotypes.Methods:Blood samples of the proband and her family members were collected for blood routine analysis,and the hemoglobin components were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis.The common α-and β-globin gene loci in Chinese population were detected by conventional techniques(Gap-PCR,RDB-PCR).The α-globin gene sequences(HBA1,HBA2)were analyzed by Sanger sequencing.Results:By analyzing the test results of proband and her family members,the genotype of the proband was-α3,7/HBA2:c.*12G＞A,her father was HBA2:c.*12G＞A heterozygous mutation carrier.Conclusion:This study identifies a rare α-globin gene mutation(HBA2:c.*12G＞A)that has not been reported before.It is found that heterozygous mutation carriers present with static α-thalassemia.

N-cadherin,also known as Neural-cadherin/Cadherin-2,is a calcium-dependent transmembrane glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in cell-to-cell adhesion,cell sorting,nerve development and a variety of physiological and pathological processes. In recent years,with the rapid development of molecular biology and cell biology,the functional research of N-cadherin has made remarkable progress,providing essential clues for understanding tumor metastasis and neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper,the main progress in N-cadherin functional research in recent years is reviewed,including its molecular structure,biological function,signal transduction mechanism and its role in diseases. Finally,the clinical application prospect and future research direction of N-cadherin are summarized. It is expected to provide some theoretical reference for future research and clinical application of N-cadherin as a new target for the treatment of diseases.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture at Shuigou(DU26)combined with warming-needle moxibustion in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction.Methods Nighty-six patients with acute cerebral infarction were randomly divided into observation group and control group,48 cases in each group.Both groups were given routine basic treatment.The control group was treated with warming-needle moxibustion.The observation group was treated with electroacupuncture at Shuigou point on the basis of the control group.The treatment was performed 5 days a week for a total of 3 weeks.After 3 weeks of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated,and the changes of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score,Barthel Index(BI)score and Fugl-Meyer motor function assessment scale score of the two groups were observed before and after treatment.The changes of interleukin-6(IL-6),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and homocysteine(Hey)levels were compared before and after treatment between the two groups.The safety and adverse reactions of the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)The total effective rate of the observation group was 95.83％(46/48),and that of the control group was 81.25％(39/48).The efficacy of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the NIHSS scores,BI scores,and FMA scores of the patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the NIHSS scores,BI scores,and FMA scores,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the serum IL-6,hs-CRP,and Hey levels of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the serum inflammatory factors of IL-6,hs-CRP,and Hey levels,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).(4)Comparing the incidence of adverse reactions between the observation group and the control group,the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Shuigou point combined with warming-needle moxibustion in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction can significantly promote the recovery of patients'neurological function,thus improving their motor and living ability,effectively reducing the levels of inflammatory factors and homocysteine,and the clinical efficacy is remarkable.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism in collaboration with serum ANG2 expression on the efficacy of estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer chemotherapy.Methods:Sixty-six patients with ER-positive breast cancer who underwent chemotherapy were selected from Changshu First People’s Hospital from Mar. 2017 to Mar. 2022. According to the efficacy of chemotherapy, patients were divided into effective group and ineffective group. Clinical data of two groups of patients were collected, and PCR was used to detect MTHFR gene polymorphisms in leukocyte DNA and ANG2 expression in serum of patients before chemotherapy. The general data, MTHFR gene polymorphism and ANG2 level of the two groups were compared, and the factors influencing the efficacy of chemotherapy for ER-positive breast cancer were analyzed by Logistic regression. The predictive value of MTHFR gene polymorphism and ANG2 level in ER-positive breast cancer chemotherapy was analyzed according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:There were 11 complete responses (CR), 38 partial responses (PR), 10 stable disease (SD), and 7 progressive disease (PD) after chemotherapy in 66 ER-positive breast cancer patients. The proportion of lymphatic metastases, the proportion of CC in C677T MTHFR gene and the level of ANG2 in serum in the ineffective group were higher than those in the effective group ( P<0.05). Logistic analysis showed that lymph metastases, C677T MTHFR gene and ANG2 level were independent risk factors for chemotherapy efficacy of ER-positive breast cancer by Logistic regression analysis ( P<0.05). ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of C677T MTHFR gene and ANG2 in predicting the efficacy of chemotherapy for ER-positive breast cancer were 0.779 and 0.726, respectively, and 95% CI were 0.660-0.872 and 0.596-0.824. The combined predicted AUC value was 0.920, and 95% CI was 0.826-0.972. Conclusions:MTHFR gene polymorphism and ANG2 level are of reference value for chemotherapy efficacy of ER positive breast cancer. C677T type MTHFR gene has higher value in predicting the efficacy of ER-positive breast cancer chemotherapy in collaboration with serum ANG2 level.

In the field of dental aesthetics,digital aesthetic design plays a crucial role in helping dentists to predict treatment outcomes vis-ually,as well as in enhancing the consistency of knowledge and understanding of aesthetic goals between dentists and patients.It serves as the foundation for achieving ideal aesthetic effects.However,there is no clear standard for this digital process currently in China and abroad.Many dentists lack of systematic understanding of how to carry out digital aesthetic design for treatment.To establish standardized processes for dental aesthetic design and to improve the homogeneity of treatment outcomes,Chinese Society of Digital Dental Industry(CSD-DI)convened domestic experts in related field to compile this consensus.This article elaborates on the key aspects of digital aesthetic data collection,integration steps,and the digital aesthetic design process.It also formulates a decision tree for dental aesthetics at macro level and outlines corresponding workflows for various clinical scenarios,serving as a reference for clinicians.

Objective:To study the osseointegration and new bone formation of titanium implants treated by sandblasting acid etching combined with plasma spraying tantalum coating in rats.Methods:After polishing and cleaning of the pure titanium specimens(SLA),the tantalum coating was prepared by plasma spraying after sandblasting and acid etching(SLA-Ta).The surface feature of the samples was observed by SEM,EDS and contact angle meter.The samples of SLA and SLA-Ta were respectively implanted into femur condyle at each side of 18 SD rats(SLA group and SLA-Ta group),and the rats were double-fluorescent labeled after surgery.The rats were sacrificed 4 and 12 weeks after implantation respectively(n=9),the samples of implants and surrounding tissue were examined by mi-cro-CT scanning,fluorescence microscopy and histological staining,the new bone formation and osseointegration around the implant were analyzed.Results:Micro-nano Porous structureed tantalum coating was successfully prepared on the surface of SLA titanium.In vivo experiments showed that 4 and 12 weeks after implantation,the amount of new bone and osseointegration around the implant in the SLA-Ta group were significantly higher than those in the SLA group.Conclusion:The micro-nano multi-level structure formed by SLA combined with plasma sprayed tantalum can promote new bone formation,accelerate mineralization deposition,and improve the osseoin-tegration capacity of the implant.

Objective To investigate the effect of erector spinae plane block on postoperative delirium and cognitive function in elderly patients with lung cancer undergoing thoracoscopic radical surgery.Methods A total of 90 elderly patients with lung cancer underwent thoracoscopic radical surgery were selected and randomly divided into the control group and the observation group,with 45 cases in each group.The patients in the control group were given general anesthesia,while the patients in the observation group were given erector spinae plane block before general anesthesia.The vital signs at different time points,opioid dosage,number of analgesic pump compressions,incision pain visual analogue scale(VAS)score,cognitive function and postoperative delirium of patients between the two groups were compared.Results At the end of anesthesia,the mean arterial pressure(MAP)and heart rate of patients in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The dosage of remifentanil during operation,sufentanil during perioperative period and number of analgesia pumps compressions of patients in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group(P<0.05).The incision pain VAS scores 6 hours,12 hours,24 hours and 48 hours after surgery of patients in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The scores of cognitive function 6 hours and 24 hours after surgery of patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05);and the incidence of delirium 6 hours and 24 hours after surgery in the control group was significantly higher than those in the observation group(P<0.05).Conclusion Erector spinae plane block can significantly relieve the perioperative pain of elderly patients with lung cancer undergoing thoracoscopic radical surgery,reduce the dosage of opioids and the incidence of postoperative delirium,improve the postoperative cognitive function of patients,which provides a new idea for reducing the incidence of postoperative mental diseases.