BACKGROUND:The prevalence of osteoporosis is high in postmenopausal women,but muscle mass,grip strength,and how these factors affect osteoporosis are understudied,and the exact link between them has not been clarified.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the correlation between muscle mass,grip strength,appendicular skeletal muscle index and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and to assess the potential values of these indices in predicting and diagnosing postmenopausal osteoporosis.METHODS:Eighty-three postmenopausal women were collected from the outpatient clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from February 2023 to January 2024.General data were collected.Bone mineral density was detected.T-value,muscle mass of each part,grip strength were recorded.The body mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle index were calculated.The patients were categorized into non-osteoporosis group(n=17)and postmenopausal osteoporosis group(n=66)according to T value and fracture history,and were statistically analyzed accordingly.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The body mass,body mass index,bone mineral density of the overall lumbar spine,muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle index were higher in the non-osteoporosis group than the osteoporosis group(P＜0.05).(2)Muscle mass was positively correlated with bone mineral density of the overall lumbar spine and individual vertebrae(P＜0.05).(3)Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that body mass and grip strength were linearly and positively correlated with muscle mass;body height and muscle mass were linearly and positively correlated with grip strength,and body mass was linearly and negatively correlated with grip strength.Body mass index was linearly and positively correlated with bone mineral density,and age was linearly and negatively correlated with bone mineral density.(4)Analysis by receiver operating characteristic curve showed that:muscle mass(the area under the curve,sensitivity,specificity and critical value of muscle mass were 0.744,76.50％,74.20％and 36.50 kg,respectively,with P=0.002)and appendicular skeletal muscle index(the area under the curve,sensitivity,specificity and critical value of appendicular skeletal muscle index were 0.739,82.40％,62.10％and 5.81 kg/m2,respectively,and P=0.002)had good predictive value for postmenopausal osteoporosis.To conclude,a reduction in muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle index can help to predict the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis,and the possibility of osteoporosis should be taken into account in postmenopausal women when muscle mass is＜36.50 kg or appendicular skeletal muscle index is＜5.81 kg/m2,in order to prevent the occurrence of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND:The prevalence of osteoporosis is high in postmenopausal women,but muscle mass,grip strength,and how these factors affect osteoporosis are understudied,and the exact link between them has not been clarified.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the correlation between muscle mass,grip strength,appendicular skeletal muscle index and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and to assess the potential values of these indices in predicting and diagnosing postmenopausal osteoporosis.METHODS:Eighty-three postmenopausal women were collected from the outpatient clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from February 2023 to January 2024.General data were collected.Bone mineral density was detected.T-value,muscle mass of each part,grip strength were recorded.The body mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle index were calculated.The patients were categorized into non-osteoporosis group(n=17)and postmenopausal osteoporosis group(n=66)according to T value and fracture history,and were statistically analyzed accordingly.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The body mass,body mass index,bone mineral density of the overall lumbar spine,muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle index were higher in the non-osteoporosis group than the osteoporosis group(P＜0.05).(2)Muscle mass was positively correlated with bone mineral density of the overall lumbar spine and individual vertebrae(P＜0.05).(3)Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that body mass and grip strength were linearly and positively correlated with muscle mass;body height and muscle mass were linearly and positively correlated with grip strength,and body mass was linearly and negatively correlated with grip strength.Body mass index was linearly and positively correlated with bone mineral density,and age was linearly and negatively correlated with bone mineral density.(4)Analysis by receiver operating characteristic curve showed that:muscle mass(the area under the curve,sensitivity,specificity and critical value of muscle mass were 0.744,76.50％,74.20％and 36.50 kg,respectively,with P=0.002)and appendicular skeletal muscle index(the area under the curve,sensitivity,specificity and critical value of appendicular skeletal muscle index were 0.739,82.40％,62.10％and 5.81 kg/m2,respectively,and P=0.002)had good predictive value for postmenopausal osteoporosis.To conclude,a reduction in muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle index can help to predict the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis,and the possibility of osteoporosis should be taken into account in postmenopausal women when muscle mass is＜36.50 kg or appendicular skeletal muscle index is＜5.81 kg/m2,in order to prevent the occurrence of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Objective To explore the effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on preoperative heart rate variability in patients with heart valves. Methods Patients scheduled to undergo on-pump cardiac valve surgery in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, between January and July 2022 were initially enrolled. Eligible patients were randomly assigned at a 1 : 1 ratio to either the RIPC group or the control group. Relevant indicators of heart rate variability [standard deviation of NN interval (SDNN), standard deviation of mean value of NN interval in every five minutes (SDANN), mean square root of difference between consecutive NN intervals (RMSSD), percentage of adjacent RR interval>50 ms (PNN50), low frequency (LF) component, high frequency (HF) component and LF/HF] at 8 hours in the morning on the surgical day between two groups were compared. Results A total of 118 patients were initially assessed. After screening, 58 patients were excluded, and 60 patients provided written informed consent and were enrolled in the trial, with 30 allocated to the RIPC group and 30 to the control group. Seven patients in the control group and 5 patients in the RIPC group were subsequently excluded due to missing heart rate variability data resulting from cancelled operations. Finally, 23 patients in the control group and 25 patients in the RIPC group were included in the analysis. There was no statistical difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups, and there was no significant difference in heart rate variability 24 hours before intervention (P>0.05). After the intervention measures were taken, the comparison of the results of heart rate variability at 8 hours on the day of operation showed that SDNN and SDANN of patients in the RIPC group were higher than those in the control group, with statistical differences (P<0.05). Conclusion RIPC can stabilize the preoperative heart rate variability of patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of converting the triple immunosuppressive regimen of tacrolimus (Tac) + mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) + prednisone (Pred) to a quadruple regimen of low-dose sirolimus (SRL) + low-dose Tac + MMF + Pred at 3 to 6 months after expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidney transplantation. Methods A single-center, retrospective, donor-matched controlled study included 22 ECD kidney transplant recipients from September 2021 to June 2024. Two recipients from the same donor kidneys were respectively assigned to the SRL group and the conventional triple regimen control group. The main outcome measures were the differences in serum creatinine (Scr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and adverse events before the regimen conversion and after conversion during the 1, 3, 6, and 12-month follow-up. Results There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. In the SRL group, Scr decreased and eGFR increased starting from 3 months after conversion, and this was superior to the control group starting from 6 months(all P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of rejection reactions, pulmonary infections, hyperlipidemia and proteinuria between the two groups after conversion and during the 12-month follow-up (all P > 0.05). Conclusions For ECD kidney transplant recipients, converting the triple regimen to the SRL quadruple regimen at 3 to 6 months after transplantation may improve the function of the transplanted kidney without increasing the risk of adverse events.

Objective: To investigate the moderating effect of health literacy on the association between insomnia and non suicidal self injury (NSSI) behaviors among college freshmen, so as to provide evidence for improving interventions targeting NSSI behaviors. Methods: A longitudinal survey was conducted among 5 615 college freshmen selected from three colleges in Hefei, Huainan and Anqing cities of Anhui Province by cluster sampling (T0:May-June 2024; T1:October-December 2024). The Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index, Chinese Adolescent Interactive Health Literacy Questionnaire, and Adolescent Non suicidal Self injury Assessment Questionnaire were used to assess students insomnia, health literacy, and NSSI behaviors, respectively. Between group comparison was performed with the Chi square test, and the PROCESS macro (Model 1) was used to analyze the moderating role of health literacy in the association between insomnia and NSSI, and simple slope analysis was employed to further elucidate the pattern of the moderating effect. Results: The report rate of NSSI behaviors among college freshmen was 2.96 % at T1. The detection rate was significantly higher among boys, students with poorer family economic status, those with fewer close friends and those who were only children than in the corresponding comparison groups, with all differences statistically significant ( χ 2=5.13-39.56, all P <0.05). The results of the moderation analysis indicated that insomnia at T0 positively predicted NSSI behaviors at T1 among college freshmen ( OR=1.44, 95%CI =1.22-1.69), whereas health literacy at T0 negatively predicted NSSI behaviors at T1 ( OR=0.73, 95%CI =0.62-0.86); the interaction term of the two also significantly predicted NSSI behaviors ( OR=1.16, 95%CI =1.03-1.30) (all P <0.05). At low levels of health literacy, insomnia at T0 showed a positive predictive effect on NSSI behaviors at T1 ( B=0.22, 95%CI =0.06-0.38); at high levels of health literacy, the positive predictive effect of insomnia at T0 on NSSI behaviors at T1 remained statistically significant ( B=0.51, 95%CI =0.28-0.74) (both P <0.05). Conclusions Health literacy plays a significant positive moderating role in the association between insomnia and NSSI behaviors among college freshmen. NSSI behaviors interventions should address health cognition problems while enhancing individuals health literacy.

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) released the "2024 ESC guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension" on August 30, 2024. This guideline updates the 2018 "Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension." One notable update is the introduction of the concept of "elevated blood pressure" (120-139/70-89 mm Hg). Additionally, a new systolic blood pressure target range of 120-129 mm Hg has been proposed for most patients receiving antihypertensive treatment. The guideline also includes numerous additions or revisions in areas such as non-pharmacological interventions and device-based treatments for hypertension. This article interprets the guideline's recommendations on definition and classification of elevated blood pressure and hypertension, and cardiovascular disease risk assessment, diagnosing hypertension and investigating underlying causes, preventing and treating elevated blood pressure and hypertension. We provide a comparison interpretation with the 2018 "Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension" and the "2017 ACC/AHA guideline on the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults."

Objective To observe the effects of Angelica and Astragalus ultrafiltration membrane extracts on Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway-related factors in diabetes kidney disease(DKD)model rats;To explore its mechanism in treating oxidative stress injury of DKD.Methods Totally 70 SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly divided into 10 rats for the blank group and the remaining 60 rats were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet,streptozotocin was intraperitoneally injected after 4 weeks to establish the DKD model.The established model rats were randomly divided into the model group,positive control group(GKT137831 30 mg/kg)and TCM high-,medium-and low-dosage groups(Angelica and Astragalus ultrafiltration membrane extracts 6,3,1.5 g/kg),which were orally administered with corresponding drugs.The blank group and model group were given equivalent volume of distilled water orally once daily for 12 consecutive weeks.Random blood glucose,body mass and 24 h urinary total protein content(24 h-UTP)were detected,biochemical assays were conducted to detect serum creatinine(SCr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC)and albumin(ALB)contents,HE and Masson staining were used to observe the morphology in renal tissue,the contents of reactive oxygen species(ROS),glutathione(GSH)and malondialdehyde(MDA)were measured by ELISA,the protein expressions of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4(Nox4),Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1),nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit(GCLM)and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)in renal tissue were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the random blood glucose at each time point of model group rats significantly increased(P<0.01),the 24 h-UTP significantly increased(P<0.01),the contents of SCr,BUN and serum TG,TC increased(P<0.01),and ALB content decreased(P<0.01);with loose arrangement and disordered structure of renal tissue,consolidation of glomeruli,shedding of renal tubular epithelial cells,and increased deposition of collagen fibers;the contents of serum ROS and MDA were significantly elevated(P<0.01),while GSH contents decreased(P<0.01);the protein expression of Nox4 and Keap1 in renal tissue significantly increased(P<0.01),the expression of Nrf2,GCLM and GPX4 protein significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the random blood glucose were significantly reduced at 6,8,10,12 weeks in the treatment groups(P<0.01),24 h-UTP decreased(P<0.01),the contents of SCr,BUN,TG,TC in positive control group and TCM high-,medium-dosage group decreased,with increased ALB content(P<0.01,P<0.05);renal tubular and glomerular lesions were improved,and collagen fiber proliferation decreased;serum ROS and MDA contents were reduced,while GSH content increased(P<0.01,P<0.05);the protein expression of Nox4 and Keap1 in renal tissue decreased(P<0.01),and Nrf2,GCLM and GPX4 protein expression increased(P<0.01).Conclusion Angelica and Astragalus ultrafiltration membrane extracts can effectively alleviate injury of renal tissue in DKD rats,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway and inhibition of oxidative stress response.

Objective To investigate the patterns of changes in biochemical factors(IL-1β and TGF-β1)and biophysical factors within the periodontal ligament microenvironment at different stages of periodontitis development.Methods Periodontitis models at different stages of development(early and late stages)were constructed in rats.The changes in the periodontal ligament microenvironment were determined by detecting biochemical factors((IL-1β and TGF-β1)and changes in periodontal ligament stiffness.Results Regarding biochemical factors,the growth factor TGF-β1 was at a high level in the early stage of periodontitis,while the inflammatory factor(IL-1β was slightly increased compared to the normal state,but expressed at a low level.As the inflammation progressed,the expression of TGF-β1 was suppressed and significantly decreased in the late stage of periodontitis(late stage:11.34±2.91 vs.early stage:20.41±2.64,P＜0.01).In contrast,the expression of(IL-1βsignificantly increased(late stage:18.77±3.36 vs.early stage:8.24±1.47,P＜0.01).Regarding biophysical factors,the stiffness of the periodontal ligament and the expression of the key protein integrin αv β3 in the mechanical signaling pathway gradually decreased with the development of periodontitis.Additionally,the osteogenic differentiation capacity of stem cells significantly decreased in the late stage of periodontitis(late stage:12.47±2.83 vs.early stage:21.15±4.38,P＜0.05).Conclusion TGF-β1 may play a role in promoting periodontal tissue repair and maintaining physiological stability in normal and early stages of periodontitis,while the increased expression of(IL-1β in the late stage of periodontitis may inhibit the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells,leading to bone loss.Biophysical factors,including matrix stiffness and integrin αvβ3 expression,gradually decrease with the progression of periodontitis,potentially affecting bone tissue repair.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective To investigate the patterns of changes in biochemical factors(IL-1β and TGF-β1)and biophysical factors within the periodontal ligament microenvironment at different stages of periodontitis development.Methods Periodontitis models at different stages of development(early and late stages)were constructed in rats.The changes in the periodontal ligament microenvironment were determined by detecting biochemical factors((IL-1β and TGF-β1)and changes in periodontal ligament stiffness.Results Regarding biochemical factors,the growth factor TGF-β1 was at a high level in the early stage of periodontitis,while the inflammatory factor(IL-1β was slightly increased compared to the normal state,but expressed at a low level.As the inflammation progressed,the expression of TGF-β1 was suppressed and significantly decreased in the late stage of periodontitis(late stage:11.34±2.91 vs.early stage:20.41±2.64,P＜0.01).In contrast,the expression of(IL-1βsignificantly increased(late stage:18.77±3.36 vs.early stage:8.24±1.47,P＜0.01).Regarding biophysical factors,the stiffness of the periodontal ligament and the expression of the key protein integrin αv β3 in the mechanical signaling pathway gradually decreased with the development of periodontitis.Additionally,the osteogenic differentiation capacity of stem cells significantly decreased in the late stage of periodontitis(late stage:12.47±2.83 vs.early stage:21.15±4.38,P＜0.05).Conclusion TGF-β1 may play a role in promoting periodontal tissue repair and maintaining physiological stability in normal and early stages of periodontitis,while the increased expression of(IL-1β in the late stage of periodontitis may inhibit the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells,leading to bone loss.Biophysical factors,including matrix stiffness and integrin αvβ3 expression,gradually decrease with the progression of periodontitis,potentially affecting bone tissue repair.