This paper summarizes Professor WANG Yaoxian's experience in treating diabetic kidney disease （DKD） from the perspective of spleen and stomach based on the "internal heat leading to concretions" theory. It is considered that internal heat leading to concretions constitutes the core pathogenesis of DKD， with the spleen and stomach serving as the source of internal heat； therefore， treatment should be based on regulating the spleen and stomach. In the early stage of DKD， dysfunction of the spleen and stomach leads to the initial generation of internal heat. Common syndrome patterns include gastrointestinal heat accumulation and constrained heat in the liver and stomach， for which modified Gegen Qinlian Decoction （葛根芩连汤） can be used to clear heat bind while modified Dachaihu Decoction （大柴胡汤） is used to clear stomach and soothe liver， respectively. In the middle stage of DKD， weakness of the spleen and stomach results in the initial formation of concretions and conglomerations. Common patterns include spleen deficiency with prevalence of dampness and deficiency of both the spleen and kidney. Treatment emphasizes strengthening the spleen and resolving dampness， raising yang and boosting the stomach with modified Shengyang Yiwei Decoction （升阳益胃汤）， or supplementing spleen and boosting kidney， dissipating bind and dispe-ring concretions with modified Shenqi Dihuang Decoction （参芪地黄汤）， respectively. In the late stage of DKD， it is characterized by spleen and stomach depletion， and rampant accumulation of turbidity and toxin， and the common syndrome patterns are damp-turbidity obstruction in the middle jiao （焦） and spleen-kidney yang deficiency. Treatment aims to remove turbidity and harmonize the stomach， or to warm the kidney and strengthen the spleen while elimina-ting turbidity， using modified Dahuang Gancao Decoction（大黄甘草汤） and Jupi Zhuru Decoction （橘皮竹茹汤） or modified Baoyuan Decoction （保元汤） and Lizhong Decoction （理中汤）， respectively. In clinical practice， appropriate formulas and medications are flexibly selected according to specific syndromes.

Under the current situation of "low prevalence and low infection" of schistosomiasis in China, and to provide a basis for achieving the goal of eliminating schistosomiasis by 2030 proposed by the Healthy China Action (2019 - 2030) as scheduled, the Hunan Provincial Corps Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force established a schistosomiasis monitoring and early warning index system based on the previous studies on schistosomiasis early warning index system and the recent literature analysis, combined with the current potential risk factors affecting the transmission and prevalence of schistosomiasis, and organized two rounds of expert consultation and carried out project promotion meetings. The experts reached a consensus on the comprehensiveness and practicability of the index system, aiming to lay a solid foundation for construction of China's schistosomiasis prevention and control early warning system.

Under the current situation of "low prevalence and low infection" of schistosomiasis in China, and to provide a basis for achieving the goal of eliminating schistosomiasis by 2030 proposed by the Healthy China Action (2019 - 2030) as scheduled, the Hunan Provincial Corps Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force established a schistosomiasis monitoring and early warning index system based on the previous studies on schistosomiasis early warning index system and the recent literature analysis, combined with the current potential risk factors affecting the transmission and prevalence of schistosomiasis, and organized two rounds of expert consultation and carried out project promotion meetings. The experts reached a consensus on the comprehensiveness and practicability of the index system, aiming to lay a solid foundation for construction of China's schistosomiasis prevention and control early warning system.

This paper summarized Professor XU Jingfan's clinical experience of using Zisu （Perillafrutescens） for the treatment of spleen and stomach diseases. According to the disease characteristics， Professor XU flexibly selected the different parts of Zisu. It is believed that the leaf of Zisu is good at dispersing， dredging qi movement， and good at treating external contraction as well as internal damage due to depression or stagnation， and being effective in relieving abdominal lumps and fullness with vomiting； its stem is good at widering chest and diaphragm， smoothing qi and the middle， and dredging the twelve meridians， which can treat qi stagnation， especially suitable for distention and fullness in the midline of body like throat， esophagus， and stomach. Perilla seed is good at depressing qi and eliminating phlegm， loosening bowels to relieve constipation， which can be used in diseases of combined phlegm and qi， and combined treatment of lung and intestines to treat long-term constipation. In clinic， Huanglian （Coptis chinensis）- Zisu leaf is often used as pungent dispersing and bitter descending， promoting qi movement to treat persistent nausea and vomiting； Xiangfu （Cyperi Rhizoma）-Zisu stem is employed as regulating qi to smooth the middle， soothing qi to disperse liver stagnation for various syndromes of qi stagnation； Huomaren （Cannabis Fructus）-Zisu seed is utilized to clear the lungs and benefit qi， and moisten intestines by purgation for chronic constipation. The original ancient formulas are flexibly modified and tailored， so usually modified Banxia Houpo Decoction （半夏厚朴汤） is used to treat plum-stone qi （globus hystericus） and esophageal disorders， while modified Buzhong Yiqi Decoction （补中益气汤） combined with Xiangsu Powder （香苏散） is used to treat gastroptosis， then self-prescribed Jixing Tuxie Formula （急性吐泻方） is used for acute diarrhea， and Xiexie Waizhi Formula （泄泻外治方） is applied for chronic cold-dampness diarrhea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differential efficacy and safety profiles of oral mucosa (OM) grafts compared with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts in the surgical management of long-segment urethral strictures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 27 patients who underwent graft urethroplasty for long-segment urethral strictures in Peking University First Hospital, spanning from May 2010 to September 2023. The patient cohort comprised 14 individuals who received OM grafts and 13 who underwent ADM grafts. The participants were stratified into two groups based on the type of grafts material utilized during surgery. The demographic and clinical baseline characteristics included an average age of (43.3±14.0) years in the OM group and (54.2±15.9) years in the ADM group. The mean body mass index (BMI) for the respective groups were (24.7±4.3) kg/m² for OM and (25.4±4.8) kg/m² for ADM. Etiological differences were noted, with idiopathic causes predominantly in the OM cohort and lichen sclerosus in the ADM cohort. RESULTS: The surgical interventions were successfully executed for all the patients. The median stricture length was 4.5 (2.5, 9.0) cm for the OM group and 5.0 (2.0, 14.0) cm for the ADM group (P=0.555). The median operative duration was 160 (71, 221) min for the OM group and 134 (112, 274) min for the ADM group (P=0.065). The catheterization durations was 1.5 (1.0, 6.0) months for the OM group and 3.0 (1.0, 3.0) months for the ADM group. The median postoperative follow-up duration was 12.5 (1.0, 170.0) months for the OM group and 59.0 (3.0, 142.0) months for the ADM group. The surgical success rates were 50.00% in the OM group and 53.85% in the ADM group. No statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative quality of life (QoL) or international prostate symptom score (IPSS) at the final follow-up. The stricture-free survival rates did not differ significantly (HR=0.875, 95%CI: 0.507-1.511, P=0.6). In terms of safety, three patients in the OM group experienced sexual dysfunction, and two had oral complications, whereas the ADM group had one case of postoperative infection. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that ADM grafts are comparable to OM grafts in terms of efficacy and safety for the treatment of long-segment urethral strictures, including complex cases attributed to lichen sclerosus. However, given the small sample size of this study, the above conclusions may have certain limitations. Larger cohort studies will be needed in the future to further validate these findings.
Humans ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Acellular Dermis ; Mouth Mucosa/transplantation* ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Aged

Objective:To establish and evaluate the performance of a stable and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of six phytosterols in human plasma.Methods:The methodology was established, evaluated, and applied. A number of 136 healthy subjects were recruited from the Physical Examination Center of Suzhou Municipal Hospital from October 2023 to December 2023, meanwhile plasma phytosterols′ levels were validated in 5 patients with sitosterolemia. Taking deuterium isotope as internal standards, the clear separation was achieved using a Phenomenex C18 (2.1×100 mm, 2.6 μm) column. The mobile phase consisted of water and methanol at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min with gradient elution, and the column temperature was 25 ℃. The experiments were performed on AB Sciex 6500+triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and the linearity, limit of quantification, rate of recovery, precision, and stability of the method were evaluated. The testing method was further validated in the sitosterolemia patients.Results:The method had in-run and between-run coefficient of variation ranging 1.8%-12.5% and 2.6%-13.6%, respectively, which accorded with the precision requirements. The rates of recovery were 85.0%-105.1%, which accorded with the accuracy requirements. The samples showed good stability before and after handling stored at 4 ℃ for 72 hours. The plasma levels of sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and cholestanol in sitosterolemia patients were apparently higher compared with those in the healthy group ( P<0.001). Conclusion:LC-MS/MS method for the quantitative measurement of plant sterols in human plasma has been established, which has convenient preprocessing and passed the performance evaluation including linearity, lower limit of quantification, recovery rate, precision and stability, and shown to be suitable for clinical application.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of the combined application of total prostate-specific antigen (TPSA), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), and interleukin (IL) in predicting postoperative biochemical recurrence in patients with prostate cancer.Methods:This study adopted a retrospective cohort research method. 202 male prostate cancer patients who visited Xi′an Gaoxin Hospital from April 2021 to January 2024 were selected as the research subjects. The age of the patients was 68(64, 71) years, and their postoperative conditions were classified into the non-recurrence group ( n=144) and the biochemical recurrence group ( n=58). The general clinical data and serumological test indicators SA, free prostate-specific antigen (FPSA), VEGF-A, IL-6, IL-17] were detected and compared between the two groups. Quantitative data with normal distribution were expressed as mean±standard deviation, and the comparison between groups was performed using the independent sample t-test; non-normal distribution quantitative data were expressed as M( Q1, Q3), and the comparison between groups was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The comparison between groups of count data was performed using the chi-square test. Through Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate Logistic regression analysis, the risk factors for biochemical recurrence after surgery in prostate cancer patients were screened out, and the efficacy of the combined prediction model based on TPSA, VEGF-A, and IL-17 was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, decision curve (DCA), and calibration curve. Results:The average tumor diameter, proportion of positive surgical margins, proportion of seminal vesicle invasion, and proportion of patients with Gleason score 3-5 in the biochemical recurrence group were significantly higher than those in the non-recurrence group ( P<0.05). The serumological indicators TPSA, VEGF-A, IL-6, IL-17 in the biochemical recurrence group were 44.28 (42.37, 48.57) ng/mL, (28.24±3.99) ng/mL, (39.14±2.95) ng/L and (66.64±6.04) pg/mL; those in the non-recurrence group were 41.25 (36.61, 43.56) ng/mL, (23.52±3.75) ng/mL, (37.19±4.19) ng/L, and (57.31±6.63) pg/mL. The biochemical recurrence group was higher than the non-recurrence group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analysis found that TPSA, VEGF-A, and IL-17 were risk factors for biochemical recurrence after surgery in prostate cancer patients ( P<0.05); the DCA curve and calibration curve indicated that the combined prediction model based on TPSA, VEGF-A, and IL-17 had good accuracy (Hosmer-Lemeshow P=0.421), and the ROC curve suggested that the efficacy of the above indicators combined for predicting biochemical recurrence after surgery in prostate cancer patients was higher [AUC (95% CI)=0.899 (0.832-0.966)], and higher than the independent predictive efficacy of each indicator. Conclusion:Continuous monitoring of serum TPSA, VEGF-A, and IL-17 levels can effectively predict the risk of postoperative recurrence in prostate cancer patients and also provide biological markers for preventing disease recurrence.

Objective To establish a liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of 13 aromatic amine compounds (AAs) in workplace air. Methods A total of 13 AAs in both vapor and aerosol phases were collected in workplace air using a new GDH-6 sampling tube. Samples were desorbed and eluted with methanol, separated using a Symmetry Shield™ RP₁₈ reversed-phase liquid chromatography column, and detected with a diode array detector. Quantification was performed using an external standard method. Results The linear range of the 13 AAs measured by this method was 0.02-373.60 μg/L with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 0. The minimum detection concentration was 0.09-14.37 μg/m³, and the minimum quantitative concentration was 0.31-47.90 μg/m³ (both calculated based on sampling 15.0 L of air and 3.0 mL of elution volume). The average desorption and elution efficiency ranged from 97.46% to 101.23%. The within-run relative standard deviation (RSD) was 0.10%-5.99%, and the between-run RSD was 0.17%-2.71%. Samples could be stably stored in sealed conditions at 2-8 ℃ for more than seven days. Conclusion This method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of 13 AAs in workplace air, including both vapor and aerosol phases.

Objective:To establish and evaluate the performance of a stable and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of six phytosterols in human plasma.Methods:The methodology was established, evaluated, and applied. A number of 136 healthy subjects were recruited from the Physical Examination Center of Suzhou Municipal Hospital from October 2023 to December 2023, meanwhile plasma phytosterols′ levels were validated in 5 patients with sitosterolemia. Taking deuterium isotope as internal standards, the clear separation was achieved using a Phenomenex C18 (2.1×100 mm, 2.6 μm) column. The mobile phase consisted of water and methanol at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min with gradient elution, and the column temperature was 25 ℃. The experiments were performed on AB Sciex 6500+triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and the linearity, limit of quantification, rate of recovery, precision, and stability of the method were evaluated. The testing method was further validated in the sitosterolemia patients.Results:The method had in-run and between-run coefficient of variation ranging 1.8%-12.5% and 2.6%-13.6%, respectively, which accorded with the precision requirements. The rates of recovery were 85.0%-105.1%, which accorded with the accuracy requirements. The samples showed good stability before and after handling stored at 4 ℃ for 72 hours. The plasma levels of sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and cholestanol in sitosterolemia patients were apparently higher compared with those in the healthy group ( P<0.001). Conclusion:LC-MS/MS method for the quantitative measurement of plant sterols in human plasma has been established, which has convenient preprocessing and passed the performance evaluation including linearity, lower limit of quantification, recovery rate, precision and stability, and shown to be suitable for clinical application.

Background::Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the leading cause of death from prostate cancer (PCa) in recent decades, bringing a great disease burden worldwide. Men with preexisting CVD have an increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events when treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The present study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk evaluation of CVD among people with newly diagnosed PCa in China.Methods::Clinical data of newly diagnosed PCa patients were retrospectively collected from 34 centers in China from 2010 to 2022 through convenience sampling. CVD was defined as myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke, ischemic heart disease, and others. CVD risk was estimated by calculating Framingham risk scores (FRS). Patients were accordingly divided into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups. χ2 or Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical variables. Results::A total of 4253 patients were enrolled in the present study. A total of 27.0% (1147/4253) of patients had comorbid PCa and CVD, and 7.2% (307/4253) had two or more CVDs. The enrolled population was distributed in six regions of China, and approximately 71.0% (3019/4253) of patients lived in urban areas. With imaging and pathological evaluation, most PCa patients were diagnosed at an advanced stage, with 20.5% (871/4253) locally progressing and 20.5% (871/4253) showing metastasis. Most of them initiated prostatectomy (46.6%, 1983/4253) or regimens involving ADT therapy (45.7%, 1944/4253) for prostate cancer. In the present PCa cohort, 43.1% (1832/4253) of patients had hypertension, and half of them had poorly controlled blood pressure. With FRS stratification, as expected, a higher risk of CVD was related to aging and metabolic disturbance. However, we also found that patients with treatment involving ADT presented an originally higher risk of CVD than those without ADT. This was in accordance with clinical practice, i.e., aged patients or patients at advanced oncological stages were inclined to accept systematic integrative therapy instead of surgery. Among patients who underwent medical castration, only 4.0% (45/1118) received gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonists, in stark contrast to the grim situation of CVD prevalence and risk.Conclusions::PCa patients in China are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A heavy CVD burden was present at the initiation of treatment. Patients who accepted ADT-related therapy showed an original higher risk of CVD, but the awareness of cardiovascular protection was far from sufficient.