ObjectiveZheng’s San Qi San (ZSQS) power, a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is used for treating soft tissue injuries involving muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, its underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to screen and identify pharmaceutically active ingredients and their candidate biomolecule targets, and further elucidate the molecular mechanism of ZSQS in the treatment of skeletal muscle injury. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was employed to construct “ZSQS-component-target”, “protein-protein interaction (PPI)” and “active ingredient-core protein-pathway” networks to predict the key active ingredients and potential core targets of ZSQS for skeletal muscle injury. The predicted results were then validated via microarray data from the GEO database. Molecular docking was then performed to assess the binding ability between the screened active ingredients of ZSQS and the candidate core targets. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis to verify the active components of the drug and ZSQS serum. Finally, an animal model of eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and a myotube cell model of oxidative stress-induced injury were established to validate the effects of ZSQS and its interventional effects on the biological functions of critical targets, thereby demonstrating the potential therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. ResultsAmong the 111 active components identified in ZSQS and their corresponding 204 targets related to the skeletal muscle injury repair process, 14 core targets (including AKT1) and 4 core active components (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and β‑sitosterol) were screened out, while the corresponding metabolites of quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol were detected in the ZSQS serum. Among these targets, 5 candidate genes (IL-6, CASP3, HIF1A, STAT3, and JUN) overlapped with the differential expression screening results with GEO data, and IL-6 was confirmed to be enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway. Combined with the prediction results of the AKT expression levels, these findings suggest that the phosphorylation level of AKT1 plays a core role in the therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the PH domain of AKT1 had high binding energy with all 4 core active components, as verified by LC-MS. Finally, animal model studies have shown the promoting effect of ZSQS administration on skeletal muscle injury repair and its possible antioxidant damage mechanism. Cell model studies further demonstrated that ZSQS-containing serum, core active ingredient combination therapy, and quercetin monomer could increase the phosphorylation level of AKT, promote the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, upregulate the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and GR), and inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α), thereby alleviating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. ConclusionZSQS alleviates skeletal muscle injury mainly by activating the AKT/Nrf2 signaling pathway, enhancing cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the clinical application and modernized development of ZSQS.

Hyperthyroidism （HT） is frequently complicated by atrial fibrillation （AF） in clinical practice. Based on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） zang-xiang （藏象） theory and clinical experience， both HT and AF are closely associated with dysfunction of the liver. The pathogenesis is initiated by the liver failing to govern the free flow of qi， and liver constraint and qi stagnation， with the key turning points being liver constraint transforming into fire and the internal stirring of liver wind， ultimately leading to liver blood depletion and insufficient nourishment of the heart spirit. Thus， it is proposed to treat the disease from the liver， with stage-specific therapeutic approaches according to the evolution of the disease. In the early stage， the treatment should focus on soothing the liver and relieving constraint to reduce goiter and calm the heart， while in the progressive stage， the method of clearing liver and draining fire is suggested to subdue yang and stabilize palpitations. In the acute stage， the strategy is calming the liver and nourishing yin to subdue yang and extinguish wind. In the later stage， it is suggested to soften the liver and benefit qi， so as to nourish yin and restore pulse. These methods are sequentially applied to synergistically reduce goiter and stabilize palpitations， providing a therapeutic approach for HT complicated by AF.

ObjectiveTo analyze the effects of the progestin-primed ovarian stimulation （PPOS） protocol on embryo euploidy rate and clinical pregnancy outcomes in infertile patients. MethodsWomen who underwent Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy （PGT-A） cycles were selected as study participants （a total of 656 cycles and 3 081 blastocysts）. Participants were divided into two age groups （≤35 years and >35 years） and further stratified by ovarian stimulation protocol： the Progestin-Primed Ovarian Stimulation （PPOS） group （n=48 and 60， respectively）， the Luteal Phase Long Protocol （LP） group （n=160 and 57， respectively）， and the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Antagonist Protocol （AP） group （n=220 and 111， respectively）. Baseline characteristics， ovarian stimulation outcomes， and embryo development parameters were compared among the three protocols within each age group. Additionally， clinical pregnancy outcomes of the first frozen embryo transfer （FET） cycle were compared. The primary outcome measure was the embryo euploidy rate. Results① In the ≤35 years age group， baseline follicle-stimulating hormone （bFSH） levels were significantly higher in the PPOS group compared to the LP and AP groups， and the bFSH/bLH ratio was significantly higher in the PPOS group than in the AP group （P < 0.05）. In the >35 years age group， bFSH levels in both the PPOS and AP groups were significantly higher than in the LP group （P < 0.05）.② In the ≤35 years group， there were no significant differences in the rates of metaphase II （MII） oocytes， 2-pronuclei （2 PN） zygotes， cleavage， 2 PN cleavage， blastocyst formation， high-quality embryos， or embryo euploidy between the PPOS group and either the LP or AP groups. However， the PPOS group showed significantly lower values for the following parameters compared to the other two groups： total oocytes retrieved， number of MII oocytes， number of 2 PN zygotes， number of cleaved embryos， number of 2 PN cleaved embryos， number of blastocysts formed， number of high-quality embryos， number of high-grade blastocysts， number of transferable embryos， number of cryopreserved embryos， number of biopsied blastocysts， number of euploid embryos， and the rate of obtaining at least one euploid embryo. In the >35 years group， no significant differences were observed among the PPOS， LP， and AP groups in the rates of MII oocytes， 2 PN cleavage， blastocyst formation， or in the number of euploid embryos， euploidy rate， and the rate of obtaining at least one euploid embryo. However， the PPOS group had significantly lower numbers of total oocytes retrieved， MII oocytes， 2 PN zygotes， cleaved embryos， 2 PN cleaved embryos， blastocysts formed， transferable embryos， and cryopreserved embryos compared to the LP group （P<0.05）. The high-quality embryo rate was significantly lower in the PPOS group than in the AP group （P<0.05）. The numbers of high-quality embryos， high-grade blastocysts， and biopsied blastocysts were significantly lower in the PPOS group than in both the LP and AP groups （P<0.05）. Notably， the 2 PN fertilization rate was significantly higher in the PPOS group than in the AP group， and the cleavage rate was significantly higher in the PPOS group than in both the LP and AP groups （P<0.05）.③ No significant differences were found among the three groups in the biochemical pregnancy rate， clinical pregnancy rate， live birth rate， early miscarriage rate， and late miscarriage rate following the first FET cycle. ConclusionCompared to the other two protocols， the PPOS protocol does not significantly affect embryo euploidy or clinical pregnancy rates. However， in freeze-all cycles with PGT-A， the PPOS protocol does not reduce the rate of chromosomally normal embryos but may decrease the total number of available embryos. It may not be the optimal choice for younger women， but it can be considered as a viable option for women of advanced maternal age.

ObjectiveTo focused on patients with unexplained repeated implantation failure （URIF） and compare the clinical efficacy of different administration routes of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor （G-CSF） in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles. MethodsA retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 187 patients with URIF who received medical treatment were enrolled in this study. According to whether G-CSF was used on the day of endometrial transformation and its administration route in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles， the patients were divided into three groups： control group （without G-CSF， n=71）， subcutaneous injection group （subcutaneous G-CSF， n=72）， and intrauterine infusion group （intrauterine G-CSF infusion， n=44）. The pregnancy outcomes among the three groups were compared， and Logistic regression analysis was performed. ResultsThere were significant differences in biochemical pregnancy rates among the three groups （P<0.05）， indicating statistical significance in the overall comparison. In terms of numerical trend， the biochemical pregnancy rate was in the order： subcutaneous injection group > intrauterine infusion group > control group. Further pairwise comparison showed that only the difference between the subcutaneous injection group and the control group was statistically significant （P<0.017）， while no significant differences were found between the other groups （P>0.017）. The overall comparison of early miscarriage rates among the three groups also showed a significant difference （P<0.05）， indicating a statistically significant difference in the distribution among the groups. The numerical trend was： intrauterine perfusion group > subcutaneous injection group > control group. Pairwise comparison results showed that only the difference between the intrauterine perfusion group and the control group was statistically significant （P<0.017）， while there was no statistically significant difference between any other two groups （P>0.017）.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that endometrial thickness on the day of transformation， number of transferred embryos， and subcutaneous G-CSF injection were independent factors associated with an increased biochemical pregnancy rate， where as age was an independent factor for a decreased biochemical pregnancy rate. For clinical pregnancy outcome， endometrial thickness on the day of transformation， number of transferred embryos， and subcutaneous G-CSF injection were also independent factors for an increased clinical pregnancy rate， while BMI was an independent factor for a decreased clinical pregnancy rate. ConclusionSubcutaneous injection of G-CSF only improved the biochemical pregnancy rate in URIF patients. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that subcutaneous G-CSF injection was a favorable factor for clinical pregnancy rate in URIF patients； however， no significant improvement in clinical pregnancy rate was observed among the three groups. Both the comparison of pregnancy outcomes and the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicates that intrauterine perfusion of G-CSF has no significant therapeutic effect in the treatment of patients with URIF.

Abdominal war trauma is a common and high-risk type of injury in the modern battlefield,with rapid changes in condition and a high mortality rate.There is an urgent need for emerging medical technologies to improve the efficiency and success rate of first aid for military casualties.With the development of artificial intelligence(AI),5G,and other emerging technologies,the concept of intelligent medical treatment is gradually forming and can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal trauma.This paper reviews the characteristics of abdominal war trauma in modern wars,discusses the application of intelligent medical treatment for abdominal war trauma and its drawbacks to be solved,aiming to provide reference for research related to abdominal war trauma.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic left hemi-fundoplica-tion for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Method:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 45 patients with GERD who were admitted to Hebei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from July 2019 to July 2022 were collected. There were 26 males and 19 females, aged (46±12) years. All patients underwent laparoscopic left hemi-fundoplication. Observation indicators: (1) intraoperative and postoperative conditions; (2) follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed as Mean± SD. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers. The paired samples t-test was used for comparison of indicators before and after surgery. Result:(1) Intraoperative and postoperative conditions. All 45 patients successfully underwent the operation, with no conversion to open surgery or intraoperative complications. The operation time was (86±8)minutes, volume of intraoperative blood loss was (12±3)mL, and time to postoperative first flatus was (2.2±0.8)days. Among the 45 patients after surgery, 4 cases had fever, 3 cases had retrosternal dull pain and discomfort, 4 cases had dysphagia, 3 cases had abdominal distension, and 5 cases had constipation. All these symptoms were cured or relieved spontaneously after sympto-matic treatment. The duration of postoperative hospital stay was (3.5±0.5)days. There was no patient with infection, delayed bleeding or perforation.(2) Follow-up. All 45 patients were followed up for 1 year after surgery, with no recurrence of GERD. Gastroscopy showed no esophageal mucosal damage such as erosion or ulcer, and no hiatal hernia occurred. Before surgery, the reflux symptom index score, GERD questionnaire score, reflux disease questionnaire score, lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure, and DeMeester score of 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring were 24.3±1.9, 12.5±2.1,20.1±4.5, (7.1±1.1)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), and 31.4±6.4, respectively. At 1 year after surgery, the above indicators were 2.2±0.7, 6.5±0.5, 4.0±2.6, (23.2±2.9)mmHg, and 6.0±1.4, respectively. There were significant differences before and after surgery ( t=80.75, 18.70,20.09, -33.45, 26.15, P<0.05). Conclusion:Laparoscopic left hemi-fundoplication is safe and feasible for GERD, which can improve the clinical symptoms of patients.

The relationship between hyperuricemia (HUA) and erectile dysfunction (ED) remains inadequately understood. Given that HUA is often associated with various metabolic disorders, this study aims to explore the multivariate linear impacts of metabolic parameters on erectile function in ED patients with HUA. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving 514 ED patients with HUA in the Department of Andrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine (Nanjing, China), aged 18 to 60 years. General demographic information, medical history, and laboratory results were collected to assess metabolic disturbances. Sexual function was evaluated using the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Based on univariate analysis, variables associated with IIEF-5 scores were identified, and the correlations between them were evaluated. The effects of these variables on IIEF-5 scores were further explored by multiple linear regression models. Fasting plasma glucose ( β = -0.628, P < 0.001), uric acid ( β = -0.552, P < 0.001), triglycerides ( β = -0.088, P = 0.047), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( β = -0.164, P = 0.027), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; β = -0.562, P = 0.012), and smoking history ( β = -0.074, P = 0.037) exhibited significant negative impacts on erectile function. The coefficient of determination ( R ²) for the model was 0.239, and the adjusted R ² was 0.230, indicating overall statistical significance ( F -statistic = 26.52, P < 0.001). Metabolic parameters play a crucial role in the development of ED. Maintaining normal metabolic indices may aid in the prevention and improvement of erectile function in ED patients with HUA.
Humans ; Male ; Erectile Dysfunction/metabolism* ; Hyperuricemia/metabolism* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Glycated Hemoglobin/metabolism* ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Uric Acid/blood* ; Young Adult ; Triglycerides/blood* ; Adolescent ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood* ; Penile Erection/physiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Based on the China-VHD database, this study sought to develop and validate a Valvular Heart Disease- specific Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index (VHD-ACI) for predicting mortality risk in patients with VHD. METHODS & RESULTS: The China-VHD study was a nationwide, multi-centre multi-centre cohort study enrolling 13,917 patients with moderate or severe VHD across 46 medical centres in China between April-June 2018. After excluding cases with missing key variables, 11,459 patients were retained for final analysis. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality, with 941 deaths (10.0%) observed during follow-up. The VHD-ACI was derived after identifying 13 independent mortality predictors: cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary artery hypertension, low body weight, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal insufficiency, moderate/severe hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, cancer, NYHA functional class and age. The index exhibited good discrimination (AUC, 0.79) and calibration (Brier score, 0.062) in the total cohort, outperforming both EuroSCORE II and ACCI (P < 0.001 for comparison). Internal validation through 100 bootstrap iterations yielded a C statistic of 0.694 (95% CI: 0.665-0.723) for 2-year mortality prediction. VHD-ACI scores, as a continuous variable (VHD-ACI score: adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.263 (1.245-1.282), P < 0.001) or categorized using thresholds determined by the Yoden index (VHD-ACI ≥ 9 vs. < 9, adjusted HR (95% CI): 6.216 (5.378-7.184), P < 0.001), were independently associated with mortality. The prognostic performance remained consistent across all VHD subtypes (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid valve disease, mixed aortic/mitral valve disease and multiple VHD), and clinical subgroups stratified by therapeutic strategy, LVEF status (preserved vs. reduced), disease severity and etiology. CONCLUSION The VHD-ACI is a simple 13-comorbidity algorithm for the prediction of mortality in VHD patients and providing a simple and rapid tool for risk stratification.

This study analyzes the global patents development and clinical applications of photon counting CT (PCCT) technology in the past 20 years, including the trends of global patent application, the patent portfolio planning, key innovations and technological evolution of top medical device companies. The study utilizes patent retrievals in incoPat database, and then carries out patent navigation analysis. At the same time, with reports of clinical trials and research, the advantages and prospects of PCCT in clinical diagnosis are sorted out. With the rapid growth of the number of patent applications for PCCT, the technologies and clinical trials are becoming increasingly mature. It is expected that in the next few years, more PCCT products will be launched to the market, bringing a more accurate and safe diagnostic experience to radiologists and patients.
Patents as Topic ; Photons ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of acupuncture on advanced cancer patients by meta-analysis. METHODS: Nine databases (the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and WanFang Data) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture in advanced cancer patients published from inception to February 13, 2023 and updated to June 1, 2023. Primary outcomes were quality of life (QOL), while secondary outcomes were pain, fatigue, and adverse events (side effects). Data synthesis was performed using RevMan V.5.3 to calculate pooled effect sizes. RoB-2 was used for the risk of bias, and the quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool. RESULTS: Totally 17 RCTs involving 1,178 participants were included, 15 of which were pooled for meta-analysis. Most studies demonstrated some concern for the overall risk of bias. The pooled data indicated that acupuncture was associated with improved QOL [mean difference (MD)=6.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.09 to 8.26], pain (MD=-1.18, 95% CI -2.28 to -0.08), and adverse events (risk ratio=0.30, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.57) compared with control groups. Fatigue outcome was not included. Heterogeneity was substantial, and GRADE evidence was very low for both QOL and pain. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture could benefit patients with advanced cancer and is considered safe compared with usual care. However, the evidence regarding QOL and pain outcomes requires further validation. It is crucial to encourage the development of high-quality studies to strengthen this evidence. (Registry No. CRD42023423539).
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Neoplasms/therapy* ; Quality of Life ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome