The disease-syndrome combination animal model in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） andrology serves as an important bridge linking TCM theory with modern medical research， providing a key experimental platform for elucidating the 'syndrome-disease' correlation mechanism in male-specific diseases and for screening effective prescriptions. This article reviews recent progress in animal model research on common TCM andrological diseases， including prostatic diseases， sexual dysfunction， and male infertility， with a focus on analyzing the application， advantages， and disadvantages of various modeling strategies， such as immune induction， hormonal intervention， and multi-factor combination across different syndrome types. However， despite breakthroughs in model construction techniques， current research still faces several challenges， including insufficient standardization of syndrome differentiation and difficulties in quantifying TCM-specific indicators. Future studies need to optimize model evaluation systems by integrating modern technologies， in order to promote the standardization and internationalization of TCM andrology research.

Background/Aims: Belching can occur either independently or concurrently with reflux symptoms. This study aims to explore the relationship between belching and reflux and explore the underlying mechanisms involved. Methods: Firstly, patients with isolated belching symptoms or concurrent belching and reflux symptoms were retrospectively enrolled. High-resolution esophageal impedance manometry (HRIM) and 24-hour pH impedance monitoring were used to assess belching types and temporal relationship between belching and reflux. Secondly, subjects with belching disorder were prospectively recruited. Postprandial HRIM monitoring was used to clarify the relationship and underlying mechanisms between belching and reflux. Results: In the initial phase, 139 subjects were enrolled. Regardless of patients' symptom spectrum (with or without gastroesophageal reflux symptoms), the proportion of preceding-reflux belching was significantly higher in those with objective evidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease, compared to those without (both P < 0.05), which indicated that belching could trigger reflux events and led to more severe reflux burden. To clarify the potential mechanisms involved, 44 belching subjects were prospectively enrolled in the second phase of this study. HRIM analysis demonstrated that maximum intragastric pressure, gastric–lower esophageal sphincter pressure gradient and gastric–esophageal pressure gradient were significantly higher in preceding-reflux belching than those in independent belching. Conclusions This study demonstrated that belching might trigger reflux by increasing intragastric pressure, elevating the gastric-sphincter pressure gradient, which enables gastric contents to pass through the esophagogastric junction.These findings have crucial clinical significance, suggesting that reducing the occurrence of belching might be a potential treatment for refractory reflux.

Liver cancer (LC) remains one of the most prevalent tumors globally. Despite considerable advancements in its clinical treatment in recent years, the global burden of this disease is projected to increase. According to World Health Organization statistics, the number of LC deaths worldwide in 2022 was 760,000, ranking third among all cancers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to delve deeper into the realms of LC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Proteomics, as an emerging technology leveraging mass spectrometry (MS)-based protein identification, liquid chromatography separation, and bioinformatics-driven data integration, enables the systematic characterization of proteome dynamics to address critical challenges in LC research. These challenges include the discovery of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets. By scrutinizing the expression of specific proteins in both normal and cancerous tissues through high-throughput protein microarrays, researchers can uncover novel biomarkers. The use of these biomarkers alone or in combination with established ones holds the potential to significantly advance the fields of LC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In general, the application of proteomics has significantly promoted the development of LC research. In this review, we summarized the latest advancements in the application of proteomics in LC, with a particular focus on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We also concluded selected protein markers, aiming to offer guidance for further applications and present additional therapeutic targets for LC.

AIM:To investigate the dynamic changes in ocular surface function after eyelid malignant tumor resection combined with Hughes flap reconstruction.

METHODS:A prospective self-controlled study was conducted. Patients who underwent eyelid malignant tumor resection combined with Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap reconstruction(all tumors occured in the lower eyelid)at Shanxi Eye Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were enrolled. The contralateral healthy eye served as control. Ocular surface examinations were performed preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo postoperatively, including ocular surface disease index(OSDI), tear meniscus height(TMH), non-invasive average tear film break-up time(NiaBUT), tear film lipid layer grading, upper and lower eyelid meibomian gland dropout grading, corneal fluorescein staining, and eye redness index.

RESULTS:A total of 36 patients were enrolled. Two patients were lost to follow-up because they did not complete the scheduled follow-up period, leaving 34 patients with complete data for analysis. The cohort comprised 10 men(29%)and 24 women(71%), with a mean age of 70.08±10.92 y(range 33-81 y). Histopathological diagnoses included basal cell carcinoma(BCC)in 22 eyes(65%), sebaceous gland carcinoma(SGC)in 10 eyes(29%), and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)in 2 eyes(6%). Tumor size ranged from 4 to 30 mm(mean 12.64±0.31 mm). According to the AJCC staging system, 14 eyes(41%), 18 eyes(53%), and 2 eyes(6%)were classified as T1b, T2b, and T3b, respectively. Preoperatively, OSDI scores were higher in surgical eyes than in contralateral healthy eyes(28.74±13.72 vs 17.47±3.02, P<0.05). OSDI scores in surgical eyes further increased at 6, 9, and 12 mo postoperatively, peaking at 9 mo(all P<0.05), whereas no significant postoperative changes were observed in contralateral healthy eyes. Compared with contralateral healthy eyes, TMH in surgical eyes increased significantly at 3 mo postoperatively and remained elevated thereafter despite a slight decline(all P<0.05). NiaBUT in surgical eyes was shorter than the preoperative value from 3 mo postoperatively onward and was lower than that in contralateral healthy eyes(all P<0.05). Eye redness index in surgical eyes were consistently higher than those in contralateral healthy eyes(all P<0.001). Tear film lipid layer grade and meibomian gland dropout grades in both the upper and lower eyelids were significantly worsened postoperatively compared with baseline(all P<0.001). Corneal fluorescein staining grades were higher in surgical eyes than in contralateral healthy eyes preoperatively(P<0.001)and were higher at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo postoperatively than at baseline(all P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: After lower eyelid malignant tumor resection combined with Hughes flap reconstruction, evaporative dry eye is the predominant phenotype. Meibomian gland dropout in both upper and lower eyelids appears irreversible within 12 mo postoperatively, and corneal epithelial damage and ocular surface inflammation persist over time.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of telitacicept in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) .Methods:The clinical data of 25 SLE patients who received standard therapy combined with telitacicept at the Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, from 2021 to 2024 were retrospectively collected. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Changes in skin lesions, joint pain symptoms, complete blood count, and biochemical parameters at 4, 12, and 24 weeks of treatment were compared with baseline (week 0). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare complement C3 and C4 levels before and after treatment, and univariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore factors influencing the efficacy of telitacicept.Results:Among the 25 SLE patients, 3 were male (12.0%) and 22 were female (88.0%). Based on the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) -2000 scores, 8 patients were mild, 13 were moderate, and 4 were severe. Of the 11 SLE patients with rashes before treatment, 6 achieved complete remission at 12 weeks. Among the 7 patients with joint pain before treatment, 4 experienced symptom resolution at 24 weeks. The proportion of patients with leukopenia at baseline and at 4, 12, and 24 weeks was 10/25 (40.0%), 0/24 (0), 1/22 (4.5%), and 2/19 (10.5%), respectively. The proportion of patients with thrombocytopenia was 6/25 (24.0%), 3/24 (12.5%), 1/22 (4.5%), and 1/19 (5.3%), respectively, and the proportion of patients with anemia was 7/25 (28.0%), 3/24 (12.5%), 1/22 (4.5%), and 1/19 (5.3%), respectively. At baseline, 11 out of 25 patients (44.0%) had proteinuria. At 12 weeks, the urinary protein quantification level (0.4 [0, 0.6] g/L) was significantly lower than at baseline (0.9 [0.8, 1.2] g/L). The SLE responder index-4 (SRI4) response rates at 4, 12, and 24 weeks were 14/18, 15/17, and 12/14, respectively. Complement C3 and C4 levels were significantly higher at 4, 12, and 24 weeks compared to baseline (all P < 0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, disease duration, glucocorticoid dosage, baseline complement C4 levels, antinuclear antibody titer, and SLEDAI-2K score did not significantly affect the efficacy of telitacicept (SRI4 response rate at 12 weeks) (all P > 0.05). No serious adverse reactions related to telitacicept were observed in patients. Conclusions:Telitacicept improved skin lesions, complement C3 and C4 levels, and anti-double-stranded DNA antibody levels in SLE patients. No association was found between the efficacy of telitacicept and baseline SLEDAI-2K scores, antinuclear antibody titers, or complement C4 levels, suggesting that telitacicept is an effective and safe treatment for SLE patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of three types of twin-block(TB)appliances on the stress and displacement of anterior teeth,periodontal ligaments,and alveolar bone.Methods A three-dimensional(3D)finite element model was constructed,including maxillofacial bones,articular discs,teeth,and periodontal ligaments.Three types of twin-block appliances were designed:classic twin-block(classic-TB),twin-block with acrylic capping(capping-TB),and clear twin-block aligner(CTBA).All appliances had an inclination angle of 70°,and a masticatory force of 200 N was applied to their inclined planes.The finite element method was used to analyze the stress distribution and displacement differences of anterior teeth.Results All three types of TB appliances induced lingual tilting of maxillary anterior teeth and labial tilting of mandibular anterior teeth.The CTBA group showed the greatest lingual displacement and stress of maxillary anterior teeth,with a maximum stress of 30.6 MPa,while the mandibular anterior teeth in this group exhibited the smallest labial displacement(approximately 0.02 mm)and stress.Additionally,the CTBA group had the lowest compressive stress in mandibular anterior teeth,periodontal ligaments,and alveolar bone,whereas the classic-TB group had the highest.Conclusions In the treatment of Angle Class Ⅱ malocclusion,classic-TB(with or without acrylic capping)causes labial inclination of mandibular anterior teeth.Compared with classic-TB,CTBA effectively reduces the compressive stress and displacement of mandibular anterior teeth,potentially minimizing adverse periodontal risks.However,attention should be paid to the lingual displacement of maxillary anterior teeth.

Objective To investigate the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma mechanism of Chloranthus fortunei(A.Gray)Solms-Laub.via network pharmacology,molecular docking techniques and in vitro experiments.Methods Chemical composition of Chloranthus fortunei(A.Gray)Solms-Laub.was searched by literature.Swiss Target Prediction was used to find corresponding targets.STRING was used to construct protein-protein interactions network(PPI).DAVID was used to enrich GO analysis and KEGG pathway.AutoDock Vina 1.1.2 and Pymol visualisation was used for docking and validation.Results Chloranthus fortunei(A.Gray)Solms-Laub.had 61 active components,685 targets,and 279 intersections with disease targets.The PPI showed that the main active components were Luteolin,Chloranthalactone C,Shizukanolide H,Esculetin,7-Hydroxycoumarin.The key targets were GAPDH,VEGFA,STAT3,JUN,HSP90AA1,AKT1,CTNNB1,CASP3,and ALB.Biological process(BP)involved protein phosphorylation,signal transduction,regulation of RNA polymerase II promoter transcription,cell proliferation,apoptosis.Cellular component(CC)involved cytoplasm,nucleus,cell membrane,cellular exosome.Molecular function(MF)involves protein binding,ATPase,threonine kinase,protein kinase activity.KEGG involved cancer pathway,metabolic pathway,PI3K-Akt signalling pathway,cancer proteoglycans,lipids and atherosclerosis,cytomegalovirus infection,microRNAs in cancer,human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1,Ras signalling pathway,MAPK signalling pathway.Molecular docking showed that silverweed lactone H had a strong affinity for each of the other target proteins,indicating that this component plays a key role.The results of RT-qPCR assay and WB assay showed that there were significant differences in gene and protein expression levels before and after drug administration.Conclusion The Chinese medicine in Chloranthus fortunei(A.Gray)Solms-Laub.can treat hepatocellular carcinoma through the MAPK pathway,and the main active ingredients have good docking effects with the core target proteins of the disease.

Bacterial infection is a major threat to global public health,and can cause serious diseases such as bacterial skin infection and foodborne diseases.It is essential to develop a new method to rapidly di-agnose clinical multiple bacterial infections and monitor food microbial contamination in production sites in real-time.In this work,we developed a 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid gold nanoparticles(4-MPBA-AuNPs)-functionalized hydrogel microneedle(MPBA-H-MN)for bacteria detection in skin inter-stitial fluid.MPBA-H-MN could conveniently capture and enrich a variety of bacteria within 5 min.Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS)detection was then performed and combined with ma-chine learning technology to distinguish and identify a variety of bacteria.Overall,the capture efficiency of this method exceeded 50％.In the concentration range of 1 × 10 7 to 1 × 10 10 colony-forming units/mL(CFU/mL),the corresponding SERS intensity showed a certain linear relationship with the bacterial concentration.Using random forest(RF)-based machine learning,bacteria were effectively distinguished with an accuracy of 97.87％.In addition,the harmless disposal of used MNs by photothermal ablation was convenient,environmentally friendly,and inexpensive.This technique provided a potential method for rapid and real-time diagnosis of multiple clinical bacterial infections and for monitoring microbial contamination of food in production sites.

Objective To investigate the impact of gaseous pollutants (SO2,NO2,CO,O3) on hospital admissions,hospitalization costs,and length of stay for cardiovascular diseases in seven cities of Guangdong Province. Methods A total of 2,010,905 patients with cardiovascular diseases from seven cities in Guangdong Province between January 2017 and December 2019 were included. Demographic characteristics and hospitalization data for cardiovascular disease inpatients were obtained from the Guangdong Province Electronic Healthcare Information System. Daily exposure concentrations of SO2,NO2,CO and O3 were extracted from the China High-Air-Pollution Dataset. The impact of air pollutants on cardiovascular diseases in the seven cities of Guangdong Province was estimated using a multi-step time-series analysis. Results SO2,NO2,and CO concentrations on the day of admission (lag0) were positively associated with the risk of cardiovascular admissions,hospitalization costs,and length of stay,with NO2 exhibiting the strongest effect. Additionally,there was a lagged negative impact of NO2 and CO,while O3 concentrations were inversely correlated with the number of cardiovascular admissions,hospitalization costs,and length of stay over the lag0-7 period. Conclusions Short-term exposures to SO2,NO2,and CO are likely positively associated with the disease burden in CVD patients. Furthermore,given the more substantial adverse effects of NO2,enhanced monitoring of NO2 remains essential. However,as this study is retrospective,additional research is warranted.

AIM: To summarize 10 surgical pearls for managing proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)adapted from the ancient Chinese allusions and analyze the application of these pearls in a real-world fashion.METHODS: Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional study. Ten surgical pearls were summarized and adapted from the ancient Chinese philosophy. Totally 346 cases(443 eyes)that underwent pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)at our hospial from January 2016 to February 2024 were selected. Flexible combinations of these pearls were applied according to the specific condition of each patient during surgeries. The efficacy and safety were analyzed, as well as the application frequencies according to the existence of tractional retinal detachment or not.RESULTS: A total of 473 times of surgeries were performed on all the patients. According to ancient Chinese allusions, ten surgical pearls were summarized from these surgeries. All PPVs went smoothly with the application of different combinations. Finally, almost all proliferative membranes were successfully peeled except for 10 patients(11 eyes), who went through strategy No.10(minimal membranectomy)that, only necessary relaxation incisions were made with most of the proliferative membranes left on purpose. The final visual acuities were mostly improved or stable(1.92±0.83 LogMAR preoperatively vs 1.16±0.85 LogMAR postoperatively, P<0.01). Postoperative complications mainly included early inflammatory responses in the anterior chamber and nuclear sclerosis. Recurrent vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, and hyphema or neovascular glaucoma occurred in 1.9%(9/473), 3.2%(15/473), 0.4%(2/473)and 0.4%(2/473)times of PPVs, respectively. After 12/473(2.5%)times of PPVs, retinal detachment at the macular area still existed, and multiple times of subsequent PPVs were conducted. Final retinal attachment at the macular area was realized in 98.9% eyes. Those 5 unattached eyes were with heavily reproliferated membranes and subsequent tractional retinal detachment recurrence under the oil, and three of them were scleral buckled additionally.CONCLUSION:These 10 surgical strategies and technique pearls were mostly effective and safe in the management of severe PDR patients. They were relatively easy to be memorized and applicated once the meaning of each Chinese idiom was understood. One can use different combinations flexibly according to a patient's specific condition.