Background: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic inflammatory scalp disorder associated with Malassezia dysbiosis and increased sebum production. AMPamide has been suggested to have anti-inflammatory and sebum-regulating effects, but its clinical efficacy and microbiome-modulating effects in SD remain unclear. Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and scalp microbiome changes following 4 weeks of use of an AMPamide-containing shampoo in patients with SD. Methods: In this observational study, 30 patients with SD applied an AMPamide-containing shampoo for 4 consecutive weeks. Clinical outcomes, including sebum levels and overall severity scores, were assessed. Scalp bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed to evaluate α- and β-diversity and changes in Malassezia composition. Results: Treatment resulted in significant reductions in sebum levels and clinical severity scores, particularly in erythema, dandruff, and pruritus. Bacterial community composition remained largely stable, while fungal α-diversity increased, and β-diversity analysis revealed a decrease in the ratio of Malassezia restricta to Malassezia globosa. Conclusion AMPamide-containing shampoo was associated with improved clinical symptoms and a shift toward a more balanced fungal community composition in patients with SD, supporting its potential as a non-steroidal therapeutic option for SD.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GP) regimen in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor sintilimab as neoadjuvant therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients and the feasibility of the following selective bladder sparing surgery. Materials and Methods: Patients with histopathologically confirmed urothelial carcinoma without distant metastases (T2-4a, N ≤ 1, M0, American Joint Committee of Cancer 8th) and with adequate organ function will be enrolled. The therapeutic regimen was sintilimab 200 mg once on day 8, gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 and cisplatin 35 mg/m2 once on days 1 and 8, every 21 days for four cycles. The primary endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR, pT0N0) rate. The secondary end points were ypT < 2 rate, R0 resection rate, event-free survival, and safety. Results: From May 4, 2020, to May 20, 2023, 55 patients were enrolled. Forty-six patients were evaluated for efficacy. Among the 42 patients who underwent surgery, 16 patients (38.0%) achieved pCR. Thirty-three patients (78.6%) achieved pT < 2. With a median follow-up of 15.7 months, the 1-year event-free survival was 91.3%. Notwithstanding the poor pathological baseline characteristic of a high T3-T4a proportion (39.1%), a promising bladder preservation (including 22 patients transurethral resection of bladder tumor, 5 patients partial cystectomy, and 4 surveillances) rate was achieved (67.4%). The most common grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events was neutropenia (n=15, 27.3%), which was related to chemotherapy. There were no grade 3 immune-related adverse events. Conclusion Neoadjuvant GP plus sintilimab is a promising regimen for MIBC patients, with relatively high pT < 2 rate and triggering the emerging roles for the multi-disciplinary team decision-making for bladder sparing surgery.

Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.

Atherosclerosis (AS) remains the core pathological basis underlying the high incidence and high rates of mortality and disability associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) worldwide. Its essence is not merely lipid deposition, but rather an immune-mediated disease of the vascular wall characterized by an interplay of lipid metabolism disorders and chronic inflammation, with damage to vascular endothelial cells serving as the initiating event. As the disease progresses, it involves complex synergistic interactions among various cellular components, including endothelial cells, macrophages, and inflammatory cells, ultimately leading to plaque formation, instability, and even fatal thrombotic events. In recent years, the central driving role of lipid metabolic reprogramming in the progression of AS has garnered increasing attention from the scientific community. Among the vast array of lipid molecules, long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) have become a primary focus of research due to their exceptional physiological functions. Traditional views have primarily emphasized the basic physiological functions of LCFAs: serving as highly efficient energy substrates through mitochondrial β-oxidation and acting as key structural components of cellular phospholipid membranes. However, emerging evidence clearly indicates that the functions of LCFAs extend far beyond those of mere metabolic fuel. They also act as potent bioactive signaling molecules, playing an indispensable multidimensional role in the pathogenesis of AS. Equally noteworthy and representing a paradigm shift in cardiovascular research is the emerging theory of the “gut-heart axis”. This theoretical framework views the human gut microbiota—comprising trillions of microorganisms—as a critical and metabolically active “bioreactor”. A wealth of clinical and multi-cohort epidemiological studies have conclusively demonstrated that imbalances in the composition and function of the gut microbiota are highly correlated with the clinical risk and severity of AS. Within this axis, the gut microbiota serves as the primary processing hub for dietary lipids. It actively participates in the digestion and biochemical remodeling of LCFAs, thereby altering their saturation and chemical structure and generating a wide variety of gut microbial metabolites. The effects of these gut-derived lipid metabolites extend far beyond the local intestinal microenvironment. Upon entering the bloodstream, these circulating microbiota metabolites act as endocrine signals. Given the extreme complexity of the underlying mechanisms, a comprehensive elucidation of the synergistic and bidirectional interactions between LCFAs and the gut microbiota in vascular pathology is particularly urgent. Therefore, this article aims to provide a systematic review of the multidimensional regulatory mechanisms of LCFAs and their associated gut microbiota metabolites in the onset, progression, and clinical manifestations of AS. By thoroughly exploring the interaction patterns within the “LCFAs-gut microbiota-AS” triad, this review seeks to fundamentally expand our understanding of the pathogenesis of CVDs. More importantly, translating these mechanistic insights into clinical practice holds tremendous promise. We hope to provide a solid theoretical foundation for the future development of novel AS prevention and treatment strategies based on non-traditional approaches. These include precision nutritional interventions (i.e., dietary lipid intake plans tailored to an individual’s unique microbiome profile) and targeted microbiome modulation therapies (such as next-generation probiotics, prebiotics, or specific metabolite supplements). Targeting the gut as a “reactor” to treat vascular wall lesions represents a promising direction for future cardiovascular medicine.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and mechanisms of Fangji Fulingtang （FFD） on mitochondrial function in the mouse model of myocardial fibrosis （MF）. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into six groups （n=10 per group）： control， model， low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose （3.315， 6.63， and 13.26 g·kg^-1， respectively） FFD， and captopril （20 mg·kg^-1）. MF was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol （10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） in other groups except the control group for 14 consecutive days， with simultaneous gavage of corresponding drugs. Left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and left ventricular fractional shortening （LVFS） were measured by echocardiography. Serum levels of creatine kinase-MB （CK-MB）， cardiac troponin I （cTnI）， N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-pro BNP）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and glutathione （GSH） levels were measured by biochemical assays. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected by dihydroethidium （DHE） fluorescence staining. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Masson's trichrome， and wheat germ agglutinin （WGA） staining were performed to evaluate myocardial structure and fibrosis. Mitochondrial ultrastructure and function were assessed by transmission electron microscopy， adenosine triphosphate （ATP） colorimetric assay， and JC-1 fluorescence staining. The protein levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α subunit （p-AMPKα）， AMPKα， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， mitofusin 2 （MFN2）， pyruvate kinase M2 isoform （PKM2）， lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA）， and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha （HIF-1α） were analyzed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited decreased LVEF and LVFS， increased heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.01）， elevated levels of myocardial injury markers （CK-MB， cTnI， and NT-pro BNP）， inflammatory cytokines （TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6）， and MDA， along with reduced SOD and GSH levels （P<0.01）. Enhanced interstitial collagen deposition and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were observed in the model group （P<0.01）. Transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining revealed mitochondrial swelling， crista disruption， decreased ATP content， and reduced red/green fluorescence ratio in the model group （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis demonstrated downregulation of p-AMPKα， PGC-1α， and MFN2 and upregulation of PKM2， LDHA， and HIF-1α in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， treatment with FFD or captopril improved LVEF and LVFS， reduced heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）， lowered the serum levels of CK-MB， cTnI， NT-pro BNP， TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and MDA， increased the SOD and GSH levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， attenuated the myocardial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy （P<0.01）， and restored the mitochondrial ultrastructure. The medium and high-dose FFD groups as well as the captopril group showed increased ATP production and red/green fluorescence ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， FFD upregulated the expression of p-AMPKα and PGC-1α while downregulating the expression of LDHA and HIF-1α （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionFFD activates the AMPK/PGC-1α/MFN2 signaling pathway and inhibits the PKM2/LDHA/HIF-1α axis to restore mitochondrial function and energy metabolic homeostasis， thereby attenuating isoproterenol-induced myocardial fibrosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and mechanisms of Fangji Fulingtang （FFD） on mitochondrial function in the mouse model of myocardial fibrosis （MF）. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into six groups （n=10 per group）： control， model， low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose （3.315， 6.63， and 13.26 g·kg^-1， respectively） FFD， and captopril （20 mg·kg^-1）. MF was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol （10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） in other groups except the control group for 14 consecutive days， with simultaneous gavage of corresponding drugs. Left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and left ventricular fractional shortening （LVFS） were measured by echocardiography. Serum levels of creatine kinase-MB （CK-MB）， cardiac troponin I （cTnI）， N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-pro BNP）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and glutathione （GSH） levels were measured by biochemical assays. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected by dihydroethidium （DHE） fluorescence staining. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Masson's trichrome， and wheat germ agglutinin （WGA） staining were performed to evaluate myocardial structure and fibrosis. Mitochondrial ultrastructure and function were assessed by transmission electron microscopy， adenosine triphosphate （ATP） colorimetric assay， and JC-1 fluorescence staining. The protein levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α subunit （p-AMPKα）， AMPKα， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， mitofusin 2 （MFN2）， pyruvate kinase M2 isoform （PKM2）， lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA）， and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha （HIF-1α） were analyzed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited decreased LVEF and LVFS， increased heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.01）， elevated levels of myocardial injury markers （CK-MB， cTnI， and NT-pro BNP）， inflammatory cytokines （TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6）， and MDA， along with reduced SOD and GSH levels （P<0.01）. Enhanced interstitial collagen deposition and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were observed in the model group （P<0.01）. Transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining revealed mitochondrial swelling， crista disruption， decreased ATP content， and reduced red/green fluorescence ratio in the model group （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis demonstrated downregulation of p-AMPKα， PGC-1α， and MFN2 and upregulation of PKM2， LDHA， and HIF-1α in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， treatment with FFD or captopril improved LVEF and LVFS， reduced heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）， lowered the serum levels of CK-MB， cTnI， NT-pro BNP， TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and MDA， increased the SOD and GSH levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， attenuated the myocardial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy （P<0.01）， and restored the mitochondrial ultrastructure. The medium and high-dose FFD groups as well as the captopril group showed increased ATP production and red/green fluorescence ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， FFD upregulated the expression of p-AMPKα and PGC-1α while downregulating the expression of LDHA and HIF-1α （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionFFD activates the AMPK/PGC-1α/MFN2 signaling pathway and inhibits the PKM2/LDHA/HIF-1α axis to restore mitochondrial function and energy metabolic homeostasis， thereby attenuating isoproterenol-induced myocardial fibrosis.

Background: With growing elderly populations, management of patients with acute stroke is increasingly important. In South Korea, the Acute Stroke Quality Assessment Program (ASQAP) has contributed to improving the quality of stroke care and practice behavior in healthcare institutions. While the mortality of hemorrhagic stroke remains high, there are only a few assessment indices associated with hemorrhagic stroke. Considering the need to develop assessment indices to improve the actual quality of care in the field of acute stroke treatment, this study aims to investigate the current status of human resources and practices related to the treatment of patients with acute stroke through a nationwide survey. Methods: For the healthcare institutions included in the Ninth ASQAP of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), data from January 2022 to December 2022 were collected through a survey on the current status and practice of healthcare providers related to the treatment of patients with acute stroke. The questionnaire consisted of 19 items, including six items on healthcare providers involved in stroke care and 10 items on the care of patients with acute stroke. Results: In the treatment of patients with hemorrhagic stroke among patients with acute stroke, neurosurgeons were the most common providers. The contribution of neurosurgeons in the treatment of ischemic stroke has also been found to be equivalent to that of neurologists. However, a number of institutions were found to be devoid of healthcare providers who perform definitive treatments, such as intra-arterial thrombectomy for patients with ischemic stroke or cerebral aneurysm clipping for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The intensity of the workload of healthcare providers involved in the care of patients with acute stroke, especially those involved in definitive treatment, was also found to be quite high. Conclusion Currently, there are almost no assessment indices specific to hemorrhagic stroke in the ASQAP for acute stroke. Furthermore, it does not reflect the reality of the healthcare providers and practices that provide definitive treatment for acute stroke. The findings of this study suggest the need for the development of appropriate assessment indices that reflect the realities of acute stroke care.

Objectives: To investigate the causal factors of proximal contact loss (PCL) between an implant prosthesis and the adjacent natural teeth using cast model analysis. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent restoration using dental implants in the posterior region were analyzed. To identify factors associated with PCL incidence, cast model analyses were conducted based on sex, implant site, jaw position, Angle’s classification, anterior overbite, preexisting interproximal gap between consecutive (mesial side) natural teeth adjacent to the implant, generalized gap of the full arch, and mandibular anterior crowding. Chi-square, multivariate logistic regression, and multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses were used to evaluate the impact of each factor. The incidence of PCL over time was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: Of 653 implants, 293 implants were selected from 240 patients. Ninety implant sites (30.7%) showed PCL between the implant prostheses and the adjacent teeth. The analysis of PCL incidence revealed a gradual increase over time, with half of PCL cases occurring by 19.2 months. The chisquare test revealed significant associations between a pre-existing interproximal gap between adjacent natural teeth and a generalized overall gap in the corresponding arch and PCL (P=0.002 and P=0.027). The logistic regression (P=0.007, odds ratio [OR]: 2.684) and GEE (P=0.003, OR: 3.255) showed significant correlations between PCL and a pre-existing interproximal gap between adjacent natural teeth. Conclusion The occurrence of PCL between implant prostheses and adjacent teeth is influenced by the pre-existing interproximal gap between consecutive natural teeth adjacent to the implant. This factor should be carefully monitored.

Objectives: To evaluate the factors that influence the survival of dental implants and marginal bone loss (MBL) in patients taking osteoporosis or osteopenia medication. Materials and Methods: This study included patients who underwent dental implant treatment after taking medication for osteoporosis or osteopenia. Electronic medical records were used to collect data of patient age, sex, age at osteoporosis or osteopenia diagnosis, types of medications, age at medication initiation, duration of medication before implant surgery, whether the medication was paused before surgery, paused duration of medication, implant survival status, and MBL before and after prosthetic treatment. Firth’s logistic regression was used to analyze the relationships between each variable and implant survival as well as between MBL before and after prosthetic treatment. Results: Of the 267 patients, 111 with 209 implants were included in the study. The mean observation period was 57.9 months. The survival rate was 92.8% at the patient level and 96.2% at the implant level. No significant associations were found between implant survival and any of the variablesexamined. MBL before prosthetic treatment was significantly associated with use of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) inhibitors(P=0.032) and bone formation stimulators (P=0.022). Comparing the concurrent and single use of bisphosphonates and RANKL inhibitors, only the use of RANKL inhibitors alone was significantly associated with MBL before prosthetic treatment (P=0.039). MBL after prosthetic treatment was significantly associated with injection method among the routes of drug administration (P=0.011). Conclusion The implant survival rate in patients undergoing medical treatment for osteoporosis or osteopenia was comparable to the general implant survival rate. MBL before prosthetic treatment was associated with type of anti-osteoporotic medication, whereas MBL after prosthetic treatment was correlated with drug administration route. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effects and mechanism of Xiangsha yiwei tang on gastric mucosal injury in rats with chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG）. METHODS Rats were randomly assigned into normal control group， model group， Xiangsha yiwei tang low-， medium- and high-dose groups （6， 12， 18 g/kg， calculated by crude drug）， and high-dose group of Xiangsha yiwei tang+740 Y-P [Xiangsha yiwei tang 18 g/kg+transforming growth factor β1/phosphatidyl inositol 3 kinase/ protein kinase B（TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt） pathway activator group 740 Y-P 10 mg/kg]， with 18 rats in each group. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drugs via oral gavage or injection， once daily， for 4 consecutive weeks. Gastric mucosal blood flow， the levels of serum gastrointestinal hormones [including motilin （MTL）， gastrin （GAS）， and pepsinogen （PP）]， as well as inflammatory cytokines [including tumor necrosis factor- α （TNF- α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-6] in rats were measured. Pathological damage to gastric mucosal tissue was observed in rats； the apoptotic rate of gastric mucosal cells was detected. The expressions of TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins and apoptosis-related proteins [including B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）] in the gastric mucosal tissues of rats were assessed. RESULTS Compared with normal control group， model group had abnormal gastric mucosal tissue structure， with shedding of gastric mucosal epithelial cells， and prominent infiltration of inflammatory cells. Gastric mucosal blood flow， the serum levels of MTL， GAS， PP， and Bcl-2 protein expression were lowered significantly， while serum levels of TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6， apoptosis rate， protein expressions of Bax and TGF-β1， the phosphorylations of PI3K and Akt were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， Xiangsha yiwei decoction groups exhibited attenuated histopathological injuries in gastric mucosal tissues， reduced inflammatory cell infiltration， and significant improvements in the aforementioned quantitative parameters （P＜0.05）. Compared with high-dose group of Xiangsha yiwei tang， high-dose group of Xiangsha yiwei decoction combined with 740 Y-P exhibited significantly aggravated histopathological injuries in gastric mucosal tissues， and the aforementioned quantitative parameters were markedly reversed （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Xiangsha yiwei tang can alleviate gastric mucosal damage in CAG rats， and its mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.