Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiangtang was first recorded in the Treatise on Cold Damage （Shang Han Lun）. This prescription is composed of Bupleuri Radix， Scutellariae Radix， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Zingiberis Rhizoma， Trichosanthis Radix， Ostreae Concha， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. It has the effects of soothing Lesser Yang， warming the spleen， and stimulating the generation of body fluid. It is mainly used to treat digestive tract diseases such as chronic cholecystitis （CC）， irritable bowel syndrome， and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dyspepsia caused by CC presents a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain， poor appetite， postprandial fullness， aversion to greasy food， soft stool， and bitter mouth， being a type of biliary dyspepsia. In modern medicine， dyspepsia caused by CC is mainly managed by medical treatment and surgical treatment. Internal medicine mainly focuses on reducing inflammation， promoting the function of gallbladder， resolving stones， alleviating spasms， and relieving the pain for CC， demonstrating definite short-term efficacy but suffering from single effects， high recurrence rate， and poor compliance. Although surgical treatment can cure cholecystitis， it is accompanied by the increased incidence of adverse events such as abdominal pain， diarrhea， and dyspepsia. Modern clinical studies have confirmed that Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiangtang can significantly alleviate the symptoms such as abdominal pain and dyspepsia of CC patients. Pharmacological studies have found that Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiangtang mainly contains active ingredients such as Bupleuri Radix saponins， baicalin， cinnamaldehyde， gingerol， Trichosanthis Radix polysaccharide， Ostreae Concha polysaccharide， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma total flavonoids. Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiangtang can ameliorate the symptoms of dyspepsia caused by CC by inhibiting inflammatory responses， improving gallbladder contraction and gastrointestinal motility， regulating the bile acid-intestinal flora axis and the brain-gut axis， and modulating blood lipids through multiple targets. By reviewing the previous literature， this article summarizes the research progress in the treatment of dyspepsia caused by CC with Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiangtang and its main active ingredients as well as the pathogenesis of this disease and puts forward the shortcomings and improvement strategies for the current research. The review aims to provide a reference for the further research on Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiangtang in the treatment of dyspepsia caused by CC.

Testicular histology based on testicular biopsy is an important factor for determining appropriate testicular sperm extraction surgery and predicting sperm retrieval outcomes in patients with azoospermia. Therefore, we developed a deep learning (DL) model to establish the associations between testicular grayscale ultrasound images and testicular histology. We retrospectively included two-dimensional testicular grayscale ultrasound from patients with azoospermia (353 men with 4357 images between July 2017 and December 2021 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China) to develop a DL model. We obtained testicular histology during conventional testicular sperm extraction. Our DL model was trained based on ultrasound images or fusion data (ultrasound images fused with the corresponding testicular volume) to distinguish spermatozoa presence in pathology (SPP) and spermatozoa absence in pathology (SAP) and to classify maturation arrest (MA) and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) in patients with SAP. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were used to analyze model performance. DL based on images achieved an AUC of 0.922 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.908-0.935), a sensitivity of 80.9%, a specificity of 84.6%, and an accuracy of 83.5% in predicting SPP (including normal spermatogenesis and hypospermatogenesis) and SAP (including MA and SCOS). In the identification of SCOS and MA, DL on fusion data yielded better diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.979 (95% CI: 0.969-0.989), a sensitivity of 89.7%, a specificity of 97.1%, and an accuracy of 92.1%. Our study provides a noninvasive method to predict testicular histology for patients with azoospermia, which would avoid unnecessary testicular biopsy.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/diagnostic imaging* ; Deep Learning ; Testis/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Ultrasonography/methods* ; Sperm Retrieval ; Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome/diagnostic imaging*

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a well-accepted therapy for atopic dermatitis (AD). However, there are currently no evidence-based guidelines integrating TCM and Western medicine for the treatment of AD, limiting the clinical application of such combined approaches. Therefore, the China Association of Chinese Medicine initiated the development of the current guideline, focusing on key issues related to the use of TCM in the treatment of AD. This guideline was developed in accordance with the principles of the guideline formulation manual published by the World Health Organization. A comprehensive review of the literature on the combined use of TCM and Western medicine to treat AD was conducted. The findings were extensively discussed by experts in dermatology and pharmacy with expertise in both TCM and Western medicine. This guideline comprises 23 recommendations across seven major areas, including TCM syndrome differentiation and classification of AD, principles and application scenarios of TCM combined with Western medicine for treating AD, outcome indicators for evaluating clinical efficacy of AD treatment, integration of TCM pattern classification and Western medicine across disease stages, daily management of AD, the use of internal TCM therapies and proprietary Chinese medicines, and TCM external treatments. Please cite this article as: Du XR, Wu MY, Tao MC, Lin Y, Gu CY, Wu MF, Cao Y, Chen DC, Li W, Wang HW, Wang Y, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Liu X, Su XF, Li FL. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):641-653.
Dermatitis, Atopic/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Integrative Medicine ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as a transformative surveillance tool for estimating substance consumption and monitoring disease prevalence, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It enables the population-level monitoring of illicit drug use, pathogen prevalence, and environmental pollutant exposure. In this perspective, we summarize the key challenges specific to the Chinese context: (1) Sampling inconsistencies, necessitating standardized 24-hour composite protocols with high-frequency autosamplers (≤ 15 min/event) to improve the representativeness of samples; (2) Biomarker validation, requiring rigorous assessment of excretion profiles and in-sewer stability; (3) Analytical method disparities, demanding inter-laboratory proficiency testing and the development of automated pretreatment instruments; (4) Catchment population dynamics, reducing estimation uncertainties through mobile phone data, flow-based models, or hydrochemical parameters; and (5) Ethical and data management concerns, including privacy risks for small communities, mitigated through data de-identification and tiered reporting platforms. To address these challenges, we propose an integrated framework that features adaptive sampling networks, multi-scale wastewater sample banks, biomarker databases with multidimensional metadata, and intelligent data dashboards. In summary, wastewater-based epidemiology offers unparalleled scalability for equitable health surveillance and can improve the health of the entire population by providing timely and objective information to guide the development of targeted policies.
China/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Wastewater/analysis* ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Public Health ; Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring ; SARS-CoV-2

Objective:To investigate factors influencing frequent episodes (≥ 4 episodes within 1 year) in children with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in China.Methods:A national multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients under the age of 18 years diagnosed with moderate-to-severe AD were enrolled at dermatology clinics in 18 medical institutions across 12 provinces and municipalities in China between June 12 and August 8, 2023. At the time of the visit, their guardians completed a structured questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, clinical features of AD, personal and family history, factors associated with frequent episodes of moderate-to-severe AD, compliance with treatment, and disease awareness. Statistical analyses included t tests, one-way analysis of variance, rank-sum tests, and chi-square tests, with multiple-response analysis applied for multiple-choice questions. Results:A total of 965 valid questionnaires were collected, and 965 children with moderate-to-severe AD were included. Among them, there were 531 males and 434 females, 678 (70.3%) were aged 2 - < 12 years, 837 (86.7%) were from urban areas, the age at onset was 2.47 ± 3.03 years, and the median frequency of AD episodes in the past year was 4 times. These children were divided into 2 groups based on the median episode frequency: < 4-episode group (439 cases, 45.5%) and ≥ 4-episode group (526 cases, 54.5%). Compared with the < 4-episode group, children in the ≥ 4-episode group showed younger ages at onset (2.22 ± 2.98 years vs. 2.76 ± 3.06 years, P = 0.006) and higher proportions of patients with comorbid allergic diseases in both the children themselves (82.9% [436/526] vs. 69.7% [306/439], χ2 = 23.42, P < 0.001) and their relatives (66.0% [347/526] vs. 57.4% [252/439], χ2 = 7.46, P = 0.006). Children in the ≥ 4- episode group also had higher monthly usage of moisturizers (150 [30, 300] g vs. 60 [6, 200] g) and daily frequency of moisturizer use, greater disease awareness, but more severe fear of medication use (all P < 0.05). The region and the human development index level were both significantly associated with the episode frequency (both P < 0.001), with the highest proportion of children from South China in the ≥ 4- episode group (36.3%, 191/526). Children in the ≥ 4-episode group also had a longer duration of topical glucocorticoid use than those in the < 4-episode group ( Z = -2.21, P = 0.027). External triggers associated with AD episodes mainly included heat exposure (50.36%, 486/965), hot water bathing (40.73%, 393/965), seafood (23.52%, 227/965), and dust mites (33.37%, 322/965) . Conclusion:In children with moderate-to-severe AD in China, factors influencing frequent episodes may include residence in southern or economically developed regions, earlier age at onset, having a personal or family history of allergic diseases, and fear of medication use.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective:The aim was to analyze key indicators for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B（CHB），including virus detection rate，standardized treatment rate，and loss to follow-up rate，in order to provide a basis for optimizing diagnosis and treatment plans，improve the diagnosis and treatment level of CHB，and improve patient prognosis.Methods:Patients with CHB admitted to the Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University from January 2024 to January 2025 were enrolled. The datas were collected and organized using Excel. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 software，with a focus on evaluating core indicators such as virus detection rate，standardized treatment rate，and loss to follow-up rate.Results:The positive rate of hepatitis B surface antigen（HBsAg）in non-specific patients was 28.95%，the antiviral treatment rate in specialized patients was 90.78%，and the standardized antiviral drug conversion treatment rate in low-level viremia（LLV）patients was 61.45%. The standardized antiviral drug conversion treatment rates for high-risk patients with combined kidney/bone injuries were 72.75% and 74.40%，respectively. The overall dropout rate was 10.47%，with a dropout rate of 13.80% for LLV patients.Conclusions:The antiviral treatment coverage rates in CHB patients were over 90%，but in certain groups（such as LLV patients and those with kidney or bone injuries），the standardized treatment rates were still low and loss to follow-up rates were high，suggesting the need to improve HBV screening，treatment for special populations，and patient adherence.

Objective:A novel grass-root community screening and management model of hepatitis B was developed in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment rate of hepatitis B in Guangzhou city.Methods:A three-tier collaborative framework［tertiary hospitals-center for disease control and prevention（CDC）-primary care clinics］implemented dual-track screening（fixed-site+mobile units）using rapid hepatitis B surface antigen（HBsAg）testing and structured surveys. Digital closed-loop management integrated screening，referral，and follow-up. Data were analyzed via SPSS 26.0.Results:Among 30 012 community-dwelling adults screened（Male∶Female=1∶1.68），overall HBsAg positive rate was 5.21%（1 565/30 012），peaking in the 50-59-year cohort（ χ2=271.80， P<0.001）. Hepatitis B knowledge awareness was critically low（39.24%）. Of 140 referred HBsAg-positive individuals，15 chronic carriers required no immediate antiviral therapy per guidelines. Treatment linkage surged from 32.8%（41/125）to 86.4%（108/125）post-intervention. aMAP hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC）risk stratification（n=82）revealed low（36.6%），intermediate（32.9%），and high-risk（30.5%）profiles. Conclusions:This coordinated，digitally-enhanced strategy significantly improved hepatitis B detection and treatment access. However，persistent knowledge gaps underscore the imperative for targeted community education and adherence support.

Objective:To explore the safety and long-term efficacy of transvaginal reconstructive pelvic surgery (TVRPS) in ≥70-year-old women with severe pelvic organ prolapse (POP).Methods:A single-center, prospective cohort study was conducted on 343 elderly women patients with severe POP who received TVRPS at the Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA from March 2007 to September 2024. There were 297 cases (86.6%, 297/343) of Ⅲ degree and 46 cases (13.4%, 46/343) of Ⅳ degree prolapse respectively. Among them, anterior pelvic prolapse accounted for 80.8% (277/343), and those with prolapse in two or more sites accounted for 30.0% (103/343). The age was (74.2±3.4) years (range: 70 to 89 years old). There were 300 cases (87.5%, 300/343) with more than one internal medicine disease. Preoperative general conditions were assessed using American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification system (ASA) and American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-frailty index (ACS NSQIP-FI). TVRPS surgeries included transvaginal hysterectomy, salpingooophorectomy, high uterosacral ligament suspension, sacrospinous ligament fixation, native tissue and mesh repair of the anterior and posterior vaginal walls, mid-urethral sling for anti-urinary incontinence, and levator anal muscle folding suture and perineal repair. Perioperative complications were evaluated using Clavien-Dindo classification system. The objective effect of TVRPS was determined based on pelvic organ prolapse quantification system (POP-Q), and the subjective results were evaluated using pelvic floor distress inventory-short form 20 (PFDI-20), pelvic floor impact questionnaire-short form 7 (PFIQ-7) and patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I).Results:All patients had a preoperative ASA grade of ≤gradeⅡ, and ACS NSQIP-FI score of ≤0.27. All patients safely and successfully underwent all TVRPS surgeries. The operation time was (154.2±43.2) minutes. The perioperative morbidity and mortality rate were 0.6% (2/343) and 0 (0/343) respectively. None of the patient needed blood transfusion. The follow-up time was (7.5±4.3) years, with the longest being 17 years. Thirty-four cases (9.9%, 34/343) were lost to follow-up, and 22 cases (6.4%, 22/343) died of internal diseases during the follow-up period. The point values of Aa, Ba, C, Ap and Bp in the POP-Q system were significantly decreased after the operation (all P<0.01), the genital hiatus was significantly shortened (all P<0.01), and the perineal body was significantly elongated (all P<0.01). The scores of PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 were significantly lower than those before the operation (all P<0.01). There were 332 cases (96.8%, 332/343) with an overall symptom impression improvement score of PGI-I≤2. Conclusion:The results on 343 elderly women with severe POP aged an average of 74.2 years show that for elderly POP patients who still have the desire to preserve the vagina and do not meet the conditions for colpocleisis, as long as there is a comprehensive understanding and strict evaluation of the overall condition before the operation, TVRPS is a safe, feasible and long-lasting therapeutic procedure.

Objective:To evaluate the sample preparation proficiency and storage proficiency of 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing through simulated experiments, and to establish an assessment method for the quality comparability of biological samples.Methods:An exploratory research design was adopted. In November 2023, artificial composite serum quality control materials containing six recombinant human protein markers—recombinant human alanine aminotransferase (rhALT), recombinant human aspartate aminotransferase (rhAST), recombinant human creatine kinase (rhCK), recombinant human creatine kinase-MB (rhCK-MB), recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (rhBNP), and recombinant human troponin I (rhTNI)—were distributed to 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing City. Sample preparation and storage followed the standardized operating procedures. Proficiency differences were assessed through statistical analysis.Results:Three-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed all six protein markers showed a declining trend over storage time in ultra-low-temperature environments ( F values 11.68-4 179.66, all P<0.01). However, neither long-term/temporary refrigerator types ( F values 0.01-1.23, all P>0.05)nor placement locations within refrigerators significantly affected the stability of these six proteins ( F valus 0.03-1.47, all P>0.05). The biases in detection results for rhALT, rhAST, rhTNI, and rhBNP at different storage time points were within the allowable bias limits for each item, supporting their use as markers for protein stability in biobank samples. All 11 institutions passed the storage proficiency assessment. In the preparation proficiency assessment, deviations were observed in post-preparation sample results, with a notably high out-of-control rate for rhCK (36.36%). Conclusion:Sample preparation proficiency can serve as a quality control metric for clinical biobanks. Future external quality assessment systems for biobanks should focus on sample preparation rather than storage processes.