OBJECTIVE: To compare the biomechanical properties of four internal fixation methods in a lower cervical spine injury model using the finite element method. METHODS: Cervical CT data of a 28-year-old healthy adult male were utilized to establish a finite element model of the normal cervical spine and a lower cervical spine three-column injury model. Four internal fixation methods were then applied to the three-column injury model, resulting in four groups:Group A, anterior cervical locked-plate(ACLP) fixation system model(anterior approach);Group B, posterior cervical pedicle screw fixation model (posterior approach);Group C, combined anterior and posterior cervical pedicle screw fixation model; Group D, Novel composite anterior cervical internal fixation model. A 75 N axial compressive load and a 1.0 N·m pure moment were applied to the upper surface of the cervical spine model to simulate flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending movements. The intervertebral range of motion(ROM) and stress distribution of the internal fixators under different motion conditions were compared across all models. RESULTS: Compared with the normal model, the reductions in overall intervertebral ROM for each group under flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending were as follows:Group A, 24.04°, 23.12°, 6.24°, and 9.06°;Group B, 24.42°, 24.34°, 6.48°, and 9.20°;Group C, 25.43°, 25.29°, 7.17°, and 9.57°;Group D, 24.75°, 25.5°, 6.71°, and 9.12°. The peak stress values of the internal fixators in each group were:Group A, 53.9 MPa, 79.9 MPa, 61.4 MPa, and 80.3 MPa;Group B, 218.3 MPa, 105.4 MPa, 206.6 MPa, and 186.8 MPa;Group C, 40.8 MPa, 97.2 MPa, 47.1 MPa, and 39.4 MPa;Group D, 93.0 MPa, 144.0 MPa, 64.8 MPa, and 106.3 MPa. CONCLUSION The biomechanical properties of the novel composite anterior cervical internal fixation method are similar to those of the combined anterior-posterior fixation method, and superior to both the anterior cervical ACLP plate-screw fixation and posterior cervical pedicle screw fixation methods.
Humans ; Finite Element Analysis ; Cervical Vertebrae/physiopathology* ; Male ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Adult ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Range of Motion, Articular

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers-based prediction of long-term risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is scarce. We aim to develop a risk score integrating clinical routine information (C) and plasma biomarkers (B) for predicting long-term risk of ACS patients. METHODS: We included 2729 ACS patients from the OCEA (Observation of cardiovascular events in ACS patients). The earlier admitted 1910 patients were enrolled as development cohort; and the subsequently admitted 819 subjects were treated as validation cohort. We investigated 10-year risk of cardiovascular (CV) death, myocardial infarction (MI) and all cause death in these patients. Potential variables contributing to risk of clinical events were assessed using Cox regression models and a score was derived using main part of these variables. RESULTS: During 16,110 person-years of follow-up, there were 238 CV death/MI in the development cohort. The 7 most important predictors including in the final model were NT-proBNP, D-dimer, GDF-15, peripheral artery disease (PAD), Fibrinogen, ST-segment elevated MI (STEMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), termed as CB-ACS score. C-index of the score for predication of cardiovascular events was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.76-0.82) in development cohort and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.76-0.78) in the validation cohort (5832 person-years of follow-up), which outperformed GRACE 2.0 and ABC-ACS risk score. The CB-ACS score was also well calibrated in development and validation cohort (Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino: P = 0.70 and P = 0.07, respectively). CONCLUSIONS CB-ACS risk score provides a useful tool for long-term prediction of CV events in patients with ACS. This model outperforms GRACE 2.0 and ABC-ACS ischemic risk score.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Functional dyspepsia (FD), characterized by persistent or recurrent dyspeptic symptoms without identifiable organic, systemic or metabolic causes, is an increasingly recognized global health issue. The objective of this guideline is to equip clinicians and nursing professionals with evidence-based strategies for the management and treatment of adult patients with FD using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The Guideline Development Group consulted existing TCM consensus documents on FD and convened a panel of 35 clinicians to generate initial clinical queries. To address these queries, a systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, China Biology Medicine (SinoMed) Database, Wanfang Database, Traditional Medicine Research Data Expanded (TMRDE), and the Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (TCMLARS). The evidence from the literature was critically appraised using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The strength of the recommendations was ascertained through a consensus-building process involving TCM and allopathic medicine experts, methodologists, pharmacologists, nursing specialists, and health economists, leveraging their collective expertise and empirical knowledge. The guideline comprises a total of 43 evidence-informed recommendations that span a range of clinical aspects, including the pathogenesis according to TCM, diagnostic approaches, therapeutic interventions, efficacy assessments, and prognostic considerations. Please cite this article as: Zhang SS, Zhao LQ, Hou XH, Bian ZX, Zheng JH, Tian HH, Yang GH, Hong WS, He YY, Liu L, Shen H, Li YP, Xie S, Shu J, Zeng BF, Li JX, Liu Z, Xiao ZH, Xiao JD, Zheng PY, Huang SG, Chen SL, Fei GJ. International clinical practice guideline on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for functional dyspepsia (2025). J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):502-518.
Dyspepsia/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression and clinical significance of Periostin in tissues of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis(CRS).METHODS Real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect periostin expression in eosinophilic CRS with nasal polyps(ECRSwNP),non-eosinophilic CRS with nasal polyps(non-ECRSwNP),CRS without nasal polyps(CRSsNP),and control tissues.Correlations between periostin levels and blood eosinophil percentage(Eos%),Lund-Mackay score,modified endoscopic score,and Japanese epidemiological survey of refractory eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis(JESREC)score were analyzed.Additionally,changes in SNOT-22 and VAS scores were compared at different preoperative and postoperative times.The predictive value of periostin for ECRSwNP was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.RESULTS Periostin expression was detected in all groups(ECRSwNP,non-ECRSwNP,CRSsNP,and controls),with predominant localization in the basement membrane and mucosal subepithelial lamina propria.Significantly elevated periostin levels were detected in the ECRSwNP group compared to the other three groups(P<0.001).Furthermore,Periostin mRNA expression showed significant positive correlations with blood Eos%,JESREC score,and Lund-Mackay score.SNOT-22 and VAS scores were significantly elevated in the ECRSwNP group at preoperative evaluation and 9 months postoperatively(P<0.001).ROC curve analysis demonstrated that periostin had a substantial predictive value for ECRSwNP(AUC=0.957).CONCLUSION Periostin plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis,contributing to the diagnosis,severity assessment,and prognosis evaluation of ECRSwNP,while offering potential therapeutic targets for CRS management.

OBJECTIVE To compare the expression characteristics of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),Smad2,Smad3,and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-related markers(E-cadherin,N-cadherin,vimentin)in patients with different types of chronic sinusitis(CRS),to analyze the correlations of E-cadherin,N-cadherin and vimentin with TGF-β1 and the prognosis of surgical treatment in patients with different types of CRS.METHODS The expressions of E-cadherin,N-cadherin,vimentin,TGF-β1,Smad2 and Smad3 in patients with different types of CRS and the control group were compared by Western blotting(WB)and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).Analyze its correlation with the improvement degree of each clinical score after the operation.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the expression of E-cadherin decreased in the CRSsNP group,the non-ECRSwNP group and the ECRSwNP group,while the expressions of vimentin and N-cadherin increased.The protein expression of TGF-β1 in the CRSsNP group was higher than that in the non-ECRSwNP group and the control group(P<0.001),and the expressions of Smad2 and Smad3 in the CRSsNP group were higher than those in the ECRSwNP group,the non-ECRSwNP group and the control group(P<0.001).In the CRSsNP group,there was a positive correlation between TGF-β1 and vimentin(r=0.675,P=0.011),and a negative correlation with E-cadherin(r=-0.802,P=0.001).The expression of E-cadherin was negatively correlated with the improvement amplitude of SNOT-22 nasal symptom scores in patients with different types of CRS(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The EMT phenomenon occurs in different types of CRS.In CRS SNPS,EMT may be related to the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.The expressions of EMT markers E-cadherin,N-cadherin and vimentin are correlated with the decrease in the severity of postoperative disease in patients with CRS,suggesting a potential association between the EMT process and the surgical prognosis of patients with CRS.

Objective To observe the morphology of the superficial,middle,and deep layers of the masseter muscle and related bony structures in the lateral facial region of adults through gross anatomy,and to probe into the effects of these muscle layers on the bony structures of the lateral facial region.Methods The bilateral masseter muscles of 12 adult cadavers were exposed,and the superficial,middle,and deep layers were separated and measured for muscle length,tendon length,and muscle belly length.After the masseter muscles were stripped,the total thickness was measured,and the mandible and zygomatic arch were exposed to measure the angle of the mandibular angle,thickness of the zygomatic arch,and width of the zygomatic arch.Observations were made of the masseter tuberosities,and statistical analysis was conducted on their interrelations.Results The zygomatic arch thickness was positively correlated with the length of superficial,middle and deep masseter muscles and the length of superficial and middle masseter belly(r superficial masseter length=0.624,r middle masseter length=0.787,r deep masseter length=0.423,r superficial masseter belly length=0.493,r middle masseter belly length=0.548).The width of the zygomatic arch was positively correlated with the lengths of the superficial and middle muscle layers and the middle muscle belly length(r superficial masseter length=0.527,r middle masseter length=0.521,r middle masseterbelly length=0.437).The angle of the mandibular angle was only negatively correlated with the middle muscle belly length(r=-0.422).The tuberosities of the superficial and middle masseter muscles were not affected by the corresponding muscle layers;However,the tuberosity of the deep masseter was negatively correlated with the length of the deep muscle and the length of the deep tendon(r deep masseter length=-0.543,r deep masseter tendon length=-0.443).Conclusion In the masseter muscle layers of Chinese individuals,the superficial and middle layers have the most significant impact on the bony structures structures of the lateral facial region.These findings are of guiding significance for the remodeling of structures in the lateral facial region.

This study was performed to explore the effects of berberine(BBR)and berbamine(BA)on the apoptosis and activity of eosinophils,and to provide new ideas for the treatment of eosinophil-related diseases.Anticoagulated whole blood was taken from hospitalized patients,and eosinophils were purified by magnetic bead sorting technology,and the cell purification rate was compared by using flow cytometry.The purified eosinophils were cultured and stimulated with different concentrations of BBR and BA,and the apoptosis of eosinophils was observed using immunofluorescence microscopy.Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate,reactive oxygen species(ROS)release,mitochondrial membrane potential,and CD11b,CD62L and CD63 molecular expression of eosinophils.Data showed that 10 μmol/L BBR displayed significant anti-apoptosis effect on eosinophils at 18 h,24 h,48 h,however,100 μmol/L and 150 μmol/L BBR displayed significant apoptosis-promoting effects on eosinophils at 24 h,48 h,especially in the early stage.BA at 5 μmol/L,15 μmol/L and 25 μmol/L showed significant apoptosis-promoting effects on eosinophils at 24 h,48 h,especially in the late stage.In eosinophils,BA stimulated the production of ROS and the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential in a concentration-dependent manner,reaching the maximum effect at 25 μmol/L,while BBR stimulation did not change mitochondria and ROS.Pretreatment with 25 μmol/L BA significantly inhibited the increase of CD11b expression and the decrease of CD62L expression in eosinophils after eotaxin-2 stimulation.In conclusion,berberine has a bidirectional regulatory effect on the quantity of eosinophils,while berbamine promotes eosinophil apoptosis and inhibits eosinophil activation.Both compounds hold significant potential for regulating the progression of eosinophil-associated diseases,and their regulatory mechanisms need further investigation.

Objective To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the hyperacusis scale and estimate its applicability in the Chinese population.Methods The patients admitted to the Department of Oto-laryngology of Xijing Hospital from June 2017 to December 2017 were surveyed.A total of 300 questionnaires were sent out and 293 valid questionnaires were collected with effective response rate of 97.67％.All participants comple-ted a basic information survey,pure tone audiometry and fill in the Chinese version of the hyperacusis scale.The re-liability and validity of this scale were evaluated.Results Among the 293 respondents,243(82.93％)were compli-cated with tinnitus.A total of 181 cases(61.77％)were subjectively diagnosed with hyperacusis through question-naire survey.According to the scale evaluation,174 cases(59.39％)were diagnosed with hyperacusis,and the Kappa value of conformity test of the two methods was 0.81(P＜0.001).Reliability analysis indicated a Cronbach'sα coefficient of 0.93 for the entire scale.Each dimension had a Cronbach's α coefficient＞0.60.The split-half relia-bility coefficient for the entire scale was 0.86,and for each dimension,it was＞0.60.Exploratory factor analysis of validity suggested that 25 items could be grouped under 4 factors,such as functional part,social part,emotional part and harmonic sensitivity part.These factors had eigenvalues greater than 1,accounting for 59.42％of the total variance.Post-rotation,the 25 items were distributed across the 4 components,with each item having a factor load-ing＞0.40.Confirmatory factor analysis of validity showed model fit parameters as:x2/df=1.98,GFI=0.91,AGFI=0.83,CFI=0.92,TLI=0.89,RMSEA=0.08.Each item had a standardized factor loading＞0.40.Con-clusion The Chinese version of the hyperacusis scale demonstrated strong reliability and validity,making it suitable for use among the Chinese population.