ObjectiveTo compare the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） manipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation versus surgical treatment for type A distal radius fracture （DRF） and to explore the factors influencing the choice of treatment. MethodsA multi-center retrospective study was conducted， collecting data from 1237 type A DRF patients treated in 11 hospitals in Jiangsu province from September， 2023 to April， 2025. Among them， 851 patients in the TCM group received manipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation， and 386 patients in the surgical group underwent open reduction and internal fixation. Visual analog scale （VAS） scores for pain and radiographic indicators including palmar tilt， ulnar deviation， and radial height were compared before treatment， 5-7 days after treatment， and 4-6 weeks after treatment. The wrist joint function scores including Dienst and Gartland-Werley scores at 12 weeks after treatment were recorded. Subgroup analysis was conducted for the excellent rate of Dienst and Gartland-Werley scores， stratified by age （＜50， 50-59， 60-69， ≥70 years old） and AO subtypes （A1， A2， A3）. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify independent factors influencing treatment choice. ResultsOn 5-7 days after treatment， the surgical group had lower VAS scores than the TCM group， while 4-6 weeks after treatment， the TCM group showed lower VAS scores than the surgical group （P＜0.01）. In terms of radiographic indicators， except for the palmar tilt before treatment being higher in the surgical group than in the TCM group （P＜0.01）， there were no significant differences in palmar tilt， ulnar deviation， and radial height at other timepoints （P＞0.05）. Twelve weeks after treatment， the surgical group had a higher average Gartland-Werley score and the excellent rate than the TCM group （P＜0.01）. Subgroup analysis showed that in patients with A2 type DRF aged 50-59 and 60-69 years old， the excellent rates of Dienst and Gartland-Werley scores in the TCM group were higher than those in the surgical group （P＜0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age， palmar tilt， ulnar deviation， and the degree of swelling on the affected side were independent factors influencing the choice of treatment （P＜0.05）. ConclusionBoth TCM manipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation and surgical treatment for type A DRF can achieve good therapeutic effects. TCM manipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation has certain advantages in medium- and long-term pain relief， especially in elderly patients， where wrist joint function recovery is more stable. Age， palmar tilt， ulnar deviation， and swelling degree are the main factors influencing the treatment choice.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and radiographic outcomes of manipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation in the treatment of distal radius fractures. MethodsThe clinical data of 1051 patients with distal radius fractures were retrospectively collected from five hospitals included in the Jiangsu Diagnosis and Treatment Data Platform for Traditional Chinese Medicine（TCM） Dominant Diseases. Propensity score matching at a 1∶4 ratio was applied， resulting in 580 cases selected for final analysis， which comprised 448 patients in the TCM group（manipulative reduction plus small splint fixation） and 132 in the surgical treatment group（open reduction and internal fixation）. Each group was further stratified into type A， B， and C subgroups based on AO fracture classification. Radiographic indicators including palmar tilt， radial inclination， and radial height were compared between groups before treatment and 1 day， 1 week， and 4-6 weeks after treatment， and pain visual analog scale（VAS） scores before treatment and 1 week and 4-6 weeks after treatment were also compared. Wrist joint function was assessed 12 weeks after treatment， using the Dienst wrist function score and the Gartland and Werley（G-W） wrist function score. Additionally， the radiographic indicators at different timepoints and the 12-week wrist function levels were compared between groups across different fracture types. ResultsNo statistically significant difference was observed in radiographic indicators and VAS scores at all timepoints before and after treatment， as well as wrist joint function grades assessed by the Dienst score and the G-W score at 12 weeks after treatment （P＞0.05）. Compared to those before treatment， both groups showed increased palmar tilt， radial inclination， and radial height 1 week and 4-6 weeks after treatment， and decreased VAS scores （P＜0.05）. Compared to those 1 week after treatment， both groups showed a decrease in palmar tilt， an increase in radial inclination and radial height， and a reduction in VAS score 4-6 weeks after treatment（P＜0.05）. In type A and B subgroups， the surgical treatment group had a higher radial inclination than the TCM group 4-6 weeks after treatment， while in the type C subgroup， a higher radial height was shown in the surgical treatment group than in the TCM group 4-6 weeks after treatment（P＜0.05）. In type C subgroup， there was significant difference between groups in the wrist joint function by G-W scores 12 weeks after treatment（P＜0.05）. ConclusionManipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation can maintain fracture alignment and alleviate pain in treating distal radius fractures， which achieves therapeutic outcomes comparable to surgical treatment. It is particularly suitable for type A and B fractures and can be considered an effective treatment option for distal radius fractures.

ObjectiveTo construct an automatic measurement model for palmar tilt and radial inclination suitable for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） clinical scenarios， and to validate its accuracy and efficiency in TCM manipulative reduction settings. MethodsData on anteroposterior （AP） and lateral X-rays of distal radius fractures were collected from patients admitted to 18 TCM/ integrated TCM and western medicine hospitals in Jiangsu province between September 1st， 2023， and September 1st， 2024， via the Jiangsu Diagnosis and Treatment Big Data Platform for TCM Dominant Diseases. A medical image segmentation framework based on multi-scale feature fusion and edge-awareness was employed， combined with anatomical knowledge specific to TCM orthopedics， to optimize the feature extraction strategy of an artificial intelligence （AI） model. This framework enabled automatic segmentation of fracture regions and measurement of distal radius palmar tilt and radial inclination. The accuracy of the AI model in measuring radial inclination and volar tilt was validated， and the measurement time and average time gain rate of the AI model were compared to those of manual measurement. ResultsA total of 15,444 AP and lateral X-ray images of distal radius fractures were collected， and were divided into a training set （11,144 images， 5066 AP and 6078 lateral）， a validation set （3700 images， 1840 AP and 1860 lateral）， and an independent test set （600 images， 300 AP and 300 lateral） after preprocessing. In the measurement of 300 AP X-rays in the independent test set for radial inclination， when the degree error between AI measurement and manual measurement was ＜3° and ＜5°， AI measurement accuracy was 83% and 93%， respectively. In 300 lateral X-rays in the test set for palmar tilt， when AI measurements had an error of ＜3° and ＜5° compared to manual measurements， corresponding accuracy rate was 78% and 90%， respectively. For 50 X-ray images， AI measurement time was （1.37±0.05） min for radial inclination while manual measurement time was （22.57±2.52） min （P＜0.001）； in terms of palmar tilt， the AI measurement time was （1.33±0.14） min， shorter than （23.70±2.80） min for manual measurement time （P＜0.001）. Average time gain rates for manual and AI measurements were 93.93% and 94.39% respectively. ConclusionAn automatic measurement model for palmar tilt and radial inclination in distal radius fractures has been established， enabling more accurate and efficient assessment as well as providing a tool to support the quantitative evaluation of the efficacy of TCM manipulative reduction and large-sample clinical research.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate how spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) exerts its analgesic effects through regulating brain function in lumbar disc herniation (LDH) patients by utilizing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). METHODS: From September 2021 to September 2023, we enrolled LDH patients (LDH group, n=31) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs, n=28). LDH group underwent rs-fMRI at 2 distinct time points (TPs): prior to the initiation of SMT (TP1) and subsequent to the completion of the SMT sessions (TP2). SMT was administered once every other day for 30 min per session, totally 14 treatment sessions over a span of 4 weeks. HCs did not receive SMT treatment and underwent only one fMRI scan. Additionally, participants in LDH group completed clinical questionnaires on pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, whereas HCs did not undergo clinical scale assessments. The effects on the brain were jointly characterized using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). Correlation analyses were conducted between specific brain regions and clinical scales. RESULTS: Following SMT treatment, pain symptoms in LDH patients were notably alleviated and accompanied by evident activation of effects in the brain. In comparison to TP1, TP2 exhibited the most significant increase in ALFF values for Temporal_Sup_R and the most notable decrease in ALFF values for Paracentral_Lobule_L (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Additionally, the most substantial enhancement in ReHo values was observed for the Cuneus_R, while the most prominent reduction was noted for the Olfactory_R (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Moreover, a comparative analysis revealed that, in contrast to HCs, LDH patients at TP1 exhibited the most significant increase in ALFF values for Temporal_Pole_Sup_L and the most notable decrease in ALFF values for Frontal_Mid_L (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Furthermore, the most significant enhancement in ReHo values was observed for Postcentral_L, while the most prominent reduction was identified for ParaHippocampal_L (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Notably, correlation analysis with clinical scales revealed a robust positive correlation between the Cuneus_R score and the rate of change in the VAS score (r=0.9333, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Long-term chronic lower back pain in patients with LDH manifests significant activation of the "AUN-DMN-S1-SAN" neural circuitry. The visual network, represented by the Cuneus_R, is highly likely to be a key brain network in which the analgesic efficacy of SMT becomes effective in treating LDH patients. (Trial registration No. NCT06277739).
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Female ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Adult ; Manipulation, Spinal/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology* ; Pain Management ; Rest ; Case-Control Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Xuanshen Yishen Decoction (XYD) in the treatment of hypertension. METHODS: Hospital electronic medical records from 2019-2023 were utilized to emulate a randomized pragmatic clinical trial. Hypertensive participants were eligible if they were aged ⩾40 years with baseline systolic blood pressure (BP) ⩾140 mm Hg. Patients treated with XYD plus antihypertensive regimen were assigned to the treatment group, whereas those who followed only antihypertensive regimen were assigned to the control group. The primary outcome assessed was the attainment rate of intensive BP control at discharge, with the secondary outcome focusing on the 6-month all-cause readmission rate. RESULTS: The study included 3,302 patients, comprising 2,943 individuals in the control group and 359 in the treatment group. Compared with the control group, a higher proportion in the treatment group achieved the target BP for intensive BP control [8.09% vs. 17.5%; odds ratio (OR)=2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.68 to 3.13; P<0.001], particularly in individuals with high homocysteine levels (OR=3.13; 95% CI=1.72 to 5.71; P<0.001; P for interaction=0.041). Furthermore, the 6-month all-cause readmission rate in the treatment group was lower than in the control group (hazard ratio=0.58; 95% CI=0.36 to 0.91; P=0.019), and the robustness of the results was confirmed by sensitivity analyse. CONCLUSIONS XYD could be a complementary therapy for intensive BP control. Our study offers real-world evidence and guides the choice of complementary and alternative therapies. (Registration No. ChiCTR2400086589).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology* ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Patient Readmission ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) is one of the simplest known RNA polymerases. Its unique structural features make it a critical model for studying the mechanisms of RNA synthesis. This review systematically examines the static crystal structure of T7 RNAP, beginning with an in-depth examination of its characteristic “thumb”, “palm”, and “finger” domains, which form the classic “right-hand-like” architecture. By detailing these structural elements, this review establishes a foundation for understanding the overall organization of T7 RNAP. This review systematically maps the functional roles of secondary structural elements and their subdomains in transcriptional catalysis, progressively elucidating the fundamental relationships between structure and function. Further, the intrinsic flexibility of T7 RNAP and its applications in research are also discussed. Additionally, the review presents the structural diagrams of the enzyme at different stages of the transcription process, and through these diagrams, it provides a detailed description of the complete transcription process of T7 RNAP. By integrating structural dynamics and kinetics analyses, the review constructs a comprehensive framework that bridges static structure to dynamic processes. Despite its advantages, T7 RNAP has a notable limitation: it generates double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a byproduct. The presence of dsRNA not only compromises the purity of mRNA products but also elicits nonspecific immune responses, which pose significant challenges for biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review provides a detailed exploration of the mechanisms underlying dsRNA formation during T7 RNAP catalysis, reviews current strategies to mitigate this issue, and highlights recent progress in the field. A key focus is the semi-rational design of T7 RNAP mutants engineered to minimize dsRNA generation and enhance catalytic performance. Beyond its role in transcription, T7 RNAP exhibits rapid development and extensive application in fields, including gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccines. This review systematically examines the structure-function relationships of T7 RNAP, elucidates the mechanisms of dsRNA formation, and discusses engineering strategies to optimize its performance. It further explores the engineering optimization and functional expansion of T7 RNAP. Furthermore, this review also addresses the pressing issues that currently need resolution, discusses the major challenges in the practical application of T7 RNAP, and provides an outlook on potential future research directions. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of T7 RNAP, ranging from its structural architecture to cutting-edge applications. We systematically examine: (1) the characteristic right-hand domains (thumb, palm, fingers) that define its minimalistic structure; (2) the structure-function relationships underlying transcriptional catalysis; and (3) the dynamic transitions during the complete transcription cycle. While highlighting T7 RNAP’s versatility in gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccine production, we critically address its major limitation—dsRNA byproduct formation—and evaluate engineering solutions including semi-rationally designed mutants. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying key challenges, this work aims to provide novel insights for the development and application of T7 RNAP and to foster further thought and progress in related fields.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains one of the leading causes of mortality among adults globally, with continuously rising morbidity and mortality rates. Metabolic disorders are closely linked to various cardiovascular diseases and play a critical role in their pathogenesis and progression, involving multifaceted mechanisms such as altered substrate utilization, mitochondrial structural and functional dysfunction, and impaired ATP synthesis and transport. In recent years, the potential role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in cardiovascular diseases has garnered significant attention, particularly peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), which is recognized as a highly promising therapeutic target for CVD. PPARα regulates cardiovascular physiological and pathological processes through fatty acid metabolism. As a ligand-activated receptor within the nuclear hormone receptor family, PPARα is highly expressed in multiple organs, including skeletal muscle, liver, intestine, kidney, and heart, where it governs the metabolism of diverse substrates. Functioning as a key transcription factor in maintaining metabolic homeostasis and catalyzing or regulating biochemical reactions, PPARα exerts its cardioprotective effects through multiple pathways: modulating lipid metabolism, participating in cardiac energy metabolism, enhancing insulin sensitivity, suppressing inflammatory responses, improving vascular endothelial function, and inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration. These mechanisms collectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease development. Thus, PPARα plays a pivotal role in various pathological processes via mechanisms such as lipid metabolism regulation, anti-inflammatory actions, and anti-apoptotic effects. PPARα is activated by binding to natural or synthetic lipophilic ligands, including endogenous fatty acids and their derivatives (e.g., linoleic acid, oleic acid, and arachidonic acid) as well as synthetic peroxisome proliferators. Upon ligand binding, PPARα activates the nuclear receptor retinoid X receptor (RXR), forming a PPARα-RXR heterodimer. This heterodimer, in conjunction with coactivators, undergoes further activation and subsequently binds to peroxisome proliferator response elements (PPREs), thereby regulating the transcription of target genes critical for lipid and glucose homeostasis. Key genes include fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36), diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT1), and glucose transporter (GLUT), which are primarily involved in fatty acid uptake, storage, oxidation, and glucose utilization processes. Advancing research on PPARα as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases has underscored its growing clinical significance. Currently, PPARα activators/agonists, such as fibrates (e.g., fenofibrate and bezafibrate) and thiazolidinediones, have been extensively studied in clinical trials for CVD prevention. Traditional PPARα agonists, including fenofibrate and bezafibrate, are widely used in clinical practice to treat hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. These fibrates enhance fatty acid metabolism in the liver and skeletal muscle by activating PPARα, and their cardioprotective effects have been validated in numerous clinical studies. Recent research highlights that fibrates improve insulin resistance, regulate lipid metabolism, correct energy metabolism imbalances, and inhibit the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, thereby ameliorating pathological remodeling of the cardiovascular system and reducing blood pressure. Given the substantial attention to PPARα-targeted interventions in both basic research and clinical applications, activating PPARα may serve as a key therapeutic strategy for managing cardiovascular conditions such as myocardial hypertrophy, atherosclerosis, ischemic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. This review comprehensively examines the regulatory roles of PPARα in cardiovascular diseases and evaluates its clinical application value, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for further development and utilization of PPARα-related therapies in CVD treatment.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and analyze the factors associated with prognosis.Methods:A case series study was conducted by retrospectively collecting clinical data from patients aged over 60 years with newly diagnosed stage Ⅰ DLBCL across 20 medical centers in Jiangsu Province, China, between June 2010 and April 2023. The involved site, classification and treatment plan were summarized. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model.Results:The study included 255 patients with a median age of 69 years, of whom 130 (51.0%) were male, 66 (25.9%) were aged ≥75 years and 26 (10.1%) had a high Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score of ≥2. Extranodal involvement was observed in 163 (63.9%) patients, with the stomach (37.4%, 61/163), intestine (19.0%, 31/163), testes (11.0%, 18/163), and breast (7.4%, 12/163) being the most frequently affected sites. The non-germinal center B-cell (non-GCB) subtype was prevalent in 63.7% of patients (142/223), with no significant difference between the nodal and extranodal groups ( P=0.681). Furthermore, 73.9% (184/249) and 11.7% (29/249) of patients received the R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and R-miniCHOP regimen, respectively. The overall 3-year PFS rate was 81.5%, and the 3-year OS rate was 85.6%. Patients aged ≥75 years ( HR=2.910, 95% CI 1.565-5.408, P=0.001) and/or with a CCI score ≥2 ( HR=2.324, 95% CI 1.141-4.732, P=0.020) had a significantly poorer PFS. Incorporating age ≥75 years and CCI score ≥2 into the stage-modified international prognostic index (sm-IPI) can better stratify the prognosis of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL. The 3-year PFS rate was 48.7% in the high-risk group versus 85.7% in the low-risk group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Our findings show that the elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL were predominantly characterized by extranodal involvement (particularly in the stomach and intestinal tract) and non-GCB subtype. Age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2 were identified as independent prognostic factors. The newly established sm-IPI-75-CCI incorporating these factors demonstrated superior prognostic discrimination compared to conventional risk assessment systems.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of temperature gradients on the mortality of sepsis patients and their correlation with fluid input.Methods By means of a prospective observational method,154 patients with sepsis or septic shock admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine at Nanfang Hospital,Southern Medical University from November 2019 to November 2021 were included as research subjects.They were divided into a survivor group(n=118)and a non-survivor group(n=36)according to whether they survived within 28 days.The core-to-toe temperature gradient(CTTG)and toe-to-room temperature gradient(TRTG)were monitored and calculated immediately upon admission to the intensive care unit(ICU)and 6 hours after admission.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to explore the predictive value of temperature gradients on mortality,and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to explore the risk factors of 28-day mortality in sepsis patients.The results were verified through survival analysis.Correlation analysis and multivariate analysis of variance were used to explore the correlation between temperature gradients and fluid input,as well as noradrenaline doses.Results Among the 154 patients,118 survived within 28 days(survivor group),and 36 died(non-survivor group).ROC curve and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a toe-to-room temperature gradient of≤5.35℃within 6 hours after admission was a risk factor for 28-day mortality.Compared with patients with a high toe-to-room temperature gradient(>5.35℃),patients with a low toe-to-room temperature gradient(≤5.35℃)had a 2.74-fold increase in the risk of 28-day mortality(P=0.004,95%CI 1.54,9.12).The CTTG and TRTG upon admission to the ICU and 6 hours after admission were not significantly associated with fluid input or noradrenaline doses(P>0.05).Conclusions A toe-to-room temperature gradient of less than or equal to 5.35℃within 6 hours after ICU admission is a risk factor for 28-day mortality in sepsis patients.The improvement of temperature gradients at different time points is not associated with fluid input.