Objective To explore the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome characteristics of patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever and to provide empirical data to support the application of TCM in diagnosing and treating Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect clinical data(sex,age,days since onset,and comorbidity underlying disease conditions)and TCM with four-examination information(symptoms,tongue manifestations,and pulse manifestations)from 255 patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever who visited Lecong Hospital of Shunde,Foshan,the Third People's Hospital of Shunde District of Foshan,Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University Affiliated Chencun Hospital between July 23 and July 29,2025.Factor and cluster analyses were used to summarize TCM syndrome characteristics and analyze core pathogenesis in conjunction with clinical features.Results Among the 255 patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever,131 were male and 124 were female,with a age of(49.05±17.93)years and a disease duration of(3.26±1.78)days.Among the four types of examination information in TCM,35 items exhibited a frequency exceeding 10%.The most prevalent symptoms were arthralgia(180 patients,70.59%),exanthem(153 patients,60.00%),fatigue(99 patients,38.82%),anhidrosis(98 patients,38.43%),pruritus(96 patients,37.65%),and fever(92 patients,36.08%).Tongue and pulse manifestations were primarily white fur(155 patients,60.78%),pink tongue(111 patients,43.53%),slippery pulse(143 patients,56.08%),and greasy fur(134 patients,52.53%).Patients with disease onset≤3 d had a higher incidence of arthralgia,fatigue,fever,aversion to cold,generalized muscle pain,aversion to wind,insomnia,headache,sweating,low-grade fever,poor appetite,loose stool,hyperhidrosis,and red tongue than those with disease onset≥4 d(P<0.05).Patients with disease onset≥4 d had a higher incidence of pink tongue and thick fur than those with disease onset≤3 d(P<0.05).The syndrome elements in patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever predominantly manifested on the defensive exterior,with involvement of the sinew-bone joints,skin-muscle,and spleen.Pathogenic factors were primarily characterized by external winds,dampness,and heat.Factor and cluster analysis result indicated three TCM pathogenesis progression patterns:imbalance of the defensive exterior with wind-dampness conflict and heat transformation;dampness-heat flowing into muscles and meridians causing joint obstruction and qi blood stasis;and dampness-heat congelation resulting in qi mechanism obstruction,consumption of body fluids,and infiltration of the skin.Conclusion Patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever primarily present with fever,joint pain,and rashes.In TCM,this condition falls under the category of"dampness-warmth"syndrome.Its etiology is attributed to pathogens,with transmission occurring through mosquito bites.The core pathogenesis of TCM is the invasion of the defensive exterior and dampness-toxic heat accumulation.The therapeutic principles focus on clearing heat pathogens,resolving dampness pathogens,dispersing wind pathogens,and promoting the resolution of rashes.

Ionizing radiation (IR) is a genotoxic agent that can play an important role in the occurrence and development of various diseases by inducing epigenetic changes. Studies have shown that the basic mechanisms of IR-induced epigenetic changes include abnormal DNA methylation, increased oxidative stress levels, changes in histone modifications, and regulation by microRNAs. These can lead to health hazards such as malignant tumors, genetic effects, nervous system damage, circulatory system diseases, and radiation-induced cataracts. This article collected relevant literatures regarding epigenetic changes induced by IR from 2005 to 2024, and reviewed the basic mechanisms of IR-induced epigenetic changes and the associated disease risks, providing the reference for radiation protection in occupational exposure and radiotherapy.

Objective To explore the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome characteristics of patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever and to provide empirical data to support the application of TCM in diagnosing and treating Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect clinical data(sex,age,days since onset,and comorbidity underlying disease conditions)and TCM with four-examination information(symptoms,tongue manifestations,and pulse manifestations)from 255 patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever who visited Lecong Hospital of Shunde,Foshan,the Third People's Hospital of Shunde District of Foshan,Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University Affiliated Chencun Hospital between July 23 and July 29,2025.Factor and cluster analyses were used to summarize TCM syndrome characteristics and analyze core pathogenesis in conjunction with clinical features.Results Among the 255 patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever,131 were male and 124 were female,with a age of(49.05±17.93)years and a disease duration of(3.26±1.78)days.Among the four types of examination information in TCM,35 items exhibited a frequency exceeding 10%.The most prevalent symptoms were arthralgia(180 patients,70.59%),exanthem(153 patients,60.00%),fatigue(99 patients,38.82%),anhidrosis(98 patients,38.43%),pruritus(96 patients,37.65%),and fever(92 patients,36.08%).Tongue and pulse manifestations were primarily white fur(155 patients,60.78%),pink tongue(111 patients,43.53%),slippery pulse(143 patients,56.08%),and greasy fur(134 patients,52.53%).Patients with disease onset≤3 d had a higher incidence of arthralgia,fatigue,fever,aversion to cold,generalized muscle pain,aversion to wind,insomnia,headache,sweating,low-grade fever,poor appetite,loose stool,hyperhidrosis,and red tongue than those with disease onset≥4 d(P<0.05).Patients with disease onset≥4 d had a higher incidence of pink tongue and thick fur than those with disease onset≤3 d(P<0.05).The syndrome elements in patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever predominantly manifested on the defensive exterior,with involvement of the sinew-bone joints,skin-muscle,and spleen.Pathogenic factors were primarily characterized by external winds,dampness,and heat.Factor and cluster analysis result indicated three TCM pathogenesis progression patterns:imbalance of the defensive exterior with wind-dampness conflict and heat transformation;dampness-heat flowing into muscles and meridians causing joint obstruction and qi blood stasis;and dampness-heat congelation resulting in qi mechanism obstruction,consumption of body fluids,and infiltration of the skin.Conclusion Patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever primarily present with fever,joint pain,and rashes.In TCM,this condition falls under the category of"dampness-warmth"syndrome.Its etiology is attributed to pathogens,with transmission occurring through mosquito bites.The core pathogenesis of TCM is the invasion of the defensive exterior and dampness-toxic heat accumulation.The therapeutic principles focus on clearing heat pathogens,resolving dampness pathogens,dispersing wind pathogens,and promoting the resolution of rashes.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) imaging combined with nano-carbon in the identification of parathyroid gland.Methods:A total of 80 patients with thyroid cancer requiring bilateral thyroidectomy plus single/bilateral central area lymphatic dissection were prospectively enrolled in the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery of the Shenzhen Third People′s Hospital from January 2020 to June 2023. Two groups were divided in order of time of admission. In the combined group (40 cases), the parathyroid glands were identified by NIRAF+ nano-carbon negative imaging. The nano-carbon group (40 cases) was negatively developed with nano-carbon alone. The detection rate and accuracy of parathyroid gland and the changes of parathyroid hormone (1 d and 6 months after operation) were compared between the two groups.Results:There was no significant difference in the detection rate of parathyroid glands between the two groups ( P=0.65), and the accuracy rate in the combined group was higher than that in the nano-carbon group, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=8.79, P=0.003). The level of parathyroid hormone in the combined group was higher than that in the nano-carbon group 1 day after surgery, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-1.19, P=0.03). There was no significant difference in parathyroid hormone levels between the two groups 6 months after operation ( P=0.18). Conclusions:NIRAF imaging combined with nano-carbon negative imaging can improve the accuracy of intraoperative parathyroid identification, and may reduce the incidence of temporary postoperative hypoparathyroidism.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) imaging combined with nano-carbon in the identification of parathyroid gland.Methods:A total of 80 patients with thyroid cancer requiring bilateral thyroidectomy plus single/bilateral central area lymphatic dissection were prospectively enrolled in the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery of the Shenzhen Third People′s Hospital from January 2020 to June 2023. Two groups were divided in order of time of admission. In the combined group (40 cases), the parathyroid glands were identified by NIRAF+ nano-carbon negative imaging. The nano-carbon group (40 cases) was negatively developed with nano-carbon alone. The detection rate and accuracy of parathyroid gland and the changes of parathyroid hormone (1 d and 6 months after operation) were compared between the two groups.Results:There was no significant difference in the detection rate of parathyroid glands between the two groups ( P=0.65), and the accuracy rate in the combined group was higher than that in the nano-carbon group, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=8.79, P=0.003). The level of parathyroid hormone in the combined group was higher than that in the nano-carbon group 1 day after surgery, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-1.19, P=0.03). There was no significant difference in parathyroid hormone levels between the two groups 6 months after operation ( P=0.18). Conclusions:NIRAF imaging combined with nano-carbon negative imaging can improve the accuracy of intraoperative parathyroid identification, and may reduce the incidence of temporary postoperative hypoparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND:Intervertebral disc degeneration is clinically considered to be the main cause of low back pain,but due to the unclear pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration,there is still a lack of effective means to delay the progression of the disease.Single-cell RNA sequencing technology can amplify and sequence mRNA at the single-cell level,reveal the gene expression intensity of a single cell,discover different cell subsets in tissues according to the heterogeneity of cells,study the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration at the molecular level,and provide a new theoretical basis for its early diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE:To introduce the basic principles of single-cell RNA sequencing technology and review the research progress of single-cell RNA sequencing technology in intervertebral disc degeneration in recent years. METHODS:A computer was used to search PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI and WanFang databases for the literature published from 2012 to 2022.Key words were"single-cell RNA sequencing,intervertebral disc degeneration,sequencing Technology"in Chinese and English.Duplicate,poor-quality and irrelevant articles were excluded;a total of 70 articles were eventually included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)We identified new cell subsets such as homeostatic chondrocytes,hypertrophy chondrocyte-like nucleus pulposus cells and fibrous nucleus pulposus cells,identified the marker genes and transcription factors of these cell subsets,and described the functions,differentiation paths and cell fate of these cell subsets during the development and progression of intervertebral disc degeneration,and proposed the concept of progenitor nucleus pulposus cells.A cell subpopulation with progenitor nucleus pulposus cells properties was identified and its effectiveness in treating intervertebral disc degeneration was verified in mice.(2)Fibro chondrocyte-like annulus fibrosus cells and annulus fibrosus stem cells with both cartilage and fiber properties were identified,and a new type of composite hydrogel was prepared by combining fibrous cartilage inducers silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid in vitro.Experiments in mice demonstrated that this hydrogel could repair both annulus fibrosus tissue and cartilage matrix,and was remarkably effective in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.(3)Regulatory chondrocytes were found in endplate cartilage.Two distinct fates in the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration were analyzed and the differential genes in the two fates were identified.Intercellular communication analysis indicated that regulatory chondrocytes interact with endothelial cells to promote angiogenesis.(4)Immune cells such as macrophages,T cells,myeloid progenitor cells and neutrophils were identified in the degenerated intervertebral disc tissues,demonstrating the existence of immune response during intervertebral disc degeneration.It was found that apolipoprotein induced the polarization of macrophages M1 and M2 subtypes,and this polarization process affected the activity of progenitor nucleus pulposus cells by amplifying the inflammatory response through the MIF signaling pathway.

Objective:To compare the clinical outcomes between pedicle screw internal fixation via the Wiltse approach and conservative treatment in young patients with thoracolumbar fracture with Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity score (TLICS) ≤ 4 points.Methods:This retrospective study included 219 young patients with thoracolumbar fracture with TLICS score ≤ 4 points who had been treated from January 2014 to December 2018 at Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University and obtained full follow-up. They were assigned into a surgery group of 126 patients subjected to pedicle screw internal fixation via the Wiltse approach and a conservative group of 93 patients subjected to conservative treatment. The surgery group included 65 males and 61 females, aged from 18 to 37 years, with a TLICS score of 1 point in 38 cases and of 2 to 4 points in 88 ones; the conservative group included 48 males and 45 females, aged from 19 to 38 years, with a TLICS score of 1 point in 29 cases and of 2 to 4 points in 64 ones. Patients in both groups underwent thoracolumbar X-ray, CT and MRI before treatment and regular thoracolumbar X-ray reexamination after treatment. Improvements in visual analog scale (VAS) for low back pain were compared between pre- and post-treatment. The 2 groups were compared in terms of VAS, anterior height of the injured vertebra and kyphosis cobb angle between pre-treatment, one month post-treatment and the last follow-up.Results:The 2 groups were comparable due to insignificant differences between them in the pre-treatment general data ( P>0.05). In the surgery group, patients were followed up for 24 to 72 months, the average VAS scores at one month post-treatment (2.5±1.2) and the last follow-up (2.3±0.8) were significantly improved compared to the pre-treatment value (6.8±2.1) ( P<0.05), and no serious surgical complications occurred. In the conservative group, patients were followed up for 30 to 65 months, the average VAS scores at one month post-treatment (3.9±1.9) and the last follow-up (3.5±0.9) were significantly improved compared to the pre-treatment value (6.2±2.0) ( P<0.05), and the rate of complications was 11.8% (11/93, including 3 cases of neural symptoms of the lower limb, 4 cases of bedsore and 4 cases of pulmonary infection). The VAS, anterior height of the injured vertebra and kyphosis cobb angle at one month post-treatment and the last follow-up in the surgery group were all significantly better than in the conservative group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In young patients with thoracolumbar fracture with TLICS ≤ 4 points, pedicle screw internal fixation via the Wiltse approach can lead to better therapeutic outcomes than conservative treatment, especially in relief of postoperative low back pain.

Objective:To investigate the role and clinical significance of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) in children.Methods:A total of 17 children diagnosed with EG in the Department of Gastroenterology, Children′s Hospital of Nanjing medical University from October 2018 to January 2020 were recruited as EG group.During the same period, 15 children diagnosed with colon polyps were included as control group.Flow cytometry was used to detect Tfh cells and their functional molecules, including inducible costimulatory molecules (ICOS) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) in peripheral blood of the 2 groups.Results:The median (interquartile range) of Tfh cell frequency in peripheral blood of children with EG group was 7.3 (2.6)%, which was significantly higher than that of controls 2.8 (1.4)% ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in the median (interquartile range) of ICOS [1.5 (1.3)% vs.0.1 (0.2)%] and PD-1 expressions [1.8 (3.2)% vs.0.7 (0.6)%] on Tfh cells between children with EG group and control group (all P<0.05). The frequency of Tfh cells in the peripheral blood of children with EG was positively correlated with the expressions of ICOS ( r=0.746, P<0.05) and PD-1 ( r=0.893, P<0.05), and immunoglobulin E (IgE) level ( r=0.587, P<0.05). Conclusions:The frequency of Tfh cells in peripheral blood of children with EG significantly increases, which are proliferative and overexpressed with ICOS and PD-1.Moreover, the frequency of Tfh cells of EG patients is positively correlated with the level of IgE.The abnormal expression of Tfh cells may play a promoting role in the mechanism of EG.

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and prognostic value of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in patients with severe influenza. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional study in influenza patients admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from August 2017 to April 2018. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were detected by flow cytometry in both patients and 108 healthy controls. Influenza patients were divided into mild group and severe group. Severe patients were further classified into alive and fatal subgroups. Results: A total of 42 influenza patients were recruited in this study, including 24 severe cases (6 deaths). The remaining 18 cases were mild. The peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and lymphocyte subset counts (B, NK, CD4⁺T, CD8⁺T) in either mild patients[795 (571,1 007), 43 (23,144), 70 (47,135), 330 (256,457), 226 (148,366) cells/μl respectively] or severe patients[661 (474,1 151),92 (52,139), 54 (34,134), 373 (235,555), 180 (105,310) cells/μl respectively] were both significantly lower than those of healthy controls [1 963 (1 603,2 394),179 (119,239), 356 (231,496), 663 (531,824), 481 (341,693) cells/μl respectively]. Meanwhile, the T cells and CD8⁺T counts in fatal patients [370 (260,537) cells/μl and 87 (74,105) cells/μl] were significantly lower than those in severe and alive patients [722 (390,990) cells/μl and 222 (154,404) cells/μl]. CD8⁺HLA-DR/CD8⁺and CD8⁺CD38⁺/CD8⁺T cell activating subgroups in mild cases[(53.7±19.2)% and 74.8% (64.1%,83.7%) respectively] were significantly higher than those in severe cases[(38.5±21.7)% and 53.3% (45.3%,67.2%) respectively].Moreover,CD8⁺HLA-DR/CD8⁺count in severe and alive group was higher than that in fatal group [(46.1±19.1)% vs. (18.2±14.6)%, P<0.01]. Logistic regression analysis showed that CD8⁺T cell count (OR=0.952, 95%CI 0.910-0.997, P=0.035) and CD8⁺HLA-DR/CD8⁺T (OR=0.916, 95%CI 0.850-0.987, P=0.022) were both negatively correlated with mortality.Peripheral blood lymphocyte counts in mild cases rapidly decreased within 1 day after diagnosis, and returned to the basic level one week later. Conclusions All peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (T,B,NK) in patients with influenza are significantly reduced. These findings are consistent with the immunological characteristics of respiratory viral infections, in which peripheral lymphocytes (especially T cells) migrate to respiratory tract in the early stage and circulate to the peripheral blood after recovery. The activated CD8⁺T cell counts in peripheral blood are negatively correlated with the severity of disease, which could be considered as a prognostic indicator of severe influenza.

To explore the mechanism for changes in brain microstructure in long-term abstinent from methamphetamine-dependence by using the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
 Methods: A total of 26 patients with long-term abstinent methamphetamine-dependence, whose abstinence time more than 14 months, and 26 normal controls all underwent cognitive executive function tests and DTI scans. We used voxel-based analysis to compare the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) to obtain the abnormal brain regions of DTI parameters between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between FA, MD of the brain regions with abnormal parameters and cognitive executive function tests.
 Results: There were no statistical differences in the cognitive executive function tests between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the long-term abstinent from methamphetamine-dependence group showed the decreased FA in the right precuneus, right superior frontal gyrus, right calcarine, left inferior temporal gyrus and the increased MD in the right triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus, right precuneus, right posterior cingulate, right middle temporal gyrus, bilateral middle occipital gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, and lobule VIII of cerebellar hemisphere. The MD values of the right middle temporal gyrus in the long-term abstinent group were negatively correlated with the number of completions within 60 seconds (r=-0.504) and within 120 seconds (r=-0.464) .
 Conclusion: The DTI parameters in multiple brain regions from the methamphetamine-dependence patients are still abnormal after a long-term abstinence. DTI can provide imaging evidence for brain microstructural abnormalities in long-term abstinent from methamphetamine-dependence.
Amphetamine-Related Disorders ; Anisotropy ; Brain ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Humans ; Methamphetamine