To thoroughly implement the strategic deployment outlined in the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine regarding research on dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine and to uphold the development philosophy of equal emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine，the China Association of Chinese Medicine has fully played a leading academic role by systematically organizing and conducting a series of academic youth salons on clinical dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine. On September 13，2024，the 36^th Youth Salon on Clinical Dominant Diseases was successfully held in Nanjing，focusing on the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and the integrative traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction （ED）. The conference brought together leading experts from traditional Chinese medicine，western medicine，and interdisciplinary fields，facilitating in-depth multidisciplinary discussions that led to key consensus on optimizing traditional Chinese medicine treatment protocols for ED，researching and developing new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，and advancing interdisciplinary development in traditional Chinese medicine. This salon systematically sorted out the clinical strengths and distinctive features of traditional Chinese medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of ED. Based on current research foundations and clinical needs，it identified key directions for future scientific layout and scientific research tackling： （1） Standardization of syndrome differentiation system of traditional Chinese medicine for ED. （2） Optimization and standardization of intervention methods of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. （3） High-quality clinical research guided by evidence-based medicine. （4） In-depth analysis of the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of ED. （5） Clinical translation and application promotion of new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine. （6） Interdisciplinary integration and innovation in traditional Chinese medicine. For each research direction，key focus areas，expected objectives，and clinical value were further refined，along with the establishment of a scientifically sound priority funding level evaluation system. Therefore，building on the series of salons on the ED-focused dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine，this paper provides standardized guidance for clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine in ED management，effectively contributing to the high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine. It serves as a valuable reference for national scientific and technological strategic layout， research and development decision-making in new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，research topic planning，and clinical guideline formulation.

AIM:To investigate the characteristics of corneal endothelial cells(CEC)and nuclear density(ND)in cataract patients with type 2 diabetes and to assess the impact of blood glucose related indicators.METHODS: A total of 187 cases(187 eyes)that underwent cataract surgery at our hospital from July 2023 to July 2024 were enrolled. CEC were measured using a non-contact specular microscope. ND was measured through IOLMaster 700. A total of 187 participants were further stratified based on glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)and fasting blood glucose(FBG)levels. Correlation analyses and multiple linear regression analyses were used to elucidate the association between diabetic status and ocular parameters. We measured the concentrations of ascorbic acid(AA)in the aqueous humor of 52 participants.RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the diabetic group exhibited larger maximum endothelial cell size, lower endothelial cell density(ECD), a reduced proportion of hexagonal cells, higher ND, and lower corneal vertex equivalent spherical power(Scv; P<0.05). Correlation analysis revealed those changes of CEC and ND were significantly associated with the level of FBG, HbA1c, and the duration of diabetes(P<0.05). Among 52 participants, diabetic patients had lower levels of AA in their aqueous humor, indicating a diminished antioxidant ability.CONCLUSION:Diabetic state can significantly influence corneal maximum cell size, hexagonal cell ratio and ND in cataract patients, potentially linked to a decrease in total antioxidant capacity of the aqueous humor.

Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) are recommended for COVID-19 treatment in China, but their safety and efficacy in the elderly population are not fully known. In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, we identified 5131 elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients from 32,864 COVID-19 patients admitted to nine hospitals in Henan Province, China, from December 5, 2022, to January 31, 2023. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was composite disease progression. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control for confounding factors, including demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, and laboratory tests. After 2:1 PSM, 1786 elderly patients receiving azvudine and 893 elderly patients receiving Paxlovid were included. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses revealed that compared with Paxlovid group, azvudine could significantly reduce the risk of all-cause death (log-rank P = 0.002; HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.573-0.883, P = 0.002), but there was no difference in composite disease progression (log-rank P = 0.52; HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.877-1.260, P = 0.588). Four sensitivity analyses verified the robustness of above results. Subgroup analysis suggested that a greater benefit of azvudine over Paxlovid was observed in elderly patients with primary malignant tumors (P for interaction = 0.005, HR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.18-0.57) compared to patients without primary malignant tumors. Safety analysis revealed that azvudine treatment had a lower incidence of adverse events and higher lymphocyte levels than Paxlovid treatment. In conclusion, azvudine treatment is not inferior to Paxlovid treatment in terms of all-cause death, composite disease progression and adverse events in elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

IL-33 and its receptor ST2 play crucial roles in tissue repair and homeostasis. However, their involvement in optic neuropathy due to trauma and glaucoma remains unclear. Here, we report that IL-33 and ST2 were highly expressed in the mouse optic nerve and retina. Deletion of IL-33 or ST2 exacerbated retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss, retinal thinning, and nerve fiber degeneration following optic nerve (ON) injury. This heightened retinal neurodegeneration correlated with increased neurotoxic astrocytes in Il33^-/- mice. In vitro, rIL-33 mitigated the neurotoxic astrocyte phenotype and reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, thereby alleviating the RGC death induced by neurotoxic astrocyte-conditioned medium in retinal explants. Exogenous IL-33 treatment improved RGC survival in Il33^-/- and WT mice after ON injury, but not in ST2^-/- mice. Our findings highlight the role of the IL-33/ST2 axis in modulating reactive astrocyte function and providing neuroprotection for RGCs following ON injury.
Animals ; Interleukin-33/genetics* ; Interleukin-1 Receptor-Like 1 Protein/genetics* ; Optic Nerve Injuries/pathology* ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/pathology* ; Astrocytes/pathology* ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neuroprotection/physiology*

Schizophrenia (SZ) stands as a severe psychiatric disorder. This study applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data in conjunction with graph neural networks to distinguish SZ patients from normal controls (NCs) and showcases the superior performance of a graph neural network integrating combined fractional anisotropy and fiber number brain network features, achieving an accuracy of 73.79% in distinguishing SZ patients from NCs. Beyond mere discrimination, our study delved deeper into the advantages of utilizing white matter brain network features for identifying SZ patients through interpretable model analysis and gene expression analysis. These analyses uncovered intricate interrelationships between brain imaging markers and genetic biomarkers, providing novel insights into the neuropathological basis of SZ. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of graph neural networks applied to multimodal DTI data for enhancing SZ detection through an integrated analysis of neuroimaging and genetic features.
Humans ; Schizophrenia/pathology* ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Brain/metabolism* ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; White Matter/pathology* ; Gene Expression ; Nerve Net/diagnostic imaging* ; Graph Neural Networks

Objective:To explore the correlation between metabolic syndrome (MS), serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, their combination and the risk of digestive system malignancies.Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted in the participants from the Kailuan cohort who took health examination in July 2006. Anthropometric parameters, epidemiological information, and laboratory test results were collected. Incidence and mortality of digestive system malignant tumors were collected through biennial health examinations and questionnaires. The follow-up period ended on December 31, 2021.According to MS status and hs-CRP levels (hs-CRP≤3 or >3 mg/L), the cohort was divided into 4 groups, induding MS -hs-CRP -, MS -hs-CRP +, MS + hs-CRP -, and MS + hs-CRP + group. Chi-squared test, one analysis of variance, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test were used for inter-group comparison among groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence of digestive system malignant tumors, and log-rank test was performed to compare the cumulative incidence among groups. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the effects of MS and hs-CRP levels on the overall risk of digestive system malignant tumors, as well as the effects of their combination on the risk of digestive system malignant tumors of different site, and relevant confounding factors were adjusted.A sensitivity analysis was conducted by excluding individuals diagnosed with digestive system malignancies within one year of follow-up, as well as those taking antihypertensive, antidiabetic, or lipid-lowering medications. Results:A total of 92 916 participants were included in this study. Among them, 57 933 cases were in the MS -hs-CRP - group, 10 949 cases in the MS -hs-CRP + group, 18 412 cases in the MS + hs-CRP - group, and 5 622 cases in the MS + hs-CRP + group.The median follow-up period was 15.01 years (14.66 to 15.20 years). By the end of follow-up, these were 1 992 cases of new-onset digestive system malignant tumors. The cumulative incidence rates of digestive system malignant tumors of MS -hs-CRP -, MS -hs-CRP +, MS + hs-CRP -, and MS + hs-CRP + groups were 2.0%(1 164/57 933), 2.3%(249/10 949), 2.4%(440/18 412), and 2.5%(139/5 622), respectively. The difference in the cumulative incidence among the 4 groups was statistically significant ( χ2=14.09, P=0.003).The results of multivariate Cox analysis showed that, after hs-CRP level and other confounding factors were adjusted, the risk of developing digestive system malignant tumors in participants with MS was 21.4% higher than that in those without MS ( HR=1.214 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.086 to 1.340), P<0.001). After MS status and other confounding factors were adjusted, the risk of developing digestive system malignant tumors in participants with high hs-CRP level (>3 mg/L) was 17.2% higher than those with low hs-CRP level (≤3 mg/L) ( HR=1.172 (95% CI: 1.042 to 1.303), P=0.008). After relevant confounding factors were adjusted, the risks of developing digestive system malignant tumors in the MS -hs-CRP +, MS + hs-CRP -, and MS + hs-CRP + groups increased by 17.2%, 21.4%, and 35.9%, respectively, as compared with that of the MS -hs-CRP - group ( HR=1.172 (95% CI: 1.017 to 1.399), P=0.028; HR=1.214 (95% CI: 1.074 to 1.356), P=0.002; HR=1.359 (95% CI: 1.135 to 1.635), P=0.001). Among the 4 groups, the overall risk of developing digestive system malignant tumors of MS + hs-CRP + group was the highest. After relevant confounding factors were adjusted, the risks of colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer of the MS + hs-CRP + group increased by 46.2%, 35.7%, and 88.3%, respectively, as compared with those of the MS -hs-CRP - group ( HR=1.462 (95% CI: 1.088 to 1.956), HR=1.357 (95% CI: 1.132 to 2.089), HR=1.883 (95% CI: 1.052 to 3.342)), suggesting that MS combined with high hs-CRP was a significant risk factor for increased incidences of colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer ( P=0.012, 0.016 and 0.033). After participants diagnosed with new digestive system malignancies within one year of follow-up and those taking antihypertensive, antidiabetic, or lipid-lowering medications (108 cases, 10 680 cases, 2 344 cases, 906 cases) were excluded, the results of sensitivity analysis indicated the increased risk of digestive system malignant tumors in the MS -hs-CRP +, MS + hs-CRP -, and MS + hs-CRP + groups were 12.1%, 21.4%, 28.7%; 18.2%, 21.4%, 24.8%; 16.4%, 21.4%, 32.2%; 17.3%, 20.4%, 35.8%. Among the 3 groups, the increased risk of developing digestive system malignant tumors of MS + hs-CRP + group was the highest. Conclusion:MS and hs-CRP >3 mg/L are both independent risk factors for developing digestive system malignant tumors, and their combination further increases the risk of developing digestive system malignant tumors.

Objective:To evaluate the safety of neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin in patients with advanced temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC), and its impact on tumor response rate and disease-free survival (DFS).Methods:This prospective, single-arm, open-label clinical study enrolled patients with advanced (Stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ) TBSCC from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Patients received 2-3 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab, 5-FU, and cisplatin, followed by definitive surgery. Postoperatively, patients received 6 cycles of pembrolizumab combined with radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) and safety indicators. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adverse events (AE) were assessed using the National Cancer Institute′s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 5.0. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software, version 22.0.Results:From August 2021 to April 2024, 16 patients with advanced TBSCC were enrolled (13 males and 3 females), with a median age of 54 years and a median follow-up time of 2.32 years. Following neoadjuvant therapy, the objective response rate (ORR) was 64.3% (9/14), and the disease control rate (DCR) was 92.9% (13/14). The 2-year DFS rate was 86.6%. Common treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) included leukopenia (56.3%, 9/16), nausea and vomiting (50.0%, 8/16), diarrhea, oral mucositis, and elevated liver function tests (25.0%, 4/16). One patient (6.25%) experienced a grade 3 adverse event.Conclusion:Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab-chemotherapy significantly enhances objective response rate and disease-free survival in advanced TBSCC.

Objective:To explore the correlation between the oxygenation index and the monitored parameters of lung injury view in ventilator,so as to provide a basis for monitoring the change of oxygenation index by the parameters of lung injury view.Methods:A total of 28 patients who received mechanical ventilation treatment and admitted to respiratory department of the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from May 14 to September 30,2024 were selected.The monitored parameters of lung injury views of them during mechanical ventilation treatment with invasive ventilators were collected,including platform pressure(Pplat),driving pressure(ΔP),mechanical energy(Emech),ratio of tidal volume to ideal body weight(TVe/IBW),etc..Then,the data of oxygenation index were obtained.Finally,135 valid data were screened out.The 84 pieces of data with oxygenation index≤300mmHg were included in low oxygen group,and 51 data with oxygenation index>300mmHg were included in normal group.The correlations between oxygenation index and Pplat,ΔP,Emech,TVe/IBW were conducted by pairwise analysis.Results:In the low oxygen group,the oxygenation index was[(196.302±74.522)mmHg]significantly negative correlation with Emech[(12.686±5.401)J/min](ρ=-0.425,P<0.05),but not was significant correlation with Pplat,ΔP,and TVe/IBW(P>0.05).In the normal group,there were not significant correlations between the oxygenation index and Pplat,ΔP,Emech and TVe/IBW(P>0.05).There was a significant negative correlation between Emech and rank of oxygenation index(β=-0.389,P<0.05)in the low oxygen group.Conclusion:The visualization function of the Emech of the monitored parameters in lung injury view of ventilator can provide help for monitoring the changes of oxygenation index of patients in the low oxygen group,and can improve the oxygenation of patients by optimizing mechanical energy.However,it is necessary to balance the contradiction between ventilation intensity and protection for lung.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of robot system-assisted versus freehand screw revision for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with lower cervical fractures.Methods:A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 57 patients with AS combined with lower cervical fractures admitted to Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital, and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, including 46 males and 11 females, aged 38-77 years [(65.4±9.5)years]. Injury segments involved C 3 in 7 patients, C 4 in 13, C 5 in 25, C 6 in 10, and C 7 in 2. All the patients underwent revision surgery, among whom, 22 patients were treated with robot system-assisted cervical pedicle screw placement (robot nailing group, with 190 screws), and 35 with freehand cervical pedicle screw placement (freehand nailing group, with 300 screws). The operative duration, intraoperative bleeding volume, frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy, incision length, and length of hospital stay of the two groups were compared; the time of single nscrew insertion, the number of single nail revisions, the distance between screws and the anterior cortex, the accuracy of screw placement of grade 0 and grade 0+1 were recorded in the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Society (JOA) score, neck dysfunction index (NDI), American Spine Injury Association (ASIA) classification before operation, at 3 days, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up were compared between the two groups. The complication rate was also noted. Results:All the patients were followed up for 12-16 months [(14.3±2.1)months]. The operative duration, intraoperative bleeding volume, and frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy were (186.4±12.9)minutes, (486.1±68.6)ml, and (3.4±1.3)times in the robot nailing group, which were shorter or less than (206.7±14.4)minutes, (660.3±45.2)ml, and (13.5±3.6)times in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01). The incision length was (9.4±2.4)cm in the robot nailing group, longer than (5.6±1.2)cm in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01), and the length of hospital stay was (3.7±0.4)days, shorter than (4.4±1.4)days in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01). The length of single nail insertion, the number of single nail revision, and the distance between the screws and the front cortex were (6.5±0.4)minutes, (1.1±0.1)times, and (3.5±1.3)mm in the robot nailing group, which were shorter or less than (11.6±0.2)minutes, (1.5±0.2)times, and (12.4±4.7)mm in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01). The accuracy of the screw placement in the robot nailing group was 90.0% (171/190) and 95.8% (182/190) with level 0 and 0+1 screws, better than 80.0% (240/300) and 89.0% (267/300) in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS, JOA score, NDI, or ASIA grading between the two groups before operation ( P>0.05). The VAS, JOA, and NDI scores at 3 days after operation were (3.1±0.6)points, (12.1±1.2)points, and (15.6±2.9)points, respectively in the robot nailing group, which were better than (5.0±1.4)points, (11.3±1.1)points and (22.5±3.7)points, respectively in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in the ASIA grade between the two groups at 3 days after operation ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in VAS, JOA, NDI scores, or ASIA grading between the two groups at 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). Compared with those before operation, the VAS, JOA, NDI scores, and ASIA grading were significantly improved at 3 days, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up in the two groups, which were further improved with the passage of time. Two patients in the robot nailing group had pneumonia, with a complication rate of 9% (2/22), while 2 patients in the freehand nailing group had dural sac rupture and cerebrospinal fluid leakage and 3 had lung infection after operation, with a complication rate of 14% (5/35) ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with freehand nailing, the robot system-assisted nailing revision for AS with lower cervical fracture has more advantages in terms of the operative duration, length of hospital stay, intraoperative bleeding volume, frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy nailing speed and accuracy, screw holding force, early pain relief, function restoration, and complication rate, despite longer surgical incision.

Objective:To develop a modified University of Wisconsin preservation solution (UW solution) containing α 2-adrenergic receptor agonists (dexmedetomidine) and noble gases (argon) and investigate its protective effect on the isolated amputated skeletal muscle of rats. Methods:Sixty male SD rats were selected to establish a hindlimb cold preservation/perfusion model and were divided into blank control group, hypothermic storage group, UW solution perfusion group, and modified UW solution perfusion group using a random number table, with 15 rats in each group. Simultaneously, a cold preservation model of rat skeletal muscle myoblasts (L6 cells) was established and the rats were also divided into four groups in the same way. Animal models were prepared in different ways: In the blank control group, the hindlimbs received no special treatment; In the hypothermic storage group, the amputated hindlimbs were stored in a dry centrifuge tube at 4℃ for 18 hours; In the UW solution perfusion group, the amputated hindlimbs were perfused with UW solution and then stored in a centrifuge tube containing UW solution at 4℃ for 18 hours; In the modified UW solution perfusion group, the amputated hindlimbs were perfused with modified UW solution (containing 0.1 nmol/L dexmedetomidine and 50% volume fraction of argon) and then stored in a centrifuge tube containing the modified UW solution at 4℃ for 18 hours. Cell models were treated as follows: In the blank control group, L6 cells were cultured under standard conditions; In the hypothermic storage group and UW solution group, L6 cells were treated with conventional culture medium or UW solution, stored in argon-filled sealed bags at 4℃ for 8 hours, and then rewarmed and cultured for 6 hours; In the modified UW solution group, L6 cells were treated with the modified solution, stored in argon-filled sealed bags at 4℃ for 8 hours, and then rewarmed and cultured for 6 hours. After sample collection, skeletal muscle morphology, tissue edema and ultrastructure features were assessed by HE staining, wet-to-dry weight ratio, and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Additionally, L6 cell morphology was examined by light microscopy. L6 cell viability was determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay (expressed as absorbance A value). Expression levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) protein in both skeletal muscle tissue and L6 cells were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot, respectively.Results:After 18 hours of in vitro preservation of rat isolated amputated limbs, the following results were obtained: (1) HE staining results showed that the muscle fiber morphology of the modified UW solution perfusion group was close to that of the blank control group. Moreover, the area ratio of skeletal muscle cells in the modified UW solution perfusion group was significantly higher than that in the hypothermic storage group and UW solution perfusion group ( P<0.05). (2) The wet-dry weight ratio results showed that there was no statistically significant difference among the modified UW solution perfusion group, the blank control group and UW solution group ( P>0.05), with significantly lower ratios in all three groups than that in the hypothermic storage group ( P<0.05). (3) Transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the modified UW solution perfusion group showed no statistically significant differences in ultrastructural metrics, including myofiber diameter, sarcomere length, mitochondrial short-axis/long-axis ratio, and mitochondrial cristae count, compared with those in the blank control group ( P>0.05), and performed significantly better than both the hypothermic storage group and UW solution perfusion group ( P<0.05). (4) Morphological observation of L6 cells showed that the cellular morphology was regular in the modified UW solution perfusion group, close to that in the blank control group, while it was severely damaged in the hypothermic storage group. Moreover, the cells were reduced in number and partially damaged in the UW solution group. The sequence of cell viability expressed as absorbance A value was blank control group >modified UW solution perfusion group > UW solution perfusion group > hypothermic storage group, with statistically significant differences among the four groups ( P<0.05). (5) Immunofluorescence staining showed that there was no statistically significant difference in fluorescence intensity of GPX4 protein expression between the modified UW solution perfusion group and blank control group ( P>0.05), while the fluorescence intensity was higher in the modified UW solution perfusion group than that in the hypothermic storage group and UW solution perfusion group ( P<0.05). Western blot analysis showed that the relative expression level of GPX4 in the modified UW solution group was significantly lower than that in the blank control group ( P<0.05), but higher than that in the hypothermic storage group and UW solution perfusion group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The modified UW solution can stabilize the expression level of GPX4 protein, thereby inhibiting ferroptosis and alleviating cold preservation injury in both rat amputated isolated limb skeletal muscle tissue and L6 cells.