Machado-Joseph disease, or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), represents the most common autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia worldwide. Despite its progressive and debilitating nature, disease-modifying therapies remain elusive. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive intervention; however, its clinical application has been hindered by inconsistent protocols and a lack of mechanistic understanding. A recent landmark study published in Brain Stimulation by Chen et al. addressed these challenges by combining a high-dose intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) protocol with concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography (TMS-EEG). This commentary provides an in-depth analysis of their findings, highlighting the restoration of cerebello-cortical inhibition (CBI) as a key therapeutic mechanism. Furthermore, we discuss the broader implications of this work, proposing that future translational research should integrate accelerated iTBS (aiTBS) paradigms, cortical response measurements (CRM), and individualized neuro-navigation to establish a new era of precision neuromodulation for ataxia.

Machado-Joseph disease, or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), represents the most common autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia worldwide. Despite its progressive and debilitating nature, disease-modifying therapies remain elusive. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive intervention; however, its clinical application has been hindered by inconsistent protocols and a lack of mechanistic understanding. A recent landmark study published in Brain Stimulation by Chen et al. addressed these challenges by combining a high-dose intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) protocol with concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography (TMS-EEG). This commentary provides an in-depth analysis of their findings, highlighting the restoration of cerebello-cortical inhibition (CBI) as a key therapeutic mechanism. Furthermore, we discuss the broader implications of this work, proposing that future translational research should integrate accelerated iTBS (aiTBS) paradigms, cortical response measurements (CRM), and individualized neuro-navigation to establish a new era of precision neuromodulation for ataxia.

Cervical spinal cord injury without fracture-dislocation (CSCIWFD) is referred to as a special type of cervical spinal cord injury characterized by traumatic spinal cord dysfunction and no significant bony structural abnormalities on imagines. Duo to the high risk of missed diagnosis during the initial consultation, CSCIWFD may lead to progressive neurological deterioration or even complete paralysis, severely impacting patients′ prognosis. Currently, there are no established consensuses over the diagnosis and treatment of CSCIWFD, such as the lack of evidence-based standards for indications of non-surgical treatment and risk of secondary neurological injury, as well as debates over the optimal timing for surgical intervention and indications for different surgical approaches. To address these issues, the Spine Trauma Group of the Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the relevant fields to formulate Diagnosis and treatment guideline for acute cervical spinal cord injury without fracture- dislocation in adults ( version 2025) . Based on evidence-based medicine and the principles of scientific rigor and clinical applicability, the guidelines proposed 11 recommendations covering terminology, diagnosis, evaluation treatment, and rehabilitation, etc., aiming to standardize the management of CSCIWFD.

Vertebral refracture following percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA) is commonly seen in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures (OTLCF). It can lead to recurrent pain, loss of vertebral height, progression of kyphosis, and even neurological dysfunction, significantly impairing patients′ quality of life. Current diagnosis and treatment face multiple challenges, including high misdiagnosis rate, difficulty in choosing between surgical and non-surgical treatment options, lack of standardized surgical protocols, interference from intralesional bone cement during procedures, inadequate stability of internal fixation in osteoporotic bone, and suboptimal compliance of anti-osteoporotic therapy. Establishing a standardized diagnostic and therapeutic framework is urgently needed. To standardize the management process and improve outcomes for vertebral refractures after PVA in elderly OTLCF patients, Spinal Trauma Group of the Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field to develop Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of vertebral refracture after percutaneous vertebral augmentation in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures ( version 2025), based on current literature and clinical experience, and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and clinical applicability. A total of 11 recommendations were proposed, encompassing diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of vertebral refracture after PVA in elderly patients with OTLCF, aiming to provide a foundation for a standardized management.

For middle-aged and elderly patients with conditions such as spinal fractures and degenerative spinal diseases, spinal internal fixation is a core surgical procedure for reconstructing spinal stability, heavily relying on the biomechanical stability provided by pedicle screw systems. Whereas, these patients are often complicated by osteoporosis that can significantly compromise the stability of the bone-pedicle screw interface, leading to a marked increase in pedicle screw loosening and surgical failure rates. The bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique, which involves injecting bone cement into the vertebral body or screw trajectory to optimize the mechanical properties of the bone-pedicle screw composite, has been proven to significantly enhance fixation strength and effectively prevent screw-related failures, thereby reducing the incidence of internal fixation failure in high-risk populations undergoing spinal fusion. However, the widespread clinical application of this technique has faced challenges such as inaccurate clinical decision-making (indication and contraindication selection), non-standardized operative practices, and insufficient awareness of complication prevention, resulting in considerable variability in clinical outcomes and even severe complications. To address this, Prof. Luo Fei from First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University initiated the project and the Chinese Association Orthopaedic Surgeons organized relevant experts to develop the Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique ( version 2025), based on current evidence. The guidelines put forward 8 recommendations regarding the clinical value, scope of application, and operational standards of the technique, aiming to provide evidence-based medical support and technical standardization for clinical decision-making.

Objective:To identify the relevant factors for the first-course remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to develop a predictive model as well as assess its predictive capability.Methods:Clinical data of 749 patients newly diagnosed with AML admitted to the Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine from January 1, 2019, to April 30, 2023, were collected and randomly divided into training and validation sets. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine variables associated with complete remission in the first course of induction therapy, and a predictive model was established based on these variables. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the predictive model was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated.Results:The indicators predicting the first remission course included peripheral blood white blood cell count during onset, CBF::MYH11 fusion gene, CEBPA bZIP region mutation, myelodysplastic syndrome-related gene mutation, and induction chemotherapy regimen selection as independent factors for the first remission course. The model’s area under the training and validation curves was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.696-0.780) and 0.726 (95% CI: 0.650-0.801), respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results yielded P-values of 0.993 and 0.335, respectively. Conclusion:In this study, the developed model demonstrates a strong predictive capability for the efficacy of the first course of patients with AML, providing valuable guidance to clinicians in assessing patient prognosis and selecting appropriate treatment strategies.

Objective:To assess the application effects of an energy-restricted diet combined with high-protein, high-dietary-fiber meal replacement powder and probiotics in overweight/obese adults.Methods:It was a randomized controlled trial. A consecutive sample of 150 overweight/obese adults who underwent physical examinations at the Health Care Center of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University between November 2021 and March 2022. The participants were randomly assigned into the combined group, the high-protein group, and the common group (50 participants per group) using a random number table method. All three groups of subjects received weight loss health education, energy-restricted diet, and interventions with meal replacement powder and probiotics (or probiotic placebo). The combined group was given high-protein and high-dietary fiber meal replacement powder and probiotics. The high-protein group was given high-protein meal replacement powder and probiotic placebo. The common group was given ordinary meal replacement powder and probiotic placebo. The meal replacement powder was packaged in 35 g per bag, with main components of varying amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and trace elements. Both the probiotic powder and the probiotic placebo came in 2 g sachets. The primary components of probiotic powder were various Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and excipients, while the main component of probiotic placebo was excipients. The meal replacement powder and the probiotic powder or probiotic placebo were taken twice a day for a total of 12 weeks, one sachet of each time, followed by a 4-week follow-up. The body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, abdominal circumference and hip circumference were measured before the trial (week 0) and at the end of weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16. The change rates of each indicator were calculated. Biochemical indicators, trace elements, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured at the end of week 0, 4, 8, and 12. A product evaluation questionnaire was conducted at the end of week 12. A total of 19 cases dropped out due to various reasons. Finally, 46 cases in the combined group, 42 cases in the high-protein group, and 43 cases in the common group were included in the analysis. Paired-samples t test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, one-way analysis of variance, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the differences in weight-loss and maintenance effects, safety and patient acceptance among the three intervention groups, and to analyze the application effect of the energy-restricted diet combined with high-protein and high-dietary fiber meal replacement powder plus probiotics in overweight/obese adults. Results:Among the 131 overweight/obese adults included in the analysis, there were 57 males and 74 females, with a mean age of (37.30±8.33) years. By the end of the week 12, the body mass index [26.87(25.77, 30.38) vs 29.61(27.96, 33.09) kg/m2; 27.10(24.70, 31.37) vs 29.40(27.20, 34.17) kg/m2; 27.98(26.43, 30.12) vs 29.88(28.22, 31.93) kg/m2] and body fat masses [22.15(17.70, 30.15) vs 30.75(25.63, 35.40) kg; 23.35(19.12, 28.70) vs 29.45(26.20, 37.05) kg; 26.80(24.10, 31.60) vs 30.00(26.00, 34.70) kg] in the combined group, the high-protein group and the common group were all lower than those at baseline (week 0) (all P<0.05). At the end of the week 12, the change rates of body fat mass and body mass index in the combined group were both higher than those in the high-protein group and the common group [(25.98%±9.58%) vs (23.88%±11.15%) and (9.35%±11.00%), 9.29%(7.23%, 11.58%) vs 7.96% (5.51%, 10.92%) and 5.77% (2.68%, 10.03%)] (all P<0.05). At the end of the week 12, the body fat mass in the combined group and the high-protein group were both lower than that in the common group [22.15(17.70, 30.15), 23.35(19.12, 28.70) vs 26.80(24.10, 31.60) kg] (both P<0.05). At the end of the week 12, the decreased values of uric acid and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the combined group were both higher than those in the high-protein group and the common group [17.15(13.02, 23.45) vs 1.50(0.22, 28.60) and 4.20(0.15, 19.95) μmol/L, 0.43(0.24, 0.60) vs 0.21(0.06, 0.43) and 0.28(-0.04, 0.88) mg/L](both P<0.05). No serious adverse events were observed during the intervention period and at the end of the intervention. In the product evaluation questionnaire, the combined group scored higher than the high-protein group and the common group on items such as usage frequency, taste, satiety, willingness to continue use, willingness to recommend to others, and willingness to purchase [4(3, 4) vs 3(3, 4) and 3(2, 4) points, 4(3, 4) vs 3(3, 4) and 3(2, 4) points, 4(3, 4) vs 3(3, 4) and 3(3, 3) points, 4(3, 4) vs 3(3, 4) and 3(3, 4) points, 4(3, 4) vs 3(3, 4) and 3(3, 3) points, 3(3, 4) vs 3(3, 4) and 3(2, 3) points] (all P<0.05). Conclusion:An energy-restricted diet combined with high-protein, high-dietary-fiber meal replacement powder and probiotics demonstrates superior weight-loss and weight-maintenance effects in overweight/obese adults, with high safety and great user acceptability.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical process of fragment reattachment in crown-root fractures (CRF) of teeth that the fracture occurred between sub-gingival and supra-alveolar ridge (sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge) in the esthetic zone, and to analyze the feasibility of this minimally invasive technique for sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF involving anterior teeth.Methods:Fourteen sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF involving anterior teeth in 12 patients received fragment reattachment in the Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University from January 2016 to August 2024. The success rate of the fractured teeth 3 years after reattachment and the complications during the follow-up period were retrospectively analyzed. The 3-year success rate and complications during follow-up were evaluated to assess the clinical efficacy of this technique.Results:The 14 treated teeth were followed for an average of (36.0±33.7) months (range: 4-99 months). Complications occurred in 2 teeth: one was extracted due to debonding and replaced with a removable partial denture, while the other developed a palatal sinus post-reattachment, which healed after local saline irrigation and medication (followed for 12 months without recurrence). The remaining 12 teeth exhibited no complications, resulting in a success rate of 13/14.Conclusions:Fragment reattachment is a minimally invasive, rapid, and cost-effective treatment option for sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF in the anterior esthetic zone. With strict case selection, it delivers favorable outcomes and extends the clinical lifespan of affected teeth.

Glucagonoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor derived from the pancreatic α cells, and alopecia is an uncommon clinical manifestation. We report a case of glucagonoma presenting with marked alopecia, aiming to raise clinicians′ awareness of this rare presentation.

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