Objectives: . Endotype-based interventions have shown promise in the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and upper airway surgery is a key therapeutic option. However, responses to surgery vary among patients with obstructive sleep apnea. This study aims to examine changes in endotypic traits following upper airway surgery and to explore their association with surgical outcomes. Methods: . We prospectively recruited 25 patients with obstructive sleep apnea who visited a single sleep center for upper airway surgery. These patients underwent polysomnographic studies both before and after surgical intervention. During non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep, we estimated endotypic traits—including collapsibility (Vpassive), arousal threshold, loop gain, and upper airway compensation—with the phenotyping using polysomnography method. Based on improvements in the apnea-hypopnea index, patients were classified as either responders or non-responders. We compared the preoperative endotypic traits between these groups using Mann-Whitney tests. Additionally, we compared changes in endotypic traits pre- and post-surgery between responders and non-responders using generalized linear mixed models. Results: . We identified 12 responders and 13 non-responders. Compared to non-responders, responders exhibited improved collapsibility during rapid eye movement sleep (22.3 vs. −8.2%eupnea in Vpassive, P=0.01), and their arousal threshold decreased during non-rapid eye movement sleep (−22.4%eupnea, P=0.02). No endotypic trait predicted surgical response; however, the apnea-hypopnea index during rapid eye movement sleep was higher among responders than non-responders (51.8/hr vs. 34.4/hr, P=0.05). Conclusion . Upper airway surgery significantly reduced collapsibility during rapid eye movement sleep in responders. The target pathology for upper airway surgery is a compromised upper airway during rapid eye movement sleep.

Objectives: . Endotype-based interventions have shown promise in the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and upper airway surgery is a key therapeutic option. However, responses to surgery vary among patients with obstructive sleep apnea. This study aims to examine changes in endotypic traits following upper airway surgery and to explore their association with surgical outcomes. Methods: . We prospectively recruited 25 patients with obstructive sleep apnea who visited a single sleep center for upper airway surgery. These patients underwent polysomnographic studies both before and after surgical intervention. During non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep, we estimated endotypic traits—including collapsibility (Vpassive), arousal threshold, loop gain, and upper airway compensation—with the phenotyping using polysomnography method. Based on improvements in the apnea-hypopnea index, patients were classified as either responders or non-responders. We compared the preoperative endotypic traits between these groups using Mann-Whitney tests. Additionally, we compared changes in endotypic traits pre- and post-surgery between responders and non-responders using generalized linear mixed models. Results: . We identified 12 responders and 13 non-responders. Compared to non-responders, responders exhibited improved collapsibility during rapid eye movement sleep (22.3 vs. −8.2%eupnea in Vpassive, P=0.01), and their arousal threshold decreased during non-rapid eye movement sleep (−22.4%eupnea, P=0.02). No endotypic trait predicted surgical response; however, the apnea-hypopnea index during rapid eye movement sleep was higher among responders than non-responders (51.8/hr vs. 34.4/hr, P=0.05). Conclusion . Upper airway surgery significantly reduced collapsibility during rapid eye movement sleep in responders. The target pathology for upper airway surgery is a compromised upper airway during rapid eye movement sleep.

Objectives: . Endotype-based interventions have shown promise in the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and upper airway surgery is a key therapeutic option. However, responses to surgery vary among patients with obstructive sleep apnea. This study aims to examine changes in endotypic traits following upper airway surgery and to explore their association with surgical outcomes. Methods: . We prospectively recruited 25 patients with obstructive sleep apnea who visited a single sleep center for upper airway surgery. These patients underwent polysomnographic studies both before and after surgical intervention. During non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep, we estimated endotypic traits—including collapsibility (Vpassive), arousal threshold, loop gain, and upper airway compensation—with the phenotyping using polysomnography method. Based on improvements in the apnea-hypopnea index, patients were classified as either responders or non-responders. We compared the preoperative endotypic traits between these groups using Mann-Whitney tests. Additionally, we compared changes in endotypic traits pre- and post-surgery between responders and non-responders using generalized linear mixed models. Results: . We identified 12 responders and 13 non-responders. Compared to non-responders, responders exhibited improved collapsibility during rapid eye movement sleep (22.3 vs. −8.2%eupnea in Vpassive, P=0.01), and their arousal threshold decreased during non-rapid eye movement sleep (−22.4%eupnea, P=0.02). No endotypic trait predicted surgical response; however, the apnea-hypopnea index during rapid eye movement sleep was higher among responders than non-responders (51.8/hr vs. 34.4/hr, P=0.05). Conclusion . Upper airway surgery significantly reduced collapsibility during rapid eye movement sleep in responders. The target pathology for upper airway surgery is a compromised upper airway during rapid eye movement sleep.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction in modulating macrophage polarization and intervening in autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) mice. Methods: Using the random number table method, 48 SPF-grade NOD.H-2h4 mice were assigned to the normal, model, low-dose (4.10 g/kg), medium-dose (8.19 g/kg), high-dose group (16.38 g/kg) of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction, and selenium yeast tablet (0.026 mg/kg) groups, with eight mice in each group. All groups, except the normal group, were free to drink high iodine water (0.05% sodium iodide) to prepare AIT mouse models for 8 consecutive weeks. After the modeling was complete, each treatment group was orally administered with the corresponding medication, while the normal and model groups were orally administered with an equal volume of distilled water once a day for 8 consecutive weeks. High-performance liquid chromatography with an oscillometric refractive detector was used to analyze the content of Astragaloside Ⅳ in Buzhong Yiqi Decoction. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of mouse thyroid tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of serum thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab), thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). An immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the positive area percentage of M1 and M2 macrophages in mouse thyroid tissue. Flow cytometry assay was used to detect macrophage polarization in mouse spleen tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3), nuclear factor kappa B inhibitory protein α (IκBα), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 in mouse spleen tissue. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of the phosphorylated IκBα (p-IκBα), phosphorylated NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65), and NLRP3 protein in mouse spleen tissue. Results: The content of Astragaloside Ⅳ in Buzhong Yiqi Decoction was (7.09±0.06) g/L. Compared to the normal group, significant lymphocyte infiltration was observed in the thyroid tissue of mice in the model group. The levels of serum TPO-Ab, TgAb, IL-6, and TNF-α increased (P<0.05). The positive area percentage of M1 macrophages in thyroid tissue increased (P<0.05). The proportion of M1 macrophages and M1/M2 in spleen tissue increased (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3 mRNA in spleen tissue increased (P<0.05). The relative expression of p-IκBα, p-NF-κB p65, and NLRP3 proteins increased (P<0.05). Compared to the model group, the inflammation infiltration degree in the thyroid tissue of mice in each dose group of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction and selenium yeast tablet group was reduced, the serum TPO-Ab, TgAb, IL-6, TNF-α content was decreased, the spleen tissue M1/M2 was reduced, the expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA was reduced, and the relative expression levels of p-IκBα, p-NF-κB p65 protein were reduced (P<0.05). The Buzhong Yiqi Decoction high-dose and selenium yeast tablets groups showed an increase in IL-10 content, an increase in positive area percentage of M2 macrophages in thyroid tissue, an increase in M2 macrophages proportion in spleen tissue, and a decrease in NLRP3 mRNA and protein relative expression levels (P<0.05). Conclusion Buzhong Yiqi Decoction may regulate macrophage polarization by inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway, thus improving the inflammatory damage in mice with AIT.

Objective To analyze the metabolomics characteristics of chronic atrophic gastritis(CAG)patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation and spleen-stomach weakness syndromes based on non-targeted metabolomics technology,and to identify the serum differentiated metabolites related to traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome of CAG patients,so as to provide a reference for the objectification of syndrome differentiation.Methods Sixty patients with CAG were included,including 30 cases of liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and 30 cases of spleen-stomach weakness syndrome.Fasting blood of 5 mL was collected from the cubital vein of patients in the two groups,and the serum levels of metabolites were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS)methods.The principal component analysis(PCA),orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA),and cluster analysis were used to screen the differentiated metabolites of CAG patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and spleen-stomach weakness syndrome.Finally,metabolite pathway analysis was performed for the obtained differentiated metabolites using the KEGG database.Results The results for the screening of differentiated metabolites showed that significant differences of amino acid derivatives and small peptide metabolites were presented between CAG patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and CAG patients with spleen-stomach weakness syndrome.The amino acid derivatives consisted of N-acetylglycine,histamine,O-phosphoserine,selenomethylselenocysteine,and methyl-tyrosine.And the small peptide metabolites consisted of tyrosine-leucine-phenylalanine,histidine-alanine-glutamate-lysine,L-asparagine-L-proline-L-serine,and L-isoleucine-L-isoleucine.Conclusion Differences in amino acid metabolism exist between CAG patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and those with spleen-stomach weakness syndrome,and metabolites such as N-acetylglycine,intermethyltyrosine,and O-phosphoserine may be the potential biomarkers for distinguishing liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome from spleen-stomach weakness syndrome in CAG patients.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C),ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), and triglyceride glucose index (TyG) on metabolic syndrome (MS) in adult women.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 24 410 adult women who received health examination in health management center of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were selected from January 2019 to December 2021 as subjects. The subjects′ basic information, physical examination results, and laboratory examination data were collected retrospectively. The relationship between non-HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, TyG, and MS in adult women were examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic value of each indicator for MS in adult women.Results:Among 24 410 adult females, 800 (3.3%) were found to have MS. After adjusting for age, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, blood uric acid, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, fatty liver, non HDL-C ( OR=1.608), TG/HDL-C ( OR=1.311), TyG ( OR=13.288) were all risk factors for MS in adult women. non-HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, and TyG, as well as their combined AUC of ROC, were 0.795 (95% CI: 0.742-0.776), 0.909 (95% CI: 0.902-0.917), 0.942 (95% CI: 0.937-0.948), and 0.944 (95% CI: 0.937-0.950), respectively. TyG had the highest diagnostic value for MS in adult women among the three indicators, the optimal cutoff value for TyG was 8.237, with a sensitivity of 93.5% and a specificity of 85.5%. Conclusion:non-HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, TyG, as well as their combination, all demonstrate good diagnostic value for MS in adult women.

OBJECTIVE To establish the project approval evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） preparations in medical institutions guided by new drug conversion， to improve the success rate of approval for TCM preparations in medical institutions and lay the foundation for the later drug conversion. METHODS Research and development team used the literature research method and brainstorming method to list and organize relevant elements of project evaluation and determine the initial indicator system. Experts were consulted using the Delphi method to confirm the evaluation index. The weights were calculated based on the proportion of importance scores for each indicator and assigned specific scores to each item. The indicator system was used to evaluate 31 TCM preparations applied for filing by various departments of our hospital from April to July 2023. RESULTS After two rounds of 17 experts’ consultation， the final TCM preparation system included five primary indicators， i.e. theoretical basis， clinical research foundation， pharmaceutical foundation， prescription， and clinical value， as well as 17 secondary indicators including prescription source， traditional Chinese medicine theory， clinical positioning and so on. Human experience was considered as the item which would be rejected as one vote. Based on the above indicator system， our hospital further improved the filing and project approval process for TCM preparations in medical institutions. Among the 31 TCM preparations applied for filing by various departments from April to July 2023， 8 TCM preparations with a score ≥65 were selected for development. CONCLUSIONS The evaluation system is objective， comprehensive， and highly operable. It is suitable for the selection of TCM preparations in medical institutions before research and development.

Objective:To introduce the application of highly selective arterial indocyanine green angiography (hereinafter referred to as highly selective arterial angiography) in the design of anterolateral thigh free flap.Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From November 2023 to April 2024, 29 patients with wounds in extremities which were repaired by anterolateral thigh free flaps designed under the assistance of highly selective arterial angiography and met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Hand Surgery and Department of Wound Repair Surgery of Suzhou Ruihua Orthopedic Hospital, including 26 males and 3 females, aged 16 to 71 years. The wound area after debridement ranged from 8.0 cm×4.5 cm to 27.0 cm×16.0 cm. During the surgery, highly selective arterial angiography was used to assist in flap design. The fluorescence development range of the source arteries or perforators of flaps was observed. The blood supply range of the source arteries or perforators of flaps was determined based on the fluorescence development of the skin, and the excision position of the flap was adjusted. The flap incision area ranged from 9.0 cm×6.0 cm to 29.0 cm×16.0 cm. During the surgery, the number of highly selective arterial angiography, the type of source artery of perforators for puncture, and changes in the excision position of flaps were observed and recorded. After surgery, the blood supply and survival of flaps, the healing of wounds and the survival of skin grafts in the flap donor sites, and the angiography-related complications were observed.Results:All the 32 flaps of 29 patients were successfully excised. The highly selective arterial angiography was performed 37 times, including 13 cases of puncture of the oblique branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery, 6 cases of puncture of the descending branch, 8 cases of double puncture of the oblique and descending branches, and 2 cases of puncture of arteries from other branches. During the surgery, the excision position of 28 flaps did not change, the excision position of 3 flaps moved towards proximal extremity of the thigh, and the excision position of 1 flap moved towards distal extremity of the thigh. All the flaps survived successfully after the surgery, and there was no partial necrosis of the flaps at the proximal or distal ends. The wounds in the flap donor sites healed, and all skin grafts survived. No angiography-related complications occurred.Conclusions:Highly selective arterial angiography can be used to determine the blood supply range of the source artery and perforators of the anterolateral thigh free flaps during the surgery. It can evaluate the blood supply of flaps more intuitively and objectively. Its application in assisting flap design can avoid partial flap necrosis caused by unreasonable preoperative design to a certain extent, and it is safe and reliable.

Objective Little is known about the association between whole-blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD+)levels and nabothian cysts.This study aimed to assess the association between NAD+levels and nabothian cysts in healthy Chinese women. Methods Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the association between NAD+levels and nabothian cysts. Results The mean age was 43.0±11.5 years,and the mean level of NAD+was 31.3±5.3 μmol/L.Nabothian cysts occurred in 184(27.7%)participants,with single and multiple cysts in 100(15.0%)and 84(12.6%)participants,respectively.The total nabothian cyst prevalence gradually decreased from 37.4%to 21.6%from Q1 to Q4 of NAD+and the prevalence of single and multiple nabothian cysts also decreased across the NAD+quartiles.As compared with the highest NAD+quartile(≥34.4 μmol/L),the adjusted odds ratios with 95%confidence interval of the NAD+Q1 was 1.89(1.14-3.14)for total nabothian cysts.The risk of total and single nabothian cysts linearly decreased with increasing NAD+levels,while the risk of multiple nabothian cysts decreased more rapidly at NAD+levels of 28.0 to 35.0 μmol/L. Conclusion:Low NAD+levels were associated with an increased risk of total and multiple nabothian cysts.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Tongyuan Acupuncture combined with Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)with spleen deficiency and phlegm-damp syndrome.Methods A total of 86 patients with PCOS of spleen deficiency and phlegm-damp type were randomly divided into observation group and control group,43 cases in each group.The control group was treated with Metformin Hydrochloride Tablets combined with Ethinylestradiol and Cyproterone Acetate Tablets.The observation group was treated with Tongyuan Acupuncture combined with Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction on the basis of the treatment of the control group.Both groups were treated for three consecutive months.After three months of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.The changes of sex hormone indexes estradiol(E2),testosterone(T),luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and prolactin(PRL)expression levels were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.The changes of glucose metabolism levels including insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR),fasting insulin(FINS)and fasting blood glucose(FPG)expression levels were compared before and after treatment between the two groups.Results(1)The total effective rate was 90.70%(39/43)in the observation group and 74.42%(32/43)in the control group.The curative effect of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,HOMA-IR,FINS and FPG in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the improvement of HOMA-IR,FINS and FPG in the observation group was superior to that in the control group,the difference being significant(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the levels of E2,T,LH,FSH and PRL in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the levels of E2,T,LH,FSH and PRL in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Tongyuan Acupuncture combined with Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction in the treatment of spleen deficiency and phlegm-damp type of PCOS can effectively improve the sex hormone level of patients and regulate the glucose metabolism of patients.The clinical effect is significant.