The " liver disease affecting to the spleen" theory first appeared in Nanjing and was further elaborated in Jingui Yaolue. This theory encapsulates the traditional Chinese medicine principles of the " unity of the five viscera" and the " preventive treatment of disease" . The theory emphasizes that the spleen is the pivotal point where depression may progress from a functional disorder to an organic disease. The liver governs the emotions and qi flow, whereas the spleen is responsible for qi, blood, and body. In the early stages of the disease, emotional disorders and qi flow disorders primarily affect the liver, manifesting as depression or low mood. As the condition progresses, the liver (Wood) overacts on the spleen (Earth), disrupting liver and spleen functions and causing qi and blood disharmony. This stage is marked by fatigue and psychomotor retardation. Prolonged illness depletes qi and blood, eventually involving all five viscera, disrupting the harmony of the five spirits, and affecting both body and spirit. At this advanced phase, intense emotional distress or agitation often arises, accompanied by a heightened risk of suicide. The disease progression follows a dynamic " qi-blood-spirit" pattern, in which depression begins in the liver, characterized by qi stagnation, then affects the spleen, involving blood disharmony. In later stages, the disease eventually affects all viscera, with profound effects on both physical and mental health. Treatment strategies should align with the disease stage. Early intervention should focus on regulating the flow of qi, treating the liver, and strengthening the spleen. In the middle stages, qi and blood should be harmonized while promoting the harmonized functions of the liver and spleen. In the later stages, treatment should harmonize the five viscera to restore balance between body and spirit. Guided by this theory, integrating modern medical understanding of the progression of depression from emotional to somatic symptoms and adopting a stage-based approach to treatment in clinical practice can yield effective therapeutic outcomes for managing depression and related disorders.

Based on commonly used acupoints in the clinical acupuncture treatment of functional dyspepsia （FD）， this study systematically analyzes the therapeutic differences and synergistic effects between local and distal point selection. It also examines the suitability of primary acupoint selection for different FD subtypes， postprandial distress syndrome （PDS） and epigastric pain syndrome （EPS）. The findings suggest that a combination of local and distal acupoints may be more appropriate as primary points for PDS， whereas local acupoints alone may be more suitable for EPS. Additionally， the study explores the impact of various factors， such as stimulation techniques， needling order， intensity or stimulation parameters， and depth， on the efficacy of acupuncture. It concludes that the intrinsic properties of acupoints are the primary determinants of therapeutic direction. Other factors mainly influence the magnitude rather than the direction of the effect. Future research may further investigate how different acupoint combinations， local versus distal， affect the treatment outcomes of FD subtypes， providing new insights for clinical acupuncture prescriptions.

Since the Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver （APASL） issued the clinical practice guidelines for metabolic associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） in 2020， the research on MAFLD has been further deepened. Therefore， APASL has made comprehensive updates and revisions based on the previous guidelines， and the latest version of the clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis and management of MAFLD， which was released in February 2025， has updated the epidemiology， screening， assessment， and treatment of MAFLD， aiming to promote the clinical practice， knowledge popularization， and scientific research of MAFLD. This article makes an excerpt and an interpretation of the updated key points of the guidelines.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Youguiwan on the leptin/Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） signaling pathway in the lung tissue of the rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） due to kidney-Yang deficiency. MethodForty rats were modeled for COPD with the syndrome of kidney-Yang deficiency by intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide on day 1 and day 14 and continuous fumigation for 6 weeks， during which hydrocortisone was injected intramuscularly at an interval of 3 days. The modeled rats were randomized into model， high- （11.7 g·kg^-1）， medium- （5.85 g·kg^-1）， and low-dose （2.93 g·kg^-1） Youguiwan， and aminophylline （0.054 g·kg^-1） group. In addition， 8 SD rats were set as the blank group. After the completion of modeling， the rats in each group were administrated with the corresponding drug by gavage for 28 consecutive days. After the last administration， samples were collected. A lung function analyzer was used to evaluate the lung function of rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of interleukin-17A （IL-17A）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF）. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the pathological changes in the lung tissue， and Masson staining was employed to observe the deposition of blue collagen fibers around bronchi in the lung tissue and calculate the inflammation score. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to measure the protein content of collagen type Ⅰ （ColⅠ） and α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） in the bronchi. The protein and mRNA levels of leptin， IL-17A， JAK2， and STAT3 in the lung tissue were determined by Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction， respectively. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed decreased lung function （P<0.01）， elevated levels of IL-6， IL-17A， and TNF-α in the BALF （P<0.01）， and increased lung inflammation score， deposition of subcutaneous collagen fibers in the airway， and ColⅠ and α-SMA proteins （P<0.01）. Furthermore， the modeling up-regulated the proteins and mRNA levels of leptin， IL-17A， JAK2， and STAT3 in the lung tissue （P<0.01） and enhanced the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， high- and medium-dose Youguiwan improved the lung function， decreased the inflammation score， reduced collagen fiber deposition and ColⅠ and α-SMA proteins， lowered the levels of IL-6， IL-17A， and TNF-α in the BALF， down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of leptin， JAK2， STAT3， and IL-17A， and weakened the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The aminophylline group had higher IL-17A and TNF-α levels than the high-dose Youguiwan group， lower IL-17A level than the medium and low-dose Youguiwan groups， and lower TNF-α level than the low-dose Youguiwan group. Compared with the aminophylline group， the high- and medium-dose Youguiwan groups showed reduced deposition of collagen fibers and protein levels of ColⅠ and α-SMA around the bronchi in the lung tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased inflammation score， and down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of leptin， JAK2， STAT3， and IL-17A in the lung tissue. ConclusionYouguiwan can prevent airway remodeling by inhibiting IL-17A to reduce inflammation and collagen deposition in COPD rats， which may be related to the inhibition of the leptin/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

The acupoint sensitization theory,a breakthrough in acupuncture and moxibustion over the past two decades,has greatly enhanced the understanding of meridians and acupoints while increasing the effectiveness of clinical diagnosis and treatment in acupuncture and moxibustion practices.The number of studies on surface sensitization site detection for different diseases is increasing.However,systematic sorting and a summary of the detection mode of surface sensitization points are lacking.Therefore,this study categorizes the method of surface sensitization point detection into two modes:pan-scanning and focused scanning.The classification is based on the characteristics of the openness of the research purpose,the precision of the target range,and the degree of variation during detection.The two modes have considerable differences in the exploration efficiency and the presentation of result.The pan-scanning mode can be further subdivided into holistic and localized pan-scanning modes,whereas the focused-scanning mode can be subdivided into fixed-and variable-focused scanning modes.This study analyzes the application scenarios,characteristics,advantages,and limitations of each detection mode and presents opinions on mode selection,mode innovation,and future development directions.This study aims to provide valuable insights and guidance for the follow-up research on surface sensitization site detection of various diseases.

With the increasing proportion of human papilloma virus(HPV)infection in the pathogenic factors of oro-pharyngeal cancer,a series of changes have occurred in the surgical treatment.While the treatment mode has been im-proved,there are still many problems,including the inconsistency between diagnosis and treatment modes,the lack of popularization of reconstruction technology,the imperfect post-treatment rehabilitation system,and the lack of effective preventive measures.Especially in terms of treatment mode for early oropharyngeal cancer,there is no unified conclu-sion whether it is surgery alone or radiotherapy alone,and whether robotic minimally invasive surgery has better func-tional protection than radiotherapy.For advanced oropharyngeal cancer,there is greater controversy over the treatment mode.It is still unclear whether to adopt a non-surgical treatment mode of synchronous chemoradiotherapy or induction chemotherapy combined with synchronous chemoradiotherapy,or a treatment mode of surgery combined with postopera-tive chemoradiotherapy.In order to standardize the surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer in China and clarify the indications for surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,this expert consensus,based on the characteristics and treat-ment status of oropharyngeal cancer in China and combined with the international latest theories and practices,forms consensus opinions in multiple aspects of preoperative evaluation,surgical indication determination,primary tumor re-section,neck lymph node dissection,postoperative defect repair,postoperative complication management prognosis and follow-up of oropharyngeal cancer patients.The key points include:① Before the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,the expression of P16 protein should be detected to clarify HPV status;② Perform enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the maxillofacial region before surgery to evaluate the invasion of oropharyngeal cancer and guide precise surgical resec-tion of oropharyngeal cancer.Evaluating mouth opening and airway status is crucial for surgical approach decisions and postoperative risk prediction;③ For oropharyngeal cancer patients who have to undergo major surgery and cannot eat for one to two months,it is recommended to undergo percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy before surgery to effectively improve their nutritional intake during treatment;④ Early-stage oropharyngeal cancer patients may opt for either sur-gery alone or radiation therapy alone.For intermediate and advanced stages,HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer general-ly prioritizes radiation therapy,with concurrent chemotherapy considered based on tumor staging.Surgical treatment is recommended as the first choice for HPV unrelated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(including primary and re-current)and recurrent HPV related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma after radiotherapy and chemotherapy;⑤ For primary exogenous T1-2 oropharyngeal cancer,direct surgery through the oral approach or da Vinci robotic sur-gery is preferred.For T3-4 patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer,it is recommended to use temporary mandibu-lectomy approach and lateral pharyngotomy approach for surgery as appropriate;⑥ For cT1-2N0 oropharyngeal cancer patients with tumor invasion depth＞3 mm and cT3-4N0 HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,selective neck dissection of levels ⅠB to Ⅳ is recommended.For cN+HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,therapeutic neck dissection in regions Ⅰ-Ⅴ is advised;⑦ If PET-CT scan at 12 or more weeks after completion of radiation shows intense FDG uptake in any node,or imaging suggests continuous enlargement of lymph nodes,the patient should undergo neck dissection;⑧ For patients with suspected extracapsular invasion preoperatively,lymph node dissection should include removal of surrounding muscle and adipose connective tissue;⑨ The reconstruction of oropharyngeal cancer defects should follow the principle of reconstruction steps,with priority given to adjacent flaps,followed by distal pedicled flaps,and finally free flaps.The anterolateral thigh flap with abundant tissue can be used as the preferred flap for large-scale postoperative defects.

Preserving the sustained vitality of dental pulp,maintaining the periapical tissues in a healthy state and implementing min-imally invasive therapies are key themes within the development of contemporary endodontics.The research of irreversible pulpitis is of great importance within endodontics.The application and investigation of vital pulp therapy(VPT)in the field of irreversible pulpitis is expected to facilitate the precision and minimally invasive process in diagnosis and treatment of pulpitis.This review article focuses on the application of vital pulp therapy in the diagnosis and treatment of irreversible pulpitis as well as the challenges.

Objective:To assess the feasibility of using the posterosuperior tetralogy (PS-Tetra) score for predicting the prognosis of repair of posterosuperior massive rotator cuff tears.Methods:Data were retrospectively reviewed for patients who underwent repair of posterosuperior massive rotator cuff tears from February 2016 to June 2020. A total of 95 (male 48, female 47) shoulders with an average age of 58.52±8.33 years (range, 27-76 years) were included. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores and shoulder range of motions (ROM) were used to evaluate shoulder function. MRI was used to assess preoperative fatty infiltration (FI), atrophy, modified Patte's classification, PS-Tetra score and postoperative tendon integrity. The shoulder function was compared between groups of different PS-Tetra scores. The binary logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors of irreparability and retear.Results:83 cases of repair of posterosuperior massive rotator cuff tears were finally included. Complete repairs were performed in 83 cases, and partial repairs were performed in 12 cases. Retear was observed in 17 (20%) cases. The ASES scores (postoperative 58.52±8.33 vs. preoperative 47.30±17.40, t=-19.642, P<0.001), ROM of forward flexion (postoperative 157.60°±13.85° vs. preoperative 116.88°±50.89°, t=-7.272, P<0.001), external rotation (postoperative 45.26°±14.69° vs. preoperative 37.34°±18.65°, t=-4.043, P<0.001) and internal rotation [postoperative L 1 (T 7-buttock) vs. preoperative L 2 (T 7-buttock), Z=-2.737, P=0.006] were significantly improved postoperatively in the group with PS-Tetra score between 0 and 2. In the group with PS-Tetra score of 3 and 4, the ASES scores (postoperative 69.17±15.91 vs. preoperative 46.85±20.73, t=-11.167, P=0.001) were significantly improved postoperatively, while the ROMs were not. Modified Patte stageⅢ[ OR=26.827, 95% CI (2.089, 344.500), P=0.012] was the risk factor of irreparability. Dominant side involvement [ OR=9.407, 95% CI (1.044, 84.784), P=0.046) and PS-Tetra score of 3 and 4 [ OR=5.037, 95% CI (1.028, 26.623), P=0.046] were risk factors of retear. Conclusions:For repair of posterosuperior massive rotator cuff tears, preoperative PS-Tetra score of 3 and 4 was the risk factors of poor postoperative shoulder functions and retear.

Objective:To observe the optimal time interval of multiple short-term hyperthermia in tongue squamous carcinoma Cal-27 cells, and investigate the role of Notch signaling pathway in hyperthermia-induced apoptosis of Cal-27 cells.Methods:Cal-27 cells were placed into a 42℃ incubator for 45 min, and the second hyperthermia was performed at 6 h,12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h later, respectively. Cell proliferation capacity was detected by CCK-8 assay at 0 h, 12 h and 24 h after the end of hyperthermia. After determining the optimal time interval of hyperthermia, multiple cycles of hyperthermia were performed, and the effects of hyperthermia on the proliferation and apoptosis of Cal-27 cells were detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The changes in the expression of Notch1, Jagged1 and hairy and enhancer of split homolog-1 (Hes1) mRNA and proteins were analyzed by real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. All data were expressed as mean±SD. Two-group comparison was performed by one-way ANOVA.Results:Hyperthermia at 42℃ for 45 min every 12 h consistently inhibited the proliferation of Cal-27 cells ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, hyperthermia in the experiment group significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of Cal-27 cells after 7 cycles of hyperthermia ( P<0.05), and the expression levels of Notch1, Jagged1 and Hes1 mRNA and proteins in the hyperthermia group were significantly down-regulated (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The optimal time interval of hyperthermia to inhibit the proliferation of tongue squamous cells carcinoma Cal-27 cells is 12 h. Hyperthermia might induce the apoptosis of Cal-27 cells by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of tendon insertion medialized repair in treatment of large-to-massive rotator cuff tears (L/MRCT). METHODS: The clinical and imaging data of 46 L/MRCT patients who underwent arthroscopic insertion medialized repair between October 2015 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 26 males and 20 females with an average age of 57.7 years (range, 40-75 years). There were 20 cases of large rotator cuff tears and 26 cases of massive rotator cuff tears. Preoperative imaging evaluation included fatty infiltration (Goutallier grade), tendon retraction (modified Patte grade), supraspinatus tangent sign, acromiohumeral distance (AHD), and postoperative medializaiton length and tendon integrity. The clinical outcome was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Society for Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) score, shoulder range of motion (including anteflexion and elevation, lateral external, and internal rotation) and anteflexion and elevation muscle strength before and after operation. The patients were divided into two groups (the intact tendon group and the re-teared group) according to the integrity of the tendon after operation. According to the medializaiton length, the patients were divided into group A (medialization length ≤10 mm) and group B (medialization length >10 mm). The clinical function and imaging indexes of the patients were compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up 24-56 months, with an average of 31.8 months. At 1 year after operation, MRI showed that the medializaiton length of supraspinatus tendon was 5-15 mm, with an average of 10.26 mm, 33 cases in group A and 13 cases in group B. Eleven cases (23.91%) had re-teared, including 5 cases (45.45%) of Sugaya type Ⅳ and 6 cases (54.55%) of Sugaya type Ⅴ. At last follow-up, the VAS score, ASES score, shoulder anteflexion and elevation range of motion, lateral external rotation range of motion, and anteflexion and elevation muscle strength significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in internal rotation range of motion between pre- and post-operation ( P>0.05). The Goutallier grade and modified Patte grade of supraspinatus muscle in the re-teared group were significantly higher than those in the intact tendon group, and the AHD was significantly lower than that in the intact tendon group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in other baseline data between the two groups ( P>0.05). Except that the ASES score of the intact tendon group was significantly higher than that of the re-teared group ( P<0.05), there was no significant difference in the other postoperative clinical functional indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of re-tear, VAS score, ASES score, range of motion of shoulder joint, and anteflexion and elevation muscle strength between group A and group B ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION Tendon insertion medialized repair may be useful in cases with L/MRCT, and shows good postoperative shoulder function. Neither tendon integrity nor medialization length shows apparent correlations with postoperative shoulder function.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Rotator Cuff Injuries/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Rotator Cuff/surgery* ; Tendons ; Rupture/surgery* ; Shoulder Joint/surgery* ; Arthroscopy/methods* ; Range of Motion, Articular