ObjectiveTo investigate the possible mechanism of Wenyang Shengji Ointment （温阳生肌膏， WSO） in the treatment of diabetic wounds with yin syndrome. MethodsA total of 24 SD rats were randomly divided into a group （n=6） and modeling group （n=18）. The modeling group rats were fed with high-fat diet for 14 days and then were injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin to induce diabetic model. After steroid injection， full-thickness skin defects were created on the back of the rats to establish a diabetic wound with yin syndrome model. The normal group was fed with regular diet， and full-thickness skin defects were created surgically on the back of the rats. The 18 successfully modeled rats were further divided into three groups， the model group， the WSO group， and the Beifuxin （Recombinant Bovine Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Gel， BX） group， 6 rats in each group. The WSO group was given the ointment to the wound， the Beifuxin group was givne BX gel， and the normal group and model group was disinfected and treated with saline. All groups had their dressings changed once daily for 14 days. Wound healing was recorded on days 0， 3， 7， and 14， and the wound healing rate was calculated on day 3， 7， and 14. On day 14 after treatment， HE staining was performed to observe the pathological morphology of the wound tissue. Western Blot was used to detect the relative protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha （HIF-1α） and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）. Immunofluorescence was used to measure the fluorescence intensity of HIF-1α in the wound tissue， and ELISA was used to detect the methylglyoxal （MGO） content in the wound tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed poor wound healing on day 3， 7， and 14， with a low wound healing rate （P＜0.01）. HE staining showed scab coverage on the wound， with inflammatory cell infiltration and disorganized collagen arrangement. The relative protein levels of VEGF were significantly reduced， while the relative protein levels of HIF-1α and the MGO content significantly increased （P＜0.01）， and the fluorescence intensity of HIF-1α was enhanced. Compared to the model group， the WSO group and Beifuxin group showed better wound healing on day 3， 7， and 14， with an increased wound healing rate （P＜0.01）. The wound tissue showed clear and complete epithelial structure， reduced inflammatory cells， mature granulation tissue， and organized collagen arrangement. MGO content was significantly reduced （P＜0.01）. The relative protein levels of HIF-1α and VEGF both significantly increased in the WSO group， while only VEGF increased in the Beifuxin group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the Beifuxin group， the WSO group had a thicker epidermal layer， prominent collagen formation， significantly increased HIF-1α fluorescence expression， reduced MGO content in the wound tissue， and higher relative protein levels of HIF-1α （P＜0.05）. ConclusionWSO can reduce the accumulation of MGO in diabetic wound tissue with yin syndrome and activate the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway， which could be one of the mechanisms for promoting wound healing.

To explore the ideal pretarsal shows and morphological characteristics of double eyelids in Chinese populations through a morphometric analysis.

This study employed a convenience sampling method to survey Chinese adults who did not reside abroad for an extended period (with cumulative overseas stay of over one year). From November 2023 to May 2024, electronic questionnaires were distributed to collect attractiveness ratings of nine different images (including one image featuring single eyelid and eight images with varying pretarsal shows and morphologies of double eyelids). Stratified comparisons were conducted based on gender, age, occupation, etc., to determine the ideal pretarsal show and morphology of double eyelids. Quantitative analysis was performed on the aesthetic features of the nine images depicting double eyelids to validate and elucidate the survey findings.

A total of 493 questionnaires were filled out, and 397 valid questionnaires were included for data analysis after quality control. As for the whole cohort, the images feathering 2 mm double eyelid were deemed to be the most attractive, with the in-fold type scoring (3.72±0.97) points and the out-fold type scoring (3.65±1.04) points. The next was 1 mm, followed by 3 mm, single eyelid, and finally, 4 mm. As for morphology, in-fold type achieved higher scores than out-fold type in images with the same pretarsal show. However, statistically significant differences were only found in ratings for the images with 3 mm and 4 mm double eyelids (all P < 0.05). Stratified analysis based on gender, age, occupation, and other factors yielded results that were largely consistent with those of the overall population.The quantitative analysis of aesthetic characteristics of double eyelids revealed that when the pretarsal show was 2 mm, both the Chen's ratio of the in-fold and out-fold type were 0.630, which closely approximates the golden ratio.

This study validates that the pretarsal show of 2 mm and the presence of either an in-fold or out-fold morphology are considered optimal for double eyelids among Chinese individuals. These findings hold significant implications for the planning of double eyelid surgeries, assessment of surgical outcomes, and evaluation of other periocular procedures associated with double eyelid surgeries.

AIM:To investigate the effects of the compound ANBP on wound healing in diabetic rats and ex-plore its mechanism of action.METHODS:Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into blank,model,compound ANBP,Beifuxin,and nicotinamide mononucleotide(NMN)groups,with 16 rats in each group.Wound healing in each group was observed and samples were taken on days 3,7 and 14 to analyze the wound healing rate.Local histopathological changes were observed using HE and Masson staining.The expressions of pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit alpha 1(PDHA1),citrate synthase(CS),isocitrate dehydrogenase(IDH1)and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase(OGDH)were de-tected through immunofluorescence and Western blot.The number and morphology of mitochondria in the wound tissue were observed using transmission electron microscopy.RESULTS:Histomorphological changes revealed significant im-provement in diabetic wound healing in the blank and compound ANBP groups compared to that of the model group.The wound healing rates of the blank,compound ANBP,Beifuxin,and NMN groups were significantly increased on days 3,7,and 14(P<0.01).Compared to the model group,granulation tissue generation was higher in the other groups,cover-ing the wound defect and producing abundant collagen fibers.At 3,7,and 14 days after intervention,the blank,com-pound ANBP,Beifuxin,and NMN groups showed significantly enhanced fluorescence intensities of TCA cycling-related enzymes PDHA1,CS,IDH1,and OGDH indicating increased expression of these enzymes.The levels of the TCA cy-cling-related enzymes were significantly increased(P<0.01)in the compound ANBP,Beifuxin and NMN groups but were significantly decreased(P<0.01)in the model group.An increase in the number and density of mitochondria and a de-crease in the cavitation rate of mitochondria with improved morphology(P<0.05)was observed in the group treated with compound ANBP.CONCLUSION:Compound ANBP may increase the number of mitochondria,improve mitochondrial morphology and function,upregulate the expression levels of PDHA1,CS,IDH1,and OGDH proteins,and accelerate the regeneration of wound granulation tissue,thus promoting the healing of diabetic wounds in rats.

To explore the ideal pretarsal shows and morphological characteristics of double eyelids in Chinese populations through a morphometric analysis.

This study employed a convenience sampling method to survey Chinese adults who did not reside abroad for an extended period (with cumulative overseas stay of over one year). From November 2023 to May 2024, electronic questionnaires were distributed to collect attractiveness ratings of nine different images (including one image featuring single eyelid and eight images with varying pretarsal shows and morphologies of double eyelids). Stratified comparisons were conducted based on gender, age, occupation, etc., to determine the ideal pretarsal show and morphology of double eyelids. Quantitative analysis was performed on the aesthetic features of the nine images depicting double eyelids to validate and elucidate the survey findings.

A total of 493 questionnaires were filled out, and 397 valid questionnaires were included for data analysis after quality control. As for the whole cohort, the images feathering 2 mm double eyelid were deemed to be the most attractive, with the in-fold type scoring (3.72±0.97) points and the out-fold type scoring (3.65±1.04) points. The next was 1 mm, followed by 3 mm, single eyelid, and finally, 4 mm. As for morphology, in-fold type achieved higher scores than out-fold type in images with the same pretarsal show. However, statistically significant differences were only found in ratings for the images with 3 mm and 4 mm double eyelids (all P < 0.05). Stratified analysis based on gender, age, occupation, and other factors yielded results that were largely consistent with those of the overall population.The quantitative analysis of aesthetic characteristics of double eyelids revealed that when the pretarsal show was 2 mm, both the Chen's ratio of the in-fold and out-fold type were 0.630, which closely approximates the golden ratio.

This study validates that the pretarsal show of 2 mm and the presence of either an in-fold or out-fold morphology are considered optimal for double eyelids among Chinese individuals. These findings hold significant implications for the planning of double eyelid surgeries, assessment of surgical outcomes, and evaluation of other periocular procedures associated with double eyelid surgeries.

Objective:To investigate the effect of embedded guidance technique assisted transconjunctival lower eyelid blepharoplasty.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to include 88 patients who underwent transconjunctival blepharoplasty and tear trough deformity correction with orbital septum fat release and fixation (referred to as transconjunctival lower eyelid blepharoplasty) at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, from October 2021 to August 2022. There were 9 male patients (10.23%) and 79 female patients (88.77%), aged 22 to 51 years, with an average age of (34.42±6.17) years. The internal fixation of septum fat flap was assisted with embedded guidance technique, and the Barton grades system was used to evaluate the surgical effect, while the patient satisfaction and complications were collected.Results:The followed-up period is 6-16 months. Before operation, 35 eyes (19.89%) were classified as Barton Ⅰ, 86 eyes (48.86%) were classified as Barton Ⅱ, and 55 eyes (31.25%) were classified as Barton Ⅲ. After transconjunctival lower eyelid blepharoplasty, 151 eyes (85.80%) recovered to Barton grade 0, 22 eyes (12.50%) recovered to grade Ⅰ, 3 eyes (1.70%) recovered to grade Ⅱ, and no case was grade Barton Ⅲ. The patient satisfaction score was (9.14±1.22) points, and 78 patients (88.64%) were very satisfied. Only 6 patients (6.82%) showed mild complications, mainly including postoperative bilateral lower eyelid asymmetry (3 cases), mild bilateral orbital area ecchymosis (2 cases) and mild surface depression at internal fixation position (1 case).Conclusions:The transconjunctival lower eyelid blepharoplasty assisted by the embedded guidance technique achieves favorable results with high patient satisfaction and few complications.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis is an avenue for the promotion of atherosclerosis (AS) and this effect is mediated partly via the circulating microbial metabolites. More microbial metabolites related to AS vascular inflammation, and the mechanisms involved need to be clarified urgently. Paeonol (Pae) is an active compound isolated from Paeonia suffruticoas Andr. with anti-AS inflammation effect. However, considering the low oral bioavailability of Pae, it is worth exploring the mechanism by which Pae reduces the harmful metabolites of the gut microbiota to alleviate AS. In this study, ApoE^-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to establish an AS model. AS mice were administrated with Pae (200 or 400 mg·kg^-1) by oral gavage and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted. 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to investigate the composition of the gut microbiota, while metabolomics analysis was used to identify the metabolites in serum and cecal contents. The results indicated that Pae significantly improved AS by regulating gut microbiota composition and microbiota metabolic profile in AS mice. We also identified α-hydroxyisobutyric acid (HIBA) as a harmful microbial metabolite reduced by Pae. HIBA supplementation in drinking water promoted AS inflammation in AS mice. Furthermore, vascular endothelial cells (VECs) were cultured and stimulated by HIBA. We verified that HIBA stimulation increased intracellular ROS levels, thereby inducing VEC inflammation via the TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway. In sum, Pae reduces the production of the microbial metabolite HIBA, thus alleviating the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway-mediated endothelial inflammation in AS. Our study innovatively confirms the mechanism by which Pae reduces the harmful metabolites of gut microbiota to alleviate AS and proposes HIBA as a potential biomarker for AS clinical judgment.
Animals ; Mice ; Atherosclerosis/drug therapy* ; Diet, High-Fat ; Endothelial Cells ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Reactive Oxygen Species

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. It is the focus of current treatment to improve the immune disorders of RA patients and reduce the inflammatory damage. Acupuncture and moxibustion show the advantages of simple operation and safety. It has remarkable curative effect in the treatment of RA, and has a variety of intervention methods, including conventional acupuncture, moxibustion, combination of acupuncture and moxibustion, as well as innovative acupuncture and moxibustion therapies such as electroacupuncture and spinal moxibustion. The immune regulation of acupuncture and moxibustion on RA has the characteristics of bidirectional and multi-target. It can regulate Th17/Treg cell balance, Th1/Th2 cell balance, specific protein and NF-κB and other signaling pathways to regulate inflammatory immune response.

Since an epidemic occur of Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) in December, 2019, all the dental healthcare service providers in our country have been greatly impacted. The strategy of managing the dental clinics is quite different from that of the medical healthcare clinics, and the key point of the administration of those dental healthcare providers is to focus on the management of outpatient care because they only supply just a little bit of inpatient care service but quite an large amount of outpatient care service. So we think the next step is to make plausible and effective scenarios to protect our dental healthcare staff and patients against corona virus infection during the treatments procedures after the reopening all of our dental clinics. To overcome this harsh condition, the infection prevention and control strategies adopted by the Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University were designed to be flexible and could be adjusted promptly according to the national and local governmental orders and latest guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All these prevention procedures and protocols were customized to fit our own situation and have been updated for several times based on the latest global pandemic reports. After going through the hardest time in the past four months, it’s considered that our COVID-19 prevention rules have been proved to be efficient and work well. Further more, it has made massive progress for the hospital in improving the capability of dealing with this state of emergency, especially by previewing and triaging patients strictly to cut off the possible coronavirus spreading from the original step, enhancing the standard precautions and those specific protocols made for minimizing the droplets, aerosol and contact transmission of COVID-19 indoors. Besides, a daily supervision system was set up as a routine job and a team of qualified infection prevention specialists were assigned to check and report every incorrect details during the whole procedure of dental practice. Meanwhile, the safety and well-being of the public and our medical workers could be also guaranteed through following those detailed prevention scenarios.

The occlusion design of dental implants is related to the growing popularity of dental implantology. This paper discusses the occlusion design of the edentulous implant prosthesis and the relationships between stress change and the alveolar bone and between the occlusal design and implantation complications. The horizontal relationship of condyle, the design of the canine-guided occlusion, and the similarities and differences between the dental implant and the natural teeth on biteforce response are mentioned.
Alveolar Bone Loss ; Dental Implantation, Endosseous ; Dental Implants ; Dental Occlusion ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported ; Dental Restoration Failure ; Humans ; Jaw, Edentulous ; Jaw, Edentulous, Partially

OBJECTIVETo study the value of the biochemical markers heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB), myocardial troponin T (cTnT) in early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODSSerum levels of H-FABP, CK-MB, and cTNT were detected in 95 patients with confirmed AMI at different time points following the onset in comparison with the data from 43 patients without AMI. The sensitivity and specificity of H-FABP in different phases following the onset were compared between those of CK-MB and cTnT.

RESULTSSerum H-FABP activities increased significantly within 3 h after the onset of AMI (P<0.01) and continued to increase at 3-6 h and 6-12 h (P<0.001). Serum level of CK-MB within 6 h and cTnT level within 3 h after AMI onset did not show obvious changes (P<0.05). Both the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of H-FABP within 3 h and within 3-6 h were higher than those CK-MB and cTnT (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONH-FABP is superior to CK-MB and cTnT in early diagnosis (within 3 h and 3-6 h following the onset) of AMI.

Acute Disease ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form ; blood ; Early Diagnosis ; Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3 ; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins ; blood ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Troponin T ; blood