ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Yimei Baijiang formula （YMBJF） on colitis-associated colorectal cancer （CAC） and the nuclear factor kappaB （NF-κB） signaling pathway in mice. MethodsSixty male Balb/c mice of 4-6 weeks old were randomized into 6 groups： Normal， model， capecitabine （0.83 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （4.63， 9.25， 18.50 g·kg^-1， respectively） YMBJF. The mouse model of CAC was established by combining azoxymethane （AOM， 10 mg·kg^-1） and dextran sulfate sodium （DSS， 2%）. At the 5^th week after the start of modeling， the capecitabine group and the YMBJF groups were respectively administrated with the corresponding doses of drugs by gavage once a day for a total of 6 weeks. The body weights and general conditions of mice were measured and observed， and the disease activity index （DAI） was scored. The tumors in the colorectal tissue were counted， and the colorectal length was measured. The histological features of the colorectal tissue in each group of mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in the serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression and localization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-67 （Ki67）， proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， and phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 （p-NF-κB p65） proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The apoptosis of tumor cells was observed by the TUNEL assay. The mRNA levels of IL-6，IL-1β， TNF-α， nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 （NF-κB p65）， NF-κB inhibitor alpha （IκBα）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） in the colorectal tissue were quantified by Real-time polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. The protein levels of NF-κB p65， phosphorylated （p）-NF-κB p65， IκBα， p-IκBα， Bcl-2， and Bax in the colorectal tissue were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， each YMBJF group showed decreases in DAI and tumor number （P0.01）， and the medium-dose and high-dose YMBJF groups showed increases in colorectal length （P0.05）. In addition， each YMBJF group showed alleviated colorectal mucosal pathological injury， declined levels of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α in the serum （P0.05）， reduced expression of Ki67 and PCNA （P0.01）， and down-regulated expression of p-NF-κB p65 （P0.05）. The apoptosis in the medium-dose and high-dose YMBJF groups increased （P0.01）. Each YMBJF group and the capecitabine group showed down-regulated mRNA levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， IL-6， NF-κB p65， and Bcl-2 （P0.05） and up-regulated mRNA levels of IκBα and Bax （P0.05）. The mRNA level of IκBα was up-regulated， and that of Bcl-2 was down-regulated （P0.05） in the high-dose YMBJF group. The protein levels of p-IκBα and Bcl-2 were down-regulated （P0.05） in each YMBJF group. The protein levels of IκBα and Bax were up-regulated in the medium-dose and high-dose YMBJF groups （P0.01）， while those of NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 were down-regulated （P0.05）. ConclusionYMBJF can reduce the number of tumors， reduce the levels of inflammatory factors， promote tumor cell apoptosis， and inhibit tumor cell proliferation by regulating the direct effector molecules of the NF-κB signaling pathway in the mouse model of CRC.

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Yimei Baijiang formula （YMBJF） on colitis-associated colorectal cancer （CAC） and the nuclear factor kappaB （NF-κB） signaling pathway in mice. MethodsSixty male Balb/c mice of 4-6 weeks old were randomized into 6 groups： Normal， model， capecitabine （0.83 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （4.63， 9.25， 18.50 g·kg^-1， respectively） YMBJF. The mouse model of CAC was established by combining azoxymethane （AOM， 10 mg·kg^-1） and dextran sulfate sodium （DSS， 2%）. At the 5^th week after the start of modeling， the capecitabine group and the YMBJF groups were respectively administrated with the corresponding doses of drugs by gavage once a day for a total of 6 weeks. The body weights and general conditions of mice were measured and observed， and the disease activity index （DAI） was scored. The tumors in the colorectal tissue were counted， and the colorectal length was measured. The histological features of the colorectal tissue in each group of mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in the serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression and localization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-67 （Ki67）， proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， and phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 （p-NF-κB p65） proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The apoptosis of tumor cells was observed by the TUNEL assay. The mRNA levels of IL-6，IL-1β， TNF-α， nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 （NF-κB p65）， NF-κB inhibitor alpha （IκBα）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） in the colorectal tissue were quantified by Real-time polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. The protein levels of NF-κB p65， phosphorylated （p）-NF-κB p65， IκBα， p-IκBα， Bcl-2， and Bax in the colorectal tissue were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， each YMBJF group showed decreases in DAI and tumor number （P0.01）， and the medium-dose and high-dose YMBJF groups showed increases in colorectal length （P0.05）. In addition， each YMBJF group showed alleviated colorectal mucosal pathological injury， declined levels of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α in the serum （P0.05）， reduced expression of Ki67 and PCNA （P0.01）， and down-regulated expression of p-NF-κB p65 （P0.05）. The apoptosis in the medium-dose and high-dose YMBJF groups increased （P0.01）. Each YMBJF group and the capecitabine group showed down-regulated mRNA levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， IL-6， NF-κB p65， and Bcl-2 （P0.05） and up-regulated mRNA levels of IκBα and Bax （P0.05）. The mRNA level of IκBα was up-regulated， and that of Bcl-2 was down-regulated （P0.05） in the high-dose YMBJF group. The protein levels of p-IκBα and Bcl-2 were down-regulated （P0.05） in each YMBJF group. The protein levels of IκBα and Bax were up-regulated in the medium-dose and high-dose YMBJF groups （P0.01）， while those of NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 were down-regulated （P0.05）. ConclusionYMBJF can reduce the number of tumors， reduce the levels of inflammatory factors， promote tumor cell apoptosis， and inhibit tumor cell proliferation by regulating the direct effector molecules of the NF-κB signaling pathway in the mouse model of CRC.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative anxiety and recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS A total of 200 patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy at Suzhou Ninth Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University from January 2023 to December 2024 were randomly assigned to control group （n＝100） and observation group （n＝100）. One minute before the initiation of anesthesia， patients in the control group received intravenous injections of Propofol emulsion injection， Sufentanil citrate injection， and Succinylcholine chloride injection. On this basis， patients in the observation group received an intravenous injection of Esketamine hydrochloride injection. The anxiety status of patients in both groups was compared， along with their general intraoperative conditions （including sufentanil dosage， duration of pneumoperitoneum， operative time， anesthesia time， and extubation time）， postoperative recovery， incidence of adverse reactions， and the need for dezocine rescue analgesia. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure， entropy index （state entropy and response entropy）， inflammatory marker levels [interleukin-6 （IL-6） and C-reactive protein （CRP）]， numerical rating scale （NRS） for pain intensity were compared between the two groups at different time points. RESULTS No significant differences were found between the two groups in pneumoperitoneum duration， operative time， anesthesia time，extubation time， incidence of postoperative dry mouth， entropy index or length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit （P＞0.05）. Compared with the control group， the observation group showed significantly lower postoperative STAI-S scores， reduced intraoperative sufentanil consumption， decreased incidence of postoperative nausea， vomiting， and shivering， the need for dezocine rescue analgesia， as well as lower plasma IL-6 and CRP levels at 24 h after surgery， and NRS （P＜0.05）. The heart rate and mean arterial pressure of patients in the observation group at the start of surgery， end of surgery， and during extubation were all significantly higher than those in the control group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Subanesthetic dose of esketamine can effectively alleviate postoperative anxiety， reduce intraoperative opioid consumption， suppress postoperative inflammatory response， relieve postoperative pain， and promote recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Gouty arthritis （GA） is caused by monosodium urate（MSU） deposition due to purine metabolism disorders. In traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， it falls under the category of "dampness-heat Bi syndrome"， with core pathogenesis involving dampness-heat accumulation and dysfunction of the spleen and kidney. The dampness-heat syndrome is the most common and the primary syndrome type during acute attacks. In Western medicine， GA is associated with purine metabolism imbalance and inflammation triggered by MSU crystals， involving pathways such as NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome activation and Toll-like receptor 2/4 （TLR2/4） signaling. Clinically， colchicine and similar drugs are commonly used to treat GA， although long-term use carries potential side effects. Ermiao Formula analogs originate from ancient prescriptions， including Ermiao， Sanmiao， and Simiao compound formulas. All contain Atractylodis Rhizoma and Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex. Ermiaowan follow a 1∶1 formulation ratio. Sanmiaowan add Cyathulae Radix. Simiaowan further incorporate Coicis Semen. These formulas are rich in active ingredients， including alkaloids， terpenoids， flavonoids， and sterols， and treat GA through multi-component， multi-pathway， and multi-target mechanisms. Ermiaosan primarily exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting pathways such as TLR4/nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） or regulating immune responses to reduce the release of inflammatory mediators， while also suppressing xanthine dehydrogenase （XDH） and xanthine oxidase （XO） activity to decrease uric acid production. Sanmiaowan enhance uric acid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects through the guiding herb Cyathulae Radix， while also protecting cartilage from damage. Simiaowan utilizes Coicis Semen to regulate intestinal flora， alleviate dampness-heat symptoms， and exert multi-pathway anti-inflammatory and uric acid-lowering effects. The active ingredients contribute differently to uric acid metabolism regulation， anti-inflammation， antioxidant activity， and bone repair， resulting in varying therapeutic effects due to differences in formula composition. In summary， formulas derived from Ermiaosan demonstrate significant efficacy in treating dampness-heat type GA. This review summarizes their research progress and mechanisms， providing a reference for clinical application， new drug development， and further studies.

Objective To explore the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and its association with dietary and lifestyle habits among the adult physical examination population in Xuzhou area. Methods Retrospectively selected the physical examination population who underwent HP testing at our hospital's physical examination center from May 2021 to December 2023 as the research object. The prevalence of Hp infection in the population was analyzed based on the physical examination results. A questionnaire survey was used to collect information on the eating and living habits of all study subjects. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between eating and living habits and Hp infection. Results A total of 1 354 physical examination people were included in the study, and the Hp infection rate was 37.30% (505/1354). The difference in Hp infection rates among people of different age groups is statistically significant (P<0.05), with the middle-aged population (41-59 years old) having the highest Hp positive infection rate (45.38%).High salt (41.11%), hot diet (40.56%), history of smoking (45.23%) and drinking (43.80%), less consumption of fruits and vegetables (43.73%), irregular exercise (41.29%), irregular diet People who frequently eat out (43.56%) and eat out frequently (42.57%) have a higher Hp infection rate (P<0.05).After adjusting for demographic factors such as gender, age, place of residence and education level, multivariate Logistic regression results showed that high-salt diet (OR=3.975, 95%CI: 2.670-5.917) and hot diet (OR=3.357, 95%CI: 2.291-4.919), smoking (OR=1.458, 95%CI: 1.082-1.964), drinking alcohol (OR=1.654, 95%CI: 1.279-2.138), eating fruits and vegetables (OR=1.759, 95%CI: 1.345-2.301), regular exercise (OR=1.822, 95%CI: 1.371-2.421), regular diet (OR=1.893, 95%CI: 1.391-2.575), eating out (OR=1.690, 95%CI: 1.277-2.237) were associated with the risk of Hp infection (P<0.05). Conclusion The positive infection rate of Hp among the physical examination population in Xuzhou is slightly lower than the average epidemic level in China. Cultivating healthy eating and living habits can effectively reduce the risk of Hp infection.

ObjectiveTo investigate the anti-Alzheimer's disease （AD） effect of Dipsacus asper（DA） in the Caenorhabditis elegans model， and decipher the underlying mechanism via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （PPARα）/transcription factor EB （TFEB） pathway. MethodsFirst， transgenic AD C. elegans individuals were assigned into the blank control， model， positive control （WY14643， 20 µmol·L^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （100， 200， and 400 mg·L^-1， respectively） DA groups. The amyloid β-42 （Aβ₄₂） formation in the muscle cells， the paralysis time， and the deposition of amyloid β-protein （Aβ） in the head were detected. The lysosomal autophagy in the BV2 cell model was examined by Rluc-LC3wt/G120A. The expression levels of lysosomal autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ， LC3I， LAMP2， and TFEB were detected by Western blot. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to determine the mRNA levels of autophagy-related genes beclin1 and Atg5 and lysosome-related genes LAMP2 and CLN2 downstream of PPARα/TFEB. A reporter gene assay was used to detect the transcriptional activities of PPARα and TFEB. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the fluorescence intensity of PPARα， and the active components of the ethanol extract of DA were identified by UPLC-MS. RCSB PDB， Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， and Autodock were used to analyze the binding between the active components and PPARα-ligand-binding domain （LBD）. ResultsCompared with the model group， the positive control group and 200 and 400 mg·L^-1 DA groups showed prolonged paralysis time （P<0.05）， and all the treatment groups showed decreased Aβ deposition in the head （P<0.01）. DA within the concentration range of 50-500 mg·L^-1 did not affect the viability of BV2 cells. In addition， DA enhanced the autophagy flux （P<0.05）， up-regulated the mRNA levels of beclin1， Atg5， LAMP2， and CLN2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， promoted the nuclear translocation of TFEB （P<0.05）， increased LAMP2 expression and autophagy flux （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and enhanced the transcriptional activities of PPARα and TFEB （P<0.01）. The positive control group and 200 and 400 mg·L^-1 DA groups showed enhanced fluorescence intensity of PPARα in the BV2 nucleus （P<0.01）. UPLC-MS detected nine known compounds of DA， from which 8 active components of DA were screened out. The docking results suggested that a variety of components in DA could bind to PPARα-LBD and form stable hydrogen bonds. ConclusionDA may reduce the pathological changes in AD by regulating the PPARα-TFEB pathway.

Breast cancer is a kind of malignant tumor with a complex mechanism， and its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year， which seriously threatens women's health. At present， the main clinical treatments are surgical resection， radiotherapy， chemotherapy， and drug therapy， but they are often accompanied by side effects and adverse reactions， which affect the therapeutic effect. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has the advantages of multi-component and multi-target treatment in the fight against breast cancer. The wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of the classic pathways in cancer research. Abnormally activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibits β-catenin degradation by blocking the formation of Axin/glycogen synthase kinase 3β/adenomatous polyposis coli complex， thus promoting β-catenin nuclear metastasis， and it binds to T cell transcription factor/lymphoenhancer factor-1 to initiate downstream target genes and further interfere with the proliferation， migration， and invasion of tumor cells to affect the tumor process. Previous studies have shown that TCM monomers and compounds can mediate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to inhibit the malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells， thus playing an anti-breast cancer role， and the biochemical process involved in the regulation of therapeutic drugs has not been systematically combed. By analyzing and collating Chinese and foreign literature at the present stage， this paper discussed the association mechanism between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and breast cancer and analyzed the internal mechanism of TCM monomers and compounds in mediating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to exert anti-breast cancer effect. The statistical results showed that the flavonoids， alkaloids， and terpenoids in TCM monomers could target the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and block the further development of malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells. TCM compounds with functions of clearing heat and detoxifying， promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis， and tonifying kidney and liver were commonly used to intervene in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to prevent breast cancer. Compared with the current inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， the application of TCM monomers and compounds is expected to bring low-toxicity and high-efficiency breast cancer treatment drugs to the clinical practice， and the existing results provide a reference for the subsequent screening， research， and development of TCM small-molecule compounds and TCM compounds against breast cancer.

ObjectiveThis study employed the scoping review method to systematically retrieve and analyze the basic information and clinical research evidence of expensive Chinese patent medicines （CPMs）， aiming to provide a basis for future related research and clinical applications. MethodsEight Chinese and English databases were systematically searched for the clinical research evidence on expensive CPMs. ResultsEleven expensive CPMs （Angong Niuhuang Wan， Jufang Zhibao Wan， Suhexiang Wan， Pien Tze Huang， Niuhuang Qingxin Wan， Qinggong Shoutao Wan， Compound Realgar Natural Indigo Tablets， Xihuang Wan， Dingkun Wan， Babao Wan， and Guilingji Capsules） were selected. A total of 365 related studies were included in this review， comprising 331 clinical studies （of which 291 were randomized controlled trials）， 30 systematic reviews and Meta-analyses， 3 expert consensus， and 1 rapid health technology assessment. Among the 11 CPMs， 2（Angong Niuhuang Wan and Jufang Zhibao Wan） had a daily price over 500 yuan. The famous and precious Chinese medicinal materials involved included Moschus （frequency of 7）， Bovisc Alculus （7）， and Borneol （5）. The dosage forms included pills， capsules， oral liquid， tablets， and lozenges. The diseases treated by these CPMs mainly included malignant tumors， cerebrovascular diseases， gynecological diseases， and hepatobiliary system diseases. The sample sizes of the clinical studies were mainly concentrated within the range of 51-100 cases， and the main control form was CPM + basic Western medicine treatment vs. basic Western medicine treatment. The 331 clinical studies reported a total of 44 adverse events occurred， of which 36 were determined to be adverse reactions. ConclusionThe scarcity of raw materials leads to the high prices of expensive CPMs. The difficulty of conducting clinical research and the critical and severe cases treated lead to a lack of clinical research evidence with large sample sizes. The uneven distribution of existing studies， incomplete information on medicine package， and non-standard clinical research designs remain to be addressed in the future.

Houshiheisan, a classic prescription for stroke treatment, originates from Chapter 5 on Pulse Syndrome Complex and Treatment of Apoplexy and Acute Arthritis of Synopsis of Golden Chamber, which discusses pulse syndrome complex and apoplexy and acute arthritis treatment. Renowned as a primary prescription for stroke, it exemplifies the therapeutic principle of tonifying deficiencies while reducing excesses. This study showed that Houshiheisan improves hemorheology, reduces oxidative damage, protects neurovascular units after cerebral ischemic injury, promotes neovascularization maturation, and maintains cerebrovascular endothelial barrier integrity. Based on the pathogenesis theory of stroke, which is the cause of internal deficiency and pathogenic factor invasion, studies on Houshiheisan disassembling were conducted. The herbs in the prescription were divided into wind-dispelling herbs such as Flos Chrysanthemi, Radix Saposhnikoviae, and Ramulus Cinnamomi and deficiency-tonifying herbs such as Radix Ginseng, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae. Wind-dispelling herbs primarily reduced cerebral ischemia injury by downregulating Caspase-3 expression, an apoptotic protein, and deficiency-tonifying herbs reduced cerebral ischemia by upregulating poly ADP-ribose polymerase expression, a DNA repair protein. Wind-dispelling herbs exhibited a rapid yet short-lived effect by significantly downregulating aquaporin-4 (AQP4) expression in the lateral ventricle six hours after cerebral ischemia. In contrast, deficiency-tonifying herbs showed a delayed but sustained regulatory impact on AQP4 expression. These complementary time-dependent effects reflect the dual function of the prescription of dispelling wind and tonifying deficiencies, aligning well with the early pathogenesis of cerebral small vessel disease, which is characterized by wind-phlegm and blood stasis obstructing the brain collaterals. Additionally, Houshiheisan reduces blood pressure and blood lipids, improves patients′ hemorheology, and alleviates vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. Therefore, Houshiheisan is a safe and effective classic prescription for preventing and treating early cerebral small vessel disease. Future research should focus on exploring its molecular mechanisms in treating cerebral small vessel diseases.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2013 to 2022, so as to provide the evidence for the improvement of PTB prevention and control measures in this population. Methods: Data of PTB cases aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, population, and regional distribution characteristics of PTB cases were analyzed using the descriptive epidemiological method. Results: A total of 8 726 PTB cases aged 60 years and older were registered in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022, including 4 167 cases positive for pathogenic tests, with a positive rate of 47.75%. The registered incidence rates and the positive rates of pathogenic tests of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed downward trends from 2013 to 2022 (both P<0.05). The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB was 83.95/105, and the average annual registered incidence rate of PTB positive for pathogenic tests was 40.09/105. The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB in males was higher than that in females (138.57/105 vs. 31.76/105, P<0.05). The registered incidence rate of PTB showed an increasing trend with age (P<0.05), with the highest rate observed in the age group of 75-<80 years (110.37/105). The top three regions with the highest average annual registered incidence rates of PTB were Jiangdu District (94.34/105), Baoying County (91.61/105) and Hanjiang District (84.93/105). Conclusions The registered incidence of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed a downward trend from 2013 to 2022. Particular attention should be payed to males, residents aged 75- <80 years, and the elderly in Jiangdu District and Baoying County.