To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.

Background: Diabetes-induced testicular damage (DITD) is a common complication of diabetes. We investigated underlying mechanism of retinoblastoma-binding protein 6 (Rbbp6)-mediated brain and muscle ARNT-like 1 (Bmal1) ubiquitination in modulating ferroptosis in DITD. Methods: Spermatogenic cell apoptosis and viability were measured by flow cytometry and cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8), respectively. The impact of Rbbp6 and Bmal1 on ferroptosis was assessed by determining expression of ferroptosis markers glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), iron, and lipid peroxidation. Co-immunoprecipitation was performed to determine the interaction between Rbbp6 and Bmal1, as well as the ubiquitination level of Bmal1. The expression levels of Rbbp6, Bmal1, Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), ferroptosis markers, and testicular steroidogenic enzymes were tested by Western blot. Results: Bmal1 protein expression was significantly downregulated, while Rbbp6 was upregulated in DITD mouse model and high glucose (HG)-induced GC-1 spg cells. Overexpression of Bmal1 improved testicular injury in diabetic mice, reduced 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), MDA, iron levels, and increased expression levels of GPX4, SLC7A11, GSH, as well as testicular steroidogenic enzymes. Rbbp6 decreased Bmal1 level through promoting its ubiquitination. Meanwhile, Rbbp6 knockdown inhibited the ferroptosis of HG-induced GC-1 spg cells, which were abolished by silencing Bmal1. In addition, knockdown of YAP1 or treatment with ferroptosis inducer erastin blocked the above effects caused by Bmal1 overexpression. Conclusion Rbbp6-mediated Bmal1 ubiquitination suppressed YAP1 pathway, promoting ferroptosis in DITD. This study highlighted Rbbp6/Bmal1/YAP1 axis as a potential therapeutic target for mitigating DITD.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Shengma Gegentang is one of the classic formulas in the Catalogue of Ancient Classic Prescriptions （Second Batch）. This study reviewed ancient and modern literature and used literature tracing and bibliometric methods to analyze the historical evolution， efficacy， indications， dosage decoctions， and modern clinical disease spectrum of Shengma Gegentang. The results indicated that the earliest record of Shengma Gegentang can be found in the Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang of the Song dynasty， but its origin can be traced back to the Shaoyao Siwu Jiejitang in the Beiji Qianjin Yaofang of the Tang dynasty. The composition dosage of Shengma Gegentang is 413 g of Cimicifugae Rhizoma， 619.5 g of Puerariae Lobatae Radix， 413 g of Paeoniae Radix Alba， and 413 g of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， which are ground into coarse powder. Each dose is 12.39 g， and the amount of water added is 300 mL. 100 mL of solution is decocted and taken at the right time. The four drugs in the formula play the role of relieving exterior syndrome， penetrating pathogenic factors， and detoxicating together. Its indications are widely involved in internal medicine， pediatrics， surgery， ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology， obstetrics and gynecology， sexually transmitted diseases， and other diseases， such as measles， sores， acne， spots， surgical gangrene， red eyes， toothache， chancre， and fetal poison. The epidemic diseases treated by Shengma Gegentang are complicated， including rash， pox， macula， numbness， summer diarrhea， dysentery， sha disease， febrile symptoms， spring warmth， winter warmth， and cold pestilence. At the same time， it is a plague prevention formula. Although Shengma Gegentang has a wide range of indications， it cannot be separated from the pathogenic mechanism of evil Qi blocking the muscle surface and heat in the lungs and stomach. The modern clinical disease spectrum of Shengma Gegentang involves the ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology system， nervous system， pediatric-related diseases and syndromes， skin system， hepatobiliary system， and digestive system. It plays a key role in the treatment of epidemic diseases such as measles， chronic hepatitis B， dysentery， and tetanus.

Objective: To investigate the association between monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) and periodontitis and to provide new epidemiologic evidence on the factors affecting periodontitis. Methods: Data on MHR, periodontitis, and other covariates were selected from the NHANES(National Health and Nutrition Examination) database for 3 cycles of subjects in 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2013-2014, and a total of 8 456 study subjects were included. The study participants were grouped according to the prevalence of periodontitis (presence or absence), and three regression models (unadjusted covariates, partially adjusted covariates, and fully adjusted covariates) were constructed to analyze the relationship between MHR and periodontitis by using a weighted logistic regression method with stepwise adjustment for confounders. MHR was divided into four groups from Q1 to Q4 according to quartiles from small to large for weighted trend analysis, and the nonlinear relationship between MHR (continuous) and periodontitis was analyzed using a restricted cubic spline with subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis. Results: All three logistic regression models showed a positive association between MHR and periodontitis (OR = 2.92, 95%CI: 2.14-3.99, P<0.001 (not adjusted); OR = 1.97, 95%CI: 1.39-2.78, P<0.001 (partially adjusted); OR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.10-2.39, P = 0.017 (fully adjusted)). Trend analysis showed a significantly higher risk of developing periodontitis in the Q4 group compared with the Q1 group in both single (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.58-2.33, P<0.001) and multifactorial analyses (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.03-1.64, P = 0.029). Restricted cubic spline results did not support a nonlinear relationship between MHR and periodontitis (P for nonlinear>0.05), subgroup analysis showed no significant interaction between the covariates and MHR (P>0.05), and sensitivity analysis also showed a positive correlation between MHR and periodontitis (OR = 1.67, 95%CI: 1.31-2.14, P<0.001). Conclusion MHR is positively associated with the risk of developing periodontitis.

Twelve compounds were isolated from the rice fermentation extracts of Penicillium expansum GY618 by silica column chromatography, Sephadex gel column chromatography, ODS column chromatography and semi preparative HPLC methods. They were determined as 11-hydroxyl-penicitrinone F (1), penicitrinone F (2), betulin (3), erythrodiol (4), ergosterol (5), ergost-5α,8α-epidioxy-6,22-dien-3β-ol (6), (5α,8α-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol) (7), 5α,8α-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-23-methylergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (8), 5α,8α-epidioxy- 23,24(R)-dimethylcholesta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol (9), dankasterone A (10), (17R)-4-hydroxy-17-methylincisterol (11) and ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (12), through mass spectrometer, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and comparison with the literature. Compound 1 was a new compound and compounds 2-4, 6-12 were isolated from Penicillium expansum fungus for the first time. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity experiment showed that compounds 1, 3 and 12 showed certain inhibitory activity against tyrosinase with IC₅₀ values of (75 ± 9), (69 ± 8) and (64 ± 2) μmol·L^-1, respectively. The IC₅₀ of other compounds were all greater than 100 μmol·L^-1, while IC₅₀ of the positive control kojic acid was (46 ± 4) μmol·L^-1.

Pancreatic cancer is a kind of highly malignant tumor with a low survival rate and poor prognosis. The effectiveness of gemcitabine as a first-line chemotherapy drug is limited; however, it can activate dendritic cells and improve antigen presentation which increase the sensitivity of tumor cell to immunotherapy. Although immunotherapy has made some advancements in cancer treatment, the therapeutic benefit of programmed cell death receptor 1/programmed death receptor-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) blockade therapy remains relatively low. The chemokine C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by recruiting immunosuppressive cells. The receptor C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), highly expressed in various tumors including pancreatic cancer, plays a crucial role in tumor development and progression. In this study, the anti-tumor immune response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (hPBMC) was enhanced using the combination of BsNb PX4 (anti-PD-L1&CXCR4 bispecific nanobody) and gemcitabine. In a co-culture system of gemcitabine-pretreated hPBMCs with tumor cells, the BsNb PX4 synergized gemcitabine to improve the cytotoxic activity of hPBMCs against tumor cells. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed increased ratio of CD8⁺ to CD4⁺ T cells in combination treatment. In NOD/SCID mice bearing pancreatic cancer, the combination treatment exhibited more infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells into tumor tissues, contributing to an effective anti-tumor response. This study presents potential new therapies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Ethical approval was obtained for collection of hPBMC samples from the Local Ethics Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethic Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (authorizing number: A2024246).

Sleep， skin， and health are closely interconnected. Clinically， insomnia has a high incidence and is often accompanied by or secondary to skin aging. The two conditions exhibit "different diseases with the same syndrome"， significantly affecting the physical and mental health of the Chinese population. Preventing and treating skin aging by improving insomnia is an important strategy， with the principle of "treating different diseases with the same approach" serving as a crucial therapeutic guideline. However， effective clinical prevention and treatment methods for both conditions remain lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a profound theoretical foundation and notable efficacy in the concurrent treatment of insomnia and skin aging， yet there are few reports on the etiology， pathogenesis， therapeutic principles， and treatment methods of their shared treatment， warranting further exploration. Based on holistic view and syndrome differentiation and treatment in TCM， this study systematically investigates the theoretical origins of the shared manifestations of insomnia and skin aging from multiple dimensions， including etiology， pathological location， pathogenesis， disease nature， and prevention and treatment strategies. As early as Huangdi's Internal Classic （Huangdi Neijing）， it was recognized that mental clarity during the day， sound sleep at night， and firm， healthy skin are key indicators of external health， whereas daytime lethargy， poor sleep quality， and dry， withered skin are prominent signs of aging. Maintaining mental clarity during the day and restful sleep at night is essential for skin integrity and healthy aging. Later medical scholars proposed that the common etiology of insomnia and skin aging lies in "internal-external interactions"， with the pathological location involving "the five organ systems". The primary pathogenesis includes "deficiency， fire， stagnation， phlegm， and blood stasis"， while the disease nature is often characterized by "a combination of deficiency and excess". Treatment should be guided by syndrome differentiation， following the principle of balancing Yin and Yang. This theoretical exploration enriches and advances TCM understanding of disease onset and prevention， providing theoretical guidance for the clinical prevention and treatment of insomnia-associated skin aging and contributing to the realization of the "Healthy China" initiative.

ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism by which gypenoside L （Gyp-L） promotes apoptosis and inhibits ovarian cancer （OC） through the FK506-binding protein （FKBP） prolyl isomerase 8 （FKBP8）/B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） axis， with the piR-hsa-2804461 pathway as a breakthrough point. MethodsThe effects of different concentrations of Gyp-L and cis-platinum on the proliferation of OVCAR3 cells were determined by the cell count kit-8 method to identify the appropriate intervention concentration for subsequent experiments. OVCAR3 cells were allocated into blank， low-dose Gyp-L （Gyp-L-L， 50 µmol·L^-1）， high-dose Gyp-L （Gyp-L-H， 100 µmol·L^-1）， and cis-platinum （15 µmol·L^-1） groups. The migration， colony formation， and apoptosis of OVCAR3 cells were detected by the cell scratch assay， colony formation assay， and flow cytometry， respectively. The mRNA levels of piR-hsa-2804461 and FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related genes in OVCAR3 cells were determined by Real-time PCR， and the expression levels of FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related proteins were determined by simple Western blot. Further， an OVCAR3 cell model with piR-hsa-2804461 knocked out was constructed. The cells were allocated into blank， NC-inhibitor， inhibitor， NC-inhibitor+Gyp-L， and inhibitor+Gyp-L groups. The colony formation of OVCAR3 cells was detected by the colony formation assay. The mRNA levels of piR-hsa-2804461 and FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related genes and the expression levels of FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related proteins were determined by Real-time PCR and simple Western blotting， respectively. ResultsGyp-L inhibited the migration and proliferation （P<0.01）， promoted the apoptosis （P<0.05）， up-regulated the mRNA level of piR-hsa-2804461 （P<0.05）， and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of FKBP8 and Bcl-2 （P<0.05） in OVCAR3 cells. Furthermore， Gyp-L increased the mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase （Caspase）-3， and Caspase-9， which are related to the FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis （P<0.05）. ConclusionGyp-L may promote apoptosis by regulating the piR-hsa-2804461/FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis， thus affecting the occurrence of ovarian cancer.

ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism of gypenoside L （Gyp-L） in the treatment of ovarian cancer （OC） by taking the glycolytic pathway of OC as the key point. MethodsThe proliferation activity of OVCAR3 cells was measured by the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay to determine the appropriate intervention concentration for subsequent experiments. The cell clone formation assay and the scratch healing assay were employed to assess the proliferation and migration capabilities of OVCAR3 cells. OVCAR3 cells were divided into a blank group， a Gyp-L-L group （low concentration of Gyp-L， 50 µmol·L^-1）， a Gyp-L-H group （high concentration of Gyp-L， 100 µmol·L^-1）， and a cisplatin （15 µmol·L^-1） group. The glucose consumption in OC cells was determined using a kit， and the expression levels of related mRNAs in OVCAR3 cells were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The expressions of related proteins were detected by Wes automatic Western blot quantitative analysis. ResultsValidated by the cell scratch assay， the scratch healing rate of OVCAR3 cells was decreased after Gyp-L intervention， reflecting that Gyp-L could significantly inhibit the migration of OVCAR3 cells （P<0.05）. According to the clone formation assay， the cell colony formation ability of the Gyp-L-L group， Gyp-L-H group， and cisplatin group was significantly lower than that of the control group （P<0.05）. In OVCAR3 cells， compared with those in the control group， the levels of glucose consumption and lactate generation in the Gyp-L-L group and Gyp-L-H group were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， indicating that Gyp-L could effectively inhibit the glycolysis level of OC cells. Meanwhile， Gyp-L could suppress the expression levels of glucokinase （GCK）， phosphofructokinase liver （PFKL）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， lactate dehydrogenase D （LDHD）， phosphoglycerate mutase 1 （PGAM1）， mRNAs， and proteins related to the glycolytic pathway in OC cells. ConclusionGyp-L may inhibit the occurrence and development of OC by influencing the GCK-mediated glycolytic pathway.