The Huangdi Neijing proposes the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory to guide clinical prescription and formulation of herbal remedies based on the physiological characteristics and functions of the five zang viscera, along with the properties and flavors of medicinal herbs. This study explored diabetic kidney disease pathogenesis and treatment based on the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory. Kidney dryness is a key pathological factor in diabetic kidney disease, and the disharmony of kidney dryness is an essential aspect of its pathogenesis. Strengthening is the primary therapeutic principle, and kidney dryness is a persistent factor throughout the occurrence and progression of diabetic kidney disease. In the early stage, the pathogenesis involves heat-consuming qi and injuring yin, leading to kidney dryness. In the middle stage, the pathogenesis manifests as qi deficiency and blood stasis in the collaterals, resulting in turbidity owing to kidney dryness. In the late stage, the pathogenesis involves yin and yang deficiency, with kidney dryness and disharmony. This study proposes the staging-based treatment based on the " need for firmness" characteristic of the kidney. The aim is to provide new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine by rationally using pungent, bitter, and salty medicinal herbs to nourish and moisturize the kidney. This approach seeks to promote precise syndrome differentiation and personalized treatment for different stages of diabetic kidney disease, thereby enhancing clinical efficacy.

Background/Aims: With the obesity pandemic, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common liver disease and a leading cause of end-stage liver disease and liver-related deaths in the USA. Therefore, we aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients with MASLD and cirrhosis with and without bariatric surgery. Methods: Patients were retrospectively identified from the California Department of Healthcare Access and Information database, 2005 to 2019, for a population-based cohort study. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance background risks between patients with cirrhosis who underwent bariatric surgery and those who did not. Overall, liver-related and non-liver-related mortality were analyzed. Results: Of 91,708 eligible patients with MASLD and cirrhosis, PSM yielded 2,107 patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 8,428 non-bariatric controls. Compared to matched controls, patients who underwent bariatric surgery had lower 5-year overall (24.9% vs. 37.1%; p<0.0001), liver-related (3.3% vs. 14%; p<0.0001), and non-liver-related mortality (22.3% vs. 26.9%; p=0.046). In multivariable analysis, bariatric surgery was associated with decreased overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=0.63; p<0.0001), liver-related (aHR=0.24; p<0.0001), and non-liverrelated (aHR=0.81; p=0.0026) mortality. However, only laparoscopic surgeries were associated with lower overall mortality (aHR=0.39; p<0.0001) whereas open surgeries were associated with higher overall mortality (aHR=1.24; p=0.022). Conclusions Patients with MASLD and cirrhosis who underwent bariatric surgery, specifically laparoscopic approaches, had significantly lower mortality risk than non-surgical counterparts.

Background/Aims: With the obesity pandemic, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common liver disease and a leading cause of end-stage liver disease and liver-related deaths in the USA. Therefore, we aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients with MASLD and cirrhosis with and without bariatric surgery. Methods: Patients were retrospectively identified from the California Department of Healthcare Access and Information database, 2005 to 2019, for a population-based cohort study. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance background risks between patients with cirrhosis who underwent bariatric surgery and those who did not. Overall, liver-related and non-liver-related mortality were analyzed. Results: Of 91,708 eligible patients with MASLD and cirrhosis, PSM yielded 2,107 patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 8,428 non-bariatric controls. Compared to matched controls, patients who underwent bariatric surgery had lower 5-year overall (24.9% vs. 37.1%; p<0.0001), liver-related (3.3% vs. 14%; p<0.0001), and non-liver-related mortality (22.3% vs. 26.9%; p=0.046). In multivariable analysis, bariatric surgery was associated with decreased overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=0.63; p<0.0001), liver-related (aHR=0.24; p<0.0001), and non-liverrelated (aHR=0.81; p=0.0026) mortality. However, only laparoscopic surgeries were associated with lower overall mortality (aHR=0.39; p<0.0001) whereas open surgeries were associated with higher overall mortality (aHR=1.24; p=0.022). Conclusions Patients with MASLD and cirrhosis who underwent bariatric surgery, specifically laparoscopic approaches, had significantly lower mortality risk than non-surgical counterparts.

Background/Aims: With the obesity pandemic, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common liver disease and a leading cause of end-stage liver disease and liver-related deaths in the USA. Therefore, we aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients with MASLD and cirrhosis with and without bariatric surgery. Methods: Patients were retrospectively identified from the California Department of Healthcare Access and Information database, 2005 to 2019, for a population-based cohort study. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance background risks between patients with cirrhosis who underwent bariatric surgery and those who did not. Overall, liver-related and non-liver-related mortality were analyzed. Results: Of 91,708 eligible patients with MASLD and cirrhosis, PSM yielded 2,107 patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 8,428 non-bariatric controls. Compared to matched controls, patients who underwent bariatric surgery had lower 5-year overall (24.9% vs. 37.1%; p<0.0001), liver-related (3.3% vs. 14%; p<0.0001), and non-liver-related mortality (22.3% vs. 26.9%; p=0.046). In multivariable analysis, bariatric surgery was associated with decreased overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=0.63; p<0.0001), liver-related (aHR=0.24; p<0.0001), and non-liverrelated (aHR=0.81; p=0.0026) mortality. However, only laparoscopic surgeries were associated with lower overall mortality (aHR=0.39; p<0.0001) whereas open surgeries were associated with higher overall mortality (aHR=1.24; p=0.022). Conclusions Patients with MASLD and cirrhosis who underwent bariatric surgery, specifically laparoscopic approaches, had significantly lower mortality risk than non-surgical counterparts.

In continuation of research aimed at identifying anti-inflammatory agents from natural sesquiterpenoids, an activity-guided fractionation approach utilizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated RAW264.7 cells was employed to investigate chemical constituents from Inula Britannica (I. britannica). Seven novel sesquiterpenoid dimers inulabritanoids A-G (1-7) and two novel sesquiterpenoid monomers inulabritanoids H (8) and I (9) were isolated from I. britannica together with eighteen known compounds (10-27). The structural elucidation was accomplished through comprehensive analysis of 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, complemented by quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 1, 2, 12, 16, 19, and 26 demonstrated inhibitory effects on NO production, with IC₅₀ values of 3.65, 5.48, 3.29, 6.91, 3.12, and 5.67 μmol·L^-1, respectively. Mechanistic studies revealed that compound 1 inhibited IκB kinase β (IKKβ) phosphorylation, thereby blocking nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation, and activated the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signal pathway, leading to decreased expression of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-1β, and IL-1α and increased expression of NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), thus exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects in vitro. These results indicate that dimeric sesquiterpenoids may serve as promising candidates for anti-inflammatory drug development.
Mice ; Animals ; Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification* ; Inula/chemistry* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Nitric Oxide ; Molecular Structure ; NF-kappa B/immunology* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/immunology* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; I-kappa B Kinase/genetics*

AIM: To detect the expression of P53 and mTOR in pterygium tissues and healthy conjunctival tissues, and to explore the relationship between the expression of P53 and mTOR, and the relationship between the expression of P53 and mTOR and the important clinical features of pterygium.METHODS: The surgical specimens of 43 patients(43 eyes)who underwent pterygium excision and autologous conjunctival transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University from November 2022 to May 2023 were collected. Healthy conjunctiva group was selected from the healthy conjunctival tissue that originated from the temporal conjunctiva of 13 patients. Totally 10 pterygium specimens and 6 normal conjunctival specimens were selected and the qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of P53 and mTOR in pterygium and normal conjunctival tissues. Another 33 cases of pterygium and 7 cases of normal conjunctival tissues were collected and the expression of P53 and mTOR in pterygium and normal conjunctival tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. IPP6.0 software was used to calculate the average optical density, the correlation between the expression levels of P53 and mTOR, and the correlation between the expression levels of P53 and mTOR and the important clinical features of pterygium were analyzed.RESULTS: According to qPCR results, the mRNA expression levels of TP53 and mTOR in the pterygium group were significantly higher than those in the healthy conjunctiva group(all P<0.05). According to the immunohistochemical staining results, the expression levels of P53 and mTOR proteins in the pterygium group were significantly higher than those in the healthy conjunctiva group(P<0.05). The expression of P53 was positively correlated with the expression of mTOR(r=0.417, P<0.05). The expression of P53 in the group of outdoor activity time > 3 h was higher than that in the group of outdoor activity time ≤3 h(P<0.05). The expression of P53 in the group of pterygium head invasive limbal distance > 2 mm was higher than that in the group of pterygium head invasive limbal distance ≤2 mm(P<0.05). There was no difference in the expression of pterygium between the two groups of patients aged > 40 years and ≤40 years(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of mTOR between the groups of outdoor activity time > 3 h and ≤3 h, the group of pterygium head invasion distance > 2 mm and ≤2 mm, and the group of > 40 years old and ≤40 years old(all P>0.05). The expression of P53 was positively correlated with the duration of outdoor activities(r=0.484, P<0.01)and the distance of limbal invasion(r=0.479, P<0.01). The expression of mTOR was not correlated with age, duration of outdoor activities, and distance of limbus invasion(all P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The overexpression of P53 and mTOR in pterygium showed a positive correlation, suggesting that the abnormal expression of P53 and mTOR may play a role in the pathogenesis of pterygium, which provides an experimental basis for further exploring the pathogenesis of pterygium; the expression of P53 is positively correlated with the time of outdoor activities and the distance of pterygium invasion. The P53 plays a role in evaluating the severity of pterygium, and provides new ideas for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pterygium.

Objective:To understand the current status of knowledge of brucellosis prevention and control among occupational groups at high-risk of brucellosis, and to provide a scientific basis for assessing the effectiveness of brucellosis prevention and control in China.Methods:A total of four counties in Shanxi Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were selected as survey counties from 2019 to 2020, and 600 people from the occupational groups at high-risk of brucellosis in each survey county were selected as survey respondents, and basic information and knowledge of prevention and treatment were collected through questionnaires. Single-factor and multi-factor logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors affecting the population's knowledge of prevention and treatment.Results:A total of 2 411 people participated in the survey and 2 384 valid questionnaires were obtained, including 1 405 males and 979 females, with the youngest age being 18 years old, the oldest being 91 years old, and the median being 57 years old. The overall knowledge of brucellosis prevention and control was 17.74% (423/2 384). The knowledge rate was lower among people over 60 years old, farmers, and people with less than elementary school education (13.99%, 14.50%, and 13.78%), and higher among women, herders, and people with elementary school education (20.02%, 36.33%, and 19.58%); the knowledge rate was lower in Hunyuan County (0.51%), and the differences in overall knowledge rates by age, occupation, education level, and region were statistically significant (χ 2 = 18.25, 87.18, 11.05, 197.43, P < 0.001). Multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that gender, occupation, literacy and region were associated with knowledge of prevention and treatment ( P < 0.05). Conclusions:The overall knowledge of prevention and treatment among high-risk occupational groups in the key areas of China's brucellosis prevention and treatment program is low, with a large gap with the goals of the national brucellosis prevention and treatment program, and gender, occupation, literacy level, and region are the influencing factors of the knowledge of prevention and treatment. There is an urgent need to carry out a variety of health education activities for high-risk occupational groups and to strengthen the exchange of experience on brucellosis prevention and treatment between regions.

Objective:To explore the correlation between high cholinergic pathway signaling and cognitive function in patients with Parkinson disease(PD) accompanied with sleep disorder.Methods:PD patients admitted from 2017 to 2022 were divided into PD with sleep disorder group (PD-SD group) ( n=56) and PD without sleep disorder group (PD-NSD group) ( n=41) according to the Parkinson's disease sleep scale (PDSS) score. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging examination.All patients were evaluated by the PDSS, Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y), Montreal cognitive assessment scale (MoCA), and cholinergic pathways hyper intensities scale (CHIPS). The difference of cognitive function between the two groups and the correlation between CHIPS and cognitive function were analyzed.Independent sample t-test, Spearman correlation analysis, and binary Logistic regression analysis were performed on the data by SPSS 26.0 statistical software. Results:(1)The MoCA score of the PD-SD group (22.00 (5.00)) was lower than that of the PD-NSD group (26.00 (5.00)) ( Z=-3.830, P<0.05). The total and all aspects scores of CHIPS in PD-SD group were higher than those in PD-NSD group(the total score of the low external capsule: 12.00(8.00), 0(8.00), the total score of the high external capsule: 12.00(2.00), 6.00(9.00), the total score of the radial crown: 8.00(0), 4.00(4.00), the total score of the centrum semiovale: 3.00(4.00), 0(2.00), the total score of the right side: 16.00(9.00), 5.00(10.00), the total score of the left side: 17.00(6.00), 7.00(9.00), the total score of CHIPS: 32.00(14.00), 14.00(20.00))( Z=-5.081, -5.873, -4.933, -3.211, -5.562, -6.232, -5.995, all P<0.05). (2)The correlation analysis between the score of CHIPS and cognitive function in the PD-SD group showed that, the total score of the low external capsule ( r=-0.286), the total score of the centrum semiovale ( r=-0.307), the total score of the right side ( r=-0.376), the total score of the left side ( r=-0.284) and the total score of CHIPS ( r=-0.349) were negatively correlated with MoCA(all P<0.05). (3)Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that white matter lesions in centrum semiovale, low inner capsule, right and left leukodystrophy were not influence factors for cognitive impairment (all P>0.05). Conclusion:PD patients with sleep disorders have lower cognitive function scores, higher CHIPS scores, and significant changes in white matter lesions compared to those without sleep disorders. In PD patients with sleep disorders, the higher the CHIPS score, the lower the cognitive function score, and the more significant the rate of cognitive impairment occurrence and development.

Objective:To compare clinical efficacy and safety of peripheral to central pruning of apocrine sweat glands versus along small incision of apocrine sweat glands in the treatment of axillary bromhidrosis.Methods:A prospective randomized controlled study method was used to recruit patients with armpit odor admitted to the Department of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from June to October 2022. The patients were divided into the experimental group (underwent peripheral to central pruning of apocrine sweat glands with small incision of axillary fold under direct view) and the control group (apocrine sweat glands were cut off along the direction of small incisions) by randomization. The occurrence of postoperative complications such as hematoma, infection, skin necrosis, delayed incision healing, scar and skin contracture were observed in both groups, and the incidence rate was calculated. The surgical effect was evaluated 6 months after the operation, and the number of cured, markedly effective, and ineffective sides was counted, and the cure rate and effective rate were calculated; the satisfaction was investigated and divided into two options: satisfactory and dissatisfied, and the satisfaction rate was calculated. Count data were analyzed using the chi-square test. P<0.05 indicated that the difference was statistically significant. Results:A total of 52 patients were recruited. Experimental group, 26 patients (52 side), 6 male, 20 women, aged 18-31 years, mean of 22 years; control group, 26 patients (52 side), 6 male, 20 women, aged 18-47 years, mean of 21 years. The incidence of postoperative complications in the experimental group was 3.85% (2 / 52), which was lower than 19.23% (10/52) of the control group, with statistically significant difference ( χ2=3.98, P=0.046), in which the flap necrosis, local contracture, scarring and delayed incision healing were better than the control group. The postoperative response rate in both groups was 100%(52/52), but the cure rate in the experimental group was higher than the control group [96.15% (50/52) vs. 80.77% (42/52)], with a significant difference ( χ2=6.03, P=0.014). The satisfaction rate of the experimental group was 96.15% (50/52), higher than the 82.69% (43/52) of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=4.92, P=0.026). Conclusion:Compared with the traditional small incision of peripheral to central pruning method and the traditional small incision of apocrine sweat glands method, the cure rate of the former is higher, which can effectively protect the skin flap dermis and subdermal vascular network around the incision, reduce postoperative skin necrosis and scar, and improve patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Zhujing Pills in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration(AMD)of liver and kidney insufficiency type.METHODS 64 patients with dry AMD of liver and kidney insufficiency type were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group,32 patients each.The control group was given oral treat-ment with Laishiding capsules,and the experimental group was given oral treatment with modified Zhujing Pills granules.The treatment course for both groups was 3 months.Before and after treatment,the patients in the two groups were observed for TCM syndrome scores,visual acuity,fundus autofluorescence(AF),changes in drusen area within 5 mm of the fovea,and plasma superoxide dis-mutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels.RESULTS After treatment,the scores of TCM syndromes in the experimental group were significantly reduced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and the efficacy of TCM syn-dromes was better than that of the control group(P＜0.01);the visual acuity of the patients in the experimental group was significantly improved,AF was significantly weakened and the area of drusen was reduced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),which were better than those in the control group(P＜0.05);the plasma SOD and GSH-Px activities of the experimental group were increased,and the MDA level was significantly lowered(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),which were better than the control group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION Modified Zhujing Pills can reduce fundus AF intensity,decrease macular drusen area,improve visual acuity,and reduce TCM syndrome scores in pa-tients with dry AMD.The therapeutic mechanism may be related to its antioxidant effect.