Gastric ulcer （GU） is a high-incidence digestive system disease characterized pathologically by disruption of gastric mucosal integrity， with clinical features including a prolonged course and periodic recurrence. Modern medicine attributes its pathogenesis to the dynamic imbalance between aggressive and defensive factors，while traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） posits its development as closely linked to spleen deficiency. Current therapies combining acid suppressants and antibiotics face challenges such as high recurrence rates，poor mucosal healing，and adverse drug reactions. Long-term use may induce metabolic disturbances like hypergastrinemia and reduced intestinal microbiota diversity. Therefore，exploring safer and longer-lasting therapeutic strategies has become a critical focus. TCM has extensive clinical experience and unique advantages in GU prevention and treatment. Studies demonstrate that the classic formula Shenling Baizhu San exhibits therapeutic properties of "invigorating spleen and tonifying Qi to restore physiological balance and eliminating dampness and regulating middle energizer to unblock Qi movement"， enabling a holistic approach targeting both symptoms and root causes in GU with spleen deficiency as the core pathology by suppressing aggressive factors and strengthening defensive factors. Experimental research reveals its mechanisms involve enhancing the physicochemical barrier of the mucus layer，repairing epithelial barriers and microcirculation，modulating gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal motility，and regulating microecological barriers and mucosal immunity. Clinical evidence confirms its synergistic effects in promoting ulcer healing，improving Helicobacter pylori eradication rates，and reducing recurrence risks. This review examined the etiology and pathogenesis of GU and systematically evaluated Shenling Baizhu San from three perspectives-clinical application，pharmacological effects， and experimental research-to provide insights for optimizing integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine protocols and expanding its clinical applications.

AIM: To investigate the value of maximum standardized uptake value(SUVmax), extraocular muscle(EOM)diameter, and thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody(TRAb)in evaluating inflammatory activity in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO).METHODS: TAO patients underwent orbital 99mTc-DTPA SPECT/CT imaging at the Affiliated Hospital of Panzhihua University between January 2023 and December 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. According to the clinical activity score(CAS), patients were classified into an active group and an inactive group. SUVmax and EOM were independently measured by three nuclear medicine physicians, and the mean values were used for analysis. Serum TRAb levels from TAO patients were measured using a fully automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer. Nonparametric tests were used to compare differences between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlations of CAS with SUVmax, EOM, and TRAb. Using CAS as the reference standard, receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic performance of SUVmax, EOM, and TRAb, as well as their combination. Intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)was used for reliability analysis to evaluate the consistency of SUVmax and EOM among the 3 measurers.RESULTS: A total of 99 patients(198 eyes)with TAO were enrolled in this study, including 38 males and 61 females, aged 16-74(46.92±11.84)y. The active group comprised 46 patients(92 eyes), aged 16-71(48.40±12.02)y, with 25 males and 21 females. The inactive group included 53 patients(106 eyes), aged 17-74(45.46±11.59)y, consisting of 13 males and 40 females. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender and age(P>0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed in SUVmax, EOM, and TRAb. Compared with the inactive group, the active group showed higher SUVmax, EOM, and TRAb levels(all P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that CAS was positively correlated with SUVmax, EOM, and TRAb(r=0.734, 0.622, and 0.404, respectively, all P<0.01). ROC curves were plotted using CAS as the reference standard, and the AUCs for SUVmax, EOM, TRAb, and their combined diagnosis were 0.874, 0.797, 0.715, and 0.892, respectively. The ICC of SUVmax and EOM were 0.925(95%CI: 0.901-0.948, P<0.001)and 0.943(95%CI: 0.907-0.964, P<0.001)respectively.CONCLUSION: Beyond CAS, there is a need to identify objective imaging and serological biomarkers. Measurements of SUVmax and EOM provide visualized and quantifiable tools for assessing TAO activity, and their combination with TRAb can further improve the accuracy of activity assessment.

Objective To investigate the combined effect of berberine （BBR） and fluconazole （FLC） on FLC-tolerant Candida albicans in vitro. Methods The sensitivity of 8 strains of Candida albicans to FLC was assessed by determining their minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC） using broth microdilution method. FLC-tolerant strains were screened from FLC-sensitive strains by disk diffusion assay. The effect of BBR combined with FLC on FLC-tolerant Candida albicans was investigated by disk diffusion assay. Results All eight strains of Candida albicans exhibited sensitivity to FLC, with minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC₅₀） values below 0.5 μg/ml. Strains Y0109, 9821, 7879, 7654, and 9296 displayed colony growth in the inhibition zone after 48 h of constant temperature incubation, indicating FLC tolerance. When strains Y0109 and 9821 were subjected to a combination of BBR and FLC, the number of colonies within the inhibition zone decreased progressively with the increase of BBR concentration following a 48 h constant temperature culture. The inhibition zone became clear with the increasing of BBR concentration and increased with the increase of FLC loading, which showed a dose-dependent relationship. Conclusion The BBR combined with FLC demonstrated efficacy against FLC-tolerant strains.

Olfactory disorders are a common symptom in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, and their diagnosis and treatment have garnered extensive attention from both patients and doctors. Currently, there are various evaluation and treatment methods for olfactory dysfunction; however, choosing a simpler and more accurate assessment, as well as an effective treatment, remains a clinical challenge. In this article, we review the assessment and treatment methods commonly used in clinical practice in recent years to provide better support for the diagnosis and treatment of olfactory disorders.
Humans ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Sinusitis/complications* ; Chronic Disease ; Rhinitis/complications* ; Rhinosinusitis

Objective:To investigate the clinical diagnosis and treatment of IgG4-related disease（IgG4-RD） primarily involving the nasal cavity and skull base. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 8 patients with IgG4-RD primarily involving the nasal cavity and skull base who visited the Nasal and Skull Base Surgery Department at Xiangya Hospital from October 2017 to January 2024. The cohort comprised 4 males and 4 females, aged 8 to 69 years. Clinical data, laboratory examination results, imaging findings, histopathological results, and treatment plans were collected. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up results of IgG4-RD primarily involving nasal cavity and skull base were summarized and previous literature were also reviewed. Results:The initial symptoms in the 8 patients included nasal congestion, headache, sensory function decline, and facial deformities. Three patients also had parotid and pulmonary involvement. Among the 8 patients, 4 underwent partial surgical resection combined with glucocorticoid therapy; 1 underwent partial surgical resection combined with glucocorticoid and immunosuppressant therapy; 1 received glucocorticoid therapy alone; and 2 received glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressant therapy. Follow-up was conducted one month after treatment, lasting from 5 to 79 months. During the follow-up period, recurrence was observed in 1 patient treated with glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressants and in 1 patient treated with glucocorticoid alone, while the other 6 patients achieved significant remission. Conclusion:The diagnosis of nasal cavity and skull base IgG4-RD requires the combination of histopathology, laboratory tests, and imaging results. Treatment primarily includes glucocorticoids or combined immunosuppressants. For patients with significant compression symptoms, sensory function impairment, or facial deformities, surgical resection is an important treatment option. Given the high risk of recurrence, early intervention, active treatment, and long-term follow-up are crucial.
Humans ; Male ; Skull Base/pathology* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Nasal Cavity/pathology* ; Adult ; Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease/therapy* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Child ; Young Adult ; Adolescent

BACKGROUND: A growing body of research is exploring the role of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory dietary supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis, highlighting an increasing emphasis on non-pharmacological interventions. Although more patients are turning to supplements to manage osteoarthritis, their actual effectiveness remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the available evidence concerning the efficacy of various dietary supplements in osteoarthritis treatment. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science for studies on the use of various dietary supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis from the creation of each database until Jan 20, 2025. INCLUSION CRITERIA: (1) Research object: osteoarthritis. (2) Intervention measures: patients in the treatment group received dietary supplements, while the control group received placebos. (3) Research type: randomized controlled trials (RCTs). DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two researchers independently examined the literature and retrieved data based on predefined criteria. The information gathered included the first author, year of publication, sample size, participant demographics, length of the follow-up period, intervention and control measures, and inclusion indications. RCTs comparing dietary supplements to placebo with the pain and function subscales of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) among patients with osteoarthritis were included. The optimal dietary supplement was identified based on the total ranking by summing the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) of these two scores. Furthermore, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to confirm the quality of the evidence. RESULTS: Overall, 23 studies covering 21 dietary supplements and involving 2455 participants met the inclusion criteria. In the WOMAC pain score, the SUCRA of passion fruit peel extract was 91% (mean difference [MD]: -9.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-16.0, -2.3]), followed by methylsulfonylmethane (89%), undenatured type II collagen (87%), collagen (84%), and Lanconone (82%). The SUCRA (99%) of passion fruit peel extract (MD: -41.0; 95% CI: [-66.0, -16.0]) ranked first in terms of the WOMAC function score, followed by Lanconone (95%), collagen (86%), ParActin (84%), and Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (83%). The top three total rankings are passion fruit peel extract (95.0%), Lanconone (88.5%), and collagen (85.0%). However, the GRADE revealed low evidence quality. CONCLUSION Passion fruit peel extract was the best supplement for improving WOMAC pain and function scores in patients with osteoarthritis, followed by Lanconone and collagen. However, further large-scale, well designed RCTs are required to substantiate these promising findings. Please cite this article as: Chen CS, Wen L, Yang F, Deng YC, Ji JH, Chen RJ, Chen Z, Chen G, Gu JY. Effects of dietary supplements on patients with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 357-369.
Humans ; Dietary Supplements ; Osteoarthritis/drug therapy* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spatiotemporal patterns and socioeconomic factors influencing the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the Guangdong Province between 2010 and 2019. METHOD: Spatial and temporal variations in TB incidence were mapped using heat maps and hierarchical clustering. Socioenvironmental influencing factors were evaluated using a Bayesian spatiotemporal conditional autoregressive (ST-CAR) model. RESULTS: Annual incidence of TB in Guangdong decreased from 91.85/100,000 in 2010 to 53.06/100,000 in 2019. Spatial hotspots were found in northeastern Guangdong, particularly in Heyuan, Shanwei, and Shantou, while Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Foshan had the lowest rates in the Pearl River Delta. The ST-CAR model showed that the TB risk was lower with higher per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) [Relative Risk ( RR), 0.91; 95% Confidence Interval ( CI): 0.86-0.98], more the ratio of licensed physicians and physician ( RR, 0.94; 95% CI: 0.90-0.98), and higher per capita public expenditure ( RR, 0.94; 95% CI: 0.90-0.97), with a marginal effect of population density ( RR, 0.86; 95% CI: 0.86-1.00). CONCLUSION The incidence of TB in Guangdong varies spatially and temporally. Areas with poor economic conditions and insufficient healthcare resources are at an increased risk of TB infection. Strategies focusing on equitable health resource distribution and economic development are the key to TB control.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Bayes Theorem ; Spatio-Temporal Analysis ; Tuberculosis/epidemiology* ; Socioeconomic Factors

ObjectiveThe study explores the influence of voluntary wheel running on the behavioral abnormalities and the activation state of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rats through gut microbiota. MethodsSD female rats were selected and administered either400 mg/kg of valproic acid (VPA) solution or an equivalent volume of saline via intraperitoneal injection on day 12.5 of pregnancy. The resulting offspring were divided into 2 groups: the ASD model group (PASD, n=35) and the normal control group (PCON, n=16). Behavioral assessments, including the three-chamber social test, open field test, and Morris water maze, were conducted on postnatal day 23. After behavioral testing, 8 rats from each group (PCON, PASD) were randomly selected for serum analysis using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone (CORT) concentration, to evaluate the functional state of the HPA axis in rats. On postnatal day 28, the remaining 8 rats in the PCON group were designated as the control group (CON, n=8), and the remaining 27 rats in the PASD group were randomly divided into 4 groups: ASD non-intervention group (ASD, n=6), ASD exercise group (ASDE, n=8), ASD fecal microbiota transplantation group (FMT, n=8), and ASD sham fecal microbiota transplantation group (sFMT, n=5). The rats in the ASD group and the CON group were kept under standard conditions, while the rats in the ASDE group performed 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running intervention starting on postnatal day 28. The rats in the FMT group were gavaged daily from postnatal day 42 with 1 ml/100 g fresh fecal suspension from ASDE rats which had undergone exercise for 2 weeks, 5 d per week, continuing for 4 weeks. The sFMT group received an equivalent volume of saline. After the interventions were completed, behavioral assessments and HPA axis markers were measured for all groups. ResultsBefore the intervention, the ASD model group exhibited significantly reduced social ability, social novelty preference, spontaneous activity, and exploratory interest, as well as impaired spatial learning, memory, and navigation abilities compared to the normal control group (P<0.05). Serum concentration of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone (CORT) in the PASD group were significantly higher than those in the PCON group (P<0.05). Following 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running, the ASDE group showed significant improvements in social ability, social novelty preference, spontaneous activity, exploratory interest, spatial learning, memory, and navigation skills compared to the ASD group (P<0.05), with a significant decrease in serum CORT concentration (P<0.05), and a downward trend in CRH and ACTH concentration. After 4 weeks of fecal microbiota transplantation in the exercise group, the FMT group showed marked improvements in social ability, social novelty preference, spontaneous activity, exploratory interest, as well as spatial learning, memory, and navigation abilities compared to both the ASD and sFMT groups (P<0.05). In addition, serum ACTH and CORT concentration were significantly reduced (P<0.05), and CRH concentration also showed a decreasing trend. ConclusionExercise may improve ASD-related behaviors by suppressing the activation of the HPA axis, with the gut microbiota likely playing a crucial role in this process.