Diabetic kidney disease （DKD） is one of the main causes of chronic kidney disease. Both traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and western medicine have their own advantages in the prevention and treatment of DKD， but there are also many difficulties. By analysis of the difficulties faced by TCM and western medicine in the differentiation and treatment of DKD， based on the theory of "miniature masses in the renal collaterals"， combined with long-term clinical practice， "internal heat leading to mass" is proposed as the core pathogenesis of DKD. Therefore， a trinity model of "disease-syndrome-symptom" for differentiation and treatment of DKD based on the core pathogenesis has been proposed. This model highlights the status of the core pathogenesis of "internal heat leading to mass" in DKD， and conducts a three-dimensional identification from the perspectives of disease， syndrome and symptom， so as to inspire clinical practice.

ObjectiveTo investigate the quality markers of Xiaoqinglong granules（XQLG） for treating bronchial asthma using the analytic hierarchy process（AHP）-entropy weight method（EWM）， network pharmacology and high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） content determination. MethodsEffectiveness， testability and peculiarity component data of XQLG in treating bronchial asthma were constructed through database retrieval， literature review， and network pharmacology. Subsequently， AHP-EWM was used to quantitatively identify and weight the control layer and element layer， the relevant compounds were selected as candidate quality markers based on comprehensive scores. Further comparison of reference substances and establishment of HPLC content determination method were used to determine the potential quality markers of XQLG， which were verified by molecular docking with disease targets. ResultsA total of 13 components， including glycyrrhizic acid， paeoniflorin， schisandrol A， isoliquiritigenin， 6-gingerol， ephedrine， liquiritin， albiflorin， liquiritigenin， 6-shogaol， pseudoephedrine， cinnamic acid and cinnamaldehyde， were identified as potential quality markers of XQLG by AHP-EWM. Quantitative analysis indicated that all aforementioned quality markers could be detected in 13 batches of XQLG， indicating that it had stable testability as a quality marker. Among these 13 batches of samples， ephedrine and paeoniflorin exhibited good consistency in content， while pseudoephedrine and cinnamaldehyde showed poor consistency. Molecular docking analysis revealed that the 13 compounds exhibited binding energies with the core targets -2.11 kcal·mol^-1， indicating that the 13 compounds could spontaneously bind to the disease targets， which may be the material basis for the treatment of bronchial asthma with XQLG. ConclusionIn this study， 13 compounds were screened by AHP-EWM combined with network pharmacology and HPLC as quality markers for the treatment of bronchial asthma by XQLG， laying the foundation for enhancing the quality standards of this preparation.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of kidney-protecting spirit pill for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy(DN)based on the network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.Methods:The database of TCMSP and Swiss Target Prediction was searched to obtain the active ingredients and targets of kidney-protecting spirit pill,and the intersection with the disease targets was obtained.The protein-protein interaction(PPI)network of intersection targets was constructed,GO and KEGG enrichment were analyzed.The key targets and small molecules were obtained and their interactions were verified by molecular docking.Results:A total of 60 active ingredients and 112 therapeutic DN targets were predicted.The key components were Cerevisterol,3,9-di-O-methylnissolin,Jaranol,Palmidin A and 16α-Hydroxydehydrotrametenolic acid.The key targets were PIK3CA,MAPK1,AKT1,PIK3R1 and BCL2,which were closely related to cancer-related pathways,AGE-RAGE signaling pathway,endocrine resistance,lipids and atherosclerosis pathways in diabetic complications.Conclusion:The mechanism of kidney-protecting spirit pill in the treatment of DN is characterized by multi-components,multi-targets and multi-pathways,with synergistic effects between the herbs,which provides a basis for the study of the pharmacological effects of kidney-protecting spirit pill.

Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） have been widely used in clinical efficacy evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， but also having limitations such as high cost，time consuming， and difficulty in patient recruitment and enrollment. The introduction of matching adjusted indirect comparison （MAIC） can alleviate the problem caused by the limitation of traditional RCT methodology to some extent. This paper introduced the basic principles of MAIC， and analyzed the similarities and differences， advantages and disadvantages of the two design methods， that is the anchored and the non-anchored. By analyzing two case studies in the evaluation of TCM efficacy， which are acupuncture for paroxysmal migraine and moxibustion for diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome， respectively， this paper introduced the methodological characteristics of MAIC in the efficacy evaluation of TCM， explored the strengths and feasibility of MAIC in the evaluation of efficacy evidence in TCM， the evaluation of efficacy of non-pharmacological TCM therapy and the development of new Chinese medicine， and discussed the limitations of existing research， matching factors and sample size. Additionally， the paper offered prospects by combining the simulation treatment comparison method and emulated target trials， with the goal of providing recommendations and references for the clinical efficacy evaluation of TCM.

Background: Twenty-four-hour urinary free cortisol (UFC) measurement is the initial diagnostic test for Cushing’s syndrome (CS). We compared UFC determination by both direct and extraction immunoassays using Abbott Architect, Siemens Atellica Solution, and Beckman DxI800 with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, we evaluated the value of 24-hr UFC measured by six methods for diagnosing CS. Methods: Residual 24-hr urine samples of 94 CS and 246 non-CS patients were collected.A laboratory-developed LC-MS/MS method was used as reference. UFC was measured by direct assays (D) using Abbott, Siemens, and Beckman platforms and by extraction assays (E) using Siemens and Beckman platforms. Method was compared using Passing–Bablok regression and Bland–Altman plot analyses. Cut-off values for the six assays and corresponding sensitivities and specificities were calculated by ROC analysis. Results: Abbott-D, Beckman-E, Siemens-E, and Siemens-D showed strong correlations with LC-MS/MS (Spearman coefficient r = 0.965, 0.922, 0.922, and 0.897, respectively), while Beckman-D showed weaker correlation (r = 0.755). All immunoassays showed proportionally positive bias. The areas under the curve were 0.975 for Abbott-D, 0.972 for LCMS/MS, 0.966 for Siemens-E, 0.948 for Siemens-D, 0.955 for Beckman-E, and 0.877 for Beckman-D. The cut-off values varied significantly (154.8–1,321.5 nmol/24 hrs). Assay sensitivity and specificity ranged from 76.1% to 93.2% and from 93.0% to 97.1%, respectively. Conclusions Commercially available immunoassays for measuring UFC show different levels of analytical consistency compared to LC-MS/MS. Abbott-D, Siemens-E, and Beckman-E have high diagnostic accuracy for CS.

Objective To observe the feasibility of 5.0T MR for cardiac imaging.Methods Three patients with heart diseases and 17 healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled.Cardiac MR(CMR)cine sequence and black blood sequence imaging were performed using 5.0T and 3.0T MR scanner,respectively.The image quality and artifacts degrees were compared between 5.0T and 3.0T CMR images,and the consistency of left ventricular parameters obtained using 5.0T and 3.0T scanners was analyzed.Results No significant difference of image quality nor artifacts degrees was found between 5.0T and 3.0T CMR images(all P＞0.05).The left ventricular end diastolic volume(EDV),end systolic volume(ESV),ejection fraction(EF),stroke volume(SV)and end diastolic mass(EDM)derived from cine images acquired at different fields were in a good agreement(all ICC＞0.75,all P＜0.001).Conclusion 5.0T MR could be used for cardiac imaging,with image quality of cine and black blood sequences comparable to that of 3.0T MR.

Objective:To evaluate knee biomechanics of patients about 12 months after anterior cruciate ligament(ACL)reconstruction during cutting and determine the abnormal biomechanical characteristics.Methods:Sixteen males about 12 months after ACL reconstruction were recruited for this study.Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were collected during cutting movement.Knee joint angles and moments were calculated.Paired t-tests were used to compare the differences in knee biomechanics be-tween the surgical leg and nonsurgical leg.Results:The peak posterior ground reaction force(surgical leg:0.380±0.071;nonsurgical leg:0.427±0.069,P=0.003)and vertical ground reaction force(surgical leg:1.996±0.202,nonsurgical leg:2.110±0.182,P=0.001)were significantly smaller in the surgical leg than in the nonsurgical leg.When compared with the uninjured leg,the surgical leg demonstrated a smaller knee flexion angle(surgical leg:38.3°±7.4°;nonsurgical leg:42.8°±7.9°,P＜0.001)and larger external rotation angle(surgical leg:10.3°±2.4°;nonsurgical leg:7.7°±2.1°,P=0.008).The surgical leg also demonstrated a smaller peak knee extension moment(surgical leg:0.092±0.031;nonsurgical leg:0.133±0.024,P＜0.001)and peak knee external rotation moment(surgical leg:0.005±0.004;nonsurgical leg:0.008±0.004,P=0.015)when com-pared with the nonsurgical leg.Conclusion:The individuals with ACL reconstruction mainly showed asymmetrical movements in the sagittal and horizontal planes.The surgical leg demonstrated a smaller peak knee flexion angle,knee extension moment,and knee external rotation moment,with greater knee external rotation angle.

Gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) is one of the most common complications during pregnancy, with increasing incidence in recent years, significantly affecting the health of both mothers and their offspring across generations. The exact pathogenesis of GDM remains unclear; However, growing evidence suggests that dysbiosis of gut microbiota is involved in the development of GDM, and further influences the establishment of microbiota in the next generation through vertical transmission. This article summarizes the differences in gut microbiota between GDM mothers and their offspring compared to healthy controls. In addition, we also discuss the impact of gut microbiota dysbiosis on metabolic health in GDM offspring and potential mechanisms involved, aiming to provide a reference for targeting gut microbiota in the prevention and treatment of GDM and its complications in offspring.

Objective:To construct and validate a risk-scoring model for predicting delayed onset of lactogenesis stage Ⅱ (DOL Ⅱ) in mothers separated from their premature infants.Methods:This was a retrospective study. (1) Modeling group: This group enrolled 310 mothers who were separated from their premature infants after delivery at Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from December 2021 to November 2022. They were further divided into the DOL Ⅱ group (144 cases) and the non-DOL Ⅱgroup (166 cases) according to whether they had DOL Ⅱ or not. Based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, each risk factor was assigned a score, and a risk prediction scoring model was established. (2) Validation group: This group included 130 mothers of premature infants who experienced mother-infant separation after delivery at Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from December 2022 to March 2023. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the discrimination, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the goodness of fit. The Chi-square test (or Fisher's exact probability test) or Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for inter-group data comparison. Results:This risk prediction scoring model included 10 risk factors [maternal age≥35 years old, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, anemia, gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm rupture of membrane, start breastfeeding >6 hours, postpartum admission of maternal intensive care unit, cesarean section, score of Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale >9.5, postpartum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ≥4.369, Fatigue Scale-14 ≥7.5, body mass index in the first trimester ≥23.719 kg/m 2, postpartum BMI≥27.661 kg/m 2,and increase of BMI during pregnancy ≥5.393 kg/m 2], with an area under the ROC curve of 0.838 (95% CI: 0.795-0.882, P<0.001), a maximum Yoden index of 0.526, a specificity of 0.825, a sensitivity of 0.701, and an optimal threshold of 4.5. After rounding the score off to the nearest whole number, those with a score≥5 were defined as at high risk of DOL Ⅱ, while those with a score<5 were at low risk. Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed χ2=3.43 and P=0.634. The positive predictive value, the negative predictive value, and the accuracy were 77.7%, 76.1%, and 76.8%, respectively. In the modeling group, 130 out of the 310 cases (41.9%) were predicted to be at high risk by the model with 101 (32.6%) experiencing DOL Ⅱ, while 180 cases (58.1%) were predicted to be at low risk with 43 (13.9%) experiencing DOL Ⅱ. Among the 130 cases in the validation group, 59 (45.4%) were predicted to be at high risk with 39 (30.0%) experiencing DOL Ⅱ, while 71 (54.6%) were predicted to be at low risk with 19 (14.6%) experiencing DOL Ⅱ. The model validation results showed that the area under the ROC curve was 0.774 (95% CI: 0.693-0.855, P<0.001) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed χ2=3.09 and P=0.687, with the positive predictive value of 66.1%, the negative predictive value of 73.2%, and the accuracy of 70.0%. Conclusions:This study preliminarily establishes a risk scoring model for predicting DOL Ⅱ in mothers separated from their premature infants which is of certain predictive value and can provide a reference for developing predictive lactation support measures.

Objective:To explore the mediating effect of postpartum depression in fathers on their parenting competence and breastfeeding support.Methods:From March to October 2022, convenience sampling was used to select 337 fathers of infants aged 4 to 8 weeks in Wuxi Women and Enfants Care Hospital as the research subject. A survey was conducted using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Chinese version of Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (C-PSOC), and maternal spouse version Partner Breastfeeding Influence Scale (PBIS). Spearman correlation was used to explore the correlation between postpartum depression in fathers and their parenting competence and breastfeeding support, and the PROCESS plugin was used for mediation effect testing.Results:A total of 337 questionnaires were distributed and 337 were collected, including 314 valid questionnaires with an effective response rate of 93.18% (314/337). Among 314 infant fathers, the EPDS, C-PSOC, and maternal spouse version PBIS scores were 3.00 (2.00, 6.00), 66.00 (62.00, 71.00), and 83.00 (74.00, 90.00), respectively. Father's parenting competence was negatively correlated with father's postpartum depression ( r=-0.435, P<0.01), and positively correlated with father's breastfeeding support ( r=0.480, P<0.01). Father's postpartum depression was negatively correlated with father's breastfeeding support ( r=-0.423, P<0.01). The mediating effect analysis showed that the mediating effect of postpartum depression in fathers between parenting competence and breastfeeding support was 0.341, accounting for 39.51% of the total effect. Conclusions:Postpartum depression in fathers is a mediating variable between their parenting competence and their breastfeeding support. Medical and nursing workers should develop perinatal education programs for fathers, enhance their parenting competence, alleviate their negative emotions, and promote their breastfeeding support.