ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine Number 2 Feibi recipe （N2FBR） in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）， focusing on its effects on endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress， apoptosis， stemness maintenance， and regenerative capacity of alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cells （AT2 cells）， and to validate the modern translational pathway of the theory of "deficiency of Zong Qi leading to pulmonary atelectasis and atrophy". MethodsA mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was induced by bleomycin （BLM）. Mice were randomly divided into blank control， model， low-， and high-dose N2FBR intervention groups （9.1， 18.2 g·kg^-1）， and prednisolone intervention group （6.5 mg·kg^-1）. Pulmonary histopathological changes and collagen deposition were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson's trichrome staining. Hydroxyproline （HYP） content was measured by the alkaline hydrolysis method. Lung coefficient and pulmonary function parameters were evaluated. The mRNA expression levels of fibrosis-related factors， including collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1 chain （ColIa1）， alpha-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 （Timp1）， were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. Cell apoptosis was assessed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） assay. Apoptosis of AT2 cells was further evaluated by double immunofluorescence staining for surfactant protein C （SPC） and cysteine-aspartic protease-3 （Caspase-3）. Endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress in AT2 cells was examined by double staining for SPC and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase （PERK）. Ultrastructural changes of ER and lamellar bodies in AT2 cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The expression levels of key proteins involved in ER stress and apoptosis pathways， including PERK， activating transcription factor 4 （ATF4）， and Caspase-3， were detected by Western blot. Double immunofluorescence staining of SPC and Ki-67 antigen （Ki-67） was performed to evaluate the proliferative capacity of AT2 cells. Lineage tracing technology （labeling AT2 cells with GFP） combined with Krt8 labeling was used to evaluate intermediate differentiation states， and morphological transformation of AT2 cells into alveolar type Ⅰ epithelial cells （AT1） was observed. ResultsBLM-induced mice exhibited significant structural disruption of lung tissue， increased collagen deposition， elevated lung coefficient， decreased pulmonary function， and upregulation of fibrosis-related factors （P<0.01）. High-dose N2FBR treatment significantly ameliorated lung tissue damage and dysfunction， significantly reduced HYP content （P<0.01）， and significantly downregulated ColIa1， α-SMA， and Timp1 expression （P<0.01）. Apoptosis analysis showed increased TUNEL-positive and Caspase-3-positive AT2 cells in the model group， which was significantly reduced by high-dose N2FBR treatment. TEM revealed swollen ER structures in AT2 cells of the model group， which tended to return to normal following treatment. PERK protein staining analysis showed evident ER stress in AT2 cells of the model group， which were markedly alleviated in the treatment group. The expression levels of ER stress-related proteins PERK and ATF4， as well as the apoptosis-related protein Caspase-3， were elevated in the model group and significantly reduced after treatment. TEM also revealed disrupted lamellar body structures in the model group， which tended to recover in the treatment group. Regarding the proliferative capacity of AT2 cells， the proportion of Ki-67⁺SPC⁺ AT2 cells significantly increased in the treatment group （P<0.01）. Lineage tracing showed that the proportion of keratin 8-positive green fluorescent protein-positive （Krt8⁺GFP⁺） cells increased in the model group， indicating differentiation arrest. This proportion was significantly reduced in the treatment group， and the morphology of GFP⁺ cells exhibited a flattened， extended shape， suggesting restored differentiation toward AT1 cells. ConclusionN2FBR alleviates ER stress in AT2 cells， reduces AT2 cell apoptosis， restores lamellar body structure and function， enhances proliferation activity， and alleviates differentiation arrest to promote differentiation into AT1 cells， thereby repairing the alveolar epithelium and effectively blocking the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Its traditional Chinese medicine mechanism of "replenishing Zong Qi， harmonizing Qi and blood， and unblocking pulmonary meridians" closely aligns with the modern regulatory pathway of AT2 stem cells， providing a novel theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the intervention of IPF with traditional Chinese medicine.

ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine Number 2 Feibi recipe （N2FBR） in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）， focusing on its effects on endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress， apoptosis， stemness maintenance， and regenerative capacity of alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cells （AT2 cells）， and to validate the modern translational pathway of the theory of "deficiency of Zong Qi leading to pulmonary atelectasis and atrophy". MethodsA mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was induced by bleomycin （BLM）. Mice were randomly divided into blank control， model， low-， and high-dose N2FBR intervention groups （9.1， 18.2 g·kg^-1）， and prednisolone intervention group （6.5 mg·kg^-1）. Pulmonary histopathological changes and collagen deposition were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson's trichrome staining. Hydroxyproline （HYP） content was measured by the alkaline hydrolysis method. Lung coefficient and pulmonary function parameters were evaluated. The mRNA expression levels of fibrosis-related factors， including collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1 chain （ColIa1）， alpha-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 （Timp1）， were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. Cell apoptosis was assessed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） assay. Apoptosis of AT2 cells was further evaluated by double immunofluorescence staining for surfactant protein C （SPC） and cysteine-aspartic protease-3 （Caspase-3）. Endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress in AT2 cells was examined by double staining for SPC and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase （PERK）. Ultrastructural changes of ER and lamellar bodies in AT2 cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The expression levels of key proteins involved in ER stress and apoptosis pathways， including PERK， activating transcription factor 4 （ATF4）， and Caspase-3， were detected by Western blot. Double immunofluorescence staining of SPC and Ki-67 antigen （Ki-67） was performed to evaluate the proliferative capacity of AT2 cells. Lineage tracing technology （labeling AT2 cells with GFP） combined with Krt8 labeling was used to evaluate intermediate differentiation states， and morphological transformation of AT2 cells into alveolar type Ⅰ epithelial cells （AT1） was observed. ResultsBLM-induced mice exhibited significant structural disruption of lung tissue， increased collagen deposition， elevated lung coefficient， decreased pulmonary function， and upregulation of fibrosis-related factors （P<0.01）. High-dose N2FBR treatment significantly ameliorated lung tissue damage and dysfunction， significantly reduced HYP content （P<0.01）， and significantly downregulated ColIa1， α-SMA， and Timp1 expression （P<0.01）. Apoptosis analysis showed increased TUNEL-positive and Caspase-3-positive AT2 cells in the model group， which was significantly reduced by high-dose N2FBR treatment. TEM revealed swollen ER structures in AT2 cells of the model group， which tended to return to normal following treatment. PERK protein staining analysis showed evident ER stress in AT2 cells of the model group， which were markedly alleviated in the treatment group. The expression levels of ER stress-related proteins PERK and ATF4， as well as the apoptosis-related protein Caspase-3， were elevated in the model group and significantly reduced after treatment. TEM also revealed disrupted lamellar body structures in the model group， which tended to recover in the treatment group. Regarding the proliferative capacity of AT2 cells， the proportion of Ki-67⁺SPC⁺ AT2 cells significantly increased in the treatment group （P<0.01）. Lineage tracing showed that the proportion of keratin 8-positive green fluorescent protein-positive （Krt8⁺GFP⁺） cells increased in the model group， indicating differentiation arrest. This proportion was significantly reduced in the treatment group， and the morphology of GFP⁺ cells exhibited a flattened， extended shape， suggesting restored differentiation toward AT1 cells. ConclusionN2FBR alleviates ER stress in AT2 cells， reduces AT2 cell apoptosis， restores lamellar body structure and function， enhances proliferation activity， and alleviates differentiation arrest to promote differentiation into AT1 cells， thereby repairing the alveolar epithelium and effectively blocking the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Its traditional Chinese medicine mechanism of "replenishing Zong Qi， harmonizing Qi and blood， and unblocking pulmonary meridians" closely aligns with the modern regulatory pathway of AT2 stem cells， providing a novel theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the intervention of IPF with traditional Chinese medicine.

An ideal dermal filler should integrate filling, repair, and anti-aging effects, with immediate tissue augmentation, slow degradation, and progressive stimulation of collagen regeneration. However, commonly used hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels, while effective for rapid filling, suffer from limited duration of support, weak cell adhesion, and an inability to promote collagen regeneration. Silk fibroin (SF), a natural protein from silkworm cocoons, is known for its excellent cell adhesion and collagen-stimulating abilities. However, its limited gelation capability restricts its potential application as a standalone injectable hydrogel. Based on a complementary strategy, this study combines the rapid gelling properties of HA with the collagen regenerative properties of SF to create a co-crosslinked HA-SF hydrogel. The composite hydrogel merges HA's rapid filling effect with SF's strong tissue adhesion and collagen-stimulating abilities. The formulation, physicochemical properties, degradation, biocompatibility, and filling effects of the HA-SF hydrogel were systematically investigated. HA-SF hydrogel exhibits excellent mechanical properties and ensures long-term support while maintaining injectability. Interestingly, after intradermal injection in the UVB-induced photoaging model, HA-SF hydrogel not only enhances hydrogel-cell interaction but also continues to stimulate collagen regeneration, especially type III collagen. This dual action achieves the biological effects of repair and anti-aging while maintaining the filling effect. Proteomic analysis confirms that repair and anti-aging effects are enhanced by the regulation of skin fibroblasts and modulation of amino acid and lipid metabolism. This composite hydrogel holds strong promise for clinical applications, offering a safer, long-lasting, and more natural injectable filler that combines filling, repair, and anti-aging into one system.

Objective To compare the application value of coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)based plaque characteristics and computed tomography(CT)derived parameters in predicting future major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)between patients with and without diabetes mellitus.Methods A total of 425 patients who underwent CCTA in Shunde Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University from June 2016 to November 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into DM group(n=120)and non-DM group(n=305)for follow-up.According to the occurrence of MACE during follow-up,patients were divided into DM group(n=81),DM+MACE group(n=39),non-DM group(n=39),non-DM group(n=244)and non-DM+MACE group(n=61).The differences in general characteristics,biochemical index and parameters in imaging were compared among the four groups.Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors for MACE in the two populations.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the difference in the predictive value of different plaque characteristics and CT-derived parameters for MACE.Results The levels of coronary artery calcification score(CACS),and the proportion of low-attenuation plaque(LAP)were higher in the DM+MACE group than in the DM group(P<0.05).The levels of positive reconstruction(PR),the proportion of antihypertensive drugs,CAD-RADS,CACS,residual cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were higher in the non-DM+MACE group than in the non-DM group(P<0.05).Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that CACS≥100(HR 2.151,95%CI 1.128～4.102,P=0.020)and LAP(HR 2.337,95%CI 1.032～5.290,P=0.042)were the influencing factors for MACE in patients with DM.PR(HR 124.305,95%CI 42.883～360.326,P<0.001)was the influencing factor for MACE in patients without DM.ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of CACS combined with LAP were 0.606,0.609 and 0.660 for predicting MACE in DM patients within 1,3 and 5 years respectively.The AUC of PR for predicting MACE were 0.862,0.927,and 0.806 in the non-DM population within 1,3,and 5 years respectively.The predictive value of CACS and LAP for MACE in the DM patients was stable during the 5 years,while the predictive value of PR for MACE in the non-DM population decreased significantly after 4 years.Conclusions The predictive values of different plaque characteristics and CT derived parameters for future MACE are different between population with and without diabetes.The combination of CACS and low-attenuation plaques can effectively evaluate the risk of MACE in diabetic patients,while PR has a higher predictive value for MACE in non-diabetic patients.

Objective To evaluate the quality of Xi xiong(Gansu Chuanxiong)based on the combination of intelligent sensory technology,HPLC and HS-SPME-GC-MS.Methods The chromaticity values of 10 batches of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma samples were measured using a colorimeter and clustering analysis was performed;an electronic nose was used to measure the odor of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma,and Loadings and PCA were conducted;According to the method under the Chuanxiaong Rhizoma section of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,the moisture,ash content and extract were determined;HPLC was used to determine the contents of ferulic acid,chlorogenic acid and ligustrazine;the volatile components were analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS;the quality of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma was evaluated by analyzing the correlation between chromaticity value,odor and active components.Results The total color value of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma ranged from 31.210 1±1.193 7 to 43.976 3±0.721 4,at the Euclidean distance of 10,and the 10 batches of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma could be clustered into four categories;Loadings and PCA showed that the higher contribution of sensors W2S,W5S,W2W,W1W and W1S to Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma samples,the variance contribution of the first and second principal components was 62.6%and 22.4%,respectively;water,ash and extract in 10 batches of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma all met the standards of Chinese Pharmacopoeia;the HPLC determination results indicated that the content of ferulic acid in Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma was greater than 0.192 6%,ligustrazine content was between 0.001 2%and 0.006 1%,chlorogenic acid content was greater than 0.016 4%;HS-SPME-GC-MS results indicated 52 volatile components were identified in Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma samples,the olefin compounds were rich in species,phenyphthalide compounds had the highest relative content;the correlation analysis showed that the color values ΔL*,Δb* and ΔE showed a high degree of correlation with ferulic acid and ligusticum tecidate A.Conclusion This study clarifies the intrinsic quality of Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma and provides a theoretical basis for research on Gansu Chuanxiong Rhizoma.

Objective To explore the role of postdoctoral talent cultivation in high-quality development of public hospi-tals.Methods The data of 165 postdoctoral fellows were analyzed from Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center,Sun Yat-sen Univer-sity over the past decade.The analysis involved examining the entire management process from recruitment to completion,inclu-ding the improvement of relevant systems,evaluation standards,implementation of hierarchical management,mentor-student in-teractions,and academic exchanges,as well as studying the quality enhancement of the postdoctoral talent pool,research output,and employment analysis.Results The standardized management of whole postdoctoral cultivation process and the continuous improvement of systems significantly enhanced the achievements of postdoctoral fellows in research,publications,and commer-cialization of the scientific and research findings.For instance,from 2018 to 2022,the number of National Science Foundation-funded programs that the postdoctoral fellows obtained accounted for 26.7％of the total number,while the number of provincial and ministerial funded programs accounted for 73.3％.In 2020,the proportion of postdoctoral researchers who obtained the Na-tional Natural Science Foundation of China's Youth Program was 80％of the total.In 2021,the proportion of postdoctoral fellows who published papers with an impact factor of above 10 as the first author or co-first author was 45.83％.Conclusion The training of high-level medical postdoctoral talents is crucial for high-quality development of public hospitals,improving interdisci-plinary adaptability of postdoctoral fellows and collaborative mentorship awareness.

Sweat pore serves as the central regulator for ascending， descending， exiting and entering of qi movement， the circulation of essence， blood， and body fluids， and the nourishment of zang-fu organs. Its proper function depends on maintaining smooth flow and avoiding stagnation. Cough variant asthma （CVA）， in traditional Chinese medicine， falls under the "wind cough" category. The dysfunction of sweat pores' opening， closing， ascending， and descending is integral to the pathogenesis of CVA. This article focused on the dynamic changes in sweat pores' dysfunction throughout the progression of CVA， categorized into three stages，i.e. loss of pivot function， blockage of sweat pores， and lack of nourishment. The treatment approach centers on "wind medicinal opening sweat pores"， so for the initial stage， the focus is on activating sweat pores and dispelling wind， diffusing the lungs and rectifying qi； for the progression stage， the strategy shifts to unblocking sweat pores and dispersing wind， clearing lung stagnation and resolving obstructions； for the resolution stage， the emphasis is on nourishing sweat pores and defending against wind， strengthening the lungs and consolidating the body's foundation. This approach provides a systematic approach to the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CVA.

Objective To observe the mechanism of action of electroacupuncture at Neiguan(PC6)points for alleviating lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced myocadial dysfunction in sepsis model mice.Methods Forty-eight male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups,namely normal control group,saline+electroacupuncture group,sepsis model group,and sepsis+electroacupuncture group.The rats in the sepsis model group and sepsis+electroacupuncture group were given intraperitoneal injection of LPS(5 mg/kg)to induce the sepsis model.The mice were treated with electroacupuncture immediately after injection.At hour 6 after the LPS intervention,the left ventricular short-axis end-systolic diameter(LVIDs)and fractional shortening(FS)of the left ventricular were monitored by color doppler echocardiography.The levels of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)and interleukin 6(IL-6)in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the protein expression levels of Rho-kinase(ROCK)1 and ROCK2,and phosphorylation levels of myosin phosphatase substrate 1(MYPT1)and myosin light chain 2(MLC2)in cardiac tissues were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the normal control group,the LVIDs in mice in the sepsis model group was increased(P<0.05),FS was decreased(P<0.05),the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were all elevated(P<0.001),and the level of phosphorylation of MYPT1,a substrate of ROCK,in cardiac tissues was significantly elevated(P<0.05);compared with the sepsis model group,the LVIDs in the sepsis+electroacupuncture group was decreased(P<0.05),FS was increased(P<0.05),the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the phosphorylation level of MYPT1 was significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the protein expression levels of ROCK1 and ROCK2 as well as the phosphorylation level of MLC2 had no significant differences(P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Neiguan points may reduce systemic and local inflammatory reaction levels in mice with sepsis model to improve cardiac function through inhibiting the activation of Rho/ROCK signaling pathway in cardiac tissues,thus producing myocardial protection efficacy.

Objective:To investigate the interventional effect of Rhizoma Corydalis on mice with ulcerative colitis(UC)induced by dextran sulfate sodium(DSS),as well as the potential mechanism of Rhizoma Corydalis in the treatment of UC based on metabolomics and inflammation biomarkers.Methods:A mouse model of UC was established,and then the mice were divided into model group,high-dose group(1.517 g/kg crude drug),middle-dose group(0.986 g/kg crude drug),low-dose group(0.455 g/kg crude drug),and positive drug group(5-aminosalicylic acid at a dose of 718.8 mg/kg),while the mice without modeling were selected as normal group(0.9%NaCl by gavage).The mice in each group were administered for 7 consecutive days,and phenotypic parameters were dynamically moni-tored,such as body weight change,disease activity index(DAI),mean daily food intake,and daily water intake.The mice were sacri-ficed after 7 days to collect serum and colon tissue samples;ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of the proinflammatory fac-tors interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-17A(IL-17A),C-reactive protein(CRP),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF/MS)was used to perform the non-targeted metabolomics analysis and compare the differences in se-rum metabolite profiles between groups.The mice were selected for modeling and validation with the same method,and glutathione(GSH)was selected as the positive drug.Colon length and mucosal damage were assessed,and quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the relative mRNA expression levels of the key genes in the glutathione synthesis pathway(γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase[γ-GCS]and oxidative stress regulators yap1p and skn7)and mito-chondrial GSH transporter protein(Slc25a39)in colonic tissue.Results:Rhizoma Corydalis significantly improved weight loss,DAI,and colon length in a dose-dependent manner in the model animals,and there were reductions in the serum levels of IL-6,CRP,and TNF-α,while it had no significant effect on IL-17A.The metabolomics analysis revealed 21 potential biomarkers associated with amino acid and lipid metabolism,which were significantly regulated by Rhizoma Corydalis.In the verification experiment,both Rhi-zoma Corydalis and GSH exerted a significant protective effect against colonic mucosal damage without affecting colon length.Rhizoma Corydalis upregulated the expression of genes associated with glutathione synthesis,especially γ-GCS,suggesting that Rhizoma Co-rydalis could enhance intestinal antioxidant defenses.Conclusion:Rhizoma Corydalis has a therapeutic potential in a mouse model of DSS-induced UC and can alleviate symptoms,reduce the serum levels of inflammatory markers,and regulate metabolic pathways,and upregulation of the genes associated with glutathione synthesis suggests that the drug can enhance intestinal antioxidant defenses.

Objective To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of bufalin regulating ferroptosis on extracellular matrix synthesis in renal tubular epithelial cells(RTECs)under high glucose(HG)conditions.Methods RTECs were cultured in vitro and exposed to HG.The experimental groups included:the control group,the HG group,the HG+dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)group,the HG+bufalin group,the HG+ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)group,the HG+bufalin+DMSO group and HG+bufalin+erastin group.The expression levels of fibronectin(FN),type Ⅰ collagen(Col Ⅰ),acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4(ACSL4),solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)were detected using Western blot assay and quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).The potential molecular targets of bufalin were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction,and functional enrichment analysis was conducted using Metascape.FerrDb was employed to analyze ferroptosis-related gene sets.The levels of ferrous ions(Fe2+),malondialdehyde(MDA)and glutathione(GSH)were measured using micro-methods to evaluate the occurrence of ferroptosis.Results Compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein relative expression levels of FN,Col Ⅰand ACSL4 were increased in the HG group,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 were decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the HG+DMSO group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of FN,Col Ⅰand ACSL4,as well as levels of Fe2+and MDA were decreased in the HG+bufalin group,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11,and the level of GSH were increased(P＜0.05).In the HG+Fer-1 group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 were increased,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of ACSL4,FN and Col Ⅰ were decreased(P＜0.05).The SwissTargetPrediction database and Metascape analysis function showed that the downstream functions of bufalin were closely related to lipid metabolism,inflammatory response,programmed cell death and ferroptosis-related pathways.The FerrDb analysis results indicated that the target sites of bufalin were closely related to ferroptosis markers.Compared with the HG+bufalin+DMSO group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 were decreased in the HG+bufalin+Erastin group,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of ACSL4,FN and Col Ⅰ were increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Bufalin attenuates extracellular matrix synthesis in HG-induced RTECs by inhibiting ferroptosis.