The study focuses on the concept of multifunctional traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas and aims to evaluate the efficacy of the classical formula Xiaoyao San (逍遥散). Study employs the integrated evidence chain (Eff-iEC) method to organize, integrate, and evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in treating different diseases with the same therapy, and to investigate the feasibility of using Eff-iEC to evaluate the multifunctionality of TCM formulas. The evaluation covered Xiaoyao San's therapeutic effects on depression, premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and menopausal syndrome. Concurrently, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used for evaluation, and authoritative medical documents were incorporated to corroborate the recognition of Xiaoyao San within the medical community. Depression and menopausal syndrome received higher ratings than other conditions in the Eff-iEC, GRADE, and Medical Community Recognition assessments. The Eff-iEC evidence grade for Xiaoyao San was rated as "High" or above for chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and menopausal syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome received a "Moderate ⁺" rating. The GRADE evidence level was "Low-〇〇⨁⨁" for depression, premenstrual syndrome, and chronic hepatitis; "Moderate-〇⨁⨁⨁" for dyspepsia and menopausal syndrome; and "Very Low-〇〇〇⨁" for irritable bowel syndrome. Depression and menopausal syndrome had the highest inclusion frequency, appearing in all 4 categories. Premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, and dyspepsia are not recommended in Western medical guidelines, but they are included in TCM guidelines, the China National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List, and the China National Essential Drug List. Irritable bowel syndrome appears only in the China National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List and China National Essential Drug List. The evaluation results obtained using the Eff-iEC method align with Medical Community Recognition, providing an objective and comprehensive assessment of Xiaoyao San's efficacy. The findings suggest that Xiaoyao San has strong evidence for treating depression and menopausal syndrome. However, further experimental and clinical trials are needed to assess its efficacy in treating premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and dyspepsia. These results support the clinical efficacy and rational use of Xiaoyao San, expand the application scope of the Eff-iEC method, and offer valuable insights and methodological references for the comparative evaluation of multifunctional TCM formulas.

Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates for the development of a new generation of antimicrobials to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens. They have found extensive applications in the fields of medicine, food, and agriculture. However, efficiently screening AMPs from natural sources poses several challenges, including low efficiency and high antibiotic resistance. This review focuses on the action mechanisms of AMPs, both through membrane and non-membrane routes. We thoroughly examine various highly efficient AMP screening methods, including whole-bacterial adsorption binding, cell membrane chromatography (CMC), phospholipid membrane chromatography binding, membrane-mediated capillary electrophoresis (CE), colorimetric assays, thin layer chromatography (TLC), fluorescence-based screening, genetic sequencing-based analysis, computational mining of AMP databases, and virtual screening methods. Additionally, we discuss potential developmental applications for enhancing the efficiency of AMP discovery. This review provides a comprehensive framework for identifying AMPs within complex natural product systems.

Natural antimicrobial peptides(AMPs)are promising candidates for the development of a new gener-ation of antimicrobials to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens.They have found extensive applications in the fields of medicine,food,and agriculture.However,efficiently screening AMPs from natural sources poses several challenges,including low efficiency and high antibiotic resistance.This review focuses on the action mechanisms of AMPs,both through membrane and non-membrane routes.We thoroughly examine various highly efficient AMP screening methods,including whole-bacterial adsorption binding,cell membrane chromatography(CMC),phospholipid membrane chromatography binding,membrane-mediated capillary electrophoresis(CE),colorimetric assays,thin layer chromatography(TLC),fluorescence-based screening,genetic sequencing-based analysis,computational mining of AMP data-bases,and virtual screening methods.Additionally,we discuss potential developmental applications for enhancing the efficiency of AMP discovery.This review provides a comprehensive framework for identifying AMPs within complex natural product systems.

【Objective】 To study the changes of platelet components(PC), apheresis platelets (AP) and pooled platelet concentrates (PPC) production of 19 provincial blood centers before and during the COVID-19 epidemic. 【Methods】 The data related to the collection of AP and the preparation of PPC from 2016 to 2021 of 19 provincial blood centers was collected. The production of PC, AP and PPC during the four years before the epidemic (i.e. 2016-2019) and during the COVID-19 epidemic (i.e. 2020 and 2021) were calculated respectively, and the change of production was analyzed. 【Results】 The total production of PC in 19 blood centers steadily increased from 2016 to 2019, with a decrease of 4.16% in 2020 and an increase of 15.60% in 2021, exceeding the output before the COVID-19 epidemic. In 2020, the production of PC of 42.11% (8/19) blood centers decreased compared with 2019, while 94.74% (18/19) in 2021 increased compared with 2020. The changes of AP output was basically consistent with the trend of PC. The total production of PPC in 2017 and 2018 both doubled compared to the previous year, while decreased by 67.98% in 2019, increased by 30.38% in 2020 and decreased by 27.08% in 2021. 【Conclusion】 The total production of PC kept increasing steadily between 2016 and 2019, but decreased in 2020 under the COVID-19 epidemic, with some blood centers being significantly affected. In 2021, with the strong support from government and various measures by blood centers, the total production of PC increased.

Objective:To explore the current status of surgery for portal hypertension to grasp current status and future development of surgery in China.Methods:This study is jointly sponsored by China Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Specialist Alliance & Portal Hypertension Alliance in China (CHESS).Comprehensive surveying is conducted for basic domestic situations of surgery for portal hypertension, including case load, surgical approaches, management of postoperative complications, primary effects, existing confusion and obstacles, liver transplantation(LT), laparoscopic procedures and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS), etc.Results:A total of 8 512 cases of portal hypertension surgery are performed at 378 hospitals nationwide in 2021.Splenectomy plus devascularization predominated(53.0%)and laparoscopy accounted for 76.1%.Primary goal is preventing rebleeding(67.0%) and 72.8% of hospitals used preventive anticoagulants after conventional surgery.And 80.7% of teams believe that the formation of postoperative portal vein thrombosis is a surgical dilemma and 65.3% of hospitals practiced both laparoscopy and TIPS.The major reasons for patients with portal hypertension not receiving LT are due to a lack of qualifications for LT(69.3%)and economic factors(69.0%).Conclusions:Surgery is an integral part of management of portal hypertension in China.However, it is imperative to further standardize the grasp of surgical indications, the handling of surgical operation and the management of postoperative complications.Moreover, prospective, multi-center randomized controlled clinical studies should be performed.

Objective:To investigate the effects of hepatitis B virus X (HBx) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) proliferation, invasion, and sorafenib resistance.Methods:HepG2 cell line infected with HBx ORF lentivirus was set as the HBx high expression group and infected with empty vector was set as the negative control group. The interference group was infected with the HBx siRNA virus based on the HBx high expression group to reduce HBx expression. Interference control group as interference group but with infected empty vector virus. Western blotting was used to measure the protein level of HBx. Cell proliferation, invasion ability, and sorafenib semi-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of HCC cells under different HBx expression levels were respectively detected by cell proliferation assay kit, Transwell invasion assay, and cell titer-glo kit.Results:Western blotting showed that the stable cell lines were successfully established. Cell proliferation of the HBx high expression group was better than that of the blank control and negative control groups, and the cell proliferation of the interference group was lower than that of the interference control and HBx high expression groups, and the differences were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). The number of cells crossing Matrigel gel was (46.2±4.1), (50.7±5.1) and (48.2±5.2) in the blank control group, negative control group, and interference group, respectively. The number of cells crossing Matrigel gel in the HBx high expression group (124.2±8.3) and the interference control group (117.2±7.5) were higher than the above three groups, respectively, and the differences were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). The IC50 of cells in the HBx high expression group and the interference control group were (5.36±0.31) μmol/L and (5.48±0.20) μmol/L, respectively, which were higher than those in the blank control group, the negative control group, and the interference group (4.75±0.22) μmol/L, (4.60±0.14) μmol/L and (3.98±0.03) μmol/L. The differences were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:HBx promoted the tumor proliferation and invasion of HepG2 HCC cells, enhanced the ability to sorafenib resistance, and inhibited apoptosis.

Objective:To investigate the application of Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) in the diagnosis of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease(CAD) and its risk factors,and to clarify the effective strength of different risk factors in the diagnosis of CAD by using CAD-RADS.Methods:All the data of 266 patients,who were initially suspected with CAD and underwent CT angiography,were collected and diagnosed by using CAD-RADS and were divided into CAD group(n=174) and non-CAD group(n=69).The informations of age,gender,hypertension,hyperlipemia,diabetes,smoking,serum uric acid (UA) levels,and plasma fibrinogen (FIB) levels of the patients in two groups were analyzed;single factor analysis and multivariate Logstic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of CAD diagnosed by CAD-RADS.Results:Compared with non-CAD group,the ratios of male,hypertension,diabetes,smoking of the patients in CAD group were increased (P<0.05),and the age and the level of UA of the patients in CAD group were also increased (P<0.05).The Logistic regression analysis results showed that age and diabetes were the independent risk factors for CAD diagnosed by CAD-RADS.Conclusion:There are many independent risk factors for CAD diagnosed by CAD-RADS,and age and diabetes are the most correlated risk factors for CAD.

Objective:To analyze the imaging features of magnetic susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in the patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related hemorrhage (CAAH),and to clarify the diagnostic value of SWI for CAAH.Methods:A total of 68 patients presumptively diagnosed as CAAH were collected,and their imaging data of routine MRI and SWI were collected and analyzed.The detection rates of hemorrhage focus of the CAAH patients were compared between two kinds of imaging examination.The consistency of detection of CAAH by routine MRI and SWI was analyzed.The imaging features of SWI and the risk of focus hemorrhage in the patients with CAAH were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Results:Sixty-one patients were confirmed as CAAH by pathologic diagnosis,and 53 patients were confirmed as CAAH by routine MRI;the detection rate was 86.89％;59 cases of hemorrhage focus were confirmed by SWI and the detection rate was 96.72％.The number of lesions detected by SWI was more than that of routine MRI (P＜0.05).The consistency of detection of CAAH by routine MRI and SWI was poor,and the value of Kappa was 0.3666.The patchy high signal and multiple clear edge low signal area were the relative imaging features of CAAH with SWI in the patients with CAAH analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis (OR=3.895,P=0.025;OR=3.124,P=0.029).Conclusion:SWI can efficiently detect the hemorrhage focus in the patients with CAAH and the diagnostic value is better than routine MRI.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of periodontitis on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in pancreas of rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.Methods:Spontaneously type 2 diabetic OLETF rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:diabetes with or without periodontitis(diabetes group and combination group).LETO rats with the same germline and the same age but having normal glucose tolerance were randomly divided into control group and periodontitis group.20 weeks after periodontitis were established,all the rats were sacrificed and the pancreas were pathologically examined by HE staining.The expression of Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the pancreas islet were detected by immunohistochemistry staining and semi-quantitative analysis.Results:The expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the pancreas islet was no significant difference between control and periodontitis groups(P=0.324,P=0.091,P=0.852).Compared with diabetes group,the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 in combination group showed a significant increase(P=0.000,P=0.000),and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P=0.022).Conclusion:Under healthy conditions,periodontitis has no effect on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in rat pancreas islet.However,in rats with diabe-tes,periodontitis may affect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in pancreas islet.