ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Renshentang treats atherosclerosis （AS） in mice， focusing on the regulation of endothelial inflammatory responses mediated by transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 （TRPV1）. MethodsAn AS model was established in apolipoprotein E knockout （ApoE^-/-） mice fed a high-fat diet. The mice were randomly divided into a simvastatin group （0.02 g·kg^-1·d^-1） and low-， medium-， and high-dose Renshentang groups （1.77， 3.54， 7.08 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， with 12 mice in each group. ApoE^-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet and treated simultaneously. C57BL/6J mice fed a normal diet served as the normal group （n=9）. After continuous administration for 12 weeks， mice were anesthetized and the aortas were collected. Oil Red O staining was used to observe lipid plaque formation in the aorta. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to examine pathological changes in the aortic root. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the levels of pro-inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， as well as the expression of TRPV1， phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase （p-PI3K）， and phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt） in the aortic root. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS） mRNA expression in the aorta， and Western blot was used to detect TRPV1 protein expression. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant increase in aortic plaque formation （P<0.01） and significantly elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the aortic root （P<0.01）. The expression levels of TRPV1， p-PI3K， and p-Akt were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and eNOS mRNA expression was reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， all Renshentang groups significantly reduced aortic plaque formation （P<0.01）， significantly decreased TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）， and markedly increased the expression levels of TRPV1， p-PI3K， p-Akt， and eNOS mRNA （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionRenshentang may inhibit endothelial inflammation and suppress the formation of AS by increasing TRPV1 protein expression and up-regulating the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway， which may be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effect against AS.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJD） and its major active constituents （geniposide， baicalin， and berberine） can inhibit the inflammatory response of BV2 cells under lipopolysaccharide （LPS） stimulation via the high-mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1）/Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， and to explore differences in therapeutic efficacy among the three monomers， their combined formula， and HLJD under equal content ratios. MethodsBV2 microglial cells were used as the primary experimental model. Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method to examine the effects of different concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO， 0.8%， 0.4%， 0.2%， 0.1%， and 0.05%） on cell viability. IncuCyte was employed to monitor the growth of cells under different concentrations of HLJD （200， 100， 50， 25， 12.5， 6.25 mg·L^-1）. Nitric oxide （NO） assay was used to screen the optimal HLJD concentration. High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） determined the content of geniposide， baicalin， and berberine in HLJD， and experimental groups were subsequently established according to the relative proportions of these constituents. CCK-8 assay evaluated cell viability under different treatments. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） measured levels of inflammatory factors （TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， IL-10） in the supernatant. Flow cytometry assessed the effects of treatments on M1-type polarization of BV2 cells. Western blot determined the expression levels of HMGB1， TLR4， and NF-κB-related proteins. ResultsCompared with the blank group， DMSO at concentrations ≤0.2% did not affect cell viability within 48 h. BV2 cell growth plateaued at 24 h after treatment with 200 mg·L^-1 HLJD. Under stimulation with 2 mg·L^-1 LPS， this concentration of HLJD effectively reduced NO release， and 6 h pre-treatment had a stronger inhibitory effect on NO than direct administration. HPLC results showed that 1 mg of HLJD freeze-dried powder contained approximately 24 μg of geniposide， 15 μg of baicalin， and 30 μg of berberine. Based on these ratios， experimental groups were blank， LPS （2 mg·L^-1）， HLJD （200 mg·L^-1）， monomer combination， geniposide （4.8 mg·L^-1）， baicalin （3 mg·L^-1）， and berberine （6 mg·L^-1）. The monomer combination group consisted of all three active constituents dissolved together. LPS and HLJD or its active constituents did not affect cell viability compared with the blank group. LPS significantly increased TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and IL-10 in the supernatant （P<0.01）. HLJD and its active constituents significantly reduced pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05， P<0.01） while upregulating anti-inflammatory IL-10 （P<0.01）， with the monomer combination showing the strongest effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， LPS significantly increased the proportion of CD80⁺CD86⁺ （M1-type） BV2 cells （P<0.01）. HLJD and its constituents partially inhibited M1 polarization （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the monomer combination exhibiting the most pronounced effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， LPS upregulated HMGB1， TLR4， and NF-κB-related proteins （P<0.01）， whereas HLJD and its active constituents significantly reduced their expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the monomer combination having the strongest regulatory effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionHLJD and its major active constituents （geniposide， baicalin， berberine） can inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory responses in BV2 cells. The combination of the three active constituents demonstrates the most potent anti-inflammatory effect， significantly attenuating M1-type polarization of BV2 cells via the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

AIM: To investigate the differences in morphological structure and retinal blood perfusion between the affected eye and the contralateral healthy eye using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane(IMEM)before and after surgery, and to evaluate the association of these parameters with functional and anatomical outcomes to inform prognostic assessment. METHODS:A prospective study was conducted at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. Consecutive patients diagnosed with unilateral IMEM were enrolled; the fellow eye served as an internal control. All participants underwent standardized ophthalmic evaluations, including optical coherence tomography(OCT), OCTA, and color fundus photography. Key quantitative parameters assessed included best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area, vessel density in the inner capillary plexus(ICP), superficial capillary plexus(SCP), deep capillary plexus(DCP), and choroidal capillary perfusion area(CCPA). Measurements were obtained preoperatively and at 1 and 3 mo postoperatively. Correlation analyses were performed between the above parameters and postoperative BCVA and CMT.RESULTS: This study enrolled 30 patients(60 eyes)diagnosed with IMEM, comprising 14 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 65.4±10.8 y.At baseline, IMEM-affected eyes demonstrated significantly reduced BCVA, DCP density, and FAZ area, alongside significantly increased CMT and CCPA, compared with contralateral controls. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased significantly at both 1 and 3 mo(both P<0.05)postoperatively; DCP density and BCVA showed significant improvement(both P<0.05). No significant change in FAZ area was observed postoperatively(P>0.05). At 3 mo postoperatively, BCVA of the affected eye was negatively correlated with CMT(r=-0.549, P=0.022). At 1 mo postoperatively, CMT was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP and FAZ, positively correlated with preoperative CMT, and positively correlated with ICP and SCP at 1 mo postoperatively, and negatively correlated with FAZ at 1 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). Furthermore, CMT at 3 mo postoperatively was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP(r=-0.498,P=0.042).CONCLUSION:In patients with IMEM, the affected eyes exhibit significantly reduced DCP density and FAZ area, alongside increased CMT and CCPA. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased progressively, DCP density demonstrated partial restoration, and vision improved gradually. Preoperatively, smaller CMT larger DCP, and FAZ were associated with more favorable surgical outcomes; postoperatively, smaller ICP and SCP densities—combined with a larger FAZ—also correlated with better functional recovery.

This paper summarizes professor WANG Qingguo's experience in treatment of headache based on the "achieving harmony by unblocking and balancing" concept. It is considered that although the pathogenesis of headache is generally attributed to "pain arises from obstruction" and "pain arises from malnourishment"， clinical presentations often involve a complex mixture of deficiency and excess， as well as cold and heat patterns. Professor WANG proposes the diagnostic and therapeutic theory of "achieving harmony by unblocking and balancing"， advocating for equal emphasis on "freeing the flow of qi and blood" and "regulating the balance of yin and yang". He has summarized eight treatment methods for common headache patterns. For wind-cold attacking the collaterals， treatment should focus on dispersing and unblocking through modified Gegen Decoction （葛根汤）. For wind-dampness binding， it is recommended to unblock and drain， using modified Qingshang Juantong Decoction （清上蠲痛汤）. For damp-heat congestion， unblocking and clearing is the method， using modified Toufeng Shen Formula （头风神方）. For liver-gallbladder qi constraint， unblocking and soothing is the treatment principle， and modified Sanpian Decoction （散偏汤） is suggested. For insufficiency of center qi， even supplementation method is recommended， and modified Yiqi Congming Decoction （益气聪明汤） can be used. For liver yang hyperactivity， unblocking and subduing are combined， using modified Xunlong Decoction （驯龙汤）. For deficiency-cold in the liver and stomach， warming， harmonizing， unblocking， and descending are applied， using modified Wuzhuyu Decoction （吴茱萸汤）. For blood deficiency with cold congelation， unblocking and nourishing are undertaken together， using modified Danggui Sini Decoction （当归四逆汤）. The ultimate goal is to restore the dynamic balance of yin， yang， qi， and blood in the body， thereby allevia-ting pain by restoring clarity and function to the head orifices.

This paper summarizes professor WANG Qingguo's experience in treatment of headache based on the "achieving harmony by unblocking and balancing" concept. It is considered that although the pathogenesis of headache is generally attributed to "pain arises from obstruction" and "pain arises from malnourishment"， clinical presentations often involve a complex mixture of deficiency and excess， as well as cold and heat patterns. Professor WANG proposes the diagnostic and therapeutic theory of "achieving harmony by unblocking and balancing"， advocating for equal emphasis on "freeing the flow of qi and blood" and "regulating the balance of yin and yang". He has summarized eight treatment methods for common headache patterns. For wind-cold attacking the collaterals， treatment should focus on dispersing and unblocking through modified Gegen Decoction （葛根汤）. For wind-dampness binding， it is recommended to unblock and drain， using modified Qingshang Juantong Decoction （清上蠲痛汤）. For damp-heat congestion， unblocking and clearing is the method， using modified Toufeng Shen Formula （头风神方）. For liver-gallbladder qi constraint， unblocking and soothing is the treatment principle， and modified Sanpian Decoction （散偏汤） is suggested. For insufficiency of center qi， even supplementation method is recommended， and modified Yiqi Congming Decoction （益气聪明汤） can be used. For liver yang hyperactivity， unblocking and subduing are combined， using modified Xunlong Decoction （驯龙汤）. For deficiency-cold in the liver and stomach， warming， harmonizing， unblocking， and descending are applied， using modified Wuzhuyu Decoction （吴茱萸汤）. For blood deficiency with cold congelation， unblocking and nourishing are undertaken together， using modified Danggui Sini Decoction （当归四逆汤）. The ultimate goal is to restore the dynamic balance of yin， yang， qi， and blood in the body， thereby allevia-ting pain by restoring clarity and function to the head orifices.

Optical brain-computer interface (OBCI) represents an emerging class of neural interaction technologies that use “light” as an information carrier to enable the acquisition, decoding, and modulation of neural signals. Compared with conventional electrical brain-computer interface (BCI), OBCI demonstrates distinct advantages in spatial resolution, cell-type specificity, and the capacity for simultaneous multiparametric monitoring. Driven by rapid advances in functional near-infrared spectroscopy, optical neuroimaging, and optogenetics, optical approaches have progressively extended across the full “read, decode, write” continuum of neural activity, providing a novel technological framework for the development of high-precision closed-loop brain-computer systems. This review systematically summarizes the principal technological strategies and recent advances in OBCI, and further discusses the key challenges encountered during clinical translation, as well as future development direction.

Pulmonary endometriosis (PEM) is a rare disease with diverse clinical manifestations, most commonly presenting as hemoptysis, while patients presenting solely with pulmonary nodules are less common. Here, we report three female patients (aged 32, 19, and 46 years, respectively). One patient sought medical attention due to hemoptysis during menstruation, while the other two had no obvious symptoms and were found to have pulmonary nodules during routine physical examinations. Two patients had a history of cesarean section, and one had a history of miscarriage. Pathologically, one patient of PEM showed extensive hemorrhage in the alveolar spaces, with fragmented endometrial glandular epithelium observed within the hemorrhagic foci. The other two patients exhibited proliferative endometrial glands and stroma, surrounded by old hemorrhage. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the endometrial glands and stroma in all three patients were positive for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and vimentin, with CD10 positivity in the endometrial stroma. All three patients were definitively diagnosed as PEM by pathology and underwent thoracoscopic pulmonary wedge resection. Follow-up periods were 18, 31, and 49 months, respectively, with no recurrence observed in any of the patients.

Objective To investigate the relationship between geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) and osteoporosis (OP) in elderly hypertensive population. Methods Elderly physical examination population who received dual-energy bone mineral density examination and bone metabolic marker test in the hospital were selected from January 2021 to December 2024. According to whether they had hypertension and dual-energy bone mineral density results, the enrolled patients were divided into hypertension OP group (142 cases ), hypertension non-OP group (173 cases), non-hypertension OP group (102 cases) and non-hypertension non-OP group (100 cases). GNRI of all study subjects was measured. The correlation of GNRI and the occurrence of OP was explored by logistic regression analysis. The predictive efficiency of GNRI on the occurrence of OP was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results The BMD and GNRI in the hypertension group, and the non-hypertension OP group were significantly lower than those in the non-hypertension non-OP group (P<0.05). Compared with the hypertension non-OP group, the BMI, GNRI, BMD, and 25-OH Vit D in the hypertension OP group were significantly reduced (P<0.05) while the PTH level was significantly enhanced (P<0.05).logistic regression analysis showed that GNRI, 25-OH Vit D and PTH were closely related to OP in the elderly hypertensive population (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis manifested that the AUC value of GNRI alone in predicting OP in elderly hypertensive population was 0.802, which was higher than that of 25-OH Vit D (AUC=0.723) and PTH (AUC=0.643). The AUC, sensitivity and specificity of combination of GNRI, 25-OH Vit D and PTH in predicting OP in elderly hypertensive population were 0.837, 66.20% and 86.13% (P<0.05). Conclusion GNRI is closely related to the occurrence of OP in elderly hypertensive population, and GNRI can be used as a potential indicator to assess the risk of OP.

Non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）， as the most common subtype of lung cancer， has a high incidence and mortality rate among global cancer cases. Although modern medicine has made remarkable progress in the treatment of NSCLC with advances in screening technologies and continuous optimization of therapeutic regimens， current treatments inevitably result in adverse outcomes such as high tumor recurrence rates， significant toxic side effects， and poor quality of life for patients. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） holds that the core pathogenesis of lung cancer lies in ''deficiency of healthy Qi and excess of pathogenic factors''. It originates from congenital insufficiency or acquired malnourishment， leading to an imbalance of Yin and Yang， deficiency of healthy Qi， and inability to eliminate pathogenic factors. The interactions among Qi stagnation， phlegm accumulation， blood stasis， and toxins give rise to disease. The root is deficiency， while the manifestation is excess. Therefore， the treatment of lung cancer in TCM is generally guided by the principle of "supporting the healthy Qi and eliminating the pathogens". A large number of clinical and pharmacological studies have shown that TCM and its active components can， through multiple targets and mechanisms， alleviate postoperative and chemoradiotherapy-related adverse reactions， inhibit tumor growth and recurrence， and improve the quality of life of patients with NSCLC. It is worth noting that although extensive studies have been conducted on the therapeutic patterns and pharmacological mechanisms of TCM and its active substances in NSCLC treatment， issues such as the diversity of medicinal materials， the complexity of chemical components， the scientific basis of herbal compatibility， and the flexibility of dosage indicate that there is still considerable room for further clinical and basic research. This review summarizes recent literature on the clinical syndromes， drug selection， medication patterns， and pharmacological mechanisms of TCM and its active components in the treatment of NSCLC， aiming to provide guidance for clinical medication in TCM therapy for NSCLC and to deepen the understanding and research of its therapeutic mechanisms.

Vascular aging (VA) is a common etiology of various chronic diseases and represents a major public health concern. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) associated with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a primary pathological and physiological driver of OSAHS-induced systemic complications. A substantial proportion of OSAHS patients, estimated to be between 40% and 80%, have comorbidities such as hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension, atrial fibrillation, aneurysm, and stroke, all of which are closely associated with VA. This review examines the molecular and cellular features common to both OSAHS and VA, highlighting decreased melatonin secretion, impaired autophagy, increased apoptosis, increased inflammation and pyroptosis, increased oxidative stress, accelerated telomere shortening, accelerated stem cell depletion, metabolic disorders, imbalanced protein homeostasis, epigenetic alterations, and dysregulated neurohormonal signaling. The accumulation and combination of these features may underlie the pathophysiological link between OSAHS and VA, but the exact mechanisms by which OSAHS affects VA may require further investigation. Taken together, these findings suggest that OSAHS may serve as a novel risk factor for VA and related vascular disorders, and that targeting these features may offer therapeutic potential to mitigate the vascular risks associated with OSAHS.
Humans ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/pathology* ; Aging/physiology* ; Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Animals