This paper summarizes Professor DING Ying's clinical experience in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE） through differentiation of three states， yin fire， latent fire， and fire toxin. It is proposed that fire pathogenic factors constitute a key pathological element running throughout the entire disease course of SLE. The evolution of its pathogenesis centers on these three states， spleen-kidney deficiency with the initial emergence of yin fire as the onset of disease， damage to yin by medicinal toxicity with internal blazing of latent fire as the driver of disease progression， and the interlocking of blood stasis and heat with intense scorching by fire toxin as the critical factor leading to severe and life-threatening conditions. Corresponding to these three stages， targeted prescriptions are formulated， Jiuwei Yishen Formulation （九味益肾方） to tonify the spleen and kidney， raise yang， and disperse fire； Ziyin Xiehuo Decoction （滋阴泄火汤） to nourish yin and fluids while clearing latent fire； and Santeng Changluo Jiedu Decoction （三藤畅络解毒汤） to dispel blood stasis， unblock the collaterals， detoxify， and restrain fire. This staged and integrated therapeutic strategy aims to address both root and branch and to achieve overall regulation， providing valuable guidance for the clinical differentiation and treatment of SLE.

Deep medullary vein （DMV） lesions refer to the structural and functional abnormalities of the small venous system within the deep white matter under pathological conditions. Under normal physiological circumstances， DMV are responsible for venous drainage of deep white matter and clearance of metabolic waste. The pathogenesis of DMV lesions mainly involves luminal stenosis caused by collagen deposition in the venous wall， hemodynamic disturbances due to elevated venous pressure， functional impairment of the venous wall induced by inflammatory responses and cytokines， and microcirculatory disturbance caused by ischemia and hypoxia. Studies have shown that DMV lesions are extensively observed in various neurological disorders， including acute ischemic stroke， cerebral small vessel disease， multiple sclerosis， and Sturge-Weber syndrome， and are closely associated with the imaging manifestations， clinical progression， and prognosis of these diseases. However， despite the continuous improvement in the capability for DMV detection， the specific role of DMV in the pathogenesis of different diseases remains unclear. Further studies are needed to explore the role of DMV in pathophysiological processes and assess its clinical value as a target for early diagnosis and intervention， so as to facilitate the development of precision medicine.

The core pathogenesis of pediatric IgA vasculitis （IgAV） is considered to involve qi movement disorder， with the failure of clear-turbid separation and internal generation of turbid pathogens. Accordingly， the viewpoint of "qi disorder causing turbidity" is proposed. In clinical practice， the disease is divided into the acute， persistent， and stable stages. The acute stage is characterized by impaired dispersion of wei （卫） qi and the internal generation of heat turbidity， while the persistent stage by congestion of ying （营） qi and retention of stasis-turbidity， and the stable stage by depletion of pectoral qi with lingering latent turbidity. In clinical practice， regulating qi and transforming turbidity is taken as the basic therapeutic principle， and the self-formulated Tiaoqi Huazhuo Decoction （调气化浊汤） is used as the basic prescription for staged treatment with flexible modifications. Specifically， the acute stage is treated with the method of dispersing wei qi and clearing heat-turbidity； the persistent stage is recommended to harmonize ying qi and purging stasis-turbidity； and the stable stage should focus on securing pectoral qi and venting latent turbidity.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medication patterns of rituximab (RTX) combined with TCM on treating children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS). Methods: One hundred and forty-three children with SDNS who visited the Pediatric Nephrology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from January 2018 to December 2022 were enrolled. A cohort study design was adopted, with " RTX treatment" as the exposure factor. Children who met this exposure factor were assigned to the RTX cohort (RTX, glucocorticoid, immunosuppressive agent, combined with traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation treatment), whereas those who did not were assigned to the basic treatment cohort (glucocorticoid, immunosuppressive agent, combined with traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation treatment ), and followed up for 6 months. The frequency of urinary protein recurrences, urinary protein remission duration, proportion and duration of steroid reduction and cessation, cumulative usage of steroids, proportion of recurrence, recurrence amount of steroid used, efficacy of TCM syndrome, and laboratory and safety indicators after treatment, and height and CD19+ B cell count before and after treatment were compared between the two cohorts. The medication patterns of TCM in the two cohorts were analyzed using frequency statistics, association rule analysis, and systematic clustering analysis. Results: Compared with the basic treatment cohort, the RTX cohort showed a decrease in the frequency of urinary protein recurrence, extended sustained remission of urinary protein, an increase in the proportion of steroid reduction and cessation, a shorter duration of steroid reduction and cessation, a decrease in cumulative steroid dosage, a lower recurrence rate, a decrease in CD19+ B cell count, and a decrease in 24-h urinary total protein quantification and the level of cholesterol (P<0.05). No significant difference in the recurrence amount of steroid used, height, TCM syndrome efficacy, albumin, aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, platelet count, and safety indicators between the two cohorts. Children with SDNS were mostly characterized by qi and yin deficiency syndrome, followed by spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome. A total of 175 TCMs were included, including 28 high-frequency drugs such as Huangqi, Fuling, Gancao, Baizhu, Dangshen, and Jiuyurou. The primary use of medication is to nourish the qi and spleen, nourish the kidney, and warm yang. The analysis of association rules yielded eight binary associations and ten three-phase associations, with Huangqi, Baizhu, Fuling, and Dangshen, being the most closely related. Cluster analysis identified four TCM combinations, primarily focusing on tonifying kidney and replenishing essence, benefiting qi and nourishing yin, and removing blood stasis. Conclusion RTX combined with TCM syndrome differentiation treatment can reduce the recurrence frequency of SDNS, prolong the remission period, reduce the glucocorticoid dosage, and have no marked effect on height growth. No apparent adverse reactions were observed. TCM should focus on nourishing qi and yin while removing blood stasis.

BACKGROUND:How to effectively promote bone regeneration and bone reconstruction after bone injury has always been a key issue in clinical bone repair research.The use of biological and degradable materials loaded with bioactive factors to treat bone defects has excellent application prospects in bone repair. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of polylactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer(PLGA)composite scaffold modified by lysine-grafted graphene oxide nanoparticles(LGA-g-GO)on osteogenic differentiation and new bone formation. METHODS:PLGA was dissolved in dichloromethane and PLGA scaffold was prepared by solvent evaporation method.PLGA/GO composite scaffolds were prepared by dispersing graphene oxide uniformly in PLGA solution.LGA-g-GO nanoparticles were prepared by chemical grafting method,and the PLGA/LGA-g-GO composite scaffolds were constructed by blending LGA-g-GO nanoparticles at different mass ratios(1%,2%,and 3%)with PLGA.The micromorphology,hydrophilicity,and protein adsorption capacity of scaffolds of five groups were characterized.MC3T3 cells were inoculated on the surface of scaffolds of five groups to detect cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The surface of PLGA scaffolds was smooth and flat under scanning electron microscope,while the surface of the other four scaffolds was rough.The surface roughness of the composite scaffolds increased with the increase of the addition of LGA-g-GO nanoparticles.The water contact angle of PLGA/LGA-g-GO(3%)composite scaffolds was lower than that of the other four groups(P<0.05).The protein adsorption capacity of PLGA/LGA-g-GO(1%,2%,and 3%)composite scaffolds was stronger than PLGA and PLGA/GO scaffolds(P<0.05).(2)CCK-8 assay showed that PLGA/LGA-g-GO(2%,3%)composite scaffold could promote the proliferation of MC3T3 cells.Alkaline phosphatase staining and alizarin red staining showed that the cell alkaline phosphatase activity in PLGA/LGA-g-GO(2%,3%)group was higher than that in the other three groups(P<0.05).The calcium deposition in the PLGA/GO and PLGA/LGA-g-GO(1%,2%,and 3%)groups was higher than that in the PLGA group(P<0.05).(3)In summary,PLGA/LGA-g-GO composite scaffold can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts,and is conducive to bone regeneration and bone reconstruction after bone injury.

Objective: To determine the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Piwei Peiyuan Pill (PPP) combined with moxibustion for treating patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome. Methods: Ninety-six CAG patients with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled at the Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from June 2022 to December 2023. The patients were randomly divided into a control, a Chinese medicine, and a combined group using a random number table method, with 32 cases in each group (two cases per group were excluded). The control group was treated with rabeprazole combined with folic acid tablets (both thrice daily), the Chinese medicine group was treated with PPP (8 g, thrice daily), and the combined group was treated with moxa stick moxibustion (once daily) on the basis of the Chinese medicine group for 12 consecutive weeks. Gastric mucosa atrophy in the three groups was observed before and after treatment. The gastric mucosal pathological score was evaluated. The Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) scale was used to evaluate the patients′ physical and mental health status and quality of life.An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-37, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels in each group. Real-time fluorescence PCR was used to detect the relative expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mRNA in each group. Western blotting was used to detect the relative expression levels of proteins related to the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway, and the adverse drug reactions and events were recorded and compared. Results: There was no statistical difference in age, gender, disease duration, family history of gastrointestinal tumors, alcohol consumption history, and body mass index among the three groups of patients.The total therapeutic efficacy rates of the control, Chinese medicine, and combined groups in treating gastric mucosal atrophy were 66.67% (20/30), 86.67% (26/30), and 90.00% (27/30), respectively (P<0.05). Compared to before treatment, the pathological and PRO scale scores of gastric mucosa in each group decreased after treatment, and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-37, and TGF-β levels decreased. The relative STAT3 and mTOR mRNA expression levels, as well as the relative STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels decreased (P<0.05), whereas the IL-4 and IL-10 levels increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared to the control group, the pathological score of gastric mucosa, PRO scale score, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-37, TGF-β content, relative STAT3 and mTOR mRNA expression levels, and relative STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels in the Chinese medicine and combined groups after treatment were reduced (P<0.05), whereas the IL-4 and IL-10 levels increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared to the Chinese medicine group, the combined group showed a decrease in relative STAT3, mTOR mRNA expression levels, and STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels (P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of PPP and moxibustion may regulate the inflammatory mechanism of the body by inhibiting the abnormal activation of the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway, upregulating related anti-inflammatory factor levels, downregulating pro-inflammatory factor expression, and increasing related repair factor expression, thereby promoting the recovery of atrophic gastric mucosa, reducing discomfort symptoms, and improving the physical and mental state of CAG patients with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome.

Background and Aims:Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies of the digestive system and is associated with an inferior prognosis.In recent years,its incidence has shown a trend toward younger onset.Early-onset pancreatic cancer(EOPC),defined as pancreatic cancer diagnosed at≤50 years of age,has been increasing annually and may possess distinct biological and prognostic characteristics.Given the limited data from China,this study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features and prognostic outcomes of EOPC patients.Methods:Clinical data of 113 patients with EOPC admitted to Xiangya Hospital,Central South University,from January 2017 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Variables included demographic characteristics,clinicopathological features,and survival information.Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted,and differences in survival between the surgical and non-surgical groups were compared.Results:The median age at diagnosis was 46(42-49)years,and males accounted for 65.49%of cases.Blood type A(40.71%)and type O(34.51%)were most common.The main presenting symptoms were abdominal pain(69.91%),weight loss(62.83%),jaundice(43.36%),and abdominal distension(36.28%).Imaging findings showed bile duct dilation in 32.74%,pancreatic duct dilation in 39.82%,vascular invasion in 59.29%,and distant metastasis in 52.21%of patients.Histopathology revealed that adenocarcinoma and ductal adenocarcinoma accounted for 93.81%of all cases,with predominantly moderate or poor differentiation(76.10%).Tumors were the most frequently located in the pancreatic head(65.42%).TNM staging showed lymph node metastasis in 77.88%and stage Ⅳ disease in 52.21%.Laboratory tests demonstrated markedly elevated CA19-9 levels.Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a median overall survival of 18.6 months for the entire cohort,with significantly longer survival in the surgical group compared with the non-surgical group(29.4 months vs.13.8 months,P=0.001 5).Conclusion:EOPC predominantly affects males and tends to arise in the pancreatic head.It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage or with distant metastasis and is characterized by poor differentiation and strong invasiveness.Surgical resection markedly improves survival and remains the key to prolonged prognosis.Young individuals presenting with unexplained abdominal pain,weight loss,or jaundice should be carefully evaluated through imaging to enable early diagnosis and timely surgical intervention.Future multicenter,large-sample prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings further.

Objective To investigate the value of double low-dose iterative reconstruction CT features combined with serum lung cancer autoantibodies in the diagnosis of stage ⅠA lung cancer.Methods The data of 168 patients with suspected stage ⅠA lung cancer were retrospectively analyzed,and all of them underwent double low-dose iterative reconstruction CT and serum lung cancer autoantibodies examination before treatment.Based on the pathological results as the gold standard,the patients were divided into stage ⅠA lung cancer(119 cases)and benign lesion(49 cases),the diagnostic value of double low-dose iterative reconstruction CT features,serum lung cancer autoantibodies alone and combined both methods in stage ⅠA lung cancer was analyzed.Results Compared with the non-iterative reconstruction CT,the iterative reconstruction CT had significantly lower noise values and significantly higher signal-to-noise ratio and image quality scores(P<0.05).The maximum enhanced CT value and the maximum difference between pre-and post-enhanced CT in stage ⅠA lung cancer were lower than those in benign lesion(P<0.05).The levels of tumor protein 53(p53),stem cell transcription factor 2(SOX2),tumor testicular antigen 7(GAGE7),tumor antigen 4-5(GBU4-5),melanoma antigen A1(MAGE A1),and human carcinoma antigen(CAGE)were higher in stage ⅠA lung cancer than those in benign lesion(P<0.05).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of double low-dose iterative reconstruction CT,serum lung cancer autoantibodies,and the combination of both in the diagnosis of stage ⅠA lung cancer were 0.818[95%confidence interval(CI)0.744-0.893],0.744(95%CI 0.655-0.832),and 0.876(95%CI 0.807-0.945),respectively.Conclusion Double low-dose iterative reconstruction CT features combined with serum lung cancer autoantibodies has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of stage ⅠA lung cancer.

Objective:To investigate the current status of subjective well-being among stroke patients, and to explore the pathways and effects of influencing factors using structural equation model, so as to provide reference for improving subjective well-being among stroke patients.Methods:From July to November 2024, the stroke patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Hefei First People′s Hospital were selected by convenience sampling method. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a general demographic questionnaire, General Well-Being Scale, Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire, Social Support Rating Scale, Stroke Symptom Cluster Scale, and FRAIL Scale, and AMOS 26.0 was used to analyse the pathways and effects of influencing factors of subjective well-being.Results:A total of 435 questionnaires were collected, 410 were valid.Among 410 cases, 266 case were males, 144 were females, with an age of (65.96 ± 12.15) years. The subjective well-being scores of stroke patients were (72.58 ± 11.66) points. Cognitive reserve and social support were positively correlated with subjective well-being ( r = 0.517, 0.554, both P<0.01), while symptom burden and frailty were negatively correlated with subjective well-being ( r = -0.687, -0.670, both P<0.01). Path analysis showed that symptom burden, frailty, cognitive reserve, and social support had a direct impact on subjective well-being (path coefficients were -0.500, -0.266, 0.148, and 0.144, respectively, all P<0.05), while cognitive reserve, social support, and symptom burden had an indirect impact on subjective well-being (path coefficients were 0.287, 0.249, and 0.108, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The subjective well-being of stroke patients is influenced by multiple factors, with symptom burden being an important factor affecting subjective well-being. Intervention strategies such as improving cognitive reserve, strengthening social support systems, and preventing frailty can improve the subjective well-being of patients.

Objective:To investigate the analgesic effect of Opisthoplatia orientalis Burm. polypeptides (OOBP) on postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) induced by resiniferatoxin (RTX) in rat models, and its effect on the phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) -induced kinase 1/Parkin (PINK1/Parkin) signaling pathway. Methods:Thirty-two special pathogen-free rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a blank control group ( n = 8) receiving intraperitoneal injections of physiological saline (0.20 mg/kg) , and a model group ( n = 24) receiving intraperitoneal injections of RTX (0.20 mg/kg) to establish the PHN rat model. The rats' paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) was measured on days 1, 4, 7, and 10 after RTX injections. After 10 days of RTX treatment, rat models were randomly assigned to 3 subgroups: PHN group, OOBP group, and gabapentin group, with 8 rats in each group. The OOBP group and gabapentin group were gavaged with OOBP (equivalent to 0.9 g raw drug per kg) and gabapentin (27 mg/kg) respectively, while the PHN group and control group were gavaged with physiological saline. All treatments lasted for 3 weeks, during which PWMT was continuously monitored. One hour after the final dose, rats were sacrificed, and spinal cord tissues and serum samples were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe spinal pathological changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) , tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) , β-endorphin (β-EP) , and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) , and Western blot analysis to determine the expression of PINK1, Parkin, and ubiquitin-binding protein P62 in rat spinal cord tissues. The entropy weight method was applied to comprehensively evaluate the effect of OOBP on the above cytokines, proteins and other pharmacodynamic indicators in rat models of PHN. Results:From day 1 to day 10 after modeling, PWMT values in the model group were significantly lower than those in the blank control group (all P < 0.05) , and also significantly lower than baseline values prior to modeling (all P < 0.05) . Histopathological analysis of rat spinal cord tissues showed less pathological changes (such as Nissl body swelling and neuronal necrosis) but more normal Nissl bodies in both the gabapentin group and OOBP group compared with the PHN group. ELISA revealed significantly decreased serum levels of TNF-α and CGRP but significantly increased serum levels of β-EP and IL-10 in the OOBP group compared with the PHN group (all P < 0.05) . Western blot analysis showed that expression levels of PINK1 and Parkin were significantly lower in the gabapentin group (0.441 ± 0.061, 0.597 ± 0.180, respectively) and the OOBP group (0.666 ± 0.117, 0.481 ± 0.073, respectively) than in the PHN group (1.033 ± 0.085, 1.088 ± 0.040, respectively, all P < 0.05) ; in contrast, the P62 expression significantly increased in the gabapentin group (0.810 ± 0.086) and OOBP group (0.902 ± 0.153) compared with the PHN group (0.543 ± 0.082, both P < 0.05) . The entropy weight analysis showed that the comprehensive scores were 0.222 and 0.229 in the OOBP group and the gabapentin group respectively, suggesting a greater overall therapeutic effect of OOBP. Conclusion:OOBP may exert analgesic effects in rat models of PHN by downregulating the expression of inflammatory factors and pain-related factors and modulating the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting mitochondrial autophagy in spinal neurons and reducing inflammatory responses.