The theory of constitution in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has emerged as a new discipline in recent years. Constitution plays a vital role in the onset，progression，transformation，and prognosis of diseases. At present，some clinical scholars have adopted a novel diagnostic and treatment model of "constitution differentiation-disease identification-syndrome differentiation"，in which constitution is regarded as a core element throughout the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Constitution is closely associated with etiology，onset，pathogenesis，syndrome differentiation，and treatment. Against this background，the construction of animal models based on constitution holds far-reaching significance for advancing clinical research. This paper focuses on the construction and evaluation of rodent models with Qi-deficiency constitution，aiming to explore how to further induce Qi-deficiency syndromes and related disease states on the basis of Qi-deficiency constitution models，thereby developing an integrated animal model that embodies the trinity of "constitution-disease-syndrome". The establishment of this model not only provides a solid experimental foundation for the development of new therapies and drugs in TCM targeting specific constitutions，diseases，and syndromes，but also greatly promotes the modernization and scientific advancement of TCM theory. By comprehensively applying multidisciplinary technologies and methods，the study evaluates the model's validity，reliability，and practicality，with the aim of opening new avenues for future research in TCM and promoting the development of the field.

The theory of constitution in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has emerged as a new discipline in recent years. Constitution plays a vital role in the onset，progression，transformation，and prognosis of diseases. At present，some clinical scholars have adopted a novel diagnostic and treatment model of "constitution differentiation-disease identification-syndrome differentiation"，in which constitution is regarded as a core element throughout the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Constitution is closely associated with etiology，onset，pathogenesis，syndrome differentiation，and treatment. Against this background，the construction of animal models based on constitution holds far-reaching significance for advancing clinical research. This paper focuses on the construction and evaluation of rodent models with Qi-deficiency constitution，aiming to explore how to further induce Qi-deficiency syndromes and related disease states on the basis of Qi-deficiency constitution models，thereby developing an integrated animal model that embodies the trinity of "constitution-disease-syndrome". The establishment of this model not only provides a solid experimental foundation for the development of new therapies and drugs in TCM targeting specific constitutions，diseases，and syndromes，but also greatly promotes the modernization and scientific advancement of TCM theory. By comprehensively applying multidisciplinary technologies and methods，the study evaluates the model's validity，reliability，and practicality，with the aim of opening new avenues for future research in TCM and promoting the development of the field.

ObjectiveTo investigate the imaging features of calcium salt deposition and serological markers in patients with alveolar echinococcosis through a retrospective analysis， as well as independent risk factors for the degree of calcium salt deposition in lesions， and to provide a basis for assessing disease process. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the imaging and clinical data of 107 patients with alveolar echinococcosis who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University from December 2023 to June 2025， and according to the volume of calcium salt deposition， they were divided into non-deposition group with 16 patients， mild deposition group with 52 patients， moderate deposition group with 16 patients， and severe deposition group with 23 patients. A one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups， and the χ² test or Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The four groups were further combined into the low deposition group （no/mild deposition） and the high deposition group （moderate/severe deposition）. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent influencing factors for calcium salt deposition， and a predictive model was established. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the predictive performance of the model， and the Bootstrap method was used for internal validation. ResultsThere were significant differences between the four groups in sex distribution， involvement of other sites， white blood cell count， lymphocyte percentage， fibrinogen， uric acid， sodium ion， chloride ion， and calcium ion （all P<0.05）. The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the four groups in sex， involvement of other sites， white blood cell count， lymphocyte percentage， fibrinogen， alanine aminotransferase， albumin， creatinine， uric acid， sodium ion， chloride ion， and calcium ion （all P<0.1）. The multi-collinearity diagnosis showed that the VIF values for all continuous variables ranged from 1.104 to 1.760， suggesting that collinearity did not affect modeling. An ordinal logistic regression model was established based on sex， involvement of other sites， calcium ion， lymphocyte percentage， and uric acid. The multivariate analysis showed that lymphocyte percentage （odds ratio ［OR］=1.106， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.041 — 1.174， P=0.001） and blood calcium level （OR=0.005， 95%CI： 0.000 —0.230， P=0.007） were independent influencing factors for the degree of calcium salt deposition. The regression equation was established as Logit（P）=8.231 + 0.100 × lymphocyte percentage -5.344 × calcium ion. The ROC curve analysis showed that the model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.716， with a Youden index of 0.353， a sensitivity of 1.000， and a specificity of 0.353. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model had poor calibration （χ²=20.688， P=0.008）. The Bootstrap method with 1000 repeated samples showed that the estimated values of lymphocyte percentage （OR=1.106， 95%CI： 1.049 — 1.186， P=0.002） and calcium ion （OR=0.005， 95%CI： 0.000 — 0.214， P=0.010） were consistent with the original model， and the confidence intervals did not include 1， which further supported the reliability of the model. ConclusionBoth lymphocyte percentage and blood calcium level are independent influencing factors for calcium salt deposition in alveolar echinococcosis， and the degree of calcium salt deposition in alveolar echinococcosis lesions increases with the reduction in blood calcium level and the increase in lymphocyte percentage.

OBJECTIVE To explore the ameliorative effect and potential mechanism of vitexin on inflammation in ulcerative colitis （UC） mice. METHODS The UC mice model was established by continuous administration of 3% dextran sulfate sodium solution for 5 days. Mice with successful modeling were randomly divided into UC group， vitexin low- and high-dose groups （vitexin-L and vitexin-H groups， 40， 80 mg/kg）， mesalazine group （400 mg/kg）， and vitexin-H+recombinant Jagged canonical Notch ligand 1 （rJagged-1） group （vitexin-H+rJagged-1 group， 80 mg/kg vitexin+1 mg/kg rJagged-1）， with 12 mice in each group. Another 12 normal mice were used as the control （CK） group. Mice in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or the corresponding drugs and normal saline by gavage and intraperitoneal injection once daily for 7 consecutive days. General conditions were observed during the experiment. At 24 h after the last administration， the disease activity index （DAI） score was evaluated. Colonic histopathological morphology was observed and scored. Macrophage polarization levels in the spleen and colon tissues were measured. The protein expressions of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， transforming growth factor-β 1 （TGF-β 1 ）， Jagged-1， Notch1 and Notch intracellular domain （NICD） in colonic tissues were determined. RESULTS Compared with the UC group， the symptoms （reduced food and water intake， dull fur， etc.） and pathological changes （epithelial cell shedding， inflammatory cell infiltration， etc.） were significantly improved in the vitexin-L， vitexin-H and mesalazine groups. DAI scores， colonic histopathological scores， M1 macrophage contents in spleen tissue， M1/M2 macrophage ratios， M1 macrophage proportions in colon tissue， and protein expressions of IL-6， TNF-α， Jagged-1， Notch1 and NICD in colon tissue were significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. Meanwhile， the M2 macrophage contents in spleen tissue， M2 macrophage proportions in colon tissue， and protein expressions of IL-10 and TGF-β 1 in colon tissue were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. Moreover， the improvement effects in the vitexin-H and mesalazine groups were significantly superior to those in the vitexin-L group （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the vitexin-H group， the above symptoms and pathological changes were aggravated， and all quantitative indicators were significantly reversed in the vitexin-H+rJagged-1 group （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Vitexin can ameliorate the inflammation of UC mice， which is associated with its inhibition of the Jagged-1/Notch1 pathway and regulation of macrophage polarization （inhibition of M1-type polarization and promotion of M2-type polarization）.

Objective To analyze the relationship of protein intake level with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and its influence on prognosis. Methods A total of 325 patients with DKD admitted from June 2021 to June 2024 were included and classified into a low protein group and a high protein group. The levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α were compared between the two groups of patients before follow-up and after 1 year of follow-up. The correlation was analyzed by linear mixed model. The incidence of endpoint events during follow-up and disease progression-free survival time were compared between the two groups. Results The inflammatory indicators exhibited no statistical differences between the two groups before follow-up (P>0.05). After 1 year of follow-up, the levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in the two groups were higher than those before follow-up, and the levels in the high protein group were higher than those in the low protein group (P<0.05). Linear mixed model analysis suggested that the protein intake level, time, and the interaction term of protein intake level × time were correlated with the changes of hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α levels (P<0.05). The incidence rate of endpoint events in the high-protein group during follow-up was 24.84% (40/161), which was significantly higher than 12.80% (21/164) in the low-protein group (χ²=7.724, P=0.005). The disease progression-free survival time was longer in the low-protein group than that in the high-protein group (Log Rank χ²=9.007, P=0.003). Conclusion The level of protein intake in patients with diabetic kidney disease is closely related to inflammatory response and prognosis.

Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

Based on the theory of evidence-based medicine （EBM）， this paper systematically constructed a multi-dimensional evaluation framework for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） appropriate technologies， encompassing three core dimensions including evidence， practitioner， and patient. For the current practical challenges in the promotion of TCM technologies such as lack of high-quality evidence， inconsistent operational standards， and varying patient acceptance， the paper proposed the integration of published literature evidence and real-world research data to construct a scientific and applicable evaluation pathway. Regarding the evidence dimension， it emphasizes syste-matic assessment of effectiveness， safety， and economic efficiency， introducing methods like the target trial emulation framework to enhance evidence quality； for the practitioner dimension， it suggests developing multi-aspects competency evaluation tools based on educational background， training assessment， and clinical outcomes； for the patient dimension， it recommends designing patient acceptance assessment tools by considering factors such as technical characte-ristics， expected efficacy， patient-practitioner interaction， and the availability of alternative treatments. The purpose of the above measures is to provide methodological support for the standardized popularization and precision application of TCM appropriate technologies.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of exhalation-inhalation exercise on early pulmonary rehabi-litation for patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （AECOPD）. MethodsA total of 120 participants with AECOPD were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group， with 60 participants in each group. The control group treated with conventional western medicine， while the treatment group received exhalation-inhalation exercise training on the basis of conventional western medicine treatment， with 30 minutes per session and 5 sessions per week. The course of treatment for both groups was 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the 6-minute walking distance （6MWD）. The secondary outcomes included pulmonary function indexes including forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity （FEV1/FVC）， percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV1%） and percentage of predicted forced vital capacity （FVC%）， St.George's Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） score， modified Medical Research Council （mMRC） dyspnea scale score， COPD assessment test （CAT） score， hospital anxiety and depression scale-anxiety subscale ［HADS（A）］ score， and hospital anxiety and depression scale-depression subscale ［HADS（D）］ score. Meanwhile， safety of all participants was recorded and assessed. ResultsDuring the treatment， 12 participants dropped out from both the treatment group and the control group， with 48 participants in each group finally included in the analysis. The 6MWD of both groups after treatment was higher than that before treatment， and the 6MWD of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. After treatment， the SGRQ score， mMRC score and CAT score of the treatment group were lower than those before treatment， while FEV1%， FVC% and FEV1/FVC were higher than those before treatment （P＜0.05）. Moreover， after treatment， the FEV1/FVC of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group， while the SGRQ score， mMRC score and CAT score were lower than those of the control group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. There was no statistically significant difference in pulmonary function indexes， SGRQ score， mMRC score and CAT score after treatment in the control group （P＞0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed in HADS（A） score and HADS（D） score after treatment within and between groups （P＞0.05）. The incidence of adverse reactions in the treatment group was 6.25% （3/48）， and 0 in the control group， with no statistically significant difference between groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionExhalation-inhalation exercise for patients with AECOPD in early pulmonary rehabilitation can improve patients' exercise tole-rance， quality of life， clinical symptoms and pulmonary function， with good safety.

ObjectiveA mouse model of vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (VTT)-induced encephalopathy was developed using AG6 mice. MethodsVTT was amplified by infecting Vero cells at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.01, followed by concentration and titration. After 72 h of incubation, virus-containing cells were collected and subjected to concentration. The concentrated viral suspension was serially diluted (10-fold dilutions) and added to 6-well plates containing confluent Vero cell monolayers for plaque assay. The number of plaques formed in each well was counted, and the virus titer was calculated based on the dilution factor. Fourteen 5-6-week-old AG6 mice (half male and half female, housed separately by sex) were randomly divided into a control group (n=3, PBS), a low-dose group (n=6, 1×10⁵ PFU), and a high-dose group (n=5, 5×10⁵ PFU). The mice were anesthetized by isoflurane inhalation and then infected via intranasal instillation. The mental state of the mice in each group was observed daily, and the body weight and mortality were recorded. On day 13 post-infection, 2% Evans Blue (4 mL/kg body weight) was administered via tail vein injection to assess blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Subsequently, brain tissue samples were collected for immunofluorescence analysis to evaluate the activation of astrocytes and microglia. ResultsThe titer of purified VTT was 1×10⁷ PFU/mL. Compared with the control group, mice in the low-dose group showed no significant change in body weight, and no lethality was observed. In contrast, mice in the high-dose group exhibited significant weight loss starting on day 5 post-infection (P<0.05), accompanied by lethality. On day 13 post-infection, no Evans Blue extravasation was detected in the brain tissues of the low-dose group, while the olfactory bulb region of the high-dose group displayed distinct blue staining, indicating disruption of the BBB. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed no significant proliferation of astrocytes and microglia in the olfactory bulb region of the low-dose group on day 13 post-infection. In contrast, marked activation of glial cells was observable in the high-dose group. ConclusionAn animal model of VTT-induced encephalopathy in AG6 mice is successfully established, characterized by BBB disruption and reactive gliosis specifically localized to the olfactory bulb region, manifested as astrocytic and microglial proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical and genetic features of a child with Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 2B (PCH2B) due to compound heterozygous variants of the TSEN2 gene. METHODS: A PCH2B patient presented at Department of Pediatric Neurology, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in June 2023 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the patient were retrospectively analyzed. The patient and her parents were subjected to whole exome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Pathogenicity of the candidate variants were classified based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). A literature review was also conducted by searching the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, and PubMed databases from their establishment to May 2025 using keywords "TSEN2 gene" "PCH2B" and "Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia 2B" to summarize the clinical and genotypic features of patients with PCH2B due to variants of the TSEN2 gene. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (No.: #202310892). RESULTS: The patient, a 6-year-5-month-old girl, had exhibited severe global developmental delay, developmental regression, autism spectrum disorder, myoclonus of eyelids, feeding difficulty, irritability, progressive microcephaly, esotropia, and hypotonia. MRI showed reduced volume of bilateral cerebellar hemispheres and vermis. Genetic testing revealed that she has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the TSEN2 gene (NM_025265.4), namely c.1054A>T (p.Lys352*) and c.899G>T (p.Ser300Ile), which were inherited from her father and mother, respectively. Both variants were classified as likely pathogenic based on the ACMG guidelines and were previously unreported. Literature review has identified six PCH2B patients with missense, nonsense, frameshift, and splice site variants of the TSEN2 gene. Their main clinical manifestations included global developmental delay, progressive microcephaly, feeding difficulties, irritability, and vermis hypoplasia. Cranial MRI and genetic testing are crucial for definite diagnosis. CONCLUSION The c.1054A>T (p.Lys352*) and c.899G>T (p.Ser300Ile) compound heterozygous variants of the TSEN2 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in this patient. Above findings has expanded the genotypic and phenotypic spectra of TSEN2-related PCH2B, and offered guidance for genetic counseling for this family.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Cerebellar Diseases/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Heterozygote ; Mutation