ObjectiveTo evaluate the detection specificity for clinical samples and the detection capability for standard substances of five commercially available multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) nucleic acid detection kits (hereinafter referred to as the kits) for respiratory pathogens, and to provide a reference for selecting appropriate detection kits for multi-pathogen nucleic acid testing of respiratory infections. MethodsA total of 60 respiratory pathogen-positive clinical samples with known redults were selected and tested using the five kits (labeled as A, B, C, D, and E). The detection rates and Kappa coefficients were calculated to evaluate the consistency between the results from these kits and those from single-pathogen PCR kits. According to the limit of detection (LOD) provided by the kits, standard substances of respiratory pathogens (including 12 types such as influenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis) were diluted to four concentrations (250, 500, 1 000, and 2 000 copies·mL⁻¹). All five kits were used for detection to evaluate their respective detection capabilities. ResultsCompared with the results from single-pathogen PCR kits, the five tested kits demonstrated good consistency (all Kappa >0.80). Among them, Kit A had the highest detection rate (100.00%), followed by Kits C and E (98.33%), and then Kits B and D (95.00%). All five kits showed a relatively low false negative rate (FNR) for samples with a cycle threshold (Ct) value ≤35 (≤2.38%). However, for samples with Ct values>35, the FNR increased accordingly(average FNR=6.67%, P=0.029). Kit C exhibited the highest detection sensitivity for the tested standard substances (average LOD: 458.33 copies·mL⁻¹), followed by Kit D, then Kits A/E, and finally Kit B. ConclusionThe five multiplex PCR kits showed good consistency with single-pathogen detection results, but each had its own performance emphasis. Kit A, with the highest detection rate and high throughput, is suitable for targeted viral screening. Kit B, covering the broadest pathogen spectrum (including fungi/bacteria), is suitable for comprehensive respiratory pathogen screening. Kits C, D and E, are applicable for rapid detection. It is important to note that the detection efficacy of all kits decreases for low viral load samples with Ct values >35. In practical application, selection should be based on specific screening objectives, throughput requirements, and sample types.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of action of modified Chaihu Shugan Powder in the treatment of abnormal gallbladder relaxation in gallbladder cholesterol stone （CS） with liver depression syndrome， and to provide a basis for clinical medication. MethodsMice were given a high-fat lithogenic diet combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress （CUMS） to establish a model of CS. A total of 45 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group （6 mice fed a normal diet） and CS group （39 mice fed a high-fat lithogenic diet）. After CS modeling， the CS group was further randomly divided into four subgroups of CS group， CS liver depression group， traditional Chinese medicine group （treated with modified Chaihu Shugan Powder）， and Western medicine group （treated with ursodeoxycholic acid）， with 9 mice in each group. All subgroups were fed with the high-fat lithogenic diet， and all mice except those in the CS group were given 21 days of CUMS for modeling. Samples were collected after intervention. The serum levels of cholecystokinin （CCK）， liver function parameters， and blood lipid profiles were measured； HE staining was performed for liver and gallbladder tissue； qPCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 （TGR5） and glucagon-likepeptide-1/2 （GLP-1/2） in the intestine and TGR5 and glucagon-like peptide-2 receptor （GLP-2R） in gallbladder； metabolomics methods were used to determine bile acid composition in intestinal contents. The independent-samples t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups； a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test or the Games-Howell method was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the CS group showed significant gallstone formation， bile turbidity， hepatic steatosis， abnormal gallbladder wall structure， and significant increases in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors based on behavioral tests； significant increases in the level of total cholesterol in bile and the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase， aspartate aminotransferase， and low-density lipoprotein and significant reductions in the level of total bile acid （TBA） in bile and the serum levels of CCK and high-density lipoprotein （HDL） （all P<0.05）； significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of GLP-1/2 and TGR5 in the intestine and the protein expression levels of GLP-2R and TGR5 in the gallbladder and significant reductions in the mRNA expression levels of GLP-2R and TGR5 in the gallbladder （all P<0.05）； significant changes in multiple bile acid components in intestinal contents （all P<0.05）. Compared with the CS group， the CS liver depression group had further aggravation of pathological and behavioral manifestations， changes in bile acid composition， significant increases in the protein and mRNA expression levels of TGR5 and GLP-1/2 in the intestine， and significant increases in the protein and mRNA expression levels of TGR5 and GLP-2R in the gallbladder （all P<0.01）. Compared with the CS liver depression group， both treatment groups had an improvement in gallbladder morphology， alleviation of stones and liver injury， and recovery of liver function and blood lipid levels， as well as significant reductions in the protein and mRNA expression levels of TGR5 and GLP-1/2 in the intestine and TGR5 and GLP-2R in the gallbladder （all P<0.05）； the traditional Chinese medicine group showed significant increases in glycodeoxycholic acid （GDCA）， tauro-α-muricholic acid （T-α-MCA）， and taurochenodeoxycholic acid （TCDCA） （all P<0.05）， while the Western medicine group showed significant increases in taurohyodeoxycholic acid， T-α-MCA， TCDCA， GDCA， and glycoursodeoxycholic acid （all P<0.05）. Compared with the Western medicine group， the traditional Chinese medicine group had significantly greater behavioral improvements， significantly higher levels of TBA in bile and serum HDL （both P<0.01）， significant reductions in the protein expression levels of TGR5 and GLP-1/2 in the intestine and TGR5 and GLP-2R in the gallbladder， and a significant reduction in the mRNA expression level of TGR5 in the intestine （all P<0.01）， as well as a significant increase in tauroursodeoxycholic acid and significant reductions in glycoursodeoxycholic acid， taurohyodeoxycholic acid， TCDCA， and taurolithocholic acid （all P<0.05）. ConclusionModified Chaihu Shugan Powder can improve liver function and abnormal gallbladder relaxation in CS with liver depression syndrome by regulating the bile acid-TGR5 axis， thereby exerting the therapeutic effect of soothing the liver， resolving depression， moving Qi， and promoting bile flow.

A 51-year-old male presented with nasal obstruction, followed by progressive hearing loss and blurred vision. Imaging identified space-occupying lesions in the paranasal sinuses, orbits, and paraspinal regions, while laboratory tests confirmed positive anti-proteinase 3 anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(PR3- ANCA) immunoglobulin G (IgG)and markedly elevated serum IgG4. Despite treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and radiotherapy, the patient exhibited steroid dependency with relentless disease progression. Following multidisciplinary consultation, a diagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) coexisting with ANCA- associated vasculitis (AAV) was favored, though IgG4-related disease remained a critical differential. Ultimately, profound immunosuppression precipitated a severe herpesvirus infection, leading to disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. This case underscores the rarity and diagnostic complexity of concurrent IMT and AAV, highlights the therapeutic dilemma of balancing primary disease control against fatal opportunistic infections, and emphasizes the critical role of multidisciplinary collaboration in the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases.

Gorham-Stout disease(GSD) is a rare osteolytic disorder characterized by spontaneous and progressive osteolysis, along with abnormal angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, with no new bone formation. We present a case of a 15-year-old female admitted due to " recurrent right leg pain for 5 years, 11 months after undergoing right femoral fracture surgery". Through comprehensive integration of the patient's clinical phenotype, laboratory tests, imaging findings, pathological examinations, and molecular biological test results, GSD was considered highly likely. A multidisciplinary treatment approach was conducted, including a combination of zoledronic acid and sirolimus to inhibit osteolysis, along with rehabilitation training and orthopedic intervention, providing a personalized and comprehensive treatment strategy.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder primarily caused by pathogenic variants in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes. It is characterized by multisystem hamartomatous lesions and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Here we report a young male patient with TSC involving multiple organs, caused by a heterozygous frameshift mutation in TSC2 (c.2071delC, p.Arg691Alafs^*7). The patient initially presented with classic facial angiofibromas and hypomelanotic macules, and subsequently developed psychiatric and behavioral disturbances with auditory hallucinations. Neuroimaging revealed an intracranial mass lesion, which was confirmed as a subependymal giant cell astrocytoma on postoperative histopathology following surgery performed at an outside institution. After admission, the patient underwent a comprehensive diagnostic workup, and multidisciplinary treatment evaluation revealed extensive multisystem involve-ment, including the nervous system, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, eyes, pancreas, liver and bones. Combined with relevant literature, this article discusses the molecular mechanisms, clinical phenotypes, and comprehensive management of TSC, in order to provide a reference for the standardized and individualized management of this disease.

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.

Objective: To investigate the association of the joint effect of body fat levels and dyslipidemia with cardiovascular structural abnormalities in children, so as to provide a scientific reference for the early prevention of cardiovascular damage. Methods: Based on the data from the second follow up (October 2021 to January 2022) of the Huantai Children Cardiovascular Health Follow up Cohort, 1 308 children with complete data were included. The fat mass percentage (FMP), fat mass index (FMI), subcutaneous fat mass (SFM) and visceral fat mass (VFM), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT), thickening of carotid intima-media thickening (cIMT) , left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left ventricular geometric remodeling (LVG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) ,high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were obtained. Multivariable Logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations of FMP, FMI, SFM and VFM with thickening of cIMT, LVH and LVG. The joint effects of these body fat indicators and dyslipidemia on the aforementioned cardiovascular outcomes were further explored. Restricted cubic spline model was used to examine the dose response relationships between body fat levels and cardiovascular structural abnormalities. Results: Elevated body fat levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular structural abnormalities, exhibiting J shaped dose response relationships (all P <0.05). Compared with the group with normal body fat and normolipidemia, the risks of thickening of cIMT, LVH, and LVG in the group with elevated FMP combined with dyslipidemia were higher[ OR (95% CI )=11.70 (6.49-21.27), 5.53 (2.97-10.17), 2.33 (1.30-4.05)]; in the group with elevated FMI combined with dyslipidemia, the corresponding risks were higher[ OR (95% CI )= 11.68 (6.43-21.38), 6.98 (3.73-12.92), 2.65 (1.50-4.61)]; in the group with elevated SFM combined with dyslipidemia, the corresponding risks were higher[ OR (95% CI )=10.55 (5.83-19.24), 5.11 (2.71-9.45), 1.99 (1.11- 3.46 )]; and in the group with elevated VFM combined with dyslipidemia, the corresponding risks were higher[ OR (95% CI )=12.44 (6.76-23.14), 6.17 ( 3.31 -11.38), 2.30 (1.30-3.99)] (all P <0.05). Sex stratified analyses showed that the risk of thickening of cIMT in the combined exposure group of all four body fat indicators and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in girls than in boys (all P <0.01). Conclusions Elevated body fat levels and dyslipidemia have a combined effect in children, collectively increasing the risk of cardiovascular structural abnormalities. Prevention of cardiovascular damage in children should focus on both adiposity management and blood lipid regulation.

Objective To investigate the role and potential mechanism of secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1)⁺ macrophages in the formation of chronic renal allograft fibrosis. Methods The expression features of SPP1⁺ macrophages in renal allografts of chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD) patients were analyzed based on single-cell transcriptome data of renal tissues from patients with CAD. Transcription factor VIPER analysis and DoRothEA transcription factor activity analysis were performed on the single-cell transcriptome data. Renal tissue samples were collected from kidney transplant recipients, including the CAD group (n=5) and the non-renal allograft fibrosis group (CTL group, n=5). A mouse model of chronic allograft rejection was established and divided into the allogeneic kidney transplantation group (CAD group, n=3) and the syngeneic kidney transplantation group (SYN group, n=3). Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to detect renal tissue injury in mice, and Masson staining was used to detect renal tissue fibrosis. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect SPP1 expression in renal tissues of transplant recipients and mouse renal allografts. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were extracted from mice and subjected to hypoxia stimulation. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and SPP1 was detected by Western blot, and SPP1 expression was detected by flow cytometry. BMDMs were transfected with HIF-1α overexpression plasmid and HIF-1α small interfering RNA (siRNA) followed by hypoxia intervention, and the expression of HIF-1α and SPP1 was detected by Western blot. Mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) were co-cultured with the supernatant of BMDMs, and the expression of endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT)-related markers was detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Results Single-cell transcriptome analysis showed that the proportion of SPP1⁺ macrophages in renal allograft tissues was significantly higher in the CAD group than in the CTL group (P<0.05). The renal injury score and the percentage of interstitial fibrotic area in the CAD group were significantly higher than those in the SYN group (both P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed that the proportion of SPP1⁺ macrophages was increased in the CAD group compared with the CTL group, and also increased in the CAD group compared with the SYN group (both P<0.05). VIPER analysis and DoRothEA transcription factor activity analysis revealed activation of the hypoxia pathway and upregulated expression of transcription factors such as HIF-1α in SPP1⁺ macrophages. SPP1 expression was elevated in BMDMs under hypoxic conditions. Knockdown of HIF-1α inhibited hypoxia-induced SPP1 protein expression, whereas overexpression of HIF-1α upregulated SPP1 protein levels. After co-culture of hypoxia-induced BMDMs with MAECs, the expression levels of EndMT-related markers were increased. Conclusions SPP1⁺ macrophages differentiated under hypoxia are significantly infiltrated in the formation of chronic renal allograft fibrosis, and may promote renal allograft fibrosis by inducing EndMT in renal vascular endothelial cells.

Animal experimentation constitutes a critical link between basic research and clinical application, making its research quality and translational efficiency paramount. Although considerable progress has been made in standardizing operational procedures and ethical guidelines, the standardization of outcome evaluation systems has significantly lagged, creating a key bottleneck that constrains the quality of biomedical research and evidence synthesis. This deficiency is manifested by pronounced heterogeneity in outcome selection across similar studies, incomplete methodological reporting, and disparate criteria for result interpretation, which severely impairs the comparability of findings and the evidence integration. To cope with this challenge, this paper systematically introduces a mature methodological tool from clinical research–the core outcome set (COS)–and explores its construction strategies and application potential in the field of animal experimentation. Given the extensive diversity of animal experiments, a pragmatic strategy of "focusing on key areas, implementing phased pilots, and promoting gradual expansion" should be adopted. This approach prioritizes the development of domain-specific COS for disease areas characterized by high research volume, urgent translational needs, and well-established animal models. A multi-source integration pathway for COS development is detailed, comprising systematic literature searches, methodological appraisals, and expert consensus, with the feasibility of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency also being examined. The development and promotion of such COS are not intended to restrict scientific exploration; rather, they aim to establish a new, tiered evaluation paradigm consisting of "core outcomes" (mandatory), "recommended outcomes" (encouraged), and "exploratory outcomes" (optional). This framework is expected not only to enhance research quality through standardization and to adhere to the "3R" principles but also to accelerate the accumulation of high-quality evidence. This, in turn, provides a solid foundation for higher-level evidence synthesis, ultimately facilitating the effective translation of basic research findings into clinical practice and providing an essential methodological framework for scientific advancement in relevant disciplines.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection on copper metabolism in the kidneys of mice. MethodsA total of 80 7-8-week-old C57BL/6 female mice were randomly divided into four groups of 20 mice in each group after one week of adaptation， including Control group， Cu group， TgCtwh6 group and Cu+TgCtwh6 group. Mice that were not infected and fed with normal diet and water were used as the Control group； Mice fed with 1 g/kg of copper chloride processing diet and 0.1% copper chloride water for 60 consecutive days were used as Cu group； Mice infected with 25-30 TgCtwh6 cysts （one of the predominant genotype Chinese 1 in China） fed with normal diet and water were used as the TgCtwh6 group； mice infected with 25-30 TgCtwh6 cysts and fed with a processed diet containing 1 g/kg of copper chloride and water with 0.1% copper chloride for 60 consecutive days were used as the Cu+TgCtwh6 group. ICP-MS was used to determine the changes in copper content in kidney tissues. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of mouse kidney tissue. The number of apoptotic cells was observed by PI staining. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） and superoxide dismutase （SOD1， SOD2）. RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of cuproptosis-related genes. ResultsPathological manifestations such as inflammatory cell infiltration in the Cu group and TgCtwh6 group were seen under the microscope， and the inflammatory infiltrating cells of the renal interstitial were reduced in the Cu+TgCtwh6 group， and the pathological manifestations