To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.

As the core vehicle for preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） academic thought and clinical experience， the establishment of a robust quality evaluation system for TCM clinical case reports is a crucial component in the current standardization and modernization of TCM. Based on the practical experience of constructing the China Clinical Cases Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， this study conducted a comprehensive analysis of critical challenges， including insufficient authenticity and unfocused evaluation criteria. It proposed a three-dimensional evaluation framework grounded in the structure-process-outcome logic， encompassing three dimensions of authenticity and standardization， characteristics and advantages， application and translational impact. This framework integrated 12 key evaluation indicators in a systematic manner. The model preserved the academic characteristics of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment， while aligning with modern scientific research standards， achieving a balance between individualized TCM experience and standardized evaluation. Concurrently， this study provided theoretical foundations and methodological guidance for evaluating the quality of TCM clinical cases， contributing significantly to the inheritance of TCM knowledge， evidence-based practice， and the reform of talent evaluation mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of action of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction against atherosclerosis （AS）based on macrophage polarization. METHODS Using atorvastatin served as the positive control， the drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction was prepared to treat RAW264.7 macrophages. Macrophage viability， apoptosis rate， and the fluorescence intensities of CD86 and CD206 were measured， along with the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）. Apolipoprotei n E-deficient （ApoE －/－ ） mice （AS model mice） fed with a high-fat diet were randomly assigned to model group， atorvastatin group （2.6 mg/kg）， and low-， medium- and high-dose groups of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction （90， 180， 360 mg/kg）， respectively. C57BL/6J mice fed with a standard diet served as the normal control group， with 10 mice per group. The treatment group mice were administered the corresponding drugs intragastrically， once daily， for 8 consecutive weeks. Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were measured in all groups. Lipid deposition in the aorta （assessed by the percentage of plaque in the entire aorta and aortic root） and morphological changes in the aortic root were observed. Expression levels of CD86 and CD206 in aortic tissue， as well as the protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， arginase-1 （Arg-1）， AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， phosphorylated AMPK （p-AMPK）， and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPAR-γ） in aortic tissues were all detected. RESULTS Cell experiment results showed that， at concentrations of 5-100 μg/mL， the drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction significantly increased RAW264.7 cell viability （ P ＜0.05）. The drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction at concentrations of 10， 50， and 100 μg/mL， along with atorvastatin， significantly reduced apoptosis rates， CD86 fluorescence intensity， and TNF-α and IL-1β levels in RAW264.7 cells， while markedly enhancing CD206 fluorescence intensity （ P ＜0.05）. Animal experiment results showed that， compared with the model group， all dosage groups of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction and the atorvastatin group showed significantly reduced/down-regulated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum， along with decreased aortic total and root plaque percentages， CD86 expression， and iNOS protein expression. CD206 expression and Arg-1， p-AMPK/AMPK， PPAR-γ protein expression were significantly up-regulated （ P ＜0.05）. Pathological morphology of the aorta showed varying degrees of improvement. CONCLUSIONS The formula of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction exerts its anti-AS effects by regulating macrophage polarization， increasing the proportion of M2 macrophages， thereby effectively inhibiting AS plaque formation and reducing inflammatory responses.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic respiratory disease around the world, and pharmacotherapy is the foremost treatment method currently. In recent decades, with the rapid development of bronchoscopic interventional therapy, endoscopic physical ablation technology presents a therapeutic effect in treating COPD, with few treatment-related side effects, showing excellent application prospects in treating COPD. Since ablation techniques in this field are emerging technologies with low patient acceptance, they are not widely used in the clinical treatment of COPD. This article reviews the development process of physical ablation techniques. Moreover, their current application status and the prospects in the field of COPD treatment are also summarized and analyzed. We hope to promote the application of physical ablation in the clinical treatment of COPD and provide practical references and a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of COPD.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of cognitive frailty and its associated factors among middle-aged and elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Gusu District, Suzhou City, to provide a basis for intervention measures. Methods COPD patients managed at Pingjiang New Town Community Health Service Center in Gusu District from January to December 2024 were selected. Data were collected using the Fried Frailty Phenotype, Mini-Mental State Examination, and a general information questionnaire. Chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multivariate Logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results A total of 1 388 patients were included, with 916 males (65.99%) and 472 females (34.01%). Cognitive frailty was observed in 554 cases (prevalence: 39.91%). Univariate analysis showed significant differences in gender, education, visual impairment, hearing impairment, sleep disorders, and disease duration between the cognitive frailty and non-cognitive frailty groups (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression indicated that education was negatively associated with cognitive frailty (illiteracy OR=6.969, P<0.001; primary school OR=1.499, P=0.005), while visual impairment (OR=2.347, P<0.001), hearing impairment (OR=1.705, P<0.001), sleep disorders (OR=2.488, P<0.001), and disease duration (≤5 years OR=0.329, P<0.001; 6-10 years OR=0.487, P<0.001) were positively associated with cognitive frailty. Conclusion The prevalence of cognitive frailty among middle-aged and elderly COPD patients in Gusu District, Suzhou City, is high (39.91%). Epositively associated with cognitive frailtyducation, sensory impairments, sleep disorders, and disease duration are associated factors. Clinical attention to high-risk groups and implementation of early screening and targeted interventions are recommended.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism through which Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang ameliorates cognitive impairment in epileptic rats induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine by regulating the neuroinflammatory reaction mediated by NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） inflammasomes. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly allocated into blank， model， carbamazepine （0.125 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang （1.04 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and carbamazepine （0.125 g·kg^-1·d^-1） + Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang （1.04 g·kg^-1·d^-1） groups （n=12）. After the modeling of epilepsy， rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 12 weeks. At the 6th and 12th week of the intervention， the rats’ hyper-excited behavior was evaluated by the stylus experiment， and at the 12^th week of intervention， the cognitive function was evaluated by Barnes maze. At the same time， the seizure frequency and severity grade （Racine score） were recorded. The serum and hippocampus tissue samples were collected after anesthesia for the following tests. Nissl staining was used to evaluate the degree of neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 area. The content of malondialdehyde （MDA） in the hippocampus was determined by the thiobarbituric acid （TBA） method. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-18 （IL-18） were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunohistochemical method was adopted to detect the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a card （ASC） in the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to quantitatively analyze the protein levels of NLRP3， cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 （Caspase-1）， and brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） in the hippocampus. ResultsThe model group showed increased stylus scores at the 6th and 12^th week after modeling， a decreased Barnes maze strategy score at the 12^th week， a prolonged incubation period （P<0.05）， elevated serum levels of inflammatory factors （P<0.05）， decreased neurons with scattered arrangement and large gaps in the hippocampus， increased content of MDA in the hippocampus （P<0.05）， an increased positive expression of ASC， and up-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1， NLRP3， and BDNF （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the intervention with Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang for 12 weeks was accompanied by a decreased stylus score， epileptic seizures with a decreased score， a decreased number， and shortened duration， an increased Barnes maze strategy score， shortened escape latency （P<0.01）， declined serum levels of inflammatory factors （P<0.05）， regular morphology of hippocampal neurons， reduced MDA content in the hippocampus （P<0.05）， a decreased positive expression of ASC， and down-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1， NLRP3， and BDNF （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， compared with the carbamazepine group， Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang + carbamazepine showed improved performance in controlling the seizure， improved the cognitive behavior score and morphology of hippocampal neurons， alleviated the oxidative stress products， lowered the levels of inflammatory factors， reduced the positive expression of ASC in the hippocampus， and down-regulated the expression of Caspase-1， NLRP3 and BDNF， with no significant differences. ConclusionBanxia Baizhu Tianmatang may reduce neuroinflammation， control epileptic seizures， and ameliorate cognitive impairment by inhibiting the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes.

Objective To investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on the early clinical outcomes of patients undergoing valve replacement. Methods Perioperative data of patients who underwent single valve replacement at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army Medical University from January to February 2023 were consecutively collected. Based on COVID-19 infection status, patients were divided into a COVID-19 group and a non-COVID-19 group. The perioperative data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 136 patients were included, comprising 53 males and 83 females, with a mean age of (53.4±10.2) years. There were 32 patients receiving aortic valve replacements, 102 mitral valve replacements, and 2 tricuspid valve replacements. The COVID-19 group comprised 70 patients, and the non-COVID-19 group included 66 patients. No statistical difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups [9.09% (6/66) vs. 11.43% (8/70), P=0.654]. However, the COVID-19 group had longer postoperative mechanical ventilation duration [1 201.00 (1 003.75, 1 347.75) min vs. 913.50 (465.50, 1 251.00) min, P=0.001] and ICU stay [3 (2, 3) days vs. 2 (2, 3) days, P<0.001] compared to the non-COVID-19 group. Additionally, troponin I [4.76 (2.55, 7.93) ng/mL vs. 2.66 (1.19, 5.65) ng/mL, P=0.001] and brain natriuretic peptide [608.50 (249.75, 1 150.00) pg/mL vs. 192.00 (100.93, 314.75) pg/mL, P<0.001] levels were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. Conclusion For patients with single valve disease undergoing elective surgery, short-term outcomes after recovery from COVID-19 infection are favorable, with no significant increase in in-hospital mortality or postoperative complication rates.

ObjectiveTo explore the construction of a risk assessment indicator system for common infectious diseases in Shanghai’s childcare institutions, and to provide a reference standard for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, staff training and system construction in childcare institutions. MethodsBy combining the Delphi method with the literature review and expert consultation, the hierarchical dimensions and items at all levels of the risk assessment indicator system for common infectious diseases in Shanghai’s childcare institutions were constructed, and the weighting coefficients were determined by analytic hierarchy process. ResultsA total of 14 experts from the field of childcare institutions, infectious disease control, child healthcare and health supervision participated in the Delphi consultation. The system consisted of four core dimensions: organizational management, team building, hardware equipment, and infectious disease surveillance and disposal, with the weighting coefficients of 0.285 9, 0.261 6, 0.204 3 and 0.248 2, respectively. The evaluation indicator system consisted of 4 primary indicators, 15 secondary indicators and 45 tertiary items. The positivity coefficients of the two rounds of Delphi consultation were 0.93 and 1.00, the authority coefficients were both 0.81, and the Kendall’s coefficient of concordance were 0.44 and 0.49, respectively (P<0.01). ConclusionThe high expert engagement and coordination indicate that organizational management and team building remain the critical priorities for infectious disease prevention and control in Shanghai’s childcare institutions. It is recommended to strengthen financial investment, improve institutional mechanisms, and enhance personnel reserves and capacity building for healthcare teachers, thereby systematically upgrading the infectious disease control capabilities of childcare institutions.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as a treasure of the Chinese nation, plays a significant role in maintaining public health. In 2019, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council proposed for the first time the establishment of a TCM registration and evaluation evidence system that integrates TCM theory, "personal experience" and clinical trials (referred to as the "Three-in-One" System) to promote the inheritance and innovation of TCM. Subsequently, the National Medical Products Administration issued several guiding principles to advance the improvement and implementation of this system. Owing to the complexity of its implementation, there are still differing understandings within the TCM industry regarding the positioning of the "Three-in-One" Registration and Evaluation Evidence System, as well as the connotation and value orientation of the "personal experience." To address this, Academician WANG Qi, President of the TCM Association, China International Exchange and Promotion Association for Medical and Healthcare and TCM master, led a group of academicians, TCM masters, TCM pharmacology experts and clinical TCM experts to convene a "Seminar on Promoting the Implementation of the ′Three-in-One′ Registration and Evaluation Evidence System for Chinese Medicinals." Through extensive discussions, an expert consensus was formed, clarifying the different roles of the TCM theory, "personal experience" and clinical trials within the system. It was further emphasized that the "personal experience" is the core of this system, and its data should be derived from clinical practice scenarios. In the future, the improvement of this system will require collaborative efforts across multiple fields to promote the high-quality development of the Chinese medicinal industry.

Objective: To understand the trends in life expectancy among residents of Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province from 2013 to 2023, so as to provide the basis for determining the priorities of public health prevention and control. Methods: The crude mortality was calculated based on the surveillance on causes of death in Jiashan County, and standardized by the data from the Sixth Chinese National Population Census in 2010. The life expectancy among residents were calculated using life table method. The trend of mortality and life expectancy were analyzed by average annual percent change (AAPC). The increments in life expectancy attributable to different age groups and causes of death were dissected using the Arriaga decomposition method, and their respective contribution rates were calculated. Results: From 2013 to 2023, there were 34 117 deaths in Jiashan County. The average standardized mortality rate was 352.69/105, showing a downward trend (AAPC=-1.965%, P<0.05). The trend for men was consistent with that of the entire population (AAPC=-1.955%, P<0.05), while no significant trend was observed for women (AAPC=-1.901%, P>0.05). The life expectancy of the entire population increased from 81.80 years in 2013 to 83.42 years in 2023, showing an upward trend (AAPC=0.206%, P<0.05). The increase in life expectancy was 2.61 years from 2013 to 2021 and -0.99 years from 2021 to 2023. The overall increase in life expectancy from 2013 to 2023 was mainly influenced by the 35-<65 and ≥65 age groups, with increases of 0.81 years and 0.65 years, contributing 50.27% and 40.38%, respectively. From 2013 to 2021, the increase was mainly influenced by the ≥65 age group, with an increase of 2.12 years, contributing 81.12%. From 2021 to 2023, the decrease was mainly influenced by the ≥65 age group, with a decrease of 1.49 years, contributing 150.28%. The overall increase in life expectancy from 2013 to 2023 was mainly influenced by tumors and respiratory diseases, with increases of 1.03 years and 0.27 years, contributing 63.46% and 16.40%, respectively. From 2013 to 2021, the increase was mainly influenced by respiratory diseases and tumors, with increases of 1.47 years and 0.90 years, contributing 56.36% and 34.63%, respectively. From 2021 to 2023, the decrease was mainly influenced by respiratory diseases and circulatory diseases, with decreases of 1.10 years and 0.38 years, contributing 111.40% and 38.81%, respectively. Conclusion From 2013 to 2023, the increase in life expectancy among residents of Jiashan County was mainly influenced by changes in mortality from tumors and respiratory diseases among the middle-aged and elderly population aged 35 and above.