In January 2026， the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases released a position statement on polycystic liver disease （PLD）. Compared with existing diagnosis and treatment recommendations， this statement provides the latest practical guidance on somatostatin analogues as the sole available pharmacological intervention for severe PLD， including clear criteria for eligibility， the criteria for initiation and discontinuation of treatment， and the gaps requiring further research. This statement also defines the criteria for patient selection， treatment goals， and monitoring strategies， and these updates fully reflect the latest clinical evidence and practical needs in the management of PLD. This article gives an excerpt of the key practical recommendations from the statement.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is marked by early-onset neurodevelopmental anomalies, yet the temporal dynamics of genetic contributions to these processes remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the Shank3 gene, known to be associated with monogenic causes of autism, in early developmental processes to inform the timing and mechanisms for potential interventions for ASD. Utilizing the Shank3B knockout (KO) mouse model, we examined Shank3 expression and its impact on neuronal maturation through Golgi staining for dendritic morphology and electrophysiological recordings to measure synaptic function in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) across different postnatal stages. Our longitudinal analysis revealed that, while Shank3B KO mice displayed normal neuronal morphology at one week postnatal, significant impairments in dendritic growth and synaptic activity emerged by two to three weeks. These findings highlight the critical developmental window during which Shank3 is essential for neuronal and synaptic maturation in the ACC.
Animals ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism* ; Mice, Knockout ; Dendrites/metabolism* ; Mice ; Synapses/metabolism* ; Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Autism Spectrum Disorder/genetics* ; Microfilament Proteins

Normal heart function depends on complex regulation by the brain, and abnormalities in the brain‒heart axis affect various diseases, such as myocardial infarction and anxiety disorders. However, systematic tracking of the brain regions associated with the input and output of the heart is lacking. In this study, we injected retrograde transsynaptic pseudorabies virus (PRV) and anterograde transsynaptic herpes simplex virus (HSV) into the left ventricular wall of mice to identify the whole-brain regions associated with the input to and output from the heart. We successfully detected PRV and HSV expression in at least 170 brain subregions in both male and female mice. Sex differences were discovered mainly in the hypothalamus and medulla, with male mice exhibiting greater correlation and hierarchical clustering than female mice, indicating reduced similarity and increased modularity of virus expression patterns in male mice. Further graph theory and multiple linear regression analysis of different injection timelines revealed that hub regions of PRV had highly similar clusters, with different brain levels, suggesting a top-down, hierarchically transmitted neural control pattern of the heart. Hub regions of HSV had scattered clusters, with brain regions gathered in the cortex and brainstem, suggesting a bottom-up, leapfrog, multipoint neural sensing pattern of the heart. Both patterns contain many hub brain regions that have been previously overlooked in brain‒heart axis studies. These results provide brain targets for future research and will lead to deeper insight into the brain mechanisms involved in specific heart conditions.
Animals ; Male ; Female ; Heart/physiology* ; Mice ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; Brain/physiology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain Mapping ; Efferent Pathways/physiology* ; Afferent Pathways/physiology* ; Simplexvirus ; Sex Characteristics

This paper summarizes the current status of research on the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),and points out that TCM has the advantages of being based on the holistic view and advocating the preven-tive treatment of diseases.The strategies of TCM in preventing and treating malignant tumors are proposed:first,it is necessary to clar-ify the leading or auxiliary treatment role in different stages of tumors and give full play to its strengths and advantages;second,find the characteristics of the superior and inferior populations and microscopic markers of tumor diagnosis and treatment to promote accurate di-agnosis and treatment;third,improve the overall diagnosis and treatment level of tumors by grasping the core pathogenesis and ensure clinical efficacy;fourth,incorporate modern medical therapy factors into the TCM tumor diagnosis and treatment system in order to in-tercept the disease;fifth,add TCM psychological intervention on the basis of the four-in-one holistic syndrome differentiation view to achieve harmony between body and spirit;sixth,improve the rehabilitation and health care system of tumors combined with traditional Chinese and Western medicine through the use of multiple methods to promote the recovery of diseases.In this way,the clinical effica-cy of TCM in preventing and treating tumors can be continuously improved,and the great goal of TCM in preventing and treating tumors and benefiting all mankind can be truly realized.

This paper summarizes the ideas and methods of Professor Wu Mianhua's diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer based on the theory of"solidifying the root and clearing the filth",and believes that prostate cancer is a combination of deficiency in the root and excess in the manifestation,with deficiency and excess mixed.Spleen and kidney deficiency and cancer toxicity accumula-tion are the basis of prostate cancer,and the mutual entanglement of dampness,phlegm,heat and stasis is the key to the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.Clinically,prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated from the perspective of"solidifying the root and clearing the filth",warming the kidney and nourishing the kidney to consolidate the innate root,strengthening the spleen and activating the spleen to cultivate the acquired root,clearing heat and dampness,resolving phlegm and removing stasis to clear filth and detoxify.Strengthen the root to promote clearing the filth,and clear the fifth to help strengthen the root,achieve dynamic balance,and synergistically con-trol the progression of tumors.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the inhibitory effect mechanism of Anzheng Kangliu Decoction against colorectal cancer by suppressing glycolysis through regulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)signaling pathway.METHODS Human colorectal cancer SW620 cells were treated with Anzheng Kangliu De-coction,and cell proliferation and migration abilities were assessed.Forty-two BALB/c nude mice were randomly divided into a blank control group,model group,5-fluorouracil(5-FU)group(0.025 g·kg-1),Anzheng Kangliu Decoction low-dose group(7.67 g·kg-1),medium-dose group(15.34 g·kg-1),and high-dose group(30.68 g·kg-1).The inhibitory effect of Anzheng Kan-gliu Decoction on subcutaneous xenograft tumors was evaluated by observing body weight,tumor volume,tumor mass,HE staining,im-munohistochemical staining of Ki67 and other indicators.High-throughput transcriptome sequencing was performed to identify differen-tially expressed genes and pathways in tumor tissues between the model group and the Anzheng Kangliu Decoction medium-dose group,elucidating the potential mechanism of Anzheng Kangliu Decoction against colorectal cancer.Glucose and lactate assay kits were used to measure glucose consumption and lactate production in SW620 cells and tumor tissues after Anzheng Kangliu Decoction intervention.Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,p-mTOR/mTOR,hexokinase 2(HK2),and lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA)in SW620 cells and tumor tissues following Anzheng Kangliu Decoction treatment.RE-SULTS In vitro cell experiments demonstrated that,compared with the blank control group,Anzheng Kangliu Decoction intervention significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of SW620 cells(P<0.01),reduced glucose consumption and lactate production(P<0.05,P<0.01),and downregulated the protein expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,p-mTOR/mTOR,HK2,and LDHA(P<0.05,P<0.01).In vivo animal experiments revealed that,compared with the model group,Anzheng Kangliu Decoction suppressed the growth of subcutaneous xenograft tumors in nude mice(P<0.01),increased tumor tissue necrosis,decreased glucose consumption and lactate production in tumor tissues(P<0.05,P<0.01),and reduced the protein expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,p-mTOR/mTOR,HK2,and LDHA(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION Anzheng Kangliu Decoction exerts an in-hibitory effect on colorectal cancer,and its mechanism may be associated with the suppression of glycolysis through regulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the factors influencing the prognosis of critically ill patients and the predictive value of the C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 122 critically ill patients admitted to Guoyao Dongfeng General Hospital affiliated with Hubei University of Medicine from June 2022 to December 2023. Patients were divided into a death group and a survival group based on their 28-day prognosis. Clinical data were compared between the two groups to analyze the factors influencing prognosis and assess the predictive value of various indicators. Normally distributed measurement data were expressed as Mean±SD, and intergroup comparisons were performed by independent samples t-test; non-normally distributed measurement data were expressed as M( Q1,Q3), and intergroup comparisons were performed by the Mann-Whitney U test. Counting data were expressed as case (%), and intergroup comparisons were performed by the χ2 test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze factors influencing patient prognosis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to analyze the predictive value of each indicator. Results:The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score, blood lactate, CRP, and B-type natriuretic peptide levels in the death group were higher than those in the survival group [22 (17, 30) points vs. 17 (14, 22) points, (4.8±1.4) mmol/L vs. (3.3±1.0) mmol/L, 134 (83, 2 381) mg/L vs. 13 (10, 27) mg/L, 259 (111, 592) ng/L vs. 108 (40, 247) ng/L; Z=3.04, P=0.002; t=5.79, P<0.001; Z=8.57, P<0.001; Z=3.28, P=0.001, respectively]. Albumin, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count (LYC), and the CALLY index were lower in the death group than in the survival group [(31±5) g/L vs. (37±6) g/L, (58±9)×10 9/L vs. (63±10)×10 9/L, 0.6 (0.4, 0.8)×10 9/L vs. 1.3 (0.8, 1.7)×10 9/L, 0.03 (0.02, 0.11) vs. 0.26 (0.13, 0.49); t=6.05, P<0.001; t=3.04, P=0.003; Z=5.82, P<0.001; Z=6.52, P<0.001, respectively]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the APACHE Ⅱ score and CRP were risk factors for poor prognosis in critically ill patients ( OR=1.349, 95% CI: 1.004-1.821, P=0.048; OR=1.006, 95% CI: 1.003-1.010, P=0.001, respectively), while LYC and the CALLY index were protective factors ( OR=0.297, 95% CI: 0.111-0.795, P=0.016; OR=0.989, 95% CI: 0.955-0.999, P=0.001, respectively). The area under the ROC curve for the CALLY index predicting 28-day mortality in critically ill patients was 0.872 (95% CI: 0.800-0.926), which was higher than that of the APACHE Ⅱ score, LYC, and CRP [0.673 (95% CI: 0.582-0.756), 0.664 (95% CI: 0.573-0.748), 0.576 (95% CI: 0.482-0.665), respectively]. The cut-off values were 0.06, 20 points, 0.8×10 9/L, and 50 mg/L, respectively. When the CALLY index was 0.06, the specificity was 97.65%, the sensitivity was 72.97%, and the Youden index was 0.706. Conclusions:The APACHE Ⅱ score, CRP, LYC, and CALLY index are all factors influencing the prognosis of critically ill patients. The CALLY index has certain predictive value, but its false negative rate is relatively high. Further combination with other indicators is needed to improve its predictive value.

ObjectiveTo determine the optimal combination of the effective monomer components "quercetin-kaempferol-abietic acid-boswellic acid" in Fujin Shengjisan for promoting diabetic ulcer （DU） wound healing through uniform design， thereby achieving the modern application of the ancient formula. MethodsFollowing the principle of "uniform design-pharmacodynamic experiment-mathematical modeling and model verification"， the U₁₄（14⁵） uniform design table was adopted.The four monomer components of Chinese medicine were considered as the independent variables， and the proliferation rate of human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） induced by glucose was used as the pharmacodynamic indicator. A mathematical model was constructed using DPS software to correlate the effective monomer components with the pharmacodynamic indicator. The results of uniform design were verified through CCK-8 assay， cell scratch healing， tube formation， Western blot， and Real-time PCR. ResultsAmong the 14 compatibility groups， compared with the high-glucose model group， compound compatibility group 6 showed the strongest proliferation effect and statistical significance （P<0.05）. Four quadratic polynomial regression equations （Y₁-Y₄） were obtained through DPS modeling. Considering the model's fit， stability， and practical application， equations Y₁-Y₃ were selected for the follow-up verification. To ensure experiment reproducibility， group 6 was used for validation. Group 6 and equations Y₁-Y₃ were renamed as compound prescription ① to compound prescription④， respectively， to represent the modern application of the ancient FJSJ Powder through compatibility of monomer components. Verification experiments showed that in the CCK-8， scratch healing， and tube formation assays， the cell viability， wound healing rate， and tube formation number of HUVECs stimulated with 50 mmol·L^-1 glucose were significantly reduced compared with the blank group. Moreover， the expression levels of angiogenesis-related cytokines， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and fibroblast growth factor 2 （FGF2）， and CD31 secretion were significantly down-regulated. However， after intervention with compound prescriptions ① to ④， compound prescriptions ① and ③ significantly improved the biological functions of HUVECs induced by 50 mmol·L^-1 glucose. Further analysis of the regression coefficients of compound prescriptions ① and ③， and the relative dose ratios of each monomer component， indicated that abietic acid， quercetin， and boswellic acid promoted angiogenesis of HUVECs in the high glucose environment， with a major effect （positive partial correlation coefficients， all > 0.9）. Abietic acid and boswellic acid， as well as kaempferol and boswellic acid， promoted angiogenesis in HUVECs through interaction （positive partial correlation coefficients）. ConclusionCompound prescriptions ① and ③ are the optimal combinations. They can reverse the inhibitory effects of high glucose， stimulate the proliferation， migration， and tube formation abilities of HUVECs in a high glucose environment， and promote the expression of vascular endothelial growth factorA（VEGFA）， FGF2， and CD31， thereby promoting angiogenesis and facilitating DU wound healing. This finding not only confirms the good reproducibility and feasibility of compound prescriptions ① and ③ but also provides new insights and methods for the rational construction of mathematical models to further study the compatibility theory of Chinese medicine.

Objective: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese patent medicines and classic traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions were systematically reviewed from both Chinese and English journals published in 2023. A preliminary summary and evaluation were conducted on the generation and translation of clinical evidence for these treatments. This analysis aims to inform future research on clinical efficacy evaluation and guide the rational application of evidence. Methods: RCTs of Chinese patent medicines and classic traditional Chinese prescriptions published in 2023 were comprehensively retrieved from the Artificial Intelligence Clinical Evidence Database for Chinese Patent Medicine (AICED-CPM), with supplementary searches conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed), Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The study characteristics and methodological quality of these RCTs were systematically analyzed and evaluated. Results: A total of 1 443 RCTs of Chinese patent medicines were included, comprising 1 399 Chinese articles and 44 English articles. Additionally, 334 RCTs of classic traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions were found, with 331 published in Chinese and 3 in English. 196 567 participants were included, covering 585 types of Chinese patent medicines (487 oral, 61 injectable, and 37 topical) and 179 classic traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. The involved studies encompassed 22 types of diseases, with research primarily focusing on diseases of the circulatory system, the respiratory system, and the genitourinary system. The sample sizes ranged from 18 to 3 777 participants, and most studies were conducted at a single center. Methodologically, the implementation of allocation concealment and blinding remained insufficiently emphasized. Conclusion Overall, compared with 2022, both the number of RCT publications and their methodological quality have improved in 2023, with heightened attention to research on diseases of the genitourinary system. However, quality control and standardized management in the design and implementation processes still require enhancement to produce more high-quality clinical evidence and accelerate the translation and application of this evidence.

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