OBJECTIVE:Disorders in iron metabolism increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Hepcidin play an important role in maintaining iron homeostasis in the body,but its level increases with increased inflammation.Changes in hepcidin and iron homeostasis and the extent of their association with inflammation in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown.Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the effect of inflammation on serum hepcidin and iron metabolism related parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODS:CNKI,PubMed,Web of Science and EBSCOhost databases were searched by computer to collect observational studies related to inflammatory index and hepcidin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.The search time was from September 1,2000 to September 30,2024.Three researchers independently screened the literature,extracted data and evaluated the quality of the included literature.Meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3,Stata 17.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0.2 software.RESULTS:A total of 15 articles(17 studies)involving 3 159 participants,including 1 357 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,were included.Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the control group,patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had higher levels of serum hepcidin[standardized mean difference(SMD)=0.35,95％confidence interval(CI)(0.05,0.65),P＜0.05],serum ferritin(SMD=0.49,95％CI(0.21,0.78),P＜0.01)and serum transferrin(SMD=0.19,95％CI(0.00,0.37),P＜0.05).Subgroup analysis results indicated that inflammation had a significant effect on serum hepcidin(SMD=0.76,95％CI(0.17,1.34),P＜0.05)and serum ferritin(SMD=0.77,95％CI(0.06,1.47),P＜0.05)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.CONCLUSION:Hepcidin concentration is positively correlated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Inflammation is one of the risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Early prevention of inflammation has certain significance in preventing iron metabolism disorder in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Qiwei dongqingye powder （QDP） on bronchial asthma in mice. METHODS The mice were divided into blank group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， dexamethasone group （2 mg/kg）， and QDP low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （200， 400， 800 mg/kg）， with 14 mice in each group. Except for the blank group， mice in all other groups were given ovalbumin via intraperitoneal injection followed by aerosol inhalation to induce a bronchial asthma model. During the modeling process， mice in each group were administered corresponding drug solutions or normal saline intragastrically/intraperitoneally. After the last medication， the number of cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） of the mice was observed and counted； the pathological changes of the bronchus and lung tissue were observed； the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， nitric oxide （NO）， total superoxide dismutase （T-SOD）， and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the lung tissue of the mice were determined， and the level of interleukin-17 （IL-17） in the BALF and serum was determined. Transcriptomics was employed to predict and validate the mechanism of action of QDP against bronchial asthma. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the total cell count， neutrophil count， lymphocyte count， and macrophage counts in the BALF of the QDP high-dose group were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of MDA and NO in the lung tissue， and the levels of IL-17 in the BALF and serum were all decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of T-SOD and GSH-Px were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）； the arrangement of lung tissue cells tended to normalize， with reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased exfoliation of bronchial simple columnar epithelial cells. The transcriptomic results revealed that the differentially expressed genes were B-cell receptor signaling pathway， nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， ferroptosis signaling pathway， and others. Further validation revealed that， compared with the model group， the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and chemokine ligand 20， as well as the phosphorylation level of NF-κB inhibitor protein α， were significantly decreased in the lung tissues of the mice in all QDP groups （ P ＜0.05）. Conversely， the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） and heme oxygenase 1 （HO-1） were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS QDP can effectively alleviate bronchial asthma by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway， activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway， regulating oxidative stress， and reducing inflammatory responses.

OBJECTIVE:Disorders in iron metabolism increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Hepcidin play an important role in maintaining iron homeostasis in the body,but its level increases with increased inflammation.Changes in hepcidin and iron homeostasis and the extent of their association with inflammation in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown.Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the effect of inflammation on serum hepcidin and iron metabolism related parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODS:CNKI,PubMed,Web of Science and EBSCOhost databases were searched by computer to collect observational studies related to inflammatory index and hepcidin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.The search time was from September 1,2000 to September 30,2024.Three researchers independently screened the literature,extracted data and evaluated the quality of the included literature.Meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3,Stata 17.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0.2 software.RESULTS:A total of 15 articles(17 studies)involving 3 159 participants,including 1 357 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,were included.Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the control group,patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had higher levels of serum hepcidin[standardized mean difference(SMD)=0.35,95％confidence interval(CI)(0.05,0.65),P＜0.05],serum ferritin(SMD=0.49,95％CI(0.21,0.78),P＜0.01)and serum transferrin(SMD=0.19,95％CI(0.00,0.37),P＜0.05).Subgroup analysis results indicated that inflammation had a significant effect on serum hepcidin(SMD=0.76,95％CI(0.17,1.34),P＜0.05)and serum ferritin(SMD=0.77,95％CI(0.06,1.47),P＜0.05)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.CONCLUSION:Hepcidin concentration is positively correlated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Inflammation is one of the risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Early prevention of inflammation has certain significance in preventing iron metabolism disorder in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Piezo1 is a Ca²⁺-permeable mechanosensitive ion channel that plays a central role in mechanosensing and signal transduction in dental and periodontal tissues. In tooth tissue, Piezo1 is a key factor mediating dentin sensitive pain. The flow of dentinal tubule fluid induced by external stimulation can activate the Piezo1 channel on odontoblasts, triggering neuronal signals through the pannexin-1-purinergic 2X3 receptor (PANX-1-P2X3) receptor axis, resulting in pain perception. In addition, Piezo1 has a dual regulatory role in the process of pulp inflammation and repair : on the one hand, its expression is up-regulated in an inflammatory environment, which may aggravate pain sensitivity ; on the other hand, it activates the migration, proliferation and odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells by mediating Ca²⁺influx, ATP release and downstream purinergic 2X7 receptor (P2X7R), MEK / ERK signaling pathways, thereby promoting reparative dentin formation. In periodontal tissue, Piezo1 plays a central role in maintaining periodontal tissue homeostasis and regulating alveolar bone remodeling by sensing mechanical stimuli such as bite force. During orthodontic tooth movement, Piezo1 promotes osteogenic differentiation by activating Wnt / Ca²⁺, Notch and other pathways on the tension side. It affects osteoclast activity by regulating receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand/osteoprotegerin (RANKL/OPG) balance on the pressure side. At the same time, Piezo1 is also a key regulator of periodontal immune microenvironment. It is expressed in immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells. Its activation can promote the polarization of macrophages to pro-inflammatory M1 type, enhance the release of pro-inflammatory factors and matrix metalloproteinases, and thus aggravate the inflammatory destruction of periodontal tissue.In view of its multiple functions, Piezo1 has become a potential therapeutic target, including local or systemic application of its inhibitors, mechanical intervention, physical therapy, gene therapy and stem cell therapy, showing a broad clinical transformation prospect in the treatment of oral diseases. In this paper, the structural characteristics, signal transduction mechanism of Piezo1 and its expression distribution, function and regulatory network in tooth tissue and periodontal tissue are reviewed, so as to provide ideas for the development of oral disease treatment strategies targeting Piezo1.

Acupoint sensitization and deqi （得气） are key factors influencing the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture. Acupoint sensitization serves as an important prerequisite for achieving deqi. Based on a review of recent research progress on acupoint sensitization and deqi， this study proposes that the biological basis of deqi primarily encompasses the biomechanical basis of mechanotransduction and microenvironmental changes， the energy metabolic basis of molecular events and signaling pathway activation， the neurophysiological basis of receptor activation and central integration， and the biological effect basis of bidirectional regulation within the neuro-endocrine-immune network. The extension of deqi refers to a sustained and relatively stable biological homeostasis after deqi through self-regulation and remodeling of the organism， which mainly manifests as neural reflex threshold resetting and neural functional remodeling， re-establishment of endocrine homeostasis， rebalancing of immune homeostasis， and temporal changes in gene expression. Systematic investigation into the scientific connotation and extension of deqi not only contributes to a deeper elucidation of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture's therapeutic actions， but also provides theoretical foundations and practical guidance for the optimization of clinical therapeutic regimens.

Acupoint sensitization and deqi （得气） are key factors influencing the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture. Acupoint sensitization serves as an important prerequisite for achieving deqi. Based on a review of recent research progress on acupoint sensitization and deqi， this study proposes that the biological basis of deqi primarily encompasses the biomechanical basis of mechanotransduction and microenvironmental changes， the energy metabolic basis of molecular events and signaling pathway activation， the neurophysiological basis of receptor activation and central integration， and the biological effect basis of bidirectional regulation within the neuro-endocrine-immune network. The extension of deqi refers to a sustained and relatively stable biological homeostasis after deqi through self-regulation and remodeling of the organism， which mainly manifests as neural reflex threshold resetting and neural functional remodeling， re-establishment of endocrine homeostasis， rebalancing of immune homeostasis， and temporal changes in gene expression. Systematic investigation into the scientific connotation and extension of deqi not only contributes to a deeper elucidation of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture's therapeutic actions， but also provides theoretical foundations and practical guidance for the optimization of clinical therapeutic regimens.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) for delayed graft function (DGF) following kidney transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 49 kidney transplant recipients who underwent sC5b-9 detection at the Second People’s Hospital of Shanxi Province between January 2024 and December 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Recipients were divided into the DGF group (n=25) and the non-DGF group (n=24) according to the occurrence of DGF. Baseline characteristics and serum sC5b-9 levels were compared between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of sC5b-9 for DGF. A restricted cubic spline model was adopted to investigate the association between sC5b-9 and DGF. Results Among the 49 recipients, DGF occurred in 25 patients. Compared with the non-DGF group, the DGF group presented a higher proportion of male patients, a higher incidence of adverse transplant outcomes, and elevated final serum creatinine levels (all P<0.05). Within 30 days after transplantation, sC5b-9 concentrations were significantly higher in the DGF group than those in the non-DGF group (P<0.001). ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of sC5b-9 for diagnosing DGF was 0.81, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.68-0.92, and the optimal cutoff value was 265.7 ng/mL. Recipients with elevated sC5b-9 (≥265.7 ng/mL) had a significantly higher incidence of DGF than those with low sC5b-9 levels (<265.7 ng/mL) (P<0.001). Recipients with adverse outcomes exhibited significantly higher sC5b-9 levels than those without adverse outcomes (P<0.001), and the AUC of sC5b-9 for identifying adverse outcomes was 0.82 (95%CI 0.63-0.95). A significant nonlinear correlation was observed between sC5b-9 and final serum creatinine (P<0.001). Conclusions Elevated sC5b-9 is correlated with the development of DGF after kidney transplantation and exhibits favorable diagnostic performance. It may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting early allograft dysfunction and adverse outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

The Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Qinbaohong Zhike Oral Liquid in Treatment of Acute Bronchitis and Acute Attack of Chronic Bronchitis （GS/CACM 337-2023） was released by the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 13^th， 2023. This expert consensus was developed by experts in methodology， pharmacy， and Chinese medicine in strict accordance with the development requirements of the China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） and based on the latest medical evidence and the clinical medication experience of well-known experts in the fields of respiratory medicine （pulmonary diseases） and pediatrics. This expert consensus defines the application of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid in the treatment of cough and excessive sputum caused by phlegm-heat obstructing lung， acute bronchitis， and acute attack of chronic bronchitis from the aspects of applicable populations， efficacy evaluation， usage， dosage， drug combination， and safety. It is expected to guide the rational drug use in medical and health institutions， give full play to the unique value of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid， and vigorously promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese patent medicines.

Colorectal cancer is a common and malignant tumor in the digestive tract. Invasion and metastasis of cancer cells are key factors leading to the high mortality rate and postoperative recurrence of colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy is the main treatment method for preventing recurrence of this disease. However， there are many toxic side effects in clinical application， which seriously hinder the treatment process. Therefore， it is imperative to search for efficient and low-toxicity drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a long history of treating colorectal cancer and offers advantages such as safety， effectiveness， multiple targets， multiple pathways and minimal toxic side effects， which have made it increasingly popular worldwide. According to TCM， the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer is rooted in both deficiency and excess. TCM formulas mainly focus on tonifying the body to address the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer， such as Jianpi compound， Jianpi Xiaoai decoction， and Bushen Jiedu Sanjie decoction. TCM monomers， such as emodin， berberine， and tanshinone， mainly focus on clearing heat and removing toxin， circulating blood and transforming stasis， and resolving swelling and dispersing nodules. Signaling pathways play a crucial role for analyzing invasion and metastasis， and research has shown that pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin， phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase （PI3K/Akt）， Janus kinase 2/signal transduction and transcription activating factor 3 （JAK2/STAT3）， nuclear factors-κB （NF-κB）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） play important roles in the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer. The invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer can be inhibited via regulating the key proteins and related factors in these pathways. In this review， we searched various literature databases， such as PubMed， China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， and VIP， using keywords such as "colorectal cancer"， "signaling pathway"， "invasion and metastasis"， and "traditional Chinese medicine"， to summarize and analyze the relevant pathways of TCM compounds and monomers against invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer published in the past five years. The review aims to provide new insights and references for in-depth research on the therapy for invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer and new drug development.

Objective : To investigate the factors affecting the outcome of high-risk human papillomavirus ( HR- HPV) infection in patients with normal cervix examined by colposcopy in Hefei area and the relationship between persistent HR-HPV infection and cervical cytology． Methods : Data of colposcopy patients were collected from 478 HR-HPV infected patients with normal cervix through colposcopy．Their age，number of sexual partners，contracep- tive methods and other relevant basic information were recorded．Vaginal interferon use，HR-HPV infection at year 1 and year 2，and cervical liquid-based cytology test ( LCT) results were tracked，univariate and multivariate ana- lyses were performed based on basic information，and ROC curves were plotted． Results : The HR-HPV clearance rate at 1 year was 59. 41% ，and the clearance rate at 2 years was 66. 75%．The other 12 types of infection ( 31， 33，35，39，45，51，52，56，58，59，66，68) were more common than the 16 and 18 types．Univariate and mult- ivariate analyses showed that age＞50 years，number of sexual partners ≥2，and history of cervical conectomy in- creased the risk of persistent HR-HPV infection ( χge = 21. 676，P ＜0. 001; χumber of sexual partners = 8. 262，P =0. 004; χistory of cervical conectomy = 11. 267，P = 0. 001 ) ． The risk of HR-HPV infection was significantly lower when condom or vaginal interferon was used ( χondom use = 10. 885，P = 0. 001; χnterferon use = 4. 099，P = 0. 043) ．The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of combined diagnosis of HR-HPV persistent infection was higher than that of single diagnosis，and the AUC of combined diagnosis was 0. 737．Persistent HR-HPV infection was an independent risk factor for abnormal LCT，and the AUC predicted by the model was 0. 755．No cancer was found in patients with persistent HR-HPV infection for 2 years，and the proportion of abnormal LCT was higher than that in patients with negative HR-HPV．The difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 39. 64，P＜0. 001) ． Conclusion The combined ROC model constructed for patients＞50 years old，with multiple sexual partners，history of cervical surgery， no vaginal interferon use，and no condom use has certain value in predicting persistent HR-HPV infection，and per- sistent HR-HPV infection has predictive value in predicting LCT abnormalities．