[Objective]To explore the patterns of diagnosis and prescription in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),specifically using Polygala tenuifolia Willd formulas,for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD),grounded in the fundamental theories of TCM.[Methods]The medical case documents containing"Poly gala tenuifolia Willd formula for dementia"were included in China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),VIP,Wanfang and Gujin Medical Case Cloud Platform databases.Furthermore,an Excel 2019 database was created and subsequently standardized.The database was then mined for patterns related to the administration and utilization of medications,by utilizing the Gujin Medical Case Cloud Platform and the Python programming language.Following standardization,the drug application rules were explored by using the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform and Python.[Results]It employed the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform and Python following standardization.A total of 211 kinds of drugs were recorded in 165 medical records,with warm being the most prevalent,followed by neutral.These drugs were mainly sweet,pungent and bitter in taste,and the main effects of the drugs were attributed to the liver,heart,kidney,spleen and lung meridians,and most of the drugs that were paired with Poly gala tenuifolia Willd had functions of opening the orifices,inducing drainage and seepage of dampness,invigorating blood circulation,removing blood stasis and tonifying the deficiency.Acorus calamus and Poly gala tenuifolia Willd were the core pair of drugs with the common dosage of 10 g and 15 g respectively,and the proportion of the two was mostly 1︰1,2︰3.Acorus calamus-Poly gala tenuifolia Willd was often paired with Poria,commonly used pairs were Radix Rehmanniae Preparata-Cornu Cervi,Ligusticum Chuanxiong-Salviae Miltiorrhizae,the complex network analysis showed that the core composition of treating AD was the prescription of Kaixin Powder which removed ginseng but added with the participation of the Radix Rehmanniae Preparata,Salviae Miltiorrhizae,Ligusticum Chuanxiong and Glycyrrhiza glabra.[Conclusion]In this study,among the formulas containing Polygala tenuifolia Willd for AD,the highest correlation was found between Polygala tenuifolia Willd and Acorus calamus,which was mainly used to replenish deficiency and for diarrhea,and focused on strengthening the spleen,resolving dampness and expelling phlegm,regulating the liver and activating the blood,and benefiting the kidneys and filling in the marrow on the basis of tranquilizing the spirit and opening up the aperture to awaken the mind.The preliminary clarification of the medication law of the formulas containing Polygala tenuifolia Willd for the treatment of AD can provide a basis for the clinical use of medication and the development of new prescriptions.

Objective To investigate the potential role of plasma adiponectin concentration in predicting the response of patients with depression to electroconvulsive therapy(ECT).Methods This study enrolled depressive patients scheduled for ECT at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between January 2022 and March 2024.Patients were categorized as either ECT responders(>50%reduction)or non-responders(≤50%reduction)based on post-ECT reduction rate of the 24-item Hamilton depression scale(HAMD)scores from baseline.Plasma adiponectin levels were measured in all patients before their first ECT treatment.To identify predictors of ECT response in patients with depression,the predictive value of plasma adiponectin was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Results A total of 80 patients with depression were enrolled including 44 in the ECT-responsive group and 36 in the non-responsive group.The plasma adiponectin level was significantly higher in the responsive group than in the non-responsive group[5.67(3.64,10.55)μg/mL vs.4.01(2.59,5.04)μg/mL,P=0.002].Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between plasma adiponectin levels and the HAMD reduction rate(r=0.300,P=0.007).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that plasma adiponectin was independently associated with the response to ECT in patients with depression(OR=1.218,95%CI:1.009-1.470,P=0.040).Furthermore,ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve(AUC)for adiponectin in predicting ECT response was 0.748(95%CI:0.583-0.813).Conclusion Pretreatment plasma adiponectin may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting response to ECT in patients with depression.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is an important intervention for portal hypertension,and the degree of reduction in portal venous pressure is closely associated with the prognosis of patients.While a greater reduction in portal venous pressure may lead to more effective alleviation of portal hypertensive symptoms in cirrhotic patients,it also increases the risk of hepatic encephalopathy and liver failure.Therefore,appropriate control of the degree of reduction in portal venous pressure is essential for optimizing therapeutic outcomes.This article reviews the methods for measuring portal venous pressure,the factors affecting the reduction in portal venous pressure,the optimal range for reduction in different indications,and the impact of varying degrees of pressure reduction on complications,in order to provide guidance for improving the treatment outcome of TIPS and the prognosis of patients after surgery.

BACKGROUND:In the occurrence and development of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system,neuroinflammation caused by microglia is the main pathological feature,so inhibiting the inflammatory response is very important to alleviate demyelination.Hydroxysafflor yellow A can protect the blood-brain barrier,inhibit neuronal apoptosis,and improve neurological function.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of hydroxysafflor yellow A inhibiting bicyclohexanone oxalyl dihydrazone-induced demyelination in mice.METHODS:(1)In vivo:Thirty healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups:normal group,cuprizone group,and hydroxysafflor yellow A group.The mice in the cuprizone group and the hydroxysafflor yellow A group were fed with 0.2％cuprizone diet for 6 weeks to establish mouse models of demyelination.The mice in the normal group were fed with normal diet.At the end of the 4th week,the mice in the hydroxysafflor yellow A group were intraperitoneally injected with hydroxysafflor yellow A 20 mg/kg per day.The mice in the normal and cuprizone groups were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline for 2 weeks.The behavioral changes of mice were evaluated by open field test and elevated plus maze test.The loss of myelin sheath in corpus callosum was detected by black gold staining,myelin basic protein and degraded myelin basic protein immunofluorescence staining.The activation of microglia and the expression of inflammatory factors were detected by I ba-1 immunofluorescence staining and ELISA,respectively.The protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4,myeloid differentiation factor 88,and nuclear factor κB p65 in the brain of mice in each group were detected by western blot assay.(2)In vitro experiment:The inflammation model of BV2 microglia was established by lipopolysaccharide induction.BV2 cells were divided into normal group,lipopolysaccharide group(1 μg/mL),and lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL)+hydroxysafflor yellow A(25 μmol/L)group.The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in the supernatant were detected by ELISA.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the normal group,the mice in the cuprizone group had severe anxiety,abnormal autonomic movement ability,and a large amount of myelin sheath loss in the corpus callosum.The average fluorescence intensity of myelin basic protein was significantly reduced,and the average fluorescence intensity of degraded myelin basic protein was significantly increased.The number of lba1+microglia increased,the contents of interleukin 1β,tumor necrosis factor α,and interleukin 6 in the brain increased,and the protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4,myeloid differentiation factor 88,and nuclear factor κB p65 increased significantly.The above symptoms and indexes of mice were reversed after hydroxysafflor yellow A treatment.(2)Hydroxysafflor yellow A significantly inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α,and interleukin 6 induced by lipopolysaccharide in BV2 microglia.(3)The above results demonstrate that hydroxysafflor yellow A can significantly improve cuprizone-induced demyelination in mice.The mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of microglial activation-mediated inflammatory response through the Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor κB p65 signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the association between nutritional status and serum hepcidin and pentraxin 3(PTX3)levels in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis(MHD).Methods A total of 76 patients with MHD who met the inclusion criteria were recruited from the hemodialysis center at the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University.Nutritional status was assessed using the Subjective Global Assessment(SGA),which categorizes patients into three grades:SGA-A,SGA-B,and SGA-C.Serum levels of PTX3 and hepcidin were mea-sured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software.One-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)was applied to compare differences across the three SGA groups.Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify influencing factors,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to evaluate diagnostic value.Among the participants,45 patients were classified as malnourished based on SGA-B and SGA-C scores,while those with SGA-A constituted the well-nourished control group.Results Among the 76 MHD patients,59.2%were malnourished.We then compared clinical characteristics across the three groups.The results showed that the malnourished group was older and exhibited significantly higher levels of hs-CRP,PTX3,and hepcidin(P<0.05),while serum albumin,creatinine,and phosphorus levels were significantly lower(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between SGA grades and hs-CRP,PTX3,and hepcidin levels(all P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis with"malnutrition"as the dependent variable indicated that elevated hs-CRP,PTX3,and hepcidin levels,along with age and male gender,were associated with increased risk of malnutrition in MHD patients,whereas higher serum phosphorus and creatinine levels were protec-tive factors.Further multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that serum PTX3 level was an independent risk factor for malnutrition(P=0.032),while higher creatinine level was an independent protective factor(P=0.047).ROC curve analysis showed that the combination of serum PTX3 and creatinine levels had a high diagnostic value for identifying malnutrition in MHD patients,yielding an AUC of 0.789(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.448,sensitivity of 77.8%,and specificity of 71.0%.Conclusions Elevated levels of PTX3 and hepcidin,along with reduced serum creatinine levels,are associated with an increased risk of malnutrition in patients undergoing MHD.Notably,elevated serum PTX3 and decreased serum creatinine independently predict malnutrition in this population and demonstrate high predictive value.

Objective:To investigate the anemia conditions and characteristics of iron metabolism during different stages of pregnancy in women with different genotypes of thalassemia.Methods:This cohort study selected 3 303 singleton pregnant women who underwent regular prenatal examinations and genetic tests of thalassemia and were delivered at Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from January 2019 to December 2023. According to the results of thalassemia gene testing, the women were divided into groups: those without thalassemia genes served as the control group (1 539 cases), and those with thalassemia genes (1 764 cases) were further divided based on genotype into the -α/αα group (326 cases), --/αα or -α/-α group (649 cases), point mutation α-thalassemia group (201 cases), β 0-thalassemia group (368 cases), β +-thalassemia group (91 cases), and α combined with β-thalassemia group (129 cases). Hemoglobin (Hb) and serum ferritin (SF) levels were measured in the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy. Differences in anemia and iron reserves among the groups at different pregnancy stages were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance, LSD test, Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test, and Bonferroni correction. Results:Compared to the first trimester, Hb levels decreased in the second and third trimester across all groups (LSD test, all P<0.05), and the severity of anemia increased (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.017). The severity of anemia varied among the groups at the same pregnancy stage ( Hfirst trimester=918.20, Hsecond trimester=1 224.50, Hthird trimester=980.19; all P<0.001), and Hb levels also differed ( Ffirst trimester=282.54, Fsecond trimester=352.31, Fthird trimester=239.02; all P<0.001). The β 0-thalassemia group had higher rates of moderate anemia in the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy [38.6% (142/368), 85.3% (314/368), and 73.6% (271/368)] compared to other groups (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.002), and lower Hb levels [(102.1±8.9), (92.0±7.3), and (94.6±7.7) g/L] than other groups (LSD test, all P<0.05). As pregnancy progresses, SF levels in each group of pregnant women gradually decreased (LSD test, all P<0.05), and the degree of iron deficiency worsened (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.05). The iron deficiency rate in thalassemia pregnant women during the third trimester ranges from 21.5% (79/368) to 46.0% (150/326). The degree of iron deficiency varies among groups within the same gestational period ( Hfirst trimester=79.13, Hsecond trimester=203.98, Hthird trimester=130.55; all P<0.001), and SF levels also differ ( Ffirst trimester=17.28, Fsecond trimester=44.60, Fthird trimester=31.87; all P<0.001). Among them, the β 0-thalassemia group had the lowest iron deficiency rates in the second, and third trimesters [9.8% (36/368), and 21.5% (79/368)] (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.002). SF levels in the β 0-thalassemia and β +-thalassemia groups were higher than those in other groups during each gestational period (LSD test, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Pregnant women with thalassemia may experience varying degrees of iron deficiency during pregnancy, with the severity of iron deficiency and anemia increasing with gestational age. The degree of iron deficiency and anemia during pregnancy varies among pregnant women with different genotypes of thalassemia. Clinically, individualized management should be provided for pregnant women with thalassemia based on their genotypes, with dynamic monitoring of anemia and iron metabolism changes.

Objective To explore the value of dual factor combined detection using tuberculosis(TB)specific cy-tokines interferon-γ(IFN-γ)and interleukin-2(IL-2)in TB diagnosis in patients with human immunodeficiency vi-rus(HIV)infection,and the influencing factors for underdiagnosis.Methods HIV-infected patients admitted to and underwent TB-related examination in the Department of Infectious Diseases in Hezhou People's Hospital from July 2022 to September 2024 were collected.According to the clinical diagnosis criteria,patients were divided into the HIV infection with TB group(HIV/TB group)and the HIV infection without TB group(control group).Diag-nostic efficacy of dual factor combined detection was evaluated.HIV/TB group was further divided into a true-posi-tive group and a false-negative group based on the detection results.The independent influencing factors for underdia-gnosis was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.Results A total of 306 patients were included in the analysis,with an average age of(55.69±14.02)years.There were 105 patients in the HIV/TB group and 201 in the control group.The sensitivity and specificity of dual factor combined detection for TB in all HIV-infected pa-tients were 72.4％(76/105)and 87.1％(175/201),respectively.There was a statistically significant difference in sensitivity(x2=9.488,P=0.009)and no statistically significant difference in specificity(x2=5.846,P=0.054)among the three CD4+T lymphocyte count gradients in the dual factor detection.Among them,patients with CD4+T cell count＜100 cells/μL had lower sensitivity(58.8％)in dual factor detection than patients with CD4+T cell count ≥200 cells/μL(88.9％)and 100-199 cells/μL(81.5％),differences were both statistically significant(both P＜0.05).In HIV/TB co-infected patients with CD4+T lymphocyte count ≥100 cells/μL,the general sensi-tivity and the specificity of dual factor combined detection were 85.2％(46/54)and 82.0％(91/111),respectively.Multivariate analysis showed that CD4+T lymphocyte count was an independent influencing factor for the underdia-gnosis in HIV/TB patients conducting dual factor combined detection(P＜0.05),while age,gender,pathogen re-sults,and the presence or absence of TB had no statistically significant impact on the results of dual factor combined detection(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Dual factor combined detection using tuberculosis-specific cytokines IFN-γand IL-2 has a high diagnostic value in the diagnosis of TB in HIV-infected patients,especially in those with CD4+T lymphocyte count ≥100/μL,which can provide auxiliary diagnostic value for the clinical diagnosis of HIV infection combined with TB.

Objective To investigate the association between nutritional status and serum hepcidin and pentraxin 3(PTX3)levels in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis(MHD).Methods A total of 76 patients with MHD who met the inclusion criteria were recruited from the hemodialysis center at the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University.Nutritional status was assessed using the Subjective Global Assessment(SGA),which categorizes patients into three grades:SGA-A,SGA-B,and SGA-C.Serum levels of PTX3 and hepcidin were mea-sured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software.One-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)was applied to compare differences across the three SGA groups.Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify influencing factors,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to evaluate diagnostic value.Among the participants,45 patients were classified as malnourished based on SGA-B and SGA-C scores,while those with SGA-A constituted the well-nourished control group.Results Among the 76 MHD patients,59.2%were malnourished.We then compared clinical characteristics across the three groups.The results showed that the malnourished group was older and exhibited significantly higher levels of hs-CRP,PTX3,and hepcidin(P<0.05),while serum albumin,creatinine,and phosphorus levels were significantly lower(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between SGA grades and hs-CRP,PTX3,and hepcidin levels(all P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis with"malnutrition"as the dependent variable indicated that elevated hs-CRP,PTX3,and hepcidin levels,along with age and male gender,were associated with increased risk of malnutrition in MHD patients,whereas higher serum phosphorus and creatinine levels were protec-tive factors.Further multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that serum PTX3 level was an independent risk factor for malnutrition(P=0.032),while higher creatinine level was an independent protective factor(P=0.047).ROC curve analysis showed that the combination of serum PTX3 and creatinine levels had a high diagnostic value for identifying malnutrition in MHD patients,yielding an AUC of 0.789(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.448,sensitivity of 77.8%,and specificity of 71.0%.Conclusions Elevated levels of PTX3 and hepcidin,along with reduced serum creatinine levels,are associated with an increased risk of malnutrition in patients undergoing MHD.Notably,elevated serum PTX3 and decreased serum creatinine independently predict malnutrition in this population and demonstrate high predictive value.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinically isolated Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021,and provide evidence for rational use of antimicrobial agents.Methods Data of H.influenzae and M.catarrhalis strains isolated from 2015 to 2021 in CHINET program were collected for analysis,and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion method or automated systems according to the uniform protocol of CHINET.The results were interpreted according to the CLSI breakpoints in 2022.Beta-lactamases was detected by using nitrocefin disk.Results From 2015 to 2021,a total of 43 642 strains of Haemophilus species were isolated,accounting for 2.91％of the total clinical isolates and 4.07％of Gram-negative bacteria in CHINET program.Among the 40 437 strains of H.influenzae,66.89％were isolated from children and 33.11％were isolated from adults.More than 90％of the H.influenzae strains were isolated from respiratory tract specimens.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 53.79％in H.influenzae strains.The H.influenzae strains isolated from children showed higher resistance rate than the strains isolated from adults.Overall,779 strains of H.influenzae did not produce β-lactamase but were resistant to ampicillin(BLNAR).Beta-lactamase-producing strains showed significantly higher resistance rates to these antimicrobial agents than the β-lactamase-nonproducing strains.Of the 16 191 M.catarrhalis strains,80.06％were isolated from children and 19.94％isolated from adults.M.catarrhalis strains were mostly susceptible to both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefuroxime,evidenced by resistance rate lower than 2.0％.Conclusions The emergence of antibiotic-resistant H.influenzae due to β-lactamase production poses a challenge for clinical anti-infective treatment.Therefore,it is very important to implement antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae and guide rational antibiotic use.All local clinical microbiology laboratories should actively improve antibiotic susceptibility testing and strengthen antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae.

Objective:To translate the Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire-6 (VQ6) into a Chinese version and to test its reliability and validity in patients with peripheral arterial disease.Methods:The English version of VQ6 scale was sinicized following the Brislin translation guidelines, and the Delphi consultation was used for cultural debugging to form the Chinese version of the VQ6. Convenience sampling was used to select 146 patients with peripheral arterial disease who attended the Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery and the Department of Endocrinology of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from May to June 2024 for the survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0. Correlation analysis and critical ratio method were used for item analysis and content validity index was used to evaluate content validity. The Chinese version of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 29 Profile V2.1 (PROMIS-29 Profile v2.1) was selected as a validity scale to evaluate the criterion-related validity. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the structural validity of the scale, and transgender test was used for measurement equivalence. Reliability of the scale was evaluated with the Cronbach's α coefficient and retest reliability index.Results:The Chinese version of the VQ6 scale had six items. The scale-level content validity index was 0.972, and the item-level content validity index ranged from 0.833 to 1.000. One common factor was extracted with a cumulative variance contribution of 83.526%. Criterion-related validity showed that the correlation coefficient between the Chinese version of the VQ6 and the PROMIS-29 Profile v2.1 was 0.688 ( P<0.01) . The scale essentially satisfied Δ RMSEA < 0.015 and Δ CFI < 0.01 in the transgender equivalence test. The Cronbach's α coefficient for the scale was 0.968 and the retest reliability was 0.978. Conclusions:The Chinese version of the VQ6 has good reliability and validity and is suitable as an assessment tool for quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease in our cultural context.