Objective: To determine the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Piwei Peiyuan Pill (PPP) combined with moxibustion for treating patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome. Methods: Ninety-six CAG patients with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled at the Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from June 2022 to December 2023. The patients were randomly divided into a control, a Chinese medicine, and a combined group using a random number table method, with 32 cases in each group (two cases per group were excluded). The control group was treated with rabeprazole combined with folic acid tablets (both thrice daily), the Chinese medicine group was treated with PPP (8 g, thrice daily), and the combined group was treated with moxa stick moxibustion (once daily) on the basis of the Chinese medicine group for 12 consecutive weeks. Gastric mucosa atrophy in the three groups was observed before and after treatment. The gastric mucosal pathological score was evaluated. The Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) scale was used to evaluate the patients′ physical and mental health status and quality of life.An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-37, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels in each group. Real-time fluorescence PCR was used to detect the relative expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mRNA in each group. Western blotting was used to detect the relative expression levels of proteins related to the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway, and the adverse drug reactions and events were recorded and compared. Results: There was no statistical difference in age, gender, disease duration, family history of gastrointestinal tumors, alcohol consumption history, and body mass index among the three groups of patients.The total therapeutic efficacy rates of the control, Chinese medicine, and combined groups in treating gastric mucosal atrophy were 66.67% (20/30), 86.67% (26/30), and 90.00% (27/30), respectively (P<0.05). Compared to before treatment, the pathological and PRO scale scores of gastric mucosa in each group decreased after treatment, and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-37, and TGF-β levels decreased. The relative STAT3 and mTOR mRNA expression levels, as well as the relative STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels decreased (P<0.05), whereas the IL-4 and IL-10 levels increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared to the control group, the pathological score of gastric mucosa, PRO scale score, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-37, TGF-β content, relative STAT3 and mTOR mRNA expression levels, and relative STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels in the Chinese medicine and combined groups after treatment were reduced (P<0.05), whereas the IL-4 and IL-10 levels increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared to the Chinese medicine group, the combined group showed a decrease in relative STAT3, mTOR mRNA expression levels, and STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels (P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of PPP and moxibustion may regulate the inflammatory mechanism of the body by inhibiting the abnormal activation of the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway, upregulating related anti-inflammatory factor levels, downregulating pro-inflammatory factor expression, and increasing related repair factor expression, thereby promoting the recovery of atrophic gastric mucosa, reducing discomfort symptoms, and improving the physical and mental state of CAG patients with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome.

Aim To investigate the regulatory effects of chlorogenic acid(CGA)on mitochondrial autophagy and inflammation in ox-LDL induced foam cells through PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway.Methods RAW264.7 macrophages were divided into the control group,model group,CGA-L group,CGA-M group,CGA-H group and CGA-H+Mdi group.Oil red O method was used to identify cell foam.The intervention concentration of CGA was determined by CCK-8 meth-od.The mitochondrial structure was observed by trans-mission electron microscope.The expression of IL-1 β,IL-18 and IFN-γ was detected by ELISA.The expres-sion of genes and proteins associated with PINK1/Par-kin mitochondrial autophagy pathway was detected by qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence labeling.Results Oil red O staining showed that the foam cell model was successfully prepared.Compared with the model group,mitochondrial damage was significantly reduced after CGA intervention at different concentrations,and the expressions of PINK1,Parkin,p-Parkin,PHB2 and LC3 Ⅱ were induced,while the expression of TOMM20 was inhibited.The expressions of IL-1 β,IL-18 and IFN-γ decreased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with the CGA-H group,the CGA-H+Mdi group significantly increased mitochondrial damage,in-hibited the expression of PINK1,Parkin,p-Parkin,PHB2,LC3 Ⅱ,induced the expression of TOMM20,and enhanced the expression of IL-1 β,IL-18,IFN-γ(P＜0.01).Conclusions CGA can induce mitochon-drial autophagy in foam cells by regulating PINK1/Par-kin pathway and inhibit the overexpression of pro-in-flammatory factors IL-1 β,IL-18 and IFN-y,which may be one of the anti-atherosclerosis mechanisms of CGA.

The purpose of this study was to identify the tick species native to Xindi Township,Yumin County,Xinjiang,China.Preliminary morphological identification of parasitic ticks collected from animals in the area was conducted with an ultra-depth of field three-dimensional VHX 600 digital stereo microscope.Total DNA of the ticks was extracted,amplified by PCR based on the COI and ITS2 gene loci,and the posi-tive PCR products were sequenced.The sequence were a-ligned with reference sequences from the NCBI database were aligned with the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool.A genet-ic phylogenetic tree was generated with the neighbor-joining method of MEGA 7.0 software to determine the evolutionary biological characteristics of ticks.Morphological identification showed that the ticks collected from Xindi Township of Yu-min County were consistent with the characteristics of Hya-lomma asiaticum.An evolutionary tree based on the COI and ITS2 gene sequences showed that the ticks collected in this study were clustered with known H.asiaticum sequences.The PCR products of COI and ITS2 were sequenced and compared,which confirmed that the collected tick species were H.asiaticum,in agreement with the morphological and molecular biological results.These findings help to clarify the distribution of ticks in Xindi Township of Xinjiang,and provide basic data for the analysis of tick genetic and evolutionary characteristics,as reference for surveillance and control of ticks in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

This study was aimed at comparing performance differences among three metagenomic sequencing platforms,MGISEQ-2000,Illumina NextSeq 2000,and Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus,to optimize the sequencing process for trace samples.The three sequencing platforms were used to perform high-throughput sequencing on DNA standards and simulated samples.Through analysis of the quality of raw data and microbial detection capabilities,systematic differences among platforms were compared.The sequencing results were optimized for trace samples by incorporation of exogenous nucleic acids during the li-brary preparation process.In terms of data output per batch and base quality,MGISEQ-2000 surpassed the other two plat-forms.Illumina NextSeq 2000 had the lowest proportion of duplicate reads,whereas Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus had the highest proportion,and significant differences were observed across platforms(P＜0.001).In sequencing uniformity,MGISEQ-2000 and Illumina NextSeq 2000 were superior to Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus.MGISEQ-2000 provided a substantial advantage in microbial detection capability(P＜0.001),but the advantage diminished with decreasing bacterial fluid concentration.Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus had the shortest duration for single-batch sequencing.Moreo-ver,for trace samples with DNA content ≤0.05 ng,the experi-mental group(with added exogenous nucleic acids)achieved a higher number of reads than the control group(without exogenous nucleic acids),with a 11.09±8.03 fold increase.In conclu-sion,the different sequencing platforms each had advantages and disadvantages,thus allowing researchers to choose the appro-priate platform according to specific needs.Furthermore,the addition of exogenous nucleic acids improved the microorganism detection efficiency,and provided better support for subsequent diagnosis and evaluation of results.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Objective:To construct an estimating equation to accurately reflect the aging phenomenon of the glomerular filtration rate(GFR).Methods:Healthy subjects receiving physical examinations at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2017 and April 2018 were included in the study, and the aging phenomenon of renal function indicators such as serum creatinine(Scr)was used as the reference standard to evaluate the accuracy of four Scr-based GFR equations during GFR aging, including the full age spectrum(FAS)equation, the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration(CKD-EPI)equation, the Osaka equation and the Xiangya equation.Results:Of 37 636 individuals receiving physical examinations, 6 534 met the criteria specified in this study.Scr, serum urea nitrogen, serum uric acid, and serum albumin showed a significant aging phenomenon( H=191.640, 196.693, 83.271, 414.585, P<0.001 for all).The GFR estimated by the four equations all decreased with aging, but the starting point and rate of decline were significantly different.The GFR aging phenomenon estimated by the FAS equation was closer to the trend of renal function indicators. Conclusions:The FAS equation may be more applicable to healthy people to understand the aging phenomenon of GFR.

AIM To explore the clinical effects of Shiyan Prescription on patients with ulcerative colitis due to Bowel Dampness-Heat Stagnation.METHODS Eighty-two patients were randomly assigned into control group(41 cases)for 8-week administration of Mesalazin Enteric-coated Tablets,and observation group(41 cases)for 8-week administration of both Shiyan Prescription and Enteric-coated Tablets.The changes in clinical effects,TCM syndrome scores,serum inflammatory factors(interleukin-6,interleukin-22,interleukin-33),intestinal mucosal barrier function indices(diamine oxidase,D-lactic acid,endotoxin),intestinal flora(Escherichia coli,Enterococcus,Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus)and GQOLI-74 scores were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased TCM syndrome scores,serum inflammatory factors,intestinal mucosal barrier function indices(P＜0.05),increased GQOLI-74 scores(P＜0.05),reduced Enterococcus(P＜0.05),and enhanced Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with ulcerative colitis due to Bowel Dampness-Heat Stagnation,Shiyan Prescription can enhance life quality with obvious clinical effects.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Objective To investigate effects of calycosin(CA)on cigarette smoke(CS)induced airway epithelial cell damage in mice and the sirtuin 3/superoxide dismutase 2(SIRT3/SOD2)signaling pathway in mice.Methods A total of 90 mice were randomly separated into the control group,the cigarette smoke(CS)group,the CA low-dose treatment group(CA-L group),the CA high-dose treatment group(CA-H group)and the CA high-dose treatment plus SIRT3 inhibitor 3-TYP group(CA-H+3-TYP group),with 18 mice in each group.Tidal volume(TV)and peak expiratory flow rate(PEF)of lung function were detected by whole body plethysmography system.Serum levels of inflammatory factors[interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]and oxidative stress indicators[reactive oxygen species(ROS),SOD]were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The injury of airway epithelial cells in lung tissue was observed by HE staining.The expression levels of barrier related proteins(OCLN and ZO-1)in airway epithelial cells were detected by immunohistochemistry.Immunoblotting was applied to detect the expression of SIRT3/SOD2 signaling pathway related proteins.Results Compared with the control group,levels of TV,PEF,MAN and SOD and the expression levels of OCLN,ZO-1,SIRT3 and SOD2 were decreased in the CS group,while the levels of MLI,IL-6,TNF-α and ROS were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the lung tissue structure was significantly damaged,the alveolar enlargement was obvious,the surrounding alveolar was accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration,and the airway epithelial cells were obviously shed in the CS group.Different doses of CA alleviated lung tissue destruction,improved alveolar structure,reduced inflammatory cell infiltration,reduced airway epithelial cell shedding,increased levels of TV,PEF,MAN,SOD and OCLN,ZO-1,SIRT3 and SOD2,and decreased levels of MLI,IL-6,TNF-α and ROS.The effect of high dose CA was more significant than that of low dose CA(P＜0.05).SIRT3/SOD2 signaling pathway inhibitor 3-TYP partially reversed the ameliorative effect of CA on CS induced airway epithelial cell injury in mice.Conclusion CA can ameliorate CS induced airway epithelial cell damage in mice,and its mechanism is related to the activation of the SIRT3/SOD2 signaling pathway.