This paper systematically reviews the current status of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori （Hp） infection， as well as recent progress in clinical and basic research both in China and internationally. It summarizes the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in Hp infection management， including improving Hp eradication rates， enhancing antibiotic sensitivity， reducing antimicrobial resistance， decreasing drug-related adverse effects， and ameliorating gastric mucosal lesions. These advantages are particularly evident in patients who are intolerant to bismuth-containing regimens， those with refractory Hp infection， and individuals with precancerous gastric lesions. An integrated， whole-process management approach and individualized， staged comprehensive treatment strategies combining TCM and western medicine are proposed for Hp infection. Future prevention and control of Hp infection should adopt an integrative Chinese-western medical strategy， emphasizing prevention， strengthening primary care， implementing proactive long-term monitoring， optimizing screening strategies， and advancing the development of novel technologies and mechanistic studies of Chinese herbal interventions. These efforts aim to provide a theoretical basis and practical pathways for the establishment and improvement of Hp infection prevention and control systems.

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.

Objective: Neuronal apoptosis is considered to be a critical process in spinal cord injury (SCI). Despite growing evidence of the antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and modulation of ischemic injury tolerance effects of extracellular ubiquitin (eUb), existing studies have paid less attention to the impact of eUb in neurological injury disorders, particularly in SCI. This study aimed to investigate whether eUb can play a protective role in neurons, both in vitro and in vivo, and explores the underlying mechanisms. Methods: By utilizing an oxygen glucose deprivation cellular model and a SCI rat model, we firstly investigated the therapeutic effects of eUb on SCI and further explored its effects on neuronal autophagy and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis-related indicators, as well as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mechanical target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Results: In the SCI models both in vivo and in vitro, early intervention with eUb enhanced neuronal autophagy and inhibited mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, significantly mitigating SCI. Further studies had shown that this protective effect of eUb was mediated through its receptor, CXC chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4). Additionally, eUb-enhanced autophagy and antiapoptotic effects were possibly associated with inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Conclusion In summary, the study demonstrates that early eUb intervention can enhance autophagy and inhibit mitochondrial apoptotic pathways via CXCR4, protecting neurons and promoting SCI repair.

Background: Normalized creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio (NCCR) was reported to approximate relative skeletal muscle mass and diabetes risk. However, the association between NCCR and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) remains elusive. This study aimed to explore their relationship in a large-scale prospective cohort. Methods: This study included 5,849 middle-age and older participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) enrolled between 2011 and 2012. The baseline NCCR was determined as creatinine (mg/dL)/cystatin C (mg/L)×10/body mass (kg). CMM was defined as the simultaneous occurrence of two or more of the following conditions: heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were employed to estimate the relationship between NCCR and CMM. The joint effect of body mass index and NCCR on the risk of CMM were further analyzed. Results: During a median 4-year follow-up, 227 (3.9%) participants developed CMM. The risk of CMM was significantly decreased with per standard deviation increase of NCCR (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.62 to 0.85) after adjustment for confounders (P<0.001). Further sex-specific analysis found significant negative associations between NCCR and CMM in female either without or with one CMM component at baseline, which was attenuated in males but remained statistically significant among those with one basal CMM component. Notably, non-obese individuals with high NCCR levels had the lowest CMM risk compared to obese counterparts with low NCCR levels in both genders. Conclusion High NCCR was independently associated with reduced risk of CMM in middle-aged and older adults in China, particularly females.

Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a member of the human lipocalin family, has been demonstrated to be closely associated with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and renal disorders. Recent studies have indicated that LCN2 plays a significant regulatory role in the pathogenesis and progression of various neurological diseases by mediating pathways such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis. This article reviews the research advancements on the mechanism of LCN2 in neurological disorders, including cerebrovascular diseases, cognitive impairment disorders, Parkinson's disease, depression, and anxiety disorders, aiming to enhance clinical understanding.

Objective To analyze the relationship of total imaging burden score with blood pressure variability(BPV)and cognitive function in elderly patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD).Methods Clinical data of 182 elderly CSVD patients admitted in our hospital from December 2022 to January 2024 were collected and analyzed retrospectively.According to the results of Chinese Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of CSVD-Related Cognitive Dysfunc-tion(2019),Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)and other tools for their cognitive impair-ment,they were divided into cognitively impaired group(76 cases)and cognitively normal group(106 cases).The total burden score and BPV indicators[24 h systolic blood pressure coefficient of variation(24 h SBPCV),24 h diastolic blood pressure coefficient of variation(24 h DBPCV)]were compared between the two groups.ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of total burden score,24 h SBPCV and 24 h DBPCV on cognitive impairment in elderly CSVD patients.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of cognitive impairment in the patients.Based on the MoCA score of the cognitively impaired group,these pa-tients were further assigned into mild and moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment subgroups[with a MoCA score of 18-25(43 cases)and＜18(33 cases),respectively].Then the total burden score,24 h SBPCV and 24 h DBPCV were compared between the two subgroups.Pearson correla-tion coefficient was adopted to evaluate the correlation of severity of cognitive impairment with total burden score,24 h SBPCV and 24 h DBPCV in the elderly CSVD patients.Results The total burden score,24 h SBPCV and 24 h DBPCV were significantly higher in the cognitively impaired group than the cognitively normal group(P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis indicated that total bur-den score(AUC=0.953,95％CI:0.926-0.980,P=0.000),24 h SBPCV(AUC=0.850,95％CI:0.795-0.906,P=0.000)and 24 h DBPCV(AUC=0.761,95％CI:0.690-0.832,P=0.000)had good diagnostic efficiency for cognitive impairment in the elderly CSVD patients,with a cut-off value of 1.5,11.82％,and 8.92％,respectively.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the above three indicators were risk factors for cognitive impairment in the elderly patients with CSVD(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Their values were significantly lower in the mild than the moder-ate-to-severe cognitive impairment subgroups(P＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis displayed that MoCA score was negatively correlated with total burden score,24 h SBPCV and 24 h DBPCV in elderly patients with CSVD(r=-0.755,-0.632,-0.601,P＜0.01).Conclusion Detection of total burden score and BPV indicators is beneficial to the assessment of cognitive impairment in elderly CSVD patients.The higher the total burden score and the greater the BPV indicators,the more severe the cognitive impairment is,which may explore new ideas for clinical diagnosis and treatment of CSVD.

Objective:To analyze the diagnostic value of bedside capsule endoscopy in patients with acute or severe gastrointestinal bleeding.Methods:Clinical data from patients who underwent bedside capsule endoscopy due to acute or severe suspected gastrointestinal bleeding in Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from June 2018 to September 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The efficacy of capsule endoscopy in detecting upper gastrointestinal tract and small intestinal bleeding was evaluated.Results:A total of 74 patients underwent bedside capsule endoscopy for suspected acute or severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Five patients were excluded due to failure of examination due to retention of capsule endoscope in the gastric lumen, and 69 were included in the study, of whom 54 patients with a definitive diagnosis of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The positive detection rate of the capsule endoscopy was 83.33% (45/54), including 17 cases of ulcer, 5 cases of erosion, 5 cases of vascular malformation, 4 protrusion mass, 4 diverticulum, 5 obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, 1 stenosis , 1 active mucosal blood exudation, 1 gastric retention, 1 mucosal swelling, and 1 mucosal wrinkle change. The sensitivity and specificity of capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding were 92.31% (12/13) and 75.00% (3/4) respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of capsule endoscopy for diagnosing small intestinal bleeding were 80.49% (33/41) and 90.91% (10/11) respectively.Conclusion:Bedside capsule endoscopy demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding, showing potential advantages in bedside applications for acute and severe gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: Normalized creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio (NCCR) was reported to approximate relative skeletal muscle mass and diabetes risk. However, the association between NCCR and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) remains elusive. This study aimed to explore their relationship in a large-scale prospective cohort. Methods: This study included 5,849 middle-age and older participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) enrolled between 2011 and 2012. The baseline NCCR was determined as creatinine (mg/dL)/cystatin C (mg/L)×10/body mass (kg). CMM was defined as the simultaneous occurrence of two or more of the following conditions: heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were employed to estimate the relationship between NCCR and CMM. The joint effect of body mass index and NCCR on the risk of CMM were further analyzed. Results: During a median 4-year follow-up, 227 (3.9%) participants developed CMM. The risk of CMM was significantly decreased with per standard deviation increase of NCCR (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.62 to 0.85) after adjustment for confounders (P<0.001). Further sex-specific analysis found significant negative associations between NCCR and CMM in female either without or with one CMM component at baseline, which was attenuated in males but remained statistically significant among those with one basal CMM component. Notably, non-obese individuals with high NCCR levels had the lowest CMM risk compared to obese counterparts with low NCCR levels in both genders. Conclusion High NCCR was independently associated with reduced risk of CMM in middle-aged and older adults in China, particularly females.

Objective: Neuronal apoptosis is considered to be a critical process in spinal cord injury (SCI). Despite growing evidence of the antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and modulation of ischemic injury tolerance effects of extracellular ubiquitin (eUb), existing studies have paid less attention to the impact of eUb in neurological injury disorders, particularly in SCI. This study aimed to investigate whether eUb can play a protective role in neurons, both in vitro and in vivo, and explores the underlying mechanisms. Methods: By utilizing an oxygen glucose deprivation cellular model and a SCI rat model, we firstly investigated the therapeutic effects of eUb on SCI and further explored its effects on neuronal autophagy and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis-related indicators, as well as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mechanical target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Results: In the SCI models both in vivo and in vitro, early intervention with eUb enhanced neuronal autophagy and inhibited mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, significantly mitigating SCI. Further studies had shown that this protective effect of eUb was mediated through its receptor, CXC chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4). Additionally, eUb-enhanced autophagy and antiapoptotic effects were possibly associated with inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Conclusion In summary, the study demonstrates that early eUb intervention can enhance autophagy and inhibit mitochondrial apoptotic pathways via CXCR4, protecting neurons and promoting SCI repair.

Background: Normalized creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio (NCCR) was reported to approximate relative skeletal muscle mass and diabetes risk. However, the association between NCCR and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) remains elusive. This study aimed to explore their relationship in a large-scale prospective cohort. Methods: This study included 5,849 middle-age and older participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) enrolled between 2011 and 2012. The baseline NCCR was determined as creatinine (mg/dL)/cystatin C (mg/L)×10/body mass (kg). CMM was defined as the simultaneous occurrence of two or more of the following conditions: heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were employed to estimate the relationship between NCCR and CMM. The joint effect of body mass index and NCCR on the risk of CMM were further analyzed. Results: During a median 4-year follow-up, 227 (3.9%) participants developed CMM. The risk of CMM was significantly decreased with per standard deviation increase of NCCR (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.62 to 0.85) after adjustment for confounders (P<0.001). Further sex-specific analysis found significant negative associations between NCCR and CMM in female either without or with one CMM component at baseline, which was attenuated in males but remained statistically significant among those with one basal CMM component. Notably, non-obese individuals with high NCCR levels had the lowest CMM risk compared to obese counterparts with low NCCR levels in both genders. Conclusion High NCCR was independently associated with reduced risk of CMM in middle-aged and older adults in China, particularly females.