BACKGROUND: Based on the China-VHD database, this study sought to develop and validate a Valvular Heart Disease- specific Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index (VHD-ACI) for predicting mortality risk in patients with VHD. METHODS & RESULTS: The China-VHD study was a nationwide, multi-centre multi-centre cohort study enrolling 13,917 patients with moderate or severe VHD across 46 medical centres in China between April-June 2018. After excluding cases with missing key variables, 11,459 patients were retained for final analysis. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality, with 941 deaths (10.0%) observed during follow-up. The VHD-ACI was derived after identifying 13 independent mortality predictors: cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary artery hypertension, low body weight, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal insufficiency, moderate/severe hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, cancer, NYHA functional class and age. The index exhibited good discrimination (AUC, 0.79) and calibration (Brier score, 0.062) in the total cohort, outperforming both EuroSCORE II and ACCI (P < 0.001 for comparison). Internal validation through 100 bootstrap iterations yielded a C statistic of 0.694 (95% CI: 0.665-0.723) for 2-year mortality prediction. VHD-ACI scores, as a continuous variable (VHD-ACI score: adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.263 (1.245-1.282), P < 0.001) or categorized using thresholds determined by the Yoden index (VHD-ACI ≥ 9 vs. < 9, adjusted HR (95% CI): 6.216 (5.378-7.184), P < 0.001), were independently associated with mortality. The prognostic performance remained consistent across all VHD subtypes (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid valve disease, mixed aortic/mitral valve disease and multiple VHD), and clinical subgroups stratified by therapeutic strategy, LVEF status (preserved vs. reduced), disease severity and etiology. CONCLUSION The VHD-ACI is a simple 13-comorbidity algorithm for the prediction of mortality in VHD patients and providing a simple and rapid tool for risk stratification.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

In-depth study of the components of polymyxins is the key to controlling the quality of this class of antibiotics. Similarities and variations of components present significant analytical challenges. A two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometr (LC-MS) method was established for screening and comprehensive profiling of compositions of the antibiotic colistimethate sodium (CMS). A high concentration of phosphate buffer mobile phase was used in the first-dimensional LC system to get the components well separated. For efficient and high-accuracy screening of CMS, a targeted method based on a self-constructed high resolution (HR) mass spectrum database of CMS components was established. The database was built based on the commercial MassHunter Personal Compound Database and Library (PCDL) software and its accuracy of the compound matching result was verified with six known components before being applied to genuine sample screening. On this basis, the unknown peaks in the CMS chromatograms were deduced and assigned. The molecular formula, group composition, and origins of a total of 99 compounds, of which the combined area percentage accounted for more than 95% of CMS components, were deduced by this 2D-LC-MS method combined with the MassHunter PCDL. This profiling method was highly efficient and could distinguish hundreds of components within 3 h, providing reliable results for quality control of this kind of complex drugs.

Functional dyspepsia (FD), characterized by persistent or recurrent dyspeptic symptoms without identifiable organic, systemic or metabolic causes, is an increasingly recognized global health issue. The objective of this guideline is to equip clinicians and nursing professionals with evidence-based strategies for the management and treatment of adult patients with FD using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The Guideline Development Group consulted existing TCM consensus documents on FD and convened a panel of 35 clinicians to generate initial clinical queries. To address these queries, a systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, China Biology Medicine (SinoMed) Database, Wanfang Database, Traditional Medicine Research Data Expanded (TMRDE), and the Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (TCMLARS). The evidence from the literature was critically appraised using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The strength of the recommendations was ascertained through a consensus-building process involving TCM and allopathic medicine experts, methodologists, pharmacologists, nursing specialists, and health economists, leveraging their collective expertise and empirical knowledge. The guideline comprises a total of 43 evidence-informed recommendations that span a range of clinical aspects, including the pathogenesis according to TCM, diagnostic approaches, therapeutic interventions, efficacy assessments, and prognostic considerations. Please cite this article as: Zhang SS, Zhao LQ, Hou XH, Bian ZX, Zheng JH, Tian HH, Yang GH, Hong WS, He YY, Liu L, Shen H, Li YP, Xie S, Shu J, Zeng BF, Li JX, Liu Z, Xiao ZH, Xiao JD, Zheng PY, Huang SG, Chen SL, Fei GJ. International clinical practice guideline on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for functional dyspepsia (2025). J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):502-518.
Dyspepsia/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of bevacizumab injection combined with raltitrexed injection and irinotecan injection(TOMIRI)in the treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.Methods Patients with advanced colorectal cancer were divided into control group and treatment group according to the cohort method.The control group received 180 mg·m-2 irinotecan with intravenous infusion for 30 to 90 min on the first day+3 mg·m-2 raltitrexed with intravenous infusion for 15 min,once every three weeks.On the basis of control group,the treatment group was given 5 mg·kg-1 bevacizumab with intravenous infusion,once every three weeks.Two groups were treated for 4 cycles with 3 weeks per cycle.The clinical efficacy,lesion diameter,Karnofsky performance status(KPS),and adverse drug reactions were compared between two groups.Additionally,based on follow-up results,the progression-free survival(PFS)within 12 months was compared between the two groups.Results The treatment and control groups enrolled 53 patients.After treatment,the total effective rates of treatment and control groups were 83.02％(44 cases/53 cases)and 54.72％(29 cases/53 cases)with statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).After treatment,the tumor diameters of treatment and control groups were(2.44±0.30)and(3.35±0.38)cm;the KPS scores were(78.01±0.79)and(70.69±0.72)points;the PFS was(11.26±1.43)and(8.01±0.97)months,there were statistically significant differences of above indexes between two groups(all P＜0.05).The adverse drug reactions in the treatment group were anemia,abnormal liver and renal function,nausea and vomiting,and leukopenia,which in the control group were gastrointestinal reaction,nausea and vomiting,abnormal liver and kidney function,blood toxicity,anemia and skin rash.The total incidence of adverse drug reactions in treatment and control groups were 11.32％and 28.30％(P＞0.05).Conclusion Bevacizumab injection combined with TOMIRI can helps to enhance the clinical efficacy of advanced colorectal cancer and improve patients'quality of life,improve patient quality of life,prolong PFS,and without increasing the incidence of adverse drug reactions.

Objective The aim of this study is to explore the potential modulatory role of quercetin against Endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced septic cardiac dysfunction.Methods Specific pathogen-free chicken embryos (n = 120) were allocated untreated control, phosphate buffer solution (PBS) vehicle, PBS with ethanol vehicle, LPS (500 ng/egg), LPS with quercetin treatment (10, 20, or 40 nmol/egg, respectively), Quercetin groups (10, 20, or 40 nmol/egg). Fifteen-day-old embryonated eggs were inoculated with abovementioned solutions via the allantoic cavity. At embryonic day 19, the hearts of the embryos were collected for histopathological examination, RNA extraction, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical investigations, and Western blotting.Results They demonstrated that the heart presented inflammatory responses after LPS induction. The LPS-induced higher mRNA expressions of inflammation-related factors (TLR4, TNFα, MYD88, NF-κB1, IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-6, IL-10, p38, MMP3, and MMP9) were blocked by quercetin with three dosages. Quercetin significantly decreased immunopositivity to TLR4 and MMP9 in the treatment group when compared with the LPS group. Quercetin significantly decreased protein expressions of TLR4, IFNγ, MMP3, and MMP9 when compared with the LPS group. Quercetin treatment prevented LPS-induced increase in the mRNA expression of Claudin 1 and ZO-1, and significantly decreased protein expression of claudin 1 when compared with the LPS group. Quercetin significantly downregulated autophagy-related gene expressions (PPARα, SGLT1, APOA4, AMPKα1, AMPKα2, ATG5, ATG7, Beclin-1, and LC3B) and programmed cell death (Fas, Bcl-2, CASP1, CASP12, CASP3, and RIPK1) after LPS induction. Quercetin significantly decreased immunopositivity to APOA4, AMPKα2, and LC3-II/LC3-I in the treatment group when compared with the LPS group. Quercetin significantly decreased protein expressions of AMPKα1, LC3-I, and LC3-II. Quercetin significantly decreased the protein expression to CASP1 and CASP3 by immunohistochemical investigation or Western blotting in treatment group when compared with LPS group.Conclusion Quercetin alleviates cardiac inflammation induced by LPS through modulating autophagy, programmed cell death, and myocardiocytes permeability.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Objective To explore the effect of CircCSNK1G1 on the proliferation,apoptosis and migration of gastric cancer(GC)cells by regulating the miR-381-3p/S kinase-related protein 2(Skp2)axis.Methods HGC-27 cells were divided into non transfected group,si-NC group,si-CircCSNK1G1 group,si-CircCSNK1 G1+anti-miR-NC group,and si-CircCSNK1G1+anti-miR-381-3p group.The expressions of CircCSNK1G1,miR-381-3p and Skp2 mRNA in GC tumor tissues and GC cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR respectively;cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay;the number of cell clones was detected by clonogenic assay;apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry;cell migration and invasion ability were determined by transwell;the expression of E-cadherin and Vimentin was detected by Western Blot;and the targeting relationship among CircCSNK1G1,miR-381-3p and Skp2 was verified by double luciferase experiment.Results Compared with GES-1 in normal tissues adjacent to cancer and normal human gastric mucosal epithelial cells,the expression of CircCSNK1 G1 and Skp2 mRNA in GC tumor tissues and GC cell lines is high,and the expression of miR-381-3p is low(P＜0.05),and the expression level of miR-381-3p in HGC-27 cells is the lowest,and the expression level of CircCSNK1G1 and Skp2 mRNA is the highest,therefore,HGC-27 cells were selected and CircCSNK1G1 was knocked down for the experiment.Compared with untransfected group and si-CircCSNK1G1-NC group,transfection of si-CircCSNK1G1 could reduce the expression of CircCSNK1G1,Skp2 mRNA,cell proliferation activity,cell migration number,and the expression of Vimentin protein in HGC-27 cells(P＜0.05),the expression of miR-381-3p,apoptosis rate,and the expression of E-cadherin protein were increased(P＜0.05).The double luciferase experiment verified that CircCSNK1G1 and Skp2 had a targeting relationship with miR-381-3p,moreover,CircCSNK1G1 could be used as sponge RNA of miR-381-3p to further regulate the expression and activity of Skp2.Conclusion Knockdown of CircCSNK1G1 can target up-regulate the expression of miR-381-3p,and inhibit the expression of Skp2,thus promoting the apoptosis of GC cells,and inhibiting their proliferation and migration.

Objective:To investigate the application value of transanal intersphincteric resec-tion under direct vision in the Jackknife position in the anal preserving surgery for ultra-low rectal cancer.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 15 patients with ultra-low rectal cancer who underwent transanal intersphincteric resection under direct vision in the Jackknife position, combined with laparoscopic total mesorectal excision in Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital from September 2021 to November 2022 were collected. There were 9 males and 6 females, aged (63±9)years. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Surgical and postoperative outcomes. All the 15 patients underwent operations successfully, without conversion to open abdo-minal operation. There were 5 cases of partial ISR and 10 cases of subtotal ISR. The operation time and volume of intraoperative blood loss of 15 patients were (260±30)minutes and 20(range, 10-30)mL, respectively. The distance from anastomosis to anal margin was (1.6±0.8)cm. The duration of post-operative hospital stay was 10(range, 8-13)days, and all 15 patients underwent colonic and anasto-mosis with staplers and protective ileostomy at the terminal ileum. Three patients had postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery, of whom 1 case with grade A anastomotic leakage was cured after conservative treatment and 2 cases with anastomotic membranous stenosis were cured by anal enlargement. (2) Postoperative pathological examination. The number of lymph nodes dissected of 15 patients was 18 ±6, and the distance between the tumor and distal resection margin was 1.3(range, 1.0-2.0)cm. The surgical specimens of all 15 patients showed complete mesorectum and negative for proximal, distal and circumferential margins. Results of postoperative pathological examination showed that there was 1 case in stage pT1N0M0, 9 cases in stage pT2N0M0, 1 case in stage pT2N1M0, 1 case in stage ypT0N0M0, 2 cases in stage ypT2N0M0, 1 case in ypT3N1M0 stage. The histological subtype showed 11 cases of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and 4 cases of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. (3) Follow-up. All 15 patients were followed up for 15(range, 12-24)months. No local recurrence and distant metastasis of the tumor was found, and no tumor-related death occurred. All 15 patients underwent stoma closure. The postoperative anal function assessment of 15 patients showed no disorder in 5 cases, mild disorder in 8 cases and severe disorder in 2 cases.Conclusion:Transanal intersphincteric resection under direct vision in the Jackknife position in the anal preserving surgery for ultra-low rectal cancer is safe and feasible.