Machado-Joseph disease, or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), represents the most common autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia worldwide. Despite its progressive and debilitating nature, disease-modifying therapies remain elusive. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive intervention; however, its clinical application has been hindered by inconsistent protocols and a lack of mechanistic understanding. A recent landmark study published in Brain Stimulation by Chen et al. addressed these challenges by combining a high-dose intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) protocol with concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography (TMS-EEG). This commentary provides an in-depth analysis of their findings, highlighting the restoration of cerebello-cortical inhibition (CBI) as a key therapeutic mechanism. Furthermore, we discuss the broader implications of this work, proposing that future translational research should integrate accelerated iTBS (aiTBS) paradigms, cortical response measurements (CRM), and individualized neuro-navigation to establish a new era of precision neuromodulation for ataxia.

Machado-Joseph disease, or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), represents the most common autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia worldwide. Despite its progressive and debilitating nature, disease-modifying therapies remain elusive. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive intervention; however, its clinical application has been hindered by inconsistent protocols and a lack of mechanistic understanding. A recent landmark study published in Brain Stimulation by Chen et al. addressed these challenges by combining a high-dose intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) protocol with concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography (TMS-EEG). This commentary provides an in-depth analysis of their findings, highlighting the restoration of cerebello-cortical inhibition (CBI) as a key therapeutic mechanism. Furthermore, we discuss the broader implications of this work, proposing that future translational research should integrate accelerated iTBS (aiTBS) paradigms, cortical response measurements (CRM), and individualized neuro-navigation to establish a new era of precision neuromodulation for ataxia.

Objective: To optimize the technology and process for recovering immune cells from discarded leukocyte filter through reverse flushing, and to investigate the effects of different reverse flushing solutions and physical conditions (temperature, soaking, and ultrasound) on the cell recovery rate. Additionally, to evaluate the feasibility and quality of isolating and culturing NK cells from the recovered cells. Methods: Normal saline, PBS, and PBS-EDTA were used as reverse flushing solutions to backwash the filter, and the white blood cell recovery rates were compared. The reverse flushing efficiency was optimized by adjusting the temperature of the reverse flushing solution, filter soaking treatment and ultrasonic treatment. The Ficoll separation method was employed to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the elution solution and conduct in vitro expansion and culture. Lymphocyte subsets were identified and quantified using flow cytometry. Results: The physiological saline served as the backflush fluid was the most stable. The reverse temperature had a significant impact on the recovery rate of white blood cell subgroups. The recovery rates of lymphocytes and monocytes at 37℃ were significantly higher than those at 4℃ [(35.56±5.55)% vs (22.88±0.31)%, (32.42±4.82)% vs (8.00±1.6)%, t=5.581 and 5.758, respectively, both P<0.001)], and at 25℃ [(35.56±5.55)% vs (22.42±6.13)%, t=5.904, P<0.001; (32.4±4.82)% vs (21.11±1.23)%, t=2.629, P=0.030)]. The recovery rates of white blood cell subgroups after 37℃ immersion were higher than those after direct reverse flow at 37℃, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The recovery rate of cells after ultrasonic immersion at 25℃ was further increased compared to that after immersion at 25℃, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The purity of the NK cells obtained through sorting reached (94.2±4.5)%, and the viability was (94.8±0.9)%. After 15 days of culture, the cell count was expanded approximately 450 times, yielding more than 10 /mL highly active NK cells. Conclusion: By optimizing the backflushing process, immune cells can be efficiently recovered from discarded filters. The 37℃ backflow liquid has the best backflow effect; soaking and ultrasonic treatment can be used as auxiliary methods to improve recovery rates. The NK cells from this source have high purity, good activity, and strong expansion ability, and can be used as a reliable cell source for immunotherapy research, and in line with the circular economy concept of resource reuse.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Chaihu anxin capsules in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression， analyze the influencing factors of its efficacy, construct a nomogram prediction model.METHODS Patients with mild-to-moderate depression treated at The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from May 1， 2023 to March 10， 2025 were retrospectively included and categorized into Chaihu anxin capsules group and milnacipran group according to treatment regimen. Propensity score matching （PSM） was used to balance baseline characteristics， and treatment efficacy was compared after 8 weeks， including 24 Hamilton Depression Scale （HAMD-24） scores and changes， Hamilton Anxiety Scale （HAMA） scores and changes， and treatment response rate after 8 weeks of treatment. Patients receiving Chaihu anxin capsules were further classified as responders or non-responders based on the occurrence of treatment response. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the influencing factors of treatment response， and a nomogram model was constructed to predict the probability of treatment response， its predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves， calibration curves， and decision curve analysis.RESULTS A total of 297 patients were included before PSM， including 196 patients in the Chaihu anxin capsules group and 101 patients in the milnacipran group. After PSM， each group included 44 patients. After PSM， the HAMD-24 scores and HAMA scores at 8 weeks after treatment in the Chaihu anxin capsules group， as well as the HAMD-24 scores in the milnacipran group， were significantly lower than their respective baseline values （ P ＜0.05）； the change in HAMA score in the Chaihu anxin capsules group was significantly greater than that in the milnacipran group （ P ＝0.04）. Multivariable Logistic regression identified age， total bilirubin， and baseline HAMD-24 score as independent predictors of treatment response （ P ＜0.05）. The area under the ROC curve of the constructed nomogram prediction model was 0.72 （95% confidence interval： 0.637-0.799）， and the corrected Brier score was 0.143 （95% confidence interval： 0.112-0.176）； compared with the “all intervention” and “all non intervention” strategies， applying this nomogram prediction model could achieve higher net benefits within the threshold probability range of 8% to 37%.CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of Chaihu anxin capsules in improving mild-to-moderate depression is comparable to that of milnacipran， and it has certain advantages in improving anxiety symptoms； age， total bilirubin， and baseline HAMD-24 score are independent influencing factors for the treatment response of Chaihu anxin capsules. The nomogram prediction model constructed based on these factors has good discrimination， calibration， and clinical applicability.

Objective: To analyze serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level and its influencing factors among female undergoing premarital and preconception examinations, so as to provide the evidence for optimizing reproductive health management measures. Methods: Female who received free premarital and preconception examinations and voluntarily underwent serum AMH testing at Women and Children's Health Center of Gongshu District, Hangzhou City from January 2022 to April 2025 were selected as study subjects. Demographic information and reproductive history were collected through questionnaire survey. Venous blood was collected to detect thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), alanine aminotransferase, hemoglobin (Hb), and AMH levels. The original AMH values did not follow a normal distribution, but followed a normal distribution after natural logarithm transformation, recorded as ln (AMH). Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between variables, and multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for ln (AMH) levels among female undergoing premarital and preconception examinations. Results: A total of 1 073 females undergoing premarital and preconception examinations were surveyed, with a mean age of (29.43±3.30) years. There were 959 females without pregnancy (89.38%) and 1 042 females without full-term live birth history (97.11%). The median AMH level was 3.85 (interquartile range, 3.63) ng/mL, and the mean ln (AMH) level was 1.27±0.75. The ln (AMH) levels were higher in females without pregnancy and without full-term live birth history (both P<0.05). The ln (AMH) level was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.260) and TSH (r=-0.093), and positively correlated with Hb (r=-0.260, -0.093, and 0.073, all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age (β′=-0.253) and TSH (β′=-0.103) were statistically associated with ln (AMH) levels among female undergoing premarital and preconception examinations (both P<0.05). The associations of other variables with ln (AMH) levels were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Conclusions Age and TSH level are influencing factors for AMH levels among female undergoing premarital and preconception examinations. AMH levels among female undergoing premarital and preconception examinations decrease with increasing age and increasing TSH level.

Objective: To investigate the trend in incidence and change in age at onset of malignant tumor in cancer registration areas of Jiangsu Province from 2009 to 2021, so as to provide the evidence for formulating cancer prevention and control strategies and optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources. Methods: Incidence data of malignant tumor cases from 2009 to 2021 were collected from the aggregated database of 16 qualified cancer registries of Jiangsu Province. The crude incidence, age-specific incidence, average age at onset, proportion of age-specific incidence, and proportion of incidence in cases aged ≥60 years were calculated by genders and urban/rural areas, and age-standardized using the Segi's world standard population. The trend in incidence of malignant tumor from 2009 to 2021 was evaluated using average annual percent change (AAPC). The trend in average age at onset of malignant tumor from 2009 to 2021 was evaluated using the linear regression model. Results: From 2009 to 2021, a total of 703 185 cases of malignant tumor were reported in Jiangsu Province, comprising 400 970 males and 302 215 females. The crude incidence of malignant tumor increased from 268.26/100 000 in 2009 to 380.97/100 000 in 2021 (AAPC=2.880%, P<0.05). From 2009 to 2021, the world population-standardized incidence of malignant tumor showed upward trends in the total population, females, and urban and rural areas (AAPC=0.635%, 2.332%, 0.795%, and 0.385%, all P<0.05), while a downward trend was observed in males (AAPC=-0.608%, P<0.05). From 2009 to 2021, the crude incidence of malignant tumor in the groups aged 0-<30 years, 30-<40 years, 40-<50 years, 60-<70 years, and ≥80 years showed upward trends (AAPC=3.160%, 4.462%, 1.295%, 0.569%, and 1.496%, all P<0.05), a downward trend was found in the group aged 50-<60 years (AAPC=-0.860%, P<0.05), while no statistically significant trend was observed in the group aged 70-<80 years (P>0.05). The world population-standardized average age at onset showed downward trends in the total population, females, and urban areas, with average annual decreases of 0.085, 0.223, and 0.136 years, respectively (all P<0.05). Conversely, an upward trend was observed in males, with an average annual increase of 0.081 years (P<0.05). No statistically significant trend was found in rural areas (P>0.05). Compared with 2009, the proportion of malignant tumor incidence cases increased in all age groups between 20-<50 years in 2021. Additionally, the proportion of malignant tumor cases aged over 60 years showed a downward trend from 2009 to 2021 (AAPC=-0.322%, P<0.05). Conclusions From 2009 to 2021, the overall incidence of malignant tumor in registration areas of Jiangsu Province showed an upward trend, with the age at onset tending to become younger. There were differences in the incidence trends across genders and urban/rural areas.

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, primarily originating from recurrent inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). Therefore, blocking the inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon has become a focus in the early prevention and treatment of CRC. The inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon involves multiple types of cells and complex pathological processes, including inflammatory responses and tumorigenesis. In this complex pathological process, immune cells(including non-specific and specific immune cells) and non-immune cells(such as tumor cells and fibroblasts) interact with each other, collectively promoting the progression of the disease. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon belongs to the categories of dysentery and diarrhea, with the main pathogenesis being cold and heat in complexity. This paper first elaborates on the complex molecular mechanisms involved in the inflammation-cancer transformation process in the colon from the perspectives of inflammation, cancer, and their mutual influences. Subsequently, by comparing the pathogenic characteristics and clinical manifestations between inflammation-cancer transformation and the TCM pathogenesis of cold and heat in complexity, this paper explores the intrinsic connections between the two. Furthermore, based on the correlation between inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon and the TCM pathogenesis, this paper delves into the importance of the interaction between inflammation and cancer. Finally, it summarizes and discusses the clinical and basic research progress in the TCM intervention in the inflammation-cancer transformation process, providing a theoretical basis and treatment strategy for the treatment of CRC with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Humans ; Colon/pathology* ; Integrative Medicine ; Animals ; Cold Temperature ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Hot Temperature ; Inflammation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy*