Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the predominant pathological contributor to chronic low back pain, a pervasive musculoskeletal condition affecting over 630 million people globally and imposing tremendous socioeconomic and public health burdens. The etiopathogenesis of IVDD is remarkably complex and multifactorial, involving intricate crosstalk among chronic inflammatory responses, extracellular matrix (ECM) catabolism, cellular senescence, aberrant programmed cell death (including apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis), mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative damage. Compelling evidence indicates that the inflammatory microenvironment acts as a decisive driving force throughout the entire degenerative course of IVDD. Among the diverse inflammatory mediators, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) serve as core pro-inflammatory cytokines that initiate and perpetuate the degenerative cascade. These two pivotal cytokines collectively activate an array of canonical intracellular signaling pathways, including nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) cascade. Such interconnected signaling networks trigger a self-reinforcing positive feedback loop, which exacerbates inflammatory reactions, disrupts the anabolic-catabolic homeostasis of the ECM, promotes oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury, induces multiple forms of disc cell death, and ultimately leads to progressive structural collapse and functional deterioration of the intervertebral disc. Conventional therapeutic strategies, dominated by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and surgical interventions, are limited by systemic adverse reactions, suboptimal long-term efficacy, and the risk of adjacent segment degeneration. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exhibits prominent advantages in the prevention and treatment of IVDD by virtue of its holistic regulation, syndrome differentiation, and multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway pharmacological properties. This review systematically elucidates the molecular mechanisms by which inflammation-associated signaling pathways modulate disc cell fate and ECM metabolic homeostasis, and comprehensively summarizes the experimental progress over the past five years on TCM monomers and compound formulas for intervening in IVDD. Accumulating studies have confirmed that numerous natural active ingredients isolated from herbal medicines (ferulic acid, mangiferin, paeonol, astragaloside IV) and representative TCM compound prescriptions (Bushen Huoxue Formula, Shensuitongzhi Formula, Fuzi Decoction) exert synergistic protective effects by coordinately targeting core signaling hubs. These TCM agents demonstrate potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-pyroptotic, anti-ferroptotic, ECM-protective, and autophagy-regulating bioactivities, thereby effectively decelerating the pathological progression of IVDD. Despite remarkable progress, current investigations are still confronted by several critical limitations. Most studies are restricted to validating the regulatory effects of single TCM components on individual signaling pathways, leaving the systematic, dynamic, and synergistic mechanisms of TCM compound formulas within multi-pathway regulatory networks largely unexplored. Furthermore, clinical translation of TCM is severely hampered by the lack of efficient targeted drug delivery systems, unclear pharmacokinetic profiles, suboptimal local bioavailability, and incomplete long-term safety assessments. Therefore, future research should adopt an interdisciplinary paradigm integrating multi-omics technologies, artificial intelligence, organoid models, and organ-on-chip systems to systematically decipher the scientific basis of TCM against IVDD. Concurrently, the development of intelligent, site-specific delivery systems (hydrogels, nanoparticles, exosome-based carriers) is urgently needed to enhance the local accumulation and sustained release of TCM ingredients. By deepening mechanistic exploration and accelerating translational research, TCM is expected to evolve into safe, effective, and personalized precision therapeutic regimens for IVDD, offering novel and reliable solutions for the clinical management of chronic low back pain.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the predominant pathological contributor to chronic low back pain, a pervasive musculoskeletal condition affecting over 630 million people globally and imposing tremendous socioeconomic and public health burdens. The etiopathogenesis of IVDD is remarkably complex and multifactorial, involving intricate crosstalk among chronic inflammatory responses, extracellular matrix (ECM) catabolism, cellular senescence, aberrant programmed cell death (including apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis), mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative damage. Compelling evidence indicates that the inflammatory microenvironment acts as a decisive driving force throughout the entire degenerative course of IVDD. Among the diverse inflammatory mediators, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) serve as core pro-inflammatory cytokines that initiate and perpetuate the degenerative cascade. These two pivotal cytokines collectively activate an array of canonical intracellular signaling pathways, including nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) cascade. Such interconnected signaling networks trigger a self-reinforcing positive feedback loop, which exacerbates inflammatory reactions, disrupts the anabolic-catabolic homeostasis of the ECM, promotes oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury, induces multiple forms of disc cell death, and ultimately leads to progressive structural collapse and functional deterioration of the intervertebral disc. Conventional therapeutic strategies, dominated by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and surgical interventions, are limited by systemic adverse reactions, suboptimal long-term efficacy, and the risk of adjacent segment degeneration. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exhibits prominent advantages in the prevention and treatment of IVDD by virtue of its holistic regulation, syndrome differentiation, and multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway pharmacological properties. This review systematically elucidates the molecular mechanisms by which inflammation-associated signaling pathways modulate disc cell fate and ECM metabolic homeostasis, and comprehensively summarizes the experimental progress over the past five years on TCM monomers and compound formulas for intervening in IVDD. Accumulating studies have confirmed that numerous natural active ingredients isolated from herbal medicines (ferulic acid, mangiferin, paeonol, astragaloside IV) and representative TCM compound prescriptions (Bushen Huoxue Formula, Shensuitongzhi Formula, Fuzi Decoction) exert synergistic protective effects by coordinately targeting core signaling hubs. These TCM agents demonstrate potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-pyroptotic, anti-ferroptotic, ECM-protective, and autophagy-regulating bioactivities, thereby effectively decelerating the pathological progression of IVDD. Despite remarkable progress, current investigations are still confronted by several critical limitations. Most studies are restricted to validating the regulatory effects of single TCM components on individual signaling pathways, leaving the systematic, dynamic, and synergistic mechanisms of TCM compound formulas within multi-pathway regulatory networks largely unexplored. Furthermore, clinical translation of TCM is severely hampered by the lack of efficient targeted drug delivery systems, unclear pharmacokinetic profiles, suboptimal local bioavailability, and incomplete long-term safety assessments. Therefore, future research should adopt an interdisciplinary paradigm integrating multi-omics technologies, artificial intelligence, organoid models, and organ-on-chip systems to systematically decipher the scientific basis of TCM against IVDD. Concurrently, the development of intelligent, site-specific delivery systems (hydrogels, nanoparticles, exosome-based carriers) is urgently needed to enhance the local accumulation and sustained release of TCM ingredients. By deepening mechanistic exploration and accelerating translational research, TCM is expected to evolve into safe, effective, and personalized precision therapeutic regimens for IVDD, offering novel and reliable solutions for the clinical management of chronic low back pain.

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism of Syk in phagocytosis induced by CD36 antibodies. Methods: In vitro, two CD36 monoclonal antibodies, GZ1 (IgG2a) and GZ4 (IgG1), at different concentrations were co-incubated with platelets from CD36-positive blood donors, and the affinity of the antibodies for platelets was assessed using flow cytometry. CD36 positive platelets from donors were labeled with Red-SE. The GZ1 and GZ4 antibodies were added together with dye-labeled platelets to peripheral blood from blood donors for phagocytosis experiments. The expression of the Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (Syk), P-Syk, P38 MAPK and P-P38 were detected using Western blot(WB). In the in vitro phagocytosis inhibition assay, Fcγ receptor (FcγR) antibodies or Syk inhibitor (R406) were pre-incubated with monocytes prior to performing the phagocytosis experiment. In vivo experiments were performed using female C57BL/6J mice. R406 was administered via intraperitoneal injection, followed by tail vein infusion of GZ1 or GZ4 antibodies. Additionally, a treatment group was set up in which the antibodies were infused first, followed by administration of R406. Changes in platelet counts were analyzed using a blood routine analyzer, and antibody binding to platelets was detected by flow cytometry. Results: GZ1 had higher affinity for CD36positive platelets than GZ4. The phagocytosis rate induced by GZ1 was significantly higher than that of GZ4 [(42.12±2.25)% vs (16.25±6.45)%, P<0.001]. Moreover, GZ1-mediated platelet phagocytosis mainly depends on FcγRⅠ of monocytes, while GZ4-mediated platelet phagocytosis mainly relies on FcγRⅡ of monocytes. WB results showed that the GZ1 group significantly upregulated the expression of Syk and phosphorylated Syk (P-Syk), and induced phosphorylation of the downstream P38 MAPK signaling pathway. Pretreatment of monocytes with R406 inhibited the phagocytosis of antibodyopsonized platelets by monocytes. After injecting GZ1 or GZ4 antibodies into C57BL/6 female mice through the tail vein, GZ1 mAbs had a stronger binding rate to the platelets compared with GZ4 mAbs, leading to a significant decrease in platelet count. After pre-injecting R406 into mice, the platelet count reduction in both the GZ1 and GZ4 groups was alleviated, and the binding rate of antibodies to platelets was also significantly reduced. However, administration of R406 after antibody injection failed to prevent the decrease in platelet counts in mice. Conclusion: This study indicates that Syk plays an important role in the phagocytosis of anti-CD36 opsonized platelets by monocytes/macrophages and is closely associated with the activation of the P38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Background: Advances in intensive care have markedly improved survival after severe brain injury, leading to a growing population of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC). Current management of pDOC remains largely supportive, and evidence-based neuromodulatory interventions are limited; moreover, existing guidelines provide insufficiently explicit recommendations regarding mechanisms of action and objective biomarkers of treatment response. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has emerged as a potential noninvasive intervention; however, its modulatory effects on brain function in pDOC are not yet well characterized, and the paucity of integrative mechanistic evidence has constrained its translation into routine clinical practice. Objectives: Within a multimodal assessment framework, this study aims to systematically elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms by which taVNS modulates brain function and autonomic activity in patients with pDOC, and to evaluate its clinical potential to enhance levels of consciousness. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 60 patients with vegetative state/minimally conscious state will be enrolled and randomly allocated to a taVNS group, a transcutaneous nonauricular vagus nerve stimulation group (sham), or a control group (n = 20 per group) for a 4-week intervention. The primary outcome will be changes in the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised scores from baseline to weeks 1, 2, and 4 of treatment. Secondary outcomes will include functional brain activity assessed by electroencephalography and functional near-infrared spectroscopy, as well as autonomic modulation indexed by heart rate variability. Functional prognosis will be evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended at the end of treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. Safety will be assessed by continuous monitoring and documentation of adverse events throughout the study period. Results and discussion: By integrating electroencephalography–functional near-infrared spectroscopy with heart rate variability, this study will characterize the effects of taVNS on functional brain networks and consciousness recovery in pDOC across complementary behavioral, electrophysiological, hemodynamic, and autonomic domains, while interrogating potential sources of clinical and neurobiological heterogeneity. The findings are expected to provide a mechanistic and evidence-based foundation for the mechanism-driven clinical implementation of taVNS and the optimization of stimulation protocols in pDOC. Clinical trial registration: International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry, ITMCTR20250021041, https://itmctr.ccebtcm.org.cn.

Objective: To analyze the structural changes in whole blood and apheresis platelet donations in Chinese Society of Blood Transfusion (CSBT) sentinel units from 2021 to 2025, and to provide evidence for donor recruitment and blood service management. Methods: Aggregated data reported by sentinel sites were collected and stratified according to six indicators: age, sex, donation history, donation volume, donation site, and organization mode. Pearson χ test, Cramer′V coefficient, Cochran-Armitage trend test and simple linear regression were adopted for analysis. Results: A total of 16 256 973 whole blood donations and 1 576 546 apheresis platelet donations were included. Among whole-blood donations, the proportion of donors aged 18-22 years decreased from 27.30% to 10.60%. The proportion of male donors increased from 58.81% to 63.13%; the proportion of people aged 30 and above increased from 58.40% to 75.30%; the proportion of fixed locations rose from 28.37% to 36.57%; the proportion of social groups increased from 21.69% to 39.69%. The 400-mL donations decreased from 62.12% to 53.46%, while individually initiated voluntary donations remained above 50%. Apheresis platelet donations were predominantly from males, individuals aged 30-39 years, and repeat donors; 2-treatment-unit apheresis platelet donations increased from 67.19% to 74.93%, and individually initiated donations accounted for 92.97%-96.02%. Statistically significant overall annual compositional differences were observed for all six indicators (all P<0.001), whereas linear trends for some sub-categories were not statistically significant. Conclusion: In the participating CSBT sentinel units, among whole blood donations, the proportions of donors aged 18-22 years, university-organized group donations, and donations at blood mobiles decreased, whereas the proportions of organizational group donations and donations at fixed venues increased. The apheresis platelet donation cohort is relatively mature and is evolving toward a high-efficiency donation model. Individual voluntary donation remains the primary organization mode for both donation types. Strategies such as youth donor recruitment, optimized layout of fixed donation sites, and retention of repeat donors should be strengthened to improve the resilience of blood supply.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of cases involving monkey injuries at medical institutions surrounding Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang City, and to provide a reference basis for preventive measures to reduce monkey injuries and standardized post-exposure treatment.Methods:A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting 1 900 cases of monkey-induced injuries in Qianlingshan Park treated at the outpatient clinic of Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Surgery at Qianling Hospital, Guiyang City, from 2021 to 2024. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson′s chi-square test.Results:Total of 1 900 cases of monkey-related injuries in Qianlingshan Park were collected from 2021 to 2024. The exposure time distribution exhibited significant seasonality, with 48.58% of cases occurring during July and August, totaling 923 cases, indicating a peak in the summer. There were 774 male patients and 1 126 female patients, with a ratio of 1∶1.45.and significant differences were observed between different age groups and genders (χ2=195.00, P<0.001), with the highest number of cases occurring in the 0-9 and 20-29 age groups, accounting for 22.05%(419 cases) and 21.79%(414 cases), respectively. The upper limbs were the most common injury site, accounting for 50.84% of the total cases(966 cases in total), with significant differences between gender and injury location (χ2=22.00, P<0.001), Among females, the proportion of injuries to the upper and lower limbs (30.11% and 16.47%, respectively) was higher than that among males (20.74% and 8.63%, respectively). The majority of injuries were classified as Grade Ⅲ, making up 57.38% of cases(1 069 cases in total). Self-treatment after exposure was the most common approach(60.44%), with significant differences observed between wound severity and treatment method (χ2=6.90, P=0.032), Patients with Grade Ⅱ and Grade Ⅲ wounds were more likely to choose self-management (26.84% and 33.23%, respectively) than outpatient management (15.14% and 24.15%). Approximately 98.05% (1 863 cases) of monkey-injured patients had received rabies vaccinations. Conclusions:This study analyzes monkey-related injuries in Qianlingshan Park from 2021 to 2024, clarifying the temporal distribution of injuries, demographic characteristics, injury sites, and treatment methods. The findings provide references for optimizing human-monkey conflict management and the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases in urban ecological parks.

AIM To investigate the effects of Yiqi Juanbi Formula on chondrocyte pyroptosis in rat models of collagen-induced arthritis(CIA).METHODS Fifty rats were subcutaneously injected at the tail base with an emulsion containing equal volumes of bovine type Ⅱ collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant(IFA)to establish the CIA models.These rats were then randomly assigned to the model group,the methotrexate group(0.35 mg/kg),and the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose Yiqi Juanbi Formula groups(9.4,18.7,37.4 g/kg),in contrast to the ten intact rats serving in the normal control group.Following four weeks of intragastric administration,the rats had their general conditions observed;their joint swelling and arthritis indices measured;their ankle joint pathology assessed by HE staining;their serum levels of IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ detected by ELISA;their mRNA expressions of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ in ankle cartilage quantified by RT-qPCR;their protein expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in ankle cartilage analyzed by Western blot;and their NLRP3 and GSDMD positive expressions in ankle cartilage examined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS Compared to the control group,the model group showed significantly increased joint swelling and arthritis indices(P＜0.01);elevated serum levels of IL-1 β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.01);pathological changes including cartilage surface defects,reduced cell count,altered cellular morphology,irregular cell arrangement,and significant inflammatory cell infiltration in synovial tissue;upregulated mRNA expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.01)and increased protein expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3 and Caspase-1(P＜0.01)in ankle cartilage;enhanced positive expressions of NLRP3 and GSDMD in ankle cartilage(P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with methotrexate or medium-or high-dose Yiqi Juanbi Formula exhibited reduced joint swelling and arthritis indices(P＜0.01);alleviated pathological damage in ankle joints;decreased serum levels of IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.01);downregulated mRNA expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and reduced protein expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3 and Caspase-1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)in ankle cartilage;and diminished positive expressions of NLRP3 and GSDMD in ankle cartilage(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Yiqi Juanbi Formula alleviates inflammation in CIA rats,potentially by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway,thereby suppressing chondrocyte pyroptosis.

Humanistic caring for patients in the operating room refers to providing the whole process of caring medical services for patients in the operating room. In order to standardize humanistic caring services for patients in the operating room of medical institutions, improve the comprehensive service level of the operating room, and enhance the surgical experience of patients, the Chinese Association for Life Care released the group standard " Humanistic Caring Management Standards for Patients in the Operating Room" in December 2023. This article interpreted the basic requirements for humanistic caring of patients in the operating room, the environment and facilities for humanistic caring, the procedures and measures for humanistic caring, and the quality management framework, aiming to assist administrators and clinical practitioners across various levels of medical institutions in accurately understanding and effectively implementing the standard, and to provide essential textual reference and practical guidance for promoting the application of the standard.

Forensic medicine has been designated as a first-level discipline,presenting new opportunities and challenges for the development of forensic medicine.Since the 1980s,the establishment of foren-sic medicine discipline and the cultivation of high-level forensic talents have become hot topics in the development of forensic medicine in China.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan,the forensic team of Shanxi Medical University has been aiming at the forefront,proposing the development goals of"Five First-class"and the discipline development path"Six Major Achievements".It has selected benchmark disci-plines,identified gaps in disciplinary development,unified thoughts,formulated completion timelines,concentrated superior resources,assigned tasks to individuals,and created an"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"forensic medicine discipline construction model with the characteristics of the new era.The construction model of forensic medicine has achieved good results in the goals,discipline frame-work,scientific research,talent cultivation,discipline team and platform construction,forming a rela-tively complete discipline construction and management system,and accumulating valuable experience for the construction of first-level discipline and high-level talent cultivation of forensic medicine.

Insulin is an important protein hormone that participates in multiple metabolic pathways.Biosynthetic insulin has been widely used in the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.Currently,the number of reported cases of insulin overdose both at home and abroad is gradually increasing,and insulin homicide is no longer a means of"committing murder without leaving a trace".At present,there are no systematic protocols for the identification of insulin overdose in the field of forensic medi-cine in China.This article introduces the causes,toxicological characteristics,forensic examination,labo-ratory testing methods and indicator reference of insulin overdose.Based on the identification practice and research results and referring to relevant studies on insulin overdose at home and abroad,this pa-per aims to provide recommendations and references for the formulation of forensic identification guide-lines for insulin overdose cases.