Objective:To investigate the distribution of CGG repeat numbers in the FMR1 gene among reproductive-age women in China, providing data reference for carrier screening and genetic counseling of Fragile X syndrome. Methods:This cross-sectional study recruited 16 610 reproductive-age women from 12 medical institutions between July 2022 and October 2023. Peripheral venous blood samples (3 mL) were collected, and genomic DNA was extracted. The number of CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene was determined using the triplet-primed polymerase chain reaction (TP-PCR) combined with capillary electrophoresis technology. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the prevalence and distribution of CGG repeat expansions. Results:Among 16 610 women of childbearing age, 5 684 (34.220%) women had the same number of CGG repeats in the two alleles of FMR1 gene, and 10 926 (65.780%) women had different numbers of repeats in the two alleles. Among the 33 220 FMR1 alleles in 16 610 women of reproductive age, the most common CGG repeat numbers were 29 [48.645% (16 160/33 220)] and 30 [26.276% (8 729/33 220)], while the most frequent CGG genotype was CGG 29/29 [24.726% (4 107/16 610)]. The CGG repeat numbers of FMR1 gene were normal in 16 498 women (99.326%). Among the 112 women (0.674%) with CGG repeat abnormities, 96 (0.578%) women were classified as intermediate carriers, 15 (0.090%) as premutation carriers, and 1 (0.006%) as a full mutation carrier, whose CGG genotype was (36, >200). Conclusion:In the general reproductive-age female population in China, the normal CGG repeat numbers of the FMR1 gene account for 99.326%, while the intermediate carrier rate is 0.578%, and the combined carrier rate of the premutation and full mutation types is 0.096%.

Objective:To analyze the symptoms,diagnosis and treatment of upper urinary tract calculi patients combined with mild and moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)after ureteral stent implantation.Methods:One hundred and six BPH pa-tients who were hospitalized for upper urinary tract calculi and had ureteral stents retained from January 2019 to December 2022 were selected and divided into 2 weeks group and 4 weeks group according to the time of removal of ureteral stents after surgery.Their gener-al clinical data were analyzed and compared.International Prostatic Symptom Scale(IPSS),postoperative ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire(USSQ),and incidence of adverse events after ureteral stent removal were recorded before and after removal.Results:The scores of IPSS were significantly increased in all patients,and symptoms in urinary tract had improved significantly after discharge(P＜0.05).Compared with the 2 weeks group,the USSQ score of the 4 weeks group was significantly increased(P＜0.05).And no significant adverse event was observed in the 2 weeks group after the removal of ureteral sten.Conclusion:IPSS score and USSQ score increased significantly during stent implantation in BPH patients with lithiasis.And complications increased sig-nificantly over time.Following thorough clinical assessment,early ureteral stent removal demonstrates both safety and efficacy,repre-senting an optimal therapeutic approach in selected cases.

Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a fibrotic disease involving the skin and a variety of internal organs, which is currently thought to be mainly caused by abnormal activation of fibroblasts and excessive secretion of extracellular matrix. Growing evidence has shown signaling cascades associated with SSc fibrosis, including transforming growth factor-β/Smads, Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, rat sarcoma/extracellular regulated protein kinases, etc. MicroRNAs participate in the post-transcriptional regulation of different target genes and control the cell state, determining the changes in transcriptomes and proteomes caused by various cellular signaling cascades. This review summarizes recent research progress in the regulatory role of microRNAs in SSc fibrosis-related signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets.

AIM To establish the preparation process and quality standard for Zhenggu Pills.METHODS With decoction time,decoction frequency and water addition as influencing factors,comprehensive score for extract yield and transfer rates of epicatechin and naringin as an evaluation index,the decoction process was optimized by orthogonal test.With sugarless paste relative density,medicinal powder fineness,sugarless paste-corn starch ratio,drying temperature and drying time as influencing factors,soft material traits,pill formability,moisture and disintegration time limit as evaluation indices,the formability process was optimized by single factor test.TLC was adopted in the qualitative identification of Dipsaci Radix,salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus,cooked Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma.HPLC was used for the content determination of paeoniflorin and naringin.RESULTS The optimal decoction process was determined to be 0.5 h for decoction time,two times for decoction frequency,and 10 times for water addition,the comprehensive score was 0.93.The optimal formability process was determined to be 1.21-1.22 for sugarless paste relative density,80 mesh for medicinal powder fineness,1∶0.17-1∶0.18 for sugarless paste-corn starch ratio,70 ℃ for drying temperature,and 24 h for drying time,good soft material traits and pill formability were observable,and moisture and disintegration time limit accored with 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia requirements.The TLC spots were clear without negative interference.Two constituents showed good linear relationships within 61.30-490.41 μg/mL(r=0.999 8)and 3.27-26.18 μg/mL(r=0.999 8),whose average recoveries were 100.15％and 98.15％with the RSDs of 0.55％and 2.30％,respectively.CONCLUSION This stable,reliable and specific method can be used for the production and quality evaluation of Zhenggu Pills.

AIM To establish the quantitative models for gallic acid,mononucleoside,loganin,resveratrol,and rhein in Yishen Xiezhuo Mixture.METHODS HPLC was adopted in the content determination of various effective components,after which the near-infrared spectroscopy(NIRS)data were collected in 128 batches of samples and pretreatment was conducted,competitive adaptive reweighting sampling(CARS)algorithm was used for screening wavelength,partial least square method(PLS)regression analysis was performed.RESULTS There were no significant differences between the predicted values obtained by PLS models and measured values obtained by HPLC for various effective components(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION The quantitative models established by NIRS combined with chemometrics display good predictive performance,which can be used for the rapid determination of effective components in Yishen Xiezhuo Mixture,and provide a reference for the rapid monitoring of other traditional Chinese medicine preparations in production processes.

Psoriasis vulgaris is notoriously difficult to treat and prone to recurrence. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， however， has shown considerable efficacy in mitigating or suppressing such recurrence. The underlying reason lies in the TCM concept of "latent pathogens"， which are prone to be reactivated by external pathogenic factors， thereby triggering relapse. At the early stage of recurrence， manifestations of "latent fire" often appear externally. If treatment is not thorough， the condition may shift into a state of "stalemate between healthy Qi and pathogenic factors"， in which the disease appears on the skin but is rooted in deeper pathological layers， remaining unresolved and accumulating internally. Over time， blood stasis arises from fire， and the fire further congeals due to stasis， leading ultimately to recurrent flare-ups. This aligns with the modern immunological concept of "immunological memory" mediated by tissue-resident memory T cells （T_RM） in the skin， which corroborates the TCM view of "latent fire inducing blood stasis". The interaction between T_RM and keratinocytes （KC） parallels the entanglement of latent fire and latent stasis， both of which are deeply entrenched and difficult to resolve. The core pathogenesis of recurrent psoriasis vulgaris lies in "latent fire causing blood stasis". The hallmark is the deep concealment and persistence of latent fire and stasis， which linger and await an opportunity to reemerge. Based on this understanding， Xijiao Dihuangtang is employed to cool the blood， resolve stasis， and eliminate latent pathogens， and treatment is tailored according to the disease stage through three-phase syndrome differentiation. In the progressive stage， both exterior and interior are treated， with emphasis on clearing latent fire. In the stationary stage， the focus shifts to dispelling latent stasis and simultaneously regulating the Zang-fu organs. In the regressive stage， efforts are made to prevent the retention of latent pathogens and to strengthen healthy Qi. Accordingly， drugs effective in dispersing wind and clearing heat， pungent-moistening and dredging the collaterals， and tonifying deficiency and moistening dryness are often employed to achieve optimal outcomes. The precise mechanisms by which Xijiao Dihuangtang treats recurrent psoriasis vulgaris remain to be fully elucidated. Current research suggests it may intervene in the recurrence process through inhibiting KC proliferation via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and glycolysis， regulating the Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg cell balances to restore immune homeostasis， suppressing inflammatory cytokine production to alleviate the inflammatory response， modulating angiogenesis-related factors， such as vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGF-A） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， to control disease progression， and restructuring the gut microbiota to modulate systemic immunity and thereby influence the course of disease recurrence.

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*

Objective To explore the correlation between thyroid hormone (TH) sensitivity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in euthyroid patients. Methods The euthyroid patients hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from January 2016 to December 2020 were enrolled. All patients were evaluated for free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The FT3/FT4 ratio, thyroid-stimulating hormone index (TSHI), FT3 feedback quantile index (TFQIFT3), and FT4 feedback quantile index (TFIQFT4) were calculated. Hepatic controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were assessed by FibroScan. Results A total of 4 869 participants were enrolled, 3 485 (71.58%) were diagnosed with MASLD. Compared with non-MASLD group of patients, MASLD group had significantly higher levels of serum FT3 and thyroid sensitivity-related parameters, including FT3/FT4, TSHI, TFQIFT3, and TFIQFT4 (P＜0.05). After multivariate adjustment for potential confounders, serum FT3, FT3/FT4, TFQIFT4, TFQIFT3, and TSHI remained positively correlated with the risk of MASLD (P＜0.05). Further analysis revealed that, after adjustment for confounders, FT3, FT3/FT4, TFQIFT4, TFQIFT3, and TSHI were positively correlated with CAP, and TFQIFT4, TFQIFT3, and TSHI were also positively correlated with LSM (P＜0.05). Conclusions Reduced thyroid hormone sensitivity are independently associated with MASLD. Moreover, higher levels of FT3 and decreased thyroid hormone sensitivity are correlated with the progression of MASLD.

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the material basis of toad visceral oil(hereafter referred to as toad oil), and explore the pharmacological effect of toad oil on atopic dermatitis(AD). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) were employed to comprehensively identify the chemical components in toad oil. The animal model of AD was prepared by the hapten stimulation method. The modeled animals were respectively administrated with positive drug(0.1% hydrocortisone butyrate cream) and low-and high-doses(1%, 10%) of toad oil by gavage. The effect of toad oil on AD was evaluated with the AD score, ear swelling rate, spleen index, and pathological section results as indicators. A total of 99 components were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS, including 14 bufadienolides, 7 fatty acids, 6 alkaloids, 10 ketones, 18 amides, and other compounds. After methylation of toad oil samples, a total of 20 compounds were identified by GC-MS. Compared with the model group, the low-and high-dose toad oil groups showed declined AD score, ear swelling rate, and spleen index, alleviated skin lesions, and reduced infiltrating mast cells. This study comprehensively analyzes the chemical composition and clarifies the material basis of toad oil. Meanwhile, this study proves that toad oil has a good therapeutic effect on AD and is a reserve resource of traditional Chinese medicine for external use in the treatment of AD.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Male ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Bufonidae ; Oils/administration & dosage* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Based on the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor(α7nAChR), this study examined how tetrahydropalmatine(THP) affected BV2 microglia exposed to lipopolysaccharide(LPS), aiming to clarify the possible mechanism underlying the anti-depression effect of THP from the perspectives of preventing inflammation and regulating polarization. First, after molecular docking and determination of the content of Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids, THP was initially identified as a possible anti-depression component. The BV2 microglia model of inflammation was established with LPS. BV2 microglia were allocated into a normal group, a model group, low-and high-dose(20 and 40 μmol·L~(-1), respectively) THP groups, and a THP(20 μmol·L~(-1))+α7nAChR-specific antagonist MLA(1 μmol·L~(-1)) group. The CCK-8 assay was used to screen the safe concentration of THP. A light microscope was used to examine the morphology of the cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence were used to determine the expression of α7nAChR. qRT-PCR was performed to determine the mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), cluster of differentiation 86(CD86), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3(SOCS3), arginase-1(Arg-1), cluster of differentiation 206(CD206), tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interleukin(IL)-6, and IL-1β. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to measure the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the cell supernatant. The experimental results showed that THP at concentrations of 40 μmol·L~(-1) and below had no effect on BV2 microglia. THP improved the morphology of BV2 microglia, significantly up-regulated the protein level of α7nAChR, significantly down-regulated the mRNA levels of iNOS, CD86, SOCS3, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, significantly up-regulated the mRNA levels of Arg-1 and CD206, and dramatically lowered the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the cell supernatant. However, the antagonist MLA abolished the above-mentioned ameliorative effects of THP on LPS-treated BV2 microglia. As demonstrated by the aforementioned findings, THP protected LPS-treated BV2 microglia by regulating the M1/M2 polarization and preventing inflammation, which might be connected to the regulation of α7nAChR on BV2 microglia.
Berberine Alkaloids/chemistry* ; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/chemistry* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Mice ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Corydalis/chemistry* ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/immunology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology*