ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of gray matter structure and clinical symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease （AD） comorbid with apathy （AD-A）. MethodsThe study included 30 patients with AD-A， 30 AD disease patients without apathy （AD without apathy， AD-NA）， and 30 healthy controls （HCs） matched in gender， age， and years of education. All participants underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） scans. Voxel-based morphometry （VBM） was used to analyze changes in gray matter volume among the three groups. Additionally， the correlation between the identified abnormal brain regions and apathy scale scores was analyzed. ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences among the three groups in terms of age， gender， years of education， or total intracranial volume. Compared with the HCs group， both the AD-A and AD-NA groups showed significantly lower scores in cognitive function （P<0.001）. The AD-A group exhibited significantly higher apathy scale scores compared with the AD-NA group （P<0.001）. Compared with the AD-NA group， the AD-A group showed reduced gray matter volume in the bilateral caudate nucleus， left orbitofrontal cortex， lingual gyrus， inferior frontal gyrus， superior frontal gyrus， entorhinal cortex， right middle frontal gyrus and posterior cingulate cortex （FWE-corrected， P<0.05 for all）. Compared with the HCs group， the AD-A group exhibited reduced gray matter volume in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus， left fusiform gyrus， calcarine sulcus， postcentral gyrus， right inferior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus （FWE-corrected， P<0.05 for all）. Compared with the HCs group， the AD-NA group showed reduced gray matter volume in the left precuneus， inferior temporal gyrus， and right inferior temporal gyrus （FWE-corrected， P<0.05 for all）. In the AD-A group， changes in the gray matter volume of the left caudate nucleus （r= -0.557， P=0.002） and right middle frontal gyrus （r=-0.620， P=0.001） were negatively correlated with the apathy evaluation scale （AES） scores. ConclusionPatients in the AD-A group exhibited significant atrophy in the frontal-temporal-basal ganglia circuit， and the degree of gray matter atrophy was correlated with the severity of apathy.

Background/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. Results: We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

Objective To summarize the current status of outcome indicators in randomized controlled trials of TCM intervention in pediatric myocarditis,to explore the existing problems,and to provide a reference for the construction of a core set of indicators for the treatment of pediatric myocarditis with TCM.Methods Randomized controlled trial literature on the treatment of pediatric myocarditis with TCM was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,SinoMed,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library and Web of Science from the establishment of the databases to 16th,Nov.2024.The basic characteristics,diagnostic criteria,TCM evidence,interventions and outcome indicators of the studies were extracted.The risk of bias was assessed for the selected studies using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool(RoB 2.0),and the outcome indicators were statistically analyzed using Excel 2019.Results Finally,totally of 250 articles were included in the literature.The outcome indicators were counted to obtain 187 outcome indicators with a cumulative total of 1 540 occurrences,which were categorized into six indicator domains:symptoms and signs,physicochemical testing,TCM symptoms/signs,clinical efficacy evaluation,safety evaluation and quality of life evaluation;among them,the physicochemical testing indicators(112 types,926 times)had the highest frequency of occurrences,followed by the clinical efficacy evaluation(13 types.340 times),and safety evaluation(24 types,193 times).Conclusion The overall quality of randomized controlled trials of TCM treatment of pediatric myocarditis is low,and there are problems with primary and secondary differentiation of outcome indicators and lack of TCM characteristics.There is an urgent need to improve the core set of endpoint indicators that highlight the characteristics of TCM in order to improve the quality of clinical research.

The intestine and liver are closely connected both physiologically and pathologically, forming a so-called gut-liver axis, with the gut microbiota serving as a pivotal link in their bidirectional communication. Gut microbiota dysbiosis and gut-liver axis disruption play a key role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM), though the underlying mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated. Certain gut microbiota, such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp., can breach the intestinal barrier and translocate to the liver, promoting the formation of pre-metastatic niche. Fusobacterium nucleatum and Enterococcus faecalis enhance tumor cell invasion/migration, while Parabacteroides spp. suppress anti-tumor immunity in the liver TME. Interventions like fecal microbiota transplantation, dietary modifications, and traditional Chinese medicine have shown potential in clinical and preclinical studies to improve patient outcomes by targeting the gut microbiota, but their long-term efficacy and safety require further investigation. Future research should focus on elucidating the effects of specific bacterial species, metabolites, viruses, and fungi on tumorigenesis. Exploring the potential of gut microbiota-based precision medicine and personalized therapies will improve risk stratification and enable more targeted interventions for CRLM patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) on the biological activity of infantile hemangioma (IH) -derived endothelial cells (HemECs) .Methods:Three proliferating IH tissues and three involuting IH tissues were collected from IH patients receiving surgical resection at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from February to August 2021. Primary HemECs were isolated from proliferating IH tissues, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) served as the control. The TGF-β1 expression levels in tissues and cells were detected by immunohistochemical study and Western blot analysis. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay was performed to assess the effect of 0 (control group) - 100 ng/ml TGF-β1 on HemEC proliferation. HemECs were treated with 5 ng/ml TGF-β1 or without (control group), and after several hours of treatment, Transwell assay was performed to evaluate cell migration ability, and immunofluorescence assay to assess the changes in the expression of endothelial markers (platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 [CD31], vascular endothelial cadherin [VE-cadherin]) and mesenchymal markers (α-smooth muscle actin [α-SMA], collagen type Ⅰ α 1 [COL1A1]). Comparisons between groups were conducted by t test or one-way analysis of variance. Results:Immunohistochemical study showed that proliferating IH tissues were stained positively for TGF-β1, which was expressed relatively abundantly; the percentages of TGF-β1-positive signal area were higher in the proliferating IH tissues (24.68% ± 3.74%) than in the involuting IH tissues (almost no expression). Western blot analysis revealed that the relative expression level of TGF-β1 was significantly higher in HemECs (1.08 ± 0.13) than in HUVECs (0.30 ± 0.04, t = 9.93, P < 0.001). CCK8 assay showed increased proliferative activity of HemECs in the 3.125-, 6.25-, 12.5-, 25-, 50- and 75-ng/ml TGF-β1 groups compared with the control group (all P < 0.05), and no significant difference was found between the 100-ng/ml TGF-β1 group and the control group ( P > 0.05). Transwell assay revealed an increased number of migratory HemECs in the 5-ng/ml TGF-β1 group (127 ± 6) compared with the control group (103 ± 9; t = 5.32, P < 0.01). Immunofluorescence assay showed significantly decreased fluorescence intensity of endothelial markers CD31 and VE-cadherin in the 5-ng/ml TGF-β1 group (5.441 ± 1.254, 5.073 ± 0.412, respectively) compared with the control group (9.518 ± 1.728,7.671 ± 0.921, t = 3.31, 4.46, P = 0.030, 0.011, respectively), and significantly increased fluorescence intensity of mesenchymal markers α-SMA and COL1A1 in the 5-ng/ml TGF-β1 group (8.074 ± 0.846, 5.885 ± 0.216, respectively) compared with the control group (0.393 ± 0.342, 0.295 ± 0.125, t = 14.58, 38.76, P < 0.001, < 0.000 1, respectively) . Conclusion:TGF-β1 was relatively highly expressed in the proliferating IH tissues and HemECs, and could promote the proliferation, migration and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition of HemECs.

Objective:To establish a complete system for the isolation, purification, identification, and culture of Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma-derived endothelial cells (KHE-ECs), to analyze the phenotype of KHE-ECs, and to explore the possibility of establishing a KHE-EC bank.Methods:A novel digestion solution for KHE tumors (patent number: CN202410500224.2) was formulated using collection fluid, Liberase TM and dispase stock solutions, and was used to process tumor tissues to obtain cells. High-purity KHE-ECs were purified using CD31 + immunomagnetic beads. The EGM-2 complete medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 2% penicillin-streptomycin solution was employed for cell culture. To verify the characteristics of KHE-ECs, immunofluorescence assay was conducted to determine the expression of endothelial cell-specific markers CD31 and CD34, KHE disease markers podoplanin (D2-40), prospero-related homeobox 1 (Prox-1), and lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE1), as well as an infantile hemangioma-specific diagnostic marker glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) served as controls for the phenotype analysis of KHE-ECs, including cell viability, cytoskeleton, proliferation, migration, invasion, tube formation, and sprouting ability. Results:Primary cells were successfully isolated from KHE tumor tissues, and high-purity KHE-ECs were obtained by using CD31 + immunomagnetic beads. The cells exhibited typical spindle-shaped morphology and an adherent growth pattern. Immunofluorescence assay showed that KHE-ECs expressed CD31, CD34, D2-40, Prox-1, and LYVE1, but did not express GLUT-1. There were significant differences in cell morphology, cell viability, and cytoskeletal structures between KHE-ECs and HUVECs. Additionally, the KHE-EC group showed significantly increased percentages of proliferative cells (29.1% ± 2.5%), numbers of migratory cells (114.3 ± 9.4) and invasive cells (110.0 ± 6.1), tube length (32 121.0 ± 892.0 μm), and number of sprouting cells (25.0 ± 3.6) compared with the HUVEC group (13.0% ± 2.2%, 38.0 ± 3.6, 35.3 ± 2.3, 25 345.0 ± 448.1 μm, 5.0 ± 1.0, respectively, all P ≤ 0.001) . Conclusion:An innovative digestion solution specifically for KHE tumors was formulated for the first time, and high-purity and well-growing KHE-EC strains were successfully isolated and purified by using the novel digestion solution in combination with CD31 + immunomagnetic beads, providing a stable and reliable cell source for subsequent experimental studies on KHE and laying the foundation for establishing a KHE-EC bank.