Diabetic kidney disease （DKD）， a common complication of diabetes mellitus， is a leading global cause of end-stage renal disease （ESRD）. Current therapeutic strategies primarily focus on symptomatic management but exhibit limited efficacy in halting disease progression to ESRD， and some drugs carry non-negligible toxic side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a long history in treating DKD， with single TCM and TCM compounds demonstrating unique advantages in multi-target， multi-pathway， and multi-effect therapeutic interventions. Tripterygium wilfordii （TW）， known for its effects in promoting blood circulation， dredging collaterals， dispelling wind， removing dampness， reducing swelling， and alleviating pain， contains bioactive components such as Tripterygium glycosides （TWG）， triptolide （TPL）， tripdiolide （TPD）， and celastrol （CEL）. The active ingredients possess various functions， including regulating immune-inflammatory balance， ameliorating renal fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis， combating oxidative stress， protecting podocytes， and improving glucose and lipid metabolism， all of which play a significant role in the treatment of DKD. This review summarized the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of T. wilfordii and its active ingredients on DKD， aiming to provide insights for clinical management and novel drug development of DKD.

Background Silicosis is a fatal form of pulmonary fibrosis caused by the inhalation of silica dust. Although the underlying pathogenesis remains unclear, and the macrophage-mediated immune response plays a central role in its development. Objective To investigate the expression, functional role, and upstream regulatory mechanism of C-C motif chemokine ligand 22 (CCL22) in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Methods Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified CCL22 as a potential key factor in pulmonary fibrosis. We established in vitro models by stimulating human monocytic leukemia cells (THP-1) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived macrophages (PBMC-m) with crystalline silica (CS). The regulation of CCL22 expression by CS was validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Subsequently, a conditioned co-culture system comprising macrophages and lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) was developed to evaluate the effects of CCL22 on lung epithelial cell function. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying CS-induced CCL22 secretion by macrophages were investigated using bioinformatics analysis, Western blot, specific inhibitors, qRT-PCR, and ELISA. Results Bioinformatics analysis identified CCL22 as a key upregulated molecule in pulmonary fibrosis. In vitro experiments confirmed that CS treatment significantly enhanced CCL22 mRNA transcription and protein secretion in THP-1 and PBMC-m cells (P<0. 0001). In the co-culture system, supernatant from CS-stimulated macrophages with stable CCL22 knockdown significantly inhibited the scratch-healing ability and fibrotic process of BEAS-2B cells, and reversed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype compared to the control group. Mechanism studies found that, compared to other transcription factors such as signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), the inhibition of of specific protein 1 (SP1) most significantly attenuated the CS-induced upregulation of CCL22. Furthermore, pathway inhibition experiments demonstrated that inhibiting extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) reduced both CCL22 expression and p-SP1. Conversely, SP1 intervention did not affect ERK activation. Conclusion CS promotes CCL22 secretion by macrophages through the Raf/ERK-Sp1 signaling pathway, thereby driving fibrotic changes in pulmonary epithelial cells.

ObjectiveTo propose an X-Gait motor rehabilitation assessment system based on a perception-cognition decoupling architecture to jointly achieve high-accuracy gait recognition and clinical interpretability for low clinical credibility and opaque decision-making workflows in existing intelligent gait assessment models. MethodsIn the perception layer, YOLOv11-Pose and PoseFormerV2 were integrated for 2D-to-3D human pose reconstruction. A long short-term memory network was adopted for temporal classification of normal, abnormal and pathological gaits. The layer-wise relevance propagation algorithm was used to identify discriminative joints and automatically quantify biomechanical indices including trunk forward inclination angle, stance phase percentage and stride symmetry. In the cognition layer, rehabilitation-oriented prompt engineering and prior knowledge graphs were combined to drive large language models, converting quantitative biomechanical measurements into clinically reasonable structured reports. Eight subjects were enrolled for bedside clinical validation to evaluate classification performance and clinical consistency. ResultsThe overall gait classification accuracy of X-Gait reached 94.1%. The 2D pose detection achieved 100% valid detection rate with an average confidence of 0.819. The mean per-joint position error of 3D pose reconstruction was 105.97 mm. In clinical validation of eight cases, outputs generated by explainable artificial intelligence combined with large language models showed high consistency with manual assessments from experienced rehabilitation physicians. ConclusionThe proposed X-Gait system based on perception-cognition decoupling realizes high-precision gait identification and clinically interpretable outputs.

Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder characterized by abnormal synchronous neuronal discharges in the brain, often accompanied by various complications. The pathogenesis of epilepsy has not yet been fully elucidated. Optogenetics, a cutting-edge technique that integrates optics and genetics, enables precise modulation of specific neurons by regulating light-sensitive proteins. Utilizing optogenetic technology has facilitated the dissection of neural circuits involved in epileptic seizures within brain regions such as the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus. It has also helped identify potential therapeutic targets for epilepsy-related complications, including cognitive impairment, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and mood disorders.However, in the process of advancing from basic research to clinical treatment, its translational path is profoundly influenced by factors such as stimulation modes (the choice between open-loop and closed-loop systems), key parameters (light frequency), and intervention strategies (unilateral or bilateral target selection). The individualized customization of these factors represents the future direction for overcoming current translational bottlenecks and achieving precise treatment.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of endoscopic rubber band ligation (ERBL) and endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) in the treatment of grade I-III internal hemorrhoids, to provide a basis for the individualized treatment of patients with internal hemorrhoids in clinical practice.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 613 patients with grade I to III internal hemorrhoids who underwent ERBL or EIS at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from December 2019 to November 2023 were retrospectively collected. Inclusion criteria: (1) Patients diagnosed with symptomatic grade I-III internal hemorrhoids who failed conservative treatments such as diet adjustment and medication; (2) Patients who were unable or unwilling to receive surgical treatment due to multiple underlying systemic diseases. Exclusion criteria: (1) Patients with grade I-III internal hemorrhoids complicated with incarceration, thrombosis or other complications; (2) Patients with a history of hemorrhoid surgery; (3) Patients complicated with perianal abscess, anal fistula, active proctitis, rectal tumor, polyp, radiation proctitis or inflammatory bowel disease; (4) Patients with incomplete clinical data or lost to follow-up. This study was divided into the ERBL group and the EIS group based on different treatment. Baseline characteristics, postoperative effective rate, recurrence rate, pain score, anal distension, anal edema, complication rate, and treatment satisfaction were compared between the two groups.Results:After balancing with propensity score matching (PSM), a total of 313 patients were included, including 200 in the ERBL group and 113 in the EIS group. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, Goligher classification, and laboratory test indicators, between the two groups (all P > 0.05), indicating that the two groups were comparable. The cure rates of the ERBL group and the EIS group were 64.0% (128/200) and 62.8% (71/113), respectively. The marked effective rates were 31.5% (63/200) and 34.5% (39/113), and the ineffective rates were 4.5% (9/200) and 2.7% (3/113), respectively. Statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in efficacy between the two groups within 3 months after the operation (χ2=0.858, P=0.651). The recurrence rate of the ERBL group was lower than that of the EIS group [13.1% (25/191) vs. 18.2% (20/110)], but the difference was not statistically significant (χ2=1.424, P=0.233). Subgroup analysis showed that the recurrence rates of ERBL and EIS were similar in grade I-II internal hemorrhoids [10.3% (15/146) vs. 10.5% (9/86), χ2=0.002, P=0.963]; in grade III internal hemorrhoids, the recurrence rate of the ERBL group was lower than that of the EIS group [22.2% (10/45) vs. 45.8% (11/24), χ2=4.121, P=0.042]. Still, the difference was not statistically significant after Bonferroni correction (χ2=4.121, corrected P>0.025). Compared with the ERBL group, the EIS group had a lower pain score on the first day after operation [0 (0, 0) vs. 1 (0, 3), Z=-8.211, P<0.001] and a lower incidence of anal distension [25.7% (29/113) vs. 61.5% (123/200), χ2=37.122, P<0.001], with statistically significant differences. The total incidence of complications in the ERBL group was significantly higher than that in the EIS group [29.5% (59/200) vs. 4.4% (5/113), χ2=27.910, P<0.001], mainly reflected in postoperative bleeding [18.0% (36/200) vs. 3.5% (4/113), χ2=13.544, P<0.001] and urinary retention [8.5% (17/200) vs. 0, χ2=10.157, P=0.001], with statistically significant differences. There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative satisfaction, health status score, and the proportion of returning to everyday life within 1 month between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Both ERBL and EIS are effective minimally invasive therapies for grade I-III internal hemorrhoids. EIS is preferred for grade I and II internal hemorrhoids to reduce complications, while ERBL shows a trend in reducing the recurrence rate of grade III internal hemorrhoids. Clinical decisions should be made comprehensively based on the classification, patient tolerance, and prognosis.

Objective This study aims to improve the evaluation index system for the operation of department levels in tertiary public hospitals,strengthen process management,and promote the comprehensive reform and high-quality development of public hospitals.Methods Through literature retrieval and theoretical analysis,a framework for the evaluation index system of department-level operation in tertiary general public hospitals was constructed,and evaluation indicators were initially proposed.Based on the Delphi method,a systematic sorting and adjustment of the evaluation indicators for department-level operation in public hospitals were carried out,and the evaluation index system was finally established.Results The response rates and effec-tive rates of the two rounds of questionnaires using the Delphi method were 90.00％and 83.33％,respectively.The authority co-efficient was 0.8,and the differences in coordination coefficients were statistically significant.The indicators passed the consis-tency test,and the final evaluation index system was composed of 5 first-level indicators,14 second-level indicators,and 43 third-level indicators.Conclusion The evaluation indicators for the operation of department levels in tertiary general public hos-pitals are conducive to guiding hospitals to improve their internal management level and providing support for the implementation of the high-quality development strategy of public hospitals.

Objective:To explore genomic features associated with gemcitabine sensitivity, patient-derived organoid models of biliary tract cancer (BTC) were established and characterized.Methods:This is an experimental study. The tissue specimens of BTC were collected from patients who underwent surgical resection at the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2020 and December 2023. The tumor organoids were cultured in vitro and histologically characterized. Drug sensitivity testing was performed using gemcitabine,cisplatin,paclitaxel,fluorouracil,and lenvatinib etc. to evaluate cell viability. The correlation between the drug sensitivity of organoids and clinical therapeutic response was analyzed.Results:Thirty-eight patient-derived organoids (PDO) models were successfully established from 43 biliary tract malignancy patients with complete follow-up data,including gallbladder cancer PDO 14 cases,distal bile duct cancer PDO 16 cases,intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma PDO 8 cases,achieving an overall success rate of 88.4%. Drug sensitivity testing (DST) was performed on the successfully generated PDO,with 35 models successfully completing DST experiments. The overall consistency rate between drug responses in PDOs and clinical survival outcomes in corresponding patients was 8/14. Transcriptomic analysis of gemcitabine-sensitive vs. gemcitabine-resistant PDO identified 71 differentially expressed genes in the resistant group,the significantly up-regulated genes including GLDC, LINC01595, IL-27, ANGPTL3, CYP7A1,and AKR1C1;the significantly down-regulated genes including P2RY2,LIPC,and ECHDC3. Conclusion:A biobank of patient-derived organoids of BTC has been established,which demonstrates its potential as preclinical models and tools for predicting chemotherapy responses for BTC patients.

Objective:To examine the safety and effectiveness of a novel domestic transcatheter aortic valve system in addressing severe aortic valve stenosis.Methods:This prospective, multicenter, single-arm target-value clinical trial enrolled patients with severe aortic stenosis meeting inclusion criteria from 13 Chinese centers between July 2021 and April 2022. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 1-year post-procedure. Secondary endpoints included safety outcomes (30-day all-cause mortality, 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events, device success) and efficacy parameters (transvalvular pressure gradient, paravalvular leak severity, New York Heart Association(NYHA)class improvement, and quality of life). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results:The study included 134 patients, 85 males and 49 females, with an age of (73.6±5.6)years (range: 65.1 to 91.8 years). Bicuspid aortic valve morphology was present in 59.7% (80/134). Device success rate was 99.3%, with one case converted to open surgery due to coronary obstruction. All-cause mortality was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.1% to 5.3%) at both 30-day and 1-year follow-up, significantly lower than the 25% target value ( P<0.01). Permanent pacemaker implantation rates remained 2.2% (3/134) at both timepoints. Stroke incidence was 0.7% (1/134) at 30 days and 1.5% (2/134) at 1 year. Myocardial infarction rates were 0.7% (1/134) at both intervals. The postoperative transvalvular pressure gradient of the aortic valve was (6.6±3.1) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) (range: 4 to 8 mmHg). Among the patients, 32 cases (23.9%) had mild paravalvular leakage, 4 cases (3.0%) had moderate paravalvular leakage, and no severe paravalvular leakage was observed. NYHA class Ⅰ and Ⅱ patients increased from 18.7% preoperatively to 99.3% postoperatively. Conclusion:The novel domestic transcatheter aortic valve system demonstrates satisfactory 1-year safety and efficacy outcomes in treating severe aortic stenosis.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the application of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in adult lung transplant recipients, and to explore their clinical value in assessing quality of life following transplantation.Methods:This study was a systematic review. Relevant studies published between January 2014 and July 2024 were searched in the PubMed and OVID Medline databases using keywords such as "lung transplantation" "quality of life" "HRQoL" "health indice" "patient-reported outcome measure" "questionnaire" "profile" "scale" "score" and "survey". Only English-language articles were included. Eligible studies were those that applied PROMs to assess quality of life in adult lung transplant recipients and were approved by ethics committees. Reviews, case reports, abstracts, and studies involving transplant candidates or recipients of lung-liver or lung-kidney combined transplantation were excluded. Data extracted included basic study information, study design, participant characteristics, and PROM usage. Frequently used PROMs and lung transplant-specific PROMs were summarized, and results with clearly reported time points were analyzed.Results:A total of 63 studies were included, comprising 54 (85.7%) observational studies and 9 (14.3%) interventional studies. The majority of studies originated from the United States (18 studies, 28.6%). A total of 55 different PROMs were identified, including 30 generic and 25 disease-specific instruments. The five most frequently used PROMs were the Short Form 36 (SF-36; 30 studies, 47.6%), the EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ-5D; 12 studies, 19.0%), the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ; 11 studies, 17.5%), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; 7 studies, 11.1%), and the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC; 5 studies, 7.9%). Lung transplant-specific PROMs included the Lung Transplant Quality of Life questionnaire (LT-QOL), the Lung Transplant Valued Life Activities (LT-VLA) scale, and the Pulmonary-Specific Quality of Life Scale (PQLS), which were applied in only 6 studies (9.5%). Across studies, lung transplantation was associated with significant improvements in recipients' quality of life, sustained over a follow-up period of 3 to 60 months.Conclusions:A wide range of PROMs have been employed to assess health-related quality of life in lung transplant recipients; however, transplant-specific PROMs remain relatively scarce. PROMs provide valuable insights for reflecting and dynamically monitoring long-term quality of life, supplementing evidence for clinical decision-making, and optimizing post-transplant care strategies.

Objective:To analyze the association between healthcare workers mental health,institu-tional supplies and facilities,inter-organizational coordination during infectious disease outbreaks,and the healthcare institution resilience.Methods:An online questionnaire survey was conducted among the healthcare workforce from 146 institutions in Beijing from January 13,2023 to February 9,2023,and a total of 1 434 eligible respondents were included.The sample comprised 408 responses from tertiary hos-pitals,117 from secondary hospitals,and 909 from primary care institutions.The resilience indicator for healthcare institutions was defined as the degree to which medical services met patient demands,with in-fluencing factors including physical factors,such as material shortages and facility space adaptation or ex-pansion,organizational factors such as information sharing and patient referral,and psychological factors were evaluated using job satisfaction(extrinsic satisfaction,intrinsic satisfaction),burnout(emotional exhaustion,depersonalization,reduced personal accomplishment),and depression status.Ordered mul-ticlassification Logistic regression was used to examine the impact of various factors on the degree to which healthcare services met patient needs;additionally,demographic factors that might influence institutional resilience were controlled.Results:During the emergency response phase,93％of hospitals maintained the capacity to meet patient needs,though tertiary hospitals demonstrated significantly higher rates of service inadequacy(21.05％).Material shortages were reported across all institutions,with tertiary hos-pitals experiencing more frequent multi-item shortages.Inter-institutional collaboration patterns revealed substantial variation:87.50％of primary care facilities,42.86％of secondary hospitals,and 31.58％of tertiary hospitals.Healthcare workers across all levels reported mild depressive symptoms and moderate-to-severe burnout levels.Regression analysis showed high satisfaction(overall satisfaction β=0.04,ex-trinsic satisfaction β=0.06,and intrinsic satisfaction β=0.08),low degree of job burnout(emotional exhaustion β=-0.04,depersonalization β=-0.07 and reduced personal accomplishment β=0.01),low degree of depression(β=-0.06)were significantly associated with higher healthcare institution re-silience.In addition,material shortages were significantly associated with lower resilience,and renova-tion and expansion of treatment spaces,and information sharing,were all associated with higher resilience.Demographic factors(age,gender,marital status,educational background,etc.)had no sig-nificant impact on resilience.Conclusion:Mental health status significantly influences healthcare institu-tion resilience.As human resources constitute the core asset of healthcare institutions,strategic optimiza-tion of workforce allocation and psychological support interventions can effectively strengthen resilience.Moreover,healthcare institution resilience is positively impacted by orderly material supply chains,timely resource distribution,and adaptive reconfiguration of clinical spaces.Finally,facilitating information sharing also enhances institutional resilience.