ObjectiveThis paper aims to clarify the material basis of Gualou Niubangtang and establish a quantitative analysis method for its main constituents， providing a reference for the overall quality control of this preparation. MethodsThe constituents in the formula were systematically characterized based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）. Identification was performed by matching with the UNIFI 9.6 software and utilizing database platforms such as PubChem， ChemicalBook， and ChemSpider， combined with relevant literature reports. A quantitative analysis method for the seven main constituents in Gualou Niubangtang was established by using high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）. ResultsUPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis identified 155 constituents， including 69 flavonoids， 36 terpenoids， 23 phenylpropanoids， 8 phenylethanoid glycosides， and 19 other types of constituents. In the established quantitative analysis method， the seven main constituents showed good linearity within their respective linear ranges. The precision， repeatability， stability， and spike recovery all met the required standards. The results showed that the content ranges of geniposide， liquiritin， hesperidin， arctiin， baicalin， oroxylin A-7-O-β-D-glucuronide， and wogonoside in 15 batches of Gualou Niubangtang were 13.67-21.25， 1.20-7.64， 5.45-7.45， 22.97-33.51， 29.95-39.07， 2.58-4.80， and 6.56-9.31 mg·g^-1， respectively. ConclusionThis study successfully characterizes and attributes multi-category constituents in Gualou Niubangtang， clarifying that its material basis is primarily composed of flavonoids， terpenoids， phenylethanoid glycosides， and phenylpropanoids. Furthermore， it enables the quantification of seven constituents within the formula. This work lays a foundation for research on the quality control， action mechanism， and clinical application of this formula.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of the Wulao Qisun prescription on pathological new bone formation in ankylosing spondylitis （AS）. MethodsSynovial fibroblasts were isolated from the hip joints of AS patients and observed under a microscope to assess cell morphology. The cells were identified using immunofluorescence staining. The isolated AS fibroblasts were divided into blank group， low drug-containing serum group， medium drug-containing serum group， high drug-containing serum group， and positive drug group. After drug intervention， cell proliferation was measured using the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay to observe fibroblast growth and determine the optimal intervention time. Alkaline phosphatase （ALP） activity was measured using the alkaline phosphatase assay. Protein expression of osteocalcin （OCN）， osteopontin （OPN）， and runt-related transcription factor 2 （Runx2） was detected by Western blot. The mRNA expression levels of Wnt5a， β-catenin， and Dickkopf-1 （DKK-1） were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsCompared with the blank group， each drug-containing serum group of Wulao Qisun prescription and the positive drug group inhibited the proliferation of AS fibroblasts and reduced ALP expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the low drug-containing serum group of Wulao Qisun prescription downregulated β-catenin mRNA expression （P<0.05）. The medium and high drug-containing serum groups and the positive drug group significantly downregulated Wnt5a and β-catenin mRNA expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the positive drug group showing the most pronounced effect （P<0.01）. The high drug-containing serum group and the positive drug group significantly upregulated DKK-1 mRNA expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the low drug-containing serum group of Wulao Qisun prescription inhibited the expression of OPN and Runx2 proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the medium and high drug-containing serum groups and the positive drug group inhibited the expression of OCN， OPN， and Runx2 proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe Wulao Qisun prescription can inhibit the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of AS fibroblasts， thereby delaying the formation of pathological new bone in AS. The possible mechanism involves the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin-related gene expression， further inhibiting the transcription of downstream target genes.

Objective:To observe the characteristics of gastrointestinal tract symptoms in patients with Parkinson′s disease (PD) and analyze the characteristics of these symptoms in patients with different PD subtypes.Methods:A total of 297 PD patients who were admitted to the Neurology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from November 2022 to March 2024 were enrolled. The gastrointestinal symptoms of PD patients were evaluated using Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale (DSFS), Sialorrhea Clinical Scale for Parkinson′s disease (SCS-PD), Drooling Rating Scale (DRS), Eating Assessment Tool 10 (EAT-10), Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), and Rome Ⅳ diagnostic criteria. The patients were grouped based on the presence or absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, they were stratified according to disease duration (≤2 years, 2-5 years, 5-10 years, and>10 years) and motor symptom subtype [tremor-dominant (TD) vs. postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD)]. One-way ANOVA and logistic regression analysis were applied to examine between-group differences while Spearman correlation analysis was employed to assess correlations between clinical symptoms.Results:The average age of the patients with PD was 67.0 (60.0, 72.0) years, and 161 (54.2%) were male. The incidence of PD combined with gastrointestinal symptoms was, in descending order: constipation (191, 64.3%), salivation (155, 52.2%), gastroparesis (93, 31.3%), and dysphagia (68, 22.9%). Compared with PD patients without gastrointestinal symptoms, those with symptoms had higher scores in the RBD-HK [12.0 (5.0, 21.5) vs. 5.0 (0.0, 9.0), Z=-3.74, P=0.017], ESS [6.0 (2.0, 12.0) vs. 3.0 (0.0, 6.0), Z=-3.20, P=0.023], and MDS-UPDRS Part Ⅰ [9.0 (5.0, 14.0) vs. 5.0 (2.3, 9.0), Z=-3.61, P=0.014]. The severity of sialorrhea and deglutition disorders, along with the incidence of constipation, all increased with longer disease duration. Patients with the PIGD subtype had higher GCSI scores than those with the TD subtype [0.0 (0.0, 1.9) vs. 0.0 (0.0, 0.0), Z=-3.57, P=0.007]. Across the cohort, sialorrhea, deglutition disorders, gastroparesis, and constipation were positively associated with the H-Y stage, MDS-UPDRS Ⅰ, HAMD, NMSQ, and SCOPA-AUT; EAT-10 scores were negatively correlated with MoCA ( r=-0.171, P<0.05); and GCSI scores were negatively correlated with MMSE and MoCA ( r=-0.154, r=-0.169, both P<0.05). Conclusions:Overall, 84.5% of the patients with PD had one or more gastrointestinal symptoms, and the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms increased with disease duration. The severity of gastroparesis was higher in the PIGD group than in the TD group. The scores of all gastrointestinal symptoms were positively correlated with the H-Y stage and MDS-UPDRS Ⅰ, while the GCSI scores were negatively correlated with the cognitive scores.

Objective:To determine the prevalence of self-reported food allergies among children in the grasslands of North China and to analyze its associated risk factors.Methods:In this study, a cross-sectional epidemiological survey method was used to select children under 14 years old by multi-stage, stratified and random cluster sampling in the grassland ecological area of Zhangbei County, Hebei Province, China from May to July 2018. Face-to-face questionnaires were administered to gather food allergy-related information from the participants. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors associated with self-reported food allergy.Results:A total of 2 086 children completed the survey. The prevalence of self-reported food allergies was 22.0%(459/2 086). The prevalence of multiple food allergies (≥3 types) was 3.1%(64/2 086) versus 16.3% (341/2 086) for a single food allergy among all children. Mango allergy (6.1%, 127/2 086) was the most common, followed by peach allergy (4.1%, 85/2 086). Children who reported food allergies had a significantly higher prevalence of all 4 atopic disorders (eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and allergic conjunctivitis than those without food allergies(35.73% vs. 20.65%, 5.88% vs. 2.77%, 17.86% vs. 7.38%, 16.78% vs. 10.45%, χ2 =44.663 1, 10.434 3, 45.038 3, 13.728 4, all P<0.001).Significantly associated risk factors of food allergy were found to be pollen allergy ( OR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.80-2.92) and drug allergy ( OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.12-2.09). Conclusions:The prevalence of self-reported food allergies among children in the Zhangbei County area of the North China Grassland was relatively high. Pollen allergy and drug allergy are major risk factors.

Objective:To explore the clinical outcomes and recent follow-up results of the Modified Diamond Protocol in patients with low ejection fraction heart failure (HF) during the perioperative period of cardiac surgery.Methods:Retrospectively collected clinical data of 62 patients who underwent open heart surgery in the cardiac surgery department of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from August 2022 to January 2024, including 48 males and 14 females with mean age of (63.3±11.5)years old. All patients were diagnosed with low ejection fraction heart failure preoperatively, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤0.35. Based on the indications of postoperative heart failure medication, 21 patients who received the Modified Diamond Protocol treatment were included in the Modified group, and 41 patients who received the standard treatment plan were included in the Control group. The baseline clinical characteristics and data of the two groups were compared. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd), pulmonary artery pressure (PH), LVEF, postoperative heart failure improvement, mortality, and readmission rates at preoperative, postoperative, and final discharge follow-up times of the two groups were analyzed.Results:There was no statistical difference in baseline data between the control group and the modified diamond regimen group ( P>0.05). There were no perioperative deaths in either group of patients. Compared to preoperative levels, there were significant decrease in PH, a significant reduction in LVDd, and significant increase in LVEF within each group ( P<0.05). Compared to control group, the Modified group demonstrated a greater reduction in PH (-17 mmHg vs. -12 mmHg, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), a greater reduction in LVDd (-0.59 mm vs. -0.57 mm), and a greater increase in LVEF (0.08 vs. 0.03), indicating an overall better improvement in cardiac function in the Modified group. However, there were no statistically significant differences between two groups ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for 3-12 months. The overall mortality rate within 1 year was 12.9%(8/62). During the final follow-up for cardiac function, when comparing within each group, both groups showed a decrease in PH, a reduction in LVDd, and an increase in LVEF, all of which were improvements compared to preoperative levels, with statistically significant differences( P<0.05). Compared to control group, the Modified group showed a greater decrease in pulmonary hypertension (PH) (-17 mmHg vs. -12 mmHg), a greater reduction in LVDd(-0.58 mm vs. -0.57 mm), and a greater increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (0.06 vs. 0.07). The overall improvement in cardiac function was similar between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences( P>0.05). The readmission rate in the Modified group was significantly lower than in the Control group (9.5% vs. 36.6%, P=0.02), and the mortality rate was relatively lower (4.8% vs. 19.5%, P=0.11). Conclusion:The Modified Diamond Protocol is an effective approach to enhance postoperative cardiac function in patients with low ejection fraction undergoing cardiac surgery, contributing to early recovery and reduced readmission rates, but the long-term trend in mortality rates remain to be observed.

Objective To explore the publication trends and future directions in the field of value of MRI for diagnosing uterine fibroids using bibliometrics.Methods Literature related to diagnostic value of MRI for uterine fibroids in CNKI,Wanfang Med Online,SinoMed and WOSCC databases from 2006 to 2024 were retrieved,and 460 Chinese and 166 English articles were included.A bibliometric analysis was conducted to examine annual publication volume,country/region collaborations,journal distribution,core authors,highly cited literatures and keywords related to MRI for diagnosing uterine fibroids.Results From 2006 to 2024,the number of publications showed a fluctuating upward trend,with Chinese literature dominating.Authors from United States led research in this field and had the closest collaboration with those from France.Chinese and English articles were published in 221 and 81 journals,respectively,with several journals demonstrating significant influence.Highly cited articles mainly focused on differential diagnosis in early publications.Keywords analysis indicated that Chinese studies emphasized diagnosis and pathological typing,while English studies were more concerned with technical comparisons and accuracy assessment.Since 2020,research focus shifted toward image analysis technology and MRI-guided therapy.Conclusion The research on value of MRI for diagnosing uterine fibroids has been continuously developing.In the future,application of new technologies could be further explored,and multi-center cooperation and clinical transformation should be strengthened to promote the development and innovation in this field.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the distribution of Candida and predict the detection trend in the southern and northern campuses of Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University,Wuxi,between 2021 and 2024.METHODS A total of 27 056 patients with common Candida infections from the southern and northern campuses of Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University between 2021 and 2024 were selected to analyze the distribution of Candida species and predict the detection trend.RESULTS Among the 27 056 patients,there were 11 061 males and 15 995 fe-males,aged from 1 to 101 years,with a median age of 68 years.Over the past four years,the top five most com-monly detected Candida species in the hospital were Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida tropicalis,Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei.Statistically significant differences were found in infection characteris-tics among patients with C.albicans and C.glabrata in terms of gender,age,specimen source and related diseases(P＜0.05).From 2021 to 2024,the number of detected cases declined in 2022 and then rebounded(P＜0.001).Among the detected patients,those aged 70 and above accounted for the highest proportion.Regarding the distribution of specific diseases,the top three were vaginitis(4 176 cases,15.43％),bacterial pneumonia(1 842 cases,6.81％)and cancer(1 279 cases,4.73％).Patients with vaginitis were mainly infected with C.albicans,while patients with bacterial pneumonia were predominantly infected with C.albicans and C.glabrata.The LSTM model showed a good fit to the training set,with an root-mean-square error(RMSE)of 145.03 and an mean absolute error(MAE)of 131.19.Model predictions indicated that the number of patients with Candida in-fections in the hospital would remain low from Jan.to May 2025,which was basically consistent with actual clini-cal observations(RMSE=94.71,MAE=84.00).CONCLUSIONS The common diseases associated with Candi-da infections in the hospital include vaginitis,bacterial pneumonia and cancer.C.albicans and C.glabrata are the main pathogenic species,and the infection situation is relatively severe.The LSTM model performs well in short-term prediction and dynamic analysis of Candida detection trends.

As people's attention to health continues to increase,the market demand for traditional Chinese medi-cine(TCM)is growing steadily.The quality and safety of Chinese medicinal materials have attracted unprecedent-ed social attention.In particular,the issue of exogenous harmful residue pollution in TCM has become a hot topic of concern for both regulatory authorities and society.The Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition further refines the detection methods and limit standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM .This not only reflects China's high-level emphasis on the quality and safety of TCM but also demonstrates the continuous progress made by China in the field of TCM safety supervision.Basis on this study,by systematically reviewing the development history of the detection standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM and analyzing the revisions and updates of these detec-tion standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition,deeply explores the key points of the changes in the monitoring standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition.Moreo-ver,it interprets the future development directions of the detection of exogenous residues in TCM ,aiming to provide a reference for the formulation of TCM safety supervision policies.

Objective To elucidate the anti-aging effect of β-sitosterol(BS),an important component in the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq.,in C.elegans and its regulatory effect on ETS-5 gene to modulate ferroptosis.Methods C.elegans treated with 10 μg/mL BS were monitored for survival time and changes in body length,motility,and reproductive function.The effect of ETS-5 gene knockdown on survival time of C.elegans was observed,and the changes in fat accumulation and lipid redox homeostasis in the transfected C.elegans were assessed using Oil Red O staining and by detecting MDA levels and the GSH/GSSG ratio.The mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes(FTN-1,GPX-1 and AAT-9)were detected using qPCR.The effects of BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown on AAT-9 enzyme activity in C.elegans were examined.The effect of BS on nuclear localization of FEV(the human homolog of ETS-5)was validated in cultured human umbilical venous endothelial cells(HUVECs).Results Both BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown significantly prolonged the lifespan,promoted lipid accumulation and reduced lipid peroxidation in C.elegans.ETS-5 knockdown resulted in upregulated expressions of the ferroptosis repressors GPX-1,AAT-9 and FTN-1 and increased the GSH/GSSG ratio in C.elegans.Conclusion BS inhibits ferroptosis in C.elegans by suppressing the expression of ETS-5 transcription factor and hence the activity of AAT-9 enzyme,a key gene for ferroptosis,which in turn prolongs the lifespan of C.elegans.

ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the clinical effect of Danggui Liuhuang Tang （DGLHT） on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） complicated by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease （ASCVD） at high risk， focus on evaluating the influence of DGLHT on cardiovascular risk indicators such as flow-mediated dilation （FMD）， atherogenic index of plasma （AIP）， and triglyceride-glucose index （TyG）， and explore the regulatory effect of DGLHT on the myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-kappa B （MyD88/NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsThe clinical study was a single-center， double-blind， and randomized controlled trial. A total of 68 patients with T2DM-ASCVD at high risk for cardiovascular events with Yin deficiency and fire excess syndrome were enrolled and randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group was given atorvastatin calcium tablets and DGLHT， while the control group was given atorvastatin calcium tablets and placebos. The treatment course was 12 weeks， with a final study completion of 30 patients in the treatment group and 29 in the control group. Changes in cardiovascular risk indicators such as FMD， AIP， TyG， and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （sdLDL-C） index were compared. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） were used to establish a vascular endothelial injury and inflammation model. The protective effect of DGLHT on endothelial injury was verified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot . ResultsAfter 12 weeks of treatment， the AIP in the treatment group significantly decreased compared with that before the treatment （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the treatment group showed significant improvements in FMD and TyG （P<0.05）. Additionally， the treatment group demonstrated significant reductions in two-hour postprandial glucose （2 hPG）， glycated albumin （GA）， triglycerides （TG）， apolipoprotein E （Apo E）， and sdLDL-C （P<0.05）. Analysis of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome efficacy indicated that in the treatment group， Yin deficiency and fire excess syndromes， including dry throat and mouth （P<0.05）， excessive thirst （P<0.01）， tidal fever and night sweats （P<0.05）， and dry stools （P<0.05）， improved. Compared with the control group， the treatment group showed significant improvements in symptoms of dry throat and mouth （P<0.05） and excessive thirst （P<0.01）. TCM syndrome scores significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the overall efficacy rate was 56.67%， significantly higher than the 10.34% observed in the control group （P<0.01）. At the cellular level， increasing concentrations of DGLHT led to decreased messenger ribonucleic acid （mRNA） levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， and interleukin-1-beta （IL-1β） in lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-stimulated HUVECs （P<0.01）， with significant reductions in the high-concentration group （P<0.01）. DGLHT may inhibit the expressions of MyD88 and phosphorylated （p）-NF-κB p65 proteins in a concentration-dependent manner. ConclusionDGLHT shows significant effects in reducing cardiovascular risks and may exert an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. This finding provides a new perspective for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in high-risk individuals with T2DM-ASCVD.