OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Qiwei dongqingye powder （QDP） on bronchial asthma in mice. METHODS The mice were divided into blank group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， dexamethasone group （2 mg/kg）， and QDP low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （200， 400， 800 mg/kg）， with 14 mice in each group. Except for the blank group， mice in all other groups were given ovalbumin via intraperitoneal injection followed by aerosol inhalation to induce a bronchial asthma model. During the modeling process， mice in each group were administered corresponding drug solutions or normal saline intragastrically/intraperitoneally. After the last medication， the number of cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） of the mice was observed and counted； the pathological changes of the bronchus and lung tissue were observed； the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， nitric oxide （NO）， total superoxide dismutase （T-SOD）， and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the lung tissue of the mice were determined， and the level of interleukin-17 （IL-17） in the BALF and serum was determined. Transcriptomics was employed to predict and validate the mechanism of action of QDP against bronchial asthma. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the total cell count， neutrophil count， lymphocyte count， and macrophage counts in the BALF of the QDP high-dose group were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of MDA and NO in the lung tissue， and the levels of IL-17 in the BALF and serum were all decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of T-SOD and GSH-Px were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）； the arrangement of lung tissue cells tended to normalize， with reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased exfoliation of bronchial simple columnar epithelial cells. The transcriptomic results revealed that the differentially expressed genes were B-cell receptor signaling pathway， nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， ferroptosis signaling pathway， and others. Further validation revealed that， compared with the model group， the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and chemokine ligand 20， as well as the phosphorylation level of NF-κB inhibitor protein α， were significantly decreased in the lung tissues of the mice in all QDP groups （ P ＜0.05）. Conversely， the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） and heme oxygenase 1 （HO-1） were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS QDP can effectively alleviate bronchial asthma by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway， activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway， regulating oxidative stress， and reducing inflammatory responses.

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether the use of intrapartum ultrasound （IPUS） to monitor the labor process， as alternative method of traditional vaginal examination （VE）， could reduce the incidence of postpartum complications associated with vaginal delivery. MethodsA total of 360 primiparas who underwent cervical dilation balloon induction of labor （IOL） and achieved successful vaginal delivery after childbirth at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between January 2022 and December 2023， were included in the retrospective study with half assessed for labor progress using IPUS （n=180） and the other half using VE （n=180）. The differences in the relevant indicators of the labor process and the complications of vaginal delivery were compared between the two groups of pregnant women. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the duration of membrane rupture， the first stage of labor and the second stage of labor between the two groups. However， the number of VE in the IPUS group was significantly lower ［nulliparous： 4 （3-4） vs. 6 （5-8）， P＜0.001； multiparous： 2 （2-3） vs. 4 （3-5）， P＜0.001］. The IPUS group experienced a lower incidence of postpartum fever compared to the VE group ［1.67%（3/180） vs. 7.22%（13/180）， P=0.006］， while other complications of vaginal delivery， such as fever during labor， postpartum hemorrhage （PPH）， laceration， poor wound healing and uroschesis， were not significantly different （all P ＞ 0.05）. The logistic regression analysis confirmed that the use of IPUS served as a protective factor for postpartum fever with an OR of 0.06 ［95% CI （0.01， 0.36）； P=0.002］， while the duration of membrane rupture was a risk factor ［OR： 1.12； 95% CI （1.03， 1.22）； P = 0.011］. ConclusionsIPUS， as an alternative to traditional VE， does not affect the progress of labor. However， it can significantly reduce the frequency of VE and the incidence of postpartum fever， thereby facilitating the rapid recovery of postpartum women， which makes it clinically valuable for application.

ObjectiveTo identify key ligand-receptor axes that may improve immunotherapeutic strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus （PVTT）. MethodsSingle-cell RNA sequencing （scRNA-seq） data from normal tissues （Norm） and PVTT cells were downloaded from the gene expression omnibus （GEO） database， integrated， and annotated. CellChat was used to infer intercellular communication and compare pathway activities to screen significantly differential candidate ligand-receptor axes. Multiplex immunofluorescence （mIF） was then performed to evaluate the spatial distribution of signals related to candidate axes at the tissue level. The expression of key ligands and receptors was validated by qPCR and flow cytometry in peripheral blood-derived CD8⁺ T cells and the human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2. Functional effects were further assessed in vitro using recombinant proteins and antagonists or neutralizing blockers. ResultsThe analysis revealed strong bidirectional communication between CD8⁺ T cells and activated hepatic stellate cells （aHSCs） in PVTT. The SPP1-CD44 axis was the most prominent in the direction from CD8⁺ T cells to aHSCs， whereas the MIF-（CD74+ CD44） axis was strongly supported in the opposite direction. These axes were consistently supported by bioinformatic screening， tissue spatial analysis， and cellular or functional validation. ConclusionThe SPP1-CD44 and the MIF-（CD74+ CD44） axes may collectively shape the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment （ITME） of PVTT through stromal activation and T-cell functional reprogramming， suggesting potential targets for improving immunotherapeutic responsiveness in patients with PVTT.

Objective:To explore the possibility of using a inferior gluteal artery perforator flap (IGAPF) for breast reconstruction in the patient who did not have suitable donor site in back and abdomen.Methods:In November 2024, a 25-year-old unmarried and childless woman with right breast cancer received immediate right breast reconstruction by a right free IGAPF after modified right mastectomy in the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University. The locations of perforators were confirmed by both Multi-detector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) and portable Doppler blood flow detector before surgery. The IGAPF was designed to take the inferior gluteal wrinkle as the lower edge, the axis of the flap was parallel to the inferior gluteal wrinkle, and the width of the flap was estimated where the incision could be directly closed. The size of right IGAPF was 6.0 cm×19.0 cm. Sharp dissection was performed between the sarcolemma and muscle fibres of gluteus, then the perforators were dissected along the direction of muscle fibres of gluteus. The vascular pedicle was kept at about 8.0 cm in length. The diameter of artery was about 2.0 mm and that for the veins was about 1.5 mm. End-to-end anastomoses with the right thoracodorsal artery and vein were successfully carried out. The donor site was directly closed, and it was hidden in the inferior gluteal wrinkle. Postoperative outpatient clinical review was made.Results:Pathological examination reported: an invasive carcinoma of right breast, axillary lymph node metastasis (2/10). The patient recovered well and the flap survived without any complication, i.e. ischemic necrosis, infection and haematoma. The patient was off-bed at 3 days and discharged at 13 days after surgery. At the 40 days of postoperative follow-up, the patient achieved a good recovery and the lower limb activity was not affected by the surgery. The patient was satisfied with the reconstructed breast and donor site recovery. The patient followed with scheduled chemotherapy and subsequent radiotherapy. The volume of reconstructed breast was smaller than the other breast, of which the patient was fully informed before the surgery.Conclusion:A free IGAPF provides an alternative donor sites for achieving a breast reconstruction due to the reliable pedicle vessels and invisible donor scars.

Objective To study how lipid bilayer fluidity modulates the interaction between β1 integrin and CD40L,as well as the formation of CD40L-mediated tumor cell contact interfaces.Methods Supported lipid bilayers(SLB)with different fluidities were prepared through adjusting the 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[N-(5-amino-l-carboxypentyl)iminodiacetic acid]succinyl nickel salt(DGS-NTA)content.The functionalization of lipid bilayers was achieved by anchoring fluorescently labeled CD40L molecules onto the membrane surface.The contact interface formation of PC9 cells on the functionalized lipid bilayers was observed through confocal fluorescence imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP)experiments,and data of two dimensional(2D)reaction kinetics of β1 integrin and CD40L were extracted from Zhu-Golan plots.Results The diffusion coefficient of molecules in lipid bilayer was negatively correlated with DGS-NTA content.High fluidity of lipid bilayer promoted CD40L accumulation at cell contact interface and expanded the cell contact area.The 2D dissociation constants(2D Kd)of β1 integrin-CD40L complexes were approximately 13,31 and 65 molecules/μm2 for the three lipid bilayers with high,moderate and low fluidities,respectively.Conclusions High fluidity of lipid bilayers significantly facilitates diffusion and aggregation of CD40L to the cell contact interface,thus enhancing β1 integrin-CD40L interaction and the stability of cell contact interfaces.

Objective To analyze the clinical phenotypes and genetic variants of three families with NOG-re-lated symphalangism spectrum disorder(NOG-SSD).Methods Clinical data of 11 family members from three NOG-SSD families were retrospectively analyzed,including medical history,physical examination,imaging studies,and audiological evaluations.Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of family members for whole-exome sequencing.Results Among the 11 family members,four exhibited mixed or conductive hearing loss.Probands from family 1 and 2 presented with mixed hearing loss,proximal symphalangism,flexion impairment of the fifth interphalangeal joint,and absence of skin creases.The proband and her mother in family 3 displayed con-ductive/mixed hearing loss,proximal symphalangism,and characteristic facial features(semicylindrical nose,hypo-plastic alae nasi,and thin upper lip with vermilion border).Whole-exome sequencing identified pathogenic variants in the NOG gene(NM_005450.6)in all three families.Family 1 and 2 harbored the novel missense variant c.236T＞A(p.Met79Lys)and nonsense variant c.666C＞G(p.Tyr222Ter),respectively,while family 3 carried the frameshift variant c.31del(p.Leu11SerfsTer51).All three variants were classified as pathogenic or likely pathogen-ic and have not been previously reported.Patients in family 1 and 2 were diagnosed with proximal symphalangism-1(SYM 1),whereas those in family 3 were diagnosed with multiple synostoses syndrome-1(SYNS1).Conclusion The NOG gene variants c.236T＞A,c.666C＞G,and c.31del are causative for NOG-SSD in these three families.

Methodological quality assessment is a pivotal link between primary studies and reliable evidence-based practice,and an essential pathway for operationalizing the core principles of the Guide on Methodological Standards in Pharmacoepidemiology(2nd edition).A prevalent challenge in practice,however,is the conflation of appraising methodological robustness(risk of bias assessment)with verifying reporting transparency(adherence to reporting guidelines).This paper systematically addresses this fundamental challenge,beginning with a clear distinction between the essence and boundaries of these two concepts.On this basis,the article provides a comprehensive review of mainstream quality assessment tools,covering the methodological features and evolutionary trajectory of numerous instruments for interventional(e.g.,RoB 2,ROBINS-I),observational(e.g.,NOS,the JBI/SIGN/NIH series),secondary(e.g.,AMSTAR 2),and other specific types of studies such as health economic evaluations.Furthermore,a complete case study is used to illustrate the practical application of the ROBINS-I tool.The paper's central thesis advocates for an"appraisal-informed design"philosophy,urging a conceptual shift from the retrospective critique of existing literature to the prospective quality control of new research by internalizing appraisal standards as design principles,while also exploring the emerging paradigm of artificial intelligence in assisting assessment.This paper provides a comprehensive methodological reference for researchers and practitioners to prudently select appropriate assessment tools and to conduct rigorous critical appraisals of pharmacoepidemiological evidence.

Objective:To explore the differences of metabolomic profiles in day 3 (D3) culture medium of embryos with varying developmental potentials, in order to provide a theoretical foundation for the establishment of embryo selection technology platform using metabolomics.Methods:Eight patients who received in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatment at Reproductive Medicine Center of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Maternal and Child Health Hospital between November 13 and December 5, 2023 were selected as the study subjects. The D3 culture medium from patient embryos was collected and divided into high-quality blastocysts ( n=42), non-high-quality blastocysts ( n=33), and embryos that failed to form blastocysts (non-formation group, n=43) according to the formation of day 5 blastocysts. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed to perform non-targeted metabolomic analysis in the D3 culture medium from three distinct groups. Results:1) The metabolites in D3 culture medium of embryos with varying developmental potentials exhibit significant differences. Specifically, 79 differential metabolites were identified between the blastocyst formation group and the non-blastocyst formation group (all P<0.05); additionally, 73 differential metabolites were found between the high-quality blastocyst group and the non-high-quality blastocyst group (all P<0.05). 2) The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of significantly differential metabolites for predicting potential of D3 embryo blastocyst formation and high-quality blastocyst formation were both greater than 0.9, demonstrating excellent predictive performance. 3) KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differential metabolites associated with blastocyst formation potential were primarily enriched in pathways including D-amino acid metabolism, glycine-serine-threonine metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, and histidine metabolism ( P<0.05). For high-quality blastocyst formation, the differential metabolites were predominantly enriched in pathways related to tryptophan metabolism, D-amino acid metabolism, serotonergic synapses, and protein digestion and absorption ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Embryos with different developmental potentials have significantly different metabolic profiles, and it is feasible to predict the developmental potential of D3 embryos by metabolomics analysis.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of meropenem exposure and degradation levels on clinical efficacy in patients with purulent meningitis （PM）. METHODS A total of 131 PM patients treated with meropenem at the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2022 to June 2025 were prospectively included. Relevant data were collected and divided into a cured group （91 cases） and a non-cured group （40 cases） based on the efficacy. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of meropenem and its open-loop metabolites. Risk factors that affect efficacy were screened， and their predictive power and correlation were evaluated by univariate analysis， and multivariate Logistic regression analysis， receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves， and correlation analysis. RESULTS Univariate analysis showed that serum creatinine， creatinine clearance rate， minimum inhibitory concentration of meropenem ≥16 μg/mL， cerebrospinal fluid red blood cell count， cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count， cerebrospinal fluid glucose content， blood trough concentration， blood open-loop metabolite concentration/trough concentration ratio， and intrathecal injection were all correlated with efficacy （P＜0.05）. The results of multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that serum creatinine blood open-loop metabolite concentration/trough concentration ratio， intrathecal injection， and cerebrospinal fluid glucose content were influencing factors for suboptimal anti-infective ltt efficacy （P＜0.05）. ROC curve analysis showed that when the blood open-loop metabolite concentration/trough concentration ratio was greater than 2.854 （AUC＝0.647）， serum creatinine was less than 59.5 μmol/L （AUC＝0.647）， and cerebrospinal fluid glucose content was less than 3.37 mmol/L （AUC＝0.709）， the risk of treatment failure significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Correlation analysis showed that the blood trough concentration of meropenem was positively correlated with the concentration of its open-loop metabolites （R 2＝0.134 5， P＜0.000 1）. CONCLUSIONS Insufficient exposure level and rapid degradation of meropenem are key mechanisms affecting the anti-infective efficacy of PM. Elevated blood open-loop metabolite concentration/ trough concentration ratio， low serum creatinine level， lack of intrathecal injection， and low cerebrospinal fluid glucose content are independent risk factors for poor efficacy.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in regulating many physiological processes. Activating the AhR-CYP1A1 axis has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy against various inflammatory diseases. Here, a practical in situ cell-based fluorometric assay was constructed to screen AhR-CYP1A1 axis modulators, via functional sensing of CYP1A1 activities in live cells. Firstly, a cell-permeable, isoform-specific enzyme-activable fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 was rationally constructed for in-situ visualizing the dynamic changes of CYP1A1 function in living systems, which was subsequently used for discovering the efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis. Following screening of a compound library, LAC-7 was identified as an efficacious activator of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis, which dose-dependently up-regulated the expression levels of both CYP1A1 and AhR in multiple cell lines. LAC-7 also suppressed macrophage M1 polarization and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages. Animal tests showed that LAC-7 could significantly mitigate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice, and markedly reduced the levels of multiple inflammatory factors. Collectively, an optimized fluorometric cell-based assay was devised for in situ functional imaging of CYP1A1 activities in living systems, which strongly facilitated the discovery of efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis as novel anti-inflammatory agents.