Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular disease caused by lipid deposition in the inner wall of blood vessels.Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death characterized by iron dependence and lipid reactive oxygen accumulation.Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis.This article explained the correlation between ferroptosis and atherosclerosis from the aspects of foam cell formation,endothelial cell death,vascular smooth muscle proliferation and calcification,and believed that ferroptosis runs through its pathological process.By combing the current research status of the mechanism of Chinese materia medica regulating ferroptosis to treat atherosclerosis,it can be seen that TCM monomers and compounds can reduce endothelial cell dysfunction and inflammatory response,slow down oxidative stress levels,and reduce the accumulation of oxidized lipids under the intima of arterial blood vessels by regulating ferroptosis p53,Nrf2 signaling pathway,amino acid metabolism,lipid metabolism,etc.,so that the blood vessels reach homeostasis,which can provide a reference for the exploration of clinical treatment strategies for atherosclerosis.

Banxia Xiexin Decoction has the effect of harmonizing the spleen and stomach,and regulating cold and heat.It is mainly used for the treatment of epigastric fullness of mixed cold and heat in the heart,and has certain advantages in relieving symptoms,reducing recurrence rates,and ensuring safety.This article reviewed the clinical application of Banxia Xiexin Decoction from the perspectives of digestive system diseases,neurological diseases,gastrointestinal tumors,respiratory system diseases,endocrine diseases,dermatological diseases,gynecological diseases,and other diseases.It also summarized the mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction from the aspects of protection of gastrointestinal mucosa,anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects,immune regulation,regulation of neurotransmitters,anti-tumor effects,blood glucose lowering,and improvement of insulin resistance,providing reference for the in-depth research and application of Banxia Xiexin Decoction.

Objective To analyze the epidemic and clinical characteristics of pertussis cases in Changping District, Beijing and improve the clinical diagnosis level, and to provide a scientific basis for pertussis prevention and control. Methods Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze pertussis cases in Changping District, Beijing from 2023 to 2024. Results A total of 565 cases were reported in Changping District, Beijing from 2023 to 2024, with an average annual incidence of 12.45/100 000. There were 285 males (50.44%) and 280 females (49.56%). The top five towns and streets with the highest number of reported cases were Beiqijia (90 cases), Longzeyuan (71 cases), Shahe (57 cases), Huilongguan (48 cases) and Tiantongyuan South (46 cases), accounting for 55.22% of all cases. The top three towns and streets with the highest incidence rate were Tiantongyuan South (19.72/100 000), Longzeyuan (19.49/100 000) and Beiqijia (14.55/100 000). The incident peak period was from October 2023 to April 2024, with a total of 422 cases reported, accounting for 74.69%. The age of cases ranged from 29 days to 73 years old. There were 67 cases under 1 year old, with the highest incidence rate (263.10/100 000), followed by the 5-9 years old group (149.98/100 000). The 5-9 years old group had the highest proportion of cases, accounting for 301 cases (49.05%). A total of 513 cases (90.80%) had a history of pertussis vaccine immunization, and 455 cases (80.53%) had been vaccinated with 4 doses of pertussis vaccine. The median interval from onset to diagnosis of whooping cough was 18 days and the median duration of cough was 11 days. Conclusion The highest incidence of pertussis is among infants under 1 year old, followed by the 5-9 years old group. Children of appropriate age should be vaccinated in time according to the latest national immunization strategy. Medical institutions should improve diagnostic capability and increase monitoring sensitivity.

Banxia Xiexin Decoction has the effect of harmonizing the spleen and stomach,and regulating cold and heat.It is mainly used for the treatment of epigastric fullness of mixed cold and heat in the heart,and has certain advantages in relieving symptoms,reducing recurrence rates,and ensuring safety.This article reviewed the clinical application of Banxia Xiexin Decoction from the perspectives of digestive system diseases,neurological diseases,gastrointestinal tumors,respiratory system diseases,endocrine diseases,dermatological diseases,gynecological diseases,and other diseases.It also summarized the mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction from the aspects of protection of gastrointestinal mucosa,anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects,immune regulation,regulation of neurotransmitters,anti-tumor effects,blood glucose lowering,and improvement of insulin resistance,providing reference for the in-depth research and application of Banxia Xiexin Decoction.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular disease caused by lipid deposition in the inner wall of blood vessels.Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death characterized by iron dependence and lipid reactive oxygen accumulation.Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis.This article explained the correlation between ferroptosis and atherosclerosis from the aspects of foam cell formation,endothelial cell death,vascular smooth muscle proliferation and calcification,and believed that ferroptosis runs through its pathological process.By combing the current research status of the mechanism of Chinese materia medica regulating ferroptosis to treat atherosclerosis,it can be seen that TCM monomers and compounds can reduce endothelial cell dysfunction and inflammatory response,slow down oxidative stress levels,and reduce the accumulation of oxidized lipids under the intima of arterial blood vessels by regulating ferroptosis p53,Nrf2 signaling pathway,amino acid metabolism,lipid metabolism,etc.,so that the blood vessels reach homeostasis,which can provide a reference for the exploration of clinical treatment strategies for atherosclerosis.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.

Stress damages the function and structure of the brain and then becomes one of the risk factors for many psychiatric disorders. Nectins were recently discovered as cell adhesion molecules mediating many types of intercellular connections, especially synaptic connections between neurons, and thus involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Based on preclinical studies, the paper reviews the role of nectins in stress-induced functional and structural disorders of the central nervous system and the possible mechanisms involved.

Objective:The transjugular or transfemoral approach is used as a common method for hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement in current practice. This study aims to confirm the safety and effectiveness of measuring HVPG via the forearm venous approach.Methods:Prospective recruitment was conducted for patients with cirrhosis who underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach at six hospitals in China and Japan from September 2020 to December 2020. Patients' clinical baseline information and HVPG measurement data were collected. The right median cubital vein or basilic vein approach for all enrolled patients was selected. The HVPG standard process was used to measure pressure. Research data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 statistical software. Quantitative data were used to represent medians (interquartile ranges), while qualitative data were used to represent frequency and rates. The correlation between two sets of data was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis.Results:A total of 43 cases were enrolled in this study. Of these, 41 (95.3%) successfully underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach. None of the patients had any serious complications. The median operation time for HVPG detection via forearm vein was 18.0 minutes (12.3~38.8 minutes). This study confirmed that HVPG was positively closely related to Child-Pugh score ( r = 0.47, P = 0.002), albumin-bilirubin score ( r = 0.37, P = 0.001), Lok index ( r = 0.36, P = 0.02), liver stiffness ( r = 0.58, P = 0.01), and spleen stiffness ( r = 0.77, P = 0.01), while negatively correlated with albumin ( r = -0.42, P = 0.006). Conclusion:The results of this multi-centre retrospective study suggest that HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach is safe and feasible.

Objective To investigate the effect of membrane-spanning 4-domains subfamily member 6D(MS4A6D)gene knockout on the fertility of female mice.Methods On the basis of the successful construction of Ms4a6d gene knockout model mice,the homozygous Ms4a6d gene knockout(Ms4a6d-/-)mice at an age of different weeks were subjected.Mouse genotype was identified with RT-qPCR and agarose gel electrophoresis.HE staining,immunofluorescence assay and ELISA were used to detect serum level of anti-müllerian hormone(AMH),composition of macrophages and follicles at all levels in the ovaries of Ms4a6d-/mice,respectively.The fertility changes in pregnant rate and average litter size of female Ms4a6d-/-mice were observed by fertility experiments.Results Compared with the wild-type(Ms4a6d+/+)female mice at the same age,there were less macrophages in the ovarian tissues of the 2-and 4-week-old Ms4a6d-/-female mice(P＜0.01),but no significant difference was observed between the 2 types of mice at 8 weeks of age.For the adult Ms4a6d-/-female mice at an age of 8 weeks,the ovarian coefficient was obviously lower(P＜0.01),and the numbers of primordial,primary,secondary and antral follicles in the ovarian tissues was statistically lower(P＜0.05)when compared with the adult wild-type female mice at the same age.The serum AMH level was notably lower in the Ms4a6d-/-female mice of all ages than the wild-type ones at corresponding ages(P＜0.05).The average pregnancy rate was 56％and the litter size was 4.1±1.1 in adult Ms4a6d-/-female mice,which were significantly lower than those of wild-type mice of the same age(89％and 6.3±1.2).Conclusion Ms4a6d gene knockout decreases the number of macrophages in the ovarian tissues of adolescent females,interferes with the development of follicles in the ovarian tissues of adolescent females,and leads to a decrease in ovarian reserve in adult females and a decrease in fertility in adult females.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression level of glypican-3(GPC3)and the immune therapy response in clinical liver cancer patients.Methods Clinical data of 232 liver cancer immunotherapy response/tolerance group patients from January 2019 to May 2023 at the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army were collected,and the correlation between GPC3 expression levels and the efficacy of immunotherapy in liver cancer patients was statistically analyzed;TCGA database validation of immune cell infiltration in GPC3 high and low expression groups of liver cancer patients;Further,real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qPCR)and immunohistochemical staining methods were used to detect the expression of GPC3 and immune cell infiltration in paired tissues of liver cancer immunotherapy response/tolerance group patients,and multi-color immunofluorescence was applied to detect the expression of GPC3 and related molecules.Results Clinical evidence shows that the GPC3 positive group of liver cancer patients has a low response rate to immunotherapy.Univariate/multivariate analysis results indicate that GPC3 is an independent risk factor for tumor recurrence after liver cancer immunotherapy;The analysis of the TCGA database revealed that high expression of GPC3 in liver cancer tissue leads to increased infiltration of regulatory T cells(Tregs);Paired tissue testing of liver cancer patients and adjacent tissues revealed that the immunotherapy effect was worse in the GPC3 high expression group,and Tregs cell infiltration increased,consistent with the results of database analysis.The TCGA database analysis results showed that GPC3 was positively correlated with CCL20 and its ligand CCR6,and the multi-color immunohistochemistry results were consistent with the database analysis results.Conclusion GPC3 is highly expressed in tumor tissues of liver cancer patients and is positively correlated with immune therapy tolerance in liver cancer.GPC3 regulates Tregs cell infiltration through the CCL20-CCR6 signaling axis and is expected to serve as a biomarker for predicting the efficacy of immune therapy in clinical liver cancer patients.