In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has achieved significant progress in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease （IBD）. A comprehensive literature search was conducted covering the period from January 1， 2010， to December 30， 2024， across Chinese databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data， VIP China Science and Technology Journal Database， and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System， as well as international databases such as PubMed， Web of Science， and Embase. The clinical applications and mechanistic studies of TCM in IBD were systematically reviewed. The current status of TCM research on the etiology and pathogenesis of IBD， innovative clinical practices， and multimodal therapeutic approaches， including Chinese herbal formulas， single herbs or active compounds， acupuncture， herbal retention enema， and acupoint application， were summarized， together with their synergistic effects when combined with western medical treatments. The development and application of Chinese patent medicines for IBD are undergoing a profound transition from efficacy validation to mechanistic exploration. Mechanistic studies on the effects of TCM in IBD mainly focus on regulating gut microbiota homeostasis， repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier， and modulating intestinal immune balance. Furthermore， future research directions for TCM-based IBD management are proposed， including the establishment of TCM diagnostic and treatment models， expanding integrated applications of external and internal TCM therapies， innovating personalized treatment strategies， and advancing drug development. These efforts aim to provide insights for the standardized and precision-oriented development of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of IBD.

Purpose: Due to the preservation of the entire stomach after endoscopic resection, the occurrence of metachronous gastric cancer (MGC) remains a possibility. In this study, we investigated the incidence and risk factors for MGC in patients with early gastric cancer who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and successfully eradicatedHelicobacter pylori. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 1,191 patients who underwent ESD and successfully eradicated H. pylori at the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University. Endoscopic surveillance was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-resection, and annually thereafter. MGC was defined as the development of a new cancer at a site other than the primary gastric cancer site, at least 1 year after the initial endoscopic resection. Results: A total of 77 patients were diagnosed with MGC during a median follow-up of 41.5 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 5-year cumulative incidence of MGC of 9.4% after successful H. pylori eradication. Multivariate analysis of the training set using Cox proportional hazards models identified male sex, severe atrophic gastritis, multiple gastric cancers before H. pylori eradication, and smoking history as independent risk factors for MGC.The nomogram exhibited favorable discrimination, with area under the curves of 0.767 and 0.822 in the training set and 0.724 and 0.745 in the testing set at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conclusions Patients with gastric cancer who undergo endoscopic resection, even after successful H. pylori eradication, should undergo annual and continuous endoscopic surveillance for MGC.

Hepatic encephalopathy （HE） is a common complication of severe liver disease in the end stage， and it is urgently needed to improve the rate of effective treatment and clarify the pathogenesis of HE. The liver is a crucial hub for immune regulation， and disruption of immune homeostasis is a key factor in the pathological mechanisms of HE. As the main metabolites of intestinal flora， short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs） play a vital role in the biological processes of both innate and adaptive immunity and can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells maintain the homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment and the integrity of barrier function. Studies have shown that SCFAs participate in bidirectional and dynamic interactions with the liver-gut-brain axis through immunomodulatory pathways， thereby playing an important role in the diagnosis， treatment， and prognostic evaluation of HE. Starting from the immunoregulatory effect of SCFAs， this article summarizes and analyzes the crosstalk relationship between SCFAs and the liver-gut-brain axis and the significance of SCFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HE， in order to provide new ideas for optimizing clinical prevention and treatment strategies.

AIM:This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects and potential mechanisms of cyasterone(CYA)on inflammation and apoptosis of chondrocytes in knee osteoarthritis(KOA).METHODS:A rat model of KOA was established through anterior cruciate ligament transection(ACLT).Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups(n=6 in each group):normal control(NC),ACLT,ACLT+CYA(10 mg/kg),ACLT+CYA+SR9009(BMAL1 inhibitor),and ACLT+CYA+LY294002(PI3K inhibitor).Pathological changes in cartilage were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and safranin O/fast green staining,graded according to the Osteoarthritis Research Society International(OARSI)system.Immunohistochemistry was employed to measure the expression levels of BMAL1,phosphorylated phosphati-dylinositol 3-kinase(p-PI3K),phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT)and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB(p-NF-κB)in cartilage.An in vitro KOA model was created by stimulating rat chondrocytes with interleukin-1β(IL-1β).Cell vi-ability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay,while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to quantify pro-inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α).Apoptosis was analyzed via flow cytometry,and the protein expression levels of BMAL1,PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,p-AKT,NF-κB and p-NF-κB were evaluated using Western blot.RESULTS:In vivo,the rats in ACLT group exhibited significant chondrocyte degradation and lacunae formation compared with NC group,confirming the successful establishment of the KOA model.The rats in ACLT+CYA,ACLT+CYA+SR9009 and ACLT+CYA+LY294002 groups showed improved cartilage integrity compared with ACLT group,with reduced OARSI scores(P<0.05),increased BMAL1 expression(P<0.05),and decreased levels of p-PI3K,p-AKT and p-NF-κB(P<0.05).In vitro,the chondrocytes in IL-1β+CYA,IL-1β+CYA+SR9009 and IL-1β+CYA+LY294002 groups exhibited lower levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α(P<0.05),decreased apoptosis rates(P<0.01),increased BMAL1 protein ex-pression(P<0.05),and reduced p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT and p-NF-κB/NF-κB ratios(P<0.05),compared with IL-1β group.CONCLUSION:Cyasterone alleviates chondrocyte inflammation and apoptosis in KOA by activating BMAL1,which subsequently inhibits the phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To explore the application value of a diagnostic model based on machine learning and SHAP in the diagnosis of severe pneumonia caused by adenovirus infection in children.METHODS A total of 562 children with adenovirus infection who were admitted to Wuhan Third Hospital from Mar.2023 to Apr.2024 were selected and divided into a non-pneumonia group(n=236)and a pneumonia group(n=326).The pneumonia group was further divided into a training set(n=245)and a validation set(n=81)at a ratio of 3∶1.The training set was further categorized into a severe group(n=90)and a non-severe group(n=155)based on the severity of pneumonia.M ultivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for severe pneumonia in children with adenovirus infection,and collinearity diagnosis was performed.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to validate the predictive performance of the model in both the training and validation sets,and the optimal model was selected.The optimal predictive model was interpreted using SHAP.RESULTS Compared with the non-pneumonia group,the pneumonia group had a high proportion of children aged＜2 years,with cough,wheezing,pulmonary consolidation,pleural effusion,mixed infections and allergic history,as well as long hospital stays and fever duration(P＜0.05).After univariate analysis and collinearity diagnosis to exclude confounding factors,the length of hospital stay(OR=1.112),fever duration(OR=1.964),wheezing(OR=2.430),pulmonary consolidation(OR=2.546),mixed infections(OR=2.617)and LDH level(OR=1.613)were identified as risk factors for severe pneumonia in children with adenovirus infection(P＜0.05).Among the eight machine learning models constructed based on these risk factors,the gradient boosting machine(GBM)model demonstrated the best performance in predicting severe pneumonia in children with adenovirus in-fection,with area under the curve(AUC)of 0.796 and 0.785 in the training and validation sets,respectively.SHAP analysis revealed that the top four contributing characteristics were LDH level,wheezing,fever duration and pulmonary consolidation.CONCLUSIONS The GBM model exhibits optimal performance in predicting the risk of severe pneumonia in children with adenovirus infection.Among the predictive characteristics,LDH level,wheezing,fever duration and pulmonary consolidation are significant,providing valuable reference for clinical di-agnosis and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the enhancement effect of deep progressive reconstruction (DPR) algorithm on image quality and standardized uptake value (SUV) of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in obese patients. Methods:The images of a total of 27 obese patients,who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT in Affiliated Nanjing Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from September 2023 to May 2024,were retrospectively enrolled. The images of all patients were collected by using uMI 780 PET/CT. Ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) iterative algorithm and DPR algorithm were adopted to reconstruct PET images,and measure counting rate of scattering coincidence of PET/CT images,counting rate of true coincidence,noise equivalent counting rate (NECR) and scattering fraction (SF). The quality indicators of PET images included signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),the maximum SUV (SUVmax) of lesions,the tumor-to-background ratio (TBR),the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the visual scores of 18F-FDG PET/CT images on livers were evaluated. The differences and consistency of various indicators between DPR and OSEM reconstruction algorithms were further analyzed. Results:The average 18F-FDG PET/CT injection activity of 27 patients was (0.12±0.01) mCi (1 mCi=37 MBq)/kg,and the counting rate of true coincidence,NECR and SF of PET images were respectively (153.73±25.09),(44.81±8.47) kcps and (36.77±1.91)％. The SNR of liver obtained by DPR algorithm was (15.83±3.60),which was significantly higher than that (9.06±1.87) of OSEM algorithm,with statistically significant (t=20.6,P<0.05),and there was significantly correlation in liver SNR between two algorithms (R2=0.91,P<0.05). In 27 uptake 18F-FDG PET/CT lesions,the SUVmax,TBR and CNR of lesions that were obtained from OSEM algorithm were respectively (5.86±1.49),(1.95±0.49) and (17.74±4.77),which were lower than corresponding those of DPR algorithm,and the differences were significant (t=9.03,8.79,15.49,P<0.05),respectively. There were significant correlations in SUVmax,TBR and CNR between the two algorithms (R2=0.71,0.70,0.76,P<0.05),respectively. The visual scores of PET images obtained from the DPR algorithm was 4 (3,5) scores,which was significantly higher than 3 (2,4) scores of OSEM algorithm,and the difference of that between two algorithms was significant (U=396,P<0.05). Conclusion:The scattering effect of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging is stronger in obese patients,whose counting rate of equivalent effect of noise is lower. The DPR reconstruction algorithm can significantly improve the SNR and lesion contrast of PET images than the OSEM algorithm,which has significant gain effect on the SUVmax of lesions,and it can significantly improve the quality of 18F-FDG PET/PET images in obese patients.

The amino-terminal pro-C-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proCNP)is a diagnostic inflam-matory marker clinically used for diagnosing bacterial infections.This study aims to establish a phage display library of single-chain variable fragment(scFv)antibodies against canine NT-proC-NP and to screen for scFvs with high binding affinity to NT-proCNP.Initially,NT-proCNP was prepared using prokaryotic expression system and was used to immunize New Zealand White rab-bits.Upon achieving the desired serum titer,total RNA was extracted from the splenocytes of rab-bits and reverse transcribed into cDNA.Using this cDNA as a template,degenerate primers were employed to amplify the genes of the rabbit antibody light chain variable region(VL)and heavy chain variable region(VH).The VL and VH regions were spliced together to form a complete scFv fragment via overlap extension PCR.The scFv was then ligated into the phagemid pComb3XSS and electroporated into competent E.coli TG1 cells to construct a rabbit-derived anti-NT-proCNP scFv immunological library.This library underwent four rounds of enrichment and screening to isolate specific single-chain antibodies.The selected antibody was subsequently ex-pressed in a soluble form within a prokaryotic system,and its immunological activity was evalua-ted.Using phage display technology,this study successfully identified a single-chain antibody scFv-1-CNP with strong antigen-binding activity and genetic sequence characteristics of scFvs,providing a research direction for further exploration of scFv applications in the detection of NT-proCNP.

To formulate an expert consensus on the principles of preoperative hair removal and provide scientific guidance for standardized removal of hair before surgical procedures so as to reduce the incidence of surgical site infections.METHODS Led by the Hospital Management Institute of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,this consensus was reached with the joint efforts from the expects of relevant fields such as surgeries,interventional therapies,nursing,and infection prevention and control.The consensus facilitates the classification and evaluation of literatures by following the evidence grade formulated by Oxford Evidence-based Medicine Center and focuses on the association of preoperative hair removal with surgical site infection,it reaches the evidence grade of expert consensus and recommendation intensity by integrating with discussions on meetings and clinical experience of the expects from relevant fields.RESULTS A total of 6 items of consensus were reached by summarizing the latest evidence on the aspects including the indications for preoperative hair removal,tools,range,timing and places.CONCLUSION The consensus,to some extent,make supplements to and complete the exiting regulations and standards.It provides guidance for the medical institutions to carry out the preoperative hair removal.

OBJECTIVE To explore the influence of human cytomegalovirus(HCMV)infection on transforming growth factor β(TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway and helper T cell(Th)1/Th2 cytokines of the patients with di-abetic retinopathy(DR)so as to provide guidance for clinical treatment of the DR patients with HCMV infection.METHODS Totally 100 DR patients complicated with HCMV infection who were treated in Xinyu People's Hospi-tal from Jan.2021 to Dec.2023 were assigned as the HCMV infection group and were divided into the non-prolif-erative DR group(NPDR group)and the proliferative DR group(the PDR group)according to the degree of path-ological change of retina.Meanwhile,100 DR patients without HCMV infection were chosen as the no HCMV in-fection group.The levels of serum TGF-β,interferon-γ(IFN-γ)and interleukin(IL)-4 as well as the relative ex-pression levels of Smad2 and Smad3 mRNA were observed.RESULTS The levels of serum TGF-β,IFN-γ and IL-4 of the HCMV infection group were respectively 1.41±0.43,(92.68±15.86)ng/L and(593.91±84.67)ng/L,higher than those of the no HCMV infection group;the relative expression levels of Smad2 mRNA and Smad3 mRNA of the HCMV infection group were respectively(1.54±0.44)and(1.68±0.50),higher than those of the no HCMV infection group(P＜0.05);the levels of the above indexes of the PDR group were higher than those of the NPDR group(P＜0.05).Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of the joint detection of TGF-β,IFN-γ,IL-4,Smad2 and Smad3 was 0.961 in prediction of HC-MV infection in the DR patients,with the sensitivity 90.70％,the specificity 85.10％.CONCLUSION The HC-MV infection may aggravate the degree of retinopathy,which may be associated with the regulation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways and imbalance of Th1/Th2 function.

Objective To analyze the efficacy of autologous tissue repair for rectocele through the perineal approach in treating constipation and fecal incontinence in patients.Methods From January 2021 to November 2022,23 female patients with symptomatic rectal protrusion were treated with perineal autologous tissue repair.Preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively,the Cleveland Clinic Constipation Score(CCCS),Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score(CCIS),and Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life(PAC-QOL)questionnaires were used to assess postoperative outcomes and quality of life.Results Among the 23 patients,with a median follow-up time of 12.6 months,CCCS decreased from 17.09±1.68 to 3.96±2.08(P＜0.05);CCIS decreased from 1.52±4.15 to 0.52±1.41(P＞0.05);PAC-QOL:physical discomfort decreased from 13.00±1.51 to 4.74±1.98;psychological discomfort decreased from 20.96±3.27 to 5.74±2.67;concern and anxiety decreased from 26.13±4.37 to 8.78±3.14;satisfaction decreased from 15.39±2.35 to 4.60±1.59(P＜0.05).All patients showed significant improvement in constipation and incontinence symptoms postoperatively,with no serious postoperative complications and a marked improvement in postoperative quality of life.Conclusion Rectocele repair with perineal approach using autologous tissue is an effective and safe method,avoiding potential potential complications associated with grafts.