Atherosclerosis （AS） is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases and seriously threatens human quality of life. Its prevention and treatment urgently need breakthroughs. The inflammatory response， which runs through the physiological and pathological evolution process of AS， is one of the important mechanisms for AS occurrence. Currently， the treatment methods for AS in Western medicine are relatively mature. However， they have adverse reactions such as abnormal liver and kidney function， drug tolerance， target vessel restenosis， and stent thrombosis， which remain the key bottleneck restricting clinical efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， characterized by multiple components， multiple targets， and multi-pathway synergy， shows unique clinical application potential and efficacy advantages in the intervention of AS. This article reviewed the research progress of TCM in intervening in AS by regulating inflammatory-related signaling pathways， such as nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Toll-like receptors （TLRs）， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）， in the past five years. It summarized the combined mechanism of action of TCM monomers， TCM pairs， and compound preparations in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction through multiple targets， regulating lipid metabolism disorders， and improving vascular endothelial dysfunction and the imbalance of the microenvironment. It deepened the research on the molecular mechanism of TCM in anti-AS， so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical transformation application and related theoretical research of TCM in anti-AS.

Atherosclerosis （AS） is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases and seriously threatens human quality of life. Its prevention and treatment urgently need breakthroughs. The inflammatory response， which runs through the physiological and pathological evolution process of AS， is one of the important mechanisms for AS occurrence. Currently， the treatment methods for AS in Western medicine are relatively mature. However， they have adverse reactions such as abnormal liver and kidney function， drug tolerance， target vessel restenosis， and stent thrombosis， which remain the key bottleneck restricting clinical efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， characterized by multiple components， multiple targets， and multi-pathway synergy， shows unique clinical application potential and efficacy advantages in the intervention of AS. This article reviewed the research progress of TCM in intervening in AS by regulating inflammatory-related signaling pathways， such as nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Toll-like receptors （TLRs）， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）， in the past five years. It summarized the combined mechanism of action of TCM monomers， TCM pairs， and compound preparations in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction through multiple targets， regulating lipid metabolism disorders， and improving vascular endothelial dysfunction and the imbalance of the microenvironment. It deepened the research on the molecular mechanism of TCM in anti-AS， so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical transformation application and related theoretical research of TCM in anti-AS.

Objective To evaluate the reporting quality and influencing factors of patient-reported outcome (PRO) data in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lung cancer. Methods RCTs of lung cancer with PRO as either primary or secondary endpoints were searched from PubMed, EMbase, Medline, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP databases between January 1, 2010 and April 20, 2024. Reporting quality of included RCTs were assessed based on the CONSORT-PRO extension. Descriptive statistics and bivariate regression analysis were used to describe the reporting quality and analyze the factors influencing the reporting quality. Results A total of 740 articles were retrieved. After screening, 53 eligible RCTs of lung cancer with 22 780 patients were included. The patients were mainly with non-small cell lung cancer (84.91%), with the median sample size of the included studies was 364.0 (160.5, 599.5) patients. The primary PRO tool used was the EORTC QLQ-C30 (60.38%). There were 52 (98.11%) studies whose PRO measured the domain of "symptom management of cough, dyspnea, fatigue, pain, etc.", and 45 (84.91%) studies measured "health-related quality of life". Multicenter studies accounted for 84.91%, and randomized non-blind trials accounted for 62.26%. PRO was used as the primary endpoint in 33.96% of the studies and as secondary endpoints in 66.04%. The reliability and validity of the PRO tools were explicitly mentioned in 11.32% and 7.55% of the studies, respectively. The average completeness of reporting according to the CONSORT-PRO guidelines was 60.00%, ranging from 25.00% to 93.00%. The main factors affecting the completeness of CONSORT-PRO reporting included sample size and publication year. For every increment in sample size, the completeness of reporting increased by 27.5% (SE=0.00, t=2.040, P=0.046). Additionally, studies published after 2018 had a 67.2% higher completeness of reporting compared to those published in or before 2018 (SE=17.8, t=–3.273, P=0.006). Conclusion The study reveals that the overall reporting quality of PRO in lung cancer RCTs is poor. Particularly, the reporting of PRO measures reliability and validity, PRO assumptions, applicability, and handling of missing data need further improvement. Future research should emphasize comprehensive adherence to the CONSORT-PRO guidelines.

Aromatic Chinese medicinal essential oils are volatile oils extracted from aromatic Chinese herbs， which can prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases through multiple synergistic mechanisms including pathogen inhibition， immune regulation， and inflammatory response regulation. Essential oils are primarily used externally on the body to prevent infections and alleviate symptoms through methods like inhalation， smearing， topical application， bathing， gargling or as a suppository. They can also be utilized in the environment for disinfection and air purification， through methods like diffusion， vaporization， or spraying. The external application of essential oils extracted from Chinese aromatic herbs has the advantages of convenience， quick absorption， and simultaneous influence on both the body and mind. However， there are still challenges and deficiencies in aspects such as the positioning of functions， indications， safety， and the research on the mechanism of action. It has been proposed to combine the theory of aromatic Chinese medicinals with the characteristics of essential oils， and formulate prescriptions of Chinese medicinal essential oils under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation， and prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases efficiently， accurately， and safely， thereby expanding the clinical application of aromatic Chinese medicinals and the preventive theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

BACKGROUND:LncRNA-TNFRSF13C,an important factor in B cell development and function,is expressed in periodontal tissues of patients with periodontitis,but the specific mechanism is still unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism of lncRNA-TNFRSF13C regulating miR-1246 on hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in periodontal cells. METHODS:Human periodontal ligament cells(hPDLCs)were treated with lipopolysaccharide and divided into group A(hPDLCs cell lines without transfection),group B(hPDLCs cell lines transfected with TNFRSF13C NC-siRNA),group C(hPDLCs cell lines transfected with TNFRSF13C-siRNA),group D(hPDLCs cell line transfected with miR-1246 mimics),group E(hPDLCs cell line transfected with miR-1246 siRNA),group F(hPDLCs cell line transfected with TNFRSF13C-siRNA+miR-1246 mimics),and group G(hPDLCs cell line transfected with TNFRSF13C-siRNA+miR-1246 siRNA).The relative expression of lncRNA-TNFRSF13C and miR-1246 in each group was detected by qRT-PCR.Cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect cell viability.Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry.Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor proteins was detected by western blot.The correlation between lncRNA-TNFRSF13C and miR-1246 was analyzed by Pearson,and the targeting relationship was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There was no significant difference in human periodontal ligament cell activity,apoptosis rate and protein indexes between groups A and B(P>0.05).Compared with group B,hPDLCS cell activity in group C was increased,and apoptosis rate and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor proteins were decreased(P<0.05).Compared with group C,hPDLCS cell activity in group D was decreased,and apoptosis rate and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor proteins were increased(P<0.05).Compared with group D,the cell activity of group E was increased(P<0.05).The cell activity in group F was lower than that in group E,and the apoptosis rate was reduced in both groups E and F(P<0.05).Compared with group F,the cell activity of group G was increased,and the apoptosis rate and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor were decreased(P<0.05).LncRNA-TNFRSF13C was positively correlated with miR-1246(P<0.05).Compared with the TNFRSF13C-siRNA group,the fluorescence activity of miR-1246-wt in the TNFRSF13C-NC group was reduced(P>0.05);compared with the miR-1246-NC group,the fluorescence activities of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α-wt and vascular endothelial growth factor-wt in the miR-1246 mimics group were increased(P<0.05).To conclude,down-regulation of lncRNA-TNFRSF13C can promote the activity of periodontal cells treated with lipopolysaccharide,reduce apoptosis,and inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor.The mechanism is related to the regulation of miR-1246 activity.

BACKGROUND:Spinal cord injury is a neurological disorder caused by traumatic or non-traumatic events,often leading to severe functional impairment below the injured segment.In recent years,neural stem cell transplantation has been considered to have significant therapeutic potential in regulating the inflammatory response after spinal cord injury,inhibiting excessive proliferation of glial scars,and promoting nerve regeneration. OBJECTIVE:To review and discuss the potential mechanism of action of acupuncture and neural stem cell transplantation therapy in inhibiting spinal cord injury-induced secondary injury,and to delve into the scientific basis for its treatment of spinal cord injury. METHODS:PubMed,Elsevier,WanFang,and CNKI databases were searched using"spinal cord injury,acupuncture,neural stem cells,SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis"as Chinese and English search terms.Totally 96 articles were finally included.The research findings of acupuncture combined with neural stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury were summarized and analyzed,and the mechanism of this combination therapy in the treatment of secondary injury after spinal cord injury was summarized. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The stromal-derived factor 1α(SDF-1α)/chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4)axis plays a crucial role in neural stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury.This signaling mechanism not only affects neural stem cell migration,proliferation,and differentiation,but is also a key factor in determining the efficiency of stem cell homing to the injury site.Therefore,the regulation of targeting this axis is of great significance in enhancing the therapeutic effect of spinal cord injury.(2)Acupuncture,as a traditional Chinese medicine therapy,shows unique advantages in the regulation of secondary injury in spinal cord injury.It can effectively reduce secondary injury after spinal cord injury by regulating inflammatory response,inhibiting apoptosis,improving microcirculation,reducing glial scar formation,and counteracting oxidative stress.(3)Acupuncture was also able to influence the expression and function of the SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis,thereby enhancing the homing and survival ability of neural stem cells and promoting nerve regeneration and functional recovery.(4)The therapy combining acupuncture and stem cell transplantation is an innovative treatment strategy for spinal cord injury and suitable for repairing neural circuits.It combines the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine with the advantages of modern biotechnology,providing a new treatment option for spinal cord injury patients.However,this combination therapy is still in the research and exploration stage,and its long-term efficacy and safety need to be further verified.(5)Taken together,acupuncture and neural stem cell transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury has great potential for clinical application,but in-depth research and optimization of treatment options are still needed.In the future,we look forward to further revealing the efficacy mechanism and optimal indications of this therapy through more clinical trials and mechanism studies,so as to bring better hope of recovery and more efficient therapeutic effects to spinal cord injury patients.

Objective: To explore the impact of sleep quality, experience of childhood maltreatment, and their interaction on depressive symptoms among middle school students, so as to provide the reference for early intervention of depressive symptoms among middle school students. Methods: From September to December 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 231 students from two secondary schools in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province by a convenient sampling method. The survey included general demographic information, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Short Version of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The Chi square test was used to analyze the differences in depressive symptom, sleep quality and childhood maltreatment among students with different demographic characteristics. Correlation analysis was conducted using Logistic regression, and interaction analysis was performed by both additive and multiplicative interaction models. Results: The detection rate of depressive symptoms among middle school students was 22.7%, and the rate for high school students (35.2%) was significantly higher than that for middle school students (17.0%) ( χ 2=50.35, P <0.01). The detection rates of depressive symptoms among middle school students with a history of childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality were 45.8% and 44.0%, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that compared to students without a history of childhood maltreatment, students with a history of childhood maltreatment had a higher risk of depressive symptoms ( OR =4.49，95% CI =3.31~ 6.09 , P <0.01);students with poor sleep quality had a higher risk of depressive symptoms than students with good sleep quality ( OR = 5.99，95% CI =4.37~8.22, P <0.01).The interaction results showed that the presence of childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality had an additive interaction on the occurrence of depression in middle school students. Compared with students without childhood maltreatment and having good sleep quality, students with childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality had a 22.49 times higher risk of developing depression ( OR =22.49，95% CI =14.22~35.59, P <0.01). Conclusion Depressive symptoms among middle school students are associated with childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality, and there is an additive interaction between childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality on the impact of depressive symptoms.

ObjectiveTo establish a risk recognition model for coronary artery stenosis by using a machine learning method and to identify the key causative factors. MethodsPatients aged ≥18 years，diagnosed with coronary heart disease through coronary angiography from January 2013 to May 2020 in two prominent hospitals in Shanxi Province， were continuously enrolled. Logistic regression，back propagation neural network （BPNN）， and random forest（RF）algorithms were used to construct models for detecting the causative factors of coronary artery stenosis. Sensitivity （TPR）， specificity （TNR）， accuracy （ACC）， positive predictive value （PV+）， negative predictive value （PV-）， area under subject operating characteristic curve （AUC）， and calibration curve were used to compare the discrimination and calibration performance of the models. The best model was then employed to predict the main risk variables associated with coronary stenosis. ResultsThe RF model exhibited superior comprehensive performance compared to logistic regression and BPNN models. The TPR values for logistic regression，BPNN，and RF models were 75.76%， 74.30%， and 93.70%， while ACC values were 74.05%， 72.30%， and 79.49%， respectively. The AUC values were：logistic regression 0.739 9； BPNN 0.723 1； RF 0.752 2. Manifestations such as chest pains，abnormal ST segments on ECG，ventricular premature beats with hypertension， atrial fibrillation， regional wall motion abnormalities（RWMA） by color echocardiography， aortic regurgitation（AR）， pulmonary insufficiency （PI）， family history of cardiovascular diseases，and body mass index（BMI）were identified as top ten important variables affecting coronary stenosis according to the RF model. ConclusionsRandom forest model shows the best comprehensive performance in identification and accurate assessment of coronary artery stenosis. The prediction of risk factors affecting coronary artery stenosis can provide a scientific basis for clinical intervention and help to formulate further diagnosis and treatment strategies so as to delay the disease progression.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence rate of chronic non-communicable diseases （NCDs） and the association with quality of life in middle-aged and elderly patients with HIV/AIDS. MethodsThis cross-sectional study surveyed 432 patients with HIV/AIDS （aged≥45 years） in the Infectious Disease Center in Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University， and 366 participants were included in the analysis after quality control. A questionnaire and the EuroQol 5-Dimensional 3-level version （EQ-5D-3L） were used to investigate NCDs and quality of life and Tobit regression model was used to estimate the association between chronic diseases and quality of life. ResultsAmong the 366 participants， 29（7.9%） had cardiovascular disease， 45（12.3%） had hypertension， 122（33.3%） had hyperglycemia， 151（41.3%）had hyperlipidemia，7（1.9%） had cancer， 17 （4.6%） had chronic kidney disease， 38 （10.4%） had chronic liver disease， 21（5.7%） had musculoskeletal disorders， and 253（69.1%） suffered from at least one type of chronic diseases. The median （lower and upper quartiles） of EQ-5D utility index was 1.000（0.964~1.000）. Multivariate Tobit regression results of the total population showed that cancer ［b_a=-0.08，95%CI （-0.15，-0.01），P=0.036］， chronic kidney disease ［b_a=-0.07， 95%CI （-0.12，-0.02），P=0.006］， musculoskeletal disease ［b_a=-0.09， 95%CI （-0.13， -0.05），P<0.001］， and ≥3 types of chronic diseases［b_a=-0.05， 95%CI（-0.08，-0.01），P=0.013］ were negatively correlated with EQ-5D utility index. The stratified analysis results of different CD4+T cell levels showed that hypertension ［b_a=-0.07， 95%CI （-0.12， -0.02）， P=0.007］， chronic kidney disease ［b_a=-0.10，95%CI （-0.18，-0.03）， P=0.006］， musculoskeletal disease ［b_a=-0.15， 95%CI （-0.22，-0.07）， P<0.001］ and ≥3 types of chronic diseases ［b_a=-0.09， 95%CI （-0.09， -0.01）， P<0.001］ were negatively correlated with EQ-5D utility index in the group with CD4≤500 （cells/μL）， whereas cancer［b_a=-0.11， 95%CI （-0.20，-0.01）， P=0.031］ was negatively correlated with EQ-5D utility index in the group with CD4＞500（cells/μL）. ConclusionsThe prevalence rate of chronic non-communicable diseases in middle-aged and elderly patients with HIV/AIDS is relatively high. The classification of NCDs such as cancer or chronic kidney disease or other chronic diseases and the numbers of NCDs categories are negatively correlated with quality of life. However，this association varies among patients with HIV/AIDS of different CD4+T cell levels. It is suggested that we should try to prevent and identify NCDs at an early stage， strengthen linkages and integration of health services for AIDS and chronic NCDs， and jointly manage and control AIDS with chronic diseases to improve the quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of Fuzheng Huaji Formula （扶正化积方） for chronic hepatitis B to reduce the incidence of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted， collecting medical records of 118 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 234 patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis who visited the hospital between January 1， 2014， and December 31， 2018. The use of Fuzheng Huaji Formula was designated as the exposure factor. Patients receiving antiviral treatment for hepatitis B without concurrent Fuzheng Huaji Formula therapy were included in the western medicine group， while those receiving antiviral treatment combined with Fuzheng Huaji Formula for a cumulative treatment lasting longer than 3 months were included in the combined treatment group. The follow-up observation period was five years. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the cumulative incidence of cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B and the cumulative incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to examine the factors influencing the occurrence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. ResultsAmong patients with chronic hepatitis B， there were 55 cases in the combined treatment group and 63 cases in the western medicine group； among patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis， there were 110 cases in the combined treatment group and 124 cases in the western medicine group. Five-year follow-up outcomes for chronic hepatitis B patients showed that the cumulative incidence of cirrhosis was 5.45% （3/55） in the combined treatment group and 17.46% （11/63） in the western medicine group， with a statistically significant difference between groups （Z = 2.003， P = 0.045）. Five-year follow-up outcomes for hepatitis B-related cirrhosis patients showed that the cumulative incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was 8.18% （9/110） in the combined treatment group and 22.58% （28/124） in the western medicine group， also showing a statistically significant difference （Z = 3.007， P = 0.003）. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that treatment with Fuzheng Huaji Formula is an independent protective factor in preventing the progression of chronic hepatitis B to cirrhosis and the progression of hepatitis B-related cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma （P＜0.05）. ConclusionCombining Fuzheng Huaji Formula with antiviral therapy for hepatitis B can effectively intervene in the disease progression of chronic hepatitis B， reducing the incidence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.