Diabetic retinopathy （DR） is a microvascular complication of diabetes and one of its most common complications. Prolonged hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress， inflammatory responses， apoptosis， and pathological angiogenesis， ultimately disrupting the blood-retinal barrier（BRB） and leading to visual impairment or even blindness. Recent studies show that the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） signaling pathway plays an important role in the development of DR's pathological changes. Meanwhile， Chinese herbal monomers have been shown to modulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway， thereby intervening in the development of DR. In terms of inhibiting oxidative stress， saponin compounds such as platycodin-D and ginsenoside Rb1 downregulate the expression of malondialdehyde （MDA）， thereby ameliorating retinal oxidative stress. Flavonoids such as total flavonoids from Pueraria lobata flower and puerarin upregulate the expression of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GPx）， effectively clearing lipid peroxides. Regarding the suppression of inflammation， phenolic compounds like resveratrol and chlorogenic acid inhibit the nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） pathway， reducing the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α） and mitigating inflammatory responses. In the context of inhibiting apoptosis， polysaccharides such as Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide and Angelica sinensis polysaccharide downregulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） and suppress the activity of the executioner Caspase-3， thereby reducing the apoptosis rate. As for the inhibition of neovascularization， compounds including bilobalide and physcion significantly decrease the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， leading to a reduction in retinal pathological angiogenesis. Furthermore， Chinese herbal compound prescriptions such as Tongluo Zhujing pills， Yiqi Huoxue Yangyin decoction， Qiming granules， and Danlou tablets can also intervene in the onset and progression of DR through the mechanisms described above. In summary， both Chinese herbal monomers and Chinese herbal compound prescriptions can modulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway to inhibit oxidative stress， alleviate inflammation， and participate in maintaining BRB integrity， suppressing retinal neovascularization， and preventing neurodegeneration， thereby delaying the progression of DR. Therefore， this paper reviews and summarizes recent studies at home and abroad on how traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） works to treat DR， and the relationship between the Nrf2 pathway and DR. It aims to provide research ideas for preventing and treating DR.

OBJECTIVE To establish a high-risk medication list and preventive and therapeutic measures for drug-induced hypofibrinogenemia， and to provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of this condition. METHODS By integrating domestic and international case reports， retrospective case-control studies， and spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting databases， 19 domestically marketed high-risk drugs for drug-induced hypofibrinogenemia were identified. Based on the clinical characteristics and mechanisms of these drugs， relevant risk factors were systematically reviewed， and existing treatment options were summarized， leading to the preliminary development of recommended preventive and therapeutic measures. A two-round Delphi consultation was conducted to evaluate， revise， and ultimately reach consensus on the preliminary findings， using a mean importance score of ≥3.5 points for indicators and a coefficient of variation ＜0.3 as screening criteria. RESULTS The coefficient of expert authority for both rounds of expert consultation was 0.904. In the first round， the Kendall coordination coefficients （Kendall’s W ） for the high-risk medication list and the proposed preventive and therapeutic measures were 0.390 and 0.223 （ P ＜0.05）， respectively. In the second round， the Kendall’s W were 0.227 and 0.200 （ P ＜0.05）， respectively. After two rounds of expert consultation and discussion， 11 high-risk drugs for drug-induced hypofibrinogenemia， represented by hemocoagulase and certain anti-infective agents， were ultimately identified， along with 5 preventive and therapeutic measures spanning the entire process of “pre-medication assessment， intra-medication monitoring， and bleeding event management”. CONCLUSIONS This study has established a scientific and reliable high-risk medication list， and corresponding preventive and therapeutic measures for drug-induced hypofibrinogenemia， providing a theoretical basis and practical support for the early identification， stratified management， and precise intervention of this condition.

As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.

Liver failure is a common severe syndrome of liver diseases with high mortality. The function and structural integrity of the intestinal barrier as an entity are closely associated with the development and progression of liver failure. The cGAS-STING signaling pathway can participate in innate immune response by recognizing DNA produced by pathogen invasion and host cell damage and inducing the production of type I interferon. Numerous studies have shown that activation of the cGAS-STING pathway can significantly impact the cellular structure， mucosal components， and commensal bacteria of the intestinal barrier. This article reviews the interplay between the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and intestinal barrier disruption in liver failure， in order to provide novel insights for the clinical management of liver failure.

As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.

As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.

The Guidelines for Occupational Hazard Assessment and Control of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in the Pharmaceutical Industry (T/WSJD 60—2024) is the first guiding standard in the field of health in China that focuses on occupational health protection for active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). It covers the general principles, work procedures, assessment methods, and control strategies for API occupational hazard assessment, providing practical guidance and recommendations for pharmaceutical enterprises to eliminate or reduce occupational health risks associated with API, improve working environment, and enhance refined management practices. This article interpreted and analyzed the background of standard establishment, formulation process, fundamental basis, and main content, to provide scientific and comprehensive technical support for occupational health managers in the pharmaceutical industry to better apply this standard.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact factors and the clinical significance of the urination intermittences in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in BPH patients who underwent urodynamic studies in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital form January 2016 to June 2021. The patients were aged 45 to 84 years with a median age of 63 years, and all the patients had no previous history of neurological disease and had no positive findings in neurological examinations. All the patients had free uroflometry followed by urethral catheterization and urodynamic tests. The voiding work of bladder was calculated using the detrusor power curve method, and the voiding power of bladder and the voiding energy consumption were also calculated. The frequency of urination intermittences generated in uroflometry was also recorded and the patients were divided into different groups according to it. The detrusor pressure at maximal flow rate (P_detQ_max), the maximal flow rate (Q_max), the bladder contractile index (BCI), the bladder outlet obstruction index (BOOI), the voiding work, the voiding power, and the voiding energy consumption were compared among the different groups. Multiva-riate analyses associated with presence of urination intermittences were performed using step-wise Logistic regressions. RESULTS: There were 272 patients included in this study, of whom, 179 had no urination intermittence (group A), 46 had urination intermittence for only one time (group B), 22 had urination intermittence for two times (group C), and 25 had urination intermittence for three times and more (group D). The BCI were 113.4±28.2, 101.0±30.2, 83.3±30.2, 81.0±30.5 in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively; The voiding power were (29.2±14.8) mW, (16.4±9.6) mW, (14.5±7.1) mW, (8.5±5.0) mW in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, and the differences were significant (P < 0.05). The BOOI were 41.6±29.3, 46.4±31.0, 41.4±29.0, 42.7±22.8 in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively; The voiding energy consumption were (5.41±2.21) J/L, (4.83±2.31) J/L, (5.02±2.54) J/L, (4.39±2.03) J/L in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, and the differences were insignificant (P>0.05). Among the patients, 179 cases were negative in presence of urination intermittences and 93 cases were positive. Step-wise Logistic regression analysis showed that bladder power (OR=0.814, 95%CI: 0.765-0.866, P < 0.001), BCI (OR=1.023, 95%CI: 1.008-1.038, P=0.003), and bladder work (OR=2.232, 95%CI: 1.191-4.184, P=0.012) were independent risk factors for urination intermittences in the BPH patients. CONCLUSION The presence of urination intermittences in the BPH patients was mainly influenced by bladder contractile functions, and was irrelevant to the degree of bladder outlet obstruction. The increase of frequency of urination intermittences seemed to be a sign of the decrease of the bladder contractile functions in the BPH patients.
Prostatic Hyperplasia/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Male ; Urodynamics ; Urination ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Urinary Bladder/physiopathology* ; Urination Disorders/etiology*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cardioprotective effect and impact of Qishen Granules (QSG) on different ischemic areas of the myocardium in heart failure (HF) rats by evaluating its metabolic pattern, substrate utilization, and mechanistic modulation. METHODS: In vivo, echocardiography and histology were used to assess rat cardiac function; positron emission tomography was performed to assess the abundance of glucose metabolism in the ischemic border and remote areas of the heart; fatty acid metabolism and ATP production levels were assessed by hematologic and biochemical analyses. The above experiments evaluated the cardioprotective effect of QSG on left anterior descending ligation-induced HF in rats and the mode of energy metabolism modulation. In vitro, a hypoxia-induced H9C2 model was established, mitochondrial damage was evaluated by flow cytometry, and nuclear translocation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1 α) was observed by immunofluorescence to assess the mechanism of energy metabolism regulation by QSG in hypoxic and normoxia conditions. RESULTS: QSG regulated the pattern of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in the border and remote areas of the heart via the HIF-1 α pathway, and improved cardiac function in HF rats. Specifically, QSG promoted HIF-1 α expression and entry into the nucleus at high levels of hypoxia (P<0.05), thereby promoting increased compensatory glucose metabolism; while reducing nuclear accumulation of HIF-1 α at relatively low levels of hypoxia (P<0.05), promoting the increased lipid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS QSG regulates the protein stability of HIF-1 α, thereby coordinating energy supply balance between the ischemic border and remote areas of the myocardium. This alleviates the energy metabolism disorder caused by ischemic injury.
Animals ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology* ; Male ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Energy Metabolism/drug effects* ; Rats ; Fatty Acids/metabolism* ; Myocardium/pathology*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the correlation of serum tryptophan level with 90-day mortality risk in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted among 108 patients with HBV-ACLF, whose survival outcomes within 90 days after diagnosis were recorded. The correlation of baseline serum tryptophan levels measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with 90-day mortality of the patients was analyzed, and the predictive value of serum tryptophan for 90-day mortality was explored. RESULTS: Within 90 days after diagnosis, 53 (29.4%) of the patients died and 127 (70.6%) survived. The deceased patients had significantly lower baseline serum tryptophan levels than the survivors (7.31±3.73 pg/mL vs 13.32±7.15 pg/mL, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis suggested that serum tryptophan level was an independent factor correlated with mortality of HBV-ACLF after adjustment for confounding variables. The patients with serum tryptophan levels below the median level (10.14 pg/mL) at admission had significantly higher 90-day mortality risks than those with higher tryptophan levels (43.3% vs 15.6%, HR: 3.157, 95% CI: 1.713-5.817), and the complication by kidney dysfunction further increased the risk to 73.3% as compared with patients with higher serum tryptophan levels with normal kidney function (15.0%; HR: 7.558, 95% CI: 3.369-16.960). Serum tryptophan levels had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.771 (95% CI: 0.699-0.844) for predicting 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS Serum tryptophan level is closely correlated with the survival outcomes of patients with HBV-ACLF, and a decreased tryptophan level indicates a high 90-day mortality risk, which can be further increased by the complication by kidney dysfunction.
Humans ; Tryptophan/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure/virology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Prognosis ; Hepatitis B/complications* ; Hepatitis B virus