ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which the combination of berberine （BBR） and baicalin （BAI） ameliorates type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） due to internal accumulation of dampness-heat from the perspectives of gut microbiota and metabolomics. MethodsAntibiotics were used to induce pseudo-sterile mice. Thirty pseudo-sterile mice were randomized into a normal fecal microbiota transplantation group （n=10） and a T2DM （syndrome of internal accumulation of dampness-heat） fecal microbiota transplantation group （n=20）. The mice were then administrated with suspensions of fecal microbiota from healthy volunteers and a patient with T2DM due to internal accumulation of dampness-heat by gavage， respectively. Each mouse received 200 µL suspension every other day for a total of 15 times to reshape the gut microbiota. The T2DM model mice were then assigned into a model group （n=8） and a BBR-BAI group （n=11）. BBR was administrated at a dose of 200 mg·kg^-1， and BAI was administrated in a ratio of BBR-BAI 10∶1 based on preliminary research findings. The administration lasted for 8 consecutive weeks. Fasting blood glucose （FBG）， glycated hemoglobin （HbA1c）， insulin （INS）， triglycerides （TG）， total cholesterol （CHOL）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） levels were measured to evaluate the effects of the BBR-BAI combination on glucose and lipid metabolism and liver function in T2DM mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe pathological changes in the colon tissue. The expression of claudin-1， zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， and occludin in the colon tissue was determined by Western blot. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was employed to assess the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in the colon tissue. The fecal microbiota composition and differential metabolites were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF-MS）， respectively. ResultsThe BBR-BAI combination lowered the FBG， HbA1c， and INS levels （P<0.05， P<0.01） and alleviated insulin resistance （P<0.01） in T2DM mice. Additionally， BBR-BAI elevated the levels of ZO-1， occludin， and claudin-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated the expression levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 in the colon （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that BBR-BAI increased the relative abundance of Ligilactobacillus， Phascolarctobacterium， and Akkermansia （P<0.05）， while significantly decreasing the relative abundance of Alistipes， Odoribacter， and Colidextribacter （P<0.05）. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS identified 28 differential metabolites， which were primarily involved in arachidonic acid metabolism and α-linolenic acid metabolism. ConclusionBBR-BAI can ameliorate T2DM due to internal accumulation of dampness-heat by modulating the relative abundance of various bacterial genera in the gut microbiota and the expression of fecal metabolites.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of Shaoyao gancao decoction in improving intestinal motility in rats with slow transit constipation （STC） by regulating acid-sensitive ion channel 3 （ASIC3）/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK） signaling pathway. METHODS SD rats were used to construct an STC model by gavage with compound diphenoxylate. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group， Shaoyao gancao decoction group （1.5 g/mL）， lactulose group （208.4 mg/mL， positive control）， and combined inhibition group （Shaoyao gancao decoction 1.5 g/mL+amiloride hydrochloride 20 μg/kg）， with 12 rats in each group. Additionally， 12 healthy rats were selected as the blank group. They were given relevant medicine once a day and continuously intervened for 14 days. After intervention， the intestinal propulsion function and visceral sensitivity of the model rats were detected. The expression of ASIC3 in the colon tissue of rats was observed by immunohistochemical staining. mRNA expressions of ASIC3， ERK1 and ERK2 as well as protein expressions of ASIC3， ERK1/2 and phosphorylated ERK1/2 （p-ERK1/2） in colon tissue of rats were detected； the ultrastructural changes of the enteric nervous system （ENS） -interstitial cell of Cajal （ICC）-smooth muscle cell （SMC） network in the rat colon were observed under electron microscopy. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the intestinal propulsion rate of the Shaoyao gancao decoction group was significantly increased， while the visceral pain threshold was significantly decreased. The proportion of the positive area of ASIC3 in the colonic tissue was significantly increased. The relative mRNA expression levels of ERK1， ERK2， and ASIC3， as well as the relative protein expression levels of p-ERK1/2 and ASIC3， and the p-ERK1/2 to ERK1/2 in the colonic tissue， were all significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Additionally， there was marked repair of the morphological structure of ICC and SMC， with closer gap junctions observed. Compared with the Shaoyao gancao decoction group， the combined inhibition group exhibited a diminished improvement in intestinal motility of rats， with statistically significant differences in the levels of some indicators （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the repairing of the morphological structure of ICC and SMC was notably attenuated. CONCLUSIONS Shaoyao gancao decoction can effectively improve the intestinal transmission function and promote intestinal repair in STC rats， and its mechanism may be related to regulating the balance of the ENS-ICC-SMC network mediated by the ASIC3/ERK signaling pathway， thus promoting intestinal motility and reducing visceral sensitivity.

The relevant laws and regulations regarding the utilization of the deceased as medical research subjects are not yet fully developed in China nowadays. Taking the deceased as research subjects as a starting point， this paper discussed the definition of the deceased and the scope of their interest protection from multiple perspectives. It posited that the scope of interest protection for the deceased encompassed two components： spiritual personality interests and material personality interests represented by the remains. The spiritual personality interests of the deceased included identification information such as name， portrait， reputation， honor， privacy， and personal information， as well as medical and health information. The personal information of the deceased was not directly affected by the individual’s life and death status and remained relatively independent. In terms of ethical review， the research team approached from two perspectives： the remains and the personal information of the deceased. Based on the standard of whether the research subjects involve a human body， research with the remains of the deceased as the medical research subjects was classified as non-clinical research. According to the standard of whether a human body is clinically operated， research with the personal information of the deceased （including medical and health information） as the medical research subjects was recognized as clinical research without human research operation. This approach provided evidence for the application of existing laws and regulations in ethical review and record management. The ethical review of investigator-initiated clinical research conducted in medical and health institutions， as well as the regulatory conditions for exemption from ethical review， were examined. The forms， content， and acquisition of informed consent were summarized， and the risk-benefit characteristics of the research activity were evaluated， with a view to providing a basis for the smooth and compliant implementation of research activities involving the deceased as medical research subjects.

Vitamin D, as an indispensable trace element in the human body, plays an important role in a variety of biological processes. In recent years, studies have suggested that vitamin D is related to the development of scars, and may become a potential effective intervention method for pathological scars. This paper reviewed the relationship between vitamin D and scar formation, including the regulation of receptor pathway, growth factor pathway, inflammatory cell pathway and other mechanisms. Specific applications of vitamin D in scar treatment were also reviewed, aiming to provide ideas for further exploring of its role in the field of scar treatment in the future.

Vitamin D, as an indispensable trace element in the human body, plays an important role in a variety of biological processes. In recent years, studies have suggested that vitamin D is related to the development of scars, and may become a potential effective intervention method for pathological scars. This paper reviewed the relationship between vitamin D and scar formation, including the regulation of receptor pathway, growth factor pathway, inflammatory cell pathway and other mechanisms. Specific applications of vitamin D in scar treatment were also reviewed, aiming to provide ideas for further exploring of its role in the field of scar treatment in the future.

AIM:To observe the effect of fudostei-ne on induced sputum cell components and lung function in patients with stable neutrophil-dominat-ed COPD.METHODS:From October 2019 to Octo-ber 2022,53 patients with stable COPD were select-ed and divided into fudosteine group and placebo group.The placebo group was treated with routine treatment,and the fudosteine group was treated with fudosteine on the basis of routine treatment.The two groups were treated for 6 months.The clinical symptoms[Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ),COPD Assessment Test(CAT)and Modified British Medical Research Council Dys-pnea scale(MMRC),Breathlessness,Cough,and Sputum Scale(BCSS)],lung function index,induced sputum cytology analysis and other related exami-nation results were recorded in detail before and after treatment.RESULTS:(1)Compared with the baseline,the forced expiratory volume in one sec-ond(FEV1),forced vital capacity(FVC),and the ra-tio of FEV1 to FVC(FEV1/FVC)of the two groups were improved after treatment,and the differenc-es were statistically significant(P＜0.05).However,after treatment,there was no significant difference in pulmonary function between the two groups ex-cept for the percentage of carbon monoxide diffu-sion in the predicted value(DLCO％pre)(DLCO％pre in the fudosteine group was higher than that in the placebo group).(2)After treatment,the total num-ber of induced sputum cells and neutrophil counts in the fudosteine group were lower than those in the placebo group.Compared with the number of cells in each component at baseline,the total num-ber of induced sputum cells and neutrophil count in the fudosteine group were significantly lower(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Fudosteine treatment in pa-tients with stable neutrophil-dominated COPD can improve lung function,reduce the total number of induced sputum cells and the total number of neu-trophils,thereby improving airway inflammation.

AIM:To observe the effect of fudostei-ne on induced sputum cell components and lung function in patients with stable neutrophil-dominat-ed COPD.METHODS:From October 2019 to Octo-ber 2022,53 patients with stable COPD were select-ed and divided into fudosteine group and placebo group.The placebo group was treated with routine treatment,and the fudosteine group was treated with fudosteine on the basis of routine treatment.The two groups were treated for 6 months.The clinical symptoms[Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ),COPD Assessment Test(CAT)and Modified British Medical Research Council Dys-pnea scale(MMRC),Breathlessness,Cough,and Sputum Scale(BCSS)],lung function index,induced sputum cytology analysis and other related exami-nation results were recorded in detail before and after treatment.RESULTS:(1)Compared with the baseline,the forced expiratory volume in one sec-ond(FEV1),forced vital capacity(FVC),and the ra-tio of FEV1 to FVC(FEV1/FVC)of the two groups were improved after treatment,and the differenc-es were statistically significant(P＜0.05).However,after treatment,there was no significant difference in pulmonary function between the two groups ex-cept for the percentage of carbon monoxide diffu-sion in the predicted value(DLCO％pre)(DLCO％pre in the fudosteine group was higher than that in the placebo group).(2)After treatment,the total num-ber of induced sputum cells and neutrophil counts in the fudosteine group were lower than those in the placebo group.Compared with the number of cells in each component at baseline,the total num-ber of induced sputum cells and neutrophil count in the fudosteine group were significantly lower(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Fudosteine treatment in pa-tients with stable neutrophil-dominated COPD can improve lung function,reduce the total number of induced sputum cells and the total number of neu-trophils,thereby improving airway inflammation.

Specific pathogen-free(SPF)chickens are widely used in the research of avian diseases and vaccines.Vertically transmissible diseases are transmitted to chickens through vertical transmission,seriously affecting their survival rate,increasing production costs,and causing significant economic losses to the poultry industry,while severely impacting the breeding and use of SPF chickens.Therefore,it is crucial for researchers and managers to enhance their understanding of vertically transmissible pathogens in chickens and to develop effective monitoring measures.Quality monitoring is an important part of ensuring the quality of SPF chickens,with pathogen detection being the primary step.Based on this,it is necessary to cultivate qualified SPF chickens through purification methods and biosecurity measures.This paper reviews the major vertically transmissible pathogens in chickens,including viral pathogens,bacterial pathogens and mycoplasmas,as well as their detection methods.This study compares the differences in microbiological testing items and methods for SPF chickens between the U.S.corporate standard and the Chinese national standard.Analysis of the results shows that in both standards,vertically transmissible pathogens such as Escherichia coli,Proteus mirabilis,Salmonella,and avian leukosis are not included in the microbiological testing items for SPF chickens.Instead,these pathogens are characterized by mixed infections,and outbreaks can seriously affect flock health.To produce higher-quality SPF chickens,it is necessary to include these pathogens in the mandatory testing items.The aim of this paper is to help readers understand the relevant standards for microbiological monitoring of SPF chickens,the hazards of vertically transmissible pathogens,and prevention and control strategies,so as to provide a reference for the detection and purification of pathogens in SPF chickens.

In recent years,with the gradual maturity of achievable remote collection of digital health technology,more and more clinical research have applied this technology to improve the quality of data collection and reduce the burden on subjects.However,its technological characteristics of detachment from the diagnostic and treatment environment and real-time transmission of sensitive information also pose corresponding risks to the protection of subjects'rights and interests and data standardization management,among which personal information protection and data control permissions are more prominent issues.Based on risk analysis and regulatory review,this paper explored the responsibilities of multiple parties,including the sponsors,researchers,clinical trial institutions,and ethics committee,as well as proposed five elements of special concern for ethical review,with a view to providing a reference for promoting the standardized development of digital health technology in clinical research.