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.

ObjectiveTo examine the influences of Shenfu injection on the endogenous metabolic byproducts in the myocardium of the rat model exhibiting chronic heart failure， thus deciphering the therapeutic mechanism of the Qi-reinforcing and Yang-warming method. MethodsSD rats were randomly allocated into a control group and a modeling group. Chronic heart failure with heart-Yang deficiency syndrome in rats was modeled by multi-point subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol， and the rats were fed for 14 days after modeling. The successfully modeled rats were randomized into model， Shenfu injection （6.0 mL·kg^-1）， and trimetazidine （10 mg·kg^-1） groups and treated with corresponding agents for 15 days. The control group and the model group were injected with equal doses of normal saline， and the samples were collected after the intervention was completed. Cardiac color ultrasound was performed. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe histopathological morphology， and the serum level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mitochondrial morphological and structural changes of cardiomyocytes were observed by transmission electron microscopy， and the metabolic profiling was carried out by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-quantitative exactive-mass spectrometry （UHPLC-QE-MS）. Differential metabolites were screened and identified by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） and other methods， and then the MetaboAnalyst database was used for further screening. The relevant biological pathways were obtained through pathway enrichment analysis. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was established to evaluate the diagnostic value of each potential biomarker for myocardial injury and the evaluation value for drug efficacy. ResultsThe results of color ultrasound showed that Shenfu Injection improved the cardiac function indexes of model rats （P<0.05）. The results of HE staining showed that Shenfu injection effectively alleviated the pathological phenomena such as myocardial tissue structure disorder and inflammatory cell infiltration in model rats. The results of ELISA showed that Shenfu injection effectively regulated the serum NT-proBNP level in the model rats. Transmission electron microscopy （TEM） showed that Shenfu injection effectively restored the mitochondrial morphological structure. The results of metabolomics showed that the metabolic phenotypes of myocardial samples presented markedly differences between groups. Nine differential metabolites could be significantly reversed in the Shenfu injection group， involving three metabolic pathways： pyruvate metabolism， histidine metabolism， and citric acid cycle （TCA cycle）. The results of ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve （AUC） values of all metabolites were between 0.75 and 1.0， indicating that the differential metabolites had high diagnostic accuracy for myocardial injury， and the changes in their expression levels could be used as potential markers for efficacy evaluation. ConclusionShenfu injection significantly alleviated the damage of cardiac function， myocardium， and mitochondrial structure in the rat model of chronic heart failure with heart-Yang deficiency syndrome by ameliorating energy metabolism remodeling. Reinforcing Qi and warming Yang is a key method for treating chronic heart failure with heart-Yang deficiency syndrome.

Objective Objective To analyze the potential spatial factors affecting the genetic differentiation of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni in Yunnan Province. Methods A total of 13 administrative villages were selected from schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province as O. hupensis snail sampling sites. At least 200 snails were collected in each site, and the spatial variable data of each site were recorded, including longitude, latitude and altitude. Thirty active and Schistosoma japonicum uninfected O. hupensis snails were selected from each sampling site by means of the crawling method and the cercarial shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from O. hupensis snails. Following PCR amplification, purification of PCR amplification products and sequencing, the gene sequences of O. hupensis snail samples were spliced and edited using the DNAstar software and the NCBI database to yield the complete mitochondrial sequences of O. hupensis snails at each sampling site, and the mitochondrial genetic distance matrix of O. hupensis robertsoni was calculated at each sampling site. The geographical coordinates of each sampling site were marked using the software ArcGIS 10.2, and the straight-line geographical distance between each sampling site was calculated. The altitude difference, longitude difference and latitude difference between each sampling site were calculated using the Excel software, and the correlation between the mitochondrial genetic distance matrix of O. hupensis robertsoni and each spatial variable matrix was examined by using the Mantel test at 13 sampling sites in Yunnan Province. Results Among the 13 O. hupensis snail sampling sites in Yunnan Province, the largest mitochondrial genetic distance of O. hupensis robertsoni snail populations was seen between Anding Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Caizhuang Village, Midu County (26.244 2), and the largest geographical distance was seen between Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District and Cangling Village, Chuxiong County (272.64 km). The highest altitude difference was seen between Anding Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District (1 086.10 m), and the largest longitude difference was found between Qiandian Village, Eryuan County and Cangling Village, Chuxiong County (1.86°), while the largest latitude difference was measured between Leqiu Village, Nanjian Yi Autonomous County and Dongyuan Village, Gucheng District (1.81°). In addition, the mitochondrial genetic distance of O. hupensis robertsoni snail populations was positively correlated with altitude at 13 snail sampling sites in Yunnan Province (r = 0.542 8, P < 0.001), and showed no significant correlations with geographical distance (r = 0.093 4, P > 0.05), longitude (r = −0.199 5, P > 0.05) or latitude (r = 0.205 7, P > 0.05). Conclusion Altitude may be a potential spatial factor affecting the genetic differentiation of O. hupensis robertsoni in Yunnan Province.

The Type III Secretion System (T3SS) serves as a pivotal virulence apparatus for numerous Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, enabling them to infect both animal and plant hosts. Functioning as a molecular syringe, the T3SS directly translocates bacterial effector proteins from the bacterial cytoplasm into the interior of eukaryotic host cells. These effectors are central weapons that precisely manipulate a wide spectrum of host cellular physiological processes, ranging from cytoskeletal dynamics to immune signaling, to establish a favorable niche for bacterial survival and proliferation. Among the diverse arsenal of T3SS effectors, the YopJ family constitutes a critical group of virulence factors. Members of this family are characterized by a conserved catalytic triad structure—a hallmark of the CE clan of cysteine proteases that has been evolutionarily repurposed to confer acetyltransferase activity. A defining and intriguing feature of these enzymes is their stringent dependence on a host-derived eukaryotic cofactor, inositol hexakisphosphate (IP₆), for allosteric activation. This requirement acts as a sophisticated molecular safeguard, ensuring enzymatic activity only within the appropriate host environment, thereby preventing detrimental effects on the bacterium itself. While seminal studies on individual members such as Yersinia’s YopJ and Salmonella’s AvrA have provided deep mechanistic insights, a systematic and integrative understanding of the structure-function relationships across the entire family remains fragmented. Key questions persist regarding how a conserved catalytic core has diverged to recognize distinct host substrates in different kingdoms of life. To address this gap, this article provides a systematic review of the YopJ family, focusing on three interconnected aspects: their structural features, their catalytic mechanism, and their divergent immunosuppressive strategies in animal versus plant hosts. By conducting a comparative analysis of the sequences and resolved three-dimensional structures of three representative members (e.g., HopZ1a, PopP2, AvrA), we elucidate regions of significant variation embedded within the conserved core catalytic architecture. These variable regions, often involving surface loops and substrate-binding interfaces, are crucial determinants of target specificity and functional specialization. The functional divergence of this effector family is most apparent when comparing their modes of action in different hosts. In animal hosts, YopJ-family effectors primarily sabotage innate immune signaling pathways. They achieve this by acetylating key serine and threonine residues within the activation loops of critical kinases in the MAPK and NF‑κB pathways. This post-translational modification blocks the phosphorylation and subsequent activation of these kinases, leading to potent suppression of inflammatory cytokine production. Conversely, in plant hosts, the strategy broadens to dismantle the two-tiered plant immune system. YopJ homologs target a more diverse set of substrates, including immune-associated receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs), microtubule networks via tubulin acetylation (which disrupts cellular trafficking and signaling), and transcription factors central to defense gene regulation. This multi-target approach effectively suppresses both Pattern-Triggered Immunity (PTI) and Effector-Triggered Immunity (ETI). In conclusion, this synthesis aims to deepen the mechanistic understanding of YopJ family-mediated pathogenesis by integrating structural biology with cellular function across host kingdoms. Elucidating the precise molecular basis for substrate selection—how conserved platforms achieve target diversity—is a major frontier. Furthermore, this knowledge provides a vital theoretical foundation for developing novel anti-virulence strategies. Targeting the conserved IP₆-binding pocket or the catalytic acetyltransferase activity itself represents a promising avenue for designing broad-spectrum inhibitors that could disarm this critical family of bacterial effectors, potentially offering new therapeutic approaches against a range of pathogenic bacteria.

BACKGROUND:The inflammatory response of microglia is closely related to neuronal survival,regeneration,and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Peroxiredoxin 1 is not only involved in the regulation of oxidative stress,but also has an important effect on cell proliferation,apoptosis,and inflammatory response.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role and mechanism of peroxiredoxin 1 in the inflammatory response of microglia following spinal cord injury.METHODS:(1)Twelve female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated(n=6)and spinal cord injury(n=6)groups.The sham-operated group was not modeled and acute spinal cord injury models were constructed in the spinal cord injury group using the modified Allen's method.Spinal cord tissue at the injured site was taken at 7 days after modeling and transcriptome sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed genes.The expression of peroxiredoxin 1 in spinal cord tissues was verified using western blot and RT-qPCR.(2)Mouse microglia BV2 were divided into two groups:the control group was stimulated with lipopolysaccharide for 6 hours,and in the knockout group,lipopolysaccharide stimulation was applied for 6 hours at 24 hours after peroxiredoxin 1 was knocked down in the cells.RT-qPCR was performed to detect mRNA expression of peroxiredoxin 1,inflammatory factors(interleukin 1β,interleukin 6,inducible nitric oxide synthase,tumor necrosis factor α,C-C motif chemokine ligand 2,and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2),and western blot was performed to detect the expression of peroxiredoxin 1,inducible nitric oxide synthase,and reactive oxygen/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway proteins.Mouse microglia BV2 were treated in two groups:the control group was stimulated by hydrogen peroxide for 4 hours,and the knockout group was stimulated by hydrogen peroxide for 4 hours at 24 hours after knockdown of peroxiredoxin 1.The level of reactive oxygen species was detected by 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate probe.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Results from transcriptome sequencing,western blot and RT-qPCR confirmed that peroxiredoxin 1 expression levels in mouse spinal cord tissues were significantly higher in the spinal cord injury group than the sham-operated group(P＜0.05).(2)Peroxiredoxin 1 knockdown in microglial cells led to decreased expression of peroxiredoxin 1 mRNA and protein(P＜0.05),increased mRNA expression of interleukin 1β,interleukin 6,inducible nitric oxide synthase,tumor necrosis factor α,C-C motif chemokine ligand 2,and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2(P＜0.05),increased protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase,P-P38,P-JNK and P-ERK proteins(P＜0.05),and increased level of reactive oxygen species(P＜0.05).To conclude,peroxiredoxin 1 regulates microglial inflammation by targeting the reactive oxygen species/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

AIM: To investigate variation patterns of corneal biomechanical parameters and binocular symmetry among children of different genders aged 8-16 years.METHODS:A retrospective study was conducted, and children who underwent optometric examinations at the ophthalmology department of our hospital were enrolled between January 2022 and December 2024. Measurements included the flat keratometry(K1), steep keratometry(K2), and mean curvature(Km)of the anterior corneal surface, horizontal visible iris diameter(HVID), central corneal thickness(CCT), corneal endothelial cell density(CECD), average cell size(ACS), coefficient of variation(CV), and hexagonality(HEX). Corneal parameters and binocular differences were compared between genders and across age groups.RESULTS:A total of 621 children(1 242 eyes)were enrolled in this study, including 284 males(568 eyes), 337 females(674 eyes), 528 children aged 8-12 years(1 056 eyes), and 93 children aged 13-16 years(186 eyes). In children aged 8-16 years, the K1, K2, Km and CV of both eyes, as well as the interocular CCT differences in boys were significantly lower than those in girls(all P<0.05), while the HVID and HEX of both eyes, as well as the CCT of the left eye in boys were significantly higher than those in girls(all P<0.05). Children aged 8-12 years had significantly higher K1, Km, CECD and HEX in both eyes, and significantly lower ACS in both eyes than those aged 13-16 years(all P<0.05). K1, K2, Km, CECD and HEX in both eyes were negatively correlated with age(P<0.05); ACS in both eyes was positively correlated with age(P<0.001); K1 and Km of the right eye were positively correlated with the CECD of the right eye(P<0.05), and K1 and CCT of the left eye were positively correlated with the CECD of the left eye(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Significant gender differences exist in corneal parameters among children aged 8 to 16 years, while binocular symmetry remained stable.

Patients with Takayasu arteritis combined with aortic valve disease often have a poor prognosis following surgical valve replacement, frequently encountering complications such as perivalvular leakage, valve detachment, and anastomotic aneurysm. This article presents a high-risk case wherein severe aortic valve insufficiency associated with Takayasu arteritis was successfully managed through transcatheter aortic valve implantation via the transapical approach. The patient had satisfactory valve function with no complications observed during the six-month postoperative follow-up. This case provides a minimally invasive and feasible alternative for the clinical management of such high-risk patients.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraoperative pleural irrigation with Nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton (N-CWS) for reducing pleural effusion drainage after radical surgery for lung cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of lung cancer patients who underwent lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University between December 2024 and May 2025. Patients were divided into a control group and an irrigation group based on the intraoperative use of N-CWS. Patients in the irrigation group received pleural irrigation with 800 μg of N-CWS diluted in 10 mL of normal saline. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups: pleural effusion drainage volume at 0-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h postoperatively, degree of air leak, chest tube duration, postoperative length of stay, and the incidence of adverse events (fever, chest pain, and nausea and vomiting). Results A total of 245 patients were included (97 males, 148 females) with a mean age of (61.28±6.26) years, with 205 in the control group and 40 in the irrigation group. Compared to the control group, the irrigation group showed significantly lower pleural effusion drainage volumes at 0-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h, as well as shorter chest tube duration and postoperative length of stay (all P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the degree of postoperative air leak (P=0.661). No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding the highest body temperature within 72 h post-surgery (P=0.130), fever grade (P=0.196), severity of chest pain (P=0.105), or the incidence of nausea and vomiting (P=0.376). Conclusion Intraoperative pleural irrigation with N-CWS in patients undergoing lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer can significantly reduce postoperative pleural effusion drainage volume, shorten chest tube duration and length of hospital stay. The procedure is safe and feasible.

Objective: To characterize longitudinal trajectories of testicular development in boys and breast development in girls, so as to provide reference data for understanding patterns of pubertal sexual maturation. Methods: Based on the Shanghai Pudong New Area Cohort Study on Growth, Development and Health in Children and Adolescents, a baseline survey was conducted in 2020 using a mult stage cluster random sampling method. A total of 2 184 children who completed all follow ups during the primary school period from 13 elementary schools in Pudong New Area,Shanghai,with annual follow ups during 2021-2025. Testicular volume and Tanner stage of breast development were assessed by professional physicians using standardized visual inspection and palpation. The age distribution of testicular volume and breast development was fitted by using cumulative link mixed models and Turnbull s nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation method. Results: Median ages for testicular volumes of 2, 3, 4 and 5 mL in boys were 7.07, 9.24, 10.29, and 11.57 years old, respectively. Median ages for Tanner breast stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and Ⅴ in girls were 8.55 , 10.17, 11.18, and 13.78 years old, respectively. Based on overweight and obesity, stratified analysis showed that earlier pubertal onset among overweight/obesity children, and the key milestones for pubertal initiation were testicular volume reaching 4 mL in boys and breast Tanner II in girls for 10.29, 10.83; 8.18, 9.00 years. Conclusion Overweight and obesity are associated with earlier pubertal initiation,but there are certain gender and developmental stage specific patterns.