To standardize the clinical application of oral Chinese patent medicines （CPMs）， and address the safety issues arising from their dosage form characteristics， irrational clinical use， and the lack of targeted pharmacovigilance systems， the China Association of Chinese Medicine organized the formulation and release of Pharmacovigilance Guidelines for Clinical Application of Oral Chinese Patent Medicines， aiming to inform the safe clinical use of oral CPMs and related pharmacovigilance work. According to the principles of GB/T1.1—2020 and the Drug Administration Law of the People's Republic of China （2019 revision）， the Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine， China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences， led a drafting group comprising 18 institutions. After multiple rounds of expert interviews， literature retrieval， evidence screening， and extensive solicitation of opinions， the Guidelines were registered internationally. Systematic standardization focused on safety monitoring， risk identification， assessment， control， and other aspects. The Guidelines clarified the characteristics of oral CPMs in terms of safety monitoring， known risks， and potential risks， compared to non-oral CPMs. Then， risk control measures were proposed， including medication in special populations and irrational medication. As a special guideline for pharmacovigilance in the clinical application of oral CPMs， the Guidelines systematically construct a technical system in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， which is essential for improving the clinical safety management of oral CPMs and provides an important reference for medical institutions， pharmaceutical manufacturers， and regulatory authorities.

Background Depressive symptoms have become a significant factor affecting the physical and mental health of the occupational population, and workers in petroleum refining enterprises face multiple stressors in their work environment. Objective To explore the impact of occupational noise exposure on depressive symptoms among workers in a petroleum refining enterprise. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2024 using a questionnaire survey among workers of a petroleum refining enterprise in Hainan Province. Basic information of the subjects was collected. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to measure depressive symptoms, the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale was used to assess sleep quality, and the Chinese version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale was used to evaluate occupational stress. Chi-square test was employed to compare the differences in reporting depressive symptoms among populations with different characteristics. Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the impact of occupational noise exposure and other factors on depressive symptoms. Results The overall positive rate of depressive symptoms in the study population was 42.7%. The results of the multifactor analysis indicated that compared with the control group, employees in both the low-exposure and high-exposure groups had elevated odds of depressive symptoms, with OR (95%CI) of 2.244 (1.131, 4.454) and 1.970 (1.009, 3.850), respectively. This association remained robust after adjusting for potential confounders, including gender, age, work tenure, and other occupational exposures. Additionally, female [OR (95%CI)=1.483 (1.039, 2.118)], exposure to benzene, toluene, or xylene [OR (95%CI)=1.621 (1.208, 2.174)], sleep disturbance [OR (95%CI)=3.772 (2.942, 4.838)], and occupational stress [OR (95%CI)=2.018 (1.575, 2.585)] were also significantly associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms. Conclusion The positive rate of depressive symptoms is relatively high among employees in this petrochemical enterprise, and occupational noise exposure may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms.

To standardize the clinical application of oral Chinese patent medicines （CPMs）， and address the safety issues arising from their dosage form characteristics， irrational clinical use， and the lack of targeted pharmacovigilance systems， the China Association of Chinese Medicine organized the formulation and release of Pharmacovigilance Guidelines for Clinical Application of Oral Chinese Patent Medicines， aiming to inform the safe clinical use of oral CPMs and related pharmacovigilance work. According to the principles of GB/T1.1—2020 and the Drug Administration Law of the People's Republic of China （2019 revision）， the Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine， China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences， led a drafting group comprising 18 institutions. After multiple rounds of expert interviews， literature retrieval， evidence screening， and extensive solicitation of opinions， the Guidelines were registered internationally. Systematic standardization focused on safety monitoring， risk identification， assessment， control， and other aspects. The Guidelines clarified the characteristics of oral CPMs in terms of safety monitoring， known risks， and potential risks， compared to non-oral CPMs. Then， risk control measures were proposed， including medication in special populations and irrational medication. As a special guideline for pharmacovigilance in the clinical application of oral CPMs， the Guidelines systematically construct a technical system in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， which is essential for improving the clinical safety management of oral CPMs and provides an important reference for medical institutions， pharmaceutical manufacturers， and regulatory authorities.

Objective To systematically analyze the characteristics of the disease burden of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) in the elderly (≥60 years) globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, and to predict its future trends from 2022 to 2040, with the aim of providing data support for optimizing comprehensive prevention and control strategies for HHD. Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, the number of prevalent cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of HHD in the elderly were extracted for the world, China, and five regions categorized by sociodemographic index (SDI). Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the temporal trends of age-standardized prevalence rate and age-standardized DALYs rate of HHD in the elderly. A three-factor decomposition method was applied to evaluate the relative contributions of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes to the variations in the elderly HHD burden. Additionally, a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the elderly HHD burden from 2022 to 2040. Results In 2021, the number of prevalent elderly HHD cases reached 10 283 000 globally and 3 412 400 in China, representing increases of 179.20% and 159.20% respectively, compared with 1990. The DALYs of elderly HHD were 18 812 700 person-years globally and 4 731 400 person-years in China, rising by 76.08% and 29.45% respectively from 1990. Meanwhile, the growth rates of the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD varied across different SDI regions. From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence rate of elderly HHD in China, as well as the age-standardized DALYs rate of elderly HHD both globally and in China, showed significant downward trends (all average annual percentage changes<0, all P<0.001). In 2021, the 70-74 years age group accounted for the highest proportion of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD, both globally and in China. Decomposition analysis revealed that population growth was the dominant factor driving the increase in the elderly HHD burden across all regions. The prediction model results indicated that the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD would continue to rise globally and in China from 2022 to 2040, with the growth rate of the elderly HHD burden in China between 2021 and 2040 expected to exceed the global average. Conclusion Over the past 32 years, although the age-standardized disease rates of elderly HHD have mainly shown a downward trend globally and in China, the absolute number of the disease burden has increased substantially. The projection model indicates a continued upward trajectory, with the growth rate in China higher than the global average. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement precise prevention and control strategies to effectively mitigate the disease burden of elderly HHD.

AIM: To investigate the influencing factors of stereoscopic function reconstruction after intermittent exotropia(IXT)surgery and the construction of a nomogram prediction model.METHODS:A total of 204 patients with IXT(all underwent strabismus correction surgery)admitted to our hospital from September 2021 to October 2023 were randomly divided into modeling group(143 cases)and validation group(61 cases). The patients in the modeling group were further divided into reconstructive group and non-reconstructive group according to whether they had stereoscopic function reconstruction after surgery; the general patient information was collected; Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed on the influencing factors of stereoscopic visual function reconstruction after IXT surgery. The nomogram model was constructed using R software. The ROC curve was drawn to evaluate the distinction of the nomogram model. The decision curve analysis(DCA)was used to evaluate the clinical application value of the model.RESULTS:Reconstruction occurred in 50.5%(103 cases)of the 204 patients, and reconstruction occurred in 50.3%(72 cases)of the 143 patients in the modeling group. There were differences in age of onset, course of disease and postoperative horizontal strabismus between the reconstructive group and the non-reconstructive group(all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age of onset and postoperative horizontal strabismus were risk factors for stereoscopic visual function reconstruction after IXT surgery(all P<0.05), and the course of disease was a protective factor(P<0.05). The AUC of the modeling group was 0.892, and the H-L test was χ2=6.654 and P=0.615. The AUC of the validation group was 0.935, and the H-L test was χ2=6.498 and P=0.642. The DCA curve showed that the clinical value of the nomogram model was higher when the probability was 0.09-0.95.CONCLUSION: The age of onset, course of disease and postoperative amount of horizontal strabismus are the influencing factors of stereoscopic visual function reconstruction after IXT surgery, and the nomogram model constructed by this can better predict postoperative stereoscopic function reconstruction.

Organ transplantation is an effective alternative treatment for patients with end-stage organ failure. However, the shortage of donor organs has limited the widespread application of clinical transplantation. In recent years, breakthroughs in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology have overcome the barrier of hyperacute rejection in xenotransplantation, offering a potential solution to the organ shortage crisis. Rejection remains a critical factor affecting graft survival. Antigen-presenting cells play a vital role in the initiation and progression of rejection and immune regulation in xenotransplantation. Therefore, in-depth investigation into the role of antigen-presenting cells in xenotransplantation is of great significance. This article summarizes the roles and therapeutic strategies of professional antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells in xenotransplantation, aiming to provide insights for future research on immune regulation mechanisms in this field.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of quercetin （QUE） on intervertebral disc degeneration in rats with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation （LDH） and explore its mechanism based on the forkhead box protein O3/silent information regulator 1 （FOXO3/Sirt1） pathway. METHODS A rat model of LDH was established. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into LDH group （gavaged with and intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline）， QUE-L group （gavaged with 50 mg/kg QUE+intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline）， QUE-H group （gavaged with 100 mg/kg QUE+ intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline）， and QUE-H+EX-527 （a Sirt1 inhibitor） group （gavaged with 100 mg/kg QUE+intraperitoneally injected with 1 mg/kg EX-527）， with 12 rats in each group. Additionally， 12 healthy normal rats were selected as the control group （gavaged with and intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline）. All rats were administered the corresponding agents once daily for consecutive 8 weeks. After the final administration， the pain threshold and serum levels of inflammatory factors in rats were measured； pathological damage of lumbar intervertebral disc tissue was observed， the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells in lumbar intervertebral disc tissue was assessed， and the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 （MMP-3）， phospholipase A2 （PLA2）， as well as apoptosis-related proteins and FOXO3/Sirt1 pathway- related proteins in intervertebral disc tissue were determined. RESULTS Compared with LDH group， pathological damage of intervertebral disc tissue were improved significantly in QUE-L group and QUE-H group； paw withdrawal mechanical threshold， paw withdrawal thermal latency， the serum levels of transforming growth factor-β1 and interleukin-10 （IL-10） as well as the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， FOXO3 and Sirt1 were significantly increased or prolonged （P＜0.05）. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β， histopathological score of intervertebral disc tissue， apoptotic rate of nucleus pulposus cells， positive expressions of MMP-3 and PLA2 in intervertebral disc tissue and expression levels of Bcl-2 associated X protein were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the QUE-H group， the QUE-H+EX-527 group presented aggravated pathological damage of intervertebral disc tissue， and the trends of all the above indicators were significantly reversed（P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS QUE can ameliorate intervertebral disc degeneration in LDH rats， and its mechanism may be related to the activation of the FOXO3/Sirt1 pathway.

Objective: To investigate the current status of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and analyze its influencing factors, so as to provide a reference for improving the level of benefit finding in this population. Methods: From November 2022 to May 2023, young and middle-aged patients with T2DM aged 18-59 years hospitalized in the endocrinology departments of 2 tertiary hospitals in Hengyang City, Hunan Province were selected as survey subjects by a convenience sampling method. Basic demographic information was collected using a general questionnaire survey. Benefit finding, resourcefulness, and stigma were evaluated using the Benefit Finding Scale, the Chinese Version of the Resourcefulness Scale, and the Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale, respectively. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with T2DM. Results: A total of 305 young and middle-aged patients with T2DM were investigated, including 222 males (72.79%) and 83 females (27.21%). There were 231 cases aged 45-59 years, accounting for 75.74%. The scores for benefit finding, resourcefulness, and stigma were (42.86±6.06), (75.12±11.30), and (41.20±10.10), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that young and middle-aged patients with T2DM who were male (β′=0.088), aged 18-<45 years (β′=0.083), absence of diabetes complications (β′=0.124), and had higher resourcefulness scores (β′=0.679) had higher levels of benefit finding, while patients with higher stigma scores (β′=-0.097) had lower levels of benefit finding. Conclusion The level of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with T2DM was moderate, and was related to gender, age, diabetes complications, resourcefulness, and stigma.

Chronic heart failure （CHF） is a complex clinical syndrome caused by ventricular dysfunction， with mitochondrial energy metabolism disorder being a critical factor in disease progression. Heart-Yang deficiency syndrome， as the core pathogenesis of CHF， persists throughout the disease course. Insufficiency of heart-Yang leads to weakened warming and propelling functions， resulting in the accumulation of phlegm-fluid， blood stasis， and dampness. This eventually causes Qi stagnation with phlegm obstruction and blood stasis with water retention， forming a vicious cycle that exacerbates disease progression. According to the theory of reinforcing Yang， the clinical experience of the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） master Tang Zuxuan in treating CHF with heart-Yang deficiency syndrome， and achievements from molecular biological studies， this study innovatively proposes an integrated research framework of "TCM syndrome differentiation and staging-mitochondrial metabolism mechanisms-intervention with Yang-reinforcing prescriptions" which is characterized by the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Heart-Yang deficiency syndrome is classified into mild （Stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ）， severe （Stage Ⅲ）， and critical （Stage Ⅳ） stages. The study elucidates the precise correlations between the pathogenesis of each stage and mitochondrial metabolism disorders from theoretical， pathophysiological， and therapeutic perspectives. The mild stage is characterized by impaired biogenesis and substrate-utilization imbalance， corresponding to heart-Yang deficiency and phlegm-fluid aggregation. Linggui Zhugantang and similar prescriptions can significantly improve the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator-1α（PGC-1α）/silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 （SIRT1） and ATPase activity. The severe stage centers on oxidative stress and structural damage， reflecting Yang deficiency with water overflow and phlegm-blood stasis intermingling. At this stage， Zhenwu Tang and Qiangxin Tang can effectively mitigate oxidative stress damage， increase adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content， and repair mitochondrial structure. The critical stage arises from calcium overload and mitochondrial disintegration， leading to the collapse of Yin-Yang equilibrium. At this stage， Yang-restoring and crisis-resolving prescriptions such as Fuling Sini Tang and Qili Qiangxin capsules can inhibit abnormal opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore （MPTP）， reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate， and protect mitochondrial function. By summarizing the characteristics of mitochondrial energy metabolism disorders at different stages of CHF， this study explores the application of the theory of reinforcing Yang in treating heart-Yang deficiency syndrome and provides new insights for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CHF.

To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.