This article summarized the clinical experience of professor XU Jingfan，a traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） master， in treating spleen and stomach diseases with aromatic herb Shichangpu （Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii）， based on the theory of 'aromatics acting on the spleen'. Shichangpu is commonly combined with Peilan （Herba Eupatorii） to aromatically awaken the spleen， and self-made Xingpi Kaiwei Formula （醒脾开胃方） can be used for postprandial distress syndrome of the spleen-stomach disharmony type. It is paired with Diyu （Radix Sanguisorbae） to resolve turbidity and promote wound healing， with a self-made Changyu Decoction （菖榆煎） for retention enema in chronic colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. When paired with Yujin （Radix Curcumae）， it can be used to promote qi and resolve constraint， and can be combined with modified Sini Powder （四逆散） for epigastric pain of liver-stomach disharmony type. Paired with Fangfeng （Radix Saposhnikoviae） to dispel wind and resolve dampness， and together with Tongxie Important Formula （痛泻要方）， it is used to treat diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome of liver constraint and spleen deficiency type. It is paired with Yizhiren （Fructus Alpiniae Oxyphyllae） for its warming and astringing properties， and together with modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction （苓桂术甘汤） for phlegm-rheum due to spleen-stomach yang deficiency type. Clinically， great importance is also attached to tongue inspection related to Shichangpu， closely focusing on the pathogenesis of internal accumulation of damp turbidity in the middle jiao （焦）. Moreover， when treating spleen and stomach diseases， the dosage should be light and flexible.

Laboratory animals are essential in scientific research and experimental teaching in colleges and universities. Disciplines such as life sciences, medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, and biomedical engineering heavily rely on animal experiments. The standardized barrier environmental facility for laboratory animals provides a fundamental platform for stable, scientific, and reliable animal experiment results. Rigorous access management for such facilities is a vital safeguard for maintaining standardized operations of facilities, controlling the quality and stability of laboratory animals, mitigating pathogen contamination risks among animals and laboratory staff, and preventing biosecurity incidents such as zoonotic disease outbreaks. Taking the small-scale barrier facilities for laboratory rats and mice at Nanjing University's Xianlin Campus, operational since 2019, as an example, this study focuses on the safety access management system of these facilities. Based on five years of operational data and accumulated experience in studying and optimizing the access management system, this study, from the perspectives of management system development and the formulation and implementation of standard operating procedures, reviews five aspects of access management: personnel access, animals access, material access, equipment access, and air circulation control. Furthermore, these aspects are systematically analyzed and summarized to serve as a reference for the construction and management of the laboratory animal facilities in universities, while also contributing to scientific research, public health security, and the well-being of experimental personnel.

Objective:To observe any effect of combining visual deprivation training (VDT) with repeated low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of lower limb motor dysfunction among stroke survivors.Methods:Fifty stroke survivors were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group ( n=25 each). In addition to routine rehabilitation treatment, the control group received rTMS targeting the primary motor cortex (M1, lower limb representation area) of the unaffected hemisphere, while the experimental group also received VDT. Before and after 4 weeks of the treatments, everyone′s lower limb motor function, balance, gait and ability in the activities of daily living were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment (FMA-LE), the root mean square (RMS) values generated through surface electromyography of the affected tibialis anterior muscle, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the Tinetti Gait Assessment (TGA), and the modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results:After the treatment, both groups showed significant improvements in their average FMA-LE, BBS, TUGT, TGA and MBI results, as well as in the RMS values of the affected tibialis anterior muscle. The experimental group showed significantly greater improvement compared to the control group.Conclusions:The combination of VDT and low-frequency rTMS can effectively improve the lower limb motor function, balance and gait of stroke survivors. It is more effective than rTMS alone. The combined therapy is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Luofuoshan-Baicao oil (LBO) and wind medicated oil for the treatment of Aedes albopictus bites. Methods:A paired self-controlled study was conducted. Thirty-six healthy volunteers were recruited from Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2023 to March 2023. Each participant's forearms were subjected to Aedes albopictus bites, with 3 bites on each arm. For the first 18 participants, LBO was applied to the left arm, and wind medicated oil to the right arm; for the latter 18 participants, wind medicated oil was applied to the left arm, and LBO to the right arm. The observation period was 24 hours. Within the first 3 hours after the mosquito bites, the topical agents were applied once every other hour for a total of 3 sessions, with an applicator centered on the bite site at a dose of approximately 50 μl, covering a skin area of about 2 cm in diameter; after 3 hours, participants applied the topical agents themselves until symptoms subsided or the 24-hour observation period ended. All subjects were followed up at the occurrence of skin lesions after mosquito bites, 0 to 3 hours after the first treatment, as well as 24 hours after the first treatment. During the follow-up, the effects of both topical agents on pruritus, erythema, papules, or wheals were evaluated, differences in treatment frequency were analyzed, and treatment-related adverse events were recorded. The time to disappearance of pruritus after treatment was statistically analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and intergroup differences were analyzed using the log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test. Two independent samples t-test was used for comparisons of other measurement data, and Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used for comparisons of count data between groups. Results:Within 3 hours after the first treatment, the time to initial disappearance of pruritus was significantly shorter in the LBO group (20.71 ± 1.92 min) than in the wind medicated oil group (28.30 ± 2.20 min, P < 0.05). The cumulative pruritus rate (the proportion of participants with pruritus among all participants) over time showed an overall stable fluctuation, and the cumulative pruritus rates at all observation points were significantly lower in the LBO group than in the wind medicated oil group ( P<0.05). After 3 hours of treatment, the mean values of changes in erythema diameters were 25.83 mm in the LBO group and 26.24 mm in the wind medicated oil group, while the mean values of changes in papule or wheal diameters were 8.25 mm in the LBO group and 9.18 mm in the wind medicated oil group; within 24 hours after the first treatment, the average time to disappearance of papules or wheals was 71.85 minutes in the LBO group and 73.01 minutes in the wind medicated oil group, while the average time to disappearance of erythema was 82.27 minutes in the LBO group and 84.86 minutes in the wind medicated oil group; there were no significant differences in the above observational indices between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The number of pruritus episodes within 24 hours of treatment was 56 in both the LBO group and wind medicated oil group, and the treatment frequency was 107 in both two groups; there were also no significant differences in the frequencies of pruritus episodes or treatment (both P > 0.05). No adverse events or reactions occurred during the trial. Conclusion:LBO was more effective than wind medicated oil in reducing the time to disappearance of pruritus after Aedes albopictus bites, with a high safety profile.

Objective To investigate the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1β(PGC-1β),hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α),and resistin(RETN)in gouty arthri-tis(GA),and analyze their correlation with the degree of joint damage.Methods A total of 134 patients with GA in the hospital from January 2022 to October 2023 were selected as GA group,and 134 healthy people who underwent the physical examination in the same period were selected as control group.The serum expression levels of PGC-1β,HIF-1α and Retn were compared between the two groups.The expression levels of PGC-1β,HIF-1α and Retn in serum and synovial fluid of patients with different clinical characteristics in GA group were compared,the degree of joint destruction was graded according to the subjective pain grading method(VAS)and the patients were divided into a severe GA subgroup of 78 cases and a mild GA subgroup of 56 ca-ses.The expression levels of PGC-1β,HIF-1α,RETN,bone destruction factors[β-cross linked degradation products(β-CTX),tartrate resistant acid phosphatase-5b(TRACP5b),receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand(RANKL)]and inflammatory factors[tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)]were compared among different degrees of joint destruction,and the correlation between serum and syno-vial fluid PGC-1β,HIF-1α,RETN and the degree of joint destruction,bone destruction factors,and inflamma-tory factors was analyzed.Results The expression level of PGC-1β in serum of GA group was lower than that of the control group,while the expression levels of HIF-1α and RETN in serum were higher than those of the control group(P＜0.05).There were statistically significant differences in serum and synovial fluid PGC-1β,HIF-1α,and RETN levels among GA patients with different clinical stages,affected joints,disease duration,and annual seizure frequency(P＜0.05).The expression levels of PGC-1β in the serum and synovial fluid of the severe GA subgroup were lower than those of the mild GA subgroup(P＜0.05),while the expression lev-els of HIF-1α and RETN were higher than those of the mild GA subgroup(P＜0.05).The expression levels ofβ-CTX and TRACP5b in the severe GA subgroup were higher than those in the mild GA subgroup(P＜0.05),while the expression level of RANKL was lower than that in the mild GA subgroup(P＜0.05).PGC-1βin serum and synovial fluid was negatively correlated with the degree of joint destruction,β-CTX,TRACP5b,TNF-α,and IL-1β,and positively correlated with RANKL.HIF-1α and RETN were positively correlated with the degree of joint destruction,β-CTX,TRACP5b,TNF-α,and IL-1β,and negatively correlated with RANKL.Conclusion PGC-1β,HIF-1α,and RETN are abnormally expressed in patients with GA,and are closely associ-ated with the degree of joint destruction,bone destruction factors,and inflammatory factors.They are expec-ted to become reliable indicators for evaluating the occurrence and progression of GA.

Objective To explore the effect of visual deprivation training combined with proprioceptive training on balance function of hemiplegic patients after stroke.Methods A total of 80 stroke patients with hemiplegia in Jiangsu Shengze Hospital were selected from May,2022 to March,2024,and randomly divided into control group(n=20),proprioceptive training group(n=20),visual de-privation group(n=20)and combined group(n=20).All the groups received routine rehabilitation training,while the proprioceptive training group added proprioceptive training,the visual deprivation group added balance training under visual deprivation,and the combined group added visual deprivation training and proprioceptive training,for four weeks.They were assessed with ProKin Balance Test and Training System,Berg Balance Scale(BBS),10-metre walking test(10MWT),Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremities(FMA-LE)and Functional Gait Assessment(FGA)before and after treatment.Results The intra-group effect(F>96.618,P<0.001)and interaction effect(F>5.444,P<0.01)were significant in mean longitudinal velocity and mean horizontal velocity.The intra-group effect(F>177.671,P<0.001),inter-group effect(F>3.761,P<0.05)and interaction effect(F>7.555,P<0.001)were significant in movement el-lipse area and movement length both with eyes open and closed.The intra-group effect(F>221.902,P<0.001)and interaction effect(F>7.586,P<0.001)were significant in the time of 10MWT,and the scores of BBS,FMA-LE and FGA;and the inter-group effect were significant in FGA score(F=5.258,P<0.01).Post Hoc test showed that all the indicators were better in the combined group and the visual deprivation group than in the con-trol group(P<0.05);as well as in the proprioceptive training group than in the control group(P<0.05)except mean longitudinal velocity with eyes open,mean horizontal velocity with eyes closed,and movement length with eyes open;while all the indicators were better in the combined group than both in the visual deprivation group and the proprioceptive training group(P<0.05);there was no significant difference between the visual depriva-tion group and the proprioceptive training group for all the indicators(P>0.05).Conclusion Both visual deprivation training and proprioceptive training can improve balance,lower limb motor function and walking of hemiplegic stroke patients,and the combination is more effective.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and associated factors of comorbid obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) coexisting with restless legs syndrome (RLS).Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted, enrolling hospitalized patients diagnosed with OSA or RLS at Peking University Sixth Hospital from June 2015 to May 2023. Participants were divided into three groups: OSA with RLS (comorbid group, n=26), OSA alone ( n=60, RLS-excluding), and RLS alone ( n=45, OSA-excluding). Demographic characteristics, clinical data, laboratory indicators (i.e., hemoglobin, ferritin, serum iron, folate, vitamin B 12, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, fasting glucose), and polysomnography (PSG) parameters were collected. Group differences were analyzed using ANOVA, chi-square tests, and non-parametric tests. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with OSA comorbid RLS. Results:Laboratory analyses revealed that patients in the comorbid group had significantly lower hemoglobin ( P=0.046) and ferritin levels ( P=0.024) than the OSA-alone group. Conversely, serum phosphorus was markedly elevated in the comorbid group compared to both control groups ( F=2.23, P<0.01). Polysomnography test found significantly higher periodic limb movement during sleep index (PLMSI) in the comorbid group vs. OSA-alone group (Dunn-Bonferroni correction P=0.001), reduced minimum oxygen saturation in the comorbid group vs. RLS-alone group (Dunn-Bonferroni correction P<0.001), and increased respiratory-related microarousals in the comorbid group vs. RLS-alone group (Dunn-Bonferroni correction P<0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusted for covariates confirmed that periodic limb movement during sleep index (PLMSI) ( OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.02-1.07, P=0.001) and serum phosphorus ( OR=6.51, 95% CI=1.86-27.40, P=0.003) independently contributed to OSA-RLS comorbidity. Conclusion:The coexistence of OSA and RLS manifests as dual dysregulation in iron-phosphorus metabolism and synchronized respiratory-motor dysfunction. Mechanistically, hypoxia-induced systemic inflammation may serve as a nexus linking metabolic perturbations and sleep fragmentation in this clinical subpopulation, highlighting potential biomarkers for targeted management.

Objective To investigate the expression of forkhead box P3(Foxp3)in peripheral blood of children with bronchial asthma and its relationship with airway hyper-responsiveness and body allergy.Methods A total of 80 children with bronchial asthma treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from July 2024 to June 2025 were selected as experimental group,and 47 health-y children with physical examinations in the same period were selected as control group.Airway hy-per-responsiveness indicators(respiratory resistance,bronchial stimulant reaction threshold,and re-sistance increase slope),body allergy indicators[serum immunoglobulin E(IgE),eosinophil cationic protein(ECP),and eosinophil count(EOS)],pulmonary function indicators[peak expiratory flow(PEF),forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV,),forced vital capacity(FVC),and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC)],and the expression level of Foxp3 in peripheral blood were compared between the two groups.Pearson corre-lation analysis was used to explore the correlations of Foxp3 with airway hyper-responsiveness and body allergy.Results The respiratory resistance and resistance increase slope in the control group were significantly lower than those in the experimental group,while the reaction threshold was signif-icantly higher than that in the experimental group(P＜0.05).The levels of IgE,ECP and EOS in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The FEV1,FVC,PEF,and FEV1/FVC in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The expression level of Foxp3 in the experimental group was(3.04±0.22),which was significantly lower than(4.22±0.41)in the control group(P＜0.05).Foxp3 was significantly correlated with respiratory resistance(r=-0.700,P＜0.001),reaction thresh-old(r=0.704,P＜0.001),resistance increase slope(r=-0.842,P＜0.001),IgE(r=0.864,P＜0.001),ECP(r=-0.684,P＜0.001),and EOS(r=-0.854,P＜0.001).Con-clusion The decreased Foxp3 in peripheral blood in children with bronchial asthma is associated with aggravated airway hyper-responsiveness and body allergy,suggesting that Foxp3 may be in-volved in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.

Objective:To develop a 5-year mortality risk prediction model for patients with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix(SCNEC).Methods:Based on the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database and R software version 4.3.3,variables were screened via Lasso regression,followed by multivariable logistic regression and stepwise regression to develop a 5-year mortality risk prediction model for SCNEC patients.The Akaike Information Criterion(AIC),C-index,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,Hosmer-Lemeshow test,and calibration curve were employed to evaluate the model.Results:Age,M stage,surgical status,and lymph node metastasis were ultimately selected as variables to construct the 5-year mortality risk prediction model for SCNEC patients.The model demonstrated superior predictive performance compared to FIGO staging(P＜0.01).The Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded a P-value＞0.05.The C-index values for the training and validation sets were 0.808 and 0.755,respectively,with the areas under the ROC curves of 0.826 and 0.744.The calibration curves of the model fluctuated near the diagonal line,indicating good agreement between predicted and observed outcomes.The decision curve analysis demonstrated significant clinical net benefit.Results showed that higher mortality risk was associated with advanced age,M1 status,lymph node metastasis,and lack of surgical opportunity.Conclusions:The model exhibits good discriminatory power and accuracy,providing significant benefits to patients.Enhanced management should be implemented for patients with advanced age,distant metastasis,lymph node metastasis,or ineligibility for surgery.Lymph node metastasis is an independent risk factor for 5-year mortality in patients with SCNEC.

Objective:To evaluate the progress and trends in perioperative management of postoperative delirium(POD)in the elderly over the past decade,providing insights for future research in China.Methods:Literature related to perioperative management of POD in elderly patients was retrieved from the Web of Science database published from Jan 1,2014,to Dec 31,2023.Articles and reviews were selected,and CiteSpace 6.3.1 software was used for duplicate removal and comprehensive analysis.Results:A total of 655 relevant publications were included,showing an overall increasing trend in annual output.China contributed 147 publications(22.44%,147/655),while the United States produced 134 publications(20.46%,134/655).Research hotspots focused on"hip fracture","neurocognitive disorders","Alzheimer's disease",and"oxidative stress".Conclusions:Research on the prevention and treatment of POD in elderly patients is growing globally.Although China has produced a substantial number of publications,its academic influence remains relatively limited.While clinical studies have elucidated strategies for POD prevention and treatment,further research is needed to validate intervention efficacy and explore underlying mechanisms.