Based on spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness as the core pathogenesis of obesity， and integrating recent advances in modern medicine regarding the key role of immune inflammation in obesity， this paper proposes a multidimensional pathogenic network of "obesity-spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness-immune imbalance". Various traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） herbs that strengthen the spleen， regulate qi， and resolve phlegm and dampness can treat obesity by improving spleen-stomach transport and transformation， promoting water-damp metabolism， and regulating immune homeostasis. This highlights immune inflammation as an important entry point to elucidate the TCM concepts of "spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness" and the therapeutic principle of "strengthening the spleen and eliminating dampness to treat obesity". By systematically analyzing the intrinsic connection between "spleen deficiency generating dampness， internal accumulation of phlegm dampness" and immune dysregulation in obesity， this paper aims to provide theoretical support for TCM treatment of obesity based on dampness.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the potential molecular biological mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction in treating hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis by network pharmacology and molecular docking technology and preliminarily verify the mechanism through animal experiments. MethodsThe active ingredients and targets in the Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction were obtained by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP） and ETCM databases. The DisGeNET and GeneCards databases were utilized to acquire disease targets associated with hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis. These disease targets were then intersected with drug targets to identify key targets. The R language ClusterProfiler package and Python were employed for conducting gene ontology（GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） enrichment analysis. The regulatory network diagram of the drug-key target-function-pathway was visualized using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software， and the protein-protein interaction （PPI） network for key targets was depicted. Finally， the hub gene was determined through topological analysis. Auto Dock， PyMOL， and other software were used for molecular docking to explore the possible therapeutic mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction for hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis. In animal experiments， a composite rat model of hyperuricemia induced by intraperitoneal injection of oteracil potassium combined with gouty arthritis induced by the modified Coderre method was established. Through hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining， uric acid test， enzyme linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）， Western blot， and real-time polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）， the molecular mechanism and key targets of Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction for treating hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis were observed. ResultsAfter screening and removing duplicate values， 76 active ingredients and 15 key targets were finally obtained. GO enrichment analysis yielded that the treatment of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis with Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction was significantly associated with acute inflammatory response， astrocyte activation， regulation of interleukin （IL）-8 production， nuclear receptor activity， and binding of growth factor receptor. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis obtained that the key target genes were significantly associated with the IL-17 signaling pathway， advanced glycosylation end/receptor of advanced glycation endproducts（AGE/RAGE） signaling pathway， anti-inflammatory， and other pathways. PPI network indicated that albumin（ALB）， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ （PPAR-γ）， IL-6， IL-1β， and C-reactive protein（CRP） were the key protein targets. The molecular docking results showed that ALB had the strongest binding force with beta-carotene （β-carotene）. Biochemical results showed that blood uric acid decreased in the Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction groups. HE staining results showed that the low-dose （7.76 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， medium-dose （15.53 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and high-dose （31.05 g·kg^-1·d^-1） groups of Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction had different degrees of remission， and the remission of the high-dose group was the most obvious. Fibroblastic tissue hyperplasia in synovial joints accompanied with inflammatory cell infiltration， as well as inflammatory cell infiltration in renal tissue of the high-dose group was significantly reduced， followed by the medium-dose and low-dose groups， and the expression of ALB， PPAR-γ， IL-6， IL-1β， and CRP was down-regulated to different degrees. ConclusionBy regulating the targets such as ALB， PPAR-γ， IL-6， IL-1β， and CRP， inhibiting the PPAR-γ/nuclear transcription factor （NF）-κB pathway， and reducing AGEs/RAGE-mediated inflammation， Buyang Huanwu Tongfeng decoction exerts anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and activates blood circulation and diuresis in the treatment of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM）external treatment methods in alleviating skin pruritus caused by eczema through a Meta-analysis. Methods Randomized clinical trials investigating the use of TCM external treatment methods for skin pruritus caused by eczema were searched in databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）, VIP, Wanfang, Sinomed, PubMed, Embase, LILACS, and Cochrane, up to December 2024. Two reviewers independently screened and entered the statistical data, conducted bias risk assessment by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, version 5.1.0, and performed Meta-analysis using RevMan 5.4.1. Results Ultimately, 14 studies involving 1 788 patients were included. Compared to the control group, TCM external treatment methods （treatment group）showed better improvement in pruritus scores （Z=11.88, P<0.000 01）, better improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index （EASI） scores （Z=23.15, P<0.000 01）, higher overall clinical efficacy rate （Z=6.21, P<0.000 01）, better improvement in TCM symptoms （Z=5.49, P<0.000 01）, and lower clinical recurrence rate （Z=2.88, P=0.004）. Three of the included studies mentioned adverse reactions, with the treatment group showing lower adverse reactions than the control group. Conclusion The external treatment of TCM was more effective in treating skin pruritus caused by eczema compared to the control group. Given the biases and heterogeneity in the included literature, this conclusion needs to be further substantiated by more large-scale, multi-center, randomized, controlled, and double-blind studies.

Successful cloning through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) faces significant challenges due to epigenetic obstacles. Recent studies have highlighted the roles of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 as potential contributors to these obstacles. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, we generated genome-wide maps of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 in mouse pre-implantation NT embryos. Our analysis revealed that aberrantly over-represented broad H3K4me3 domain and H3K27me3 signal lead to increased bivalent marks at gene promoters in NT embryos compared with naturally fertilized (NF) embryos at the 2-cell stage, which may link to relatively low levels of H3K36me3 in NT 2-cell embryos. Notably, the overexpression of Setd2, a H3K36me3 methyltransferase, successfully restored multiple epigenetic marks, including H3K36me3, H3K4me3, and H3K27me3. In addition, it reinstated the expression levels of ZGA-related genes by reestablishing H3K36me3 at gene body regions, which excluded H3K27me3 from bivalent promoters, ultimately improving cloning efficiency. These findings highlight the excessive bivalent state at gene promoters as a potent barrier and emphasize the removal of these barriers as a promising approach for achieving higher cloning efficiency.
Animals ; Mice ; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/biosynthesis* ; Histones/genetics* ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Embryo, Mammalian/metabolism*

Objective:To understand the genomic characteristics and evolutionary trends of three coxsackievirus (CV) subtypes, including CV-A2, CV-A4 and CV-A5, in Suzhou city.Methods:Totally 248 samples were collected during routine monitoring for hand, foot, and mouth disease in Suzhou city from January to June in 2022. The specimens were detected for CV genotypes using Real-time fluorescence-reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (Real-time RT-PCR). The CV positive samples were sequenced using the Miseq high-throughput sequencing platform. After obtaining the whole genome sequences of CV strains, homology analysis was performed. An evolutionary tree was constructed using molecular evolutionary genetics analysis (MEGA) X. Sequence recombination regions were analyzed using SimPlot and BootScan.Results:During routine monitoring for hand, foot and mouth disease in Suzhou city from January to June in 2022, one strain each of CV-A2, CV-A4, and CV-A5 viruses were identified, and their complete genomes were sequenced. CV-A2 and CV-A4 were clustered with the current prevalent strains in China, and no new amino acid site mutations were found in the whole genome of CV-A2; CV-A4 had several new amino acid site mutations in the non-structural region compared with the prototype strain; CV-A5 belonged to the C1 subgenotype 3 lineage, and the genome of CV-A5 had several new amino acid mutation sites in the non-structural protein region and underwent recombination.Conclusions:The CV-A2 and CV-A4 strains are stable epidemic strains, the CV-A5 strain is recombinant strain in Suzhou city.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and management status of children with Turner syndrome (TS) in China.Methods:As a cross-sectional study, 1 089 TS patients were included in the database of the National Collaborative Alliance for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Turner Syndrome from August 2019 to November 2023. Clinical characteristics (growth development, sexual development, organ anomalies, etc.), karyotypes, auxiliary examinations, and treatments were collected and analyzed.Results:Among the 1 089 TS cases, 809 were recorded karyotypes. The karyotype distribution was as follows: 45, X in 317 cases (39.2%), X chromosome structural variants (including partial deletions of p or q arm, ring chromosome, and marker chromosome) in 89 cases (11.0%), 45, X/46, XX mosaicism in 158 cases (19.5%), mosaicism with X chromosome structural variants in 209 cases (25.8%), and presence of Y chromosome material in 36 cases (4.4%). Among the 824 TS cases, the age of diagnosis was 9.7(6.4, 12.2) years, with a height standard deviation score (HtSDS) of -3.1±1.2. Five hundred and fifty three cases underwent growth hormone (GH) stimulation test, and 352 cases (63.7%) had GH peak values <10 μg/L and 75.9% (577/760) had low IGF1 levels, with IGF1 SDS ≤-2 accounting for 38.2% (290 cases). Among 471 cases aged ≥8 years, 132 cases (28.0%) showed spontaneous sexual development (mean bone age (11.0±1.7) years), 10 cases had spontaneous menarche (mean bone age (12.0±2.2) years), and 2 cases had regular menstrual cycles. Common physical features included cubitus valgus (311 cases (28.5%)), neck webbing (188 cases (17.2%)), low posterior hairline (185 cases (17.0%)), shield chest (153 cases (14.0%)), high arched palate (127 cases (11.6%)), short fourth metacarpal (43 cases (3.9%)), and spinal abnormalities (38 cases (3.5%)). Congenital cardiovascular and urogenital anomalies occurred in 91 cases (19.4%) and 66 cases (12.0%)respectively. Abdominal ultrasound in 33 cases (7.2%) indicated fatty liver, hepatomegaly, intrahepatic bile duct stones, and splenomegaly. Among 23 cases undergoing oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) test, 2 were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 4 with impaired glucose tolerance. Following diagnosis, 669 cases (80.7%) received rhGH treatment at a chronological age of (9±4) years and bone age of (8.3±3.2) years. Additionally, 112 cases (19.4%) received sex hormone replacement therapy starting at the age of (14±4) years and bone age of (12.6±1.2) years.Conclusions:The karyotypes of 45, X and mosaicism were most common in Chinese children with TS. The clinical manifestations were mainly short stature and gonadal dysplasia. However, a few TS children could be in the normal range of height, and some cases among those aged of ≥8 years old had spontaneous sexual development. Some exhibited physical features, congenital cardiovascular and urogenital anomalies, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-IGF1 axis. Moreover, a few of them developed impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus. Following diagnosis, most of the patients received rhGH treatment, and a few of them received sex hormone replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) therapy yield remarkable responses in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/RMM). Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) reportedly exhibits distinct advantages in addressing the challenges posed by tumor heterogeneity in the distribution and genetic variations in R/RMM. METHODS: Herein, the ctDNA of 108 peripheral blood plasma samples from patients with R/RMM was thoroughly investigated before administration of anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy to establish its predictive potential. Flow cytometry is used primarily to detect subgroups of T cells or CAR-T cells. RESULTS: In this study, several tumor and T cell effector-mediated factors were considered to be related to treatment failure by an integrat analysis, including higher percentages of multiple myeloma (MM) cells in the bone marrow (P = 0.013), lower percentages of CAR-T cells in the peripheral blood at peak (P = 0.037), and higher percentages of CD8+ T cells (P = 0.034). Furthermore, there is a substantial correlation between high ctDNA level (>143 ng/mL) and shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.007). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high levels of ctDNA (>143 ng/mL), MM-driven high-risk mutations (including IGLL5 [P = 0.004], IRF4 [P = 0.024], and CREBBP [P = 0.041]), number of multisite mutations, and resistance-related mutation (ERBB4, P = 0.040) were independent risk factors for PFS. CONCLUSION: Finally, a ctDNA-based risk model was built based on the above independent risk factors, which serves as an adjunct non-invasive measure of substantial tumor burden and a prognostic genetic feature that can assist in predicting the response to anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy. REGISTERATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100046474) and National Clinical Trial (NCT04670055, NCT05430945).

OBJECTIVE To investigate the current allocation status of automated equipment in pharmacy intravenous admixture services （PIVAS） of medical institutions in China， and to provide reference for understanding the current status and future direction of PIVAS automation construction. METHODS In the form of a questionnaire survey， a questionnaire was distributed to medical institutions in 30 provinces across the country through the “Wenjuanxing” platform to investigate the four aspects of PIVAS， such as the allocation of automated equipment， intelligent intravenous medication dispensing robots， design and development of workflow software and information integration methods for automated equipment， and conduct statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 761 PIVAS participated in the survey， 373 PIVAS were equipped with automated equipment. Among 373 PIVAS with automated equipment， automatic finished infusion sorting machines and automatic labeling machines were the main equipment， and 93.56% of PIVAS were not equipped with intelligent intravenous medication dispensing robots； 511 PIVAS used workflow software designed and developed by third-party software companies. In the project of information integration for automated equipment， there was not much difference in the proportion of cases where there was no automated equipment， automated equipment directly interfaced with hospital information systems， and automated equipment interfaced with PIVAS software platform. CONCLUSIONS The automated equipment allocation rate of PIVAS in China is relatively low， and there is still a lot of room for development. We should improve the relevant guidelines for automated equipment as soon as possible， promote standardized and reasonable equipment research and development， and enable PIVAS to more efficiently complete intravenous drug dispensing， in order to provide more dengrm3@mail.sysu.edu.cn comprehensive pharmaceutical services.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the visceral leishmaniasis control srtrategy. Methods All epidemiological data of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the epidemiological features and diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis cases were descriptively analyzed. Results A total of 93 visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023, with a male to female ratio of 2.58∶1, and including 2 imported cases from other provinces and 91 local cases. The number of visceral leishmaniasis cases peaked during the period between March and May, and between July and October. The reported visceral leishmaniasis cases had ages of 7 months to 74 years, with the largest number of cases found at ages of 0 to 9 years (26 cases, 27.96%), followed by at ages of 60 to 70 years (24 cases, 25.81%). Farmer (47 cases, 50.54%) and diaspora children (19 cases, 20.43%) were predominant occupations, and 91 local visceral leishmaniasis cases were found in 6 cities of Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang, Hebi, Sanmenxia and Xuchang. The median duration from onset of visceral leishmaniasis to diagnosis was 20 days, and there were 25.81% (24/93) cases with 10 days and less duration from onset to diagnosis, 38.71% (36/93) cases receiving diagnosis at 11 to 30 days following onset, and 35.48% (33/93) cases receiving diagnosis for more than 30 days following onset. All cases were predominantly diagnosed in province- (60.00%) and city-level (28.89%) medical institutions. Conclusions The number of visceral leishmaniasis is on the rise in Henan Province, with a gradually expanding coverage. Intensified monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis cases, dogs, and vectors, dog management, sandflies control and improved individual protection are recommended to prevent the spread of visceral leishmaniasis.

68Ga-DOTATATE/18F-FDG two-day low-dose total-body PET/CT imaging is increasingly employed to facilitate the diagnosis,prognosis,and heterogeneity assessment of neuroendocrine neoplasms.We present a consensus on operational guideline for a two-day combined imaging from experts in low-dose/ultra-low-dose total-body PET/CT from several domestic medical institutions.