This paper systematically reviews the core concepts and lines of theoretical inheritance of major spleen-stomach theories in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， including spleen deficiency theory， spleen-stomach damp-heat theory， and liver-spleen disharmony theory. It is found that these theories have all undergone a developmental trajectory characterized by classical foundation， refinement of therapeutic methods， systematization of pathogenesis， and modern innovation. The evolution of spleen-stomach theory has achieved a shift from a singular focus on tonifying the spleen to regulating dynamic middle-jiao （焦） balance， and from localized spleen-stomach regulation to the circular movement of qi involving all five zang organs. In terms of modern disease-syndrome integrative research， spleen deficiency syndrome is shown to be closely associated with impairment of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier， metabolic disorders， and gene polymorphisms related to Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric diseases. Spleen-stomach damp-heat syndrome is closely linked to hyperactive energy metabolism， inflammatory cytokines， and abnormal expression of aquaporins. Liver-spleen disharmony syndrome is mainly associated with dysregulation of the brain-gut axis and microbiota-related metabolic disorders. It is proposed that future research on spleen-stomach diseases and syndromes should further elucidate their potential multidimensional differential biological characteristics， thereby promoting the modernization of the TCM discipline of spleen-stomach studies.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction syndrome caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Septic acute kidney injury (SAKI) is one of the most common complications of sepsis, and the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) indicates that the patient's condition is critical with a poor prognosis. The traditional view holds that the main mechanism of SAKI is the reduction of renal blood flow, inadequate renal perfusion, inflammatory response, and microcirculatory dysfunction caused by sepsis, which subsequently leads to ischemia and necrosis of renal tubular cells. Recent research findings indicate that processes such as autophagy and other forms of programmed cell death play an increasingly important role. Autophagy is a programmed intracellular degradation process and is a form of programmed cell death. Cells degrade their cytoplasmic components via lysosomes, breaking down and recycling intracellular constituents to meet their metabolic needs, maintain intracellular homeostasis, and renew organelles. During SAKI, autophagy plays a crucial protective role through various mechanisms, including regulating inflammation and immune responses, clearing damaged organelles, and maintaining stability in the intracellular environment. In recent years, the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis and treatment of SAKI has received widespread attention. Research has confirmed that various intracellular signaling pathways and signaling molecules targeting autophagy [such as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, and Sirtuins (SIRT), autophagy associated factor Beclin-1, and Toll-like receptor (TLR)] are involved in the development of SAKI. Due to the complex pathogenesis of SAKI, current treatment strategies include fluid management, infection control, maintenance of internal environment balance, and renal replacement therapy; however, the mortality remains high. In recent years, it has been found that autophagy plays a critical protective role in sepsis-mediated AKI. As a result, an increasing number of drugs are being developed to alleviate SAKI by regulating autophagy. This article reviews the latest advances in the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis and treatment of SAKI, with the aim of providing insights for the development of new drugs for SAKI patients.
Humans ; Acute Kidney Injury/etiology* ; Autophagy ; Sepsis/complications* ; Signal Transduction

Objective To reveal the molecular mechanism by which nuclear epidermal growth factor receptor(nEGFR)synergistically regulates the expression of cell migration-inducing protein(CEMIP)by forming a complex with the transcription factor Yin Yang 1(YY1),and to investigate the biological functions of the nEGFR-YY1-CEMIP signaling axis in invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods After HCC cells were serum-starved for 24 h,the cells were treated with 100 ng/mL EGF.Thus,the cells were divided into a control group and EGF-treated groups at different time points.Nuclear expression and localization changes of EGFR were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence(IF).To investigate the interaction between nEGFR and YY1,their nuclear colocalization and interaction were examined by IF and co-immunoprecipitation(Co-IP),respectively.Transcriptional profiling was performed using RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)to identify differentially expressed genes at the genome-wide level.Combined with Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis and transcription factor binding profiles via using the JASPAR database,CEMIP was identified as a candidate target gene.To validate the regulatory mechanism,the following experimental groups were established,Control,EGF,siYY1,and siYY1+EGF.The expression of CEMIP at protein and mRNA levels was detected by Western blotting and RT-qPCR.To elucidate the molecular mechanism of nEGFR/YY1 binding to the CEMIP promoter,the control and EGF-treated groups were established.Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by quantitative PCR(ChIP-qPCR)was performed to assess the enrichment of nEGFR/YY1 at the CEMIP promoter region.Luciferase reporter assay was conducted following transfection with either wild-type EGFR(EGFR-WT),nuclear localization-deficient mutant(EGFR-dNLS),YY1 overexpression plasmid(YY1-OE),or dominant-negative YY1 mutant(YY1-DN)to evaluate changes in promoter activity.Subsequently,cell migration and invasion capabilities were evaluated using scratch wound healing assay and Transwell assay,while hyaluronic acid(HA)level was quantified by ELISA.The expression of matrix metalloproteinases(MMP2/9)was analyzed via Western blotting to assess the regulatory role of the nEGFR/YY1-CEMIP axis in the migration and invasion of HCC cells.By analyzing the CEMIP expression profiles in HCC patients from National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)public databases,its potential association with tumor metastasis risk was validated.Results Western blotting and IF demonstrated that EGF treatment significantly induced nuclear translocation of EGFR,peaking at 30 min(P<0.001).Co-IP and IF assays indicated both physical interaction and nuclear co-localization between nEGFR and YY1.RNA-seq analysis identified CEMIP as a significantly differentially expressed gene.GO enrichment analysis revealed that CEMIP was significantly enriched in biological processes related to cell invasion promotion.JASPAR prediction identified conserved YY1 potential binding region within the CEMIP promoter region.Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses confirmed that EGF treatment up-regulated CEMIP at both protein and mRNA levels(P<0.05).Notably,YY1 knockdown significantly suppressed CEMIP expression,while exogenous EGF supplementation restored CEMIP level in YY1-deficient cells(P<0.05).ChIP-qPCR analysis demonstrated specific enrichment of the nEGFR/YY1 complex at the CEMIP promoter region,with EGF stimulation significantly enhancing its binding affinity(P<0.001).Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that nEGFR/YY1 robustly enhanced CEMIP promoter activity(P<0.01),while either the EGFR-dNLS or the YY1-DN substantially attenuated this transcriptional activation.Functional phenotyping showed that the nEGFR/YY1-CEMIP axis significantly enhanced the migration and invasion of HCC cells by promoting HA catabolism and up-regulating MMP2/9 expression(P<0.05).Analysis of NCBI datasets revealed that CEMIP expression was significantly up-regulated in HCC tumor tissues than adjacent normal tissues(P<0.001).Moreover,HCC patients with elevated CEMIP expression exhibited higher risk of metastasis(P<0.001).Conclusion nEGFR promotes HCC invasion by forming a transcriptional complex with YY1 to cooperatively activate CEMIP expression.

Objective To reveal the mechanism by which the programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)-protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B(PTP1B)-focal adhesion kinase(FAK)signaling axis promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and elucidate its effector functions in HCC.Methods GEPIA database was used to plot a 10-year survival curve for PD-L1 and FAK expression levels in HCC patients.Immunohistochemical(IHC)staining was utilized to analyze the relative expression levels of PD-L1 and FAK phosphorylated at the Y397 site[p-FAK(Y397)]in HCC tissues,and the results were compared to those in the adjacent non-tumor tissues.Subsequently,endogenous PD-L1 expression was detected with Western blotting in HCC cell lines with low(SNU-387)and high(Hep3B)PD-L1 expression levels.After lentivirus-transduced SNU-387PDL1+and Hep3BPDL1-cells were constructed,the effect of high and low expression of PD-L1 on the expression of p-FAK(Y397)with Western blotting.To elucidate the functional mechanism of FAK in HCC,functional rescue experiments were performed by administering a FAK inhibitor to SNU-387PDL1+cells and a FAK activator to Hep3BPDL1-cells,combined with wound healing scratch assay,Transwell invasion assay,EdU proliferation assay,and colony formation assay to evaluate tumor malignant effects.The GENEMANIA database predicted functional interactions between protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B(PTP1B),PD-L1,and FAK.IHC staining was performed to analyze the correlation among PD-L1,PTP1B,and p-FAK(Y397)expression.Co-immunoprecipitation(Co-IP)and indirect immunofluorescence(IF)were applied to validate the interaction between PD-L1 and PTP1B.Western blotting was utilized to confirm the regulatory relationship between PD-L1 and PTP1B.In vitro PTP1B phosphatase activity assay measured the changes in PTP1B activity.Subsequently,Western blotting was used to screen cell lines with high endogenous PTP1B expression(SNU-387)and low endogenous PTP1B expression(Hep3B).Furthermore,Hep3BPTP1B+and SNU-387PTP1B-cell lines were generated,and then p-FAK(Y397)levels were then detected in these modified cell lines,and the aforementioned functional effect assays(migration,invasion,proliferation and colony formation)and rescue experiments were repeated.Furthermore,Western blotting was employed to detect changes in downstream signaling pathways following enhancement or attenuation of p-FAK(Y397)in SNU-387 and Hep3B cells.Results IHC staining revealed a positive correlation between PD-L1 and p-FAK(Y397)expression in HCC tissues(95%CI:1.065～3.801,P<0.01).In SNU-387PDL1+cells,PD-L1 overexpression significantly enhanced phosphorylation at the FAK Y397 site(P<0.01)and increased cell migration,invasion,proliferation,and colony formation capabilities(P<0.01),and these effects could be reversed by FAK inhibitor treatment(P<0.05).Conversely,in Hep3BPDL1-cells,PD-L1 knockdown significantly reduced FAK Y397 phosphorylation(P<0.01)and decreased cell migration,invasion,proliferation,and colony formation abilities(P<0.01),and these effects were restored by FAK activator treatment(P<0.05).IHC staining further showed a negative correlation between PTP1B expression and both PD-L1 and p-FAK(Y397)in HCC tissues(95%CI:1.886～3.514,P<0.05).Co-IP and IF assays confirmed a direct interaction between PD-L1 and PTP1B,with PD-L1 suppressing PTP1B expression level and reducing its activity(P<0.01).In SNU-387PTP1B-cells,PTP1B knockdown significantly increased FAK Y397 phosphorylation(P<0.01)and enhanced cell migration,invasion,proliferation,and colony formation(P<0.01),and these effects were reversed by FAK inhibitor(P<0.05).While in Hep3BPTP1B+cells,PTP1B overexpression significantly decreased FAK Y397 phosphorylation(P<0.01)and reduced cell migration,invasion,proliferation,and colony formation(P<0.01),and those effects were restored by FAK activator treatment(P<0.05).Furthermore,enhanced phosphorylation at the FAK Y397 site in SNU-387 cells activated downstream PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways(P<0.01),whereas inhibition of FAK(Y397)phosphorylation in Hep3B cells attenuated the activation of these signaling pathways(P<0.01).Conclusion PD-L1 activates FAK by suppressing PTP1B,thereby promoting migration,invasion,and proliferation in HCC.

BACKGROUND: The thoracic small biopsy sampling procedure including transbronchial forceps lung biopsy (TBLB) and endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) can be accompanied by rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of sample material to provide immediate feedback for the proceduralist. The present study aims to investigate the supplemental effect of ROSE smear samples for lung cancer molecular test. METHODS: In a retrospective study, 308 patients admitted to our hospital from August 2020 to December 2022 undergoing diagnostic TBLB and EBUS-TBNA with ROSE and subsequently diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were analyzed. The matched formalin-fixed paraffin-embedding (FFPE) tissue section and ROSE smears for tumor cellularity were compared. DNA yields of smears were determined. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were performed on adequate smear samples. RESULTS: ROSE smear samples were enriched in tumor cells. Among 308 biopsy samples, 78 cases (25.3%) exhibited inadequate FFPE tissue sections, whereas 44 cases (14.3%) yielded adequate smear samples. Somatic mutations detected in the FFPE tissue section samples were also detected in the matching adequate smear sample. CONCLUSIONS ROSE smear samples of the thoracic small biopsies are beneficial supplemental materials for ancillary testing of lung cancer. Combined use of cytology smear samples with traditional FFPE section samples can enhance the detection rate of informative mutations in patients with advanced NSCLC. We recommend that the laboratory could further evaluate the ROSE cell smears of the patient when FFPE tissue sections are inadequate, and that adequate cell smears can be used as a supplemental source for the molecular testing of NSCLC.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology* ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Rapid On-site Evaluation ; Retrospective Studies ; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration/methods*

Peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structure (PHOMS) is a novel imaging feature newly defined in recent years in the study of optic disc drusen (ODD).In OCT images, it shows an oval hyper-reflective signal on the Bruch membrane around the optic papilla, ring or crescent non-fluorescence in autofluorescence, and light gray peripapillary elevations around the optic disc in non-red infrared images.There is no conclusive evidence as to whether PHOMS is a subtype or precursor of ODD.Histopathologically, PHOMS might correspond to the lateral bulging or herniation of distended axons into the peripapillary retina.Since there may be different pathological properties between PHOMS and ODD in histology, there are different imaging features in multimodal imaging.To make the diagnosis of ODD more accurate, the Optic Disc Drusen Studies Consortium recommends that PHOMS be distinguished from ODD.PHOMS is mainly differentiated from ODD and perioptic vessels on OCT.It can be seen in many diseases such as ODD, optic papilledema, non-arteritis anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, central retinal vein occlusion, pediatric tilted disc syndrome, isolated optic neuritis and optic atrophy, and is an important cause of pseudopapilloedema in children.This article summarizes the origin, imaging features, differential diagnosis and related diseases of PHOMS, to increase domestic researchers' understanding of the structure of PHOMS, enhance the differential diagnosis between PHOMS and ODD, and provide a reference for clinical research and diagnosis.

Objective:To analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in visceral adipose tissue of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on bioinformatics.Methods:The microarray dataset GSE78721 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, including visceral fat samples data from 19 T2DM patients and 16 non-diabetic subjects. The analysis of transcriptomic profiling results from tissue samples was conducted, and a comparison between different groups of samples based on gender was performed. The online Xintao Academic Database was utilized for the analysis, employing the "limma" package in R language to filter DEGs. Subsequently, the DEGs were visualized, and Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation along with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were carried out and visualized. Based on the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database, a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) of DEGs was constructed and key differentially expressed genes were identified and visualized using Cytoscape software.Results:Analysis of visceral adipose tissue gene expression profiles revealed 168 DEGs (|log 2FC|≥1, P<0.05). In females, 42 mRNAs were up-regulated, 3 were down-regulated; in males, 105 were up-regulated, 37 were down-regulated, 19 genes were shared by the two groups. GO analysis linked DEGs to insulin-like growth factor receptor signaling and regulation, nutrient response, and leukocyte migration. KEGG analysis implicated extracellular matrix receptor interactions and leukocyte transendothelial migration. The PPI network unveiled 10 key genes, including COL1A1, COL1A2, TGFB3, PCOLCE, TIMP1, COL6A2, COMP, COL14A1, VCAM1 and THY1. Conclusion:Bioinformatics technology can effectively analyze and screen DEGs in visceral adipose tissue of T2DM patients, providing useful clues for further exploring its molecular mechanism and finding therapeutic targets.

Stenotrophomonas species are non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria that are widely distributed in environment and are highly resistant to numerous antibiotics. Thus, Stenotrophomonas serves as a reservoir of genes encoding antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The detection rate of Stenotrophomonas is rapidly increasing alongside their strengthening intrinsic ability to tolerate a variety of clinical antibiotics. This review illustrated the current genomics advances of antibiotic resistant Stenotrophomonas, highlighting the importance of precise identification and sequence editing. In addition, AMR diversity and transferability have been assessed by the developed bioinformatics tools. However, the working models of AMR in Stenotrophomonas are cryptic and urgently required to be determined. Comparative genomics is envisioned to facilitate the prevention and control of AMR, as well as to gain insights into bacterial adaptability and drug development.
Stenotrophomonas/genetics* ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial/genetics* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Genomics ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Objective:To investigate the per capita expenses of physical examination and its related factors in health examination (management) institutions in 2019.Methods:Using the census method, the basic information, including the name, address, nature, level and operation nature of the institutions, and per capita expenses of physical examination in provincial health examination (management) institutions in 2019 were collected by questionnaire survey. Rank sum test and Spearman correlation analysis were used to analyze the data.Results:In 2019, the top three provinces in terms of per capita expenses of physical examination were Shanghai, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Beijing, with 612.00 yuan, 547.90 yuan and 528.83 yuan, respectively; Guizhou Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Guangdong Province ranked the last three, with 255.25 yuan, 244.00 yuan and 235.10 yuan, respectively. There were significant differences in per capita expenses of physical examination among different health examination (management) institutions in different regions and of different institutional nature, institutional level and business nature (all P<0.05). The per capita expenses of physical examination was positively correlated with the local per capita health care expenditure, the proportion of local population aged 15-64 years and the proportion of local people with education of college and above ( r=0.465, 0.374 and 0.401, all P<0.05). Conclusions:There are differences in the per capita expenses of physical examination in health examination (management) institutions among different regions, institutional nature, institutional level and business nature in 2019, and it is related to the per capita health care expenditure, age and educational level of the local people.

Objective:To analyze the allocation of chief examining physicians in health examination (management) institutions in 2019.Methods:A current situation study. Using a census method, a questionnaire survey was conducted to collect basic information (such as institution name, address, nature, affiliation, category, and level) and the allocation of chief physicians (such as gender, year of birth, full-time or part-time, type of practice, level of professional title, and years of engagement in health examination and management work) of 5 428 health examination (management) institutions in 2019. The collected data were statistically analyzed using chi-square test.Results:In terms of the type of practice of chief physicians, the proportions of internal medicine physicians in public and privately-run institutions was 72.84% and 68.23%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in distribution ( χ2=19.632, P<0.05); the proportions of surgeons was 27.16% and 31.77%, respectively. The proportions of internal medicine physicians in third-, second-, first-, and unclassified-level institutions was 75.76%, 69.14%, 68.60%, and 68.78%, respectively; the proportions of surgeons was 24.24%, 30.56%, 31.40%, and 31.22%, respectively; with a statistically significant difference in distribution ( χ2=47.682, P<0.05). In terms of the level of professional title of chief physicians, the proportions of associate senior physicians in public and privately-run institutions was 69.56% and 73.66%, respectively, and the proportions of senior physicians was 30.44% and 26.34%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in distribution ( χ2=15.276, P<0.05); the proportions of associate senior physicians in third-, second-, first-, and unclassified-level institutions was 62.72%, 75.55%, 78.40%, and 74.51%, respectively, with the proportions of senior physicians being 37.28%, 24.45%, 21.60%, and 25.49%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in distribution ( χ2=168.462, P<0.05). The average number of chief physicians per institution in China was 1.67, with the highest number in the North China (2.10) and the lowest number in the Southwest region (1.49). The compliance rate of chief physicians with qualifications was 33.37% nationwide, with only the North China (48.64%) and the East China (37.05%) surpassing the national average, and the lowest rate was in the Northeast region (24.01%). Conclusions:There are regional differences in the allocation of chief examining physicians in China, and the uneven and insufficient development of their skills and abilities remains a prominent contradiction.