OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside （TWM） on nephrotic syndrome in rats. METHODS The nephrotic syndrome model was established by intravenous injection of adriamycin via the tail vein. The modeling rats were randomly divided into the model group （distilled water）， prednisone group （10 mg/kg）， and TWM high- and low-dose groups （10 and 5 mg/kg， respectively）. Additionally， blank group （distilled water） without model induction was established. Each group consisted of 9 rats. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or distilled water by gavage， once a day， for 6 consecutive weeks. The histopathological morphology of kidney tissues in rats was observed； the levels of 24-hour urinary protein （24 h-UTP） and serum biochemical indicators [albumin （ALB）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （SCr）， cholesterol （CHOL）， and triglyceride （TG）] in rats were determined； the levels of oxidative stress indicators [superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）] in kidney tissue of rats were determined； expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/microRNA-155-5p （miR-155-5p）/nuclear factor erythriod 2- related factor 2 （Nrf2） signaling pathway-related mRNA and protein in the renal tissues of rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank group， the rats in the model group exhibited disordered renal tissue structure， with a small amount of glomerular necrosis and edema of the renal tubular epithelial cells. 24 h-UTP， serum levels of SCr， BUN， CHOL and TG， MDA content， mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α and Keap1 as well as the expression of miR-155-5p in renal tissues were increased significantly （ P ＜0.05）. Serum level of ALB， SOD level in renal tissue as well as mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 were decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， TWM high-dose and low-dose groups exhibited significant improvements in renal injury， with notable reversals in the levels of the above quantitative indicators （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS TWM can alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage and thereby improve nephrotic syndrome in rats by regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

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.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), as a significant central nervous system damage disease with high frequency in the world, leads to a huge number of patients with impaired health and lower quality of life every year. Lung injury is a common and dangerous consequence, which dramatically raises the mortality of patients. Discovering the pathophysiology of lung injury after TBI and discovering viable therapeutic targets has become an important need for clinical diagnosis and therapy. Neurotransmitters, as the fundamental chemical agents of the nervous system for signal transmission, not only govern neuronal activity and apoptosis in TBI but also significantly influence the pathophysiological mechanisms of lung injury subsequent to TBI. The imbalance is intricately linked to the onset and progression of lung damage. This paper systematically reviews the clinical characteristics and predominant pathogenesis of lung injury following TBI, emphasizing the role of key neurotransmitters, including glutamate (Glu), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and acetylcholine (ACh), in lung injury post-TBI. It examines their influence on inflammatory response, vascular permeability, and pulmonary circulation function. Additionally, the paper evaluates the research advancements and potential applications of targeted therapeutic strategies for various neurotransmitter systems, such as receptor antagonists, transporter inhibitors, and neurotransmitter analogues. This research aims to offer a theoretical framework for clarifying the neural regulatory mechanisms of lung injury following TBI and to establish a basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies and enhancement of the prognosis of the patients.
Humans ; Brain Injuries, Traumatic/metabolism* ; Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism* ; Lung Injury/metabolism* ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism* ; Glutamic Acid/metabolism* ; Norepinephrine/metabolism* ; Dopamine/metabolism* ; Acetylcholine/metabolism*

Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is a progressive and lethal condition with few effective treatment options. Improvements in quality of life for patients with PPF remain limited even while receiving treatment with approved antifibrotic drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the potential to improve cough, dyspnea and fatigue symptoms of patients with PPF. TCM treatments are typically diverse and individualized, requiring urgent development of efficient and precise design strategies to identify effective treatment options. We designed an innovative Bayesian adaptive two-stage trial, hoping to provide new ideas for the rapid evaluation of the effectiveness of TCM in PPF. An open-label, two-stage, adaptive Bayesian randomized controlled trial will be conducted in China. Based on Bayesian methods, the trial will employ response-adaptive randomization to allocate patients to study groups based on data collected over the course of the trial. The adaptive Bayesian trial design will employ a Bayesian hierarchical model with "stopping" and "continuation" criteria once a predetermined posterior probability of superiority or futility and a decision threshold are reached. The trial can be implemented more efficiently by sharing the master protocol and organizational management mechanisms of the sub-trial we have implemented. The primary patient-reported outcome is a change in the Leicester Cough Questionnaire score, reflecting an improvement in cough-specific quality of life. The adaptive Bayesian trial design may be a promising method to facilitate the rapid clinical evaluation of TCM effectiveness for PPF, and will provide an example for how to evaluate TCM effectiveness in rare and refractory diseases. However, due to the complexity of the trial implementation, sufficient simulation analysis by professional statistical analysts is required to construct a Bayesian response-adaptive randomization procedure for timely response. Moreover, detailed standard operating procedures need to be developed to ensure the feasibility of the trial implementation. Please cite this article as: Zhang C, Nie YS, Zhang CT, Yang HJ, Zhang HR, Xiao W, Cui GF, Li J, Li SJ, Huang QS, Yan SY. An adaptive Bayesian randomized controlled trial of traditional Chinese medicine in progressive pulmonary fibrosis: Rationale and study design. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 138-145.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Bayes Theorem ; Disease Progression ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis/therapy* ; Quality of Life ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Research Design ; Adaptive Clinical Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVE: To identify the key features of facial and tongue images associated with anemia in female populations, establish anemia risk-screening models, and evaluate their performance. METHODS: A total of 533 female participants (anemic and healthy) were recruited from Shuguang Hospital. Facial and tongue images were collected using the TFDA-1 tongue and face diagnosis instrument. Color and texture features from various parts of facial and tongue images were extracted using Face Diagnosis Analysis System (FDAS) and Tongue Diagnosis Analysis System version 2.0 (TDAS v2.0). Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used for feature selection. Ten machine learning models and one deep learning model (ResNet50V2 + Conv1D) were developed and evaluated. RESULTS: Anemic women showed lower a-values, higher L- and b-values across all age groups. Texture features analysis showed that women aged 30-39 with anemia had higher angular second moment (ASM)and lower entropy (ENT) values in facial images, while those aged 40-49 had lower contrast (CON), ENT, and MEAN values in tongue images but higher ASM. Anemic women exhibited age-related trends similar to healthy women, with decreasing L-values and increasing a-, b-, and ASM-values. LASSO identified 19 key features from 62. Among classifiers, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model achieved the best performance [area under the curve (AUC): 0.849, accuracy: 0.781]. The ResNet50V2 model achieved comparable results [AUC: 0.846, accuracy: 0.818]. CONCLUSION Differences in facial and tongue images suggest that color and texture features can serve as potential TCM phenotype and auxiliary diagnostic indicators for female anemia.
Humans ; Female ; Tongue/diagnostic imaging* ; Adult ; Anemia/diagnosis* ; Middle Aged ; Face/diagnostic imaging* ; Young Adult ; Machine Learning

Primary female genital system lymphoma(PFGSL)is a rare subtype of extranodal lymphoma and patients commonly present in the department of gynecology.At present,there is a lack of uniform standards for the treatment of PFGSL.Although the classification of lymphoid neoplasmas was updated by the World Health Organization classification of haematolymphoid tumors in 2016,PFGSL was still not elaborated in sufficient detail.Most cases of PFGSL are non-Hodgkin lymphoma,involving the ovary and cervix.In some cases,involvement of uterine corpus,vagina,and vulva is reported.In this article,we report two cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the female genital system,one from the uterus and the other from the ovary.By presenting the diagnosis and treatment of the two cases and reviewing the literature,we aim to provide a reference for clinicians in recognizing and treating rare cases.
Female ; Humans ; Genital Neoplasms, Female/diagnosis* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/diagnosis* ; Ovarian Neoplasms

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of death in the elderly with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Methods The case data of death caused by COVID-19 in West China Fourth Hospital from January 1 to July 8,2023 were collected,and surviving cases from the West China Elderly Health Cohort infected with COVID-19 during the same period were selected as the control.LASSO-Logistic regression was adopted to analyze the data after propensity score matching and the validity of the model was verified by drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve.Results A total of 3 239 COVID-19 survivors and 142 deaths with COVID-19 were included.The results of LASSO-Logistic regression showed that smoking(OR=3.33,95%CI=1.46-7.59,P=0.004),stroke(OR=3.55,95%CI=1.15-10.30,P=0.022),malignant tumors(OR=19.93, 95%CI=8.52-49.23, P<0.001),coronary heart disease(OR=7.68, 95%CI=3.52-17.07, P<0.001),fever(OR=0.51, 95%CI=0.26-0.96, P=0.042),difficulty breathing or asthma symptoms(OR=21.48, 95%CI=9.44-51.95, P<0.001),and vomiting(OR=8.19,95%CI=2.87-23.58, P<0.001)increased the risk of death with COVID-19.The prediction model constructed based on the influencing factors achieved an area under the curve of 0.889 in the test set.Conclusions Smoking,stroke,malignant tumors,coronary heart disease,fever,breathing difficulty or asthma symptoms,and vomiting were identified as key factors influencing the death risk in COVID-19.
Humans ; COVID-19/mortality* ; Aged ; Propensity Score ; China/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Logistic Models ; Smoking ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Male ; Female ; Stroke ; Neoplasms

Objective:To evaluate the clinical utility of an intelligent endoscope transportation system in the digestive endoscopy center.Methods:A parallel-group controlled trial was conducted at Digestive Endoscopy Center of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from June 1st to December 31st 2024, comparing robotic intelligent endoscope transport (experimental group) versus manual transport (control group). Performance metrics, including response time, transportation speed, labor efficiency, contamination prevention, closed-loop traceability, and nursing staff satisfaction, were statistically analyzed. Full-time equivalent (FTE) was introduced to quantify the operational efficiency of the experimental group.Results:The study included a total of 60 206 instances of intelligent endoscope transportation and 60 485 instances of manual transportation data. The robotic group demonstrated significantly shorter response times versus manual group for initial dispatch (51.08±14.97 seconds VS 54.44±13.61 seconds, t=35.8, P<0.001) and recovery response time (32.52±11.26 seconds VS 40.20±11.40 seconds, t=103.93, P<0.001). During the 148 days operational period, the success rate was 99.83% (60 104/60 206) and the failure rate was 0.17% (102/60 206) for robotic transports. Primary failure causes were wireless disconnection, pathfinding errors, and mechanical faults, averaging 1.05 malfunctions/month with no adverse events. The success and failure rate was 99.26% (60 043/60 485) and 0.74% (442/60 485) respectively for manual transports. Staff satisfaction was significantly higher for robotic transport in endoscopic transportation (4.65±0.55 scores VS 3.97±0.98 scores, t=96.5, P<0.001) and delivery process (4.71±0.59 scores VS 3.90±1.04 scores, t=210.3, P<0.001). and workload intensity was significantly lower (4.06±0.77 scores VS 4.48±0.63 scores, t=59.9, P=0.025). The system reduced labor requirements by 3.68 FTE, yielding annual savings of ￥657 000. Conclusion:The robotic intelligent endoscope transport system improves work efficiency, reduces nursing labor costs and physical workload, enhances job experience and satisfaction, and enables full-process smart traceability, providing a validated solution for endoscopy center logistics.