Irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） is a functional bowel disorder characterized primarily by abdominal pain and altered defecation habits. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has made progress in multiple aspects of IBS research and treatment， including syndrome distribution， development of TCM formulas， clinical efficacy evaluation， external therapies， and psychosocial regulation. However， it still faces challenges such as over-reliance on symptomatic manifestations rather than biomarkers for diagnostic criteria， and the lack of high-quality evidence-based data supporting the efficacy of TCM formulas in treating IBS. This paper proposed that TCM diagnosis and treatment of IBS should adhere to the strategy of integrating the holistic concept with syndrome differentiation and treatment， combining TCM external therapies such as acupuncture， moxibustion and acupoint application）， and emphasizing individualized diagnosis and treatment for psychosomatic abnormalities. Future research should integrate multi-omics technologies， artificial intelligence and other methods to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of IBS and the mechanisms of TCM formulas， so as to promote the standardization and internationalization of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of IBS.

Background and aims The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown. Methods The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways. Conclusions PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.

Chronic heart failure is the terminal stage of various cardiovascular diseases， and its occurrence and progression are closely associated with impaired myocardial energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial dynamics maintain cardiomyocyte energy homeostasis through fusion， fission， and quality control. Disruption of mitochondrial dynamics may lead to mitochondrial network fragmentation， insufficient adenosine triphosphate （ATP） production， enhanced oxidative stress， and activation of ferroptosis. The theory of Yin at peace and Yang being compact originates from the Chapter Discussion on Interrelationship between Life and Nature in the Plain Questions， and emphasizes that the dynamic balance between Yin and Yang is fundamental to normal life activities. According to this theory and mitochondrial dynamics， this paper explores the pathogenic connotations of Yang failing to remain compact and Yin failing to remain at peace in chronic heart failure. In traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， chronic heart failure is characterized by deficiency in origin and excess in manifestation. Deficiency of heart Qi and Yang is the root， often accompanied by Yang deficiency or Yin deficiency， while blood stasis， phlegm turbidity， and water retention constitute the manifestations. When Yang fails to remain compact， cardiac propulsion becomes weakened and Qi transformation is impaired. When Yin fails to remain at peace， Yin pathogens are generated and Yin essence is consumed. At the microscopic level， imbalance of mitochondrial dynamics is manifested as insufficient mitochondrial fusion， excessive fission， reduced energy production， excessive ROS generation， expansion of the labile iron pool， and accumulation of lipid peroxidation products， which contribute to Yin-Yang imbalance in chronic heart failure. Furthermore， by integrating formula-pattern correspondence and the approach of inferring patterns from formula effects， this paper summarizes the possible molecular phenotypes corresponding to different syndrome elements and syndrome patterns. It further proposes keeping Yang compact and keeping Yin at peace as therapeutic principle for chronic heart failure， aiming to restore energy metabolism homeostasis by regulating mitochondrial dynamics with TCM and to provide new perspectives and ideas for the treatment of chronic heart failure.

Ischemic stroke accounts for approximately 80% of all stroke cases worldwide and remains a leading cause of long‑term neurological disability and mortality. Intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy constitute the mainstay of acute reperfusion therapies, yet their clinical utility is severely constrained by narrow therapeutic time windows. Even when large‑vessel recanalization is successfully achieved, a considerable proportion of patients still suffer poor functional outcomes due to futile reperfusion and ischemia‑reperfusion injury. Historically, preclinical studies have largely focused on direct neuronal protection against calcium overload, oxidative stress and ferroptosis. Unfortunately, most promising neuroprotective agents that exhibited robust benefits in rodent models have failed to demonstrate satisfactory efficacy in phase‑Ⅱ and phase‑Ⅲ clinical trials. One critical contributor to such translational failure is the disregard for the pathological disturbance within the cerebral vascular microenvironment. Instead of merely regarding neuronal death as an autonomous cellular event, accumulating evidence indicates that sequential biochemical disruption of perivascular microenvironment acts as an initiating amplifier that propagates damage toward brain parenchyma after ischemic insult. The cerebral vascular microenvironment centers on brain microvessels and comprises endothelial cells, endothelial glycocalyx, basement membrane, pericytes, astrocytic end‑feet, perivascular microglia, as well as interstitial ions, inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species and extracellular matrix components. Distinct from the concept of neurovascular unit which emphasizes functional coupling between neurons, glia and vessels, the vascular microenvironment highlights dynamic biochemical homeostasis in perivascular interstitial space. Following cerebral ischemia, injured brain tissue can be spatially divided into the irreversibly damaged infarct core, metabolically‑stressed ischemic penumbra and mildly‑affected peripheral regions. These three zones lack rigid anatomical boundaries and evolve dynamically depending on reperfusion timing, presenting divergent features in blood perfusion, blood‑brain barrier integrity, cellular viability and immune‑inflammatory profiles. Four interrelated pathological cascades jointly disrupt microenvironmental homeostasis: calcium‑overload‑triggered cytotoxic cascades; blood‑brain barrier breakdown resulting from glycocalyx shedding, tight‑junction dissociation and matrix metalloproteinase‑driven basement‑membrane degradation; inflammatory‑immune dysregulation dominated by microglial phenotypic reprogramming; and mutual crosstalk between coagulation disturbance and neuroinflammation that exacerbates secondary brain injury. Multiple molecular layers orchestrate these pathological alterations. Excessive activation of HIF‑1α, NF‑κB and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways promotes barrier leakage, pro‑inflammatory factor secretion and extracellular‑matrix remodeling. Epigenetic modulation mediated by non‑coding RNAs including miRNAs and lncRNAs reshapes vascular microenvironment via three major patterns: modulating endothelial‑pericyte barrier integrity, switching microglia‑astrocyte inflammatory phenotypes, and driving metabolic reprogramming among multiple cell populations within microdomains. In addition, metabolic shift toward glycolysis among endothelial cells, microglia, astrocytes and compromised neurons establishes self‑amplifying vicious cycles of energy depletion and oxidative stress in perivascular niches. Targeted theranostic approaches oriented toward vascular microenvironment bring new opportunities for precision medicine of ischemic stroke. Magnetic nanoprobes and near‑infrared fluorescent probes respond to elevated reactive oxygen species, pH shift and inflammatory signals, enabling in situ visualization of pathological signatures of microenvironment and risk evaluation of hemorrhagic transformation. Function‑tailored nanodelivery systems exert multi‑modal protective effects: reactive oxygen species‑responsive polymeric micelles deliver calcium chelators to block calcium‑overload‑initiated injury cascades; nanozymes scavenge reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and revert microglial pro‑inflammatory polarization; biomimetic membrane‑coated nanoparticles accumulate at micro‑thrombosis sites to break thrombo‑inflammatory loops and mitigate no‑reflow phenomenon; ferroptosis‑inhibitor‑loaded nanocarriers eliminate excessive labile iron within perivascular toxic microdomains. During subacute and recovery phases, spatiotemporally controlled release of angiogenic factors by nanocarriers facilitates maturation of newly‑formed microvessels rather than blind vascular sprouting, which helps reconstruct intact blood‑brain barrier and restore microenvironmental homeostasis. Nevertheless, substantial translational bottlenecks still impede clinical transformation of these nanomedicines, including potential biosafety risks caused by in vivo material accumulation, protein‑corona‑induced impairment of targeting capacity, intrinsic blood brain barrier transport obstacles, lack of unified quality‑control criteria for large‑scale manufacture, reliance on high‑end clinical imaging instruments, and prominent interspecies discrepancies between experimental animals and human patients. On the basis of summarizing spatiotemporal pathological characteristics, multi‑level regulatory mechanisms and cutting‑edge microenvironment‑oriented diagnostic and interventional strategies, the present review advocates a conceptual shift from isolated neuronal protection to comprehensive reconstruction of perivascular vascular microenvironment homeostasis. Such perspective provides theoretical foundations for expanding therapeutic time windows and inspires future development of novel therapeutic modalities for ischemic stroke.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors for hepatic hydrothorax （HH） before intervention for primary hepatic carcinoma （PHC）， and to construct and assess the nomogram risk prediction model. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 353 hospitalized patients who attended the Third People’s Hospital of Kunming for the first time from October 2012 to October 2021 and there diagnosed with PHC， and according to the presence or absence of HH， they were divided into HH group with 153 patients and non-HH group with 200 patients. General data and the data of initial clinical testing after admission were collected from all PHC patients. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. After the multicollinearity test was performed for the variables with statistical significance determined by the univariate analysis， the multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent influencing factors. The “rms” software package was used to construct a nomogram risk prediction model， and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve were used to assess the risk prediction model； the “Calibration Curves” software package was used to plot the calibration curve， and the “rmda” software package was used to plot the clinical decision curve and the clinical impact curve. ResultsAmong the 353 patients with PHC， there were 153 patients with HH， with a prevalence rate of 43.34%. Child-Pugh class B （odds ratio ［OR］=2.652， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.050 — 6.698， P=0.039）， Child-Pugh class C （OR=7.963， 95%CI： 1.046‍ ‍—‍ ‍60.632， P=0.045）， total protein （OR=0.947， 95%CI： 0.914‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.981， P=0.003）， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （OR=1.007， 95%CI： 1.001‍ ‍—‍ ‍1.014， P=0.025）， and interleukin-2 （OR=0.801， 95%CI： 0.653‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.981， P=0.032） were independent influencing factors for HH before PHC intervention， and a nomogram risk prediction model was established based on these factors. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model had a good degree of fitting （χ²=5.006， P=0.757）， with an area under the ROC curve of 0.752 （95%CI： 0.701‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.803）， a sensitivity of 78.40%， and a specificity of 63.50%. The calibration curve showed that the model had good consistency in predicting HH before PHC intervention， and the clinical decision curve and the clinical impact curve showed that the model had good clinical practicability within a certain threshold range. ConclusionChild-Pugh class， total protein， interleukin-2， and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein are independent influencing factors for developing HH before PHC intervention， and the nomogram model established based on these factors can effectively predict the risk of developing HH.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.

Objective To establish and evaluate a nomogram prediction model for spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1298 patients with HBV-related primary liver cancer hospitalized in the Kunming Third People's Hospital from January 2012 to December 2022.General data and serological indicators were collected,and patients were divided into infection group(n=262)and control group(n=1036)based on the occurrence of spontaneous peritonitis.Univariate and LASSO regression analyses were used to screen variables,followed by binary logistic regression to analyze the influencing factors of spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer patients,leading to the establishment of a nomogram prediction model.Finally,the Hosmer-lemeshow(H-L)goodness of fit test,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curve,decision curve analysis(DCA)and clinical impact curve(CIC)were utilized to evaluate the fit degree,accuracy,calibration,and clinical practicability of the nomogram prediction model.Results Single factor analysis revealed significant differences between infection group and control group in portal vein cancer thrombus(PVTT),Child-Pugh grade,China Liver Cancer Staging(CNLC)stage,alcohol consumption history,smoking history,white blood cell count(WBC),neutrophil count(NE),hemoglobin(Hb),fibrinogen(FIB),abnormal prothrombin(PIVKA-Ⅱ),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total protein(TP),prealbumin(PA),γ-glutamyltransferase(GGT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),cholinesterase(CHE),total bile acid(TBA),total cholesterol(TC),low density lipoprotein(LDL),creatinine(Cr),HBV DNA,CD3+T cells count,CD4+T cells count,CD8+T cells count,CD4+T cells/CD8+T cells ratio,procalcitonin(PCT),serum amyloid A(SAA),interleukin-6(IL-6),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),and IL-4(P＜0.05).LASSO regression analysis identified 5 variables:Child-Pugh grade,PVTT,WBC,CHE and hs-CRP.Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that Child-Pugh grade(Grade B:OR=5.780,95％CI 3.271-10.213,P＜0.001;Grade C:OR=14.818,95％CI 7.697-28.526,P＜0.001),PVTT(OR=2.893,95％CI 2.037-4.108,P＜0.001),WBC(OR=1.088,95％CI 1.031-1.148,P=0.002),and hs-CRP(OR=1.005,95％CI 1.001-1.010,P=0.026)were the independent risk factors of spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer patients.Using these 4 variables,a nomogram prediction model was constructed and evaluated.The P-value of the H-L goodness of fit test was 0.760.Moreover,the area under ROC curve(AUC)was 0.866,with a sensitivity of 0.870 and a specificity of 0.716.The average absolute error of the calibration curve is 0.022.DCA and CIC analyses demonstrated that the nomogram prediction model possessed some clinical utility.Conclusion The nomogram prediction model for spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer patients,constructed using Child-Pugh grade,PVTT,WBC and hs-CRP,exhibits a high fitting degree and accuracy,with the prediction probability highly consistent with the actual occurrence probability,and possesses certain clinical practicability.

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of chronic liver failure in patients with primary hepatic carcinoma(PHC)before intervention,and to establish and evaluate a nomogram risk prediction model.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted by collecting general data and clinical test data within 24 hours of admission for PHC patients.Univariate analysis and Lasso regression were used for variable selection,followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify independent influencing factors for CLF before PHC intervention,leading to the establishment of a nomogram risk prediction model.The model was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curve,clinical decision curve,and clinical impact curve.Result A total of 353 cases of PHC patients were collected,including 153 cases in the liver failure group and 200 cases in the non-liver failure group,with a prevalence rate of 43.3％.Variables selected by Lasso regression included gastrointestinal bleeding,prothrombin time(PT),albumin(ALB),total bilirubin(TBIL),and gamma glutamyl transferase(GGT).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gastrointestinal bleeding(OR=13.549,95％CI:2.899～63.322,P=0.001),PT(OR=1.599,95％CI:1.282～1.995,P＜0.001),TBIL(OR=1.016,95％CI:1.006～1.025,P=0.002),and GGT(OR=1.002,95％CI:1.000～1.003,P=0.028)were independent risk factors for chronic liver failure prior to PHC intervention,leading to the establishment of a nomogram risk prediction model.The Hosmer Lemeshow test showed that the model had a good fit(x2=6.152,P＞0.05);the area under ROC was 0.902(0.869-0.934),with a sensitivity of 80.4％and a specificity of 87.5％.The calibration curve indicated that the model predicts chronic liver failure prior to PHC intervention with good consistency.Clinical decision curve analysis and clinical impact curve analysis showed that the model has good clinical utility within a certain threshold range.Conclusion Gastrointestinal bleeding,PT ≥16.05s,TBIL≥37.80 mmol/L,and GGT≥ 99.00 U/L are independent risk factors for the occurrence of chronic liver failure before PHC intervention.The established nomogram risk prediction model has certain clinical application value in predicting the risk of chronic liver failure before PHC intervention.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of replication activating factor C2(RFC2)on the proliferation and migration of renal cell carcinoma(RCC)cells.Methods Western blotting was used to determine and compare the expression levels of RFC2 protein in human normal renal tubular epithelial cell lines HK-2 and RCC cell lines ACHN,786-O,Caki-1,KETR3,and OS-RC2.The KETR-3 cell line was transfected with Lipofectamine 3 000 using RFC2 small interfering RNA(siRNA)and control inhibitory sequence scaffold,respectively,and divided into RFC2 silenced expression group(si-RFC2)and inhibitory control group(si-NC).Transfect RFC2 overexpression plasmid(RFC2 plasmid)and blank control plasmid,and divide into RFC2 overexpression group(OE-RFC2)and overexpression control group(Vector).Cell proliferation ability was detected using Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide(MTT)cell proliferation detection kit,cell migration ability was measured using cell scratch assay,and protein blotting assay was used to determine the expression levels of RFC2,p-PI3 K,PI3 K,p-Akt,and Akt proteins.Results Compared with the normal human renal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2,the RCC cell lines ACHN,786-O,Caki-1,KETR3,and OS-RC2 showed high expression of RFC2 protein(all P＜0.001).MTT assay showed that the A490nm values of the si-RFC2 group were lower than those of the si-NC group at 0,24,48,and 72 h(all P＜0.05),while the A490nm values of the OE-RFC2 group were higher than those of the Vector group at 0,24,48,and 72 h(all P＜0.05).The scratch healing rate of the OE-RFC2 group was higher than that of the Vector group[(89.4±9.4)％vs(15.8±6.3)％,P＜0.05].The cell scratch healing rate in the si-RFC2 group was lower than that in the si-NC group[(5.2±1.9)％vs(16.5±5.5)％,P＜0.05].After upregulating RFC2 expression in KETR-3 cells,the relative expression level of RFC2 protein in the OE-RFC2 group was higher than that in the Vector group(1.04±0.19 vs 0.25±0.03,P＜0.05),the p-PI3K/PI3K ratio in the OE-RFC2 group was higher than that in the Vector group(1.15±0.23 vs 0.34±0.024,P＜0.05),and the p-Akt/Akt ratio in the OE-RFC2 group was higher than that in the Vector group(1.26±0.25 vs 0.38±0.022,P＜0.05).After silencing the expression of RFC2,the relative expression level of RFC2 protein in the si-RFC2 group was lower than that in the si-NC group(0.16±0.02 vs 1.08±0.06,P＜0.05),the p-PI3K/PI3K ratio in the si-RFC2 group was lower than that in the si-NC group(0.18±0.04 vs 0.86±0.14,P＜0.05),and the p-Akt/Akt ratio in the si-RFC2 group was lower than that in the si-NC group(0.10±0.01 vs0.58±0.13,P＜0.05).Conclusion RFC2 promotes the proliferation and migration of renal cell carcinoma cells,and the mechanism may be related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Detection of poor-water-soluble substances typically requires an organic solvent containing solution,and therefore,the biosensors that can operate in such conditions are highly promising for practical applications.However,most existing biosensors have been developed in aqueous solution and it is hard to work effectively in organic solvent systems.In this work,we uncovered that the G-quadruplex(G4)/hemin DNAzyme(G4HD)could be strongly reactivated by NH4 in organic solvents at concentration up to 30％,and the activity was significantly higher than that in aqueous solutions containing K+.Based on this discovery,a biosensing system was developed for small molecule in 40％methanol by coupling G4HD with our previously identified RNA-cleaving DNAzyme(E3).This system comprised an ATP-activated aptazyme that was made of E3 and a G4HD that was activated by the cleavage product of the aptazyme.By using a manmade pipette tip filter to separate the reaction products,the subsequent colorimetric reaction of the G4HD could be triggered.This biosensing system enabled the visualization of target molecules in organic cosolvents without any other instruments.The activable DNAzyme-cascade sensing system had potential in point-of-care detection of poor-water-soluble pollutants,thereby enhancing the practical values of functional nucleic acid-based biosensors in real-world detection conditions.