ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the action mechanism by which Banxia Xiexintang （BXT） inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） in chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） rats by regulating the interleukin-17（IL-17）/extracellular regulated protein kinases（ERK）/CCAAT enhancer binding protein β（C/EBPβ）signaling pathway， thereby providing new theoretical evidence for the treatment of CAG with classic traditional Chinese medicine formulas. MethodsA CAG rat model was established by using the combined factor method. After successful modeling， the rats were randomly divided into the model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （0.549， 1.098， 2.196 g·kg^-1， respectively） of BXT， and the positive drug group （vitacoenzyme， 0.3 g·kg^-1）. A normal control group was also set up. After 8 weeks of intervention， the pathological changes of gastric tissue were evaluated. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the contents of IL-17， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2）， and C/EBPβ in serum， as well as the contents of EMT markers in gastric mucosal tissue including E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and vimentin. The immunohistochemistry method was employed to determine the localization and protein expression levels of IL-17， p-ERK， and C/EBPβ in gastric mucosal tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of C/EBPβ， ERK， and its phosphorylated form （p）-ERK in gastric mucosa. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was applied to measure the mRNA expression levels of ERK， COX-2， and C/EBPβ in gastric mucosa. ResultsCompared with those in the normal control group， the rats in the model group showed gastric mucosal glandular atrophy and inflammatory cell infiltration. The protein and their related mRNA expressions of C/EBPβ， ERK， and p-ERK in gastric mucosa were significantly increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The levels of IL-17， TNF-α， COX-2， and C/EBPβ in serum were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The contents of N-cadherin and vimentin in gastric mucosal tissue were significantly increased， while the content of E-cadherin was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， after intervention with different doses of BXT， the pathological damage of the gastric mucosa was improved to varying degrees. The protein and mRNA expressions of C/EBPβ， ERK， and p-ERK in gastric mucosa were significantly reduced （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The levels of IL-17， TNF-α， COX-2， and C/EBP β in serum were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The contents of N-cadherin and vimentin in gastric mucosa tissue were decreased， while the content of E-cadherin was increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionBXT can effectively improve the pathological damage of gastric mucosal tissue in CAG rats. Its action mechanism may be related to reducing the levels of IL-17 and TNF-α in serum， regulating the IL-17/ERK/C/EBPβ signaling pathway and inhibiting the EMT process.

Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

This article systematically reviews the current research status as well as diagnosis and treatment strategies of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） for gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD）. Studies demonstrate that TCM， based on the "disease-syndrome combination" approach， exhibits multi-target advantages in alleviating symptoms of various GERD subtypes， promoting mucosal repair， regulating emotions， and facilitating the reduction of western medication. To address clinical challenges such as symptom overlap and limited therapeutic efficacy， strategies have been proposed including "treating different diseases with the same method" and integrated regulation based on viscera correlation. Future efforts should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of compound prescriptions， promoting TCM drug development under the "three-combination" evaluation framework that integrates TCM theory， human experience and clinical trial evidence， and optimizing integrated traditional and western medicine models to enhance GERD management.

By analyzing the current application of multi-modal data in the diagnosis of gastric "inflammation-cancer" transformation， this study explored the feasibility and strategies for constructing a disease-syndrome integrated diagnosis and treatment system. Based on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） phenomics， we proposed utilizing multi-modal data from literature research， cross-sectional studies， and cohort follow-ups， combined with artificial intelligence technology， to establish a multi-dimensional diagnostic and treatment index system. This approach aims to uncover the complex pathogenesis and transformation patterns of gastric "inflammation-cancer" progression. Additionally， by dynamically collecting TCM four-diagnostic information and modern medical diagnostic information through a long-term follow-up system， we developed three major modules including information extraction， multi-modal phenotypic modeling， and information output， to make it enable real-world clinical data-driven long-term follow-up and treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis. This system can provide technical support for clinical diagnosis， treatment evaluation， and research， while also offering insights and methods for intelligent TCM diagnosis.

Objective To explore the difference of efficacy and safety between denosumab and zoledronic acid in the treatment of patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP), and to optimize the medication regimen for PMOP patients. Methods A total of 123 PMOP patients with high risk of fracture at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from September 2021 to March 2024 were selected and randomly divided into two groups: the denosumab group (n=63) and the zoledronic acid group (n=60). Both groups underwent one-year treatment and follow-up, bone metabolism indexes, lumbar vertebrae, femoral neck, and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) were monitored, and any adverse reactions were documented. Results After treatment, the lumbar vertebrae and total hip BMD of patients in the denosumab group and the zoledronic acid group were significantly improved (P＜0.05); the femoral neck BMD of patients in the zoledronic acid group was also significantly improved (P＜0.05). The improvement of lumbar vertebrae BMD in the denosumab group was significantly better than that in the zoledronic acid group, while the improvement of femoral neck and total hip BMD in the zoledronic acid group was significantly better than that in the denosumab group (P＜0.05). Bone metabolism indicators were significantly improved in both groups (P＜0.05), and no significant liver and kidney dysfunction were observed. A total of 7 patients in the zoledronic acid group had mild adverse reactions and 5 patients in the denosumab group had mild adverse reactions. Conclusions Denosumab significantly increased lumbar vertebrae BMD and improved bone metabolism markers in PMOP patients, thus reducing risk of fracture and demonstrating good safety.

ObjectiveTo investigate the modifiable areal unit problem （MAUP） in the spatial pattern of Pseudostellaria heterophylla production regions and reveal the impact of statistical scales on the spatial distribution characteristics of this medicinal plant species. MethodsUsing multi-source data （literature records， field surveys， and statistical data）， we systematically analyzed the spatial patterns across three administrative levels （provincial， prefectural， and county scales）. Spatial autocorrelation （Moran's I） analysis， high-low clustering （Getis-Ord General G）， and hot/cold spot analysis （Getis-Ord Gi*） were employed. ResultsThe literature-based analysis showed that the production regions of P. heterophylla presented random distribution on the provincial scale and significant aggregation on the prefectural scale. The field survey data showed that the production regions displayed random distribution on the provincial scale but significant aggregation on both prefectural and county scales. The statistical data revealed that the production regions lacked spatial autocorrelation on the provincial scale but demonstrated significant aggregation on prefectural and county scales. ConclusionMAUP effects have substantive implications for understanding and decision-making in the arrangement of medicinal plant production regions. The county scale proves to be the most sensitive and explanatory level for analyzing the spatial pattern of P. heterophylla production regions， providing a critical foundation for habitat modeling， suitability evaluation， and ecological cultivation planning of medicinal plants.

The immunomodulatory， repair， and regeneration-promoting functions of mesenchymal stem cells make them one of the potential treatment methods for liver diseases. At present， viral and non-viral delivery methods have been developed to genetically modify mesenchymal stem cells， and gene modification can promote the survival， homing， and cytokine secretion of mesenchymal stem cells， thereby enhancing the ability of mesenchymal stem cells to treat liver diseases. This article mainly summarizes the research advances in gene-modified mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of liver diseases， in order to provide new insights and strategies for the clinical treatment of liver diseases.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of pudendal nerve modulation (PNM) in the treatment of female pudendal neuralgia (PN)，so as to promote the clinical application of this technique. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 20 female PN patients who failed conservative treatment at Gongli Hospital during Nov.2020 and Oct.2023.All patients underwent simultaneous PNM and sacral nerve modulation (SNM) with the assistance of 3D printing navigation.Dual-stage test electrodes for PNM and SNM were implanted，followed by alternate therapeutic trial for each modality.Secondary conversion rates and longitudinal outcomes，including visual analogue score (VAS)，patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)，and quality of life (QoL) scores were compared preoperatively，post-stage Ⅰ，and at 3，6，and 12 months post-stage Ⅱ. Results: All operations were successful.After the trial phase，the secondary conversion rate for PNM was significantly higher than that for SNM; 16 patients (16/20，80%) chose the second-phase PNM implantation surgery，3 (3/20，15%) chose second-phase SNM implantation，and 1 (1/20，5%) had electrodes removed due to ineffective results from both trials.Further assessment revealed that the improvements in VAS，PHQ-9，and QoL scores for PNM patients were significantly better than those for SNM patients after the first phase of surgery and at 3，6 and 12 months after the second-phase conversion (P<0.05).No complications such as electrode migration or infection were observed during the follow-up of 12-15 months. Conclusion: PNM provides more effective relief of pain symptoms and improvements in depressive states for female PN patients compared to SNM.With the assistance of 3D printing navigation，the operation is simple and safe，and offers stable therapeutic effects.It is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Objective: To investigate the trend in disease burden of injuries among children and adolescents in China from 1990 to 2021, so as to provide a basis for formulating prevention and control strategies and reducing this disease burden. Methods: Data on mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate, incidence, and prevalence of injuries among children and adolescents aged <20 years in China from 1990 to 2021 were collected from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database. All rates were standardized using the GBD 2021 world standard population. The trend in incidence of disease burden of injuries among children and adolescents across differents genders and ages from 1990 to 2021 was evaluated using average annual percent change (AAPC). Results: From 1990 to 2021, the standardized mortality (AAPC=-5.435%), standardized DALY rate (AAPC=-5.311%), standardized incidence (AAPC=-0.466%), and standardized prevalence (AAPC=-0.810%) of injuries among children and adolescents in China showed downward trends (all P<0.05). Among these, the standardized mortality of animal contact (AAPC=-9.138%) and the standardized DALY rate of medical side effects (AAPC=-8.389%) decreased at a relatively fast pace, while the standardized incidence of falls (AAPC=0.083%) and the standardized prevalence of exposure to natural forces (AAPC=2.656%) showed upward trends (all P<0.05). The standardized mortality, standardized DALY rate, standardized incidence and standardized prevalence of injuries were higher in males than in females. The trend in males showed a downward trend (all P<0.05), consistent with the total population. The crude incidence of injuries in the group aged 15-<20 years showed an upward trend (AAPC=0.391%, P<0.05), while the trend in the group aged 10-<15 years was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The crude incidence of injuries in the groups aged 5-<10 years and <5 years showed downward trends (AAPC=-0.488% and -2.275%, both P<0.05). In 2021, the <5 years age group had the highest crude mortality and crude DALY rate of injuries, at 13.94/100 000 and 1 257.26/100 000, respectively. The 15-<20 years age group exhibited the highest crude incidence and crude prevalence, at 4 874.05/100 000and 4 050.35/100 000, respectively. Drowning and falls were major components of the disease burden across all age groups. Conclusions From 1990 to 2021, the disease burden of injuries among children and adolescents in China showed an overall downward trend. The disease burden was consistently higher in males than in females. Children aged <5 years face a high risk of fatality and disability, while adolescents aged 15-<20 years experience a high incidence and frequency of injuries. Drowning and falls were key priorities for prevention and control.

BACKGROUND: G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) could participate in the regulation of diverse cells via interacting with non-G-protein-coupled receptors. In the present work, we explored how paroxetine, a GRK2 inhibitor, modulates the differentiation and activation of immune cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The blood samples of healthy individuals and RA patients were collected between July 2021 and March 2022 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. C57BL/6 mice were used to induce the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. Flow cytometry analysis was used to characterize the differentiation and function of dendritic cells (DCs)/T cells. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to explore the specific molecular mechanism. RESULTS: In patients with RA, high expression of GRK2 in peripheral blood lymphocytes, accompanied by the increases of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In animal model, a decrease in regulatory T cells (T regs ), an increase in the cluster of differentiation 8 positive (CD8 + ) T cells, and maturation of DCs were observed. Paroxetine, when used in vitro and in CIA mice, restrained the maturation of DCs and the differentiation of CD8 + T cells, and induced the proportion of T regs . Paroxetine inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the expression of C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 in DCs and T cells. Simultaneously, paroxetine upregulated the expression of programmed death ligand 1, and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, paroxetine inhibited the PI3K-AKT-mTOR metabolic pathway in both DCs and T cells. This was associated with a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and changes in the utilization of glucose and lipids, particularly in DCs. Paroxetine reversed PI3K-AKT pathway activation induced by 740 Y-P (a PI3K agonist) through inhibiting the interaction between GRK2 and PI3K in DCs and T cells. CONCLUSION Paroxetine exerts an immunosuppressive effect by targeting GRK2, which subsequently inhibits the metabolism-related PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway of DCs and T cells in RA.
G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2/metabolism* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology* ; Animals ; Dendritic Cells/metabolism* ; Paroxetine/therapeutic use* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects* ; Female ; T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Middle Aged