Aging has emerged as a cutting edge and hotspot in global life science field， with anti-aging and geriatric disease prevention and treatment becoming critical issues urgently demanding solutions in international medical communities. In the face of the challenge of accelerating global population aging， in-depth exploration of aging mechanisms and the development of effective intervention strategies hold significant scientific and clinical value. This study supported by the national key research and development program of China， employed the essence-Qi-spirit theory of Qiluo doctrine as its guiding framework， focusing on the key scientific issue of the core traditional Chinese pathogenesis of aging， namely "depletion of kidney essence， deficiency of primordial Qi， and impairment of body and spirit". The treatment principle of "tonifying the kidney to replenish essence， harmonizing Yin and Yang， warming and invigorating primordial Qi， and nourishing the body and spirit" was established. Centered on holistic aging， systemic aging， and aging-related diseases， the research integrated multidisciplinary research approaches to construct multi-modal aging models and a multi-dimensional evaluation system， and it utilized multi-omics technologies to deeply analyze aging mechanisms. By systematically reviewing historical kidney-tonifying and anti-aging formulas and combining big data with artificial intelligence technologies， an information database of anti-aging traditional Chinese medicine substance was developed to reveal the differences and synergistic effects of various treatment methods and formulas on anti-aging. Based on this treatment method， the research integrated two millennia of kidney-tonifying medicinal experience to develop the innovative anti-aging traditional Chinese medicine， namely Bazhi Bushen capsules. It was validated that this capsule can delay holistic and systemic aging through multiple targets and mechanisms， thereby elucidating the scientific connotation of the essence-Qi-spirit theory of Qiluo doctrine in guiding anti-aging research from multiple dimensions and providing robust support for leveraging the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine to occupy the commanding heights of international anti-aging research.

Background: and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs. Conclusions Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.

Objective: To develop a convenient, direct, and highly sensitive method for screening trace chemical additives in complex Chinese patent medicines, thereby addressing core technological bottlenecks in pharmaceutical analysis and quality control. Methods: A brush ionization probe device was independently designed and constructed, and an efficient detection method was established through systematic optimization of key parameters. Twenty-three Chinese patent medicine samples, representing 6 dosage forms (capsules, tablets, pills, granules, powders, and liquid preparations), were analyzed using 10 common chemical additives as target analytes. Results: All samples were successfully analyzed without complex pretreatment, and 5 chemical additives were detected in 7 Chinese patent medicines. The brush ionization probe device exhibited cost-effectiveness (~0.2 USD per probe), operational simplicity, rapid analysis (~10s per sample), high efficiency, and minimal reagent consumption (~10 μL per sample). Conclusion: This advancement is expected to provide an innovative scientific tool for improving the generality and convenience of on-site quality control, while promoting technological progress in disciplines such as pharmacology and traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective To investigate the post-discharge exercise behavior and factors influencing moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in patients undergoing lung surgery. Methods A total of 2874 patients from the large prospective, observational perioperative lung symptom study cohort (CN-PRO-Lung 3) in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Sichuan Cancer Hospital between April 7, 2021, and January 31, 2024, were selected as the survey subjects. A survey was conducted using the Investigation of Exercise Behavior after Lung Surgery questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) among patients who underwent lung surgery. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors influencing patients’ engagement in MVPA. Results A total of 702 patients were surveyed, including 252 males and 450 females, with an average age of (52.4±10.2) years. Patients with lung cancer accounted for 85.9%. Only 36.0% of the patients had regular exercise habits, while 42.3% did not engage in any physical activity. The three main barriers for postoperative exercise were physical discomfort (pain, coughing, shortness of breath, etc, 54.7%), lack of professional guidance (41.7%), and concerns about the surgical wound (28.9%). The proportions of patients engaging in vigorous, moderate, and low-intensity physical activity were 5.7%, 28.2%, and 66.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with a personal annual income ≥50000 yuan (OR=1.52, 95%CI 1.01-2.29, P=0.044), high school education or above (OR=1.92, 95%CI 1.33-2.76, P<0.001), and lobectomy (OR=1.44, 95%CI 1.02-2.03, P=0.037) engaged in more MVPA. Conclusion Patients undergoing lung surgery have inadequate physical activity after discharge, particularly lacking in MVPA. Patients with higher income, higher educational levels, and lobectomy are more frequently engaged in MVPA. Measures such as symptom control, providing exercise guidance, and enhancing education on wound care may potentially improve the inadequate physical activity in lung surgery patients after discharge.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically significant complication in elderly patients, largely driven by surgery-induced neuroinflammation. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, a crucial regulator of innate immunity, has been implicated in neuroinflammatory activation. This study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) improves POCD by modulating this pathway in aged rats. Aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sevoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy to establish a POCD model. Animals were divided into sham, POCD, POCD+EA, and POCD+EA+cGAS inhibitor groups. The EA groups received stimulation at Baihui (Governor Vessel 20 (GV20)), Neiguan (Pericardium 6 (PC6)), and Zusanli (Stomach 36 (ST36)) acupoints. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze, while hippocampal expression of cGAS-STING pathway components and downstream effectors—interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)—was assessed by Western blot. Cellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the POCD group showed significant impairments in spatial memory, accompanied by upregulated protein expression of cGAS, STING, NF-κB, IRF3, and IL-1β in the hippocampus. Upon pathway activation, cGAS and STING proteins were predominantly co-localized with neurons, and their fluorescence intensity in the hippocampus was markedly increased. These behavioral deficits and molecular alterations were partially reversed in both the POCD+EA and POCD+EA+inhibitor groups. Electroacupuncture alleviates POCD in aged rats by inhibiting hippocampal cGAS-STING pathway activation and reducing neuroinflammation, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological strategy for POCD management.

Objective To isolate pathogenic bacteria from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs, and perform bacterial identification, traceability analysis, and pathogenicity studies to provide a new approach for the diagnosis of pathogens in nude mice with squamous skin scurfs. MethodsSkin swab samples were collected from a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs for nucleic acid testing, bacterial isolation and culture, biochemical identification, 16S rDNA gene amplification and sequencing, and whole genome sequencing to construct a phylogenetic tree. Fifteen BALB/c nude mice were randomized into a saline-treated control group, a high-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁸ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension, and a low-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁷ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension. Pathogenicity was assessed by animal infection experiments and observation of histopathological changes in skin tissue using HE staining. Results The nucleic acid test for Corynebacterium bovis was negative, excluding infection by this organism. The pathogen isolated on mannitol salt agar and blood agar, combined with Gram staining, suggested a Gram-positive Staphylococcus species. The isolated strain was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and a fully automated microbial identification system as Staphylococcus xylosus. Phylogenetic tree analysis based on whole genome sequencing showed that the strain was most closely related to an isolate from leafy vegetables in South Korea (GenBank GCA_00207825.1). In the high-concentration group, squamous skin scurfs appeared on the head, neck, and back of nude mice on the 17th day post-infection, while in the low concentration group, similar symptoms appeared on the 20th day post-infection and gradually spread to other areas. The scaling symptoms were transient, lasting for 7 days in the high-concentration group and 3 days in the low-concentration group, after which the skin returned to normal. The infection rate was 33.33% in both the high- and low-concentration groups. No significant pathological changes were observed in the skin tissues of infected mice compared to the control group, indicating marked individual differences in the pathogenicity of the strain in nude mice. Conclusion A strain of Staphylococcus xylosus was isolated from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs. The strain is an opportunistic pathogen that causes transient squamous skin scurfs without significant histopathological changes, and there are individual differences in the sensitivity of nude mice to this strain. These findings can provide valuable data for pathogen identification in immunodeficient or gene knockout mice.

Objective To isolate pathogenic bacteria from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs, and perform bacterial identification, traceability analysis, and pathogenicity studies to provide a new approach for the diagnosis of pathogens in nude mice with squamous skin scurfs. MethodsSkin swab samples were collected from a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs for nucleic acid testing, bacterial isolation and culture, biochemical identification, 16S rDNA gene amplification and sequencing, and whole genome sequencing to construct a phylogenetic tree. Fifteen BALB/c nude mice were randomized into a saline-treated control group, a high-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁸ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension, and a low-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁷ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension. Pathogenicity was assessed by animal infection experiments and observation of histopathological changes in skin tissue using HE staining. Results The nucleic acid test for Corynebacterium bovis was negative, excluding infection by this organism. The pathogen isolated on mannitol salt agar and blood agar, combined with Gram staining, suggested a Gram-positive Staphylococcus species. The isolated strain was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and a fully automated microbial identification system as Staphylococcus xylosus. Phylogenetic tree analysis based on whole genome sequencing showed that the strain was most closely related to an isolate from leafy vegetables in South Korea (GenBank GCA_00207825.1). In the high-concentration group, squamous skin scurfs appeared on the head, neck, and back of nude mice on the 17th day post-infection, while in the low concentration group, similar symptoms appeared on the 20th day post-infection and gradually spread to other areas. The scaling symptoms were transient, lasting for 7 days in the high-concentration group and 3 days in the low-concentration group, after which the skin returned to normal. The infection rate was 33.33% in both the high- and low-concentration groups. No significant pathological changes were observed in the skin tissues of infected mice compared to the control group, indicating marked individual differences in the pathogenicity of the strain in nude mice. Conclusion A strain of Staphylococcus xylosus was isolated from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs. The strain is an opportunistic pathogen that causes transient squamous skin scurfs without significant histopathological changes, and there are individual differences in the sensitivity of nude mice to this strain. These findings can provide valuable data for pathogen identification in immunodeficient or gene knockout mice.

To report a case of an immunocompetent young adult male patient diagnosed with intracranial Aspergillus flavus infection， and to investigate the clinical features of this disease and related experience in diagnosis and treatment.A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of a patient who had the initial presentation of high fever and headache and then progressed to meningoencephalitis， and the results of cerebrospinal fluid （CSF） metagenomic next-generation sequencing （mNGS） and treatment outcomes were summarized.The patient had an acute onset， with no response to empirical anti-infective therapy in the incipient stage， and then he gradually developed disturbance of consciousness and meningeal irritation sign. CSF analysis showed inflammatory changes， while conventional pathogen tests yielded negative results， and mNGS detected 27 specific sequences of Aspergillus flavus. The symptoms of the patient was significantly improved after antifungal therapy with voriconazole， with no recurrence after follow-up for 3 months.For unexplained central nervous system infections， especially those with negative results from conventional tests， mNGS can improve the detection rate of rare pathogens（e.g.，Aspergillus flavus）. Early diagnosis and targeted antifungal therapy are crucial for improving prognosis. This case highlights that invasive fungal infections should be considered even in immunocompetent individuals.
Aspergillus flavus

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and disease burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis cases among elderly patients in Wuhan.Methods Clinical data of elderly pa-tients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Wuhan from January 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Sputum samples were collected for Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolation,and drug suscepti-bility testing was performed using the proportion method.The epidemiological characteristics of drug-resistant tuberculosis and the direct economic burden of the patients were analyzed.Results A total of 972 elderly patients with positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis tests were included.The overall tuberculosis drug resistance rate was 21.19％(206/972).Male,rural residence,lower education level(primary school or below)and retreatment history significantly increased the risk of developing drug-resistant tu-berculosis(P＜0.05).The direct economic burden for elderly patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis was 24,101.52(8,283.98,39,598.89)RMB,and the indirect economic burden was 1,858.64(528.66,3,085.26)RMB.Conclusion The incidence of drug resistance in elderly tuberculosis is high,and male,rural residence,low education level and tuberculosis retreatment are the risk factors for drug resistance in elderly tuberculosis,and their economic burden is heavy after drug resistance.

Objective To investigate the age-dependent modulatory effects of treadmill exercise on spatial learning and memory in mice and to elucidate the potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying these effects.Methods Male C57BL/6J mice at three distinct developmental stages were subjected to a controlled treadmill training protocol for a duration of four weeks.Cognitive performance was assessed in terms of spatial learning and memoryusing a series of behavioral tests.To examine exercise-induced neurogenesis,proliferating adult neural stem cells in the hippocampal region were labeled via intraperitoneal administration of BrdU.Meanwhile,physiological parameters,including body and muscle weight,were monitored throughout the experiment.Results The study revealed significant age-specific effects of treadmill training.In one-month-old mice,exercise intervention markedly enhanced spatial learning and memory,along with increased proliferation of hippocampal neural stem cells,but no significant alterations were observed in body or muscle weight.In six-month-old mice,treadmill training selectively improved spatial memory and led to increased muscle weight.Notably,three-month-old mice exhibited no significant exercise-induced changes in cognitive performance,hippocampal neurogenesis,or muscle weight.Conclusion These findings demonstrate that treadmill exercise exerts significant,age-dependent regulatory effects on spatial learning and memory,with the most pronounced and comprehensive improvements observed in one-month-old mice.The cognitive enhancements may be mediated,at least partially,through exercise-induced promotion of hippocampal neurogenesis.This study provides data for elucidation of the mechanistic basis of exercise-mediated cognitive enhancement and contributes to the potential applications of exercise interventions in cognitive optimization and neuroplasticity across different developmental stages.