This paper summarizes Professor WANG Yaoxian's experience in treating diabetic kidney disease （DKD） from the perspective of spleen and stomach based on the "internal heat leading to concretions" theory. It is considered that internal heat leading to concretions constitutes the core pathogenesis of DKD， with the spleen and stomach serving as the source of internal heat； therefore， treatment should be based on regulating the spleen and stomach. In the early stage of DKD， dysfunction of the spleen and stomach leads to the initial generation of internal heat. Common syndrome patterns include gastrointestinal heat accumulation and constrained heat in the liver and stomach， for which modified Gegen Qinlian Decoction （葛根芩连汤） can be used to clear heat bind while modified Dachaihu Decoction （大柴胡汤） is used to clear stomach and soothe liver， respectively. In the middle stage of DKD， weakness of the spleen and stomach results in the initial formation of concretions and conglomerations. Common patterns include spleen deficiency with prevalence of dampness and deficiency of both the spleen and kidney. Treatment emphasizes strengthening the spleen and resolving dampness， raising yang and boosting the stomach with modified Shengyang Yiwei Decoction （升阳益胃汤）， or supplementing spleen and boosting kidney， dissipating bind and dispe-ring concretions with modified Shenqi Dihuang Decoction （参芪地黄汤）， respectively. In the late stage of DKD， it is characterized by spleen and stomach depletion， and rampant accumulation of turbidity and toxin， and the common syndrome patterns are damp-turbidity obstruction in the middle jiao （焦） and spleen-kidney yang deficiency. Treatment aims to remove turbidity and harmonize the stomach， or to warm the kidney and strengthen the spleen while elimina-ting turbidity， using modified Dahuang Gancao Decoction（大黄甘草汤） and Jupi Zhuru Decoction （橘皮竹茹汤） or modified Baoyuan Decoction （保元汤） and Lizhong Decoction （理中汤）， respectively. In clinical practice， appropriate formulas and medications are flexibly selected according to specific syndromes.

OBJECTIVE To construct a pharmaceutical care framework suitable for elderly individuals in nursing homes， so as to provide standardized content guidance for relevant practice. METHODS The initial items of pharmaceutical care content in n ursing homes were drafted through literature research and semi-structured interviews. Delphi method was used to conduct correspondence consultation among 38 experts from related fields in Xinjiang. The expert positive coefficient， authority coefficient， and Kendall’s W were calculated， and the analytic hierarchy process was employed to determine the weight of each item. After thorough discussion among the research team members， the pharmaceutical care framework suitable for elderly individuals provided by hospital pharmacists collaborating with nursing homes was finalized. RESULTS The questionnaire recovery rates for both rounds of expert correspondence consultation were 100%， with an authority coefficient ＞0.8 and Kendall’s W ranging between 0.153 and 0.185 （ P ＜0.001）. A total of 7 primary items and 31 secondary items were ultimately determined， with the consistency ratio of the item weights all being less than 0.1. Based on the integration of importance and feasibility， among the primary items， “assessment of pharmaceutical care needs” was assigned the highest weight. Among the secondary items， highly practical items such as “survey of pharmaceutical care needs”“guidance on usage and dosage”“methods for correctly reading drug package inserts”， and “self-management of common chronic diseases in the elderly” were assigned relatively high comprehensive weights. CONCLUSIONS The pharmaceutical care framework suitable for elderly individuals provided by hospital pharmacists collaborating with nursing homes， which was constructed based on the Delphi method， demonstrates good scientific validity and reliability， and can serve as a reference for pharmacists to provide pharmaceutical care in nursing homes.

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, and the overall survival rate of lung cancer patients is very low. With the increasing research on lung cancer, the critical role of intestinal flora in lung cancer treatment has been gradually discovered. Among the various therapeutic approaches targeting the intestinal flora, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is considered as a potential strategy to treat lung cancer by interfering with the homeostasis of the intestinal flora. FMT can improve the efficacy of lung cancer treatment and attenuate the side effects associated with immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy by remodeling the microbial composition, modulating the metabolites, and activating immune responses. The aim of this paper is to discuss the current status and potential mechanisms of FMT in lung cancer treatment, and to provide a new strategy for regulating the intestinal flora to enhance the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

Iron overload is strongly associated with heart disease. Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death indicated in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the specific molecular mechanism of myocardial injury caused by iron overload in the heart is still unclear, and the involvement of ferroptosis in iron overload-induced myocardial injury is not fully understood. In this study, we observed that ferroptosis participated in developing of iron overload and I/R-induced cardiomyopathy. Mechanistically, we discovered that Parkin inhibited iron overload-induced ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes by promoting the ubiquitination of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4 (ACSL4), a crucial protein involved in ferroptosis-related lipid metabolism pathways. Additionally, we identified p53 as a transcription factor that transcriptionally suppressed Parkin expression in iron-overloaded cardiomyocytes, thereby regulating iron overload-induced ferroptosis. In animal studies, cardiac-specific Parkin knockout mice (Myh6-CreER ^T2 /Parkin ^fl/fl ) fed a high-iron diet presented more severe myocardial damage, and the high iron levels exacerbated myocardial I/R injury. However, the ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 significantly suppressed iron overload-induced ferroptosis and myocardial I/R injury. Moreover, Parkin effectively protected against impaired mitochondrial function and prevented iron overload-induced mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. These findings unveil a novel regulatory pathway involving p53-Parkin-ACSL4 in heart disease by inhibiting of ferroptosis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.07.024.].

Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a critical transcription factor that governs the differentiation of cluster of differentiation 4⁺ (CD4⁺) T cells. The pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis are primarily attributed to an immune imbalance stemming from the overproduction of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) by T lymphocytes. However, the role of IRF4 in psoriasis remains unexplored. In this study, we found that IRF4 activity is increased in the cutaneous lesions of patients with psoriasis in response to stimulation by IL-23A and IL-1β. This IRF4 elevation heightens its binding to the E1A binding protein p300 (EP300) promoter, triggering the transcription of downstream retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-γt (RORγt) and increasing the secretion of IL-17A, thereby establishing the IL-1β/IL-23A-IRF4-EP300-RORC-IL-17A inflammatory cascade in psoriasis. The alleviation of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic-like symptoms was achieved through the creation of a Irf4 ^-/- gene deletion mouse model and pharmacological inhibition using antisense oligonucleotides targeted for Irf4. This amelioration was accompanied by a decreased number of IL-17A-producing CD4⁺ T cells in the skin. The findings of this study suggest that IRF4 plays a crucial role in the promotion of inflammation and exacerbation of IMQ-induced psoriasiform dermatitis. Consequently, IRF4 targeting could be a promising therapeutic strategy.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic effects of Yinqiao Powder (YQS) formulated granules and decoction. METHODS: We first evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of the two dosage forms of YQS in a LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cell model using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. We further constructed zebrafish models of inflammation by copper sulfate exposure, caudal fin transection, or LPS and Poly (I:C) microinjection, and evaluated anti-inflammatory effects of YQS granules and decoction by examining neutrophil aggregation and HE staining findings. In a mouse model of acute lung injury (ALI) induced by intratracheal LPS instillation, the effects of YQS gavage at 10, 15, and 20 g/kg on lung pathologies were evaluated by calculating lung wet-dry weight ratio and using HE staining, ELISA and Western blotting. The microbroth dilution method was used to evaluate the antibacterial effect of YQS. Mouse pain models established by hot plate and intraperitoneal injection of glacial acetic acid were used to evaluate the analgesic effects of YQS at 10, 15, and 20 g/kg. RESULTS: Both YQS granules and decoction significantly reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β expressions and p-STAT3 (Tyr 705) phosphorylation level in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells, and obviously inhibited neutrophil aggregation in the zebrafish models. In ALI mice, YQS granules and decoction effectively ameliorated lung injury, lowered lung wet-dry weight ratio, and reduced p-STAT3 (Tyr 705) expression and TNF-α and IL-6 levels. YQS produced obvious antibacterial effect at the doses of 15.63 and 31.25 mg/mL, and significantly reduced body torsion and increased pain threshold in the mouse pain models. CONCLUSIONS The two dosage forms of TQS have similar anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic effects with only differences in their inhibitory effect on TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expressions in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.
Animals ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; Analgesics/pharmacology* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Zebrafish ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Powders ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Acute Lung Injury/drug therapy* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides

Objective To evaluate the predictive value of triglyceride-glucose body mass index(TyG-BMI),atherogenic index of plasma(AIP),and postprandial glucose excursion(PPGE)for sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods An observational cohort trial was conducted on 590 hospitalized T2DM patients(322 males and 268 females)admitted to Department of Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2023 and December 2024.General demographic data and key metabolic indicators,including fasting plasma glucose(FPG),postprandial 2-hour plasma glucose(PPG),triglyceride(TG)were collected,and then TyG-BMI,AIP,and PPGE were calculated.Based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia(AWGS)2019 criteria,they were divided into a sarcopenia group(n=140)and a non-sarcopenia group(n=450).After 1∶1 propensity score matching(PSM),102 patients with sarcopenia were matched with 102 without.Differences in metabolic indicators FPG,PPG,TyG-BMI,AIP and PPGE were compared between the 2 groups.Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to assess correlations of these indicators with sarcopenia.Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to assess predictive performance.An external validation cohort consisting of 192 T2DM patients from Department of Endocrinology of Jiangbei Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University between January 2023 and December 2024 was included to validate the prediction model.Results After PSM,the baseline data of the 2 groups was balanced(P>0.05).The sarcopenia group showed higher levels of PPG,AIP,and PPGE,but lower TyG-BMI value than the non-sarcopenia group(all P=0.001).Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the TyG-BMI was negatively correlated(r=-0.404,P=0.001),whereas AIP and PPGE were positively correlated with concomitant sarcopenia(r=0.280,P=0.001;r=0.372,P=0.001)in the T2DM patients.Conditional logistic regression analysis identified AIP(OR=14.367)and PPGE(OR=1.245)as independent risk factors,while TyG-BMI(OR=0.966)as independent protective factors.ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve(AUC)of the combined model of TyG-BMI,AIP and PPGE in predicting sarcopenia was 0.918,and the AUC value was 0.954 in external validation,with good sensitivity and specificity.Conclusion TyG-BMI,AIP,and PPGE are important metabolic predictors in T2DM patients with sarcopenia.Their combination has good screening value for sarcopenia,and can be applied in external prediction for T2DM patients.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum levels of angiotensin-converting en-zyme 2(ACE2),β2-microglobulin(β2-MG),angiopoietin like protein 3(ANGPTL3)and glucose and lipid me-tabolism in patients with primary aldosteronism(PA),and their diagnostic value for PA.Methods From May 2022 to May 2024,a total of 115 PA patients admitted to the hospital were regarded as the study group,and another 115 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations were included as the control group.En-zyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to detect the levels of ACE2,β2-MG,and ANGPTL3.Pearson correlation was applied to analyze the correlation between serum ACE2,β2-MG,ANGPTL3 levels and glucose and lipid metabolism indicators in PA patients.Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of PA occurrence.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of ACE2,β2-MG,and ANGPTL3 for PA.Results Compared with the control group,the levels of serum β2-MG,ANGPTL3,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),fasting in-sulin(FINS),triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)in the study group were obviously increased(P＜0.05),while the levels of ACE2 and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were greatly decreased(P＜0.05).According to Pearson correlation,ACE2,β2-MG,ANGPTL3 were associated with FPG,HbA1c,FINS,TG,TC,LDL-C,and HDL-C(P＜0.05).According to multivariate Logistic analysis,β2-MG,ANGPTL3,FPG,HbA1c,FINS,TG,TC,and LDL-C were risk factors affecting the occurrence of PA(P＜0.05),while ACE2 and HDL-C were protective factors affecting the oc-currence of PA(P＜0.05).According to the ROC curve,the area under the curve(AUC)of serum ACE2,β2-MG,and ANGPTL3 levels for diagnosing PA was 0.742,0.772,and 0.806,respectively.The AUC of the com-bined diagnosis of the three for PA was 0.920,which was larger than the single detection(Z combination vs.ACE2=4.795,Zcombination vs.β2-MG=4.292,Zcombination vs.ANGPTL3=3.391,P＜0.05).Conclusion The levels of serum β2-MG and ANGPTL3 are elevated in PA patients,the level of ACE2 is greatly reduced.ACE2,β2-MG and ANGPTL3 are associated with glucose and lipid metabolism,and their combined diagnostic value for PA is relatively high.

Objective:To explore the medication law of TCM external therapy for the treatment of diabetic foot using data mining methods.Methods:Literature on TCM external treatment for diabetic foot was retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang Data, and Chongqing VIP from the establishment of the databases to June 30, 2024. Excel 2019 software was used to conduct frequency statistics on drug frequency, properties, tastes and meridian tropism, drug efficacy, and commonly used drug pairs. Ancient and Modern Medical Cases Cloud Platform V3.5 was used for association rules, and SPSS Statistics 27.0 was used for complex network analyses.Results:A total of 425 articles were included, involving 328 prescriptions and 232 drugs. The drugs with higher frequency were Carthami Flos, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Olibanum, etc. The main tastes were pungent, bitter, and sweet; the main properties were cold and warm; the main meridians were heart, spleen, and liver meridians. The main efficacy was promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, clearing heat, and tonifying deficiency; association rule analysis obtained 20 commonly used drug pairs; clustering analysis resulted in four core drug combinations; complex network analysis led to one core prescription.Conclusions:TCM external therapy for diabetic foot follows the guiding principles of "promoting blood circulation and unblocking collaterals, tonifying deficiency and clearing heat" with coordinated regulation of the "heart-liver-spleen meridians". The core prescription and stage-specific formulation strategies reflect a trinity diagnostic and therapeutic approach of "disease differentiation-syndrome differentiation-stage differentiation", providing valuable reference and insights for clinical prescription practices.