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.

It is believed that diabetes complicated with coronary heart disease is closely related to the functional interplay of the heart， spleen， and kidneys. This paper proposed the concept of the heart-spleen-kidney as a unified system for understanding and treating the disease. At the early stage， spleen and kidney deficiency leads to the internal accumulation of phlegm， dampness， and turbid lipids， causing impaired blood circulation and vascular obstruction， so treatment should focus on tonify the kidneys and strengthening the spleen， activating blood circulation and resolving stasis， using the self-prescribed Tangxin Maiwen Formula （糖心脉温方）. As the disease progresses， further decline of spleen and kidney function results in inadequate nourishment of the heart， leading to blood stasis and the accumulation of phlegm， dampness， and turbid lipids， which may transform into pathogenic heat and toxins， causing heart damage， then treatment should emphasize on boosting qi and nourishing yin， clearing heat， activating blood and resolving toxins， using the self-prescribed Tangxin Maiqing Formula （糖心脉清方）. In advanced stages， three zang organs， the heart， spleen， and kidneys， become severely impaired， leading to mental activity fail to be nourished and abnormal cognitive functions， so treatment should focus on harmonizing the three zang organs simultaneously， using the self-prescribed Yunpi Tiaoxin Decoction （运脾调心汤）. This approach aims to provide a clinical framework for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes with coronary heart disease.

This article summarized clinical experience in differentiating and treating non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy （HCM） based on the concept of nourishing the heart and softening the hardness. It is considered that HCM belongs to the category of "heart accumulation"， with the fundamental cause being depletion of the spleen and kidney， and phlegm-stasis accumulation， as well as qi-yin exhaustion， serving as the manifestations. Spleen and kidney depletion leads to the transformation of phlegm and stasis， which accumulate in the heart； over time， this phlegm-stasis accumulation consumes heart qi and yin， resulting in the heart being deprived of nourishment， which eventually leads to the damage to both the function and structure of heart. Therefore， the method of nourishing the heart and softening the hardness is proposed for the treatment of non-obstructive HCM. Emphasis is placed on softening hardness and dissipating masses throughout the entire treatment process， often using Modified Siwei Ruanjian Formula （四味软坚方加减）. During periods with prominent symptoms， the main treatment is boosting qi and nourishing yin to soften hardness and dissipate masses with self-made Yuxin Ruanjian Formula （自拟育心软坚方） in modifications； in stable periods， the main treatment is boosting kidney and fortifying spleen to soften hardness and dissipate masses with self-made Pishen Tongzhi Formula （脾肾同治方） in modifications.

ObjectiveTo analyze the research hotspot and future trend of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) in Alzheimer's disease. MethodsRelevant literature on application of NIBS in Alzheimer's disease from January, 2014 to October, 2024 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. CiteSpace 6.4.R1 was used to perform a bibliometric analysis and to create knowledge maps, including annual publication volume, countries, institutions, authors, keywords and co-cited references. ResultsA total of 731 articles were included, showing an increasing trend in annual publication volume. The United States was the leading country in publication volume, Harvard University was the most productive institution, and Giacomo Koch was the most prolific author. Brain Stimulation was the most frequently cited journal. Highly focused keywords included cognitive impairment, memory, dementia, transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation. Bursting keywords in the past two years included transcranial alternating current stimulation, functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and oxidative stress. ConclusionResearch interest in NIBS within the field of Alzheimer's disease has been steadily increasing. The research hotspots include the effect and mechanism of NIBS on cognitive function and the impact of stimulating different brain regions on cognitive outcome. Future research may focus on integrating NIBS with techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging to achieve individualized and precise stimulation.

Objective:To explore the medication law of national TCM master Lu Fang in the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) based on data mining.Methods:With the prescription of the outpatient patients of Harbin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Professor Lu Fang from September 2014 to September 2022 as the data source, the frequency, property and taste, and meridian tropism of the prescribed drugs were analyzed using Excel 2022 software. R 4.2.1 was used for mining analysis on Chinese materia medica, including correlation, relevance, and clustering,and the medication law in the treatment of PTN was discussed.Results:A total of 300 prescriptions were analyzed, involving 177 kinds of Chinese materia medica, with a frequency of 3 120 times, and 34 kinds of of high-frequency Chinese materia medica. The high frequently Chinese materia medica included Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix, and Viticis Fructus. The main properties were warm, slightly cold, and neutral, while the main tastes were pungent, bitter, and sweet. The meridian tropism analysis ranked the liver, lung, spleen, and stomach meridians in descending order. Analysis yielded 21 strong association rules, and the association analysis formed a core prescription group based on Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, and Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix. The analysis obtained 5 types of clustering combinations.Conclusion:Professor Lu Fang's the medication law to treat primary trigeminal neuralgia is mainly dispelling wind and alleviating pain, which is often combined with the methods, such as searching and dredging collaterals, clearing and dispelling the stagnated heat, calming the liver and subduing yang, soothing the liver and invigorating the spleen.

BACKGROUND:Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is the key pathological link of type 2 diabetes.The traditional Chinese medicine compound Roujishuncuiyin can effectively improve skeletal muscle insulin resistance,but its mechanism has not been clarified.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of Roujishuncuiyin on skeletal muscle insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mice.METHODS:Forty db/db mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized into a model group,a low-dose Roujishuncuiyin group,a high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group,and a positive drug group,with 10 mice in each group.The latter three administration groups were given 157.5 mg/g and 630 mg/g Roujishuncuiyin and 200 mg/g metformin hydrochloride aqueous solution by gavage once a day,respectively.In addition,10 db/dm mice were selected as the blank control group.Mice in the model and blank control groups were given the same dose of 0.9％NaCl solution by gavage.After 12 weeks of intervention,fasting blood glucose was measured in each group of mice,and oral glucose tolerance test was performed to calculate the area under the blood glucose curve.ELISA was used to detect serum insulin level and calculate the resistance index.Mitochondrial structure of skeletal muscle tissue was observed under transmission electron microscopy.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B(AKT)and glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK-3β)proteins in skeletal muscle.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the blank control group,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin and insulin resistance index were significantly higher in the model group(P＜0.05),the area under the curve of the oral glucose tolerance test was significantly increased(P＜0.05),the expression of p-AKT and p-GSK3β proteins in tibialis anterior muscle was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and there was a large amount of mitochondrial damage in tibialis anterior muscle and a large number of lipid droplets in the interstitium.(2)Compared with the model group,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,and insulin resistance index were significantly reduced in the low-and high-dose Roujishuncuiyin groups and the positive control group(P＜0.05),the area under the curve of the oral glucose tolerance test was reduced(P＜0.05),the expression of p-AKT and p-GSK3β proteins in the tibialis anterior muscle was significantly elevated(P＜0.05),and mitochondrial damage in the tibialis anterior muscle was significantly ameliorated,with decreased lipid droplets in the interstitium.(3)The above indexes were better in the high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group than the low-dose Roujishuncuiyin group(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference between the high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group and positive control group(P＞0.05).To conclude,by upregulating the protein levels of p-AKT and p-GSK3β in skeletal muscle tissue,the traditional Chinese medicine compound Roujishuncuiyin can improve structural disorders and mitochondrial morphology in skeletal muscle tissue,reduce insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle and regulate glucose homeostasis in the body.

Objective·To investigate the differential gene expression of microglia in the gray and white matter of multiple sclerosis(MS)using single-nucleus transcriptomic analysis,aiming to explore their roles in disease progression,and identify key transcriptional regulatory networks associated with the disease.Methods·snRNA-seq data of frozen human brain tissue samples from MS patients and control individuals were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.R language,along with R packages such as Seurat,was employed to identify cell types based on specific cell markers.Microglia were extracted from the identified cell populations and classified based on their anatomical origin,either gray matter or white matter.Dimensionality reduction and clustering techniques were utilized to identify distinct microglial subpopulations with differential characteristics.Differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between the MS and control groups at the subpopulation level were analyzed by using the Seurat package.Gene set enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)was conducted on the DEGs to further explore the biological significance of these differences.Monocle3 was used for pseudotime analysis to study dynamic changes in microglia subpopulations during disease progression.Single cell regulatory network inference and clustering(SCENIC)method was applied to analyze transcription factor(TF)regulatory networks,aiming to identify key transcription factors potentially involved in MS regulation.Results·After quality control,a total of 149 062 nuclei were retained for analysis.Following dimensional reduction and clustering,12 238 microglia were identified by using key markers,including DOCK8,CSF1R,P2RY12,and CD74.The results of GO and KEGG pathway analysis showed that in gray matter microglia,functions such as endocytosis,ion homeostasis,and lipid localization were downregulated during disease progression,while in white matter microglia,functions such as protein folding,cytoplasmic translation,and response to thermal stimuli were upregulated.SCENIC analysis revealed that the expression of transcription factors such as FLI1,MITF,and FOXP1 was upregulated in MS.Conclusion·Microglia play a critical role in MS,with white matter microglia being more significantly impacted by MS than their gray matter counterparts.Transcription factors such as FLI1,MITF,and FOXP1 are identified as key regulators involved in disease modulation,with their associated transcriptional regulatory networks playing a central role in disease modulation.