Despite of the widespread use of hydrogen and methane breath test, the variability in testing protocols, gas measurement techniques, and interpretation criteria continues to challenge the reproducibility and comparability across centers, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association hence presents the first Asian monograph guiding application and interpretation of breath test. The monograph was formulated according to the framework of indications, preparatory process, performance, and interpretation of results, as well as future direction for research.

Background/Aims: Chronic constipation is prevalent yet under-diagnosed across Asia, compromising quality of life and burdening healthcare systems. Cultural stigma, varied diets, and limited access to standardized diagnostic tools delay timely care. Methods: The Bali Chronic Constipation Roundtable in November 2024, brought together experts from 11 Asian countries. The group reviewed epidemiological data, analyzed multinational questionnaire on clinical practice pattern, and conducted structured discussions to identify key barriers and propose region-specific recommendations. Results: Chronic constipation prevalence varies across Asia, ranging from 1.8% in India to 16.6% in Japan, with women and the elderly disproportionately affected. Under-reporting persists owing to cultural taboos and widespread self treatment with laxatives and traditional medications. Although the Rome IV criteria remains the global standard, they may not fully reflect Asian symptom profiles, and diagnosis is limited by scarce motility laboratories. First line therapies such as dietary-fiber optimization and osmotic laxatives are widely available, but newer pharmacotherapies (prucalopride, linaclotide, lubiprostone, and elobixibat) remain costly and unevenly accessible. Biofeedback for dyssynergic defecation is underutilized due to limited availability. Experts recommend expanded regional research on to refine diagnostic criteria, coupled with enhanced physician education and public awareness. They advocate accessibility to second-line and novel therapies that incorporate culturally attuned regional guidelines, and improved access to gastrointestinal motility testing. Conclusions The Bali Chronic Constipation Roundtable highlighted Asia’s need for region specific diagnostics and management. Addressing diagnostic and treatment gaps will improve outcomes, while ongoing researcher clinician policy collaboration must standardize guidelines, advance research, and ensure equitable care across Asia.

Chagas disease(American trypanosomiasis)is a zoonosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi,which severely affects public health.Recently,with changes in economic globalization and increased population mobility,this disease has gradually spread from the original Latin American epidemic areas to non-epidemic areas,such as Europe,thus showing a trend of globalization.The main trans-mission routes have changed from transmission via the Triatomine vector to blood transfusion transmission,mother-to-child transmis-sion,oral transmission,and other routes.Consequently,Chagas disease is spreading globally,and more people are increasingly vul-nerable to infection.This article retrospectively reviews research on the transmission routes of Chagas disease,analyzes the changing trends in transmission routes,and provides a scientific basis for the formulation and optimization of Chagas disease prevention and con-trol strategies from a One Health perspective.

Chagas disease(American trypanosomiasis)is a zoonosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi,which severely affects public health.Recently,with changes in economic globalization and increased population mobility,this disease has gradually spread from the original Latin American epidemic areas to non-epidemic areas,such as Europe,thus showing a trend of globalization.The main trans-mission routes have changed from transmission via the Triatomine vector to blood transfusion transmission,mother-to-child transmis-sion,oral transmission,and other routes.Consequently,Chagas disease is spreading globally,and more people are increasingly vul-nerable to infection.This article retrospectively reviews research on the transmission routes of Chagas disease,analyzes the changing trends in transmission routes,and provides a scientific basis for the formulation and optimization of Chagas disease prevention and con-trol strategies from a One Health perspective.

Designation of ideological and political teaching of Medical Immunology courses focuses on"cultivate talent for Party and the State",and adheres to goal of"build morality and cultivate people".From perspective of big ideology and politics,with basic foundation of"major guiding,disciplines supporting and curriculum shaping",principle of"six combinations"is applied to con-struct ideological and political cases of Medical Immunology courses,to create an infiltrating teaching pattern,which simultaneously cultivate talent for the Party and the State,and forms a synergistic effect of professional course learning and ideological and political learning.

Designation of ideological and political teaching of Medical Immunology courses focuses on"cultivate talent for Party and the State",and adheres to goal of"build morality and cultivate people".From perspective of big ideology and politics,with basic foundation of"major guiding,disciplines supporting and curriculum shaping",principle of"six combinations"is applied to con-struct ideological and political cases of Medical Immunology courses,to create an infiltrating teaching pattern,which simultaneously cultivate talent for the Party and the State,and forms a synergistic effect of professional course learning and ideological and political learning.

Objective We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shengxuebao Mixture in the treatment of cancer-related anemia(CRA)presenting with syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney combined with syndrome of deficiency of both qi and blood.Methods A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,multicenter clinical trial was conducted.Eligible patients with malignant tumors meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled from 26 hospitals,including Dongzhimen Hospital,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Xiaogan Central Hospital,and Yangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,from June 1,2022,to September 30,2024.Patients were allocated 1:1 to either the experimental group receiving Shengxuebao Mixture or the control group receiving its simulator(placebo)using a block randomization method under double-blind conditions.Both groups received 15 mL orally three times daily for 28 consecutive days.The primary efficacy indicators included the hemoglobin(Hb)improvement rate(RHb)and the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome improvement rate(RTCM)at week 4 of treatment.The secondary efficacy indicators encompassed Hb and red blood cell(RBC)count,Karnofsky Performance Status(KPS)score,TCM syndrome score,individual TCM symptom scores,and changes in each of these indicators compared to the baseline period at weeks 2,4,and 6 of treatment.Safety evaluations were conducted at week 4 of treatment.Results A total of 239 patients were enrolled,with 225 cases included in the Full Analysis Set(FAS)(109 in the experimental group vs.116 control group),163 in the Per Protocol Set(PPS)(77 vs.86),and 225 in the Safety Set(SS)(109 vs.116).Baseline characteristics between groups showed no significant differences.Significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in RHb at week 4(FAS:49.51%vs.35.24%,P<0.05;PPS:53.25%vs.36.05%,P<0.05)and RTCM at week 4(FAS:61.54%vs.39.62%,P<0.01;PPS:64.94%vs.40.70%,P<0.01).At weeks 2,4,and 6,the experimental group showed greater improvements in Hb and RBC counts than the control group.Additionally,the TCM syndrome scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group at these time points.Except for week 2 in PPS,the KPS improvement was better in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.05).The experimental group also demonstrated a greater reduction in scores for individual TCM symptoms such as spiritlessness and weakness,poor appetite and reduced food intake at weeks 4 and 6 compared to the control group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Furthermore,the reduction in vertigo score was more pronounced in the experimental group at week 6(P<0.01).For the score of pale and lusterless complexion,only in the PPS was the reduction from baseline more significant in the experimental group than in the control group at weeks 4 and 6(P<0.05).No significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in the incidence of all adverse events or drug-related adverse reactions.Conclusion Shengxuebao Mixture demonstrates significant efficacy in patients with CRA presenting syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney combined with syndrome of deficiency of both qi and blood,effectively increasing Hb levels,ameliorating TCM syndromes,alleviating clinical symptoms,and enhancing functional status,with no significant difference in adverse drug reactions compared to the placebo.

Objective::This study aimed to assess the impact of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor treatment immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the myocardial salvage index (MSI) in patients with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) 5-10 d after the procedure.Methods::The early PCSK9 inhibitor thERapy Following pErcutaneous Coronary inTervention (PERFECT) trial is a prospective randomized controlled trial. From January 2021 to December 2023, 32 patients with anterior STEMI from Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Songjiang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital were enrolled in the PERFECT trial. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1∶1 ratio to the PCSK9 inhibitor group ( n = 16) or the control group ( n = 16), and their baseline data were collected. Patients in the PCSK9 inhibitor group (ie, alirocumab group) received a subcutaneous injection of PCSK9 inhibitor (alirocumab, 75 mg) immediately after PCI based on conventional treatment. In the control group, patients received only conventional treatment. The primary endpoint was the MSI measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance 5-10 d after PCI. The secondary endpoints included the left ventricular ejection fraction measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance 5-10 d after PCI and the time to peak of creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T. Safety endpoints included any clinical adverse events that occurred during the 6-month follow-up period. Results::Baseline data during admission showed no intergroup significance. No significant difference in MSI (55.54% ± 14.80% vs. 44.72% ± 15.42%, P = 0.056) and left ventricular ejection fraction (51.24% ± 8.91% vs. 44.99% ± 8.84%, P = 0.060) was observed. Additional, there was no significant difference in the time to peak of creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB ((12.97 ± 5.67) h vs. (14.31 ± 7.04) h, P = 0.557) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T ((21.03 ± 12.46) h vs. (21.44 ± 9.99) h, P = 0.920) between the 2 groups. During the 6-month follow-up period, only 1 patient in the PCSK9 inhibitor group developed cerebral hemorrhage 6 months after PCI. Conclusions::Early treatment with alirocumab did not exhibit a significant increase in MSI at 5-10 d in patients with anterior STEMI. Larger trials are necessary to evaluate the impact of early administration of PCSK9 inhibitors after myocardial infarction.

Objective We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shengxuebao Mixture in the treatment of cancer-related anemia(CRA)presenting with syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney combined with syndrome of deficiency of both qi and blood.Methods A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,multicenter clinical trial was conducted.Eligible patients with malignant tumors meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled from 26 hospitals,including Dongzhimen Hospital,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Xiaogan Central Hospital,and Yangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,from June 1,2022,to September 30,2024.Patients were allocated 1:1 to either the experimental group receiving Shengxuebao Mixture or the control group receiving its simulator(placebo)using a block randomization method under double-blind conditions.Both groups received 15 mL orally three times daily for 28 consecutive days.The primary efficacy indicators included the hemoglobin(Hb)improvement rate(RHb)and the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome improvement rate(RTCM)at week 4 of treatment.The secondary efficacy indicators encompassed Hb and red blood cell(RBC)count,Karnofsky Performance Status(KPS)score,TCM syndrome score,individual TCM symptom scores,and changes in each of these indicators compared to the baseline period at weeks 2,4,and 6 of treatment.Safety evaluations were conducted at week 4 of treatment.Results A total of 239 patients were enrolled,with 225 cases included in the Full Analysis Set(FAS)(109 in the experimental group vs.116 control group),163 in the Per Protocol Set(PPS)(77 vs.86),and 225 in the Safety Set(SS)(109 vs.116).Baseline characteristics between groups showed no significant differences.Significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in RHb at week 4(FAS:49.51%vs.35.24%,P<0.05;PPS:53.25%vs.36.05%,P<0.05)and RTCM at week 4(FAS:61.54%vs.39.62%,P<0.01;PPS:64.94%vs.40.70%,P<0.01).At weeks 2,4,and 6,the experimental group showed greater improvements in Hb and RBC counts than the control group.Additionally,the TCM syndrome scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group at these time points.Except for week 2 in PPS,the KPS improvement was better in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.05).The experimental group also demonstrated a greater reduction in scores for individual TCM symptoms such as spiritlessness and weakness,poor appetite and reduced food intake at weeks 4 and 6 compared to the control group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Furthermore,the reduction in vertigo score was more pronounced in the experimental group at week 6(P<0.01).For the score of pale and lusterless complexion,only in the PPS was the reduction from baseline more significant in the experimental group than in the control group at weeks 4 and 6(P<0.05).No significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in the incidence of all adverse events or drug-related adverse reactions.Conclusion Shengxuebao Mixture demonstrates significant efficacy in patients with CRA presenting syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney combined with syndrome of deficiency of both qi and blood,effectively increasing Hb levels,ameliorating TCM syndromes,alleviating clinical symptoms,and enhancing functional status,with no significant difference in adverse drug reactions compared to the placebo.

Gene regulation relies on the precise binding of transcription factors (TFs) at regulatory elements, but simultaneously detecting hundreds of TFs on chromatin is challenging. We developed cFOOT-seq, a cytosine deaminase-based TF footprinting assay, for high-resolution, quantitative genome-wide assessment of TF binding in both open and closed chromatin regions, even with small cell numbers. By utilizing the dsDNA deaminase SsdAtox, cFOOT-seq converts accessible cytosines to uracil while preserving genomic integrity, making it compatible with techniques like ATAC-seq for sensitive and cost-effective detection of TF occupancy at the single-molecule and single-cell level. Our approach enables the delineation of TF footprints, quantification of occupancy, and examination of chromatin influences on TF binding. Notably, cFOOT-seq, combined with FootTrack analysis, enables de novo prediction of TF binding sites and tracking of TF occupancy dynamics. We demonstrate its application in capturing cell type-specific TFs, analyzing TF dynamics during reprogramming, and revealing TF dependencies on chromatin remodelers. Overall, cFOOT-seq represents a robust approach for investigating the genome-wide dynamics of TF occupancy and elucidating the cis-regulatory architecture underlying gene regulation.
Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Humans ; Chromatin/genetics* ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Mice ; DNA Footprinting/methods*