According to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） theory， impaired spleen transportation function disrupts nutrient distribution， causing metabolic accumulation of lipids that transform into pathogenic phlegm-dampness. These pathological factors disseminate through the San Jiao and obstruct meridian pathways， ultimately forming the pathogenesis described as "all disorders involve phlegm". Phlegm and dampness share common pathogenic origins but manifest distinct clinical manifestations. Dampness， as the precursor， may congeal into phlegm， while existing phlegm accumulation can further exacerbate dampness stagnation， thereby establishing a self-perpetuating pathological cycle. Modern medical research has confirmed that the essence of "phlegm-dampness" syndrome is closely associated with energy metabolism disorders， serving as a common pathological basis for metabolic syndrome， type 2 diabetes mellitus， atherosclerosis， and other major chronic diseases. As a crucial vehicle for medical experimental research， disease-syndrome combination animal models serve as an indispensable means to advance the modernization of TCM. Currently， based on classical theories such as "rich and greasy foods produce phlegm" and "physical coldness combined with cold consumption causes external pathogens to invade the skin and hair， thereby generating internal dampness"， researchers primarily employ two paradigms to construct animal models of phlegm-turbidity， dampness obstruction， and phlegm-dampness syndromes： the first involves simulating TCM etiological factors （through methods like dietary irregularities， imblanace between work and rest， and combined internal-external dampness exposure）， while the second combines disease with syndrome differentiation （inducing pathological changes through physical， chemical， or biological interventions）. Through comprehensive evaluation incorporating macroscopic observation and microscopic index detection， model animals undergo systematic biological and pathological assessment， with further syndrome type verification achieved via the "prescription-based syndrome detection" approach. However， existing models still exhibit significant deficiencies in both the standardization of modeling methodologies and the systematization of evaluation criteria. This paper reviews the strategies for constructing "phlegm-dampness" syndrome animal models and their corresponding evaluation indices， focusing on the pathological correlations among different modeling approaches. The aim is to provide methodological guidance for research on TCM syndromes related to "phlegm-dampness" syndrome and to support the development of TCM therapies for resolving phlegm and eliminating dampness. This study not only contributes to advancing the standardization of TCM syndrome research but also provides crucial technical support for the modernization of TCM.

Objective To investigate the relationship between frailty and readmission during vulnerable periods in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Methods Using convenience sampling method,290 elderly patients with chronic heart failure admitted to Department of Cardiovascular,the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from December 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects.They were followed up for three months and surveyed using general information questionnaire,frailty scale,and Barthel index.Results Spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between readmission during the vulnerable period and frailty(r=0.266,P＜0.05).The readmission rate during the vulnerable period was 28.6％,and the results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that frailty(OR=2.561,95％CI:1.409-4.654),age(OR=1.113,95％CI:1.067-1.161),and renal dysfunction(OR=2.903,95％CI:1.559-5.406)were independent risk factors for unplanned readmission during the vulnerable period in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Conclusion There is a positive correlation between frailty and readmission during the vulnerable period in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Frailty,age,and renal dysfunction are independent risk factors for decompensated admission events in vulnerable elderly patients with chronic heart failure.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.01.013.].

Objective To investigate the relationship between frailty and readmission during vulnerable periods in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Methods Using convenience sampling method,290 elderly patients with chronic heart failure admitted to Department of Cardiovascular,the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from December 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects.They were followed up for three months and surveyed using general information questionnaire,frailty scale,and Barthel index.Results Spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between readmission during the vulnerable period and frailty(r=0.266,P＜0.05).The readmission rate during the vulnerable period was 28.6％,and the results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that frailty(OR=2.561,95％CI:1.409-4.654),age(OR=1.113,95％CI:1.067-1.161),and renal dysfunction(OR=2.903,95％CI:1.559-5.406)were independent risk factors for unplanned readmission during the vulnerable period in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Conclusion There is a positive correlation between frailty and readmission during the vulnerable period in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Frailty,age,and renal dysfunction are independent risk factors for decompensated admission events in vulnerable elderly patients with chronic heart failure.

Objective To discuss the application of ankle pump exercise with colorful ring counting command in improving the blood hypercoagulable state in patients after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC).Methods A total of 105 patients,who received HAIC at the Interventional Department of a certain Grade A general hospital in Fujian Province of China from January to December of 2023,were collected.The 53 patients who received treatment from January to June of 2023 were used as the control group,and the other 52 patients who received treatment from July to December of 2023 were used as the study group.The postoperative routine nursing and ankle pump exercise was employed for the patients of the control group,while ankle pump exercise with colorful ring counting command on the basis of postoperative routine nursing was carried out for the patients of the study group.The resting status of popliteal vein,the maximum and average systolic blood flow velocity at the end of exercise,the changes in coagulation index,the incidence of deep vein thrombosis,and the compliance of ankle pump were compared between the two groups.Results There were no statistically significant differences in the resting popliteal vein blood flow velocity and incidence of deep vein thrombosis between the two groups(P＞0.05).The maximum and average popliteal vein blood flow velocity at the end of exercise in the study group were higher than those in the control group.The levels of PT,APTT,FBG,TT and D-dimer(D-D)at 72 hours after HAIC were lower than those in the control group(all P＜0.05),and the compliance of ankle pump exercise in the study group was better than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Ankle pump exercise with colorful ring counting command can accelerate lower limb blood flow velocity,improve the blood hypercoagulable state,and improve compliance with ankle pump exercise in patients after receiving HAIC.

Background::Gastric cancer (GC), a malignant tumor with poor prognosis, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide; consequently, identifying novel therapeutic targets is crucial for its corresponding treatment. NUF2, a component of the NDC80 kinetochore complex, promotes cancer progression in multiple malignancies. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential of NUF2 as a therapeutic target to inhibit GC progression. Methods::Clinical samples were obtained from patients who underwent radical resection of GC at Lanzhou University Second Hospital from 2016 to 2021. Cell count assays, colony formation assays, and cell-derived xenotransplantation (CDX) models were used to determine the effects of NUF2 on GC progression. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of NUF2 or quercetin on cell cycle progression and apoptosis. A live-cell time-lapse imaging assay was performed to determine the effect of NUF2 on the regulation of mitotic progression. Transcriptomics was used to investigate the NUF2-associated molecular mechanisms. Virtual docking and microscale thermophoresis were used to identify NUF2 inhibitors. Finally, CDX, organoid, and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were used to examine the efficacy of the NUF2 inhibitor in GC. Results::NUF2 expression was significantly increased in GC and was negatively correlated with prognosis. The deletion of NUF2 suppressed GC progression both in vivo and in vitro. NUF2 significantly regulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, promoted G2/M phase transition, and inhibited apoptosis in GC cells. Additionally, quercetin was identified as a selective NUF2 inhibitor with low toxicity that significantly suppressed tumor growth in GC cells, organoids, CDX, and PDX models. Conclusions::Collectively, NUF2-mediated G2/M phase transition and apoptosis inhibition promoted GC progression; additionally, NUF2 inhibitors exhibited potent anti-GC activity. This study provides a new strategy for targeting NUF2 to suppress GC progression in clinical settings.

Objective To investigate the impact of exosomal(Exos)-miR-21-5p(miR-21)targeting S-phase kinase associated protein 2(SKP2)derived from Type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells(AEC-Ⅱ)on the patho-genesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD).Methods A total of 60 SD rats aged 6～8 weeks were utilized in this study,with 30 of them subjected to extraction and culture through differential adherent centrifugation.Density gradient centrifugation was employed for the isolation of AEC-Ⅱ derived exosomes,while vesicles from AEC-Ⅱ me-dium were extracted using density gradient centrifugation.These isolates were subsequently confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and particle size analysis,and the targeting relationship between miR-21 and SKP2 was validated through dual-fluorescein reporter gene assay.The remaining 30 mice were combined in a male-to-female ratio of 3:1 to facilitate pregnancy testing.These neonatal mice were randomly assigned into four experimental groups:air control group(Con group),hyperoxia group(BPD+PBS group),hyperoxia-treated mice receiving exosomes(BPD+Exos-miR-21 group),and hyperoxia combined with exosome miR-21 inhibitor treatment group(BPD+Exos-AV-miR-21 group).Neonatal SD rats will be exposed to 85％oxygen to establish a BPD model.Follow-ing 14 days of high oxygen treatment,the expression levels of miR-21 in lung tissues and exosomes will be assessed using RT-qPCR.HE staining will be employed to observe pathological changes in lung tissue,while mean alveolar linear intercept(MLI)and radial alveolar count(RAC)will be calculated.Superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC)levels will be determined spectrophoto-metrically,whereas reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels will be measured via fluorescence spectrophotometry.Additionally,Western blot analysis will assess the expression levels of SKP2,NR2F2,and VEGF-A proteins.Results The results obtained from electron microscopy and particle size analysis demonstrated that the vesicle structure isolated from AEC-Ⅱ cells corresponded to exosomes.Moreover,there was a significant upregulation of miR-21 expression in exosomes(P＜0.01).Subsequently,the dual luciferase gene reporter assay con-firmed SKP2 as the target of miR-21.Comparative analysis revealed that compared to the Con group,both BPD+PBS and BPD+Exos-AV-miR-21 groups exhibited disordered lung tissue structure with enlarged and simpli-fied alveoli,increased levels of ROS,MDA,and MLI along with elevated expression of SKP2 protein(P＜0.01).Conversely,RAC,SOD,T-AOC levels were downregulated alongside miR-21 expression while NR2F2 and VEGF-A protein expressions decreased significantly(P＜0.01).In contrast to the BPD+PBS group,the number of alveoli without alveoli increased in the BPD+Exos-miR-21 group leading to improved degree of alveolar simplification accom-panied by reduced MLI,ROS,MDA levels as well as decreased SKP2 protein expression(P＜0.01).Addition-ally ROC,SOD,T-AOC,and miR-21 expressions were upregulated while NR2F2and VEGF-A expressions were increased(P＜0.01).Conclusions The exosomal miR-21 derived from AEC-Ⅱ may potentially target SKP2,thereby inhibiting oxidative stress and promoting alveolar development.Consequently,it can improve BPD by enhancing the protein expression of NR2F2 and VEGF-A.

Interferon-stimulating gene 15(ISG15),an ubiquitin-like molecule belonging to the superfamily of ubiquitin-like proteins,is highly expressed in various malignant tumors and induced by type Ⅰ interferon.How-ever,its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear.Numerous studies have demonstrated its close association with tumorigenesis and development.In this study,we provide a comprehensive review on the role of ISG15 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma,esophageal carcinoma,gastric carcinoma,colorectal carcinoma,and other cancers.Our aim is to identify new therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal malignancies and improve prognostic assessment.

Objective To investigate the impact of exosomal(Exos)-miR-21-5p(miR-21)targeting S-phase kinase associated protein 2(SKP2)derived from Type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells(AEC-Ⅱ)on the patho-genesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD).Methods A total of 60 SD rats aged 6～8 weeks were utilized in this study,with 30 of them subjected to extraction and culture through differential adherent centrifugation.Density gradient centrifugation was employed for the isolation of AEC-Ⅱ derived exosomes,while vesicles from AEC-Ⅱ me-dium were extracted using density gradient centrifugation.These isolates were subsequently confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and particle size analysis,and the targeting relationship between miR-21 and SKP2 was validated through dual-fluorescein reporter gene assay.The remaining 30 mice were combined in a male-to-female ratio of 3:1 to facilitate pregnancy testing.These neonatal mice were randomly assigned into four experimental groups:air control group(Con group),hyperoxia group(BPD+PBS group),hyperoxia-treated mice receiving exosomes(BPD+Exos-miR-21 group),and hyperoxia combined with exosome miR-21 inhibitor treatment group(BPD+Exos-AV-miR-21 group).Neonatal SD rats will be exposed to 85％oxygen to establish a BPD model.Follow-ing 14 days of high oxygen treatment,the expression levels of miR-21 in lung tissues and exosomes will be assessed using RT-qPCR.HE staining will be employed to observe pathological changes in lung tissue,while mean alveolar linear intercept(MLI)and radial alveolar count(RAC)will be calculated.Superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC)levels will be determined spectrophoto-metrically,whereas reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels will be measured via fluorescence spectrophotometry.Additionally,Western blot analysis will assess the expression levels of SKP2,NR2F2,and VEGF-A proteins.Results The results obtained from electron microscopy and particle size analysis demonstrated that the vesicle structure isolated from AEC-Ⅱ cells corresponded to exosomes.Moreover,there was a significant upregulation of miR-21 expression in exosomes(P＜0.01).Subsequently,the dual luciferase gene reporter assay con-firmed SKP2 as the target of miR-21.Comparative analysis revealed that compared to the Con group,both BPD+PBS and BPD+Exos-AV-miR-21 groups exhibited disordered lung tissue structure with enlarged and simpli-fied alveoli,increased levels of ROS,MDA,and MLI along with elevated expression of SKP2 protein(P＜0.01).Conversely,RAC,SOD,T-AOC levels were downregulated alongside miR-21 expression while NR2F2 and VEGF-A protein expressions decreased significantly(P＜0.01).In contrast to the BPD+PBS group,the number of alveoli without alveoli increased in the BPD+Exos-miR-21 group leading to improved degree of alveolar simplification accom-panied by reduced MLI,ROS,MDA levels as well as decreased SKP2 protein expression(P＜0.01).Addition-ally ROC,SOD,T-AOC,and miR-21 expressions were upregulated while NR2F2and VEGF-A expressions were increased(P＜0.01).Conclusions The exosomal miR-21 derived from AEC-Ⅱ may potentially target SKP2,thereby inhibiting oxidative stress and promoting alveolar development.Consequently,it can improve BPD by enhancing the protein expression of NR2F2 and VEGF-A.

Interferon-stimulating gene 15(ISG15),an ubiquitin-like molecule belonging to the superfamily of ubiquitin-like proteins,is highly expressed in various malignant tumors and induced by type Ⅰ interferon.How-ever,its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear.Numerous studies have demonstrated its close association with tumorigenesis and development.In this study,we provide a comprehensive review on the role of ISG15 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma,esophageal carcinoma,gastric carcinoma,colorectal carcinoma,and other cancers.Our aim is to identify new therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal malignancies and improve prognostic assessment.