Impaired glucose regulation （IGR） is an intermediate state between normal blood glucose and diabetes， falling under the category of splenic pure heat in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. The core pathogenesis is believed to be the dysfunction of the zang-fu （脏腑） organs， leading to metabolic abnormalities of subtle essence and the generation of "turbid pathogen". Its accumulation can block qi movement， damage the vessel collaterals， and promote the disease progression toward diabetes. The concept of "turbid pulse" is proposed as an early sign of IGR， characterized by full and heavy sensation with stagnated and astringent circulation， which can serve as an effective supplement to clinical screening. The differentiation and treatment approach in clinical practice is summarized as follows. If the ascending and descending mechanisms of qi movement in the middle jiao （焦） are disrupted， with mutual interference between the clear and the turbid， treatment should focus on harmonizing the ascending and the descending， and transforming dampness with aromatic medicinals. For spleen-stomach qi deficiency due to long-term restriction of the spleen and stomach's function of transportation and transformation， it is suggested to fortify spleen and harmonize stomach， and transport turbid with sweet-warm medicinals. For spleen deficiency and liver constraint induced by internal generation of damp-heat in the middle jiao， the treatment should focus on soothing the liver and opening constraint， and directing the turbid downward with sour-sweat medicinals. For solid accumulation and stagnation caused by liver qi constraint， it is recommended to unblock intestine and remove stagnation， and discharge turbid with bitter-cold medicinals. When the disease is transmitted to the lower jiao， and the kidneys are affected， the treatment should be regulating spleen and kidney， and rectifying turbid with salty-sour medicinals. In conclusion， it is emphasized to promote the transformation of turbid pathogen to restore metabolic homeostasis， providing methods for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of IGR.

Objective: Patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are classified as very-high-risk individuals in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk stratification. The distribution pattern of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in this patient population, as well as its association with blood lipid profiles and clinical prognosis, remains unclear. The present prospective cohort study aims to investigate these correlations, thereby providing insights to enrich the research fields. Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients with ASCVD who underwent PCI at the Integrated Cardiology Unit of China-Japan Friendship Hospital between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2022. Demographics and clinical characteristics, signs and symptoms defining each TCM syndrome, and fasting venous blood samples were collected at baseline and follow up or upon major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). We analyzed the correlation between TCM syndromes, blood lipid profiles, and MACEs, and developed a new joint prognostic model incorporating both TCM syndromes and blood lipids using logistic regression. The analyses were based on detailed baseline and one-year follow-up data. Results: A per-protocol analysis was performed on 586 patients with complete data ultimately. During the one-year follow-up, 174 patients (29.69%) experienced a MACE. We performed statistical analyses on comorbidities, medication, and biochemical indicators across groups defined by TCM syndrome differentiation. When comparing different TCM syndromes, no significant differences were found in age, body mass index (BMI), history of revascularization, comorbidities, family history of CVD, smoking or drinking, or statin intensity (P > 0.05). Patients with intertwined phlegm and blood stasis syndrome exhibited significantly higher levels of total cholesterol (TC, 5.27 ± 1.18 mmol/L, P < 0.001), triglyceride (TG, 1.96 ± 1.33 mmol/L, P = 0.008), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, 3.35 ± 0.79 mmol/L, P < 0.001), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, 1.24 ± 0.81 mmol/L, P < 0.001) compared with those with other TCM syndromes combined. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to predict MACEs. The model included TCM syndrome type [with intertwined phlegm and blood stasis as a predictor, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.413, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.517 – 3.864, P = 0.501], age (adjusted OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.955 – 1.001, P = 0.057), male gender (adjusted OR = 0.698, 95% CI: 0.416 – 1.170, P = 0.173), TC (adjusted OR = 1.004, 95% CI: 0.513 – 1.965, P = 0.990), and LDL-C (adjusted OR = 5.825, 95% CI: 2.214 – 15.326, P < 0.001). This model demonstrated good discriminatory ability for MACEs in post-PCI ASCVD patients [the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) = 0.865, 95% CI: 0.816 – 0.914]. Conclusion The intertwined phlegm and blood stasis TCM syndrome is associated with a distinct atherogenic lipid profile characterized by elevated levels of TC and LDL-C. The prognostic model that incorporates this TCM syndrome type along with conventional lipid parameters (TC and LDL-C) shows good discriminatory ability for predicting MACEs in ASCVD patients after PCI, underscoring the potential clinical utility of integrating TCM syndrome differentiation into CVD risk assessment.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Sanren Runchang formula in treating constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-C） by regulating the brain-gut axis and the effects of the formula on serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and substance P （SP）. MethodsA randomized controlled design was adopted， and 72 IBS-C patients meeting Rome Ⅳ criteria were randomized into observation and control groups （36 cases）.The observation group received Sanren Runchang formula granules twice daily， and the control group received lactulose oral solution daily for 4 weeks. IBS Symptom Severity Scale （IBS-SSS）， IBS Quality of Life Scale （IBS-QOL）， and Bristol Stool Form Scale （BSFS） were used to assess clinical symptoms， and bowel movement frequency was recorded. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale （SAS） and Self-Rating Depression Scale （SDS） were employed to evaluate psychological status. ELISA was employed to measure the serum levels of 5-HT， VIP， and SP. ResultsThe total response rate in the observation group was 91.67% （33/36）， which was higher than that （77.78%， 28/36） in the control group （χ²=4.50， P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed increased defecation frequency and BSFS scores， decreased IBS-SSS total score， abdominal pain and bloating scores， IBS-QOL health anxiety， anxiety， food avoidance， and behavioral disorders scores， SAS and SDS scores， serum 5-HT and VIP levels， and increased SP levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the observation group showed more significant changes in the indicators above than the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The SP level showed no significant difference between the two groups. During the 4-week follow-up， the recurrence rate was 5.88% in the observation group and 31.25% in the control group. No adverse events occurred in observation group， and 2 cases of mild diarrhea occurred in the control group. ConclusionSanren Runchang formula demonstrated definitive efficacy in alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms and improving the psychological status and quality of life in IBS-C patients， with a low recurrence rate. The formula can regulate serum levels of neurotransmitters such as 5-HT and VIP， suggesting its potential regulatory effect on the brain-gut axis through modulating neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. However， its complete mechanism of action requires further investigation through detection of additional brain-gut axis-related biomarkers.

Juvenile dermatomyositis(JDM) is the most common idiopathic inflammatory myopathy in children, characterized by symmetric proximal muscle weakness and characteristic skin rashes, which may be accompanied by involvement of major organs. Aberrant upregulation of the interferon signaling pathway has been confirmed as the core pathological mechanism of JDM, and is closely associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, peripheral blood immune cell dysregulation, muscle damage and repair dysfunction, as well as cutaneous and pulmonary lesions. Interferon-related biomarkers and interferon scores can serve as evaluation indicators for disease activity. Type Ⅰ interferon inhibitors and Janus kinase inhibitors provide new therapeutic options for refractory JDM. This review systematically summarizes the role of the interferon signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of JDM and its potential therapeutic targets, aiming to provide references for the mechanistic research and precise treatment of JDM.

Objective To develop and validate a machine learning model based on preoperative clinical characteristics, laboratory indices, and radiological features for the non-invasive prediction of spread through air spaces (STAS) in patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. Methods Preoperative data from patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection at Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital between January 2020 and August 2025 were retrospectively collected. The data included clinical characteristics, laboratory indices, and radiological features. Patients were divided into a STAS-positive and a STAS-negative group based on postoperative pathological findings. The dataset was randomly split into a training set and a testing set at a 7 : 3 ratio. Feature variables were selected using the maximum relevance and minimum redundancy (mRMR) algorithm and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Five machine learning models were constructed: logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis (DCA). The shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was employed to interpret the optimal prediction model. Results A total of 377 patients were included, comprising 177 (46.9%) males and 200 (53.1%) females, with a mean age of (63.31±9.73) years. There were 261 patients in the training set and 116 patients in the testing set. In the training set, statistically significant differences were observed between the STAS-positive group (n=130) and STAS-negative group (n=131) across multiple features, including age, sex, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), clinical T stage, and maximum solid component diameter (P<0.05). A final set of 10 feature variables was selected by combining mRMR and LASSO regression, and five machine learning models (LR, RF, SVM, LightGBM, XGBoost) were developed. The XGBoost model demonstrated optimal performance in both the training and testing sets, achieving AUCs of 0.947 [95%CI (0.920, 0.975)] and 0.943 [95%CI (0.894, 0.993)], respectively. DCA indicated that the XGBoost model provided a high net clinical benefit across a wide range of threshold probabilities. SHAP analysis revealed that the vessel convergence sign, clinical T stage, age, consolidation-to-tumor ratio (CTR), and MLR were the features with the highest contributions to STAS prediction. Conclusion The XGBoost model effectively predicts preoperative STAS status in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, exhibiting excellent discriminative performance and good clinical interpretability. Key predictors such as the vessel convergence sign, clinical T stage, age and CTR provide a crucial reference for preoperative risk assessment and the individualized selection of surgical strategies, ultimately benefiting patients.

Objective:To investigate the laboratory diagnostic value of 5 new blood routine indexes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The retrospective study included 65 patients with chronic HBV infection, 72 patients with liver cirrhosis and 163 patients with HCC recruited at Liver Disease Center in First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, as well as 52 healthy controls recruited from the Physical Examination Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from October 2022 to April 2023. Five new parameters [early granulated cell percent (EGC%), early granulated cell absolute count (EGC#), microcytic anemia factor (MAF), leukocyte estimate(corrected)from the DIFF optical channel (WDOP) and leukocyte estimate(corrected)from the NRBC optical channel (WNOP)] were detected by UniCel DxH 900 blood cell analyzer. Univariate analysis of the expression levels of the 5 new parameterswere compared among CHB, liver cirrhosis and HCC groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between the 5 new parameters and HBV-related markers in CHB and Child-Pugh score in liver cirrhosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and AUC were used to estimate the diagnostic capacity of the 5 new blood routine indexes in CHB, liver cirrhosis and HCC.Results:In patients with CHB, the levels of EGC% ( Z=4.613, P<0.001) and EGC# ( Z=4.220, P<0.001) were higher than those of healthy controls; EGC# was positively correlated with HBsAg and HBeAg (both P<0.05). In patients with cirrhosis, the level of MAF ( Z=-4.928, P<0.001) was lower than that of healthy controls, and Child-Pugh score was found to be negatively correlated with MAF ( r=-0.349, P<0.05). In HCC patients, WDOP ( Z=2.45, P=0.017) and WNOP ( Z=2.90, P=0.017) levels were higher in patients with tumor volume>3 cm 3 than those in patients with volume ≤3 cm 3. The AUCs of combination of 5 new parameters to diagnose CHB, liver cirrhosis and HCC were 0.901 (95% CI 0.830-0.973, P<0.001), 0.946 (95% CI 0.909-0.984, P<0.001), and 0.904 (95% CI 0.858-0.950, P<0.001). Conclusions:The 5 new parameters based on peripheral blood cell analysis have good clinical value in the diagnosis of CHB, liver cirrhosis and HCC diseases.

Objective To screen and analyze key genes in rabbit corneal alkali burns based on transcriptomics se-quencing technology and bioinformatics techniques.Methods Thirty healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly di-vided into 2 groups(n=15 per group):The control group received no intervention,while the alkali burn group underwent corneal alkali burn modeling.Histological evaluation of corneal tissues was performed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)stai-ning.Transcriptome sequencing was conducted for library construction and sequencing.Differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified using DESeq2,followed by Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Ency-clopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis.A protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed to screen hub genes,and RT-PCR was employed to validate mRNA expression levels of key genes.Results HE staining revealed orderly arranged corneal stromal layers and scattered stromal cells in the control group,whereas the alkali burn group exhibited stromal edema,thickened collagen fibers with loose/disorganized alignment,and increased fibroblast and inflammatory cell infiltration.Compared to the control group,1 827 significant DEGs were identified in the alkali burn group,including 1 495 upregulated and 332 downregulated genes.GO analysis showed biological processes such as immune response,plasma membrane,and identical protein binding.KEGG analysis indicated that DEGs were enriched in pathways related to cancer,lipid and atherosclerosis,and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction.The PPI network screened 11 key genes:neutrophil cytosolic factor 1(NCF1),neutrophil cytosolic factor 2(NCF2),matrix metallopeptidase 2(MMP2),ma-trix metallopeptidase 9(MMP9),interleukin-1α(IL-1α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-8(CXCL8),cluster of differentiation 4(CD4),C-C motif ligand 2(CCL2)and tumor necrosis factor(TNF).RT-PCR valida-tion revealed that the mRNA expression levels of key genes in the corneal tissues of the alkali burn group were significantly higher than those in the control group(all P＜0.05),consistent with the transcriptomic sequencing results.Conclusion Based on the rabbit corneal alkali burn model,this study identified 11 key genes(NCF1,NCF2,MMP2,MMP9,IL-1α,IL-1β,IL-6,CXCL8,CD4,CCL2 and TNF)through transcriptomics and bioinformatics analysis.

Objective To analyze the risk factors and re-intervention strategies for mid- and long-term residual after arterial switch operation (ASO). Methods The clinical data of children with complex congenital heart disease who underwent ASO surgery in Shanghai Children’s Medical Center from January 2006 to June 2022 were retrospectively collected, and the risk factors for mid- and long-term residual after ASO were analyzed. Results A total of 952 children undergoing ASO were enrolled in this study, including 654 males and 298 females with an average age of (102.9±90.1) d and weight of (4.6±1.6) kg. There were 421 patients with D-transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum (D-TGA/IVS), 357 patients with D-transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect (D-TGA/VSD), and 174 patients with right ventricle double outlet combined with subpulmonary ventricular septal defect (Taussig-Bing malformation). Eighty-nine patients died early after the surgery, the mortality rate was 9.3%. The 746 surviving children were regularly followed up after the surgery (follow-up rate 86.4%), with a median follow-up time of 79.4 (12.0-188.0) months. During the follow-up, 53 children underwent surgical re-intervention due to residual, including 33 males and 20 females, with a median age of 62.5 (17.0-214.0) months. The median surgical weight was 19.0 (8.2-86.0) kg, and the mean time of re-intervention was 28.0-170.0 (77.5±45.4) months after the ASO. Residual problems included common trunk and branch stenosis of the pulmonary artery in 23 patients, right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction in 11 patients, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in 6 patients, aortic arch restenosis in 5 patients, aortic insufficiency in 5 patients, residual shunt of ventricular septal defect in 2 patients, and tricuspid valve insufficiency in 1 patient. The early postoperative mortality rate was 3.8% (2/53), with the causes of death being acute myocardial infarction due to coronary artery injury and acute left heart failure, respectively. The mean follow-up time of the surviving children was (52.4±28.6) months, and no mid- and long-term death occurred. Two patients underwent the third operations due to pulmonary restenosis. The multivariate analysis result showed that combined aortic arch surgery and early postoperative RVOT velocity>3 m/s were independent risk factors for mid- and long-term residual after ASO. Conclusion ASO is an ideal procedure for the treatment of D-TGA/IVS, D-TGA/VSD and Taussig-Bing malformations. Combined aortic arch surgery and early postoperative RVOT velocity>3 m/s are independent risk factors for mid- and long-term residual after ASO.

In recent years, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the fastest growing pathogenic factor of primary liver cancer (PLC). Compared with virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), HCC associated with NAFLD has a unique immune microenvironment, and combined treatment with corresponding targets can improve the immunetherapeutic efficacy. However, prospective studies are still needed for the immunotherapy response of different causes of PLC is different and the therapeutic efficacy has not reached consensus. The high-level evidence of etiology stratification, personalized precision immunotherapy and combinational therapy may be the future milestones in this area. We hereby reviews the epidemiology, tumor microenvironment, and immunotherapy of NAFLD-related HCC.

With the rapid development of modern technology, the deep integration of computer science and medicine has greatly propelled the field of the dental diagnostics field. Multimodal medical image registration refers to the fusion of information from various modalities of medical imaging. In other words, with the assistance of computer technology, the image data acquired from various radiological examinations undergo spatial registration and are merged to create a comprehensive new image, serving the purpose of computer-aided diagnosis. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has complex anatomical structures, so there is a wide range of diseases associated with it. Traditional single-modal imaging methods can only provide partial anatomical information, which limits the comprehensive assessment and subsequently hinders the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ diseases. Multimodal medical image registration techniques, owing to their ability to provide comprehensive information, have been widely applied in the field of dentistry. This has greatly enhanced the efficiency of diagnosing and treating TMJ diseases. The article discusses the advancements in the application of multimodal medical image registration in the context of TMJ diseases.