It is proposed that the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis （RA） is centered on deficiency， dampness， and blood stasis， which interact with and evolve into one another during the onset and progression of the disease. The development of RA is closely associated with insufficiency of healthy qi and the interbinding of dampness and blood stasis. Accordingly， treatment emphasizes an integrated approach that combines tonifying deficiency， eliminating dampness， and resolving blood stasis， and is implemented in three main stages. In the initial stage， therapy focuses on supporting healthy qi， dispelling dampness， and relieving impediment， with modified Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction （黄芪桂枝五物汤） combined with Yiyiren Decoction （薏苡仁汤）. In the active stage， treatment aims to eliminate dampness， resolve blood stasis， and unblock the collaterals， using modified Wutou Decoction （乌头汤） or Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Decoction （桂枝芍药知母汤）. In the remission stage， therapy emphasizes strengthening the spleen and reple-nishing qi to prevent recurrence， with modified Shenling Baizhu Powder （参苓白术散） combined with Guipi Decoction （归脾汤）.

Alzheimer's disease(AD)is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that mainly manifests clinically as progressive functional impairments in cognition,memory,and language.With the accelerated transition toward an older population in China,the number of people suffering from AD in China is increasing.The exact pathogenesis of AD remains unclear,with current therapeutic strategies mainly limited to symptomatic treatments.Animal models are important tools for preclinical research,enabling explorations of molecular mechanisms,behavioral functions,and treatment strategies of diseases.Future mechanistic research and drug development of AD should involve the establishment of animal models that are consistent with clinical pathological characteristics.This review summarizes the AD animal models commonly used in research,providing details on the strains,age,modeling method and doses.It also discusses research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)components and their pharmacodynamic mechanisms in related AD animal models,aiming to provide references for the development of new animal models and in-depth exploration of the specific pharmacological activities,targets,metabolic pathways,and clinical applications of each TCM component.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Jianpi Bushen Prescription in treating acute gouty arthritis with spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome using propensity score matching method.Methods:A retrospective analysis method was used to select 156 patients with acute gouty arthritis with spleen kidney deficiency type admitted from March 2022 to March 2024. They were divided into an observation group of 89 cases and a control group of 67 cases according to the treatment method. Propensity score matching (PSM) was further adopted to balance the confounding factors before treatment in a 1:1 ratio. Finally, 42 patients in each group were successfully matched. The control group received conventional Western medicine, the observation group received additional treatment with Jianpi Bushen Prescription on the basis of the control group. The treatment for both groups lasted for 1 month. TCM syndrome scores were performed before and after treatment, and the levels of serum uric acid (UA), ESR, and pH were measured using an automatic dry biochemical analyzer. The VAS scale was used to assess the degree of pain, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used to evaluate the degree of joint function improvement, and the Quality of Life Scale-36 (SF-36) was used to evaluate the quality of life of patients. Adverse reactions during treatment were observed and recorded to evaluate clinical efficacy.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group 92.86% (39/42) was higher than that of the control group 73.81% (31/42), with statistical significance ( χ2=5.49, P<0.05). After treatment, the joint pain, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, poor flexion and extension, and pale and greasy tongue coating, were lower than those in the control group ( t values were 3.38, 4.26, 3.96, 3.97, 4.41, respectively, P<0.01). After treatment, the serum uric acid (UA) [(351.84±36.46) μmol/L vs. (380.19±39.42) μmol/L, t=3.42] and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) [(17.91±3.71) mm/h vs. (21.43±3.90) mm/h, t=4.24] of the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the pH value (7.24±0.49 vs. 6.98±0.57, t=2.24) was higher than that of the control group ( P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS and ODI of the observation group were lower than those of the control group ( t values were 5.80, 6.25, respectively, P<0.01), and the SF-36 score was higher than that of the control group ( t=3.23, P<0.05). During the treatment, the incidence of adverse reactions was 14.29% (6/42) in the observation group and 9.52% (4/42) in the control group. There was no statistical significance in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( χ2=0.45, P>0.05). Conclusions:Jianpi Bushen Prescription has good efficacy on the treatment of acute gouty arthritis with spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome. It can reduce the levels of uric acid, improve the life quality of patients, and enhance efficacy, with good treatment safety.

Objective:To evaluate respiratory muscle function before and after respiratory function training using surface electromyography(sEMG)in stroke patients with hemiplegia during recovery period.Method:Forty stroke patients with hemiplegia in the recovery phase were randomly divided into an observa-tion group and a control group,with 20 patients in each group.The control group was given routine rehabilita-tion treatment,while the observation group was given routine rehabilitation treatment combined with respirato-ry function training.Root Mean Square value(RMS)of respiratory muscle surface electromyography,pulmo-nary function indicators such as forced vital capacity(FVC),the forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1),peak expiratory flow rate(PEF),and Fugl-Meyer Motor Scale(FMMS),Berg Balance Scale(BBS)were evaluated before and after 4 weeks of treatment in both groups.Result:After 4 weeks of treatment,the RMS of bilateral sternocleidomastoid muscles,parasternal external in-tercostal muscles,and diaphragmatic muscles,pulmonary function indicators including FVC,FEV1,PEF,FMMS and BBS in both groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the scores of all indicators in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The correlation analysis showed that there was a certain correlation between the RMS of respiration muscles and indicators of pulmonary function,FMMS,BBS respectively in two groups after treatment(P＜0.05);the correlation between the RMS of respira-tion muscles and indicators of pulmonary function,FMMS,BBS in the observation group(r＞0.5,P＜0.05)was higher than that in the control group(r＜0.5,P＜0.05).Conclusion:Respiratory function training can significantly improve pulmonary function in stroke patients with hemiplegia during recovery period.Surface electromyography can be used to evaluate the respiratory muscle contraction function in stroke patients with hemiplegia.

Objective:To evaluate respiratory muscle function before and after respiratory function training using surface electromyography(sEMG)in stroke patients with hemiplegia during recovery period.Method:Forty stroke patients with hemiplegia in the recovery phase were randomly divided into an observa-tion group and a control group,with 20 patients in each group.The control group was given routine rehabilita-tion treatment,while the observation group was given routine rehabilitation treatment combined with respirato-ry function training.Root Mean Square value(RMS)of respiratory muscle surface electromyography,pulmo-nary function indicators such as forced vital capacity(FVC),the forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1),peak expiratory flow rate(PEF),and Fugl-Meyer Motor Scale(FMMS),Berg Balance Scale(BBS)were evaluated before and after 4 weeks of treatment in both groups.Result:After 4 weeks of treatment,the RMS of bilateral sternocleidomastoid muscles,parasternal external in-tercostal muscles,and diaphragmatic muscles,pulmonary function indicators including FVC,FEV1,PEF,FMMS and BBS in both groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the scores of all indicators in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The correlation analysis showed that there was a certain correlation between the RMS of respiration muscles and indicators of pulmonary function,FMMS,BBS respectively in two groups after treatment(P＜0.05);the correlation between the RMS of respira-tion muscles and indicators of pulmonary function,FMMS,BBS in the observation group(r＞0.5,P＜0.05)was higher than that in the control group(r＜0.5,P＜0.05).Conclusion:Respiratory function training can significantly improve pulmonary function in stroke patients with hemiplegia during recovery period.Surface electromyography can be used to evaluate the respiratory muscle contraction function in stroke patients with hemiplegia.

Alzheimer's disease(AD)is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that mainly manifests clinically as progressive functional impairments in cognition,memory,and language.With the accelerated transition toward an older population in China,the number of people suffering from AD in China is increasing.The exact pathogenesis of AD remains unclear,with current therapeutic strategies mainly limited to symptomatic treatments.Animal models are important tools for preclinical research,enabling explorations of molecular mechanisms,behavioral functions,and treatment strategies of diseases.Future mechanistic research and drug development of AD should involve the establishment of animal models that are consistent with clinical pathological characteristics.This review summarizes the AD animal models commonly used in research,providing details on the strains,age,modeling method and doses.It also discusses research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)components and their pharmacodynamic mechanisms in related AD animal models,aiming to provide references for the development of new animal models and in-depth exploration of the specific pharmacological activities,targets,metabolic pathways,and clinical applications of each TCM component.

Objective: QL1604 is a highly selective, humanized monoclonal antibody against programmed death protein 1. We assessed the efficacy and safety of QL1604 plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Methods: This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Patients with advanced cervical cancer and not previously treated with systemic chemotherapy were enrolled to receive QL1604 plus paclitaxel and cisplatin/carboplatin on day 1 of each 21-day cycle for up to 6 cycles, followed by QL1604 maintenance treatment. Results: Forty-six patients were enrolled and the median follow-up duration was 16.5 months. An 84.8% of patients had recurrent disease and 13.0% had stage IVB disease. The objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Advanced Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 was 58.7% (27/46). The immune ORR per immune RECIST was 60.9% (28/46).The median duration of response was 9.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=5.5–not estimable). The median progression-free survival was 8.1 months (95% CI=5.7–14.0). Fortyfive (97.8%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The most common grade≥3 TRAEs (>30%) were neutrophil count decrease (50.0%), anemia (32.6%), and white blood cell count decrease (30.4%). Conclusion QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/carboplatin showed promising antitumor activity and manageable safety profile as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy may be a potential treatment option for the patient population who have contraindications or can’t tolerate bevacizumab, which needs to be further verified in phase III confirmatory study.

Objective:To assess the risk factors affecting development of non-tumor- related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer and to construct a nomogram prediction model.Methods:This was a retrospective study of data of patients who had undergone excision with one-stage intestinal anastomosis for rectal cancer between January 2003 and September 2018 in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) pathological examination of the operative specimen revealed residual tumor on the incision margin of the anastomosis; (2) pathological examination of postoperative colonoscopy specimens revealed tumor recurrence at the anastomotic stenosis, or postoperative imaging evaluation and tumor marker monitoring indicated tumor recurrence; (3) follow-up time <3 months; and (4) simultaneous multiple primary cancers. Univariate analysis using the χ 2 or Fisher's exact test was performed to assess the study patients' baseline characteristics and variables such as tumor-related factors and surgical approach ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression was then performed to identify independent risk factors for development of non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer. Finally, a nomogram model for predicting non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer surgery was constructed using R software. The reliability and accuracy of this prediction model was evaluated using internal validation and calculation of the area under the curve of the model's receiver characteristic curve (ROC). Results:The study cohort comprised 1,610 patients, including 1,008 men and 602 women of median age 59 (50, 67) years and median body mass index 22.4 (20.2, 24.5) kg/m2. Non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis developed in 121 (7.5%) of these patients. The incidence of non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis in patients who had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, neoadjuvant radiotherapy, and surgery alone was 11.2% (10/89), 26.4% (47/178), and 4.8% (64/1,343), respectively. Neoadjuvant treatment (neoadjuvant chemotherapy: OR=2.455, 95%CI: 1.148–5.253, P=0.021; neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, OR=3.882, 95%CI: 2.425–6.216, P<0.001), anastomotic leakage (OR=7.960, 95%CI: 4.550–13.926, P<0.001), open laparotomy (OR=3.412, 95%CI: 1.772–6.571, P<0.001), and tumor location (distance of tumor from the anal verge 5–10 cm: OR=2.381, 95%CI:1.227–4.691, P<0.001; distance of tumor from the anal verge <5 cm: OR=5.985,95% CI: 3.039–11.787, P<0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis. Thereafter, a nomogram prediction model incorporating the four identified risk factors for development of anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer was developed. The area under the curve of the model ROC was 0.815 (0.773–0.857, P<0.001), and the C-index of the predictive model was 0.815, indicating that the model's calibration curve fitted well with the ideal curve. Conclusion:Non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer surgery is significantly associated with neoadjuvant treatment, anastomotic leakage, surgical procedure, and tumor location. A nomogram based on these four factors demonstrated good discrimination and calibration, and would therefore be useful for screening individuals at risk of anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer surgery.

Objective:To assess the risk factors affecting development of non-tumor- related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer and to construct a nomogram prediction model.Methods:This was a retrospective study of data of patients who had undergone excision with one-stage intestinal anastomosis for rectal cancer between January 2003 and September 2018 in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) pathological examination of the operative specimen revealed residual tumor on the incision margin of the anastomosis; (2) pathological examination of postoperative colonoscopy specimens revealed tumor recurrence at the anastomotic stenosis, or postoperative imaging evaluation and tumor marker monitoring indicated tumor recurrence; (3) follow-up time <3 months; and (4) simultaneous multiple primary cancers. Univariate analysis using the χ 2 or Fisher's exact test was performed to assess the study patients' baseline characteristics and variables such as tumor-related factors and surgical approach ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression was then performed to identify independent risk factors for development of non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer. Finally, a nomogram model for predicting non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer surgery was constructed using R software. The reliability and accuracy of this prediction model was evaluated using internal validation and calculation of the area under the curve of the model's receiver characteristic curve (ROC). Results:The study cohort comprised 1,610 patients, including 1,008 men and 602 women of median age 59 (50, 67) years and median body mass index 22.4 (20.2, 24.5) kg/m2. Non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis developed in 121 (7.5%) of these patients. The incidence of non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis in patients who had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, neoadjuvant radiotherapy, and surgery alone was 11.2% (10/89), 26.4% (47/178), and 4.8% (64/1,343), respectively. Neoadjuvant treatment (neoadjuvant chemotherapy: OR=2.455, 95%CI: 1.148–5.253, P=0.021; neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, OR=3.882, 95%CI: 2.425–6.216, P<0.001), anastomotic leakage (OR=7.960, 95%CI: 4.550–13.926, P<0.001), open laparotomy (OR=3.412, 95%CI: 1.772–6.571, P<0.001), and tumor location (distance of tumor from the anal verge 5–10 cm: OR=2.381, 95%CI:1.227–4.691, P<0.001; distance of tumor from the anal verge <5 cm: OR=5.985,95% CI: 3.039–11.787, P<0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis. Thereafter, a nomogram prediction model incorporating the four identified risk factors for development of anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer was developed. The area under the curve of the model ROC was 0.815 (0.773–0.857, P<0.001), and the C-index of the predictive model was 0.815, indicating that the model's calibration curve fitted well with the ideal curve. Conclusion:Non-tumor-related anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer surgery is significantly associated with neoadjuvant treatment, anastomotic leakage, surgical procedure, and tumor location. A nomogram based on these four factors demonstrated good discrimination and calibration, and would therefore be useful for screening individuals at risk of anastomotic stenosis after rectal cancer surgery.

Objective: QL1604 is a highly selective, humanized monoclonal antibody against programmed death protein 1. We assessed the efficacy and safety of QL1604 plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Methods: This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Patients with advanced cervical cancer and not previously treated with systemic chemotherapy were enrolled to receive QL1604 plus paclitaxel and cisplatin/carboplatin on day 1 of each 21-day cycle for up to 6 cycles, followed by QL1604 maintenance treatment. Results: Forty-six patients were enrolled and the median follow-up duration was 16.5 months. An 84.8% of patients had recurrent disease and 13.0% had stage IVB disease. The objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Advanced Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 was 58.7% (27/46). The immune ORR per immune RECIST was 60.9% (28/46).The median duration of response was 9.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=5.5–not estimable). The median progression-free survival was 8.1 months (95% CI=5.7–14.0). Fortyfive (97.8%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The most common grade≥3 TRAEs (>30%) were neutrophil count decrease (50.0%), anemia (32.6%), and white blood cell count decrease (30.4%). Conclusion QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/carboplatin showed promising antitumor activity and manageable safety profile as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy may be a potential treatment option for the patient population who have contraindications or can’t tolerate bevacizumab, which needs to be further verified in phase III confirmatory study.