Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a refractory chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine, and its etiological mechanism is still unclear. Recent studies have shown that the intestinal macrophages participates the intestinal immunity by regulating exosomes, intestinal flora, ubiquitination and deubiquitination, immune metabolism and autophagy, plays an important role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, and is closely related to the occurrence and development of IBD. Investigating the underlying mechanisms of macrophages in IBD advancement may provide new therapeutic approaches. This article reviews the latest research progress on the multifaceted mechanisms of intestinal macrophages in IBD.

Objective To investigate the possible association between cross-domain associative memory(AM)impairment and hippocampal subfield volumes in patients with schizophrenia(SCZ).Methods We enrolled 28 SCZ patients from Shanghai Mental Health Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,and 28 healthy controls(HCs)between 2019 and 2021.Based on an innovative AM paradigm and automated segmentation,3D-T1 weighted data of the objects were processed with PhiPipe and FreeSurfer.Differences in subfield volums between the two groups were analyzed using ANCOVA,while their relationship with AM scores was assessed using Pearson correlation.Results SCZ patients exhibited significantly poorer AM performance across three conditions compared with HCs.Marginally significant reductions were observed in the total volume of bilateral hippocampus,encompassing both the hippocampal head and body.Significant volume reductions were identified in the bilateral presubiculum and parasubiculum.The volumes of bilateral presubiculum head(r=0.273,P=0.042),parasubiculum(r=0.397,P=0.002),and CA1 head(r=0.382,P=0.004)exhibited positive correlations with cross-domain AM performance.Conclusion The bilateral presubiculum and parasubiculum,as hippocampal subregions significantly associated with cross-modal AM deficits in SCZ,may play a crucial role in the pathology of AM.

Objective:To explore the teaching effectiveness of BOPPPS (bridge-in, objective, pre-assessment, participatory-learning, post-assessment, and summary) teaching model in the undergraduate education of pediatric surgery, compare the BOPPPS teaching model with the traditional teaching model, and examine the differences in students' understanding and mastery of knowledge, as well as their ability improvement.Methods:A total of 621 undergraduate students majoring in pediatrics at Chongqing Medical University in the 2021-2023 academic years were selected as the experimental group, and 552 undergraduate students majoring in pediatrics at Chongqing Medical University in the 2018-2020 academic years were selected as the control group. The traditional teaching method was used in the pediatric surgery teaching of the control group, while the BOPPPS teaching model was used in the experimental group. The two groups were compared based on theoretical examination scores, routine assessment scores, overall performance, and teaching satisfaction. A statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 24.0 software. Continuous data conforming to a normal distribution were expressed as ( x?±s). Two independent samples mean t test was used for analysis. Results:The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher theoretical examination scores [(70.21±10.03) vs. (62.58±8.40)], routine assessment scores [(96.38±2.10) vs. (84.11±2.02)], and total scores [(80.68±11.30) vs. (71.19±9.50)] compared to the control group ( P<0.05). The overall satisfaction with teaching was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group [(91.60±1.75) vs. (90.57±0.80)] ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of BOPPPS teaching model in pediatric surgery teaching can improve undergraduate students' self-learning ability, clinical thinking ability, and team cooperation ability, thereby enhancing teaching quality.

External counterpulsation(ECP)technology represents a non-invasive adjunctive circulation treatment approach implemented in clinical practice since 1962,initially focused on managing cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.Over the past four decades,continuous research and advancements in medical technology have facilitated the evolution of enhanced external counterpulsation(EECP).This therapeutic modality can enhance the function of vascular endothelial cells,promote blood circulation,and improve metabolism by increasing organ perfusion pressure and blood flow.Given its demonstrated safety,efficacy,and cost-effectiveness,EECP has not only played a significant role in the clinical treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases but also expanded into diverse domains,including andrology,which provides new therapeutic avenues for various health concerns.Particularly in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction(ED),EECP has shown remarkable potential,and certain clinical practice experience and scientific research results are accumulated.Research indicates that the occurrence of ED is closely associated with endothelial dysfunction and microcirculatory issues.EECP has been shown to effectively alleviate symptoms in ED patients and improve treatment outcomes by optimizing endothelial function and overall systemic health.This article reviews relevant findings from both domestic and international sources,summarizing the current research on the application of EECP in treating andrological diseases.It focuses on analyzing its clinical effects and mechanisms in treating ED and explores potential applications in other male urological conditions.Additionally,this paper discusses the limitations of current research and offers insights into future research directions to provide a more robust scientific basis and references for the use of EECP in managing andrological diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a refractory chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine, and its etiological mechanism is still unclear. Recent studies have shown that the intestinal macrophages participates the intestinal immunity by regulating exosomes, intestinal flora, ubiquitination and deubiquitination, immune metabolism and autophagy, plays an important role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, and is closely related to the occurrence and development of IBD. Investigating the underlying mechanisms of macrophages in IBD advancement may provide new therapeutic approaches. This article reviews the latest research progress on the multifaceted mechanisms of intestinal macrophages in IBD.

Objective To investigate the possible association between cross-domain associative memory(AM)impairment and hippocampal subfield volumes in patients with schizophrenia(SCZ).Methods We enrolled 28 SCZ patients from Shanghai Mental Health Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,and 28 healthy controls(HCs)between 2019 and 2021.Based on an innovative AM paradigm and automated segmentation,3D-T1 weighted data of the objects were processed with PhiPipe and FreeSurfer.Differences in subfield volums between the two groups were analyzed using ANCOVA,while their relationship with AM scores was assessed using Pearson correlation.Results SCZ patients exhibited significantly poorer AM performance across three conditions compared with HCs.Marginally significant reductions were observed in the total volume of bilateral hippocampus,encompassing both the hippocampal head and body.Significant volume reductions were identified in the bilateral presubiculum and parasubiculum.The volumes of bilateral presubiculum head(r=0.273,P=0.042),parasubiculum(r=0.397,P=0.002),and CA1 head(r=0.382,P=0.004)exhibited positive correlations with cross-domain AM performance.Conclusion The bilateral presubiculum and parasubiculum,as hippocampal subregions significantly associated with cross-modal AM deficits in SCZ,may play a crucial role in the pathology of AM.

Objective:To explore the teaching effectiveness of BOPPPS (bridge-in, objective, pre-assessment, participatory-learning, post-assessment, and summary) teaching model in the undergraduate education of pediatric surgery, compare the BOPPPS teaching model with the traditional teaching model, and examine the differences in students' understanding and mastery of knowledge, as well as their ability improvement.Methods:A total of 621 undergraduate students majoring in pediatrics at Chongqing Medical University in the 2021-2023 academic years were selected as the experimental group, and 552 undergraduate students majoring in pediatrics at Chongqing Medical University in the 2018-2020 academic years were selected as the control group. The traditional teaching method was used in the pediatric surgery teaching of the control group, while the BOPPPS teaching model was used in the experimental group. The two groups were compared based on theoretical examination scores, routine assessment scores, overall performance, and teaching satisfaction. A statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 24.0 software. Continuous data conforming to a normal distribution were expressed as ( x?±s). Two independent samples mean t test was used for analysis. Results:The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher theoretical examination scores [(70.21±10.03) vs. (62.58±8.40)], routine assessment scores [(96.38±2.10) vs. (84.11±2.02)], and total scores [(80.68±11.30) vs. (71.19±9.50)] compared to the control group ( P<0.05). The overall satisfaction with teaching was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group [(91.60±1.75) vs. (90.57±0.80)] ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of BOPPPS teaching model in pediatric surgery teaching can improve undergraduate students' self-learning ability, clinical thinking ability, and team cooperation ability, thereby enhancing teaching quality.

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 40, as one of GPRs family, plays a potential role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. To study the effect of GPR40 novel agonist SZZ15-11 on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and its potential mechanism, spontaneous type 2 diabetic KKA^y mice, human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and murine mature adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells were used. KKA^y mice were divided into four groups, vehicle group, TAK group, SZZ (50 mg·kg^-1) group and SZZ (100 mg·kg^-1) group, with oral gavage of 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), 50 mg·kg^-1 TAK875, 50 and 100 mg·kg^-1 SZZ15-11 respectively for 45 days. Fasting blood glucose, blood triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), non-fasting blood glucose were tested. Oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were executed. Blood insulin and glucagon were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After mice′s execution, liver tissue was harvested to test TG and TC content. Then pathological morphology of liver was observed through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the lipid metabolism relative signal pathway was analyzed by Western blot and RT-PCR. The experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College. At the same time, Akt phosphorylation level in HepG2 cells and adiponectin in 3T3-L1 cells treated with TNFα were measured with Western blot. The results show that SZZ15-11 not only decreased blood glucose and lipid, improved insulin sensitivity, but also increased fasting blood glucagon and promoted insulin secretion after glucose loading in KKA^y mice. Additionally, SZZ15-11 alleviated hepatic steatosis and liver dysfunction in KKA^y mice. In liver tissue, SZZ15-11 increased AMPKα phosphorylation level and cholesterol metabolism relative gene Abcg8 transcription. In HepG2 cells, SZZ15-11 increased Akt phosphorylation level. In adipocyte 3T3-L1, SZZ15-11 recovered the decreased adiponectin expression by TNFα. This study proved that GPR40 agonist SZZ15-11 could be a candidate compound for regulating glucolipid metabolic disorder.

Objective To evaluate the angiogenesis of decidua in spontaneous abortion patients and to investigate the change of thyroid hormone receptor signal expression in decidua in miscarriage patients.Methods The decidua of pregnant women was collected.Patients with miscarriage were taken as the experimental group and healthy preg-nant women who underwent abortion by social factors were taken as the control group.The nuclear translocation of thyroid hormone receptor α(THR-α)and THR-β in decidua tissues was detected by Western blot method,and the distribution of THR-α and TH IR-β in decidua tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry.The expression of Deiodinase 2(DIO2)in decidua tissues was determined by Western blot.The distribution of DIO2 in decidua tissues was determined by immunofluorescence and the fluorescence intensity was measured.The decidual vessel density was determined by immunohistochemistry using CD34 as an endothelial marker.The protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor(VEGFR-1)was detected by Western blot.Results There was no sig-nificant difference in age,gestation days,TSH,T3,T4 and other basic data between the control group and the a-bortion group.The results of Western blot showed that the expression levels of THR-α and THR-β protein de-creased,and the results of immunohistochemical staining of decidual tissues showed that the nuclear translocation of decidual thyroid hormone receptor in patients with spontaneous abortion decreased(P＜0.05).Western blotting results showed that the expression of DIO2 protein in the abortion group was lower than that in the control group,suggesting that thyroid hormone metabolism in decidua of spontaneous abortion pregnant women was affected.The results of immunofluorescence test showed that the fluorescence intensity of DIO2 in the abortion group was weaker than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Immunohistochemical CD34 labeling of decidual small blood vessels showed that the number of CD34+blood vessels decreased in the abortion group with statistical difference(P＜0.05).Western blot results showed that there was no significant change in VEGFR-1 between the two groups,and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.Conclusion The abnormal signal of thyroid hormone receptors in decidua may decrease decidua angiogenesis and participate in spontaneous abortion.

The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem composed of many bacteria and their metabolites.It plays an irreplaceable role in human digestion,nutrient absorption,energy supply,fat metabolism,im-mune regulation,and many other aspects.Exploring the structure and function of the gut microbiota,as well as their key genes and metabolites,will enable the early diagnosis and auxiliary diagnosis of disea-ses,new treatment methods,better effects of drug treatments,and better guidance in the use of antibiot-ics.The identification of gut microbiota plays an important role in clinical diagnosis and treatment,as well as in drug research and development.Therefore,it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive review of this rapidly evolving topic.Traditional identification methods cannot comprehensively capture the di-versity of gut microbiota.Currently,with the rapid development of molecular biology,the classification and identification methods for gut microbiota have evolved from the initial phenotypic and chemical identi-fication to identification at the molecular level.This review integrates the main methods of gut microbiota identification and evaluates their application.We pay special attention to the research progress on molec-ular biological methods and focus on the application of high-throughput sequencing technology in the iden-tification of gut microbiota.This revolutionary method for intestinal flora identification heralds a new chapter in our understanding of the microbial world.