ObjectiveProtein-protein interactions (PPIs) are fundamental to the execution of biological functions within living cells. However, traditional biochemical methods, such as co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), often fail to capture transient, weak, or membrane-associated interactions due to the stringent detergent requirements for cell lysis. Proximity labeling (PL) has emerged in recent years as a transformative technology for mapping the proteomes of specific subcellular compartments and identifying dynamic interactomes in situ. Golgi protein 73 (GP73, also known as GOLPH2), a resident type II Golgi transmembrane protein, is a well-recognized clinical biomarker for liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite its clinical significance, the comprehensive physiological and pathological functions of GP73 remain partially understood. This study aims to establish an APEX2-mediated proximity labeling system specifically targeting GP73 to map its interactome in a living cellular environment, thereby providing new insights into its molecular roles and regulatory mechanisms. MethodsTo achieve spatial specificity, we first constructed a stable cell line expressing a fusion protein consisting of GP73 and the engineered soybean peroxidase APEX2. The localization of the GP73-APEX2 fusion protein was validated to ensure it correctly targeted the Golgi apparatus. The proximity labeling reaction was initiated by incubating the cells with biotin-phenol (BP) for 30 min, followed by a brief (1 min) treatment with1 mmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). This catalytic reaction converts BP into highly reactive, short-lived biotin-phenoxyl radicals that covalently attach to endogenous proteins within a small labeling radius of the GP73-APEX2 enzyme. Subsequently, the cells were quenched, and biotinylated proteins were enriched using high-affinity streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. The captured “neighbor” proteins were subjected to on-bead digestion and analyzed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for high-throughput identification. Rigorous bioinformatics analysis, including Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction network mapping, was performed to interpret the biological significance of the identified candidates. ResultsOur results demonstrate the successful establishment of a robust and sensitive APEX2-based proximity labeling system for GP73. We identified a total of 95 high-confidence interacting proteins that were significantly enriched in the GP73 proximity proteome compared to control groups. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these interactors were predominantly associated with biological processes such as vesicular transport, protein localization, and, most notably, molecular functions related to “ribosome binding” and “translation regulation”. This suggested an unexpected role for the Golgi-resident GP73 in the cellular translation machinery. To validate these findings, we performed targeted biochemical assays which confirmed a direct interaction between GP73 and the subunits of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) complex, specifically EIF3G and EIF3I. Furthermore, functional validation using the surface sensing of translation (SUnSET) assay—a non-radioactive method to monitor protein synthesis—revealed that the overexpression of GP73 significantly promoted global protein translation levels in the cell, whereas its depletion or inhibition resulted in reduced translation efficiency. ConclusionThis study successfully utilized APEX2-mediated proximity labeling to provide the first systematic map of GP73 interactome in living cells. Our findings uncover a novel, unconventional function of GP73 as a regulator of cellular protein translation, likely mediated through its interaction with the eIF3 complex. This discovery significantly broadens our understanding of the biological roles of GP73 beyond its traditional function in the Golgi apparatus and suggests that it may act as a bridge between Golgi-related trafficking and the protein synthesis machinery. Furthermore, the technical framework established in this study provides a valuable template for investigating other complex organelle-associated protein networks and resolving transient macromolecular interactions in various physiological and pathological contexts.

ObjectivePhotoacoustic tomography (PAT) holds significant potential for high-resolution deep-tissue imaging. In preclinical research, custom-designed concave arc-shaped ultrasound transducer arrays are often used to maximize the detection aperture. However, manufacturing limitations and assembly tolerances frequently cause the actual physical positions of array elements to deviate from their theoretical design. Additionally, concave arrays are typically covered with an acoustic lens, which introduces a mismatch in the speed of sound between the coupling medium and the lens material. The combination of these geometric and acoustic-phase errors leads to severe image artifacts, reduced contrast, and degraded resolution. This study proposes a systematic two-step calibration strategy to address these issues and substantially improve image quality. MethodsFirst, a high-intensity isotropic photoacoustic point source was constructed using a multi-mode optical fiber coated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to acquire high signal-to-noise ratio calibration data. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) was employed to accurately determine the time of arrival (ToA) of photoacoustic signals. Subsequently, a geometric calibration algorithm based on nonlinear least-squares (NLS) estimation was developed. This algorithm iteratively solves for the true spatial coordinates of each array element by minimizing the residual between theoretical and measured acoustic path lengths. To further address sound-speed inhomogeneity caused by the acoustic lens, a phase compensation algorithm based on bilinear interpolation was proposed. This algorithm computes a pixel-specific phase delay map across the imaging region and performs point-by-point signal correction during delay-and-sum (DAS) reconstruction. The proposed methods were validated using a custom 96-channel concave arc-shaped array (center frequency: 12  MHz) through both phantom imaging and in vivo mouse tumor models. ResultsPhantom experiments showed that at an imaging depth of14 mm, the reconstruction position deviation of the point source in the uncalibrated system reached up to 1  mm. After applying the combined calibration, the lateral resolution (full width at half maximum, FWHM) at the focal point of the arc array reached 95  μm—representing a 85% reduction compared to the uncalibrated state and a 79% reduction compared to geometric calibration alone without phase compensation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the calibrated system clearly resolved the microvascular network of subcutaneous tumors in mice. Photoacoustic signals were strictly confined within tumor boundaries delineated by ultrasound imaging (USI), eliminating the vascular spillover artifacts commonly observed in uncalibrated images. Furthermore, after intravenous injection of indocyanine green (ICG), the system successfully detected weak photoacoustic signals at a depth of 5 mm, performing significantly better than the uncalibrated system. ConclusionThe proposed calibration method, which integrates nonlinear least-squares estimation with phase compensation, significantly improves image fidelity and spatial resolution consistency across a wide field of view by correcting systemic geometric errors and acoustic phase aberrations. This approach demonstrates high robustness and provides a reliable technical foundation for the clinical translation of photoacoustic probes with non-standard geometries.

Wilson disease （WD） is characterized by marked heterogeneity in clinical phenotype， and it often overlaps with liver diseases （such as cholestatic liver diseases and active hepatitis） and neuropsychiatric diseases， which may easily lead to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. This article focuses on the confusing scenarios in clinical practice， reviews the pathophysiological basis of ATPase copper transporting beta （ATP7B） gene dysfunction， and systematically elaborates on the key interpretation points and limitations of ceruloplasmin， total serum copper/non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper， 24-hour urinary copper excretion， D-penicillamine challenge test， hepatic copper quantification， and histopathological assessment across different clinical scenarios. This article also summarizes the potential application of emerging dynamic copper indicators， such as relative exchangeable copper， in diagnosis， family screening， and treatment monitoring. In addition， it discusses the role of ATP7B genetic testing in “gray-zone” cases， difficulties in interpreting variants of uncertain significance， and the features of mutation spectrum in Chinese population， as well as the potential decline in diagnostic performance of the Leipzig scoring system in the context of complex liver diseases. Overall， the diagnosis of WD should not rely on a single indicator， and it is recommended to adopt a multidimensional hierarchical decision-making pathway that integrates phenotype， biochemical tests， dynamic copper indices， tissue/genetic evidence， and scoring systems. Furthermore， key thresholds and workflows should be optimized using real-world data from China， so as to enhance the efficiency of early identification and familial management， thereby improving the long-term prognosis of patients.

Cirrhotic portal hypertension is a clinical syndrome caused by persistently elevated portal venous pressure due to liver cirrhosis and can lead to a series of complications， among which esophagogastric variceal bleeding has become one of the most severe complications due to sudden onset and a high mortality rate. Since the release of Expert consensus on diagnosis and treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding in cirrhotic portal hypertension （2019 edition）， significant advances have been achieved in this field in China and globally. In order to formulate an expert consensus aligned with the situation of China， Chinese Society of Surgery， Chinese Medical Association organized and compiled Expert Consensus on diagnosis and treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding in cirrhotic portal hypertension （2025 edition）. This article elaborates on the key updates in the new edition and explores the major differences between the old and new editions， in order to enhance the understanding of the new edition among clinicians and provide a reference for clinicians in clinical work.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of muscle changes （including sarcopenia and myosteatosis） and related influencing factors in patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder （PSVD）， and to provide a theoretical basis for the early identification， prevention， and intervention of muscle changes in PSVD patients. MethodsA total of 132 PSVD patients who were diagnosed in Nanjing Second Hospital from July 2017 to July 2024 were enrolled as case group， and the hospital staff who underwent physical examination in 2025 were enrolled as healthy control group. Propensity score matching was performed based on age and sex at a ratio of 1∶1. According to muscle status assessed by abdominal CT， the subjects were divided into non-muscle change group， mild muscle change group （myosteatosis alone）， and severe muscle change group （sarcopenia alone or sarcopenia comorbid with myosteatosis）， with the type and severity of muscle change as the exposure factors. General information， laboratory tests， L3-level CT images， and liver biopsy data were collected for the patients in the case group， and general information and CT images were collected for the individuals in the healthy control group. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by measuring skeletal muscle index at the L3 level （<44.77 cm²/m² for men and <32.50 cm²/m² for women）， and myosteatosis was defined by mean muscle attenuation combined with BMI （BMI <24.9 kg/m² with attenuation <41 HU or BMI ≥25 kg/m² with attenuation <33 HU）. Demographic， laboratory， and clinical parameters were compared between the case group and the healthy control group. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with sarcopenia in PSVD. ResultsAmong the 132 patients with PSVD， there were 83 patients with portal hypertension （PH） and 49 patients without PH， and there were significant differences between these two groups in age， albumin， albumin/globulin ratio， leukocyte count， neutrophil count， red blood cell count， platelet count， direct bilirubin， indirect bilirubin， hemoglobin， blood calcium， cholinesterase， total bile acid， triglyceride， total cholesterol， prothrombin time， international normalized ratio， activated partial thromboplastin time， decompensation， gastroesophageal or ectopic varices， bleeding and ascites （all P<0.05）. The analyses after matching showed that compared with the healthy control group， the case group had significantly higher prevalence rates of abnormal muscle structure （43.18% vs 18.94%， P<0.001）， mild muscle changes （22.73% vs 7.58%， P<0.001）， and severe muscle changes （20.45% vs 11.36%， P<0.001）. Further comparison showed that there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with muscle changes between the PSVD patients with PH and those without PH （42.17% vs 44.90%， P=0.760）. The binary Logistic regression analysis with the presence or absence of muscle changes as the dependent variable showed that age （odds ratio ［OR］=1.05， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.02 — 1.09， P<0.05）， subcutaneous fat index （OR=1.03， 95%CI： 1.01 — 1.06， P<0.05）， hemoglobin （OR=0.97， 95%CI： 0.95 — 0.99， P<0.05）， and thrombin time （OR=1.26， 95%CI： 1.06 — 1.49， P<0.05） were independent influencing factors for muscle changes in PSVD patients. The multivariate ordinal Logistic regression analysis with the severity of muscle changes as the dependent variable showed that age （OR=1.04， 95%CI： 1.01 — 1.07， P<0.05） and thrombin time （OR=1.17， 95%CI： 1.01 — 1.36， P<0.05） were independent risk factors for the grading of muscle changes. ConclusionMuscle changes are common in PSVD patients， and these changes may be caused by PSVD itself rather than PH. Age， fat distribution， thrombin time， and hemoglobin are important influencing factors for muscle changes.

This paper summarizes professor WANG Qingguo's experience in treatment of headache based on the "achieving harmony by unblocking and balancing" concept. It is considered that although the pathogenesis of headache is generally attributed to "pain arises from obstruction" and "pain arises from malnourishment"， clinical presentations often involve a complex mixture of deficiency and excess， as well as cold and heat patterns. Professor WANG proposes the diagnostic and therapeutic theory of "achieving harmony by unblocking and balancing"， advocating for equal emphasis on "freeing the flow of qi and blood" and "regulating the balance of yin and yang". He has summarized eight treatment methods for common headache patterns. For wind-cold attacking the collaterals， treatment should focus on dispersing and unblocking through modified Gegen Decoction （葛根汤）. For wind-dampness binding， it is recommended to unblock and drain， using modified Qingshang Juantong Decoction （清上蠲痛汤）. For damp-heat congestion， unblocking and clearing is the method， using modified Toufeng Shen Formula （头风神方）. For liver-gallbladder qi constraint， unblocking and soothing is the treatment principle， and modified Sanpian Decoction （散偏汤） is suggested. For insufficiency of center qi， even supplementation method is recommended， and modified Yiqi Congming Decoction （益气聪明汤） can be used. For liver yang hyperactivity， unblocking and subduing are combined， using modified Xunlong Decoction （驯龙汤）. For deficiency-cold in the liver and stomach， warming， harmonizing， unblocking， and descending are applied， using modified Wuzhuyu Decoction （吴茱萸汤）. For blood deficiency with cold congelation， unblocking and nourishing are undertaken together， using modified Danggui Sini Decoction （当归四逆汤）. The ultimate goal is to restore the dynamic balance of yin， yang， qi， and blood in the body， thereby allevia-ting pain by restoring clarity and function to the head orifices.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Xiaoqinglong Decoction （小青龙汤， XD） in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. MethodsForty-five rats were randomly assigned to a control group， a model group， a loratadine group， low-， medium- and high-dose XD groups， and low-， medium- and high-dose Mahuang Decoction and Cang'erzi Powder （麻黄汤合苍耳子散， MDCP） groups. Except for the control group， rats were administered with ovalbumin （OVA） and aluminum hydroxide via intraperitoneal injection for 14 days to establish an allergic rhinitis model. After the 14th-day injection， nasal stimulation was continued with 20 μl of 10% OVA solution to maintain the model. Rats in the control group and the model group received 10 ml/（kg·d） of saline， whereas those in the loratadine group were administered with 0.9 mg/（kg·d） of loratadine. The low-， medium- and high-dose XD groups were administered XD at the dose of 2.7， 5.4， and 10.8 g/（kg·d）， respectively. The low-， medium- and high-dose MDCP groups were administered MDCP at the dose of 2.43， 4.86， and 9.72 g/（kg·d）， respectively. All treatments were administered by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days. One hour after the final gavage， nasal symptom scores were recorded for all group of rats. The next day， serum levels of immunoglobulin E （IgE）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， and interleukin-13 （IL-13） were measured. HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of the nasal mucosal tissue. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR （RT-qPCR） and Western Blot were performed to assess mRNA and protein expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin （TSLP） and OX40 ligand （OX40L） in the nasal mucosa. ResultsCompared to the control group， total nasal symptom score in the model group significantly increased （P＜0.01）. HE staining revealed disrupted and adhered cilia， thickened basement membranes， and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration in the nasal mucosa. Serum levels of total IgE， IL-4， and IL-13， as well as TSLP and OX40L mRNA and protein expression in the nasal mucosa， were significantly elevated in the model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the model group， the total nasal symptom scores in all drug intervention groups were significantly reduced； the serum total IgE levels in the loratadine group， the low- and medium-dose XD groups， and the low- and high-dose MDCP groups were significantly reduced； and the serum levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the high-dose XD group and the high-dose MDCP group decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Nasal mucosal structure was improved. Except for the low-dose MDCP group， all other intervention groups showed a significant reduction in TSLP and OX40L mRNA expression in the nasal mucosa （P＜0.01）. All doses of XD and the medium- and high-dose MDCP groups significantly decreased the protein levels of TSLP and OX40L （P＜0.05）. The medium-dose XD group exhibited more improvement of nasal symptom scores and greater suppression of expression of TSLP and OX40L mRNA， and TSLP protein levels compared to the loratadine group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionXD may protect nasal mucosa of rats and alleviate allergic rhinitis by suppressing the TSLP/OX40L pathway， thereby attenuating Th2-mediated immune responses.

"Dietary inquiry" is a core component of the diagnostic system in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， which can be divided into three aspects including appetite， eating capacity， and food preference. Abnormalities in appetite are mainly attributed to dysfunction of the mind and impaired regulatory mechanisms. Clinical inquiry should focus on hunger sensation and the willingness to eat voluntarily. Treatment should aim to soothe the liver， regulate the spleen， nourish and calm the mind. Abnormalities in eating capacity are related to disorders of qi movement and structural dysfunction， for which inquiry should focus on whether food descends smoothly and on postprandial reactions， and the corresponding treatment is descending qi， relieving fullness， and promoting bowel movement and digestion. Abnormalities in food preference arise from damage caused by the five flavors and imbalance of visceral qi， for which inquiry should focus on dietary preferences and whether eating brings comfort. It is important to distinguish between "stomach preference" and "oral preference"， and treatment should carefully differentiate flavor tendencies and correct imbalances through appropriate dietary flavors. By refining the content of dietary inquiry， this study explores how different dimensions of eating status reflect the holistic concept and syndrome differentiation-based treatment in TCM， providing a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of spleen and stomach diseases and related disorders.