ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of Astragali Radix-mediated changes in gut microbiota on treating type 2 diabetes （T2DM）. MethodsA 12-week randomized， placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled eighty patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and poor glycemic control in the Qi deficiency type. All patients received insulin therapy. The observation group （40 cases） was administered with Astragali Radix Granules， while the control group （40 cases） received a placebo. Both treamtents were taken orally twice daily. Changes in gut microbiota were assessed by 16s rDNA sequencing. Serum glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1） levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Glucose metabolism indicators including fasting blood glucose （FPG）， 2-hour postprandial blood glucose （2 h PG），glycated albumin（GA）， and glycated hemoglobin （HbA1c） were evaluated. Pancreatic function was evaluated using fasting C-peptide （FCP）， 2-hour postprandial C-peptide （2 h CP）， and C-peptide area under the curve （AUC_cp）. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， clinical efficacy， and safety indicators were also observed. ResultsIn terms of glucose metabolism indicators， compared with the baseline， both groups exhibited significantly lower FPG， 2 h PG， GA and HbA1C （P<0.01），while FCP， 2 h CP and AUC_cp were significantly higher （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group after the treatment， the observation group showed significantly lower FPG， 2 h PG， GA and HbA1C（P<0.05， P<0.01），and significantly higher FCP， 2 h CP and AUC_cp （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that Astragali Radix can improve glucose metabolism. In terms of the diversity of gut microbiota， no significant differences were detected in the Chao1， Shannon and Simpson indexes of the two groups compared with their respective baselines. However， compared with the post-treatment control group， the observation group demonstrated significant increases in the Chao1， Shannon and Simpson indexes （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The β-diversity analysis showed significant separation in gut microbiota composition before and after treatment in both groups， indicating that Astragali Radix can significantly alter the structure and improve the diversity of gut microbiota. At the phylum level， compared with the baseline， both groups showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidota（P<0.01）. The relative abundance of the potentially harmful phylum Proteobacteria was significantly lower in the observation Group after treatment （P<0.01）. Compared with the post-treatment control group， the observation group had a significantly higher relative abundance of Bacteroidota（P<0.01）. No significant difference was found in Firmicutes/Bacteroidota （F/B） ratio between the two groups after treatment， and other phyla showed no significant differences. At the genus level， compared with the baseline， the observation group exhibited a significant increase in Bacteroides （P<0.01） and a significant decrease in Escherichia-Shigella （P<0.01）， whereas no significant difference was seen in the control group . Compared with the control group after treatment， the observation group after treatment had a significantly higher relative abundance of Bacteroides （P<0.01）. No significant differences were seen in other genera. Linear discriminant analysis （LDA） identified potential characteristics taxa： in the observation group， Bacteroidota at the phylum level and Bacteroides and Dubosiella at the genus level， in the control group， Proteobacteria at the phylum level as well as Barnesiella and Staphylococcus at the genus level. Correlation analysis based on a heatmap revealed that GLP-1 levels were positively correlated with Firmicutes， F/B ratio and Fusobacterium， and negatively correlated with Bacteroidota， Proteobacteria， Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella. In terms of clinical efficacy， compared with the control group， the total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher （P<0.05）. Compared with the baseline， the scores for shortness of breath， fatigue， weakness， spontaneous sweating and reluctance to speak significantly decreased in both groups （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the score for weakness was significantly lower in the observation group （P<0.01），indicating that Astragali Radix could improve clinical symptoms and alleviate weakness symptoms. In terms of safety， compared with the baseline， alanine aminotransferase （ALT） levels significantly decreased in both groups （P<0.05，P<0.01），indicating that Astragali Radix did not induce any significant abnormalities in liver and kidney functions. ConclusionAstragali Radix demonstrates the potential to significantly improve the gut microbiota environment in patients of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes with Qi deficiency. The therapeutic effect may contribute to glycemic control， possibly mediated by an elevation in GLP-1 level. These findings may support its further clinical investigations and potential applications.

Objectives: . This study aimed to explore the role of the Pcdh15 gene in hearing maintenance and to examine the effects of its deficiency on cochlear structure, cochlear function, and hearing loss in mice. Methods: . CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to generate Pcdh15 knockout (KO) mice. Auditory function was evaluated using hearing tests, while histological approaches were employed to assess morphological changes in cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on cochlear tissue from postnatal day 18 (P18) wild-type (WT) and Pcdh15 KO mice to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DEGs were subjected to functional annotation and pathway analysis, with particular emphasis on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were quantified using flow cytometry and DCFH-DA assays. Results: . Pcdh15 KO mice exhibited progressive sensorineural hearing loss, which worsened to profound deafness by P18. Notably, cochlear hair cells and SGNs showed substantial loss and pronounced morphological abnormalities, particularly within the basal high-frequency region. RNA-seq analysis identified 1,359 DEGs, including 1,024 downregulated and 335 upregulated genes. Pathway analysis indicated that Pcdh15 deficiency was associated with inhibition of the OXPHOS pathway, potentially disrupting mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, III, IV, and V and thereby impairing energy production and ATP metabolism. In addition, early-stage cochleae from KO mice demonstrated elevated ROS levels and increased oxidative stress, suggesting that redox imbalance may contribute to hearing damage. Conclusion . Pcdh15 plays a critical role in hearing maintenance. Its deficiency is associated with severe hearing loss and marked cochlear abnormalities, which are linked to inhibition of OXPHOS, disruption of energy metabolism, and exacerbation of oxidative stress. Together, these findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying hearing loss and suggest potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is pathologically characterized by cerebral amyloid β‑protein (Aβ) aggregation, neurofibrillary tangles and progressive cognitive deterioration. There is an urgent clinical demand for targeted therapeutic agents against AD, whereas the blood-brain barrier (BBB) acts as a critical physical barrier that blocks over 98% small-molecule drugs and nearly all biomacromolecules from entering brain parenchyma. Nanomedicine-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs) with tunable physicochemical properties can cross the BBB via multiple transcytosis pathways including adsorptive-mediated, receptor-mediated and transporter-mediated routes, opening a promising avenue for targeted AD treatment. A core academic viewpoint proposed herein is that robust in vitro endothelial penetration of nanocarriers cannot guarantee effective accumulation in brain target cells. Comprehensive evaluation of BBB-crossing delivery efficiency should not merely rely on in vitro permeability tests, but cover the full multi-step transcytosis cascade, cellular tropism in brain tissues and in vivo therapeutic outcomes. This review systematically sorts out diverse nanoplatforms applicable to BBB penetration for AD intervention. Inorganic nanomaterials such as gold and ceria nanoparticles possess large specific surface areas and intrinsic antioxidant capacity, which eliminate reactive oxygen species and hinder Aβ fibrillization. Liposomal formulations and solid lipid nanoparticles exhibit superior biocompatibility with biomimetic phospholipid bilayer architectures, capable of co-loading hydrophilic nucleic acids for Tau regulation and lipophilic Aβ inhibitors; relying on receptor-mediated transcytosis, they achieve sustained drug retention in the brain. Polymeric nanocarriers including nanogels and polyamidoamine dendrimers enable multi-target combinatorial therapy, and can be engineered to release cargo in response to inflammatory microenvironments, thereby suppressing excessive microglial activation and protecting neuronal mitochondria. Beyond conventional nanocarriers, this work elaborates two cutting-edge BBB-crossing delivery platforms: biomimetic nanosystems and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Biomimetic nanoparticles camouflaged with erythrocyte, platelet or macrophage membranes, as well as natural exosomes, evade immune clearance, prolong systemic circulation and inherently home to inflammatory lesions. Serving as “nano-decoys”, they neutralize Aβ neurotoxins and remodel cerebral inflammatory microenvironments simultaneously. MOFs feature high porosity and customizable pore channels for co-delivery of multiple therapeutics, and can be integrated with near-infrared photothermal and photooxidation modalities to facilitate focal brain lesion therapy. This review highlights a transformative paradigm shift in the field of BBB-targeted AD therapy: research focus has shifted from simply maximizing cerebral drug penetration toward active modulation and functional restoration of the BBB. Impaired BBB transporters intrinsically impede endogenous Aβ clearance. Accordingly, BBB-regulating nanocarriers are designed to remodel the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) trafficking cascade, redirecting endocytic vesicles from lysosomal degradation to non-degradable transcytosis and restoring the intrinsic Aβ efflux capacity of the BBB. Distinct from conventional strategies that only exert local lesion inhibition, this systemic clearance strategy eliminates cerebral Aβ deposits by accelerating peripheral excretion.

Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective measures for preventing and controlling infectious diseases.In recent years, there has been a growing public demand for knowledge about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, which has placed higher requirements on the capacity and quality of immunization services. However, "vaccine hesitancy" has become an increasingly prominent issue. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed it as one of the top ten global health threats, and it is gradually becoming a major challenge for immunization programs worldwide. Therefore, current immunization programs need to actively innovate in publicity and communication strategies to enhance public willingness for voluntary vaccination, improve awareness and trust in vaccines, and further reinforce the understanding of their critical role in infectious disease prevention and control. This paper examines the challenges and circumstances faced by vaccination publicity and communication in the new era, and proposes relevant recommendations, aiming to provide reference for developing new models of publicity and communication.

Objective To explore the biosynthesis of Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry triterpenoid saponin,and the UGT gene in Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry has been analyzed by the identification of whole genome,genome and prokaryotic expression.Methods The laboratory self-tested sequenced protein sequence files of the Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry genome were used.To validate the conserved domains of the sequence of the Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry UGT gene,BLASTP and hmmsearch were utilized.Prot-Param,SOMPA,MAGA7.0,Tbtools and other tools were used to investigate the protein physicochemical properties,protein structure,and covariance analysis of the Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry UGT gene family,and using the joint analysis of transcriptomic data and metabolomics data,two glycosyltransferases that might be related to triterpene saponin biosynthesis were screened,and expression vectors were constructed for prokaryotic expression.Results 44 Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry UGT genes were identified from the Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry genome.The length of Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry UGT proteins ranged from 49 to 1083 amino acids,with an average molecular weight of 24.86 kDa and an isoelectric point of 4.31-8.59.Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry UGT gene family was distributed on eight chromosomes.The phylogenetic tree constructed from the sequences of Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry,Arabidopsis thaliana and identified UGTs showed that glycosyltransferase gene families in Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry were mainly in the UGT73,UGT81,UGT85,and UGT80 families.Cis-acting element analysis showed that light-responsive elements were the most prevalent elements in the promoter regions of UGT gene family members.Two glycosyltransferases potentially related to triterpene saponin biosynthesis were screened using combined transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis,and were successfully expressed in prokaryotic form.Conclusion In this study,two candidate genes related to the biosynthesis of Dipsacus asper Wall.ex Henry triterpenoid saponins were jointly screened for prokaryotic expression using multi-omics,and were subjected to prokaryotic expression for further validation of the function of the genes.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of high-dose tigecycline(TGC)and polymyxin B(PMB)in the treatment of pulmonary infection due to carbapenem-resistant organism(CRO).Methods Clinical data of pa-tients with CRO pulmonary infection and received PMB or high-dose TGC combined with other antimicrobial treat-ment regimens in Department of Critical Care Medicine of Xiangya Hospital,Central South University from January 2019 to March 2022 were analyzed retrospectively,including basic information,pathogen detection results,antimi-crobial use regimen,clinical efficacy,30-day mortality,bacterial clearance rate,etc.Results A total of 173 pa-tients were included in analysis,with 103 in the TGC group and 70 in the PMB group.Compared with TGC group,PMB group had a higher score of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)(25.0 vs 20.0,P＜0.001),but clinical efficacy rates were not statistically different(67.1％vs 52.4％,P=0.054).Stratified analysis revealed that when the APACHE Ⅱ score was ≥15 points,compared with TGC group(n=78),PMB group(n=66)had a higher APACHE Ⅱ score(27.0 vs 22.0,P=0.005)and a higher clinical efficacy rate(66.7％vs 47.4％,P=0.020).After adjusting confounding factors through logistic regression analysis,it was found that PMB treatment was a protective factor for clinical efficacy rate compared with TGC treatment.Conclusion For treating pulmonary infection caused by CRO in patients,PMB-based treatment regimen has a significant protec-tive effect on the clinical efficacy rate compared with the high-dose TGC-based treatment regimen.

Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective measures for preventing and controlling infectious diseases.In recent years, there has been a growing public demand for knowledge about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, which has placed higher requirements on the capacity and quality of immunization services. However, "vaccine hesitancy" has become an increasingly prominent issue. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed it as one of the top ten global health threats, and it is gradually becoming a major challenge for immunization programs worldwide. Therefore, current immunization programs need to actively innovate in publicity and communication strategies to enhance public willingness for voluntary vaccination, improve awareness and trust in vaccines, and further reinforce the understanding of their critical role in infectious disease prevention and control. This paper examines the challenges and circumstances faced by vaccination publicity and communication in the new era, and proposes relevant recommendations, aiming to provide reference for developing new models of publicity and communication.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of cancer related anemia(CRA)in older cancer patients undergoing multi-line anti-tumor treatment.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted,including patients with CRA who were≥65 years old and had received or were currently undergoing multi-line treatment at 9 hospitals in Beijing from June 1,2018 to September 30,2023.Data on gender,age,past history,family history,tumor type,metastasis site,clinical symptoms,blood routine,specialized examination for anemia,anti-tumor and anemia correction treatment were collected.The basic characteristics of the included patients,clinical symptoms,the status of blood cell reduction,treatment conditions,and the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome characteristics were analyzed.Results A total of 602 patients were included.The tumor types included lung cancer,colorectal cancer,gastric cancer,esophageal cancer,breast cancer,gynecological tumors,lymphoma.The overall median hemoglobin(HGB)level was 99.00(88.00,107.00)g/L.The HGB levels of patients with different tumor types showed significant differences(P<0.001).The HGB levels of patients with gynecological tumors were significantly lower than those of patients with colorectal cancer,lung cancer and esophageal cancer(P<0.05).The most common clinical symptoms were fatigue,loss of appetite,irregular bowel movements and pain.In terms of anti-tumor treatment,405 patients were receiving multi-line anti-tumor treatment(including combined chemotherapy,combined radiotherapy,combined targeted therapy,and combined immunotherapy),197 patients were receiving symptomatic supportive treatment after multi-line anti-tumor treatment.In terms of anemia correction treatment,183 patients received erythropoietin,folic acid,iron,vitamin B12,or blood transfusion,while 293 patients received TCM for correcting anemia(including Chinese patent medicines,Chinese herbal decoctions,combinations of Chinese patent medicines and Chinese herbal decoctions).Specialized tests for anemia,such as serum iron,total iron binding capacity,transferrin saturation,transferrin,erythropoietin et al,have a detection rate of only 3.65%～27.91%.In terms of the characteristics of TCM syndromes,the main TCM syndrome types of the patients were as follows:syndrome of spleen-stomach weakness,syndrome of qi and blood deficiency,syndrome of heart-spleen deficiency,syndrome of spleen-kidney yang deficiency,syndrome of liver and kidney yin deficiency.Some patients also have the accompanying symptoms of internal binding of static blood and poison,phlegm dampness retention.Further comparison revealed that the HGB level of older patients with CRA who had syndrome of spleen-stomach weakness was significantly lower than patients with other symptom types(P<0.001).The HGB level of patients with syndrome of qi and blood deficiency was significantly lower than patients with syndrome of spleen-kidney yang deficiency(P<0.01)and syndrome of liver and kidney yin deficiency(P<0.001).Patients with symptoms of internal binding of static blood and poison,or symptoms of phlegm dampness retention had significantly lower HGB levels compared to those without accompanying symptoms(P<0.01).Conclusion The rate of specialized blood test for anemia in older patients with CRA was relatively low.The most common TCM syndrome types were syndrome of spleen-stomach weakness and syndrome of qi and blood deficiency.The overall treatment rate was also low.The screening,specialized diagnosis and monitoring of older patients with CRA need to be given more attention,and treatment methods such as TCM,Western medicine,and integrated TCM-Western medicine should be selected based on the patient's condition.

Infectious diseases of the respiratory system are very common in clinical practice,among which pneumonia caused by in-fluenza virus infection is characterized by high morbidity and mortality.Current clinical treatments for respiratory viral infections still face challenges such as drug resistance and poor efficacy.Necroptosis,a form of programmed cell death,is closely associated with the progression of respiratory viral infections.Traditional Chinese medicine modulating necroptosis has demonstrated beneficial therapeu-tic effects in these diseases.This paper introduces the concept and mechanisms of necroptosis,reviews recent research on the relation-ship between necroptosis and respiratory virus infections diseases,and summarizes the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medi-cine in regulating necroptosis to intervene in these diseases,aiming to provide insights for the development and clinical application of therapeutic agents for respiratory viral infections.

Objective To study the effect of Liuwei Dihuangwan on autophagy level and its mechanism in SAMP8 mice and Aβ-stimulated BV2 cell model,and to explore the molecular mechanism of tonifying the kidney and filling up the essence to prevent and control Alzheimer's disease(AD)through interfering with autophagy.Methods Ten 7-month-old male anti-aging mice(SAMR1)were taken as the normal group,and 40 7-month-old male rapid aging mice(SAMP8)were randomly control and model groups,equal volumes of saline were administered by gavage twice a day for 4 weeks,and the levels of Aβ expression in the hippocampus of the mice in each group were detected by immunofluorescence;The expression levels of FcγRⅡB,c-Src and SHP-1 in the hippocampus of each group were detected by Western blot;BV2 cells were cultured and Fcγ receptor Ⅱ-b(FcγRⅡB)overexpression vectors were constructed;the AD state cell model was established by treating the BV2 cells with 5 μmol·L-1 Aβ1-42,and the Liuwei Dihuangwan drug-containing serum was prepared.The cells were divided into NC group,Aβ1-42 group,blank serum group,drug-containing serum group,Vector group,FcγRⅡB OE group,and drug-containing serum+FcγRⅡB OE group;immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression level of Aβ protein in the cells of each group;Western blot was used to detect the expression level of p62,LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1,and c-Src in cells of each group.Results Compared with the normal group,the hippocampal Aβ,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1,and c-Src expression levels in the model group of mice were significantly higher(P<0.01),and compared with the model group,the expression levels of Aβ,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1,and c-Src in the low-,medium-,and high-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuangwan were significantly lower(P<0.01),it also showed a significant dose dependent relationship.Compared with NC group,the protein expressions of Aβ,p62,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1 and c-Src in Aβ1-42 group were significantly increased(P<0.01),and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly decreased(P<0.01);Compared with Aβ1-42 group and blank serum group,the protein expressions of Aβ,p62,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1 and c-Src in drug-containing serum group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly increased(P<0.01);Compared with NC group and Vector group,the expression of Aβ in FcγRⅡB OE group was increased,the protein expressions of p62,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1 and c-Src were significantly increased(P<0.01),and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly decreased(P<0.01);Compared with the drug-containing serum group,the protein expressions of Aβ,p62,FcγRⅡB,SHP-1 and c-Src in the drug-containing serum+FcγRⅡB OE group were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the protein expression levels of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Liuwei Dihuangwan improved AD by inhibiting microglia FcγRⅡB/c-Src pathway and increasing autophagy level.