ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Tangning Tongluo tablets in the treatment of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy （DR）. MethodsFourteen research centers participated in this study， which spanned a time interval from September 2021 to May 2023. A total of 240 patients with nonproliferative DR were included and randomly assigned into an observation group （120 cases） and a control group （120 cases）. The observation group was treated with Tangning Tongluo tablets， and the control group with calcium dobesilate capsules. Both groups were treated for 24 consecutive weeks. The vision， DR progression rate， retinal microhemangioma， hemorrhage area， exudation area， glycosylated hemoglobin （HbA1c） level， and TCM syndrome score were assessed before and after treatment， and the safety was observed. ResultsThe vision changed in both groups after treatment （P<0.05）， and the observation group showed higher best corrected visual acuity （BCVA） than the control group （P<0.05）. The DR progression was slow with similar rates in the two groups. The fundus hemorrhage area and exudation area did not change significantly after treatment in both groups， while the observation group outperformed the control group in reducing the fundus hemorrhage area and exudation area. There was no significant difference in the number of microhemangiomas between the two groups before treatment. After treatment， the number of microhemangiomas decreased in both the observation group （Z=-1.437， P<0.05） and the control group （Z=-2.238， P<0.05）， and it showed no significant difference between the two groups. As the treatment time prolonged， the number of microhemangiomas gradually decreased in both groups. There was no significant difference in the HbA1c level between the two groups before treatment. After treatment， the decline in the HbA1c level showed no significant difference between the two groups. The TCM syndrome score did not have a statistically significant difference between the two groups before treatment. After treatment， neither the TCM syndrome score nor the response rate had significant difference between the two groups. With the extension of the treatment time， both groups showed amelioration of TCM syndrome compared with the baseline. ConclusionTangning Tongluo tablets are safe and effective in the treatment of nonproliferative DR， being capable of improving vision and reducing hemorrhage and exudation in the fundus.

BACKGROUND:Human periodontal ligament stem cells are potential functional cells for periodontal tissue engineering.However,long-term in vitro culture may lead to reduced stemness and replicative senescence of periodontal ligament stem cells,which may impair the therapeutic effect of human periodontal ligament stem cells. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of oxymatrine on the stemness maintenance and osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells in vitro,and to explore the potential mechanism. METHODS:Periodontal ligament stem cells were isolated from human periodontal ligament tissues by tissue explant enzyme digestion and cultured.The surface markers of mesenchymal cells were identified by flow cytometry.Periodontal ligament stem cells were incubated with 0,2.5,5,and 10 μg/mL oxymatrine.The effect of oxymatrine on the proliferation activity of periodontal ligament stem cells was detected by CCK8 assay.The appropriate drug concentration for subsequent experiments was screened.Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of stem cell non-specific proteins SOX2 and OCT4 in periodontal ligament stem cells.qRT-PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the expression levels of related osteogenic genes and proteins in periodontal ligament stem cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The results of CCK8 assay showed that 2.5 μg/mL oxymatrine significantly enhanced the proliferative activity of periodontal stem cells,and the subsequent experiment selected 2.5 μg/mL oxymatrine to intervene.(2)Compared with the blank control group,the protein expression level of SOX2,a stem marker of periodontal ligament stem cells in the oxymatrine group did not change significantly(P>0.05),and the expression of OCT4 was significantly up-regulated(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the osteogenic induction group,the osteogenic genes ALP,RUNX2 mRNA expression and their osteogenic associated protein ALP protein expression of periodontal ligament stem cells were significantly down-regulated in the oxymatrine+osteogenic induction group(P<0.05).(4)The oxymatrine up-regulated the expression of stemness markers of periodontal ligament stem cells and inhibited the bone differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells,and the results of high-throughput sequencing showed that it may be associated with WNT2,WNT16,COMP,and BMP6.

A 71-year-old male presented with esophageal cancer and severe aortic valve regurgitation. Treatment strategies for such patients are controversial. Considering the risks of cardiopulmonary bypass and potential esophageal cancer metastasis, we successfully performed transcatheter aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive three-incision thoracolaparoscopy combined with radical resection of esophageal cancer (McKeown) simultaneously in the elderly patient who did not require neoadjuvant treatment. This dual minimally invasive procedure took 6 hours and the patient recovered smoothly without any surgical complications.

This article discusses the key pathogenesis of atherosclerosis （AS） based on the physiological characteristics and pathological changes of lipids and introduces the therapeutic effect of Zhuyuwan on AS， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases from the spleen. As essential substances， lipids have the same essence but different forms. They circulate throughout the body with body fluids under the action of Yang Qi to nourish the nutrient Qi and support the defensive Qi. Lipid metabolism disorder often leads to the obstruction of Qi movement， the accumulation of dampness and turbidity， and the generation of phlegm and blood stasis. It has been proven that the formation of vulnerable plaques in AS is attributed to the interaction of three pathogenic factors： deficiency of healthy Qi， phlegm-turbidity， and collateral stasis. Their pathological essence is closely related to abnormal lipid metabolism. As lipids constitute the thick and dense components of body fluids， their impaired dispersion may lead to phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis， the pathological process of which is predominantly ascribed to the dysfunction of the spleen in distributing essence. Therefore， AS is rooted in spleen-stomach disorder， manifests as plaques formed by pathological product accumulation in vessels， with lipid transport disorder as its core pathogenesis. Specifically speaking， the dysfunction of spleen in transportation with accumulation of dampness-turbidity marks the initial stage， and blood turbidity and coagulation and phlegm-nodules accumulating in vessels represent the intermediate phase. Cold accumulation and stagnated heat transforming into toxins represent the terminal stage. Zhuyuwan， first recorded in Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief， contains equal proportions of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus. Coptidis Rhizoma， bitter and cold， exerts descending and purging actions to assist stomach Qi in lowering turbidity. Evodiae Fructus， pungent-bitter and hot， disperses obstruction and promotes free flow to support spleen Qi in ascending the clear. The compatibility of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus ascends the clear and descends the turbid to harmonize Yin and Yang， assisting the spleen in distributing essence and resolving lipid accumulation to reduce lipid levels. In terms of the therapeutic mechanism， Zhuyuwan modulates lipid metabolism by correcting immune-inflammation network imbalance， improving gut microbiota composition and metabolism， and enhancing reverse cholesterol transport. By analyzing the pathological characteristics of lipid transport disorder in AS， this study delves into the intrinsic connections between cardiovascular disease and lipid transport disorder， giving novel insights into the prevention and treatment of AS.

Systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE）， a refractory autoimmune disease， is among the dominant diseases where traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） shows advantages in the field of rheumatology and immunology. The China-Japan Friendship Hospital hosted the "46^th Youth Salon on Dominant Diseases （Systemic Lupus Erythematosus）" organized by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， which led to a consensus on "the advantages， challenges， interdisciplinary approaches， and translational achievements of integrated TCM and Western medical approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE." The diagnosis and treatment of SLE currently face several challenges， such as frequent misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in the early stages， difficulty in achieving treatment targets， multiple side effects from pharmacotherapy， and the lack of management strategies for special populations， all of which hinder the fulfillment of the clinical needs of patients. Integrated TCM and Western medical approaches can improve clinical symptoms such as skin erythema， aversion to cold and cold limbs， fatigue， dry mouth， restlessness， and heat sensation in the palms and soles， thereby improving patients' quality of life. The approaches also help consolidate the efficacy of conventional Western medicine， slow disease progression， reduce relapse rates， address multi-organ involvement， and prevent or treat complications. Additionally， they enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity， prevent the side effects of Western medications， help reduce hormone use， and offer distinct advantages in the individualized intervention of special populations， contributing to the whole-process management of the disease. However， evidence-based medical support for this integrated approach remains limited， and the quality of available evidence is generally low. Common evaluation systems and modern research methodologies should be adopted to clarify the efficacy of TCM in SLE treatment. Efforts should be made to carry out high-quality evidence-based medical research， strengthen the development of fundamental and pharmacological research， and further explain the distinct advantages of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE. Future efforts should focus on advancing the integration of TCM and modern medicine， incorporating multi-omics technologies， individualized stratification， and other precision medicine concepts， in combination with artificial intelligence. Moreover， interdisciplinary collaboration should be promoted to utilize modern technology in exploring the essence of TCM theories and screening effective formulae， thereby comprehensively improving the diagnosis and treatment of SLE through integrated TCM and Western medical approaches.

This article discusses the key pathogenesis of atherosclerosis （AS） based on the physiological characteristics and pathological changes of lipids and introduces the therapeutic effect of Zhuyuwan on AS， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases from the spleen. As essential substances， lipids have the same essence but different forms. They circulate throughout the body with body fluids under the action of Yang Qi to nourish the nutrient Qi and support the defensive Qi. Lipid metabolism disorder often leads to the obstruction of Qi movement， the accumulation of dampness and turbidity， and the generation of phlegm and blood stasis. It has been proven that the formation of vulnerable plaques in AS is attributed to the interaction of three pathogenic factors： deficiency of healthy Qi， phlegm-turbidity， and collateral stasis. Their pathological essence is closely related to abnormal lipid metabolism. As lipids constitute the thick and dense components of body fluids， their impaired dispersion may lead to phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis， the pathological process of which is predominantly ascribed to the dysfunction of the spleen in distributing essence. Therefore， AS is rooted in spleen-stomach disorder， manifests as plaques formed by pathological product accumulation in vessels， with lipid transport disorder as its core pathogenesis. Specifically speaking， the dysfunction of spleen in transportation with accumulation of dampness-turbidity marks the initial stage， and blood turbidity and coagulation and phlegm-nodules accumulating in vessels represent the intermediate phase. Cold accumulation and stagnated heat transforming into toxins represent the terminal stage. Zhuyuwan， first recorded in Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief， contains equal proportions of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus. Coptidis Rhizoma， bitter and cold， exerts descending and purging actions to assist stomach Qi in lowering turbidity. Evodiae Fructus， pungent-bitter and hot， disperses obstruction and promotes free flow to support spleen Qi in ascending the clear. The compatibility of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus ascends the clear and descends the turbid to harmonize Yin and Yang， assisting the spleen in distributing essence and resolving lipid accumulation to reduce lipid levels. In terms of the therapeutic mechanism， Zhuyuwan modulates lipid metabolism by correcting immune-inflammation network imbalance， improving gut microbiota composition and metabolism， and enhancing reverse cholesterol transport. By analyzing the pathological characteristics of lipid transport disorder in AS， this study delves into the intrinsic connections between cardiovascular disease and lipid transport disorder， giving novel insights into the prevention and treatment of AS.

Systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE）， a refractory autoimmune disease， is among the dominant diseases where traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） shows advantages in the field of rheumatology and immunology. The China-Japan Friendship Hospital hosted the "46^th Youth Salon on Dominant Diseases （Systemic Lupus Erythematosus）" organized by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， which led to a consensus on "the advantages， challenges， interdisciplinary approaches， and translational achievements of integrated TCM and Western medical approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE." The diagnosis and treatment of SLE currently face several challenges， such as frequent misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in the early stages， difficulty in achieving treatment targets， multiple side effects from pharmacotherapy， and the lack of management strategies for special populations， all of which hinder the fulfillment of the clinical needs of patients. Integrated TCM and Western medical approaches can improve clinical symptoms such as skin erythema， aversion to cold and cold limbs， fatigue， dry mouth， restlessness， and heat sensation in the palms and soles， thereby improving patients' quality of life. The approaches also help consolidate the efficacy of conventional Western medicine， slow disease progression， reduce relapse rates， address multi-organ involvement， and prevent or treat complications. Additionally， they enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity， prevent the side effects of Western medications， help reduce hormone use， and offer distinct advantages in the individualized intervention of special populations， contributing to the whole-process management of the disease. However， evidence-based medical support for this integrated approach remains limited， and the quality of available evidence is generally low. Common evaluation systems and modern research methodologies should be adopted to clarify the efficacy of TCM in SLE treatment. Efforts should be made to carry out high-quality evidence-based medical research， strengthen the development of fundamental and pharmacological research， and further explain the distinct advantages of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE. Future efforts should focus on advancing the integration of TCM and modern medicine， incorporating multi-omics technologies， individualized stratification， and other precision medicine concepts， in combination with artificial intelligence. Moreover， interdisciplinary collaboration should be promoted to utilize modern technology in exploring the essence of TCM theories and screening effective formulae， thereby comprehensively improving the diagnosis and treatment of SLE through integrated TCM and Western medical approaches.

In view of the few studies on the influence of Armillaria spp. infection on the content of the chemical components in different parts of Polyporus umbellatus sclerotia, this study determined the biomass of P. umbellatus sclerotia and the contents of ergosterol, polyporusterone A, polyporusterone B and polysaccharide in the separated cavity wall of the sclerotia and the uninfected part of the sclerotia in different harvesting years under the conditions of A. gallica and A. mellea infection respectively. According to the difference of content and dynamic changes of the polysaccharide and the steroid substances, the superior Armillaria sp. was screened to obtain the best harvest years of P. umbellatus. Using HPLC and UV-VIS spectrophotometry methods, the contents of ergosterol, polyporusterone A, polyporusterone B and polysaccharide in P. umbellatus sclerotia infected by the two Armillaria spp. in different years were determined. In addition, the differentially expressed genes related to P. umbellatus polysaccharide synthesis were screened according to the transcriptomic data of different parts of P. umbellatus after A. mellea infection. With the increase of years, the biomass of sclerotia infected by different Armillaria spp. had significant differences, and there were significant differences in the four components of sclerotia. The four components of the separated cavity wall of the sclerotia were significantly higher than those of the uninfected part. The best harvest time was the third year after cultivation. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the infection of Armillaria spp. could significantly promote polysaccharide synthesis, which provided a basis for polysaccharide content determination at the molecular level. The study clarified the influence of different Armillaria spp. infection on the accumulation of chemical components of P. umbellatus sclerotia, laying a foundation for exploring the symbiosis mechanism and provided a scientific clue for screening superior Armillaria sp. and guiding the artificial cultivation of P. umbellatus sclerotia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical and immunological features of children with primary immune thrombocytopenia (pITP) or connective tissue disease (CTD) with thrombocytopenia as the initial manifestation at initial diagnosis, and to provide a basis for early differentiation. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 236 children with pITP (pITP group) or CTD with thrombocytopenia as the initial manifestation (CTD-TP group) who were admitted from January 2019 to August 2024. Clinical and immunological indicators were compared between the two groups to identify potential influencing factors for early differentiation and their discriminative validity. RESULTS: Compared with the pITP group, the CTD-TP group had a significantly older age of onset and significantly lower leukocyte count, eosinophil count, lymphocyte count, and complement C4 level (P<0.05), as well as significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein, IgE, and IgM (P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that age, IgE, IgM, total B cells, and complement C4 were predictive factors for early differentiation between pITP and CTD-TP (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a combination of these five factors had a good discriminative validity, with an area under the curve of 0.944. The correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between IgG and platelet count in the pITP group (r_s=-0.363, P<0.05) and a positive correlation between NK cells and platelet count in the CTD-TP group (r_s=0.713, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is heterogeneity in the clinical and immunological indicators between children with pITP and CTD-TP at initial diagnosis, and these research findings can help with the early differentiation between the two diseases.
Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/immunology* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Connective Tissue Diseases/immunology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Early Diagnosis ; Age of Onset ; Leukocyte Count ; Complement C4/immunology* ; C-Reactive Protein/immunology* ; Immunoglobulin E/immunology* ; Immunoglobulin M/immunology* ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Adolescent ; Biomarkers/blood*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the causal relationship between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) using Mendelian randomization (MR), as well as the association between Hp infection and chronic ITP (cITP) through a clinical study. METHODS: The datasets from genome-wide association studies were used to select the single nucleotide polymorphism loci significantly associated with Hp infection as genetic instrumental variables. The MR analysis model was used to investigate the causal relationship between ITP and Hp infection. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical data of 316 children with newly diagnosed ITP at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2020 to December 2023. The children were followed up for 1 year, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for cITP. RESULTS: The inverse variance weighted analysis revealed that Hp infection was significantly associated with an increased risk of ITP (OR=1.280, 95%CI: 1.098-1.492, P=0.002). There was no heterogeneity or pleiotropy in this MR study (P>0.05), and the model was stable. The "leave-one-out" sensitivity analysis verified the reliability of the results. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that Hp infection was an independent risk factor for progression to cITP (OR=7.916, 95%CI: 3.327-18.832, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Hp infection is a risk factor for the onset of ITP and is an independent risk factor for cITP in children.
Humans ; Helicobacter Infections/complications* ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/etiology* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Helicobacter pylori ; Prognosis ; Child, Preschool ; Logistic Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Adolescent ; Infant