Alzheimer's disease （AD） is a common type of dementia， primarily characterized by cognitive and behavioral impairments as well as deficits in learning and memory. The progression of AD has imposed a significant economic burden on society and families. However， its exact pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. Currently， available therapeutic drugs are limited and are often accompanied by serious adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicines （TCMs） and their extracts are mostly natural products and possess advantages such as multi-pathway regulation and relatively few adverse reactions. Experimental studies have shown that TCMs exhibit great potential in the prevention and treatment of AD. For example， Huanglian Jieduang， Danggui Shaoyaosan， Kaixin San， Liuwei Dihuangwan， Buyang Huanwutang， as well as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Astragali Radix， Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis， Coptidis Rhizoma， Gardeniae Fructus， Ginkgo Folium， Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， and Curcumae Longae Rhizoma， can reduce β-amyloid deposition， inhibit excessive Tau protein phosphorylation， restore mitochondrial function， alleviate oxidative stress， suppress neuroinflammation and apoptosis， repair synaptic function， and improve gut microbiota. This article mainly summarizes the effects of several TCMs and compound prescriptions on AD， aiming to provide a reference for subsequent TCM-based treatment of AD.

OBJECTIVE To provide a scientific basis for the quality evaluation and clinical application of Qingwen hufei granules. METHODS Fourteen batches of Qingwen hufei granules were used as samples to establish high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） fingerprints using the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine （2012 Edition）. The chromatographic peaks were identified and the similarity was evaluated. Cluster analysis （CA）， principal component analysis （PCA）， and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） were used to conduct chemical pattern recognition analysis on the 14 batches of samples. Meanwhile， the contents of neochlorogenic acid （NGA）， chlorogenic acid （CHA）， cryptochlorogenic acid （CGA）， forsythoside A （FTA）， 3，5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid （3，5-O- DA）， 4，5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid （4，5-O-DA）， and angoroside C （AGC） in the samples were determined by HPLC. RESULTS The methodological investigation results of both the fingerprint and the content determination complied with the relevant requirements. Fourteen common peaks were indicated in the HPLC fingerprints of the 14 batches of samples， and 7 of them were identified [NGA （peak 2）， CHA （peak 3）， CGA （peak 5）， FTA （peak 11）， 3，5-O-DA （peak 12）， 4，5-O-DA （peak 13）， and AGC （peak 14）]； the similarity of each sample was greater than 0.94. The results of CA and PCA showed that the samples could be classified into 3 categories； the results of OPLS-DA indicated that peak 4 （unknown）， peak 11 （FTA）， peak 8 （unknown）， peak 9 （unknown）， and peak 1 （unknown） were the differential components. The content ranges of NGA， CHA， CGA， 3，5-O-DA， FTA， 4，5-O-DA and AGC in the 14 batches of samples were 0.210 4-0.458 7， 0.269 1-0.506 3， 0.228 1-0.461 1， 0.443 9-1.044 6， 0.066 7-0.155 7， 0.062 8-0.143 8， and 0.057 4-0.105 7 mg/g， respectively. CONCLUSIONS The HPLC fingerprint and multi-component content determination methods established in this study are efficient and reliable， and can be used for the quality evaluation of Qingwen hufei granules.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell （hUC-MSC） as a cell-based therapeutic strategy have demonstrated significant application potential in the field of intervention for neurodegenerative disease （NDD） due to their advantages such as self-renewal， multi-directional differentiation， and low immunogenicity. hUC-MSC effectively intervenes in the pathological features and neurological functions of various disease models such as Alzheimer disease， Parkinson’s disease， amyotrophic lateral sclerosis， and multiple sclerosis primarily through multiple mechanisms such as homing and differentiation， mediating paracrine actions and releasing exosomes， as well as immune regulation and anti-inflammation. Some clinical studies have also preliminarily verified their safety and effectiveness. Currently， its research still faces challenges such as immune rejection reactions requiring further observation， long-term safety needing evaluation， mechanisms of action not being fully elucidated， and slow progress in clinical trials. Future research needs to establish pharmaceutical standards for hUC-MSC， deepen their pharmacological mechanisms and clinical trials， ultimately providing new and effective drug treatment options for patients with NDD.

Objective: To assess the clinical application value of a prediction model for red blood cell (RBC) demand in surgical procedures. Methods: Demographic data, laboratory parameters, anesthesia and transfusion records, and model prediction data were retrospectively collected from surgical patients at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2018 and 2024. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test, t-test, and Mann-Kendall trend test. Results: From 2018 to 2024, the predictive model for RBC demand in surgical procedures was used to evaluate a total of 112 293 surgeries. During this period, the model call rate (77.49%-98.91%, P<0.05), compliance rate (56.81%-84.92%, P<0.05), and prediction accuracy rate (66.82%-94.17%, P<0.05) all showed significant upward trends. The total blood usage across the hospital (13645.4-7723.5 units, P<0.05) and the average blood usage per surgery (0.21-0.1 units, P<0.05) exhibited overall downward trends. Postoperative average hemoglobin levels in the non-compliance group (112.1-105.3 g/L in the non-compliance group vs 106.9-92.7 g/L in the compliance group, P<0.05) and the intraoperative excessive transfusion rate (5.06%-6.05% in the non-compliance group vs 0.09%-0.04% in the compliance group, P<0.05) were significantly higher in the non-compliance group compared to the compliance group. Conclusion: The predictive model for RBC demand in surgical procedures has played a positive role in conserving blood resources, optimizing blood resource allocation, and reducing intraoperative risks.

Irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） is a functional bowel disorder characterized primarily by abdominal pain and altered defecation habits. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has made progress in multiple aspects of IBS research and treatment， including syndrome distribution， development of TCM formulas， clinical efficacy evaluation， external therapies， and psychosocial regulation. However， it still faces challenges such as over-reliance on symptomatic manifestations rather than biomarkers for diagnostic criteria， and the lack of high-quality evidence-based data supporting the efficacy of TCM formulas in treating IBS. This paper proposed that TCM diagnosis and treatment of IBS should adhere to the strategy of integrating the holistic concept with syndrome differentiation and treatment， combining TCM external therapies such as acupuncture， moxibustion and acupoint application）， and emphasizing individualized diagnosis and treatment for psychosomatic abnormalities. Future research should integrate multi-omics technologies， artificial intelligence and other methods to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of IBS and the mechanisms of TCM formulas， so as to promote the standardization and internationalization of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of IBS.

Objective To understand the status of body image disturbance and its influencing factors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical management of AS. Methods A total of 353 AS patients admitted from January 2022 to December 2024 were selected as research subjects. Chinese version of Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire (BIDQ) was used to investigate the body image disturbance in AS patients. Single factor analysis was performed by t test and analysis of variance, and multiple factors were analyzed by multivariate linear regression. Results The total score of BIDQ in 342 AS patients was (25.01±4.22). Multivariate linear regression analysis results showed that self-paid medical expense, nighttime VAS score and negative emotion PANAS score could positively predict body image disturbance in AS patients (standardized regression coefficient=0.413, 0.413, 0.460, P<0.05), and PSSS score, positive emotion PANAS score and exercise management CDSSM score could negatively predict body image disturbance (standardized regression coefficient=-0.245, -0.134, -0.247, P<0.05). Conclusion The body image disturbance in AS patients is worthy of clinical attention. Nighttime pain, negative emotion and self-paid medical treatment can increase the risk of body image disturbance. Positive emotion, social support and high self-management level of exercise behavior can reduce the formation of body image disturbance, which can provide new ideas for clinical management of AS patients.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the interaction of uric acid and inflammatory factors and hyperuricemia in overweight/obese patients. Methods The personnel with hyperuricemia who underwent physical examination in our hospital from September 2021 to September 2022 were selected as the study subjects, and they were divided into 100 cases of overweight group and 90 cases of obese group according to the BMI index; 120 cases of healthy and non-hyperuricemic personnel were randomly selected as the control group; venous blood of the three groups was collected in 5 mL after 8 h of fasting, and were tested respectively for serum uric acid, lipid indexes and inflammatory factors: IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10. Results Glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL were significantly higher in the obese group versus the overweight group (P<0.001), while HDL was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001), and these changes were more pronounced in the obese group (P<0.001).The Pearson correlation coefficient pointed out that the levels of serum uric acid in patients with hyperuricosuric acid were significantly associated with the pro-inflammatory factors IL- 6, IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were significantly positively correlated (P<0.001), whereas they were significantly negatively correlated with the anti-inflammatory factors IL-4, IL-10 (P<0.001). Conclusion High uric acid levels in overweight/obese patients can cause enhanced inflammatory responses and reduced expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors, and the interaction between uric acid and pro-inflammatory factors aggravates the condition of patients with hyperuricemia.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Yaoshu Zhuyu Fang on the regulation of the microRNA-17-5P (miR-17-5P)/murine double minute 2 (MDM2)/p53 axis in the proliferation and apoptosis of rat intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus cells, and its potential molecular mechanism. MethodsIntervertebral disc annulus fibrosus tissues were obtained from 8-week-old SPF-grade male SD rats, and annulus fibrosus cells were isolated and obtained by enzyme digestion and mechanical dispersion. Annulus fibrosus cells were divided into 6 groups: Group C was the blank control group, in which annulus fibrosus cells were not treated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) but were cultured in RPMI 1640 complete medium. Group β was the degeneration model group constructed by treating annulus fibrosus cells with 10 ng/mL IL-1β for 24 h. Group β+B was the IL-1β + blank serum group, in which annulus fibrosus cells were first treated with IL-1β to construct the degeneration model, then treated with RPMI 1640 medium containing 5% blank serum for 24 h. Group β+W was the IL-1β + Yaoshu Zhuyu Fang-containing serum group, in which annulus fibrosus cells were first treated with IL-1β to construct the degeneration model, then treated with RPMI 1640 medium containing 5% Yaoshu Zhuyu Fang-containing serum for 24 h. Group β+I was the IL-1β + miR-17-5P inhibitor group, in which annulus fibrosus cells were first treated with IL-1β to construct the degeneration model, then transfected with miR-17-5P inhibitor. Group β+I+W was the IL-1β + miR-17-5P inhibitor + Yaoshu Zhuyu Fang-containing serum group, in which annulus fibrosus cells were first treated with IL-1β to construct the degeneration model, then transfected with miR-17-5P inhibitor, and finally treated with RPMI 1640 medium containing 5% Yaoshu Zhuyu Fang-containing serum for 24 h. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell survival rate. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR-17-5P, MDM2 mRNA, and p53 mRNA in cells. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of MDM2 and p53 in cells. Dual-luciferase reporter system was used to analyze the targeting relationship between miR-17-5P and MDM2. ResultsCompared with Group C, Group β showed a significant decrease in cell survival rate (P<0.001), a significant increase in cell apoptosis rate (P<0.001), significantly increased expression of miR-17-5P, p53 mRNA, and p53 protein (P<0.001), and significantly decreased expression of MDM2 mRNA and protein (P<0.001). Compared with Group β, Group β+W, Group β+I, and Group β+I+W showed significantly increased cell survival rate, significantly decreased apoptosis rate, significantly decreased expression of miR-17-5P, p53 mRNA, and p53 protein, and significantly increased expression of MDM2 mRNA and protein (P<0.001). Moreover, changes in the above indicators were greater in Group β+I+W (P<0.001). Circular RNA Interactome predicted that miR-17-5P had specific binding sites with the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of MDM2. Transfection of miR-17-5P mimic significantly reduced the luciferase expression level of co-transfected luciferase reporter plasmid containing wild-type MDM2 3'UTR (P<0.05), but had no significant effect on luciferase expression in cells co-transfected with luciferase reporter plasmid containing mutant MDM2 3'UTR (P>0.05). ConclusionYaoshu Zhuyu Fang down-regulates the expression of miR-17-5P, promotes the synthesis of MDM2 protein, thereby down-regulates p53, promotes proliferation, and inhibits the apoptosis of rat intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus cells.

Objective To investigate the species of sandflies and the prevalence of Leishmania infections in sandflies from selected areas of northern and northwestern China, so as to provide insights into identification of leishmaniasis vectors and assessment of epidemiological trends of leishmaniasis in China. Methods Sandfly samples were collected from Mentougou District of Beijing Municipality, Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province, Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County of Karamay District of Karamay City, Gaochang District of Turpan City in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from July 2023 to July 2024. Approximately 100 intact female sandfly samples were randomly selected from each site and the species of sandflies was identified according to morphological characteristics and molecular assays. Female sandflies originating from the same habitat were grouped into pools of 10 individuals. Leishmania infection was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) gene, and the prevalence of Leishmania infection was calculated in sandflies from different sampling sites using the minimum infection rate (MIR) method. In addition, positive amplicons were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Results A total of 6 155 sandflies were collected from different environments at sampling sites across the six aforementioned regions from July 2023 to July 2024. Phlebotomus chinensis (96.00%) was the dominant sandfly species in Mentougou District, Beijing Municipality, with a small proportion of Ph. sergenti (4.00%), and only Ph. chinensis was found in Xiangning County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. Ph. wui was the only sandfly species detected in Ejin Banner, Alxa League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County, Kashgar City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Ph. caucasicus (97.70%) was the dominant sandfly species in Karamay District, Karamay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a small proportion of Ph. wui (2.30%), while Ph. alexandri was the only species in Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A total of 40, 60, 34, 18, 18, and 22 pools of sandfly samples were tested from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality, Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province, Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Payzawat County in Kashgar City, Karamay District in Karamay City, and Gaochang District in Turpan City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, respectively. L. infantum was detected in Ph. chinensis samples from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality, and Xiangning County of Linfen City in Shanxi Province, with MIR of 0.25% to 1.00%, and L. donovani was detected in Ph. wui from Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County in Kashgar City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with MIR of 0.56% to 0.88%; however, no Leishmania infection was detected in Ph. caucasicus from Karamay District in Karamay City or Ph. alexandri from Gaochang District in Turpan City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Leishmania ITS-1 gene sequences obtained from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality and Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province were clustered into the same clade with the reference sequences of L. infantum ITS-1 gene, while the Leishmania ITS-1 gene sequences obtained from Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Payzawat County in Kashgar City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were clustered into the same clade with the reference sequences of L. donovani ITS-1 gene. Conclusions There are variations in sandfly species in selected areas of northern and northwestern China, and variations in the species of Leishmania infecting sandflies. Improved surveillance of sandfly vectors and targeted control strategies with adaptations to geographical features and leishmaniasis vectors are recommended.

ObjectiveZheng’s San Qi San (ZSQS) power, a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is used for treating soft tissue injuries involving muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, its underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to screen and identify pharmaceutically active ingredients and their candidate biomolecule targets, and further elucidate the molecular mechanism of ZSQS in the treatment of skeletal muscle injury. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was employed to construct “ZSQS-component-target”, “protein-protein interaction (PPI)” and “active ingredient-core protein-pathway” networks to predict the key active ingredients and potential core targets of ZSQS for skeletal muscle injury. The predicted results were then validated via microarray data from the GEO database. Molecular docking was then performed to assess the binding ability between the screened active ingredients of ZSQS and the candidate core targets. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis to verify the active components of the drug and ZSQS serum. Finally, an animal model of eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and a myotube cell model of oxidative stress-induced injury were established to validate the effects of ZSQS and its interventional effects on the biological functions of critical targets, thereby demonstrating the potential therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. ResultsAmong the 111 active components identified in ZSQS and their corresponding 204 targets related to the skeletal muscle injury repair process, 14 core targets (including AKT1) and 4 core active components (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and β‑sitosterol) were screened out, while the corresponding metabolites of quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol were detected in the ZSQS serum. Among these targets, 5 candidate genes (IL-6, CASP3, HIF1A, STAT3, and JUN) overlapped with the differential expression screening results with GEO data, and IL-6 was confirmed to be enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway. Combined with the prediction results of the AKT expression levels, these findings suggest that the phosphorylation level of AKT1 plays a core role in the therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the PH domain of AKT1 had high binding energy with all 4 core active components, as verified by LC-MS. Finally, animal model studies have shown the promoting effect of ZSQS administration on skeletal muscle injury repair and its possible antioxidant damage mechanism. Cell model studies further demonstrated that ZSQS-containing serum, core active ingredient combination therapy, and quercetin monomer could increase the phosphorylation level of AKT, promote the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, upregulate the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and GR), and inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α), thereby alleviating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. ConclusionZSQS alleviates skeletal muscle injury mainly by activating the AKT/Nrf2 signaling pathway, enhancing cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the clinical application and modernized development of ZSQS.