To thoroughly implement the strategic deployment outlined in the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine regarding research on dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine and to uphold the development philosophy of equal emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine，the China Association of Chinese Medicine has fully played a leading academic role by systematically organizing and conducting a series of academic youth salons on clinical dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine. On September 13，2024，the 36^th Youth Salon on Clinical Dominant Diseases was successfully held in Nanjing，focusing on the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and the integrative traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction （ED）. The conference brought together leading experts from traditional Chinese medicine，western medicine，and interdisciplinary fields，facilitating in-depth multidisciplinary discussions that led to key consensus on optimizing traditional Chinese medicine treatment protocols for ED，researching and developing new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，and advancing interdisciplinary development in traditional Chinese medicine. This salon systematically sorted out the clinical strengths and distinctive features of traditional Chinese medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of ED. Based on current research foundations and clinical needs，it identified key directions for future scientific layout and scientific research tackling： （1） Standardization of syndrome differentiation system of traditional Chinese medicine for ED. （2） Optimization and standardization of intervention methods of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. （3） High-quality clinical research guided by evidence-based medicine. （4） In-depth analysis of the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of ED. （5） Clinical translation and application promotion of new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine. （6） Interdisciplinary integration and innovation in traditional Chinese medicine. For each research direction，key focus areas，expected objectives，and clinical value were further refined，along with the establishment of a scientifically sound priority funding level evaluation system. Therefore，building on the series of salons on the ED-focused dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine，this paper provides standardized guidance for clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine in ED management，effectively contributing to the high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine. It serves as a valuable reference for national scientific and technological strategic layout， research and development decision-making in new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，research topic planning，and clinical guideline formulation.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between metabolic associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） and the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease （ASCVD）， and to provide data support for the prevention and treatment of such metabolic-associated diseases in clinical practice. MethodsAn observation cohort was established for the workers of Kailuan who underwent physical examination for the first time from June 2006 to October 2007 and had complete liver assessment data， without the history of malignant tumor， MAFLD or ASCVD. According to the presence or absence of MAFLD， the patients were divided into non-MAFLD group with 67 565 patients and MAFLD group with 29 004 patients， and according to the presence or absence of ASCVD， the patients were divided into non-ASCVD group with 69 141 patients and ASCVD group with 481 patients. The group t-test or the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between the two groups. The χ² test was used for comparison of categorical data between the two groups. The life-table method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence rates of new-onset ASCVD and MAFLD； the Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot the survival curves of the cumulative incidence rates of ASCVD in the MAFLD group and the non-MAFLD group and the cumulative incidence rates of MAFLD in the ASCVD group and the non-ASCVD group， and the log-rank test was used for comparison of cumulative incidence rates between two groups. A multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis was used to investigate the impact of MAFLD on the risk of ASCVD and the impact of ASCVD on the risk of MAFLD. ResultsCompared with the non-MAFLD group， the MAFLD group had significantly higher levels of body mass index （BMI）， waist circumference， systolic blood pressure （SBP）， diastolic blood pressure （DBP）， resting heart rate， alanine aminotransferase， uric acid （UA）， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol， and high sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， as well as significanty lower levels of estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （all P <0.05）. Compared with the non-ASCVD group， the ASCVD group had significantly higher levels of BMI， waist circumference， SBP， DBP， UA， FBG， TG， and hs-CRP and a significantly lower level of eGFR （all P<0.05）. The incidence rate of new-onset ASCVD continued to increase over time in the MAFLD group and the non-MAFLD group， while the incidence rate of new-onset MAFLD firstly increased and then remained stable over time in the ASCVD group and the non-ASCVD group. There were 4 263 cases （14.70%） of new-osnet ASCVD in the MAFLD group， with an incidence density of 12.90 per 1 000 person-years， while there were 6 529 cases （9.66%） of new-osnet ASCVD in the non-MAFLD group， with an incidence density of 8.24 per 1 000 person-years， and there were significant differences in the incidence density and cumulative incidence rate of ASCVD between the two groups （χ²=519.09 and 531.80， both P<0.05）. There were 148 cases （30.77%） of new-onset MAFLD in the ASCVD group， with an incidence density of 40.10 per 1 000 person-years， while there were 32 194 cases （46.56%） of new-onset MAFLD in the non-ASCVD group， with an incidence density of 57.59 per 1 000 person-years， and there were significant differences in the incidence density and cumulative incidence rate of MAFLD between the two groups （χ²=19.29 and 30.78， both P<0.05）. The corrected multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis showed that MAFLD was a risk factor for new-onset ASCVD （hazard ratio ［HR］=1.11， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.06 — 1.16， P<0.001）， while ASCVD was a protective factor against new-onset MAFLD （HR=0.72， 95%CI： 0.61 — 0.85， P<0.001）. ConclusionThere is a significant association between MAFLD and ASCVD， with an increase in the risk of ASCVD in the MAFLD population and a reduction in the risk of MAFLD in the ASCVD population.

ObjectiveHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents 90% of all primary liver cancers. The main risk factors associated with HCC include viral hepatitis (B and/or C), alcohol abuse, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which progressively advance to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately evolve into HCC. Surgical resection represents the most effective treatment for HCC, while recent advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, have provided improved treatment prospects for patients with unresectable HCC. However, the complex metabolic heterogeneity of HCC limits the therapeutic efficacy. Metabolic intermediates acyl-CoA not only provide energy and substrates for numerous biochemical reactions but also serve as donors for protein lysine acylation, a major class of post-translational modification (PTM). Therefore, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying protein lysine acylation and hepatocarcinogenesis is urgently needed. MethodsThe levels of protein lysine acylation and silence information regulator 5 (SIRT5) expression levels in clinical HCC samples were analyzed by Western blot. Quantitative malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples were analyzed by antibody-based affinity enrichment coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The proliferation of HCC cells was analyzed with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, the apoptosis was quantified by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining coupled with flow cytometry, and the ability of cells to migrate was assayed by Transwell assays. The enzymatic activity of glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1) was quantified. Transgenic mice with hepatic overexpression of SIRT5 were constructed using CRISPR-Cas9, and primary hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine. ResultsWestern blot analysis indicated that the expression level of SIRT5 was elevated in clinical samples from HCC patients, and the levels of lysine malonylation, glutarylation, and succinylation were significantly reduced in HCC tissues. Knockout of SIRT5 in MHCC-97H and MHCC-97L hepatoma cells suppressed cell proliferation, and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the differentially malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples revealed significant enrichment in two major classes of biological processes: core energy metabolism (e.g., glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid metabolic process, fatty acid beta oxidation) and detoxification and oxidative stress response (e.g., response to toxic substance, chemical carcinogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS)). SIRT5 removes malonylation from lysine residues in GSTM1 and restores its detoxification activity, which is crucial for the survival of hepatocytes under stressed conditions. More importantly, in vivo experiment indicated that hepatic-specific overexpression of SIRT5 in mice accelerated diethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis, indicating the critical role of SIRT5 in HCC progression. ConclusionThis study highlights the previously unrecognized SIRT5-GSTM1 axis as a key regulator in hepatocarcinogenesis, and suggests a potential target for the treatment of patients with HCC.

Objective: To explore the effects of a classroom based transdiagnostic preventive intervention program for emotional disorders on depressive and anxiety symptoms, and resilience among junior high school students, so as to provide reference for promoting adolescent mental health. Methods: From October to December 2023, 72 students from a junior high school in Beijing were recruited as research subjects and divided into an intervention group ( n =36) and a control group ( n =36). The intervention group participated in 8 sessions (40 mins per session) of transdiagnostic prevention intervention course for emotional disorders; the control group students participated in research based learning lessons or class meetings. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Resilience Scale-8 (RS-8) were used to evaluate junior high school students. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the differences in depressive and anxiety symptoms, and resilience scores between the intervention group and the control group before and after the intervention. PROCESS macro was used to test the mediating effect. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the scores of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and resilience before and after intervention in the intervention group ( Z =-1.07, 0.07, 1.43, all P >0.05). In the control group, the depressive symptoms score was higher after the intervention than before, and the resilience score was lower than before the intervention ( Z = 2.23 , -2.53, both P <0.05). After intervention, the depressive symptoms score in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group, and the resilience score in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group ( Z =-2.09, 3.33, both P < 0.05). The increase in the scores of resilience played a complete mediating role between the intervention and depressive symptoms, with the mediating effect value being -0.98 (95% CI =-2.47 to -0.11), accounting for 30.98% of the total effect. Conclusion Transdiagnostic preventive intervention program for emotional disorders based on classroom could prevent the deterioration of depressive symptom in junior high school students, and maintaining the level of resilience is an important factor for the intervention effect.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and changing trend of typhus in Shaanxi Province from 2005 to 2023 to provide a scientific basis for its prevention and control. Methods Excel 2007, SPSS 25.0, Joinpoint 4.9.1.0, and Geoda 1.6 were used for data collection and statistical analysis. Super Map was used for data visualization to describe the changing characteristics of the disease. Results A total of 394 typhus cases were reported in Shaanxi Province from 2005 to 2023. The average annual incidence of typhus was 0.054/100 000, showing a dynamic fluctuation trend(AAPC=-3.3, t=-0.3, P>0.05). The cases were mainly concentrated in Baoji, Hanzhong and Xi′an, accounting for 78.68%. The incidence peak was from May to October, accounting for 64.21% of annual incidence. The epidemic season was from May to October and December. The incidence of the disease was concentrated in the 40-69 age group, accounting for 58.88%, and the sex was 1.07:1. The main occupation was farmers, accounting for 72.08%. The median time from onset to diagnosis was 7 days. Global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that there were significant spatial autocorrelations in 11 years from 2005 to 2023(P<0.05). Local spatial autocorrelation analysis detected a total of 43“high-high”clustering areas, mainly concentrated in Baoji City. Conclusions The overall incidence of typhus in Shaanxi Province showed a dynamic fluctuation trend, with notable seasonal and regional aggregation. The incidence of typhus was higher in middle-aged and elderly people in rural areas. Surveillance should be strengthened in typhus endemic areas in summer and autumn, and health education should be conducted for key population to form good health habits and reduce the incidence of typhus.

“Runner’s high” refers to a momentary sense of pleasure that suddenly appears during running or other exercise activities, characterized by anti-anxiety, pain relief, and other symptoms. The neurobiological mechanism of “runner’s high” is unclear. This review summarizes human and animal models for studying “runner’s high”, analyzes the neurotransmitters and neural circuits involved in runner’s high, and elucidates the evidence and shortcomings of researches related to “runner’s high”. This review also provides prospects for future research. Research has found that exercise lasting more than 30 min and with an intensity exceeding 70% of the maximum heart rate can reach a “runner’s high”. Human experiments on “runner’s high” mostly use treadmill exercise intervention, and evaluate it through questionnaire surveys, measurement of plasma AEA, miRNA and other indicators. Animal experiments often use voluntary wheel running intervention, and evaluate it through behavioral experiments such as conditional place preference, light dark box experiments (anxiety), hot plate experiments (pain sensitivity), and measurement of plasma AEA and other indicators. Dopamine, endogenous opioid peptides, endogenous cannabinoids, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and other substances increase after exercise, which may be related to the “runner’s high”. However, attention should be paid to the functional differences of these substances in the central and peripheral regions, as well as in different brain regions. Moreover, current studies have not identified the targets of the neurotransmitters or neural factors mentioned above, and further in-depth researches are needed. The mesolimbic dopamine system, prefrontal cortex-nucleus accumbens projection, ventral hippocampus-nucleus accumbens projection, red nucleus-ventral tegmental area projection, cerebellar-ventral tegmental area projection, and brain-gut axis may be involved in the regulation of runner’s high, but there is a lack of direct evidence to prove their involvement. There are still many issues that need to be addressed in the research on the neurobiological mechanisms of “runner’s high”. (1) Most studies on “runner’s high” involve one-time exercise, and the characteristics of changes in “runner’s high” during long-term exercise still need to be explored. (2) The using of scales to evaluate subjects lead to the lacking of objective indicators. However, some potential biomarkers (such as endocannabinoids) have inconsistent characteristics of changes after one-time and long-term exercise. (3) The neurotransmitters involved in the formation of the “runner’s high” all increase in the peripheral and/or central nervous system after exercise. Attention should be paid to whether peripheral substances can enter the blood-brain barrier and the binding effects of neurotransmitters to different receptors are completely different in different brain regions. (4) Most of the current evidence show that some brain regions are activated after exercise. Is there a functional circuit mediating “runner’s high” between these brain regions? (5) Although training at a specific exercise intensity can lead to “runner’s high”, most runners have not experienced “runner’s high”. Can more scientific training methods or technological means be used to make it easier for people to experience the “runner’s high” and thus be more willing to engage in exercise? (6) The “runner’s high” and “addiction” behaviors are extremely similar, and there are evidences that exercise can reverse addictive behaviors. However, why is there still a considerable number of people in the sports population and even athletes who smoke or use addictive drugs instead of pursuing the “pleasure” brought by exercise? Solving the problems above is of great significance for enhancing the desire of exercise, improving the clinical application of neurological and psychiatric diseases through exercise, and enhancing the overall physical fitness of the population.

The emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) system represents a revolutionary paradigm shift in molecular diagnostics, offering transformative potential for RNA analysis within the rigorous demands of forensic science. Conventional forensic RNA detection methodologies, such as reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) or microarray analysis, are significantly hampered by inherent limitations including complex, multi-step protocols requiring sophisticated laboratory infrastructure, pronounced susceptibility to inhibitors prevalent in complex forensic matrices (e.g., humic acids, heme, indigo dyes), and often inadequate sensitivity for trace or degraded samples typical of crime scenes, thereby failing to meet the critical operational imperatives of forensic practice: rapidity, high specificity, sensitivity, portability, and robustness against interference. This review posits that CRISPR-Cas-based RNA detection technology provides a groundbreaking solution by leveraging the programmable, sequence-specific recognition conferred by the synergistic interaction between a designed guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas effector proteins (e.g., Cas12a, Cas13a, Cas14). Upon target RNA binding, specific Cas enzymes undergo conformational activation, exhibiting collateral cleavage activity―a unique catalytic amplification mechanism where the enzyme non-specifically cleaves surrounding reporter molecules, enabling ultra-high sensitivity. To further enhance detection limits, CRISPR-Cas systems are strategically integrated with isothermal pre-amplification techniques like recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) or loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which efficiently amplify target RNA at constant temperatures, eliminating the need for thermal cyclers. This powerful cascade―isothermal pre-amplification followed by CRISPR-mediated sequence-specific recognition and collateral signal amplification―achieves exceptional sensitivity, often down to the single-molecule (attomolar) level, while drastically reducing analysis time to potentially 30-60 min. Crucially, the compatibility of CRISPR-Cas detection with simple, equipment-free readout systems, such as lateral flow strips (LFS) for visual colorimetric results or portable fluorescence/electrochemical sensors, facilitates true point-of-need (PON) forensic analysis directly at crime scenes, morgues, or field labs. This enables rapid applications like specific body fluid identification (e.g., distinguishing menstrual blood via miRNA, identifying saliva via mRNA), post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation through RNA degradation/expression patterns, donor age inference via age-related RNA markers, tissue identification, and microbial forensics, thereby accelerating investigative leads, minimizing sample degradation risks, and optimizing resource allocation. However, significant challenges impede widespread adoption, including persistent environmental interference inhibiting enzymes, fluctuations in Cas/amplification enzyme activity affecting reproducibility, a critical lack of standardized protocols and validated quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) frameworks essential for forensic reliability and court admissibility, and current limitations in multiplex detection capability. Consequently, future research must prioritize overcoming multiplexing bottlenecks for comprehensive analysis, enhancing system robustness through Cas protein engineering and optimized reagents, developing fully integrated, sample-to-answer microfluidic or lateral flow devices for user-friendly field deployment, and collaboratively establishing universally accepted validation guidelines, performance standards, and stringent QA/QC procedures. Furthermore, the urgent development of clear ethical guidelines governing the use of this highly sensitive technology, particularly concerning RNA data privacy and potential misuse, is imperative. This review systematically outlines the principles, forensic applications, current limitations, and future trajectories of CRISPR-RNA detection, with the authors’ conviction that focused efforts addressing these challenges will translate this technology into a cornerstone of next-generation forensic practice, driving unprecedented efficiency and innovation in field investigations and laboratory analysis to enhance justice delivery.