To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Shenqi Yiliu prescription reverses cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells by regulating the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway-mediated glycolysis. MethodsThe human ovarian cancer A2780 cell line was intervened with progressively increasing doses of cisplatin （1 g·L^-1） to establish the cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780cisR， and the cell sensitivity to cisplatin was examined by the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. High， medium， and low （39.9， 19.95， 9.98 g·kg^-1） doses of Shenqi Yiliu prescription-containing sera were used to treat A2780cisR cells for 48 h. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured by the cuvette assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the activities of glucose transporter （GLUT）， phosphofructokinase （PFK）， and pyruvate kinase （PK）. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） staining was used to detect apoptosis. Western blot was employed to quantify the protein levels of phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， p-Akt， p-mTOR， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）， B-cell lymphoblastoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X-protein （Bax）， and B-lymphoblastoma-2 gene-related promoter （Bad）. Real-time PCR was conducted to determine the mRNA levels of HK2， PKM2， Bax， Bcl-2， and Bad. ResultsThe median inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of cisplatin on A2780cisR cells was nearly 3 times that on A2780P cells. Compared with A2780P cells， A2780cisR cells showed increased glucose consumption， lactate production， GLUT， PFK， and PK activities， and mRNA and protein levels of p-PI3K， Akt， p-mTOR， HK2， PKM2， Bax （P<0.05）， and decreased apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 expression （P<0.05）. Compared with A2780cisR cells， medium- and high-dose Shenqi Yiliu prescription reduced the glucose consumption， lactate production， GLUT， PFK， and PK activities， and mRNA and protein levels of p-PI3K， Akt， p-mTOR， HK2， PKM2， Bax， and Bad （P<0.05）， while increasing the apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 expression （P<0.05）. ConclusionShenqi Yiliu prescription can inhibit glycolysis mediated by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to promote apoptosis， thereby reversing cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells.

Calcineurin inhibitor（CNI） is potent immunosuppressive agents and serve as cornerstone therapies in the treatment of organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases， with cyclosporine A and tacrolimus being the representative drugs. Long-term use of CNI can lead to drug-induced hyperglycemia， severely affecting patients’ prognosis. The pathogenesis involves multilevel pathological alterations： at the pancreatic β-cell level， CNI directly damage β-cell by inducing calcium overload， oxidative stress， and mitochondrial dysfunction， suppressing the expression of key insulin synthesis factors and promoting apoptosis； in peripheral tissues， CNI interfere with insulin receptor substrate phosphorylation and inhibit the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway， resulting in decreased glucose uptake and insulin resistance； additionally， CNI can also induce β-cell injury by suppressing the secretion and receptor signal transduction of glucagon-like peptide-1， as well as by activating the nuclear factor kappa B pathway to promote inflammatory responses. Clinical studies demonstrate that the incidence of CNI-associated hyperglycemia is closely related to drug type， dosage， and individual patient factors. For high-risk patients， dose adjustment of CNI， switching to agents with lower metabolic toxicity when necessary， and selection of appropriate glucose-lowering regimens based on glycemic levels are recommended. Future research should further elucidate the molecular mechanisms of CNI metabolic toxicity and optimize individualized pharmacotherapy strategies to improve long-term patient outcomes.

Objective To analyze the epidemiologic burden of colorectal cancer in Xishan District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province from 2018 to 2020. Methods Indicators of epidemiologic burden were calculated, including incidence rate, mortality rate, age-specific incidence/mortality rates, potential years of life lost (PYLL), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) based on the National Disease Control and Prevention Center’s "Cancer Information Registration and Reporting System" and "Cause of Death Registration System". Results From 2018 to 2020, the ASR (China) for the incidence of colorectal cancer in Xishan District, Kunming City increased from 25.27/10⁵ to 26.29/10⁵, while the ASR (China) for mortality decreased from 17.11/10⁵ to 16.03/10⁵. The PYLL in 2018–2020 were 1399.63, 1376.78, and 1571.56 person-years, respectively, whereas the DALY in 2018–2020 were 1927.74, 1875.05, and 1945.17 person-years, respectively. The morbidity, mortality, PYLL, and DALY were generally higher in males than in females over 45 years of age. Conclusion Given the parallel trends of persistent incidence risk and steadily declining mortality for colorectal cancer in Xishan District, Kunming City, a three-tier prevention and control system centered on "lifestyle intervention–regular screening–positive case tracking" should be established, with a focus on covering high-risk populations, particularly males over 45 years of age.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodoutang （MLC） improves obesity-type polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS） through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. MethodsThirty-six female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a blank control group （Con） and an obesity-type PCOS model preparation group. The model was induced by gavage with letrozole （1 mg·kg^-1） combined with a high-fat diet （HFD）. After model establishment， the obesity-type PCOS model preparation group was further divided into the model group （Mod， normal saline）， metformin group （Met， 0.3 g·kg^-1）， low-dose MLC group （MLC-L， 4.3 g·kg^-1）， medium-dose MLC group （MLC-M， 8.6 g·kg^-1）， and high-dose MLC group （MLC-H， 17.2 g·kg^-1）. Active components of MLC and targets of obesity-type PCOS were screened from databases， a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed， and gene ontology（GO）and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis was performed. The gut microbiota structure was analyzed based on 16S rRNA sequencing and correlated with network pharmacology pathways. Body weight and estrous cycle were dynamically monitored. Ovarian morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）， testosterone （T）， and estradiol （E₂）. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K/PI3K （p-PI3K/PI3K）， phosphorylated Akt/Akt （p-Akt/Akt）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）. ResultsNetwork pharmacology screening identified 124 active components of MLC and 408 overlapping targets between the herbal formula and the disease. Core targets such as Akt1 and Bcl-2 were revealed. As indicated by 16S rRNA sequencing， the abundances of Lachnospiraceae， Lachnoclostridium， and Dorea were increased in the MLC groups （P<0.05）， while the abundance of Veillonella was decreased （P<0.05）. KEGG correlation analysis integrating network pharmacology and gut microbiota data showed significant enrichment of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Animal experiments showed that， compared with the Mod group， body weight decreased to normal levels in the Met， MLC-M， and MLC-H groups. The estrous cycle became regular. The number of corpora lutea increased and cystic follicles decreased. Serum levels of T， FSH， and LH/FSH were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the E₂ level was increased （P<0.01）. Ovarian cell apoptosis was reduced （P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and Bcl-2 in ovarian tissue were significantly increased， whereas Bax protein expression was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionMLC can regulate gut microbiota structure， effectively improve ovarian pathology in rats with obesity-type PCOS， and inhibit ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be associated with upregulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodoutang （MLC） improves obesity-type polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS） through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. MethodsThirty-six female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a blank control group （Con） and an obesity-type PCOS model preparation group. The model was induced by gavage with letrozole （1 mg·kg^-1） combined with a high-fat diet （HFD）. After model establishment， the obesity-type PCOS model preparation group was further divided into the model group （Mod， normal saline）， metformin group （Met， 0.3 g·kg^-1）， low-dose MLC group （MLC-L， 4.3 g·kg^-1）， medium-dose MLC group （MLC-M， 8.6 g·kg^-1）， and high-dose MLC group （MLC-H， 17.2 g·kg^-1）. Active components of MLC and targets of obesity-type PCOS were screened from databases， a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed， and gene ontology（GO）and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis was performed. The gut microbiota structure was analyzed based on 16S rRNA sequencing and correlated with network pharmacology pathways. Body weight and estrous cycle were dynamically monitored. Ovarian morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）， testosterone （T）， and estradiol （E₂）. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K/PI3K （p-PI3K/PI3K）， phosphorylated Akt/Akt （p-Akt/Akt）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）. ResultsNetwork pharmacology screening identified 124 active components of MLC and 408 overlapping targets between the herbal formula and the disease. Core targets such as Akt1 and Bcl-2 were revealed. As indicated by 16S rRNA sequencing， the abundances of Lachnospiraceae， Lachnoclostridium， and Dorea were increased in the MLC groups （P<0.05）， while the abundance of Veillonella was decreased （P<0.05）. KEGG correlation analysis integrating network pharmacology and gut microbiota data showed significant enrichment of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Animal experiments showed that， compared with the Mod group， body weight decreased to normal levels in the Met， MLC-M， and MLC-H groups. The estrous cycle became regular. The number of corpora lutea increased and cystic follicles decreased. Serum levels of T， FSH， and LH/FSH were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the E₂ level was increased （P<0.01）. Ovarian cell apoptosis was reduced （P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and Bcl-2 in ovarian tissue were significantly increased， whereas Bax protein expression was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionMLC can regulate gut microbiota structure， effectively improve ovarian pathology in rats with obesity-type PCOS， and inhibit ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be associated with upregulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective To explore an artificial intelligence (AI)-based method for automated hand hygiene monitoring and to compare the effectiveness of three algorithms (UniFormerV2, TDN, C3D) in recognizing hand hygiene steps in surgical settings, thereby aiding hospital infection control. Methods From April to October 2024, we non-invasively collected 641 video recordings of healthcare staff performing hand hygiene at four-bay scrub sinks in two tertiary hospitals using overhead HD cameras. The dataset was annotated by five trained experts for model training and validation. Results Following training on 385 samples, internal validation (n=119) showed the C3D model achieved 81% accuracy, 87% recall, and an 83% F1-score. The TDN model achieved 93%, 91%, and 92% for the same metrics. The UniFormerV2 model outperformed both, with an accuracy, recall, and F1-score of 93%—an improvement of over 10 percentage points compared to traditional CNNs (TDN, C3D). It also achieved an 84% accuracy in external validation, demonstrating strong generalization. Conclusion The UniFormerV2 model is more accurate than CNN-based models for hand hygiene step recognition and shows robust performance in external validation. It presents a viable tool for healthcare facilities to enhance hand hygiene management, ultimately improving medical quality and patient safety.

Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with different numbers of ports in the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of CNKI, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMbase, Wanfang Data, and the Chinese Medical Journal Full-text Database for clinical controlled trials on VATS with different port numbers for spontaneous pneumothorax, from their inception to March 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature and assessed its quality.The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the methodological quality of cohort and case-control studies, and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate randomized controlled trials (RCT). Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software. Results A total of 107 studies were included, comprising 35 RCT, 2 cohort studies, and 70 case-control studies. All cohort and case-control studies included in the analysis had NOS scores≥7. The meta-analysis revealed that compared to two-port VATS (2P-VATS) and three-port VATS (3P-VATS), single-port thoracoscopic surgery (SPTS) was associated with less intraoperative blood loss (SMD=–1.58, 95%CI: –1.93 to –1.22, P<0.001; and SMD=–1.59, 95%CI: –2.03 to –1.14, P<0.001, respectively), shorter postoperative hospital stay (SMD=–1.05, 95%CI: –1.29 to –0.82, P<0.001; and SMD=–1.08, 95%CI: –1.39 to –0.77, P<0.001), shorter duration of postoperative chest tube drainage (SMD=–0.75, 95%CI: –1.00 to –0.50, P<0.001; and SMD=–1.23, 95%CI: –1.72 to –0.75, P<0.001), fewer postoperative complications (OR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.26 to 0.45, P<0.001; and OR=0.47, 95%CI: 0.33 to 0.68, P<0.001), and lower pain scores at 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery (P<0.05). The operative time for SPTS was shorter than that for 2P-VATS (SMD=–0.53, 95%CI: –0.90 to –0.16, P=0.005) but showed no significant difference compared to 3P-VATS (P=0.21). When comparing 2P-VATS with 3P-VATS, 2P-VATS demonstrated less intraoperative blood loss (SMD=–1.02, 95%CI: –1.81 to –0.22, P=0.01), shorter postoperative hospital stay (SMD=–0.59, 95%CI: –1.11 to –0.06, P=0.03), shorter duration of chest tube drainage (SMD=–0.46, 95%CI: –0.85 to –0.08, P=0.02), fewer postoperative complications (OR=0.36, 95%CI: 0.22 to 0.59, P<0.001), and lower pain scores at 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery (P≤0.05). Conclusion Both SPTS and 2P-VATS are effective and safe surgical options for spontaneous pneumothorax, deserving further promotion and application in clinical practice. However, due to limitations in the quantity and quality of the included studies, more large-sample, high-quality research is needed to validate these findings.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of action of Kaixinsan in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease （AD） based on network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experimental validation. MethodsThe Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP） and the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine（ETCM） databases were used to obtain the active ingredients and targets of Kaixinsan. GeneCards， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man（OMIM）， TTD， PharmGKB， and DrugBank databases were used to obtain the relevant targets of AD. The intersection （common targets） of the active ingredient targets of Kaixinsan and the relevant targets of AD was taken， and the network interaction analysis of the common targets was carried out in the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction（PPI） network. The CytoNCA plugin within Cytoscape was used to screen out the core targets， and the Metascape platform was used to perform gene ontology（GO） functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis. The “drug-active ingredient-target” interaction network was constructed with the help of Cytoscape 3.8.2， and AutoDock Vina was used for molecular docking. Scopolamine （SCOP） was utilized for modeling and injected intraperitoneally once daily. Thirty-two male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into blank control （CON） group （0.9% NaCl， n=8）， model （SCOP） group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， n=8）， positive control group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of SCOP+3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of Donepezil， n=8）， and Kaixinsan group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of SCOP+6.5 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of Kaixinsan， n=8）. Mice in each group were administered with 0.9% NaCl， Kaixinsan， or Donepezil by gavage twice a day for 14 days. Morris water maze experiment was used to observe the learning memory ability of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining method was used to observe the pathological changes in the CA1 area of the mouse hippocampus. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to determine the serum acetylcholine （ACh） and acetylcholinesterase （AChE） contents of mice. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3） and nuclear transcription factor（NF）-κB p65 in the hippocampus of mice. ResultsA total of 73 active ingredients of Kaixinsan were obtained， and 578 potential targets （common targets） of Kaixinsan for the treatment of AD were screened out. Key active ingredients included kaempferol， gijugliflozin， etc.. Potential core targets were STAT3， NF-κB p65， et al. GO functional enrichment analysis obtained 3 124 biological functions， 254 cellular building blocks， and 461 molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment obtained 248 pathways， mainly involving cancer-related pathways， TRP pathway， cyclic adenosine monophosphate（cAMP） pathway， and NF-κB pathway. Molecular docking showed that the binding of the key active ingredients to the target targets was more stable. Morris water maze experiment indicated that Kaixinsan could improve the learning memory ability of SCOP-induced mice. HE staining and ELISA results showed that Kaixinsan had an ameliorating effect on central nerve injury in mice. Western blot test indicated that Kaixinsan had a down-regulating effect on the levels of NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and STAT3 phosphorylation in the hippocampal tissue of mice in the SCOP model. ConclusionKaixinsan can improve the cognitive impairment function in SCOP model mice and may reduce hippocampal neuronal damage and thus play a therapeutic role in the treatment of AD by regulating NF-κB p65， STAT3， and other targets involved in the NF-κB signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Yishen Huashi granules in alleviating renal tubular epithelial cell injury and relieving diabetic kidney disease by regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway. MethodsThe db/db mice of 12 weeks old were randomly assigned into model ， dapagliflozin （1.6 mg·kg^-1）， and Yishen Huashi granules （4.7 g·kg^-1）， and db/m mice were used as the control group. The general conditions of mice were observed， and fasting blood glucose and 24-h urinary protein and albumin-to-creatinine ratio （ACR） were measured at weeks 0 and 12 of administration. After 12 weeks of treatment， the levels of serum creatinine （SCr）， blood urea （UREA）， triglycerides （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， and low density lipoprotein （LDL） were measured. The pathological changes in the renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining， Mallory staining， and transmission electron microscopy. Real-time PCR was employed to determine the mRNA levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1） and CC chemokine receptor-2 （CCR2） in the renal tissue of mice. The immunohistochemical assay was employed to examine the expression of p38， phospho-p38 （p-p38）， MCP-1， and CCR2 in the renal tissue of mice. Western blotting was employed to measure the protein levels of p-p38， p38， MCP-1， and CCR2 in the renal tissue of mice.HK-2 cells cultured in vitro were grouped as follows： negative control， high glucose（30 mmol·L^-1）， Yishen Huashi granule-containing serum， and SB203580. After 48 h of cell culture in each group， RNA were extracted and the levels of MCP-1， and CCR2 mRNA were determined by Real-time PCR，proteins were extracted and the levels of p38， p-p38， MCP-1， and CCR2 were determined by Western blot. ResultsThe in vivo experiments showed that before treatment， other groups had higher body weight， blood glucose level， 24 h urinary protein， and ACR than the control group （P<0.05，P<0.01）. After 12 weeks of treatment， compared with the model group， the Yishen Huashi granules group showed improved general conditions， a decreasing trend in body weight， lowered levels of blood glucose， 24-h urinary protein， and ACR （P<0.01）， reduced SCr and UREA （P<0.01）， and declined levels of TC， TG， and LDL （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Yishen Huashi granules group showed alleviated damage and interstitial fibrosis in the renal tissue as well as reductions in glomerular foot process fusion and basement membrane thickening. Moreover， the Yishen Huashi granules group showed down-regulated mRNA levels of MCP-1 and CCR2 （P<0.01）， reduced positive expression of p-p38， MCP-1， and CCR2 （P<0.01）， and down-regulated protein levels of p-p38/p38， MCP-1， and CCR2 （P<0.05） in the renal tissue. The cell experiment showed that compared with the high glucose group， the Yishen Huashi granule-containing serum group showcased down-regulated mRNA levels of MCP-1 and CCR2 （P<0.01） and down-regulated protein levels of p-p38/p38， MCP-1， and CCR2（P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionYishen Huashi granules can regulate glucose-lipid metabolism， reduce 24 h urinary protein and ACR， improve the renal function， alleviate the renal tubule injury caused by high glucose， and protect renal tubule epithelial cells in db/db mice by reducing MCP-1/CCR2 activation via the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.