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.

Background: and Purpose Live cell-based assays (LCBA) are increasingly used for serological antibody detection due to their ability to preserve antigen conformation, offering moderately higher sensitivity than fixed cell-based assays. However, the clinical necessity of prioritizing LCBA for the detection of aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remains unclear, especially when compared to its established role in diagnosing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease. Methods: We compared the performance of live cell-based assays using immunofluorescence (LCBA-IF) and fixed cell-based assays using immunofluorescence (FCBA-IF) in detecting AQP4-IgG in 90 cases of NMOSD meeting 2015 International Panel for Neuromyelitis Optica Diagnosis criteria, alongside 40 controls. Additionally, we further investigated the relationship between AQP4-IgG titers as measured by LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF and clinical parameters in NMOSD patients. Results: Results showed 96.9% agreement between LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF (Cohen’s κ=0.935), with a strong Spearman correlation (0.977, p<0.001). Both methods demonstrated 100% specificity, with LCBA-IF showing slightly higher sensitivity compared to FCBA-IF. Within LCBAIF-tested groups, statistically significant differences in annualized relapse rates were observed across all pairwise comparisons (low-titer vs. moderate-titer, low-titer vs. high-titer, and moderate-titer vs. high-titer; all p<0.050). However, this association reached statistical significance in some FCBA-IF-tested groups. Conclusions Overall, there is a strong concordance between LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF in detecting AQP4-IgG, where LCBA-IF shows slightly higher sensitivity. Furthermore, there is a potential link between elevated AQP4-IgG titers and an increased risk of relapse, and this correlation may appear more pronounced when using LCBA-IF.

OBJECTIVE To provide guidance for pharmaceutical care in patients with severe Cryptococcus gattii infections.METHODS Clinical pharmacists participated in the diagnosis and treatment of a male patient with disseminated Cryptococcus gattii infection （involving the lungs and central nervous system）. Given the patient’s poor response to initial therapy， the clinical pharmacists， based on antimicrobial susceptibility test results， recommended voriconazole as an alternative azole. In response to refractory hypokalemia caused by liposomal amphotericin B， the clinical pharmacists assisted the physician in developing an intensive potassium replacement regimen. Regarding the interaction between voriconazole and nifedipine， the clinical pharmacists proactively identified the risk and intensified monitoring of the patient’s blood pressure. In response to the onset of hepatitis C during treatment， the clinical pharmacists thoroughly weighed the priority of infection treatment and recommended temporarily postponing antiviral therapy for hepatitis C. For the individualized use of voriconazole， the clinical pharmacists repeatedly performed therapeutic drug monitoring （TDM）. Regarding the patient’s poor lesion resolution， the clinical pharmacists participated in multidisciplinary team discussions to clarify the indications for surgery.RESULTS The physician adopted the clinical pharmacists’ recommendations. Following pharmacological treatment and surgical intervention， the patient’s condition stabilized， and he was discharged while still on medication.CONCLUSIONS For severe Cryptococcus gattii infections， clinical pharmacists should focus on pathogen characteristics， strengthen adverse reaction management， pay close attention to drug interactions， conduct TDM， and actively participate in multidisciplinary team collaboration to ensure the safety and efficacy of patient treatment.

ObjectiveTo analyze the microbial culture positivity rate， pathogen spectrum， prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms （MDROs）， and differences among donor procurement sources in corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province， and to provide evidence for eye bank quality control and the prevention of post-keratoplasty infections. MethodsThis retrospective study included 7 442 donor corneas procured by the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province and used for keratoplasty at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center， Sun Yat-sen University， between 2018 and 2025. During surgery， donor corneoscleral rim tissue was excised for bacterial and fungal culture. Culture-positive specimens underwent microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing （AST）. Culture-positive corneas were compared across study years， pathogen categories， and donor procurement sources. ResultsOf the 7 442 donor corneas， 251 were culture-positive， corresponding to an overall culture positivity rate of 3.37%， with annual rates ranging from 1.50% to 5.31%. Among culture-positive corneas， 178 （70.92%） yielded bacteria alone， 72 （28.68%） yielded fungi alone， and 1 （0.40%） yielded both bacteria and fungi. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. were the predominant fungal isolates. Gram-negative bacteria were more frequently isolated than Gram-positive bacteria. The most common bacterial isolates were Acinetobacter baumannii， Staphylococcus epidermidis， Stenotrophomonas maltophilia， Enterococcus faecium， and Pseudomonas fluorescens. MDROs accounted for 75.47% of bacterial isolates， predominantly Acinetobacter baumannii， Staphylococcus epidermidis， and Enterococcus faecium， and demonstrated an increasing trend over the study period. Donor corneas procured through the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program （HCRP） had a higher culture positivity rate than those obtained through Organ Procurement Organization （OPO） （P＜0.000 1）. Among culture-positive donor corneas， the proportion of fungal culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the HCRP group than in the OPO group （P=0.001 5）， whereas the proportion of MDROs among bacterial culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the OPO group than that in the HCRP group （P=0.005 2）. ConclusionsThe overall culture positivity rate of donor corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province is relatively low， indicating that the risk of microbial contamination is controlled. However， pathogen profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns varies by procurement source. Ongoing microbiological and antimicrobial resistance surveillance， together with optimized donor risk assessment and timely reporting of culture results， may further improve eye bank quality management and help inform strategies for preventing post-keratoplasty infections.

ObjectiveTo analyze the microbial culture positivity rate， pathogen spectrum， prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms （MDROs）， and differences among donor procurement sources in corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province， and to provide evidence for eye bank quality control and the prevention of post-keratoplasty infections. MethodsThis retrospective study included 7 442 donor corneas procured by the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province and used for keratoplasty at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center， Sun Yat-sen University， between 2018 and 2025. During surgery， donor corneoscleral rim tissue was excised for bacterial and fungal culture. Culture-positive specimens underwent microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing （AST）. Culture-positive corneas were compared across study years， pathogen categories， and donor procurement sources. ResultsOf the 7 442 donor corneas， 251 were culture-positive， corresponding to an overall culture positivity rate of 3.37%， with annual rates ranging from 1.50% to 5.31%. Among culture-positive corneas， 178 （70.92%） yielded bacteria alone， 72 （28.68%） yielded fungi alone， and 1 （0.40%） yielded both bacteria and fungi. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. were the predominant fungal isolates. Gram-negative bacteria were more frequently isolated than Gram-positive bacteria. The most common bacterial isolates were Acinetobacter baumannii， Staphylococcus epidermidis， Stenotrophomonas maltophilia， Enterococcus faecium， and Pseudomonas fluorescens. MDROs accounted for 75.47% of bacterial isolates， predominantly Acinetobacter baumannii， Staphylococcus epidermidis， and Enterococcus faecium， and demonstrated an increasing trend over the study period. Donor corneas procured through the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program （HCRP） had a higher culture positivity rate than those obtained through Organ Procurement Organization （OPO） （P＜0.000 1）. Among culture-positive donor corneas， the proportion of fungal culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the HCRP group than in the OPO group （P=0.001 5）， whereas the proportion of MDROs among bacterial culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the OPO group than that in the HCRP group （P=0.005 2）. ConclusionsThe overall culture positivity rate of donor corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province is relatively low， indicating that the risk of microbial contamination is controlled. However， pathogen profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns varies by procurement source. Ongoing microbiological and antimicrobial resistance surveillance， together with optimized donor risk assessment and timely reporting of culture results， may further improve eye bank quality management and help inform strategies for preventing post-keratoplasty infections.

Objective To investigate the current status of home medicine cabinet management and unmet needs for home-based pharmaceutical services among elderly hypertensive patients in Hubei Province,and to provide evidence for optimizing home pharmaceutical care models.Methods From July 2022 to March 2023,310 elderly hypertension patients across Hubei Province were enrolled.Pharmacists conducted home visits to administer structured questionnaires capturing demographics and blood pressure control rates,perform medication categorization and quality assessments of home medicine cabinets and document cabinet management issues in real-time.Results Among 290 valid questionnaires,binary logistic regression revealed better blood pressure control in non-working and non-smoking individuals.Medicine cabinet audits identified three critical issues:failure to separate Chinese and chemical medicines,duplicate medications with similar ingredients and missing original packaging.Post-intervention,all cabinets demonstrated proper medication categorization and storage compliance.Conclusions Significant medication safety hazards exist in elderly hypertensive patients'home medicine cabinets.Pharmacist-led home interventions effectively cleared substandard medications and improved medication safety.Future home pharmaceutical services should focus on optimizing cabinet management protocols,enhancing medication safety awareness and personalizing pharmaceutical care to ensure precise and effective home-based medication management.

Objective To explore the influencing factors of immune-associated thyroid dysfunction caused by sintilimab treatment in solid tumors and construct a prediction model.Methods Medical records of patients diagnosed with solid tumors and treated with sintilimab at Peking University People's Hospital(Xizhimen Campus,Tongzhou Campus,Shijiazhuang Campus)from January 2023 to September 2024 were collected to explore the influencing factors that caused immune-related thyroid dysfunction using univariate and multifactorial binary logistic regression analyses and to establish a prediction model.The predictive effect of the model was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results A total of 120 patients were included,and 33 presented with immune-related thyroid dysfunction.Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH)[OR=2.470,95%CI=(1.279,4.771)]and treatment cycles[OR=1.298,95%CI=(1.117,1.509)]were independent risk factors for the occurrence of immune-associated thyroid dysfunction,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The area under the ROC curve was(0.897±0.043)[95%CI=(0.813,0.981)],the Yoden index was 0.703,and the model prediction accuracy was 86.5%.Conclusion The risk of immune-related thyroid dysfunction caused by sintilimab is high,and TSH and treatment cycle are the influencing factors,and the constructed model has certain predictive value and is of reference significance.

BACKGROUND:Prostaglandin E1(PGE1)has been shown to play a regulatory role in vasodilatation,inflammation,and leukocyte migration and adhesion,but its effects on spinal cord microcirculation after traumatic spinal cord injury(SCI)remain poorly understood. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism underlying the protective effects of PGE1 administered during the acute phase of traumatic SCI in rats on the regulation of vascular-related factors and microcirculatory function. METHODS:Seventy-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups(n=24 per group):control group,SCI group,and PGE1 group.An in vivo SCI model was established using Allen's blow method.Rats in the PGE1 group were injected with PGE1(10 μg/kg)via the tail vein immediately after SCI.Spinal cord microcirculatory blood flow and oxygen saturation,spinal cord microvessel diameter and area,spinal cord water content,vascular function regulators(von Willebrand factor,thromboxane A2,prostacyclin,endothelin-1),and inflammatory factors(tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β)were measured at 2 and 24 hours after SCI. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 2 hours after SCI,the diameter and area of spinal cord microvessels,spinal cord microcirculatory blood flow,and oxygen saturation in the PGE1 group were higher than those in the SCI group(P<0.05),the water content of the spinal cord was lower than that in the SCI group(P<0.05),and the level of plasma von Willebrand Factor,the ratio of thromboxane A2/prostacyclin of the spinal cord and the level of endothelin-1 were lower than those in the SCI group(P<0.05).At 24 hours after SCI,the spinal cord microvessel area,blood flow,and oxygen saturation of rats in the PGE1 group were higher than those in the SCI group(P<0.05),the spinal cord water content was lower than that in the SCI group(P<0.05),and the levels of plasma von Willebrand factor,spinal cord tissue thromboxane A2/prostacyclin ratio and the levels of endothelin-1,tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β were lower than those in the SCI group(P<0.05).The diameter and area of spinal cord microvessels,spinal cord microcirculatory blood flow and blood oxygen saturation of rats in the SCI group were higher than those in the SCI group at 24 hours post-injury(P<0.05),and the levels of plasma von Willebrand factor,spinal tissue thromboxane A2/prostacyclin ratio,tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β were higher than those at 2 hours post-injury(P<0.05),but the level of endothelin-1 in spinal cord tissue was lower than that at 2 hours(P<0.05).The blood flow and oxygen saturation of spinal cord microcirculation in the PGE1 group rats at 24 hours post-injury were lower than those at 2 hours post-injury(P<0.05),and the diameter and area of spinal cord microvessels and water content of the spinal cord were higher than those at 2 hours post-injury(P<0.05).The above results indicate that intravenous administration of PGE1 in SCI rats immediately after injury can regulate vascular function regulators,inflammatory factors and improve microcirculation of the spinal cord after SCI,which provides a potential basis for the search of drugs for the treatment of acute SCI.

Objective To study the relationship between irisin and the risk of sarcopenia in elderly patients with hyperhomocysteine-mia of different genders.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 180 elderly patients with hyperhomocysteinemia who were ad-mitted to the Geriatrics Department of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between January 2021 and January 2023.The study partici-pants were categorized into the male sarcopenia group(n=43)and the male non-sarcopenia group(n=57),the female sarcopenia group(n=44),and the female non-sarcopenia group(n=36)according to the《2019 Consensus Update on the Diagnosis and Treat-ment of Sarcopenia》.Serum irisin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the clinical data of patients in sar-copenia and non-sarcopenia groups were compared under different genders.Serum irisin concentrations were grouped into quartiles,and the differences in the indicators related to sarcopenia[appendicular skeletal muscle mass index(ASMI),grip strength,and step speed]were statistically assessed among the four groups using analysis of ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test.Multifactorial Logistic regression a-nalysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of sarcopenia in elderly patients with hyperhomocysteinemia of different genders.Results Among elderly male patients,there were statistically significant differences in age,irisin,hemoglobin,total protein,albumin,triglycerides,High-density lipoprotein cholesterol,ASMI and percent body fat between the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group(P＜0.05).Among elderly female patients,there were statistically significant differences in irisin,C-reactive protein,platelets count,uric acid,ASMI and percent body fat between the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group(P＜0.05).After statistical a-nalysis,it was found that the ASMI was significantly different between the irisin quartile groups of elderly male patients with hyperhomo-cysteinemia(P＜0.001);grip strength and step speed were significantly different between the irisin quartile groups of elderly female pa-tients with hyperhomocysteinemia(P=0.016,0.020).Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that serum irisin(OR=0.951,95％CI:0.905-0.999)and percent body fat(OR=0.741,95％CI:0.641-0.857)were independent influences on the development of sarcopenia in elderly male patients with hyperhomocysteinemia(P＜0.05).Serum irisin(OR=0.942,95％CI:0.892-0.994),per-cent body fat(OR=0.698,95％CI:0.576-0.846),and platelet count(OR=1.013,95％CI:1.002-1.024)were independent influencing factors for sarcopenia in the elderly female patients with hyperhomocysteinemia(P＜0.05).Conclusion Elevated serum iri-sin and body fat percentage are independent protective factors against sarcopenia in elderly male and female patients with hyperhomocys-teinemia;elevated platelet count is an independent risk factor for sarcopenia in elderly female patients with hyperhomocysteinemia.

Cross-border teaching provides new opportunities for college students to gain diverse insights amid the globalization and internationalized education, In July 2024, guided by the Chinese Association for Science and Technology, the Chinese Nutrition Society and the Hong Kong Nutrition Association collaborated to host a three-week clinical nutrition internship at Peking Union Medical College Hospital for five college students from Hong Kong SAR, China. This program included participating in outpatient rounds, attending in inpatient nutrition management, and attending lectures, aiming to enhance students' professional skills and clinical experience. Cultural exchange and value-based education also enriched students' social responsibility and cultural understanding. The Hong Kong students also brought diverse cultural backgrounds and inputs, enabling multidimensional communication during the training. Post-internship feedback survey showed that the students found the inernship valuable for their career development and hoped for more learning opportunities. This cross-border high-quality internship program fostered skill enhancement, cultural exchange between young students in Beijing and Hong Kong and contributed to advancement of clinical nutrition.