This paper summarizes the clinical experience in applying jiao （角） medicine to treat diabetes mellitus from the perspective of qi， blood， and fluids. It is believed that impaired spleen transportation and transformation is the key pathomechanism of diabetes， leading to metabolic disturbances in qi， blood， and fluids， and resulting in a sequential pathological progression of "qi → thick fluids → thin fluids → blood". At the qi level， the disease is mainly characterized by spleen qi deficiency and stagnation， and is commonly treated with Hongshen （Panax Ginseng）， Huangqi （Astragalus Mongholicus）， and Baizhu （Atractylodes Macrocephala） to tonify the spleen and regulate qi. At the thick fluids level， the condition manifests as abdominal distension， internal heat， and turbid pathogens， requiring Zexie （Alisma Orientale）， Huanglian （Coptis Chinensis）， and Dahuang （Rheum Palmatum） to clear the spleen and drain turbidity. At the thin fluids level， with qi and yin deficiency and predominant yin damage， Gegen （Pueraria Lobata）， Wuweizi （Schisandra Chinensis）， and Maidong （Ophiopogon Japonicus） are used to nourish yin and generate fluids. At the blood level， where vascular damage is predominant， Shuizhifen （Whitmania Pigra Powder）， Danshen （Salvia Miltiorrhiza）， and Sanqifen （Panax Notoginseng Powder） are applied to activate blood circulation， resolve stasis， and unblock the channels. Clinicians may flexibly select appropriate jiao medicine based on the specific pathological layer affected in each patient.

As a potential vectored vaccine,Newcastle disease virus(NDV)has been subject to various studies for vaccine development,while relatively little research has outlined the immunomodulatory effect of the virus in antigen presentation.To elucidate the key inhibitory factor in regulating the interaction of infected dendritic cells(DCs)and T cells,DCs were pretreated with the NDV vaccine strain LaSota as an inhibitor and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)for further detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),flow cytometry,immunoblotting,and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The results revealed that NDV infection resulted in the inhibition of interleukin(IL)-12p40 in DCs through a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)-dependent manner,thus inhibiting the synthesis of IL-12p70,leading to the reduction in T cell proliferation and the secretion of interferon-γ(IFN-γ),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and IL-6 induced by DCs.Consequently,downregulated cytokines accelerated the infection and viral transmission from DCs to T cells.Furthermore,several other strains of NDV also exhibited inhibitory activity.The current study reveals that NDV can modulate the intensity of the innate?adaptive immune cell crosstalk critically toward viral invasion improvement,highlighting a novel mechanism of virus-induced immunosuppression and providing new perspectives on the improvement of NDV-vectored vaccine.

Objective:To analyze the methylation characteristics of the lymphocyte-specific protein-tyrosine kinase (LCK) promoter region in the peripheral blood circulation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and its correlation with clinical indicators.Methods:Targeted methylation sequencing was used to compare the methylation levels of 7 CpG sites in the LCK promoter region in the peripheral blood of RA patients with healthy controls (HC) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Correlation analysis and ROC curve construction were performed with clinical information.Results:Non-parametric tests revealed that compared with HC [0.53(0.50, 0.57)] and OA patients [0.59(0.54, 0.62), H=47.17, P<0.001], RA patients [0.63(0.59, 0.68)] exhibited an overall increase in methylation levels. Simultaneously, when compared with the HC group [0.38(0.35, 0.41), 0.59(0.55, 0.63), 0.60(0.55, 0.64), 0.59(0.55, 0.63), 0.58(0.53, 0.62), 0.45(0.43, 0.49), 0.57(0.54, 0.61)], the RA group [0.46(0.42, 0.49), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.70(0.66, 0.76), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.69(0.64, 0.74), 0.55(0.51, 0.59), 0.68(0.63, 0.73)] showed a significant elevation in methylation levels at CpG sites cg05350315_60, cg05350315_80, cg05350315_95, cg05350315_101, cg05350315_104, cg05350315_128, and cg05350315_142, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-5.63, -5.89, -5.91, -5.89, -5.98, -5.95, -5.95, all P<0.001). Compared with the OA group [0.65(0.59, 0.69), 0.65(0.60, 0.69), 0.64(0.58, 0.68), 0.50(0.45, 0.54), 0.63(0.58, 0.67)], the RA group [0.70(0.66, 0.76), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.69(0.64, 0.74), 0.55(0.51, 0.59), 0.68(0.63, 0.73)] exhibited a significant increase in methylation levels at CpG sites cg05350315_95, cg05350315_101, cg05350315_104, cg05350315_128, and cg05350315_142, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-3.56, -3.52, -3.60, -3.67, -3.62; P=0.036, 0.042, 0.031, 0.030, 0.030). Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed a positive correlation between the overall methylation level in this region and C-reactive protein (CRP) ( r=0.19, P=0.004) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( r=0.14, P=0.035). The overall methylation level of the LCK promoter region in the CRP (low) group [0.63 (0.58, 0.68)] was higher than that in the CRP (high) group [0.65(0.61, 0.70)], with statistically significant differences ( Z=2.60, P=0.009). Finally, by constru-cting a ROC curve, the discriminatory efficacy of peripheral blood LCK promoter region methylation levels for identifying RA patients, especially seronegative RA patients, from HC and OA groups was validated, with an AUC value of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.93). Conclusion:This study provides insights into the methylation status and methylation haplotype patterns of the LCK promoter region in the peripheral blood of RA patients. The overall methylation level in this region is positively correlated with the level of inflammation and can be used to differentiate seronegative RA patients from the HC and OA patients.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, currently relies on pharmacological treatments that are limited in efficacy and often accompanied by side effects. As the number of AD patients increases, so does the economic burden on both the global healthcare system and families of patients, further worsening the quality of life for patients in their later years. Therefore, it is crucial to find new and more effective therapeutic approaches. This necessity has sparked a growing interest in non-invasive therapies, such as 40 Hz rhythmic stimulation, which aims to modulate brain activity to potentially reverse pathological changes and alleviate symptoms. This review provides an overview of the effects of 40 Hz stimulation on AD pathology and symptoms, its impact on cognitive functions in healthy individuals, the underlying mechanisms of action, and strategies to enhance the treatment’s compliance and effectiveness. Research has demonstrated that 40 Hz rhythmic stimulation, particularly through auditory and visual modalities, can influence core AD pathologies. In mouse models of AD, this stimulation has been shown to reduce amyloid-beta protein (Aβ) plaques and phosphorylated tau protein levels, hallmarks of AD pathology. These effects are thought to stem from enhanced waste clearance mechanisms, facilitated by the stimulation of the glymphatic system and the activation of microglia. Clinical applications in AD patients have shown promising results, with improvements noted in cognitive functions and behavioral symptoms. These findings suggest that 40 Hz rhythmic stimulation could offer a non-pharmacological option to mitigate the pathological progression and symptomatic expression of AD. In healthy individuals, the cognitive outcomes of 40 Hz stimulation appear more variable. Some studies indicate potential enhancements in memory and attention, proposing that 40 Hz stimulation may bolster cognitive resilience and processing efficiency in a non-diseased brain. However, these effects are not consistently replicated across studies, indicating that individual differences and specific stimulation parameters may significantly influence outcomes. The beneficial effects of 40 Hz rhythmic stimulation are believed to be primarily due to neural entrainment, where neural circuits synchronize their activity to the external frequency. This entrainment may restore the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neural activity, which is often disrupted in AD mice and AD patients. By reinforcing natural brain rhythms, 40 Hz stimulation may enhance neural connectivity and function, facilitating cognitive and memory processes that are deteriorated in AD. Neural entrainment at 40 Hz has been demonstrated to aid in restoring neural network function, enhancing the glymphatic system, improving cerebral blood flow, and providing neuroprotection. These mechanisms are thought to work synergistically to regulate brain activity, potentially leading to a reduction in lesions and an improvement in cognitive performance. To optimize the therapeutic benefits of 40 Hz stimulation, several factors need to be considered. Treatment protocols should be tailored to individual needs, accounting for variability in disease progression and personal health status. Enhancing patient compliance involves simplifying treatment regimens and using portable, user-friendly devices that can be easily incorporated into daily routines. Ongoing research should focus on refining stimulation parameters and delivery methods to maximize efficacy and minimize potential side effects. In conclusion, while 40 Hz rhythmic stimulation represents a promising avenue for treating AD and enhancing cognitive functions, further research is required to fully elucidate its mechanisms, refine its application, and ensure its practicality and efficacy in broad clinical and everyday settings.

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Objective:To explore the understanding on health-related quality of life(HRQoL)among the Chinese populations and to develop a HRQoL conceptual framework that can be used to guide the development of Chinese HRQoL instruments.Methods:Respondents of Chinese general population and patients populations were recruited from 31 provinces in China.One-to-one semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted to collect the views and perceptions on HRQoL.Based on the grounded theory,multi-level coding of qualitative interviews was carried out,and the framework method was used to sort out and summarize the coding to develop the HRQoL conceptual framework in China.Results:A total of 68 respondents were included in the study.The study extracted 1 558 open coding from the qualitative interview,which were analyzed and sorted into 180 axial coding and 31 selective coding(dimensions).The HRQoL conceptual framework for the Chinese population with 6 themes was finally summarized.Conclusions:The HRQoL conceptual framework based on the health concepts and preferences of the Chinese population contains 6 themes,refers to symptoms,physical function,emotion,cognition,activities and social function.In particular,the items of appetite,sleep and fatigue identifies may reflect Chinese cultural specific perceptions on important aspects of HRQoL.

Objective:To analyze the intrauterine ultrasound manifestations and postnatal follow-up outcomes of fetuses with 2q13 microdeletion.Methods:This retrospective study involved 23 cases of 2q13 microdeletion, diagnosed via amniotic fluid chromosome karyotyping and single nucleotide polymorphism-array (SNP-array) following amniocentesis, between January 1, 2018, and September 1, 2022, at Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to prenatal diagnostic indications, intrauterine ultrasound findings, prenatal diagnosis results, and postnatal follow-up outcomes.Results:(1) The prenatal diagnostic indications for the 23 cases of 2q13 microdeletion included seven cases (30.4%) of high-risk serological screening, six cases (26.1%) of increased nuchal translucency (NT), two cases (8.7%) of fetal heart defects, two cases (8.7%) of advanced maternal age, two cases (8.7%) of fetal choroid plexus cysts (one of which was also associated with high-risk serological screening), one case (4.3%) of suboptimal fetal nasal bone fusion, one case (4.3%) of non-invasive prenatal testing suggesting chromosomal abnormalities, one case (4.3%) of fetal obstructive polycystic kidneys, one case (4.3%) of fetal subependymal cysts, and one case (4.3%) of fetal growth restriction. (2) Intrauterine ultrasound findings included six cases (26.1%) of NT thickening, four cases (17.4%) of intrauterine growth restriction, two cases (8.7%) of fetal heart defects, two cases (8.7%) of choroid plexus cysts, one case (4.3%) of oligohydramnios, one case (4.3%) of suboptimal fetal nasal bone fusion, one case (4.3%) of short long bones in the fetus, one case (4.3%) of polyhydramnios with large fetal abdominal circumference, one case (4.3%) of large fetal abdominal circumference, short long bones, and subependymal cysts of the brain ventricles, and one case (4.3%) of fetal obstructive polycystic kidneys; the remaining six cases (26.1%) showed no abnormal ultrasound findings. (3) Chromosome karyotyping revealed three cases of chromosomal structural abnormalities, one case of sex chromosome numerical abnormalities, and the remaining 19 cases showed no abnormalities. Amniotic fluid SNP-array results indicated deletions ranging from 104 to 1 745 kb. Parental verification was performed in ten cases, showing maternal inheritance in four cases, paternal inheritance in five, and one case of a de novo mutation. (4) Four cases (17.4%) opted for pregnancy termination, while 19 cases (82.6%) resulted in live births. The 19 live-born children underwent telephone and child health follow-up, with ages at follow-up being 3 years (ranging from 9 to 58.8 months). Apart from two cases that did not undergo newborn congenital heart disease screening, the remaining 17 surviving infants were screened without any abnormalities. Five cases had abnormal growth and development during follow-up: one 18-month-old with mild language developmental delay, one 3-year-old plus 26 days with mild language developmental delay, one 18-month-old with language developmental delay, one 3-year-old with astigmatism, and one 30-month-old with refractive error in both eyes during a physical examination; the other 14 children showed no significant abnormalities in growth and development. Conclusions:The intrauterine ultrasound manifestations of fetuses with 2q13 microdeletion are non-specific, and most of them are inherited from their parents. Postnatal follow-up should pay attention to the development of the nervous system of children.

Glioblastoma(GBM)is a lethal cancer with limited therapeutic options.Dendritic cell(DC)-based cancer vaccines provide a promising approach for GBM treatment.Clinical studies suggest that other immu-notherapeutic agents may be combined with DC vaccines to further enhance antitumor activity.Here,we report a GBM case with combination immunotherapy consisting of DC vaccines,anti-programmed death-1(anti-PD-1)and poly I:C as well as the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide that was integrated with standard chemoradiation therapy,and the patient remained disease-free for 69 months.The patient received DC vaccines loaded with multiple forms of tumor antigens,including mRNA-tumor associated antigens(TAA),mRNA-neoantigens,and hypochlorous acid(HOCl)-oxidized tumor lysates.Furthermore,mRNA-TAAAs were modified with a novel TriVac technology that fuses TAAs with a destabilization domain and inserts TAAs into full-length lysosomal associated membrane protein-1 to enhance major histo-compatibility complex(MHC)class Ⅰ and Ⅱ antigen presentation.The treatment consisted of 42 DC cancer vaccine infusions,26 anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab administrations and 126 poly I:C injections for DC infusions.The patient also received 28 doses of cyclophosphamide for depletion of regulatory T cells.No immunotherapy-related adverse events were observed during the treatment.Robust antitumor CD4+and CD8+T-cell responses were detected.The patient remains free of disease progression.This is the first case report on the combination of the above three agents to treat glioblastoma patients.Our results suggest that integrated combination immunotherapy is safe and feasible for long-term treatment in this patient.A large-scale trial to validate these findings is warranted.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor with high mortality, and multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by ABCG2 (ATP-Binding cassette G2) is an important cause of chemotherapy failure. It is an urgent problem to explore the mechanism of ABCG2-mediated drug resistance and its key molecules. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is involved in multiple tumor drug resistance and is closely related to breast cancer MDR. However, its role in ABCG2-mediated breast cancer drug resistance has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to explore the regulation of EpCAM on ABCG2-mediated MDR in breast cancer cells and its mechanism. CCK8 cytotoxicity assays confirmed that the drug resistance of MCF-7/MX cell line to mitoxantrone (MX) was significantly increased compared with MCF-7 drug-sensitive strain of human breast cancer. Western blotting results showed that ABCG2 was highly expressed and EpCAM was up-regulated in MCF-7/MX cells compared with MCF-7. SiRNA knockdown of EpCAM in MCF-7/MX cells down-regulated ABCG2 expression and restored sensitivity to MX. Cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope, and it was found that knocking down EpCAM reduced cell-cell connections between MCF-7/MX cells. The co-localization of EpCAM and claudin 1 in MCF-7/MX cells was observed by immunofluorescence. Furthermore, Western blotting results showed that EpCAM knockdown reduced claudin 1 expression in MCF-7/MX cells. In conclusion, EpCAM may promote ABCG2-mediated mMDR in breast cancers by enhancing intercellular tight junctions through interaction with claudin 1.