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 explore the transformation of the dispensing and drug pickup process in traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy （TCM Pharmacy） in our hospital based on data-intelligence-driven， aiming to improve pharmacists’ work efficiency and patients’ drug pickup experience. METHODS Value stream mapping and journey mapping were used to systematically identify non-value-added links in pharmacists’ dispensing process and key pain points in patients’ drug pickup under the traditional process. An intelligent dispensing and drug pickup system for the TCM Pharmacy was developed based on the C# and Android television platforms， and a machine-learning model was adopted to predict patients’ drug pickup waiting time. A comprehensive evaluation was performed from three perspectives： system performance， prediction accuracy， and satisfaction of pharmacists and patients. RESULTS The system successfully streamlined non-value-added links such as “waiting for writing on the board” and “searching for drugs”， and realized multimodal dynamic prompts of dispensing status through auditory （number calling） and visual （television terminal） channels. The constructed model for predicting drug pickup waiting time exhibited good fitting degree and generalization ability （mean absolute error＝4.28 min， R 2 ＝0.882）. The comprehensive satisfaction scores of pharmacists and patients in the traditional mode were significantly increased from （70.99±1.74） and （73.58±1.98） to （90.02±1.30） and （88.61±2.08） in the new system， respectively （ P ＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS The transformation of the intelligent drug dispensing and pickup system for TCM pharmacy based on data-intelligence-driven effectively improves the efficiency of pharmacists’ dispensing work， realizes process transparency and waiting time predictability， and significantly enhances patients’ drug pickup experience.

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.

By consulting ancient and modern literature， this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions， including name， origin， scientific name verification， medicinal parts， production area， quality， harvesting and processing， as well as its nature， taste， and therapeutic effects， in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots， which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However， due to its alias Kucai， there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty， various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing， and throughout history， Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name， though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang， Lujiang， and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa， which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However， while the roots were traditionally used medicinally， the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition， the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records， Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia（present-day eastern Hubei province） and Jiangdong（the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River）， but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times， the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried， today， the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times， the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long， the leaves are abundant and green， and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing， ancient methods often involved baking（drying over fire）， while modern methods typically involve removing impurities， washing， and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify， eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties， it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat， abscesses， postpartum diseases， and rheumatism， during the Five dynasties period， its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses， and by the modern era， conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste， it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty， it was slightly cold， with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties， it was mostly slightly cold and neutral， with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times， it was mostly bitter and neutral， and in contemporary times， it has evolved to a taste of acrid， bitter， and cool. Based on the results of this study， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba， one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources， P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family， and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.

By consulting ancient and modern literature， this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions， including name， origin， scientific name verification， medicinal parts， production area， quality， harvesting and processing， as well as its nature， taste， and therapeutic effects， in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots， which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However， due to its alias Kucai， there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty， various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing， and throughout history， Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name， though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang， Lujiang， and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa， which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However， while the roots were traditionally used medicinally， the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition， the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records， Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia（present-day eastern Hubei province） and Jiangdong（the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River）， but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times， the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried， today， the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times， the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long， the leaves are abundant and green， and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing， ancient methods often involved baking（drying over fire）， while modern methods typically involve removing impurities， washing， and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify， eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties， it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat， abscesses， postpartum diseases， and rheumatism， during the Five dynasties period， its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses， and by the modern era， conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste， it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty， it was slightly cold， with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties， it was mostly slightly cold and neutral， with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times， it was mostly bitter and neutral， and in contemporary times， it has evolved to a taste of acrid， bitter， and cool. Based on the results of this study， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba， one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources， P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family， and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.

The integration of large language model （LLM） and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） promotes the informatization of TCM，and also provides a new direction for the inheritance and innovation of TCM in the new era. Based on the research background of LLM，the development process of LLM based on the Transformer architecture is summarized，and the research progress of LLM in TCM is reviewed. The main process of constructing TCM LLMs and the key techniques used by researchers during model development are summarized. Based on the related literature， the main application scenarios of TCM LLMs and the research explorations conducted by TCM researchers using LLMs are outlined. Meanwhile，the current challenges faced in the development of TCM LLMs are analyzed. Further improvements are urgently needed in the construction of high-quality data，the evaluation methodology of TCM LLMs，the interpretability of the model， multimodal fusion of TCM LLMs， and the development of TCM prescription recommendation models. Looking forward to the future development of LLM in TCM，it is expected to provide a reference for the deeper integration of LLMs and TCM，and facilitate the modernization of TCM.

The surgical management of empyema (excluding those caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria) is rapidly evolving towards minimally invasive, precise, and stepwise approaches. The traditional three-stage classification (exudative, fibrinopurulent, and organizing) has limitations in guiding dynamic clinical decision-making. For the first time, this consensus explicitly identifies two critical junctures in the pathological progression of empyema: "early transformation" (stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ) and "late transformation" (stage Ⅱ to Ⅲ), and thereby constructs a corresponding "identification-early warning-intervention" stepwise therapeutic framework. The consensus emphasizes that proactive debridement via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery should be performed during the early transformation phase to halt disease progression. Conversely, during the late transformation phase, therapeutic goals should be rationally adjusted to prioritize adequate drainage, avoiding futile pleural decortication. Moreover, the consensus underscores the pivotal role of precise perioperative etiological diagnosis (e.g. metagenomic nest-generation sequencing) and standardized anti-infective therapy. Integrating practical experiences from multiple thoracic surgery centers in China and relevant evidence-based literature, this consensus formulates recommendations on the precise definitions of staging, surgical indications for each phase, key technical points, perioperative management, and training systems. It aims to promote the standardized and individualized surgical management of empyema, ultimately optimizing patient prognosis.

AIM:To investigate the therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes(BMSC-Exos)on diabetic retinopathy(DR)in rats, with a focus on their ability to modulate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses through the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.METHODS:Streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group 1 [normal+phosphate-buffered saline(PBS)], Group 2(normal+Exos), Group 3(DR+PBS), and Group 4(DR+Exos). At the 8th week after modeling, BMSC-Exos or PBS were injected intravitreally. Retinal tissues were collected at the 16th week for histological analysis [hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining], apoptosis detection(TUNEL). Oxidative stress markers [8-OHdG, superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione(GSH)] were assessed, and inflammatory cytokines [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)for interleukin(IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)], and molecular profiling [quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)for TLR4, NF-κB, and VEGF] were measured.RESULTS:The BMSC-Exos treatment significantly suppressed the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway in DR rats(P<0.01), which was accompanied by reduced retinal vascular leakage(Evans blue assay, P<0.001), decreased apoptosis(TUNEL, P<0.05), and attenuated oxidative stress(elevated SOD and GSH, reduced 8-OHdG, P<0.05). The levels of inflammatory cytokines(IL-6 and TNF-α)were markedly decreased(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:BMSC-Exos alleviate DR by suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB axis, thus reducing oxidative damage, inflammation, and microvascular dysfunction. This research offers a novel therapeutic approach for early-stage DR.

Objective To elucidate the correlation between specific nucleocapsid(N)protein mutant of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant and clinical stratification in COVID-19 patients,revealing their impact on N protein liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)and host innate immune response.Methods Based on whole-genome sequencing data of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 lineage from the GISAID database,non-synonymous mutation sites significantly associated with mild/severe clinical phenotypes were screened.For high-frequency N protein mutant,IFN-β promoter transcriptional activity was quantitatively measured using a dual-luciferase reporter system.qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of interferon(IFN)-β,interleukin(IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α.LLPS characteristics were observed by confocal microscopy.The ubiquitination status of host MAVS was detected by Western blot assay.Results A total of 17 640 non-synonymous mutation sites were identified,among which 65 were associated with mild cases and 20 were related to severe cases,with a mutation frequency>1%.The N protein mutation sites associated with severe cases were D3L,M234I and R203K-G204R-T205I.N protein and the mutants NM234I,NR203K-G204R-T205I inhibited the promoter activity of IFN-β(P＜0.05).Compared to the wild type N protein,NR203K-G204R-T205I mutation significantly reduced the mRNA levels of IFN-β,IL-6 and TNF-α(P＜0.05),and altered the phase separation state by dispersing the formation of LLPS condensates.However,N mutant did not affect the ubiquitination modification of host MAVS.Conclusion N protein mutants of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant can influence the clinical prognosis of COVID-19 patients by altering LLPS status and suppressing the innate immune responses.These finding provides a theoretical basis for the design of antiviral drugs targeting the N protein.

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of sivelestat sodium in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:Sixty patients with ARDS admitted to the ICU of the Fuyang Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from August 1, 2023 to November 1, 2024 were selected and divided into the control group (conventional treatment, 30 cases) and the sivelestat sodium group (treated with sivelestat sodium in addition to conventional treatment, 30 cases) by the random number table method. The clinical data such as inflammatory factors, blood gas analysis indicators, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score of the two groups of patients before treatment and 3 days after treatment were compared. The prognostic indicators such as mechanical ventilation time, ICU stay time, total hospital stay time, 28-day mortality rate and clinical efficacy of the two groups of patients were compared.Results:Before treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in inflammatory factors, blood gas analysis indicators, APACHE Ⅱ score and SOFA score between the two groups of patients (all P>0.05). After 3 days of treatment, the improvement degrees of APACHE Ⅱ score, SOFA score, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2), oxygenation index (PaO 2/FiO 2), procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the sivelestat sodium group were all greater than those in the control group. The differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05); The mechanical ventilation time [(5.31±4.12) d vs (7.17±2.32)d] and ICU stay [(6.31±3.42)d vs (8.93±5.26)d] of patients in the sivelestat sodium group were significantly shorter than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the 28-day mortality rate between the sivelestat sodium group [20.00%(6/30)] and the control group [43.33%(13/30)] ( P>0.05). The total effective rate of treatment in the sivelestat sodium group was significantly higher than that in the control group [80.00%(24/30) vs 56.67%(17/30)], and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=4.167, P=0.041). Conclusions:Sivelestat sodium is helpful in improving the physiological parameters of patients with ARDS, effectively reducing the levels of inflammatory factors in the body, shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, but has no significant effect on the 28-day mortality rate.