ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang（CJLM） on depression-like behaviors and neuroinflammation in rats subjected to social isolation combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress（CUMS）， and to explore the potential underlying mechanisms. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group， a model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose CJLM groups（2.89， 5.78， 11.56 g·kg^-1）， as well as a fluoxetine group（10 mg·kg^-1）. Except for the normal group， all other groups were subjected to social isolation combined with CUMS for 63 d. During the first 35 d， depression models were established only， and from day 36 onward， modeling and drug administration were conducted simultaneously for a total intervention period of 28 d. Depression-like behaviors were evaluated using the sucrose preference test， open-field test， and forced swimming test. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was performed to observe hippocampal histomorphology. Immunohistochemistry（IHC） was used to detect the expression levels of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1（Iba1） and gasdermin D（GSDMD） proteins in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was employed to determine the protein expression levels of adenosine 5′-monophosphate（AMP）-activated protein kinase（AMPK） and phosphorylated（p）-AMPK， silent information regulator 1（SIRT1）， nuclear factor-κB（NF-κB） and p-NF-κB， NOD-like receptor protein 3（NLRP3）， and Caspase-1 in the hippocampus. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）， interleukin（IL）-6， and IL-1β in the hippocampus. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a decreased sucrose preference rate（P<0.01）， reduced total movement distance（P<0.01）， prolonged immobility time（P<0.01）， and decreased central zone residence time（P<0.01） in the open-field test， and increased immobility time in the forced swimming test（P<0.01）. Hippocampal neuronal structure was damaged. The contents of Iba1 and GSDMD in the hippocampus were significantly increased（P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of p-AMPK and SIRT1 in the hippocampus were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， whereas the protein expression levels of p-NF-κB， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 were significantly increased（P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α in the hippocampus were significantly upregulated（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose CJLM groups and the fluoxetine group all were able to reverse depression-like behavioral changes， as evidenced by increased sucrose preference rate， increased total movement distance with shortened immobility time in the open-field test， prolonged central zone residence time， and reduced immobility time in the forced swimming test（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile， hippocampal neuronal structural damage was alleviated. In the hippocampus， the expression levels of Iba1 and GSDMD were downregulated， the expression levels of p-AMPK and SIRT1 were upregulated， and the abnormal elevations of p-NF-κB， NLRP3， Caspase-1， as well as IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α mRNA were suppressed（P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionCJLM can ameliorate depression-like behaviors in rats subjected to social isolation combined with CUMS and attenuate hippocampal neuroinflammation and pyroptosis， suggesting that its effects may be associated with the regulation of AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the chemical constituents of Heihuang Chizhu Granules and the blood composition of rats af-ter administration by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.METHODS A Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 column(3 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm)was eluted with acetonitrile-0.1%formic acid as mobile phase,and the data were collected in electrospray ion source positive and neg-ative ion mode and then identified with the reference retention time,precise molecular weight,secondary fragment ions,and references to relevant literature.RESULTS A total of 104 chemical components were identified from Heihuang Chizhu Granules,including 26 flavonoids,24 organic acids,14 triterpenoids,8 terpenoids,7 phenylpropanoids,11 monoglycosides,and 14 other components(phe-nols,alkaloids,etc.).On this basis,39 blood-entering components were identified in the plasma of rats administered via gavage,in-cluding 28 prototypes and 11 metabolites.CONCLUSION The chemical constituents of Heihuang Chizhu Granules and the compo-nents entering the blood of rats are analyzed and identified for the first time in this study,and the results provide a scientific basis for the basic research of Heihuang Chizhu Granules and the establishment of process quality control standards.

Objective:To establish a method for determination of fluoride in water using a fully automated biochemical analyzer (abbreviated as this method).Methods:Based on the parameters of the fully automatic biochemical analyzer, appropriate reagent volumes and reaction time were optimized to determine fluoride ions in water within the standard curve range (0.0 - 2.0 mg/L). The method was validated through evaluation of linear range, detection limit, precision, accuracy, and comparative analysis with the manual measurement results of fluoride reagent spectrophotometric method specified in the "Standard Examination Methods for Drinking Water - Part 5: Inorganic Nonmetallic indices" (GB/T 5750.5-2023).Results:Within the range of 0.0 - 2.0 mg/L fluoride mass concentration, the absolute values of the correlation coefficients were > 0.999 0 and the detection limit of this method was 0.082 mg/L. The relative standard deviation for the determination of fluoride level in water samples with low, medium and high fluoride mass concentrations was 4.03%, 2.16% and 1.68%, respectively. The spiked recovery rates were 98.1%, 99.5%, and 100.2%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the results obtained by this method and manual measurement ( t = 1.07, P = 0.295). Conclusion:This method exhibits high sensitivity, accuracy, and efficiency in detecting fluoride, enabling rapid sample detection through instrumental automation instead of manual operation.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of intravesical electrical stimulation (IVES) and low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (Li-ESWT) in improving bladder emptying function in female patients with non-obstructive detrusor underactivity (NODU), and to further assess the clinical value of an individualized integrated treatment strategy guided by reinforcement learning (RL) optimization. Methods A total of 98 female patients diagnosed with NODU by urodynamic testing at the Department of Urology, the Second People's Hospital of Hefei, duirng Jun.2023 and Feb.2025 were prospectively enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned (1∶1∶1) to three groups:the IVES group (n=33), the Li-ESWT group (n=35), and the RL group (n=30). Clinical outcomes before and after the 4-week treatment were compared among the three groups, including peak detrusor pressure during urination (PdetQmax), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual (PVR), bladder contractility index (BCI), patient perception of bladder condition-scale (PPBC-S), incontinence impact questionnaire-short form 7 (IIQ-7), urogenital distress inventory-short form 6 (UDI-6), total efficiency and satisfaction.A RL model was trained based on clinical data, with a model structure diagram and reward convergence curve plotted to validate the utility of the RL system in optimizing individualized treatment parameters. Results There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics among the three groups (P>0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, all groups demonstrated significant improvements in PdetQmax, Qmax, and BCI, along with significant reductions in PVR, PPBC-S, IIQ-7, and UDI-6 scores (all P<0.01). Notably, the RL group exhibited significantly greater improvements in PdetQmax, Qmax, and BCI, and more pronounced reductions in PVR, PPBC-S, IIQ-7, and UDI-6 scores than the IVES and Li-ESWT groups (all P<0.05). Specifically, the RL group showed the most substantial improvements in Qmax, PVR, and BCI than the other two groups (all P<0.01). The total effective rate in the RL group was 90.0% (27/30), which was higher than that of the IVES group (81.8%,27/33) and the Li-ESWT group (77.1%,27/35), but the differences were not statistically significant (χ =2.63, P=0.27). The Li-ESWT group had a satisfaction rate of 51.4% (18/35), which was higher than that of the RL group (30.0%,9/30) and the IVES group (27.3%,9/33), but the differences were not statistically significant (χ =6.76, P=0.34). No serious adverse events were observed in any group. After approximately 200 iterations, the reward value of the RL agent stabilized, and the individualized treatment parameters recommended further optimized bladder emptying efficiency. Conclusion Compared to IVES and Li-ESWT, the RL-optimized individualized comprehensive treatment strategy can significantly improve the bladder emptying function in women with NODU.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) quantitative level for achieving hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance and serological conversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) or interferon (IFN).Methods:A two-center prospective cohort study was conducted, including CHB patients from Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University and Eastern Theater General Hospital treated with NAs and IFN. All patients were followed up once every three to six months. Basic clinical information and test results were collected at each follow-up. The presence or absence of HBsAg seroclearance and serological conversion rate was evaluated. HBsAg serological conversion was defined as HBsAg quantification continuously below the detection limit (<0.05 IU/mL) at two detection time points at least six months apart. HBsAg serological conversion was defined as HBsAb positivity (≥10 IU/L) at the same time as the first HBsAg seroclearance. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the quantitative data of multiple groups, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the data between groups. The chi-square test was used for the count data, and the Fisher exact test was used when the chi-square test was not met. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis was used to determine the predictors of the study endpoints, and stepwise regression was used for variable screening.Results:A total of 2 266 CHB cases were included, of which 86.5% (1 959/2 266) were NA antiviral-received population. The median treatment duration before baseline was 10.5 (2.5, 37.6) months, and the baseline HBsAg quantification was 3.1 (2.6, 3.5) log 10 IU/mL. A total of 68 cases (3.0%) had HBsAg seroclearance, and 44 cases (1.9%) achieved serological conversion after 85.0 (62.7, 97.3) months of prospective follow-up. The level and positivity rate of HBsAb showed a progressive increase 36 months before and significantly after HBsAg seroclearance. Cox regression analysis results showed that baseline HBsAb level was an independent predictor of HBsAg serological conversion ( HR=2.26, P=0.002) in the overall population, especially in the subgroup with HBsAg between 100 and 1 000 IU/mL, suggesting HBsAb level had important predictive value. In addition, the serological conversion development rate was significantly higher in the GOLDEN model favourable patients than in the unfavourable patients (11.5% vs. 0, P<0.001). Conclusion:The baseline HBsAb quantitative level can predict HBsAg seroclearance and serological conversion for patients with CHB receiving antiviral treatment, which is of significant value in long-term treatment monitoring.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the chemical constituents of Heihuang Chizhu Granules and the blood composition of rats af-ter administration by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.METHODS A Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 column(3 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm)was eluted with acetonitrile-0.1%formic acid as mobile phase,and the data were collected in electrospray ion source positive and neg-ative ion mode and then identified with the reference retention time,precise molecular weight,secondary fragment ions,and references to relevant literature.RESULTS A total of 104 chemical components were identified from Heihuang Chizhu Granules,including 26 flavonoids,24 organic acids,14 triterpenoids,8 terpenoids,7 phenylpropanoids,11 monoglycosides,and 14 other components(phe-nols,alkaloids,etc.).On this basis,39 blood-entering components were identified in the plasma of rats administered via gavage,in-cluding 28 prototypes and 11 metabolites.CONCLUSION The chemical constituents of Heihuang Chizhu Granules and the compo-nents entering the blood of rats are analyzed and identified for the first time in this study,and the results provide a scientific basis for the basic research of Heihuang Chizhu Granules and the establishment of process quality control standards.

Objective:To establish a method for determination of fluoride in water using a fully automated biochemical analyzer (abbreviated as this method).Methods:Based on the parameters of the fully automatic biochemical analyzer, appropriate reagent volumes and reaction time were optimized to determine fluoride ions in water within the standard curve range (0.0 - 2.0 mg/L). The method was validated through evaluation of linear range, detection limit, precision, accuracy, and comparative analysis with the manual measurement results of fluoride reagent spectrophotometric method specified in the "Standard Examination Methods for Drinking Water - Part 5: Inorganic Nonmetallic indices" (GB/T 5750.5-2023).Results:Within the range of 0.0 - 2.0 mg/L fluoride mass concentration, the absolute values of the correlation coefficients were > 0.999 0 and the detection limit of this method was 0.082 mg/L. The relative standard deviation for the determination of fluoride level in water samples with low, medium and high fluoride mass concentrations was 4.03%, 2.16% and 1.68%, respectively. The spiked recovery rates were 98.1%, 99.5%, and 100.2%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the results obtained by this method and manual measurement ( t = 1.07, P = 0.295). Conclusion:This method exhibits high sensitivity, accuracy, and efficiency in detecting fluoride, enabling rapid sample detection through instrumental automation instead of manual operation.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) quantitative level for achieving hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance and serological conversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) or interferon (IFN).Methods:A two-center prospective cohort study was conducted, including CHB patients from Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University and Eastern Theater General Hospital treated with NAs and IFN. All patients were followed up once every three to six months. Basic clinical information and test results were collected at each follow-up. The presence or absence of HBsAg seroclearance and serological conversion rate was evaluated. HBsAg serological conversion was defined as HBsAg quantification continuously below the detection limit (<0.05 IU/mL) at two detection time points at least six months apart. HBsAg serological conversion was defined as HBsAb positivity (≥10 IU/L) at the same time as the first HBsAg seroclearance. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the quantitative data of multiple groups, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the data between groups. The chi-square test was used for the count data, and the Fisher exact test was used when the chi-square test was not met. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis was used to determine the predictors of the study endpoints, and stepwise regression was used for variable screening.Results:A total of 2 266 CHB cases were included, of which 86.5% (1 959/2 266) were NA antiviral-received population. The median treatment duration before baseline was 10.5 (2.5, 37.6) months, and the baseline HBsAg quantification was 3.1 (2.6, 3.5) log 10 IU/mL. A total of 68 cases (3.0%) had HBsAg seroclearance, and 44 cases (1.9%) achieved serological conversion after 85.0 (62.7, 97.3) months of prospective follow-up. The level and positivity rate of HBsAb showed a progressive increase 36 months before and significantly after HBsAg seroclearance. Cox regression analysis results showed that baseline HBsAb level was an independent predictor of HBsAg serological conversion ( HR=2.26, P=0.002) in the overall population, especially in the subgroup with HBsAg between 100 and 1 000 IU/mL, suggesting HBsAb level had important predictive value. In addition, the serological conversion development rate was significantly higher in the GOLDEN model favourable patients than in the unfavourable patients (11.5% vs. 0, P<0.001). Conclusion:The baseline HBsAb quantitative level can predict HBsAg seroclearance and serological conversion for patients with CHB receiving antiviral treatment, which is of significant value in long-term treatment monitoring.

AIM:The objective of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of Erjing pills(PL)on the functional impairment of the diabetic retinal neurovascular unit(NVU)in rats.METHODS:A diabetic retinopathy(DR)model was established using BN rats,which were then treated with freeze-dried Erjing pills powder.After 12 weeks,various assessments were conducted:retinal thickness was measured using OCT,fundus lesions were evaluated with FFA,and retinal cell structure,arrangement,and layer thickness were analyzed through HE staining.Additionally,transmission electron microscopy was employed to examine ultrastructural changes in retinal ganglion cells(RGCs),and retinal leakage was assessed using EB in vivo perfusion.The expression of ZO-1,a tight junction protein in the retina,was detected via immunohistochemistry,while Western blot analysis quantified the levels of ZO-1,occludin,and claudin-5 proteins in rat retinal tissue.Serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)levels were measured using an ELISA kit.RESULTS:Results showed that OCT,FFA,HE staining,and transmission electron microscopy indicated a significant reduction in retinal thickness in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.05).In contrast,the retinal thickness increased in the CDC,PLL,and PLH groups compared to the MOD group,with significant improvement observed in the PLH group(P＜0.05).Additionally,the number of RGCs increased,and sodium fluorescein leakage from fundus mi-crovessels decreased in the CON group relative to the administered groups.Transmission electron microscopy revealed ir-regular deformation of RGC nuclei,mitochondrial reduction and swelling,and organelle loss in the MOD group compared to the CON group.However,the CDC,PLL,and PLH groups demonstrated varying degrees of improvement in cellular layers.EB leakage assay results indicated a significant increase in retinal EB leakage in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.01).EB leakage was significantly reduced in the CDC group compared to the MOD group(P＜0.01),with some reduction also observed in the PLL and PLH groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses revealed a significant decrease in the expression of retinal tight junction proteins ZO-1,occludin,and clau-din-5 in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.05).Protein expression was notably higher in the CDC group compared to the MOD group(P＜0.01),with increases also observed in the PLL and PLH groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).ELISA results showed that VEGF levels were significantly higher in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.01).The CDC,PLL,and PLH groups exhibited varying degrees of reduction in VEGF levels compared to the MOD group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that PL effectively ameliorates retinal NVU damage in DR rats.

AIM:The objective of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of Erjing pills(PL)on the functional impairment of the diabetic retinal neurovascular unit(NVU)in rats.METHODS:A diabetic retinopathy(DR)model was established using BN rats,which were then treated with freeze-dried Erjing pills powder.After 12 weeks,various assessments were conducted:retinal thickness was measured using OCT,fundus lesions were evaluated with FFA,and retinal cell structure,arrangement,and layer thickness were analyzed through HE staining.Additionally,transmission electron microscopy was employed to examine ultrastructural changes in retinal ganglion cells(RGCs),and retinal leakage was assessed using EB in vivo perfusion.The expression of ZO-1,a tight junction protein in the retina,was detected via immunohistochemistry,while Western blot analysis quantified the levels of ZO-1,occludin,and claudin-5 proteins in rat retinal tissue.Serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)levels were measured using an ELISA kit.RESULTS:Results showed that OCT,FFA,HE staining,and transmission electron microscopy indicated a significant reduction in retinal thickness in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.05).In contrast,the retinal thickness increased in the CDC,PLL,and PLH groups compared to the MOD group,with significant improvement observed in the PLH group(P＜0.05).Additionally,the number of RGCs increased,and sodium fluorescein leakage from fundus mi-crovessels decreased in the CON group relative to the administered groups.Transmission electron microscopy revealed ir-regular deformation of RGC nuclei,mitochondrial reduction and swelling,and organelle loss in the MOD group compared to the CON group.However,the CDC,PLL,and PLH groups demonstrated varying degrees of improvement in cellular layers.EB leakage assay results indicated a significant increase in retinal EB leakage in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.01).EB leakage was significantly reduced in the CDC group compared to the MOD group(P＜0.01),with some reduction also observed in the PLL and PLH groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses revealed a significant decrease in the expression of retinal tight junction proteins ZO-1,occludin,and clau-din-5 in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.05).Protein expression was notably higher in the CDC group compared to the MOD group(P＜0.01),with increases also observed in the PLL and PLH groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).ELISA results showed that VEGF levels were significantly higher in the MOD group compared to the CON group(P＜0.01).The CDC,PLL,and PLH groups exhibited varying degrees of reduction in VEGF levels compared to the MOD group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that PL effectively ameliorates retinal NVU damage in DR rats.