BACKGROUND:Buqi Huoxue Compounds have significant clinical efficacy in treating ischemic stroke with Qi deficiency and phlegm stasis;however,the exact mechanism of action is not clear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of Buqi Huoxue Compounds on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor,basic fibroblast growth factor,brain-derived neurotrophic factor and autophagy related protein Beclin1 and p62 in a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,Buqi Huoxue Compounds group and autophagy inhibitor group,with 10 rats in each group.In the latter three groups,a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was established.The Buqi Huoxue Compounds group was intragastrically given Buqi Huoxue Compounds(6.49 g/kg,administered three times a day)2 hours after reperfusion;the autophagy inhibitor group was intragastrically given Buqi Huoxue Compounds(6.49 g/kg,administered three times a day)2 hours after reperfusion and intraperitoneally given 3-methyladenine 2 hours before gavage and at days 1-3 of gavage.The sham operation group and model group were given equal amounts of saline by gavage for 7 consecutive days.Neurological function,cerebral infarct volume,brain tissue morphology and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor,basic fibroblast growth factor,brain-derived neurotrophic factor and autophagy-related proteins Beclin1 and p62 in the ischemic cortical region of rats were detected at 24 hours after the final administration. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Zea-Longa scoring results showed that the neurological function of rats was severely damaged after modeling and neurological deficit of rats in the Buqi Huoxue Compounds group was less than that in the model group and the autophagy inhibitor group(P＜0.05).TTC staining showed that cerebral infarct foci were observed in the model group,Buqi Huoxue Compounds group,and autophagy inhibitor group,and the cerebral infarct volume in the Buqi Huoxue Compounds group was lower than that in the model group and the autophagy inhibitor group(P＜0.05).The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining in ischemic brain tissues showed that there were large gaps between nerve cells in the model group and cell arrangement was not neat,and cytoplasmic agglutination and pyknosis were observed.Immunohistochemical staining results showed that vascular endothelial growth factor was mostly expressed in neuronal cells,glial cells and capillary endothelium;basic fibroblast growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were mostly expressed in neuronal cells and glial cells;and there was no significant difference in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor,basic fibroblast growth factor,and brain-derived neurotrophic factor among the four groups(P＞0.05).The results of western blot assay showed that compared with the sham operation group,Beclin1 protein expression was decreased(P＜0.05)and p62 protein expression was elevated(P＜0.05)in the model group;compared with the model group,Beclin1 protein expression was increased(P＜0.05)and p62 protein expression was reduced(P＜0.05)in the Buqi Huoxue Compounds group;compared with the Buqi Huoxue Compounds group,Beclin1 protein expression was decreased(P＜0.05)and p62 protein expression was elevated(P＜0.05)in the autophagy inhibitor group.To conclude,Buqi Huoxue Compounds attenuate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by promoting autophagy.

Objective To investigate the factors affecting the distribution of Pomacea and project the trends in the spread of suitable distribution areas of Pomacea in 2050 and 2070 in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, so as to provide insights into Pomacea control in the prefecture. Methods The longitudes and latitudes of Pomacea sampling sites were captured based on Pomacea field survey data in 12 cities (counties) of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture from 2023 to 2024. A total of 19 climatic factors (annual mean temperature, mean diurnal range, isothermality, temperature seasonality, maximum temperature of the warmest month, minimum temperature of the coldest month, temperature annual range, mean temperature of the wettest quarter, mean temperature of the driest quarter, mean temperature of the warmest month, mean temperature of the coldest month, annual precipitation, precipitation of the wettest month, precipitation of the driest month, precipitation seasonality, precipitation of the wettest quarter, precipitation of the driest quarter, mean temperature of the warmest quarter, and mean temperature of the coldest quarter) and representative concentration pathways (RCPs) were retrieved from the world climate database (www.worldclim.org). All climatic variables were employed to create a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. The predictive accuracy of the model was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and the contributions of these 19 climatic factors to the distribution of Pomacea were analyzed in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture using Jackknife test. In addition, the suitable distribution areas of Pomacea were predicted with the MaxEnt model in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in 2024 and in 2050 and 2070 under RCP4.5. Results Data pertaining to 91 Pomacea sampling sites were captured. ROC analysis revealed the MaxEnt model had an AUC value of 0.885 ± 0.088 for predicting the suitable distribution areas of Pomacea in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. Of the 19 climatic factors, the maximum temperature of the warmest month had the highest contribution to the distribution of Pomacea in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, followed by mean temperature of the driest quarter, mean temperature of the wettest quarter and minimum temperature of the coldest month. The suitable distribution area of Pomacea was predicted to be 14 555.69 km² in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in 2024, and would expand gradually to the southeastern part of the prefecture in the future due to climatic factors. The suitable distribution areas of Pomacea were projected to expand to 21 475.61 km² in 2050 and 25 782.52 km² in 2070 in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, respectively. Conclusions Temperature is an important contributor to the distribution of Pomacea in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, and the suitable distribution area of Pomacea will gradually expand to the southeastern part of the prefecture in 2050 and 2070.

Objective To investigate the population density and seasonal fluctuations of Aedes albopictus in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, from 2021 to 2023, so as to provide insights into A. albopictus control and management of dengue fever. Methods The surveillance of A. albopictus density was performed in all surveillance sites assigned across all streets (townships) in Guangzhou City during the period from January to December from 2021 to 2023. The surveillance frequency was twice every half month from May to September, and once every month for the rest of a year. In each surveillance period, A. albopictus mosquito larvae were captured from indoor and outdoor small water containers in residential areas, parks, medical facilities, schools, other government sectors and social organizations, construction sites, special industries and others for mosquito species identification. Adult mosquitoes were captured using electric mosquito suction apparatus for species identification and gender classification. Adult mosquitoes and mosquito eggs were collected with mosquito and egg traps at the breeding and dwelling places of Aedes mosquitoes for identification. The mosquito oviposition index (MOI), Breteau index (BI), adult mosquito density index (ADI) and standard space index (SSI) were calculated. The A. albopictus density was classified into grades 0, 1, 2 and 3 in each surveillance site, with Grade 0 density defined eligible, and the eligible rate of A. albopictus density was calculated at all surveillance sites each year from 2021 to 2023. In addition, the changing trends in MOI, SSI, BI and ADI of A. albopictus were analyzed in Guangzhou City from 2021 to 2023. Results The eligible rates of A. albopictus density were 61.69%, 68.75% and 55.15% in surveillance sites of Guangzhou City from 2021 to 2023 (χ² = 297.712, P < 0.001), and appeared a tendency towards a reduction followed by a rise each year, which gradually reduced since January, maintained at a low level during the period between May and October, and gradually increased from November to December. The MOI, SSI, BI and ADI of A. albopictus all appeared a tendency towards a rise followed by a reduction in Guangzhou City during the period between January and December from 2021 to 2023. The BI of A. albopictus peaked in the first half of June in 2021 (4.03), the first half of July in 2022 (3.89) and the last half of August in 2023 (5.02), and the SSI of A. albopictus peaked in the last half of June in 2021 (0.93), the last half of May in 2022 (0.59), and the last half of June (0.94) and the first half of September in 2023 (1.12). In addition, the MOI of A. albopictus peaked in the first half of May in 2021 (8.64), the first half of June in 2022 (8.96), and the last half of May (10.21) and the last half of June in 2023 (10.89), and the ADI of A. albopictus peaked in the first half of June in 2021 (3.41), the last half of June in 2022 (4.06), and the first half of July in 2023 (3.61). Conclusions The density of A. albopictus is high in Guangzhou City during the period from May to October, and the risk of local outbreak caused by imported dengue fever is high. Persistent intensified surveillance of the density and seasonal fluctuation of A. albopictus is recommended and timely mosquito prevention and control is required according to the fluctuation in the A. albopictus density.

Biomolecular condensates are formed through phase separation of biomacromolecules such as proteins and RNAs. These condensates exhibit liquid-like properties that can futher transition into more stable material states. They form complex internal structures via multivalent weak interactions, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulations. However, the use of inconsistent and non-standardized terminology has become increasingly problematic, hindering academic exchange and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the terminology related to biomolecular condensates in order to clarify concepts, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, enhance research efficiency, and support the healthy development of this field.

ObjectiveTo develop a scale for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） that combines disease and syndrome and has the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. MethodsAn item pool was established for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） with reference to the guideline for developing international scales. A clinical survey was conducted among the outpatients and inpatients who were diagnosed with NAFLD and had the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in Department of Hepatology and Spleen-Stomach， The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine， from June to August， 2023， and the items were screened based on the classical test theory and the item response theory. An expert questionnaire was developed， and expert discussions were conducted using the Delphi method to identify the items for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD. Finally， the scale was given scientific scores. ResultsA preliminary item pool was established， with 16 primary items and 22 secondary items， and it was divided into the two dimensions of disease and syndrome type. Clinical pre-survey suggested to retain 9 primary items and 14 secondary items， while the Delphi expert questionnaire recommended to retain 11 primary items and 15 secondary items， and tongue manifestation and pulse manifestation were no longer used for assessing the severity of syndrome. After hierarchical analysis and scientific assignment of scores， the scale for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD had a total score of 123 points and 9 important items， i.e.， discomfort in the hypochondrium， abdominal fullness and distension， obesity， heaviness of the head and body， loose stool， anorexia， coughing up phlegm， nausea with a tendency to vomit， and lethargy. ConclusionA preliminary scale is established for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD， which fills the gap in this research field and provides a basis for further clinical application.

OBJECTIVE To assess the scientific rigor， clarity and feasibility of the recommendations of the Guidelines for Evidence-based Use of Biological Agents for the Clinical Treatment of Osteoporosis （hereinafter referred to as the Guideline） through external review， in order to further revise and improve the Guideline recommendations. METHODS This study employed a cross-sectional survey research design， a convenience sampling method was adopted to select frontline medical workers in the field of osteoporosis （including clinical doctors， clinical pharmacists， and nurses） as well as patients or their family members. External review was conducted through a combination of closed-ended and open-ended electronic questionnaires to get feedback from them on the appreciation，clarity and feasibility of the 32 preliminary recommendations in the Guideline. RESULTS A total of 90 external review subjects from 15 hospitals were collected， including 45 clinical doctors， 15 clinical pharmacists， 15 nurses and 15 patients or their family members. The overall appreciation degree of recommendations was 99.38%， the overall clarity degree of recommendations was 98.92%， and the overall feasibility degree of recommendations was 99.65%. At the same time， 111 subjective suggestions were collected， which provided an important reference for the further improvement of the Guideline recommendations. Based on the above feedback， the Guideline steering committee and core expert group revised the wording of 12 draft recommendations without deletion， and finally determined 32 recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The external review provides an important basis for the final formation of the Guideline， further improves the scientific rigor， clarity and feasibility of the recommendations， and ensures the standardization， practicality and implementability of the Guideline.

AIM:To analyze the characteristics and correlation of phacoemulsification parameters and anterior segment parameters in cataract patients with different blood glucose levels.METHODS:A total of 45 type 2 diabetic cataract patients(45 eyes)treated in our hospital from March 2023 to April 2024 were stratified into two groups based on glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)levels: group A: HbA1c <7%(n=18)and group B: 7%≤HbA1c<8.5%(n=27); a total of 94 age-matched age-related cataract patients(94 eyes)were enrolled as the control group(group C). All underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Anterior segment parameters, including corneal, lens and anterior chamber measurements, were recorded. Correlations between phacoemulsification parameters and anterior segment parameters were analyzed, and differences among groups were compared.RESULTS: In groups A and B, effective phacoemulsification time(EPT)negatively correlated with corneal endothelial cell density(CECD)(r=-0.315, P=0.035). Average phacoemulsification time(APT)positively correlated with the anterior corneal surface radius of curvature(Rm; r=0.402, P=0.006)and negatively correlated with the flat axis meridian curvature(K1), steep axis meridian curvature(K2), mean curvature(Km)of the anterior corneal surface, and lens density at 6 mm zones(PDZ3; all P<0.05). Average phacoemulsification energy(AVE)positively correlated with mean lens density(LD-mean), lens density at 2 mm zones(PDZ1), lens density at 4 mm zones(PDZ2), and PDZ3(all P<0.05), and negatively with pupil diameter(r=-0.385, P=0.009). In the group C, EPT showed a positive correlation with Pentacam nucleus staging(PNS)density grade, PDZ1, PDZ2, and PDZ3(all P<0.05). A positive correlation was observed between AVE and PNS classification(r=0.246, P=0.018). Conversely, AVE exhibited a negative correlation with CECD(r=-0.245, P=0.018). EPT in groups A and B was higher than that in the group C(P<0.05). Both EPT and APT in the group B were higher than those in the group A(P<0.05). In diabetic cataract patients, CECD, corneal density(CD), and posterior corneal surface height positively correlated with diabetes duration(P<0.05). Posterior corneal surface K1 and Rm positively correlated with 7%≤HbA1c<8.5%(P<0.05). Total corneal astigmatism negatively correlated with HbA1c, 2-hour post-breakfast blood glucose(2hPBG), and fasting insulin(FINS; P<0.05). CD and lens thickness(LT)positively correlated with FINS(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Phacoemulsification parameters and blood glucose-related indices exhibited varying degrees of correlation with anterior segment parameters in cataract patients with different blood glucose levels. EPT in diabetic cataract patients was higher than that in age-related cataract patients, while EPT and APT in diabetic cataract patients with poor glycemic control were higher than those with good glycemic control.

ObjectiveThe rapid advancement of bioanalytical technologies has heightened the demand for high-throughput, label-free, and real-time cellular analysis. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) operating in the GHz frequency range (GHz-EIS) has emerged as a promising tool for characterizing cell suspensions due to its ability to rapidly and non-invasively capture the dielectric properties of cells and their microenvironment. Although GHz-EIS enables rapid and label-free detection of cell suspensions, significant challenges remain in interpreting GHz impedance data for complex samples, limiting the broader application of this technique in cellular research. To address these challenges, this study presents a novel method that integrates GHz-EIS with deep learning algorithms, aiming to improve the precision of cell suspension concentration identification and quantification. This method provides a more efficient and accurate solution for the analysis of GHz impedance data. MethodsThe proposed method comprises two key components: dielectric property dataset construction and backpropagation (BP) neural network modeling. Yeast cell suspensions at varying concentrations were prepared and separately introduced into a coaxial sensor for impedance measurement. The dielectric properties of these suspensions were extracted using a GHz-EIS dielectric property extraction method applied to the measured impedance data. A dielectric properties dataset incorporating concentration labels was subsequently established and divided into training and testing subsets. A BP neural network model employing specific activation functions (ReLU and Leaky ReLU) was then designed. The model was trained and tested using the constructed dataset, and optimal model parameters were obtained through this process. This BP neural network enables automated extraction and analytical processing of dielectric properties, facilitating precise recognition of cell suspension concentrations through data-driven training. ResultsThrough comparative analysis with conventional centrifugal methods, the recognized concentration values of cell suspensions showed high consistency, with relative errors consistently below 5%. Notably, high-concentration samples exhibited even smaller deviations, further validating the precision and reliability of the proposed methodology. To benchmark the recognition performance against different algorithms, two typical approaches—support vector machines (SVM) and K-nearest neighbor (KNN)—were selected for comparison. The proposed method demonstrated superior performance in quantifying cell concentrations. Specifically, the BP neural network achieved a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 2.06% and an R² value of 0.997 across the entire concentration range, demonstrating both high predictive accuracy and excellent model fit. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that the proposed method enables accurate and rapid determination of unknown sample concentrations. By combining GHz-EIS with BP neural network algorithms, efficient identification of cell concentrations is achieved, laying the foundation for the development of a convenient online cell analysis platform and showing significant application prospects. Compared to typical recognition approaches, the proposed method exhibits superior capabilities in recognizing cell suspension concentrations. Furthermore, this methodology not only accelerates research in cell biology and precision medicine but also paves the way for future EIS biosensors capable of intelligent, adaptive analysis in dynamic biological research.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of phases on the pharmacokinetic behavior of seven components from Banxia Xiexintang（BXT） in normal rats by investigating and comparing their pharmacokinetic profiles in different phase samples. MethodsThe phase separation of BXT was carried out by centrifugation-dialysis method， and three phase samples were obtained， including the precipitated phase（PP）， colloidal phase（CP） and true solution phase（TP）. A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into BXT， PP， CP and TP groups（n=6）. The BXT group was gavaged at a dose of 24.1 g·kg^-1（calculated by the dosage of raw materials）. After proper treatments， PP， CP and TP groups were administrated at the same dose as that of BXT group， respectively. Blood was collected from each group at set time points after gavage of BXT and the phase samples. The contents of 7 components（baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin， berberine， palmatine， ammonium glycyrrhizinate and isoliquiritin） in rat plasma were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry（UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS）， and the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were analyzed by DAS 2.0. ResultsThe peak concentration of baicalin was the highest among the blood-entered components in each group， followed by wogonoside. The results of the concentration-time curves and pharmacokinetic parameters of the 7 components showed that the area under the concentration-time curve（AUC） of isoliquiritin in the BXT group was the highest， followed by that in the CP group. AUC values of baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin and ammonium glycyrrhizinate in the BXT group were similar to those of the CP group， and AUC of palmatine in the BXT group was similar to that of the PP group. The elimination half-life（t_1/2） values of baicalin and wogonoside in the BXT group was the longest， the t_1/2 values of ammonium glycyrrhizinate and berberine were similar to those of the CP group， and the t_1/2 of palmatine was similar to that of the PP group. The t_1/2 of wogonin was the longest in the PP group， and the t_1/2 of isoliquiritin was the longest in the TP group was the longest， which was similar to that in the PP group. Except for isoliquiritin， the other 6 components showed double peaks in the concentration-time curve of the PP group， indicating that the above components might be reabsorbed through the enterohepatic circulation in vivo， which resulted in the maintenance of high plasma concentrations for a long time， and consequently exhibited sustained-release properties. ConclusionThe pharmacokinetic characteristics of the components in different phases were different， and the CP phase may be the effective phase from the perspective of the pharmacological action of BXT. Compared with the BXT group， the in vivo action times of some components in the CP and PP groups were prolonged. The study explores the phase differences of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） compound decoction in the aspect of pharmacokinetics， and verifies that the phase states from TCM compound decoction will affect the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the active components， which may consequently lead to the difference in in vivo effects.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of phases on the pharmacokinetic behavior of seven components from Banxia Xiexintang（BXT） in normal rats by investigating and comparing their pharmacokinetic profiles in different phase samples. MethodsThe phase separation of BXT was carried out by centrifugation-dialysis method， and three phase samples were obtained， including the precipitated phase（PP）， colloidal phase（CP） and true solution phase（TP）. A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into BXT， PP， CP and TP groups（n=6）. The BXT group was gavaged at a dose of 24.1 g·kg^-1（calculated by the dosage of raw materials）. After proper treatments， PP， CP and TP groups were administrated at the same dose as that of BXT group， respectively. Blood was collected from each group at set time points after gavage of BXT and the phase samples. The contents of 7 components（baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin， berberine， palmatine， ammonium glycyrrhizinate and isoliquiritin） in rat plasma were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry（UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS）， and the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were analyzed by DAS 2.0. ResultsThe peak concentration of baicalin was the highest among the blood-entered components in each group， followed by wogonoside. The results of the concentration-time curves and pharmacokinetic parameters of the 7 components showed that the area under the concentration-time curve（AUC） of isoliquiritin in the BXT group was the highest， followed by that in the CP group. AUC values of baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin and ammonium glycyrrhizinate in the BXT group were similar to those of the CP group， and AUC of palmatine in the BXT group was similar to that of the PP group. The elimination half-life（t_1/2） values of baicalin and wogonoside in the BXT group was the longest， the t_1/2 values of ammonium glycyrrhizinate and berberine were similar to those of the CP group， and the t_1/2 of palmatine was similar to that of the PP group. The t_1/2 of wogonin was the longest in the PP group， and the t_1/2 of isoliquiritin was the longest in the TP group was the longest， which was similar to that in the PP group. Except for isoliquiritin， the other 6 components showed double peaks in the concentration-time curve of the PP group， indicating that the above components might be reabsorbed through the enterohepatic circulation in vivo， which resulted in the maintenance of high plasma concentrations for a long time， and consequently exhibited sustained-release properties. ConclusionThe pharmacokinetic characteristics of the components in different phases were different， and the CP phase may be the effective phase from the perspective of the pharmacological action of BXT. Compared with the BXT group， the in vivo action times of some components in the CP and PP groups were prolonged. The study explores the phase differences of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） compound decoction in the aspect of pharmacokinetics， and verifies that the phase states from TCM compound decoction will affect the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the active components， which may consequently lead to the difference in in vivo effects.