ObjectiveTo investigate the optimal termination time for acupuncture in treating patients with acute peripheral facial paralysis and its cost-effectiveness. MethodsA total of 120 eligible patients with acute-stage peri-pheral facial paralysis were randomly assigned to either the mild dysfunction termination group and the complete recovery termination group， with 60 patients in each group. Both groups received the standard acupuncture treatment protocol. Treatment in the mild dysfunction termination group was terminated when the Sunnybrook facial grade scale （SFGS） score first reached or exceeded 83 points， while that in the complete recovery termination group was terminated when the SFGS score first reached or exceeded 95 points. Assessments were conducted before treatment， 6 and 12 months after onset. SFGS， facial disability index （FDI） including physical function （FDIp） and social function （FDIs）， self-rating anxiety scale （SAS）， and self-rating depression scale （SDS） scores were assessed before treatment， and 6 and 12 months after onset. Any acupuncture-related adverse events during treatment were recorded for safety evaluation. Treatment sessions and medical costs including direct costs， indirect costs， insurance coverage， total societal costs， and patient out-of-pocket expenses were also recorded， and an economic evaluation was conducted including cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER）. ResultsUltimately， 56 patients in the mild dysfunction termination group and 55 in the complete recovery termination group completed the follow-up. At 6 and 12 months after onset， SFGS and FDIp scores in both groups improved significantly while FDIs， SAS and SDS scores decreased （P＜0.05）. Comparison of scores between groups 6 months and 12 months after onset showed no statistically significant differences （P＞0.05）. During the trial， the incidence of adverse events was 13.3% （8/60） in the mild dysfunction termination group and 18.3% （11/60） in the complete recovery termination group， with no statistically significant difference （P＞0.05）. The number of treatment sessions， total social costs， and out-of-pocket expenses in the mild dysfunction termination group were significantly lower than those in the complete recovery termination group （P＜0.05）. The CER of the mild dysfunction termination group in SFGS， FDIp， FDIs， SAS， and SDS scores was lower than that of the complete recovery termination group. The ICER analysis showed that continuing treatment until full recovery incurred an additional cost of 573.30 CNY/point in SFGS improvement， whereas 1-point improvement in FDIp， FDIs， SAS， and SDS required 21,355.25 CNY， 1779.60 CNY， 3713.96 CNY， and 2755.52 CNY， respectively. ConclusionFor acupuncture in treating acute peripheral facial palsy， terminating treatment when mild dysfunction is achieved yields long-term efficacy comparable to that of continuing treatment until complete recovery， while significantly reducing medical costs and socioeconomic burden.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^*, Eab^* values) of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata powder prepared by different processing techniques and the contents of 2,3,5,4’-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, emodin, physcion, emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, physcion-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside.
Methods: The L^*, a^*, b^* and Eab^* values of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata powder prepared by different processing techniques were determined by spectrophotometer, and the contents of the five components were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Secondly, SPSS 26.0 software and Simca 14.1 software were used to analyze the correlation.
Results: Through the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), it was found that the steamed samples and black bean steamed samples could be obviously divided into two categories: raw products and processed products. The processed products could be further divided into 2-8 h and 12-48 h. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the content of stilbene glycoside was significantly positively correlated with L^*, a^* and b^* values (P<0.01). The a^* value was significantly positively correlated with the content of emodin and physcion (P<0.01). Emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside was positively correlated with L^* value and b^* value, while physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside was negatively correlated with a^* value. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS) showed that 2,3,5,4’-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (VIP=1.69) and emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside (VIP=1.06) were the key variables affecting chromaticity characteristics (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The three processes of steaming, black bean steaming and black bean stewing are consistent in composition transformation and chromaticity variation, and stilbene glycoside can be used as a specific index component to characterize the processed color. Chromatic parameters can effectively reflect the processing progression and serve as quality monitoring indicators during production.

Intelligent prescription recommendation has become an important research direction in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), offering new opportunities to support clinical decision-making and promote the modernization of TCM practice. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), a variety of computational approaches have been proposed to learn prescription patterns from clinical data and generate personalized treatment recommendations. However, despite increasing research activity, systematic and comprehensive reviews of AI-driven methods for TCM prescription recommendation remain limited. In this study, we present a comprehensive review of computational approaches for herbal prescription recommendation (HPR) in TCM. Existing methods are systematically categorized into several major paradigms, including traditional machine learning methods, topic model methods, sequential generative methods, deep learning and graph-based methods, and large language model–based frameworks. In addition to summarizing methodological developments, we also review commonly used public datasets and evaluation metrics in this field. Furthermore, representative models with publicly available implementations are experimentally evaluated on multiple benchmark datasets to provide a comparative analysis of their performance on the HPR task. Finally, we discuss the key challenges that hinder the practical deployment of intelligent prescription recommendation systems, including data heterogeneity, limited interpretability, and insufficient integration of TCM domain knowledge. Future research directions are outlined to facilitate the development of more reliable, interpretable, and clinically applicable AI-assisted HPR systems for TCM.

Lung transplantation is a definitive treatment for end-stage lung disease and can significantly improve patient prognosis. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury and chronic lung allograft dysfunction intertwine to form a complex pathological network, posing persistent challenges to long-term patient survival. In 2025, research teams worldwide have made systematic progress in the field of basic lung transplantation research. By integrating cutting-edge technologies including single-cell multi-omics, spatial transcriptomics and novel animal models, significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the evolutionary dynamics of drug-resistant infections, molecular mechanisms of immune regulation, programmed cell death, optimization of donor lung protection strategies and early warning of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. This article systematically reviews the representative advances in basic lung transplantation research worldwide in 2025, and deeply analyzes the implications of mechanistic breakthroughs for optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies, aiming to anchor the direction for innovative breakthroughs and clinical translation in basic lung transplantation research.

A natural experiment is a causal inference study design grounded in real-world research. Its core concept is to use quasi-random variation in exposure generated by external factors to evaluate the effects of interventions or exposures on outcomes. It is particularly suitable for research settings in which randomized controlled trials （RCTs） are infeasible or ethically constrained， and it combines causal inference capacity with relatively strong external validity. This article provides an overview of the definition， key features， and current application status of natural experiments， and proposes the application scenarios for applying natural experiment strategies to the evaluation of therapeutic effects in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， including policy implementation or policy change evaluation， assessment of variations in clinical practice within hospitals， and evaluation of differences in resource allocation across regions or institutions. The design pathway includes starting from clinical or policy-related TCM questions， systematically collecting relevant data， performing statistical modeling and effect estimation， and interpreting effect estimates in the context of clinical practice. It further analyzes the advantages and challenges of using natural experiments in TCM.

Objective To analyze the predictive value of different obesity indicators on acute cerebral infarction in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods A total of 310 patients with TIA admitted to Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University from March 2022 to September 2025 were selected and classified into non-event group (276 cases) and cerebral infarction group (34 cases) based on acute cerebral infarction within 90 days. The basic data and obesity-related indicators [body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, body adiposity index (BAI), conicity index (C-index) and a body shape index (ABSI were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to screen the independent influencing factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to analyze the predictive efficiency. Results The age, proportions of concurrent hypertension and concurrent diabetes mellitus, ABCD2 score, waist-to-hip ratio, ABSI, C-index, BMI and BAI in the cerebral infarction group were older or higher than those in the non-event group, and the symptoms duration was longer (P<0.05). The above indicators were all related factors for acute cerebral infarction in patients with TIA within 90 days (P<0.05), and ABSI and ABCD² score were independent influencing factors (P<0.05). The prediction model was manifested as Logit (P)=− 4.205 + 0.482 × ABCD² score + 1.120 × ABSI × 100. ABSI and ABCD2 score had predictive value on the occurrence of acute cerebral infarction (P<0.05), and the predictive efficiency of combined model was higher than that of single indicator (P<0.05). Conclusion Among different obesity indicators, ABSI has the highest value on predicting recent acute cerebral infarction in TIA. The prediction model based on ABSI and ABCD2 score exhibits the best predictive efficiency.

A natural experiment is a causal inference study design grounded in real-world research. Its core concept is to use quasi-random variation in exposure generated by external factors to evaluate the effects of interventions or exposures on outcomes. It is particularly suitable for research settings in which randomized controlled trials （RCTs） are infeasible or ethically constrained， and it combines causal inference capacity with relatively strong external validity. This article provides an overview of the definition， key features， and current application status of natural experiments， and proposes the application scenarios for applying natural experiment strategies to the evaluation of therapeutic effects in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， including policy implementation or policy change evaluation， assessment of variations in clinical practice within hospitals， and evaluation of differences in resource allocation across regions or institutions. The design pathway includes starting from clinical or policy-related TCM questions， systematically collecting relevant data， performing statistical modeling and effect estimation， and interpreting effect estimates in the context of clinical practice. It further analyzes the advantages and challenges of using natural experiments in TCM.

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of Bushen Huoxue Formulation （补肾活血方， BSHXF） in Parkinson's disease （PD） from the perspectives of synaptic vesicle cycling and intestinal barrier function. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups， control group， model group， Madopar group， and BSHXF group， with 12 rats in each group. Except for the control group， rats were administered rotenone by gavage once daily for 4 consecutive weeks to establish a PD rat model. After successful modeling， rats in the BSHXF group received concentrated BSHXF solution by gavage at a dose of 13.5 g/（kg·d）， while rats in the Madopar group received Madopar tablet suspension at 2 g/（kg·d）. Rats in the control group and the model group were administered distilled water by gavage at 10 ml/（kg·d）. All groups received continuous gavage treatment for 2 weeks. Motor function was evaluated using the open field test （total distance traveled， average speed， and total distance traveled in the central zone）， rotarod test （latency to fall）， and balance beam test （traversal time）. Histopathological changes in colon tissues were observed by HE staining. Western Blotting was used to detect the protein levels of α-synuclein （α-syn）， phosphorylated serine 129 α-synuclein （pSer129-α-syn）， vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 （VAMP2）， and synaptophysin （SYP） in the substantia nigra and colon tissues. The mRNA expression levels of α-syn， VAMP2， and SYP were detected by RT-PCR， and α-syn expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess the levels of tight junction protein 1 （ZO-1） and occludin in colon tissues， as well as tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） levels in substantia nigra tissues. ResultsCompared with the control group， rats in the model group showed reduced total distance traveled， average speed， and central-zone distance in the open field test， decreased latency to fall in the rotarod test， and prolonged traversal time in the balance beam test. The protein levels of pSer129-α-syn and α-syn， as well as α-syn mRNA expression were increased in the substantia nigra and colon tissues， whereas the protein and mRNA expression levels of VAMP2 and SYP were decreased. The relative integrated optical density of α-syn in the substantia nigra and colon tissues was increased， while the relative fluorescence intensities of ZO-1 and occludin in colon tissues and TH in the substantia nigra were decreased （P＜0.05）. HE staining showed focal necrosis in the mucosal layer of colon tissues， disappearance of some intestinal glands， extensive inflammatory cell infiltration， and proliferation of fibrous connective tissue in the submucosa. Compared with the model group， both the Madopar group and BSHXF group showed varying degrees of improvement in the above indicators （P＜0.05）. Pathological damage in colon tissues was also alleviated， with only mild fibrous tissue proliferation and limited diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration observed in the mucosal layer. Compared with the Madopar group， rats in the BSHXF group exhibited increased average speed， central-zone distance， and latency to fall in the rotarod test. The levels of pSer129-α-syn and α-syn proteins in the substantia nigra were decreased， while VAMP2 protein expression was increased. In colon tissues， SYP protein levels and mRNA expression were elevated. The relative fluorescence intensity of ZO-1 in colon tissues and TH in substantia nigra tissues was also increased （P＜0.05）. ConclusionBSHXF may improve motor dysfunction in PD by regulating synaptic vesicle cycling， restoring intestinal barrier integrity， and improving neuronal synaptic function through modulation of synaptic vesicle-associated protein expression in the substantia nigra and colon tissues.

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of Bushen Huoxue Formulation （补肾活血方， BSHXF） in Parkinson's disease （PD） from the perspectives of synaptic vesicle cycling and intestinal barrier function. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups， control group， model group， Madopar group， and BSHXF group， with 12 rats in each group. Except for the control group， rats were administered rotenone by gavage once daily for 4 consecutive weeks to establish a PD rat model. After successful modeling， rats in the BSHXF group received concentrated BSHXF solution by gavage at a dose of 13.5 g/（kg·d）， while rats in the Madopar group received Madopar tablet suspension at 2 g/（kg·d）. Rats in the control group and the model group were administered distilled water by gavage at 10 ml/（kg·d）. All groups received continuous gavage treatment for 2 weeks. Motor function was evaluated using the open field test （total distance traveled， average speed， and total distance traveled in the central zone）， rotarod test （latency to fall）， and balance beam test （traversal time）. Histopathological changes in colon tissues were observed by HE staining. Western Blotting was used to detect the protein levels of α-synuclein （α-syn）， phosphorylated serine 129 α-synuclein （pSer129-α-syn）， vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 （VAMP2）， and synaptophysin （SYP） in the substantia nigra and colon tissues. The mRNA expression levels of α-syn， VAMP2， and SYP were detected by RT-PCR， and α-syn expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess the levels of tight junction protein 1 （ZO-1） and occludin in colon tissues， as well as tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） levels in substantia nigra tissues. ResultsCompared with the control group， rats in the model group showed reduced total distance traveled， average speed， and central-zone distance in the open field test， decreased latency to fall in the rotarod test， and prolonged traversal time in the balance beam test. The protein levels of pSer129-α-syn and α-syn， as well as α-syn mRNA expression were increased in the substantia nigra and colon tissues， whereas the protein and mRNA expression levels of VAMP2 and SYP were decreased. The relative integrated optical density of α-syn in the substantia nigra and colon tissues was increased， while the relative fluorescence intensities of ZO-1 and occludin in colon tissues and TH in the substantia nigra were decreased （P＜0.05）. HE staining showed focal necrosis in the mucosal layer of colon tissues， disappearance of some intestinal glands， extensive inflammatory cell infiltration， and proliferation of fibrous connective tissue in the submucosa. Compared with the model group， both the Madopar group and BSHXF group showed varying degrees of improvement in the above indicators （P＜0.05）. Pathological damage in colon tissues was also alleviated， with only mild fibrous tissue proliferation and limited diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration observed in the mucosal layer. Compared with the Madopar group， rats in the BSHXF group exhibited increased average speed， central-zone distance， and latency to fall in the rotarod test. The levels of pSer129-α-syn and α-syn proteins in the substantia nigra were decreased， while VAMP2 protein expression was increased. In colon tissues， SYP protein levels and mRNA expression were elevated. The relative fluorescence intensity of ZO-1 in colon tissues and TH in substantia nigra tissues was also increased （P＜0.05）. ConclusionBSHXF may improve motor dysfunction in PD by regulating synaptic vesicle cycling， restoring intestinal barrier integrity， and improving neuronal synaptic function through modulation of synaptic vesicle-associated protein expression in the substantia nigra and colon tissues.

Lung transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage lung diseases and can significantly improve prognosis of the patients. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and other challenges (like shortage of donor lungs) , limit the practical application of lung transplantation in clinical practice. Chinese research teams have been making continuous efforts and have achieved breakthroughs in basic research on lung transplantation by integrating emerging technologies and cutting-edge achievements from interdisciplinary fields, which has strongly propelled the development of this field. This article will comprehensively review the academic progress made by Chinese research teams in the field of lung transplantation in 2024, with a focus on the achievements of Chinese teams in basic research on lung transplantation. It aims to provide innovative ideas and strategies for key issues in the basic field of lung transplantation and to help China's lung transplantation cause reach a higher level.