Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes. "Internal heat leading to zheng" is the core pathogenesis of DKD, while "glucose toxicity" is transformed from subtle substances through "internal heat" and the cementation of various pathological products, which is pivotal to the transformation of diabetes to DKD. "Glucose toxicity" is characterized by deep and widespread heat, caused by various pathological factors, and its sticky nature makes it difficult to resolve, which can cause severe damage to the kidney collaterals. In the early stage of "glucose toxicity", it is yang pathogen, which can be transformed into yin pathogen in the later stage with disease progression. In clinical practice, treatment should be based on disease staging, with attention on grasping the pathogenesis of "internal heat leading to zheng" and identifying the nature of "glucose toxicity". During the diabetic period, clearing heat is the primary method, often using modified Yueju Pill and Dachaihu Decoction. In the early stage of DKD, treatment primarily focuses on clearing and penetrating latent heat to treat DKD, aiming to prevent toxic heat from transitioning from qi to blood. The approach emphasizes clearing heat and re-penetrating, detoxification, and re-clearing, often using a self-made modified Qingre Xiaozheng Decoction. In the middle and late stages of DKD, the focus shifts to clearing heat, eliminating zheng, strengthening vital qi, and dispelling turbidity, with commonly used treatments including the self-made modified Xiezhuo Xiaozheng Formula, Jingui Shenqi Pill, and Zhenwu Decoction.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Danggui Shaoyaosan on ferroptosis in the rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） and explore the underlying mechanism based on the nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11）/glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodsThe sixty SD rats were randomly grouped as follows： control， model， Yishanfu （0.144 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.44， 4.88， and 9.76 g·kg^-1， respectively） Danggui Shaoyaosan. A high-fat diet was used to establish the rat model of NAFLD. After 12 weeks of modeling， rats were treated with corresponding agents for 4 weeks. Then， the body weight and liver weight were measured， and the liver index was calculated. At the same time， serum and liver samples were collected. The levels or activities of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and Fe²⁺ in the serum and TC， TG， free fatty acids （FFA）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione peroxidase （GPX）， and Fe²⁺ in the liver were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and oil red O staining were employed to observe the pathological changes in the liver. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the reactive oxygen species （ROS） content in the liver. Mitochondrial morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， GPX4， transferrin receptor 1 （TFR1）， and divalent metal transporter 1 （DMT1） in the liver were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed increases in the body weight， liver weight， liver index， levels or activities of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and Fe²⁺ in the serum， levels of TC， TG， FFA， MDA， Fe²⁺， and ROS in the liver， and protein levels of TFR1 and DMT1 in the liver （P<0.01）， and decreases in the activities of SOD， GPX and the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the liver tissue in the model group presented steatosis， iron deposition， mitochondrial shrinkage， and blurred or swollen mitochondrial cristae. Compared with the model group， all doses of Danggui Shaoyaosan reduced the body weight， liver weight， liver index， levels or activities of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and Fe²⁺ in the serum， levels of TC， TG， FFA， MDA， Fe²⁺， and ROS in the liver， and protein levels of TFR1 and DMT1 in the liver （P<0.01）， while increasing the activities of SOD and GPX and the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 in the liver （P<0.01）. Furthermore， Danggui Shaoyaosan alleviated steatosis， iron deposition， and mitochondrial damage in the liver. ConclusionDanggui Shaoyaosan may inhibit lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis by activating the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway to treat NAFLD.

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology, chatbots have shown great potential in the healthcare sector. From personalized health advice to chronic disease management and psychological support, chatbots have demonstrated significant advantages in improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare services. As the scope of their applications expands, the relationship between technological complexity and practical application scenarios has become increasingly intertwined, necessitating a more comprehensive evaluation of both aspects. This paper, from the perspective of he althcare applications, systematically reviews the technological pathways and development of chatbots in the medical field, providing an in-depth analysis of their performance across various medical scenarios. It thoroughly examines the advantages and limitations of chatbots, aiming to offer theoretical support for future research and propose feasible recommendations for the broader adoption of chatbot technologies in healthcare.

As a supplement to randomized controlled trials， observational studies can provide evidence for the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment measures. They can also study influencing factors of diseases， etiology， and prognosis. However， there is a confounding effect due to the lack of randomization， which seriously affects the causal inference between the study factors and the outcome， resulting in confounding bias. Therefore， identifying and controlling confounding factors are key issues to be addressed in TCM observational studies. According to the causal network and the characteristics of TCM theory， confounding factors can be categorized into measured and unmeasured confounding factors. In addition， attention must be paid to identifying confounding factors and intermediate variables， as well as the interaction between confounding factors and study factors. For methods of controlling confounding factors， measured confounding factors can be controlled by stratification， multifactor analysis， propensity scores， and disease risk scores. Unmeasured and unknown confounding factors can be corrected using instrumental variable methods， difference-in-difference methods， and correction for underlying event rate ratios. Correcting and controlling confounding factors can ensure a balance between groups， and confounding bias can be reduced. In addition， methods such as sensitivity analysis and determination of interactions make the control of confounding factors more comprehensive. Due to the unique characteristics of TCM， observational studies of TCM face unique challenges in identifying and controlling confounding factors， including the ever-changing TCM treatment measures received by patients， the often-overlooked confounding effects in the four diagnostic information of TCM， and the lack of objective criteria for TCM evidence-based diagnosis. Some scholars have already conducted innovative explorations to address these issues， providing a methodological basis for conducting higher-quality TCM observational studies， so as to obtain more rigorous real-world evidence of TCM and gradually develop quality evaluation criteria for OS that are consistent with the characteristics of TCM.

ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect of Danggui Shaoyaosan on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）/Unc-51-like kinase-1 （ULK1） signaling pathway in the rat model of metabolism-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）. MethodSixty SD rats were randomized into control， model， western medicine （polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules，0.144 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.44， 4.88， 9.76 g·kg^-1， respectively） Danggui Shaoyaosan groups. After being fed with a high-fat diet for 8 weeks， the rats in each group were administrated with corresponding drugs for 4 weeks. At the end of drug treatment， serum and liver tissue were collected for subsequent determination of related indicators. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group showed increased contents of total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） and activities of alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） in the serum， increased contents of TC， TG， and free fatty acids （FFAs） in the liver （P<0.01）， and decreased content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） in the serum （P<0.01）. Furthermore， the model group showed down-regulated protein levels of p-AMPK， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B （LC3B） Ⅱ， Beclin1， and ULK1 （P<0.01） and up-regulated protein levels of p-mTOR and ubiquitin-binding protein p62 in the liver （P<0.01）. The hepatic steatosis was obvious and the NAFLD activity score （NAS） and oil red O staining area increased in the model group， （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Danggui Shaoyaosan reduced the contents of TC and TG and the activities of ALT and AST in the serum， lowered the levels of TC， TG， and FFA in the liver， down-regulated the protein levels of p-mTOR and p62 （P<0.01）， elevated the serum HDL-C level， and up-regulated the protein levels of p-AMPK， LCBⅡ， Beclin1， and ULK1 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， it alleviated hepatic steatosis and decreased the NAS and oil red O staining area （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Shaoyaosan has therapeutic effect on MAFLD rats by regulating AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway to enhance autophagy.

Objective To explore the therapeutic mechanism of maggot for psoriasis-like lesions in mice from the perspective of immune stress and complement activation regulation.Methods Thirty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group,model group,maggot(1.25%,2.5%,and 5%)groups,and Benvitimod(1%)group.Psoriasis-like lesions were induced by application of imiquimod cream,and the severity of skin lesions was assessed using the modified Psoriasis Area and Severity Index(MPASI)score.Auricular swelling of the mice was observed,and histopathological changes of the skin lesions were examined with HE staining.Scratching behavior of the mice was observed and the spleen index was calculated.Toluidine blue staining was used to detect mast cells in the skin lesions,and serum levels of IgG,IgM,the complements CH50,C1s,C3,C3a,C5 and C5a,and the inflammatory factors IL-23,IL-17A and TNF-α were determined with ELISA.Results In mice with imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions,treatment with the maggot at the 3 doses significantly decreased MPASI score,alleviated auricular swelling and pathologies in the skin lesions,reduced scratching behaviors,spleen index,and the number of mast cells in the lesions.Treatment with high-dose maggot significantly lowered serum levels of IgG,C1s,C3a,C5a,IL-23,IL-17A and TNF-α and the levels of C1s,C3,C3a,C5 and C5a in the lesion tissue,and increased serum levels of CH50,C3,and C5.The therapeutic effect of maggot showed a dose-effect dependence.Conclusion Maggot can alleviate psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice by inhibiting immune stress and complement activation.

Objective To explore the therapeutic mechanism of maggot for psoriasis-like lesions in mice from the perspective of immune stress and complement activation regulation.Methods Thirty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group,model group,maggot(1.25%,2.5%,and 5%)groups,and Benvitimod(1%)group.Psoriasis-like lesions were induced by application of imiquimod cream,and the severity of skin lesions was assessed using the modified Psoriasis Area and Severity Index(MPASI)score.Auricular swelling of the mice was observed,and histopathological changes of the skin lesions were examined with HE staining.Scratching behavior of the mice was observed and the spleen index was calculated.Toluidine blue staining was used to detect mast cells in the skin lesions,and serum levels of IgG,IgM,the complements CH50,C1s,C3,C3a,C5 and C5a,and the inflammatory factors IL-23,IL-17A and TNF-α were determined with ELISA.Results In mice with imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions,treatment with the maggot at the 3 doses significantly decreased MPASI score,alleviated auricular swelling and pathologies in the skin lesions,reduced scratching behaviors,spleen index,and the number of mast cells in the lesions.Treatment with high-dose maggot significantly lowered serum levels of IgG,C1s,C3a,C5a,IL-23,IL-17A and TNF-α and the levels of C1s,C3,C3a,C5 and C5a in the lesion tissue,and increased serum levels of CH50,C3,and C5.The therapeutic effect of maggot showed a dose-effect dependence.Conclusion Maggot can alleviate psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice by inhibiting immune stress and complement activation.

Objective:To evaluate the characteristics of vaginal flora between normal and abnormal pregnant women throughout pregnancy.Methods:Vaginal swab specimens were collected from pregnant women in the first (<14 gestation weeks, GW), second (14~28 GW) and third trimester (>28 GW) in Anqing, Anhui Province from February 2018 to February 2020. Pregnant women were divided into normal and abnormal groups according to all clinical diagnosis. The sequences of 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4) from vaginal swabs were analyzed using QIIME2 platform. The differences in the dominance of Lactobacillus, community state type (CST) transition, Alpha diversity and Beta diversity were analyzed. Diversity data after log transition were used in the analysis of linear mixed model. Results:A total of 34 pregnant women (10 normal and 24 abnormal) with 102 samples were included for analysis. The composition of vaginal flora between two groups: the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was the highest at the genus level and Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners was the top two species with high relative abundance. The dominance of Lactobacillus, Alpha diversity and transition of CST were also similar. Both groups had a gradually decreased trend of Alpha diversity with GW, and the Chao1, Observed species and Faith′s PD indexes′ were different in different GW ( P<0.05). All Beta diversity metrics in normal group had descending trend, with lower value of the index of first distance which implied a higher microbiota stability, while Bray-Curtis, Weighted UniFrac distance had ascending trend in abnormal group, indicating lower stability. Jaccard distance′s first distance was statistically differed among GW and Unweighted UniFrac distance′s differed between normal and abnormal groups. Conclusions:The first distance of Unweighte UniFrac distance in abnormal pregnant women is higher than that of normal pregnant women and the vaginal flora in abnormal group has lower stability.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. Although the pharmacotherapies for Crohn’s disease are constantly updating, nutritional support and adjuvant therapies have recently gained more attention. Due to advancements in clinical nutrition, various clinical nutritional therapies are used to treat Crohn’s disease. Doctors treating inflammatory bowel disease can now offer several diets with more flexibility than ever. The Crohn’s disease exclusion diet is a widely used diet for patients with active Crohn’s disease. The Crohn’s disease exclusion diet requires both exclusion and inclusion. Periodic exclusion of harmful foods and inclusion of wholesome foods gradually improves a patient’s nutritional status. This article reviews the Crohn’s disease exclusion diet, including its structure, mechanisms, research findings, and clinical applications.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an enveloped, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus of the Orthopneumovirus  genus of the Pneumoviridae family in the order Mononegavirales. RSV can cause acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections, sometimes with extrapulmonary complications. The disease burden of RSV infection is enormous, mainly affecting infants and older adults aged 75 years or above. Currently, treatment options for RSV are largely supportive. Prevention strategies remain a critical focus, with efforts centered on vaccine development and the use of prophylactic monoclonal antibodies. To date, three RSV vaccines have been approved for active immunization among individuals aged 60 years and above. For children who are not eligible for these vaccines, passive immunization is recommended. A newly approved prophylactic monoclonal antibody, Nirsevimab, which offers enhanced neutralizing activity and an extended half-life, provides exceptional protection for high-risk infants and young children. This review provides a comprehensive and detailed exploration of RSV's virology, immunology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, treatment options, and prevention strategies.
Humans ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/prevention & control* ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/pathogenicity* ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human/pathogenicity* ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use*