Hepatitis B virus （HBV） infection is the primary cause of viral hepatitis and represents a substantial disease burden in China. However， effective and safe agents capable of completely eliminating HBV DNA are still lacking. In modern medicine， anti-HBV strategies mainly target covalently closed circular DNA （cccDNA）， among other mechanisms， and multiple novel drugs are currently under clinical investigation. Traditional medicine has been shown to exert anti-HBV effects through direct pathways， such as blocking viral entry， as well as indirect pathways， including the regulation of programmed cell death. Studies have confirmed that the integration of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and Western medicine in treating HBV infection and its related complications offers complementary advantages， particularly in enhancing HBV clearance rates， improving liver function， preventing various complications， and delaying the progression from hepatic fibrosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. This review focuses on advances in anti-HBV research involving TCM， Western medicine， and their integrated application， aiming to provide a basis for integrated HBV therapy and new drug development.

Process analytical technology(PAT) is a key means for digital transformation and upgrading of the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) manufacturing process, serving as an important guarantee for consistent and controllable TCM product quality. Near-infrared(NIR) spectroscopy has become the core technology for measuring the TCM manufacturing process. By incorporating NIR spectroscopy into PAT and starting from the construction of a smart platform for the TCM manufacturing process, this paper systematically described the development history and innovative application of the combination of NIR spectroscopy with chemometrics in measuring the TCM manufacturing process by the research team over the past two decades. Additionally, it explored the application of a validation method based on accuracy profile(AP) in the practice of NIR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the software development progress driven by NIR spectroscopy supported by modeling technology was analyzed, and the prospect of integrating NIR spectroscopy in smart factory control platforms was exemplified with the construction practices of related platforms. By integrating with the smart platform, NIR spectroscopy could improve production efficiency and guarantee product quality. Finally, the prospect of the smart platform application in measuring the TCM manufacturing process was projected. It is believed that the software development for NIR spectroscopy and the smart manufacturing platform will provide strong technical support for TCM digitalization and industrialization.
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Software ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Quality Control

Amber and subfossil resins are subjects of interdisciplinary research across multiple fields. However, due to their diverse origins and complex compositions, different disciplines vary in their definitions and functional interpretations. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), amber has been utilized as a medicinal material since ancient time, with extensive historical documentation. However, its classification, provenance, and nomenclature remain ambiguous, and authentic medicinal amber artifacts are exceedingly rare. This study employed Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) to characterize amber and subfossil resins from various geological sources and commercially "medicinal amber". Additionally, historical literature and market surveys were analyzed to explore their provenance, composition, and functional attributes. The results indicate that amber and subfossil resins from different sources and with different compositions exhibit distinct fingerprint characteristics in the FTIR spectral range of 1 800-700 cm~(-1). "Medicinal amber" available in the market primarily consists of subfossil or modern resins, significantly differing in composition and structure from geological amber. This study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research on amber identification and resource management. It is essential to establish a systematic database of amber and subfossil resin characteristics and integrate modern analytical techniques to enhance research on their composition, pharmacological mechanisms, and potential therapeutic effects, thereby promoting the standardized utilization of amber resources and advancing the modernization of TCM.
Amber/history* ; Archaeology ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

As a high-quality moxibustion material, Artemisia stolonifera has high economic value and research prospects. However, due to difficulties in seed germination, its wild germplasm resources are sparsely distributed in China. This study used young stem segments grown in the current year to investigate the effects of explant sterilization, different combinations and concentrations of plant growth regulators on the proliferation and rooting of adventitious shoots, with the aim of constructing an in vitro rapid propagation technology system for A. stolonifera. The results showed that the lowest contamination rate of 25.83% was achieved when sterilizing the stem segments by rinsing with running water for 30 min, soaking in 75% ethanol for 30 s, followed by a 5 min treatment with 0.1% HgCl_2, 10 min with 8% NaClO, and 10 min with 0.6% phytosaniline. There was no browning of the stem segments, and surface sterilization of the A. stolonifera stem segments was successfully achieved. In the induction culture phase, when the concentration of kinetin(KT) was 0.05 mg·L~(-1) and 6-benzylaminopurine(6-BA) was 0.05 mg·L~(-1), the adventitious shoot proliferation coefficient was 2.02, effectively promoting the proliferation and growth of A. stolonifera. In the rooting culture phase, 0.1 mg·L~(-1) 1-naphthaleneacetic acid(NAA) effectively induced A. stolonifera test-tube seedlings to root within a short period, achieving a rooting rate of 100%. The addition of a small amount of activated charcoal also promoted rooting and strengthened seedling growth. The survival rate of A. stolonifera seedlings transplanted into a substrate consisting of 90% nutrient soil and 10% perlite was 100%. This study established an efficient in vitro rapid propagation system for A. stolonifera, overcoming difficulties with seed germination, shortening the breeding cycle, and reducing production and planting costs. It provides technical support for the introduction, domestication, seedling propagation, germplasm conservation, and industrial development of A. stolonifera.
Artemisia/drug effects* ; Tissue Culture Techniques/methods* ; Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology* ; Plant Stems/drug effects* ; Plant Shoots/drug effects*

AIM:To analyze the clinical phenotypes and genotypes of children with incontinentia pigmenti(IP)and enhance clinicians' understanding of the condition.METHODS: A family with IP diagnosed in February 2020 at the ophthalmology department of People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was enrolled. The proband and family members underwent comprehensive systemic and ocular examinations. Peripheral venous blood was collected for DNA extraction, followed by whole-exome sequencing and MLPA assay to identify pathogenic variants. Corresponding treatments were administered based on the severity of fundus lesions, and ocular clinical features and therapeutic outcomes were monitored during follow-up.RESULTS: The child in this study was a female, aged 8 years, with typical skin changes and scarring alopecia and dental abnormalities at the time of initial consultation. The results of genetic testing suggested that the child carried a heterozygous deletion of exons 4-10 of the IKBKG gene chrX:153440010-153446570del. The child had asymmetric lesions in both eyes, with severe lesions in the left eye, atrophy of the eyeballs, and ocular B-ultrasound suggesting structural disturbances in the eye, and neovascularization was seen in the peripheral retina of the right eye, and the patient was given laser photocoagulation treatment for the right eye, and no progression of retinopathy was detected during follow-up.CONCLUSION:Children with IP have different ocular clinical phenotypes, and retinal vasculopathy is the main change. Early screening and timely and standardized treatment are crucial for children diagnosed with IP.

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the risk factors of feeding intolerance (FI) in critically ill children receiving enteral nutrition (EN) and to construct a prediction nomogram model for FI. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to collect data from critically ill children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between January 2015 and October 2020. The children were randomly divided into a training set (346 cases) and a validation set (147 cases). The training set was further divided into a tolerance group (216 cases) and an intolerance group (130 cases). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen for risk factors for FI in critically ill children receiving EN. A nomogram was constructed using R language, which was then validated on the validation set. The model's discrimination, calibration, and clinical net benefit were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration curves, and decision curves. RESULTS: Duration of bed rest, shock, gastrointestinal decompression, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and combined parenteral nutrition were identified as independent risk factors for FI in critically ill children receiving EN (P<0.05). Based on these factors, a nomogram prediction model for FI in critically ill children receiving EN was developed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the training set and validation set was 0.934 (95%CI: 0.906-0.963) and 0.852 (95%CI: 0.787-0.917), respectively, indicating good discrimination of the model. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that the model had a good fit (χ 2=12.559, P=0.128). Calibration curve and decision curve analyses suggested that the model has high predictive efficacy and clinical application value. CONCLUSIONS Duration of bed rest, shock, gastrointestinal decompression, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and combined parenteral nutrition are independent risk factors for FI in critically ill children receiving EN. The nomogram model developed based on these factors exhibits high predictive efficacy and clinical application value.
Humans ; Critical Illness ; Enteral Nutrition/adverse effects* ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Nomograms ; Retrospective Studies ; Child ; Logistic Models

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the clinical characteristics of diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) in children and to enhance the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 6 children diagnosed with DPB who were hospitalized at The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 2011 to December 2019. RESULTS: Among the 6 patients, there were 2 males and 4 females; the age at diagnosis ranged from 7 to 12 years. All patients presented with cough, sputum production, and exertional dyspnea, and all had a history of sinusitis. Two cases showed positive serum cold agglutinin tests, and 5 cases exhibited pathological changes consistent with chronic bronchiolitis. High-resolution chest CT in all patients revealed centrilobular nodules diffusely distributed throughout both lungs with a tree-in-bud appearance. Five patients received low-dose azithromycin maintenance therapy, but 3 showed inadequate treatment response. After empirical anti-tuberculosis treatment, non-tuberculous Mycobacteria were found in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Follow-up over 2 years showed 1 case cured, 3 cases significantly improved, and 2 cases partially improved. CONCLUSIONS The clinical presentation of DPB is non-specific and can easily lead to misdiagnosis. In cases where DPB is clinically diagnosed but does not show improvement with low-dose azithromycin treatment, special infections should be considered.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Bronchiolitis/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Child ; Haemophilus Infections/diagnosis*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features of children with STAT gene mutations, and to explore corresponding immunotherapy strategies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 10 children with STAT gene mutations who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, from October 2015 to October 2024. Exploratory immunotherapy was implemented in some refractory cases, and the changes in symptoms, imaging manifestations, and cytokine levels were assessed after treatment. RESULTS: For the 10 children, the main clinical manifestations were recurrent rash since birth (7/10), cough (8/10), wheezing (5/10), expectoration (4/10), and purulent nasal discharge (4/10). Genotyping results showed that there was one child with heterozygous loss-of-function (LOF) mutation in the STAT1 gene, four children with heterozygous LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene, and five children with heterozygous gain-of-function (GOF) mutation in the STAT3 gene. Two children with LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene showed decreased interleukin-6 levels and improved clinical symptoms and imaging findings after omalizumab treatment. Three children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene achieved effective disease control after treatment with methylprednisolone (0.5 mg/kg per day). Two children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene received treatment with JAK inhibitor and then showed some improvement in symptoms. CONCLUSIONS STAT gene mutation screening should be considered for children with recurrent rash and purulent respiratory tract infections. Targeted immunotherapy may improve prognosis in patients with no response to conventional treatment.
Humans ; Male ; Immunotherapy ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Gain of Function Mutation ; Retrospective Studies ; Infant ; Loss of Function Mutation ; STAT Transcription Factors/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the predictive value of age, D-Dimer and fibrinogen (FIB) for non-thrombotic. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a total of 1 384 coagulation test cases from January to August 2024 at Nanning No. 8 People's Hospital. Among them, the control group comprised 400 non-thrombotic cases with D-Dimer test results within the reference range. The thrombotic group comprised 57 clinically diagnosed thrombotic patients. The research group comprised 927 non-thrombotic cases with D-Dimer levels exceeding the reference range. The diagnosis treatment records, age information, plasma D-Dimer, and FIB test results of each group were collected. The changes and correlations of age, D-Dimer, and FIB indicators were compared and analyzed among the three groups. A new combination factor was generated by fitting a Logistic binary regression model. ROC curves were used to evaluate the predictive value of each index for non-thrombotic disease in both the research group and the thrombotic group. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the thrombotic group and the research group had significantly higher age, D-Dimer, and FIB levels (P < 0.001). Further comparative analysis showed that the research group had significantly lower age and D-Dimer levels than the thrombotic group, the FIB level was significantly higher than that of the thrombotic group (P < 0.001). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficient between age and D-Dimer in the research group was higher than that in the control group and thrombotic group (P < 0.01), the thrombotic group had the highest negative correlation coefficient between FIB and D-Dimer (P < 0.01). The ROC curve analysis results showed that the AUC values of age, plasma D-dimer, and FIB independently predicted non-thromb diseases were 0.726, 0.735, and 0.611, respectively. A new combined factor was generated by fitting age, D-dimer, and FIB with a logistic binary regression model. The AUC value of the combined prediction of non-thrombotic diseases was the maximum at 0.832, which had high diagnostic value, and its sensitivity and specificity were 0.572 and 0.070. CONCLUSION Elevated D-dimer levels were associated with age, increased FIB, and a variety of non-thrombotic diseases, and combination of age, D-dimer, and FIB had a certain predictive value for non-thrombotic diseases, but the combined model had a low specificity, other information needs to be combined in the clinic to improve diagnostic accuracy.
Humans ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; Retrospective Studies ; Fibrinogen ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Thrombosis ; Age Factors ; ROC Curve ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult