Objective: To systematically analyze the confirmatory positivity of different combinations of HBsAg screening results in blood testing, providing data to support the optimization of blood donor eligibility management. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on blood screening data from 174 266 voluntary blood donor samples at the Chongqing Blood Center between October 2021 and September 2022. Samples with inconsistent results between the two HBsAg enzymelinked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and individual donor nucleic acid testing (NAT) were confirmed using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and a neutralization test. The detection efficacy of four different HBsAg ELISA reagents was compared using the HBsAg-confirmed positive samples. Results: A total of 767(0.44%) HBV-reactive (HB-sAg and/or HBV DNA reactive) samples were detected. Among them, 344 samples with discordant serological and NAT results were collected, of which 64(18.6%) were confirmed positive by neutralization test. Additionally, 5 samples that were neutralization-negative but double-reactive for HBsAg and HBV DNA were confirmed as positive according to FDA guidance, resulting in a total of 69(20.1%) confirmed HBsAg-positive samples. There were significant differences in the neutralization test confirmation rates among different screening result categories (P<0.05): The group with dual HBsAg reagent reactivity (double reactive) & NAT-negative had the highest confirmation rate (96.9%, 31/32); the group reactive to only reagent 2 (single reactive) had a rate of 25.7% (29/113); while the confirmation rates for samples reactive to only reagent 1 and samples with isolated HBV DNA positivity were extremely low [0(0/34) and 2.4%(4/165), respectively]. The four commercial reagents showed significant differences in their ability to detect confirmed positive samples that were initially single reactive (P<0.05). Conclusion: Given the performance variations among HBsAg screening reagents, thorough performance verification is essential before implementation. When NAT is negative, dual HBsAg reactivity in screening can serve as a basis for confirming infection and directly deferring blood donors. However, confirming infection in donors with single HBsAg reactivity is more challenging, necessitating supplementary tests to rule out infection risk.

Objective: To evaluate repeated testing on blood screening platforms in confirmation of non-discriminatory reactive (NDR) samples in nucleic acid testing (NAT). Methods: A total of 102 HBsAg-negative/NAT NDR samples were collected from voluntary blood donors at Dalian Blood Center between January 2021 and December 2023. Repeated testing was performed using two NAT platforms (Cobas s201 and Panther). For the first round of repeated testing, all samples were tested 12 times on each system; for the second round, the samples which were non-reactive or only reactive once in the first round were tested an additional 8 times. Anti-HBc and anti-HBs was detected using electrochemiluminescence assay (ECA). Meanwhile, blood donors were followed up. Results: The proportion of anti-HBc+ in 102 NDR samples was 88.2%. Forty-one samples (40.2%, 41/102) and 7 samples were confirmed HBV DNA+ in first-round and second-round repeated testing, respectively. The cumulative confirmation rate of HBV DNA+ was 47.1% (48/102) after repeated testing. Extra five blood donors detected HBV DNA+ in follow-up were identified as anti-HBc+ occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI), while no window period infection was observed. Ultimately, there were 53 HBV infected donors confirmed, 46 HBV infection-unconfirmed, and 3 HBV uninfected. No significant difference was observed between the confirmation rate of the first-round testing and the cumulative confirmation rate after the second-round testing (P>0.05). The proportion of anti-HBc+ donors was quite high in both HBV infection-confirmed (98.1%) and unconfirmed group (82.6%), and donors with seronegative and anti-HBs-only occupied a high proportion in the latter (P<0.05). Conclusion: Numerous repeated testing of NDR samples using NAT platforms cannot achieve complete confirmation of HBV infection. Supplementary anti-HBc testing can minimize potential OBI risk among NDR donors, and is low-cost and efficient.

ObjectiveTo investigate the material basis of the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemic injury with blood stasis and toxin syndrome and to explore the protective effects of Huayu Jiedu prescription （HYJDP） on neutrophil extracellular trap-related cell death （NETosis） in cerebral ischemic injury following acute cerebral infarction. MethodsSeventy-two Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into six groups （n=12 per group）： sham operation （Sham） group， blood stasis and toxin model （Model） group， low-， medium-， and high-dose HYJDP groups （HYJDP-L， HYJDP-M， and HYJDP-H； 9， 18， and 36 g·kg^-1， respectively）， and butylphthalide （NBP） group （0.06 g·kg^-1）. Except for the Sham group， rats in all other groups were subjected to carrageenan/dry yeast combined with a modified intraluminal filament method to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model of the middle cerebral artery with blood stasis and toxin syndrome. Neurological function was evaluated at 24 h after modeling using the Zea-Longa neurological deficit score. Cerebral infarction rate was assessed by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Pathological morphology of brain tissue was observed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine serum levels of interleukin-8 （IL-8）， myeloperoxidase-DNA complexes （MPO-DNA）， and citrullinated histone H3 （CitH3）. Protein expression of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （p-PI3K）， protein kinase B （p-Akt）， mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）， sequestosome 1 （p62）， and CitH3 in brain tissue was detected by Western blot. Immunofluorescence （IF） was used to detect the expression of neutrophil-specific marker Ly6G， CitH3， and neuron-specific nuclear protein （NeuN） in brain tissue. ResultsCompared with the Sham group， neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarction rates in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01 for both）. HE staining showed varying degrees of neuronal degeneration and necrosis， characterized by blurred neuronal structures， nuclear pyknosis and fragmentation， cytoplasmic dissolution into a vacuolated reticular pattern， and mild glial cell proliferation. ELISA results showed that serum levels of IL-8， MPO-DNA， and CitH3 were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis demonstrated decreased expression of p-PI3K， p-Akt， p-mTOR， and p62， while CitH3 expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. IF results showed an increased number of NETs⁺ cells and a significant decrease in NeuN⁺ cells （P<0.01）. Compared with the Model group， neurological deficit scores in the HYJDP-H group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and cerebral infarction rates in the HYJDP-H and NBP groups were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. HE staining showed that brain tissue damage was markedly alleviated in the HYJDP-H group. ELISA results showed that levels of IL-8， MPO-DNA， and CitH3 were significantly decreased in the HYJDP-M， HYJDP-H， and NBP groups （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis showed that expression of p-PI3K， p-Akt， p-mTOR， and p62 was significantly increased in the HYJDP-H and NBP groups， while CitH3 expression was significantly reduced in all drug intervention groups （P<0.01）. IF results showed that the number of NETs⁺ cells was significantly decreased and the number of NeuN⁺ cells was significantly increased in all drug intervention groups （P<0.01）. ConclusionNETs may be the material basis of the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemic injury characterized by blood stasis and toxin. HYJDP can regulate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， reduce the release of pro-inflammatory mediators and NETosis-related products， alleviate cerebral ischemic injury caused by autophagy-dependent NETosis， and thereby exert a neuroprotective effect.

The prescription of Qidong Yixin oral liquid is derived from the experience of national medical master Ren Jixue in treating viral myocarditis （VMC）. It has the functions of tonifying Qi， nourishing the heart，calming the mind， and relieving palpitations. It is used to treat VMC and angina pectoris of coronary heart disease caused by deficiency of both Qi and Yin. However，the understanding of its efficacy evidence， advantageous aspects， dosage and administration， and medication safety remains insufficient in clinical practice. Therefore，the development of the Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Qidong Yixin Oral Liquid （hereinafter referred to as consensus） was initiated. Consensus strictly followed the process and methods of the expert consensus on the clinical application of Chinese patent medicines of the China Association of Chinese Medicine，successively completing multiple tasks such as the consensus project initiation，determination of clinical problems，evidence search and evaluation，formation of recommendation opinions and consensus suggestions，solicitation of opinions，peer review， submission for review and release， and so on. Consensus formed a total of 10 recommendation opinions and 12 consensus suggestions，clarifying the clinical positioning，efficacy advantages，syndrome differentiation，dosage and administration，combination therapy，timing of medication，adverse reactions，contraindications， and precautions of Qidong Yixin oral liquid，indicating that it has good clinical advantages and safety in the treatment of VMC and angina pectoris of coronary heart disease，providing norms and references for physicians to safely and rationally apply Qidong Yixin oral liquid. Consensus was reviewed and approved for release by the Standardization Office of the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 23， 2024. Standard number：GSCACM-376-2024.

The theory of constitution in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has emerged as a new discipline in recent years. Constitution plays a vital role in the onset，progression，transformation，and prognosis of diseases. At present，some clinical scholars have adopted a novel diagnostic and treatment model of "constitution differentiation-disease identification-syndrome differentiation"，in which constitution is regarded as a core element throughout the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Constitution is closely associated with etiology，onset，pathogenesis，syndrome differentiation，and treatment. Against this background，the construction of animal models based on constitution holds far-reaching significance for advancing clinical research. This paper focuses on the construction and evaluation of rodent models with Qi-deficiency constitution，aiming to explore how to further induce Qi-deficiency syndromes and related disease states on the basis of Qi-deficiency constitution models，thereby developing an integrated animal model that embodies the trinity of "constitution-disease-syndrome". The establishment of this model not only provides a solid experimental foundation for the development of new therapies and drugs in TCM targeting specific constitutions，diseases，and syndromes，but also greatly promotes the modernization and scientific advancement of TCM theory. By comprehensively applying multidisciplinary technologies and methods，the study evaluates the model's validity，reliability，and practicality，with the aim of opening new avenues for future research in TCM and promoting the development of the field.

BackgroundAnxiety disorder is a common mental disorder， with its prevalence showing a continuous upward trend， significantly affecting the quality of life and social function of patients. Due to the lack of objective and reliable biomarkers in clinical practice， the early identification and treatment of anxiety disorder have been somewhat limited. Plasma proteins have the potential to serve as biomarkers for mental diseases， however， the causal relationship between them and anxiety disorder remains unclear. ObjectiveTo identify the plasma proteins that have a causal relationship with anxiety disorders， and to elucidate the associated biological pathways， in order to provide references for the search for biomarkers of anxiety disorders and the exploration of potential therapeutic targets. MethodsBased on the protein quantitative trait locus （pQTL） data of 4 907 plasma proteins covering 35 559 Icelandic individuals from the deCODE database， and the genome-wide association studies （GWAS） data of 50 486 patients with anxiety disorders and 330 460 healthy controls， the inverse-variance weighted （IVW） method was used as the main analysis method， supplemented by MR-Egger method， weighted median method， simple model method， and weighted model method for bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis. Enrichment analysis of gene ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathways was conducted for the related proteins. Sensitivity analysis was performed using Cochran's Q test， MR-Egger intercept test， MR-PRESSO test， and leave-one-out analysis to evaluate the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 10 plasma proteins were identified as significantly associated with anxiety disorders. Among these， SPATA9 （OR=0.856， 95% CI： 0.784–0.934， P<0.01） and PDE5A （OR=0.911， 95% CI： 0.864–0.961， P<0.01） were identified as protective factors， while CRYGD （OR=1.209， 95% CI： 1.095–1.334， P<0.01）， BTN3A3 （OR=1.045， 95% CI： 1.018–1.073， P<0.01）， SERPINB13 （OR=1.102， 95% CI： 1.040–1.168， P<0.01）， ERBB4 （OR=1.283， 95% CI： 1.109–1.484， P<0.01）， LSAMP （OR=1.096， 95% CI： 1.037–1.158， P<0.01）， ICOSLG （OR=1.283， 95% CI： 1.104–1.490， P<0.01）， DNAJB11 （OR=1.172， 95% CI： 1.076–1.277， P<0.01）， and TREML1 （OR=1.115， 95% CI： 1.054–1.179， P<0.01） were identified as risk factors. The sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust， with no heterogeneity （Cochran's Q test P>0.05） or pleiotropy （MR-Egger intercept test P>0.05）. Enrichment analysis indicated that these plasma proteins were enriched in biological processes such as T-cell signal transduction， lymphocyte proliferation， cell membrane structure and synaptic function， as well as the intestinal immune network that produces IgA and the ErbB signaling pathway. ConclusionThis study identified 10 plasma proteins associated with anxiety disorders. The functions of these plasma proteins involve multiple biological processes such as neural development and immune regulation.

The theory of constitution in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has emerged as a new discipline in recent years. Constitution plays a vital role in the onset，progression，transformation，and prognosis of diseases. At present，some clinical scholars have adopted a novel diagnostic and treatment model of "constitution differentiation-disease identification-syndrome differentiation"，in which constitution is regarded as a core element throughout the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Constitution is closely associated with etiology，onset，pathogenesis，syndrome differentiation，and treatment. Against this background，the construction of animal models based on constitution holds far-reaching significance for advancing clinical research. This paper focuses on the construction and evaluation of rodent models with Qi-deficiency constitution，aiming to explore how to further induce Qi-deficiency syndromes and related disease states on the basis of Qi-deficiency constitution models，thereby developing an integrated animal model that embodies the trinity of "constitution-disease-syndrome". The establishment of this model not only provides a solid experimental foundation for the development of new therapies and drugs in TCM targeting specific constitutions，diseases，and syndromes，but also greatly promotes the modernization and scientific advancement of TCM theory. By comprehensively applying multidisciplinary technologies and methods，the study evaluates the model's validity，reliability，and practicality，with the aim of opening new avenues for future research in TCM and promoting the development of the field.

Objective To systematically analyze the characteristics of the disease burden of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) in the elderly (≥60 years) globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, and to predict its future trends from 2022 to 2040, with the aim of providing data support for optimizing comprehensive prevention and control strategies for HHD. Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, the number of prevalent cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of HHD in the elderly were extracted for the world, China, and five regions categorized by sociodemographic index (SDI). Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the temporal trends of age-standardized prevalence rate and age-standardized DALYs rate of HHD in the elderly. A three-factor decomposition method was applied to evaluate the relative contributions of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes to the variations in the elderly HHD burden. Additionally, a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the elderly HHD burden from 2022 to 2040. Results In 2021, the number of prevalent elderly HHD cases reached 10 283 000 globally and 3 412 400 in China, representing increases of 179.20% and 159.20% respectively, compared with 1990. The DALYs of elderly HHD were 18 812 700 person-years globally and 4 731 400 person-years in China, rising by 76.08% and 29.45% respectively from 1990. Meanwhile, the growth rates of the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD varied across different SDI regions. From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence rate of elderly HHD in China, as well as the age-standardized DALYs rate of elderly HHD both globally and in China, showed significant downward trends (all average annual percentage changes<0, all P<0.001). In 2021, the 70-74 years age group accounted for the highest proportion of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD, both globally and in China. Decomposition analysis revealed that population growth was the dominant factor driving the increase in the elderly HHD burden across all regions. The prediction model results indicated that the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD would continue to rise globally and in China from 2022 to 2040, with the growth rate of the elderly HHD burden in China between 2021 and 2040 expected to exceed the global average. Conclusion Over the past 32 years, although the age-standardized disease rates of elderly HHD have mainly shown a downward trend globally and in China, the absolute number of the disease burden has increased substantially. The projection model indicates a continued upward trajectory, with the growth rate in China higher than the global average. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement precise prevention and control strategies to effectively mitigate the disease burden of elderly HHD.

Objective To investigate the value of preoperative clinical data and computed tomography angiography (CTA) data in predicting perioperative mortality risk in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD), and to construct a Nomogram prediction model. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on AAD patients treated at Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from February 2013 to July 2023. Patients who died during the perioperative period were included in the death group, and those who improved during the same period were randomly selected as the non-death group using a random number table method. The first CTA data and preoperative clinical data within the perioperative period of the two groups were collected, and related risk factors were analyzed to screen out independent predictive factors for perioperative death. The Nomogram prediction model for perioperative mortality risk in AAD patients was constructed using the screened independent predictive factors, and the effect of the Nomogram was evaluated by calibration curves and area under the curve (AUC). Results A total of 270 AAD patients were included. There were 60 patients in the death group, including 42 males and 18 females with an average age of (56.89±13.42) years. There were 210 patients in the non-death group, including 163 males and 47 females with an average age of (56.15±13.77) years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that type A AAD [OR=4.589, 95%CI (2.273, 9.267), P<0.001], irregular tear morphology [OR=2.054, 95%CI (1.025, 4.117), P=0.042], decreased hemoglobin [OR=0.983, 95%CI (0.971, 0.995), P=0.007], increased uric acid [OR=1.003, 95%CI (1.001, 1.005), P=0.004], and increased aspartate aminotransferase [OR=1.003, 95%CI (1.000, 1.006), P=0.035] were independent risk factors for perioperative death in AAD patients. The Nomogram prediction model constructed using the above risk factors had an AUC of 0.790 for predicting perioperative death, indicating good predictive performance. Conclusion Type A AAD, irregular tear morphology, decreased hemoglobin, increased uric acid, and increased aspartate aminotransferase are independent predictive factors for perioperative death in AAD patients. The Nomogram prediction model constructed using these factors can help assess the perioperative mortality risk of AAD patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Huayu Jiedu prescription on brain microvascular endothelial cells （BMECs） after oxygen-glucose deprivation （OGD） injury and to explore its intervention mechanisms. MethodsThe cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to determine the optimal OGD duration and the effective concentration of Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum. Cells were randomly divided into the blank serum medium group （KBXQ）， model group （OGD）， HYXQ group （OGD + Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum）， and 3-methyladenine （3-MA） group （OGD + 3-MA）. Cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope. The numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes in cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis rate was detected using the TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） assay. The expression levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） and Occludin were detected by immunofluorescence. The permeability of the cell monolayer was also measured. Cells were further randomly divided into the KBXQ group， model group （OGD）， HYXQ group， phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase （PI3K） inhibitor （LY294002） group （OGD + LY294002）， and HYXQ + LY294002 group （OGD + Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum + LY294002）. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of the autophagy-related key molecule yeast Atg6 homolog 1 （Beclin1）， LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ， selective autophagy adaptor protein （p62）， Occludin， phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， PI3K， phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt）， Akt， phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）， and mTOR. ResultsOGD for 6 h was selected as the optimal modeling condition， and 5% was determined as the optimal volume fraction of Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum. Compared with the KBXQ group， the model group showed obvious cell damage under the inverted microscope， and transmission electron microscopy revealed markedly increased numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Cell viability was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， apoptosis rate was significantly increased （P<0.01）， LC3 fluorescence intensity was significantly increased （P<0.01）， Occludin fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and monolayer permeability was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， cell damage in the HYXQ group and the 3-MA group was significantly improved， the numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes were markedly reduced， cell viability was significantly increased （P<0.01）， apoptosis rate was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， LC3 fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， Occludin fluorescence intensity was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and monolayer permeability was reduced （P<0.05）. Western blot results showed that， compared with the KBXQ group， the model group exhibited significantly increased expression of Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （P<0.01）， while the expression levels of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the HYXQ group showed significantly decreased expression of Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （P<0.01） and significantly increased expression of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR （P<0.01）. In the LY294002 group， Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ expression were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas the expression levels of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the LY294002 group， the HYXQ + LY294002 group showed significantly decreased expression of Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （P<0.01） and significantly increased expression of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuayu Jiedu prescription has a protective effect on BMECs after OGD injury， which may be achieved by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR autophagy-related signaling pathway and inhibiting excessive autophagy， thereby protecting Occludin protein expression and endothelial barrier function.