Circadian rhythm(CR)is an intrinsic biological clock mechanism within organisms that regulates physiological and biochemical processes, enabling synchronization with periodic fluctuations in the external environment. This rhythmicity not only influences the sleep-wake cycle but also encompasses various physiological functions, including metabolism, hormone secretion, cell proliferation, and immune responses. Age-related macular degeneration(ARMD), a prevalent retinal disease, has been significantly associated with disruptions in CR. ARMD is among the leading causes of vision loss in the elderly, with a complex pathogenesis involving multiple factors such as genetics, environmental influences, and lifestyle choices. This article will focus on the molecular mechanisms linking CR and ARMD, analyzing how disruptions in CR affect the physiological state and metabolic processes of retinal cells, ultimately contributing to the onset and progression of ARMD. Additionally, this article will elucidate the interactions effects of CR on ARMD in relation to oxidative stress, regulation of Aβ, inflammatory pathways, and mitochondrial homeostasis. By deepening our understanding of the relationship between CR and ARMD, we aim to provide new insights and directions for future clinical interventions and treatments.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate and evaluate the staged efficacy and safety of the representative empirical prescription of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory， Qijia Rougan prescription， combined with entecavir in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted， and 101 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatic fibrosis （CHB-HF） who met the diagnosis and inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group （Qijia Rougan prescription + entecavir） and a control group （entecavir）. The treatment duration was 24 weeks. Liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， fibrosis-4 index （FIB-4）， portal vein diameter， hepatitis B serology， biochemical indicators， hepatic fibrosis markers in serum ［hyaluronic acid （HA）， laminin （LN）， procollagen Ⅲ peptide （PⅢP）， and type Ⅳ collagen （Ⅳ-C）］， and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores were used as efficacy evaluation indicators. Efficacy assessments and explorations of different staged subgroups of Qijia Rougan prescription were conducted according to LSM values based on the Metavir pathological staging standard. ResultsA total of 98 cases were included for statistical analysis， with 49 cases in the observation group and 49 in the control group. The general data of the patients in both groups were comparable. Compared with the same group before treatment， the observation group showed a significant reduction in LSM and FIB-4 （P<0.01）， as well as notable improvements in LN， Ⅳ-C， and various TCM syndrome scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group demonstrated significant improvements in LSM， FIB-4， and various TCM syndrome score indicators （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that the observation group performed better than the control group. Subgroup analysis of the regression of hepatic fibrosis stages showed that compared to the same group before treatment， the observation group had better improvement in regression of stages F2 and F3 （P<0.05）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group exhibited superior improvement in regression of stage F3 （P<0.05）. No adverse events occurred in either group during the treatment period. ConclusionCompared with entecavir alone， the combination of Qijia Rougan prescription and entecavir significantly improves the degree of hepatic fibrosis and clinical TCM symptoms in patients. The optimal intervention period is primarily during stage F3， which is a potential “interception” point of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory.

The chronicity of infectious diseases is an important field in the collaborative research of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The warm disease theory of pathogen invading nutrient and blood aspects in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） takes the struggle between healthy Qi and pathogenic Qi and cementation of Yin as the core pathogenesis， providing a unique theoretical framework for explaining the common pathology of infectious chronic diseases. This theory originated from Yin-Yang interaction in the Internal Classic and was enriched with WU Youke's theory of intruding pathogen interacting and lingering in blood vessels and YE Tianshi's theory of long-term illness entering collaterals. Combining the theory with modern medical knowledge， our team has condensed the dynamic pathogenesis model of deficiency （nutrient and blood aspects） and excess （pathogen） interacting in the blood collaterals of Yin aspect， the core feature of which is the four-dimensional interactions of cause （pathogen characteristics）， location （three Yin locations of diseases）， nature （deficiency and excess）， and potential （transmission trend）. The common pathology of infectious chronic diseases is reflected in interactions. That is， the interactions between nutrient and blood deficiency （immune exhaustion and metabolic disorder） and pathogen excess （pathogen persistence and fibrous hyperplasia） in the liver collaterals （Jueyin）， kidney collaterals （Shaoyin）， lung collaterals （Taiyin） and other blood collaterals of Yin aspect form the pathological damage characterized by immune inflammatory response-continuous tissue damage with excessive repair. Taking the inheritance and innovative development of classics as the main line， this paper systematically discusses the scientific connotation of the theory of pathogen invading nutrient and blood aspects and the paths of inheritance and innovation and clarifies the original significance of this theory in the chronic development of infectious diseases. Furthermore， taking clinical diseases as an example， this paper reflects the guiding value of this classical theory in the modern diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the application potential of this theory in solving complex medical problems through the construction of the innovative paradigm of precise diagnosis and treatment with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）， a malignancy with high mortality， exhibits poor survival rates and prognosis. The profound suppression of the tumor immune microenvironment （TIME） and the abnormal hyperactivity of metabolic reprogramming （MR） are the two primary factors driving HCC progression. Traditional Chinese medicine has demonstrated significant efficacy in HCC treatment. The team proposed that "deficiency of healthy Qi and stasis toxins" was the core pathogenesis of HCC， closely associated with TIME suppression and MR hyperactivity. This paper proposed that a suppressed state of the TIME was the biological manifestation of "deficiency of healthy Qi"， where the functional exhaustion of effector T lymphocytes and natural killer cells reflected the decline of "healthy Qi" in eliminating pathogens. Conversely， the expansion and activation of immunosuppressive cells， such as regulatory T cells （Tregs）， M2-like tumor-associated macrophages （TAM-M2）， and myeloid-derived suppressor cells （MDSCs） ， represent the dysfunction of "healthy Qi" in maintaining homeostasis. MR serves as the material basis of "stasis toxins". Stasis toxins exhibit heat stagnation， manifested by abnormal hyperactivity of glycolysis and lipid synthesis. They demonstrate migratory propensity， as toxic metabolites like lactic acid and prostaglandin E2 promote tumor invasion and metastasis. They display a consumptive nature， reflected in the functional suppression of immune cells. The vicious cycle between TIME and MR is the biopathological reflection of "deficiency of healthy Qi intertwined with stasis toxins". Immunosuppression exacerbates MR， while toxic metabolites further impair immune function， establishing a pathogenic chain of "deficiency leading to stasis， and stasis toxins damaging healthy Qi". The primary therapeutic approach is reinforcing healthy Qi， resolving stasis， and removing toxins， which can reinforce and tonify healthy Qi to regulate pathways， such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4/ C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 （CXCR4/CXCL12）， and toll-like receptor 4/ nuclear factor-kappa B/ signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3）， adjust T lymphocyte ratios， inhibit Tregs/TAM-M2 function， and downregulate immune checkpoints， including programmed death ligand 1/programmed death 1（PD-L1/PD-1）， and reshape TIME. It is also involved in resolving stasis and removing toxins to modulate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） signaling pathways， suppress key enzymes in glycolysis and lipid synthesis， and block toxic metabolite production. Thus， this therapy synergistically regulates the immune and metabolic network， breaks the vicious cycle of "deficiency in healthy Qi and stasis toxins"， and offers a novel strategy for integrating traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in HCC treatment.

Purpose: Due to the preservation of the entire stomach after endoscopic resection, the occurrence of metachronous gastric cancer (MGC) remains a possibility. In this study, we investigated the incidence and risk factors for MGC in patients with early gastric cancer who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and successfully eradicatedHelicobacter pylori. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 1,191 patients who underwent ESD and successfully eradicated H. pylori at the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University. Endoscopic surveillance was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-resection, and annually thereafter. MGC was defined as the development of a new cancer at a site other than the primary gastric cancer site, at least 1 year after the initial endoscopic resection. Results: A total of 77 patients were diagnosed with MGC during a median follow-up of 41.5 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 5-year cumulative incidence of MGC of 9.4% after successful H. pylori eradication. Multivariate analysis of the training set using Cox proportional hazards models identified male sex, severe atrophic gastritis, multiple gastric cancers before H. pylori eradication, and smoking history as independent risk factors for MGC.The nomogram exhibited favorable discrimination, with area under the curves of 0.767 and 0.822 in the training set and 0.724 and 0.745 in the testing set at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conclusions Patients with gastric cancer who undergo endoscopic resection, even after successful H. pylori eradication, should undergo annual and continuous endoscopic surveillance for MGC.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the antioxidative mechanism of snake venom-derived protein C activator (PCA) in mitigating vascular endothelial cell injury. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured in DMEM containing 1.0 g/L D-glucose and exposed to hypoxia (1% O₂) for 6 h followed by reoxygenation for 2 h to establish a cell model of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). The cell model was treated with 2 μg/mL PCA alone or in combination with 2-ME2 (a HIF-1α inhibitor) or DMOG (a HIF-1α stabilizer), and intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protein expression levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, and Beclin-1 were detected using DCFH-DA fluorescence probe, flow cytometry, and Western blotting. The OGD/R cell model was transfected with a BNIP3-specific siRNA or a scrambled control sequence prior to PCA treatment, and the changes in protein expressions of HIF-1α, BNIP3 and Beclin-1 and intracellular ROS production were examined. RESULTS: In the OGD/R cell model, PCA treatment significantly upregulated HIF-1α, BNIP3 and Beclin-1 expressions and reduced ROS production. The effects of PCA were obviously attenuated by co-treatment with 2-ME2 but augmented by treatment with DMOG (a HIF-1α stabilizer). In the cell model with BNIP3 knockdown, PCA treatment increased BNIP3 expression and decreased ROS production without causing significant changes in HIF-1α expression. Compared with HUVECs with PCA treatment only, the cells with BNIP3 knockdown prior to PCA treatment showed significantly lower Beclin-1 expression and higher ROS levels. CONCLUSIONS Snake venom PCA alleviates OGD/R-induced endothelial cell injury by upregulating HIF-1α/BNIP3 signaling to suppress ROS generation, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent against oxidative stress in vascular pathologies.
Humans ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/drug effects* ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Snake Venoms/chemistry* ; Beclin-1

Yin-yang, visceral manifestation, and ti-yong theories are the core theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and play a crucial role in its formation and development. With the continuous evolution of Chinese philosophy, TCM philosophy and theories have undergone significant influence, resulting in differing interpretations of the visceral manifestation of liver and mingmen across various historical periods by different medical practitioners. This paper focuses on the different understandings of the position of liver and mingmen, combining relevant philosophical images and TCM anatomical illustrations to deeply explore ancient medical theorists′ concepts regarding the four spatial directions of left, right, up, and down. The research reveals that ancient medical theorists′ conceptualization of spatial theory transitioned from an initial circular motion to a vertical movement, with the focus shifting from the upper part to the lower part. The primary reasons for these differences and changes could be explained by the varying emphasis on the ti-yong theory and differing focal points within the yin-yang theory. This study systematically examines the evolution of visceral manifestation theories related to liver and mingmen, highlights the shifts in physicians′ perspectives on spatial theory, and analyzes the influence of the ti-yong theory and yin-yang theory on these changes. The findings aim to provide a theoretical guide for advancing research and clinical application of spatial theory in TCM, thereby fostering the integration of TCM philosophy with medical theory.

Objective:To establish a rapid and accurate duplex real-time fluorescent reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification/recombinase-aided amplification（RT-RPA/RAA）detection method for identification and differentiation of Nipah virus（NiV），Langya virus（LayV），Mojiang virus（MoJV），and Cedar virus（CedV）.Methods:First，specific primers and probes were designed targeting the conserved L gene regions of NiV and LayV，as well as the conserved N gene regions of MoJV and CedV，respectively. The four viruses were divided into two groups for duplex detection. Subsequently，the optimal primer and probe combinations were screened by comparing the amplification efficiency of different primer pair combinations（F1/R1，F1/R2，F2/R1，F2/R2）. The reaction temperature was optimized through temperature gradient settings from 37 ℃ to 42 ℃，and the amounts of primers and probes were optimized to establish the duplex real-time fluorescent RT-RPA/RAA detection system. Finally，the detection performance was evaluated through specificity，sensitivity，and stability tests，as well as clinical sample validation.Results:The selected primer pairs（NiV primer pair F2/R1，LayV primer pair F1/R1，MoJV primer pair F2/R2，and CedV primer pair F2/R2）all demonstrated optimal amplification efficiency when combined with their corresponding probes. The optimal annealing temperature was 39 ℃，and the minimum detection limit was 101-102 copies/μl. The method could effectively distinguish target viruses from other non-target viruses，and repeated experiments showed good stability（ R2> 0.90）. Additionally，detection results for Malaysian NiV strains and various clinical samples were consistent with the Taqman multiplex qRT-PCR method. Conclusion:The duplex real-time fluorescent RT-RPA/RAA detection method successfully established in this study can rapidly and accurately identify and differentiate four important henipavirus-like viruses：NiV，LayV，MoJV，and CedV. It features simple operation，rapid reaction，high specificity，and good stability，providing an effective molecular detection tool for rapid field diagnosis，surveillance，and control of these zoonotic viruses.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Angong Niuhuang pill on the neurological function of rats with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage based on the tumor necrosis factor-α/nuclear factor-κB(TNF-α/NF-κB)signaling pathway combined with network pharmacology.Methods The targets for treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage with Angong Niuhuang pill were obtained using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP),High-Throughput Experiment and Refeence-guided Database of Traditional Chinese Medicine(HERB).Key targets were screened for Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis and molecular docking.Then,rats were randomly divided into normal control group,model group,Angong Niuhuang pill group(administered by gavage at 270 mg·kg-1·d-1),and the Western medicine group(intraperitoneal injection of 4 500 mg·kg-1·d-1+furosemide 1.8 mg·kg-1·d-1),the dosage administered was the equivalent dose ratio calculated based on the body surface area for humans and animals.The intracerebral hemorrhage model was replicated by the autologous heart blood caudate nucleus injection method.After modeling,the neurological function behavior scores,brain tissue water content,pathological changes of brain tissue,blood-brain barrier permeability,and protein expression levels of NF-κB p65,tumor necrosis factor receptor 1(TNFR1),inhibitor NF-κBα(IκBα)and TNF-α in brain tissue of each group were observed.Results A total of 216 intersection genes were selected.The results of GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway annotation analysis predicted that the TNF-α/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway was one of the main regulatory pathways.The animal experiment results showed that at 72 hours after modeling,compared with the model group,the neurological function score,brain tissue water content,and blood-brain barrier permeability index evans blue(EB)content of the Angong Niuhuang pill group were significantly decreased[neurological function score:1.62±0.62 vs.2.23±0.58,brain water content:(77.7±0.49)%vs.(79.9±0.04)%,EB content(μg/L):490.50±100.79 vs.1 966.20±94.81,all P<0.05];the pathological observation of brain tissue showed that Angong Niuhuang pill could reduce the pathological damage of brain tissue around the hematoma,repair the blood-brain barrier,and alleviate brain edema;the Western blotting results showed that Angong Niuhuang pill could inhibit the protein expression of TNF-α,TNFR1,and NF-κB p65 in brain tissue[NF-κB p65 protein expresion(NF-κB p65/β-actin):2.27±0.52 vs.5.40±0.26;TNFR1 protein expression(TNFR1/β-actin):1.49±0.33 vs.2.52±0.04,TNF-α protein expression(TNF-α/β-actin):1.40±0.13 vs.2.29±0.18,all P<0.05],promote the protein expression of IκB-α(IκB-α/β-actin):0.78±0.02 vs.0.32±0.00,P<0.05).Conclusion Angong Niuhuang pill may regulate the TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of TNFR1 and promoting the expression of IκB-α,exerting neuroprotective effects.

Objective:To establish a rapid and precise dose measurement method with EBT4 film and ensure its measurement accuracy to be within the required range through strict operational procedures for the purpose of addressing the two essential issues of poor measurement accuracy and timeliness of EBT film under FLASH conditions.Methods:After storing under different humidity conditions for a certain period of time, the film was exposed to radiation for analyzing the influence of air humidity on the intrinsic performance of EBT film. By means of repeated scanning operations and the film angle rotation, the influences of repeated scanning and film placement angle were analuzed. Parabolic correction method was used to reduce the spatial position influence during the scanning process. By analying the relationship between net optical density (netOD) and absorbed dose through the comparison of three fitting method, the optimal fitting curve was selected. After irradiation of the same batch of films for 5 min and 24 h, the film doses were calibrated and then compared with ionization chamber-measured result. The rapid and precise film dosimetry method was used to measure both the percentage depth dose from X-rays at ultra-high dose rate and the dose distribution at a depth of 2 cm in water.Results:Air humidity had the greatest influence on the intrinsic performance of EBT film (approximately 20%). The average deviation of repeated scans is within 0.5%. The angle at which the film is placed significantly affected the readouts of the film with the maximum influence approximately 70%. The net optical density combined with polynomial fitting can control the fitting residuals of 1-16 Gy within 3%. The change rate of light channels at 5 min already mostly met the requirements of the rapid mode (< 0.5%). Compared with the measurement result obtained using the reference ionization chamber, the deviations of the 5 min or 24 h dose calibration curves were all within 2%.Conclusions:The EBT4 film can be employed as a precise dosimeter to quickly measure the FLASH radiation dose. Rapid and precise FLASH dose measurements can meet the stringent requirements of both preclinical and clinical FLASH research.