This paper systematically reviewed the concept of authentication studies on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） classics and the research achievements of scholars across historical and contemporary periods. We categorized the authentication studies on TCM classics into four types， including work-oriented authentication research， metho-dological studies on authentication， extended authentication research， and single-book authentication. Multiple methods were applied comprehensively， including investigating bibliographic documents of successive dynasties， analyzing the academic contents of medical books， studying the textual characteristics of medical books， examining the cited references in medical books， verifying the biographies of authors， and analyzing the interpolations and accretions in medical books， to distinguish the authenticity of TCM classics. The academic value of authenticity identification of TCM classics is concluded in three aspects，i.e. it serves as an important means to distinguish authenticity from falsehood in TCM classics， an important guarantee for inheriting the essence of TCM literature， and a key to unlocking the academic treasure trove of TCM classics and achieving inheritance-based innovation， which will lay a solid documentary foundation for constructing identification methodologies and standardized systems.

Objective To investigate the causes of the abnormally elevated gross α and gross β activity concentrations in the water of Nanbei Lake located near the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant. Methods Water and sediment samples were measured according to GB/T 5750.13-2023 Standard Examination Methods for Drinking Water. Results The gross α activity concentration in Nanbei Lake water was (0.135 ± 0.0108) Bq/L, and the gross β activity concentration was 0.345 ± 0.036 Bq/L, which were several times higher than those recorded during the same period in previous years. The spike recovery rates for Nanbei Lake water (gross α: 85.7% ± 4.7%; gross β: 101.8% ± 4.1%) showed no significant differences from those for tap water (gross α: 83.2% ± 3.6%; gross β: 105.1% ± 5.2%). Gross α activity concentration exhibited a positive correlation with sediment addition (r = 0.996), as did gross β activity concentration (r = 0.998). The gross α and gross β activity concentrations in sediments from Nanbei Lake were significantly higher than those in sediments from surrounding water bodies. The gross α (529 ± 41)Bq/L and gross β (927 ± 83)Bq/L activity concentrations in the residue retained on a 0.45 μm filter after filtering Nanbei Lake water were similar to those in the sediments of Nanbei Lake (gross α: (516 ± 35) Bq/L; gross β: (965 ± 68) Bq/L). Conclusion The elevated gross α and gross β activity concentrations in Nanbei Lake water could be attributed to dredging activities, which resuspended sediments into the water column, combined with the inherently high activity concentrations in the sediments.

This paper summarizes Professor LU Fang's clinical experience in treating systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE） based on the differentiation and treatment of heat-toxin and blood-stasis in the collaterals. SLE is generally characterized by deficiency in origin with excess in manifestation. The core pathogenesis is heat-toxin obstructing the collaterals. During the acute active stage， the predominant pattern is blazing heat-toxin causing blood stasis， while in the chronic remitting stage， the main pattern is toxic stasis blocking the collaterals with qi and yin deficiency. Clinical treatment follows the basic principle that treat with salty-cold herbs， when heat invades internally and that assist with acrid-dispersing herbs when stasis obstructs the collaterals. The self-formulated Yimian Decoction （抑免汤） serves as the base formula and is applied in stages. During the acute active stage， it is often combined with herbs for clearing heat and detoxifying， cooling blood and resolving stasis， and unblocking the collaterals. In the chronic remitting stage， it is often combined with herbs for activating blood circulation and unblocking the collaterals， as well as tonifying qi and nourishing yin.

The study aims to elucidate the existence forms(original constituents and metabolites) of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma in rats and reveal its metabolic pathways. After Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma was administered orally once a day for seven consecutive days to rats, all urine and feces samples were collected for seven days, while the blood samples were obtained 6 h after the last administration. Using the ultra high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technique, this study identified 6, 73, and 156 existence forms of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma in the rat plasma, urine, and feces samples, respectively. Among them, 101 compounds were identified as new existence forms, and 13 original constituents were identified by comparing with reference compounds. The metabolic reactions of constituents from Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma were mainly deglycosylation, dehydration, hydroxylation, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, acetylation, and amino acid conjugation. Furthermore, the possible in vivo metabolic pathways of protopanaxatriol(PPT) in rats were proposed. Through comprehensive analysis of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) data, isomeric compounds were discriminated, and the planar chemical structures of 32 metabolites were clearly identified. According to the literature, 48 original constituents possess antitumor and cardiovascular protective bioactivities. Additionally, 32 metabolites were predicted to have similar bioactivities by SuperPred. This research lays the foundation for further exploring the in vivo effective forms of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma.
Animals ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacokinetics* ; Rhizome/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Panax notoginseng/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Feces/chemistry*

Based on the interleukin-17(IL-17) signaling pathway, this study explores the effect and mechanism of Bufei Decoction on Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia in rats. SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, model group, Bufei Decoction low-dose group(6.68 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), Bufei Decoction high-dose group(13.36 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and dexamethasone group(1.04 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with 10 rats in each group. A pneumonia model was established by tracheal drip injection of K. pneumoniae. After successful model establishment, the improvement in lung tissue damage was observed following drug administration. Core targets and signaling pathways were screened using transcriptomics techniques. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA expression of core targets interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and chemokine CXC ligand 6(CXCL6). Western blot was used to assess key proteins in the IL-17 signaling pathway, including interleukin-17A(IL-17A), nuclear transcription factor-κB activator 1(Act1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), and downstream phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-p38 MAPK), and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65). Apoptosis of lung tissue cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling(TUNEL). The results showed that, compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, as well as the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly increased, and the number of apoptotic cells was notably higher, indicating successful model establishment. Compared with the model group, both low-and high-dose groups of Bufei Decoction showed reduced pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, and the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly decreased, with a significant reduction in apoptotic cells in the high-dose group. In conclusion, Bufei Decoction can effectively improve lung tissue damage and reduce inflammation in rats with K. pneumoniae. The mechanism may involve the regulation of the IL-17 signaling pathway and the reduction of apoptosis.
Animals ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/physiology* ; Klebsiella Infections/immunology* ; Humans ; Lung/drug effects*

The efficacy mechanism of the alcoholic extract of Gnaphalium affine was investigated by observing its influence on oxidative stress and intestinal flora in rats modeled for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). UPLC-MS was used to evaluate the quality of the alcoholic extract of G. affine, and 72 rats were randomly divided into six groups, with COPD models established in five groups by cigarette smoke combined with airway drip lipopolysaccharide, and the rats were given the positive drug of Danlong Oral Solution, as well as low-, medium-, and high-doses alcoholic extract of G. affine, respectively. After two weeks of continuous gastric gavage, the body weights and general morphology observations were performed; HE staining and Masson staining were used to verify the effects of the alcoholic extract of G. affine on alveolar inflammation and collagen deposition area in COPD rats; the oxidative stress indexes CAT and GSH in serum and SOD and MDA in lung tissue of the rats were measured, and the mRNA expression of HO-1, Nrf2, and NQO1 were determined by qRT-PCR. The protein expressions of HO-1, Nrf2, and NQO1 were determined by the Western blot method, and the mechanism by which the alcoholic extract of G. affine affected oxidative stress in COPD rats was explored. Finally, the influence of G. affine on the changes in intestinal flora caused by COPD was studied by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results showed that a total of 121 chemical components were identified by UPLC-MS, including 70 positive and 51 negative ion modes. In animal experiments, it was found that the alcoholic extracts of G. affine were able to reduce the percentage of collagen deposition, affect the oxidative stress indexes such as CAT, GSH, SOD, MDA, as well as the mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed an increase in the level of Lactobacillales and a decrease in the level of Desulfovibrio and Desulfovibrionales, suggesting that the alcoholic extracts of G. affine could reverse the changes in intestinal flora caused by COPD. In conclusion, the alcoholic extracts of G. affine may exert anti-COPD effects by affecting the oxidative stress pathway and modulating the changes in intestinal flora.
Animals ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/genetics* ; Rats ; Male ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Humans ; Lung/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy and output stability of online general natural language processing(NLP)models for staging diagnosis and identifying medium-and high-risk factors in cervical cancer patients based on pathology reports.Methods:Surgical pathological reports of 65 patients with cervical cancer who received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy at Shanghai General Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively selected.These reports were input into two online NLP models,Kimi and ChatGPT-4o,and their output staging diagnosis results were recorded.Then,the results were classified into 3 categories and scored as follows:correct(2 points),basically correct(1 point)and incorrect(0 point).Each pathologic report was tested 5 times to assess the stability of the outputs form Kimi and ChatGPT-4o,and the consistency between the NLP models and clinical physicians in cervical cancer staging was compared.Prompt-based questioning was used to evaluate Kimi's ability to extract medium-and high-risk factors from the pathology reports of cervical cancer patients.Results:There was no statistical significant difference in the staging diagnosis results between the two NLP models and the clinical physicians(x2=5.740,P=0.057).Kimi and ChatGPT-4o respectively produced 56 and 47 correct results,6 and 15 basically correct results,and 3 and 3 incorrect results.Their mean scores were 7.08±2.70 and 7.97±2.97,and the difference between them was statistically significant(P=0.040).In the extraction of risk factors from 65 cervical cancer patients,involving a total of 390 factors,Kimi made only three false-positive errors,with all other factors correctly identified.Conclusion:Online general NLP models can stably output the stage of cervical cancer patients with diagnostic accuracy comparable to clinical physicians.With the assistance of prompt-based questioning,these NLP models can accurately extract medium-and high-risk factors from pathology reports of cervical cancer patients,demonstrating promising clinical application potential.

Objective:To investigate the effect of "four-staff co-management" follow-up mode on risk factor control and medium-term prognosis improvement in patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods:This was a intervention study. Patients with coronary heart disease who were admitted to the Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital of Xiamen University from June 2021 to January 2022 and successfully discharged after PCI were included. According to the different types of follow-up after discharge, patients were divided into the traditional follow-up group and the "four-staff co-management" follow-up group. The "four-staff co-management" follow-up mode means that specialists, specialist managers in third-level A hospitals and general practitioners and health managers in basic hospitals were jointly responsible for post-discharge follow-up of PCI patients. Baseline clinical data were collected. The primary endpoints were the rate of compliance of coronary heart disease risk factor control at 12 months after surgery, the rate of secondary surgery, and the incidence of mid-term major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Unplanned secondary PCI included symptom-driven secondary PCI and asymptomatic secondary PCI. MACCE includes myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, stroke, major bleeding, all-cause death, and composite endpoints including these events.Results:A total of 2 181 patients were enrolled, including 1 097 patients in the traditional follow-up group and 1 084 patients in the "four-staff co-management" follow-up group. At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, discharge diagnosis, co-existing diseases, echocardiographic indexes, and coronary artery lesions between the two groups (all P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in total PCI stent length, maximum internal diameter of stent, proportion of patients using drug balloon, proportion of patients with a planned second surgery during hospitalization, and discharge with drugs (all P>0.05). Twelve months after PCI, the reduction in HbA1c and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was greater in the "four-staff co-management " follow-up group than that in the traditional follow-up group (all P<0.05), and the rate of reaching the standard for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher than that in the traditional follow-up group ( P=0.001), but there was no statistical significance between the two groups for blood pressure and blood glucose (all P>0.05). During the follow-up period, the proportion of symptom-driven second operation patients was lower in the "four-staff co-management" follow-up group than that in the traditional follow-up group ( P<0.001), and there was no significant difference in the proportion of asymptomatic second operation patients between the two groups ( P=0.191). The proportion of hospitalized patients with heart failure in the "four-staff co-management" follow-up group was lower than that in the traditional follow-up group ( P=0.029), and there was no significant difference in the proportion of myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, massive hemorrhage, death and complex endpoint events between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The "four-staff co-management" follow-up mode can effectively improve the control of risk factors and medium-term prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease after PCI.