ObjectiveTo improve the accuracy of discrete element method in simulating the processing of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） powder system under low shear conditions. MethodsIn this study， extract powders of Tongsaimai tablets and Qige granules were used as the research objects， the angle of repose（AOR） and effective angle of internal friction of the two materials were determined by AOR test method and shear cell test method. Based on the Hertz-Mindlin with JKR V2 contact model and particle scaling theory， taking the particle-particle restitution coefficient（A）， particle-particle static friction coefficient（B）， particle-particle rolling friction coefficient（C）， particle-steel restitution coefficient（D）， particle-steel static friction coefficient（E）， particle-steel rolling friction coefficient（F） and Johnson-Kendall-Roberts（JKR） surface energy（G） as test factors， the simulated contact parameters of Tongsaimai tablets extract powder were first calibrated with a single reference value using AOR as the reference value， and then the simulated contact parameters of Tongsaimai tablets extract powder as well as Qige granules extract powder were co-calibrated with AOR and effective angle of internal friction as the joint reference value， respectively. Then， Plackett-Burman design was used to screen the critical contact parameters that have a significant effect on the simulated reference value， and the steepest ascent design was used to determine the optimal range of the critical contact parameters， finally， the regression model between the critical contact parameters and the simulated reference values was established through the design of the response surface test， and the critical contact parameters were calibrated based on the regression model and the desirability function approach. ResultsThe optimal combination of discrete elemental contact parameters A-G for Tongsaimai tablets extract powder under a single reference value was 0.100， 0.718， 0.616， 0.100， 0.400， 0.250 and 0.075 J·m^-2， which was validated to have relative errors of 0.10% and -8.64% for the simulated AOR and the simulated effective angle of internal friction， respectively. And the optimal combination of discrete elemental contact parameters A-G for Tongsaimai tablets extract powder at the joint reference values was 0.100， 0.682， 0.598， 0.100， 0.521， 0.294 and 0.075 J·m^-2， which was verified to have relative errors of 0.10% and -0.18% for the simulated AOR and the simulated effective angle of internal friction， respectively. The optimal combination of discrete elemental contact parameters A-G for Qige granules extract powder at the joint reference values was 0.150， 0.370， 0.330， 0.150， 0.500， 0.500 and 0.100 J·m^-2， which was verified to have relative errors of 2.70% and -1.30% for the simulated AOR and the simulated effective angle of internal friction， respectively. Compared with the single reference value method， the joint calibration method not only increased the number of the critical contact parameters for characterizing particle-device interactions， but also was more accurate and reliable. ConclusionCompared with the results of single reference value calibration， the results obtained by the method of joint calibration of discrete element simulation contact parameters with AOR and effective angle of internal friction as the reference values are more accurate， which can provide more accurate and reliable simulation physical property data for the simulation experiments of TCM extract powder under low shear process conditions.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF） refers to severe liver dysfunction that occurs on the basis of chronic liver diseases， and it is characterized by rapid disease progression， poor prognosis， and high mortality rate. In recent years， inflammatory markers have become a research hotspot due to their significant role in assessing the prognosis of ACLF. This article reviews the advances in the application of inflammatory markers in assessing the prognosis of ACLF， such as systemic immune inflammatory index， lymphocyte-white blood cell ratio， neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio， and C-reactive protein， and discusses their clinical value and future research directions， in order to provide a theoretical basis for the early intervention and prognosis management of ACLF patients.

The literature on the characteristics, commodity grade specifications and chemical composition of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was reviewed. It was found that the main factors affecting the changes of traits and chemical composition of Angelicae Sinensis Radix included origin, altitude, climate, soil, cultivation methods, processing and processing methods and storage methods. Among them, the volatile oil types and ferulic acid content of Angelicae Sinensis Radix produced in Minxian County of Gansu Province were better than those in some non-authentic producing areas, but some component differences remained to be verified; direct seeding and film mulching cultivation could improve the yield, volatile oil and polysaccharide content of Angelicae Sinensis Radix; continuous cropping may lead to rhizosphere soil problems of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and rotation or intercropping could be considered; drying in the shade and smoking drying could retain the oil and aroma of Angelicae Sinensis Radix; wine stir-frying method could increase the content of Z-ligustilide, but stir-frying carbon may reduce the content of ferulic acid; high temperature and high humidity storage may affect the content of ligustilide. In the future, the quality evaluation system of Angelicae Sinensis Radix should be strengthened and improved, genuine research should be strengthened, and scientific field management methods and appropriate harvesting and processing methods should be established, so as to ensure the good clinical efficacy and stable and controllable quality of Angelicae Sinensis Radix.

Objective To analyze the correlation between the number of oil chambers,the proportion of phloem at cross-section of Aucklandiae Radix and the contents of costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone,and the correlation between inulin quantity,vessel quantity and polysaccharide content in powder characteristics,so as to explore the scientific basis for Aucklandiae Radix"identifying the quality based on appearance differentiation".Methods The constant values of the microscopic features of oil chambers,inulin and vessels were determined by cross-sectional permanent slice method,chloral hydrate method and counting analysis method,and the contents of costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone as well as polysaccharide content were determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and the phenol-sulfuric acid method,respectively,and the correlation in the two groups of data was analyzed by statistical methods.Results There was a significantly positive correlation between the number of oil chambers per unit area in the cross-section of Aucklandiae Radix and the number of oil chambers per unit area in the phloem and the contents of costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone;there was a significantly positive correlation between the quantity of inulin in the powder of Aucklandiae Radix and the polysaccharide content;there was no correlation between the quantity of vessels and the polysaccharide content.Conclusion This study initially established a new method and a new technology for quality evaluation of Chinese herbal medicines based on the determination of microscopic characteristic constants of Aucklandiae Radix,which can provide a new technical method for the quality control of Aucklandiae Radix.

Objective To investigate the role of ginsenoside Rh1 in regulating the changes of characteristic differential metabolites in rat models of exercise-induced fatigue by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and multidimensional statistical analysis,and to clarify the metabolic pathways,so as to provide experimental basis and theoretical support for the effective alleviation of exercise-induced fatigue through Rh1.Methods A total of 27 SPF SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group,model group,and ginsenoside Rh1 group,with 9 rats in each group.A rat exercise-induced fatigue model was established by treadmill exercise.After blood sampling,GC-MS technology,Principal Component Analysis(PCA)and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares(PLS-DA)were used for the identification and screening of differential metabolites,which were further structurally identified in KEGG and HMDB databases.MetPA database was used to construct metabolic pathways and enrich for topological analysis.Results The time to exhaustion in the ginsenoside Rh1 group was significantly longer than that in the model group.Significant differential expression of 8 metabolites(6 significantly decreased and 2 significantly increased)was found in the model group as compared to the blank control group,and 5 metabolic pathways were involved.In the ginsenoside Rh1 group,there were 3 metabolites with significant changes compared with the model group.Citric acid and fatty acid were significantly increased,α-D-glucosamine 1-phosphate was decreased,and the main pathway involved was tricarboxylic acid cycle.Conclusion Rh1 can significantly prolong the time to exhaustion and relieve exercise-induced fatigue in rats,which is closely related to the metabolic pathway of tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Objective To explore the efficacy of the self-formulated Zhuzhang Formula in trea-ting the spleen deficiency with dysfunction of transportation syndrome of idiopathic short stature(ISS)and its effects on the growth rate,disease-related indicators,and bone metabolism indicators in affect-ed children.Methods A total of 80 children with ISS were enrolled as study subjects.They were randomly assigned to control group and observation group using random number table method,with 40 cases in each group.The control group received conventional western medicine treatment,while the observation group was administered self-formulated Zhuzhang Formula in addition to the treatment of the control group.Comparisons were made between the two groups in terms of clinical efficacy,TCM syndrome scores,growth parameters(monthly average height increment,annual growth rate),levels of disease-related indicators[serum insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1),bone morphogenetic pro-tein-2(BMP-2),insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3(IGFBP-3)],levels of bone metabo-lism indicators[bone alkaline phosphatase(BAP),type Ⅰ procollagen N-terminal propeptide(PⅠNP),type Ⅰ collagen cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide(β-CTX)],and the incidence of adverse reac-tions.Results The overall effective rate in the observation group was 97.50％,which was significantly higher than the 80.00％ in the control group(P＜0.05).After 3 and 6 months of intervention,the scores for symptoms such as short stature,sallow complexion,loss of appetite,weak voice and shortness of breath,limb weakness,and loose stools,as well as the total TCM syndrome scores,were lower in the observation group than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).After 6 months of intervention,the monthly average height increment and annual growth rate were higher in the observation group than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).After 3 and 6 months of intervention,the levels of IGF-1,BMP-2,IGFBP-3,BAP,and PⅠNP were higher in the observation group than those in the control group,while the level of β-CTX was lower,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The self-formulated Zhuchang Formula demon-strates remarkable efficacy in treating the spleen deficiency with dysfunction of transportation syndrome of ISS.It can alleviate clinical symptoms by regulating the levels of IGF-1,BMP-2,IGFBP-3,and bone metabolism indicators,thereby promoting the growth and development of affected children,and exhibits high safety.

Objective To investigate the effects of linoleic acid(LA)on the diversity and structure of intestinal flora in mice.Methods Twelve SPF grade male C57BL/6J mice at 7 weeks were randomly divided into control group(CTRL group)and linoleic acid group(LA group).One day before the linoleic acid diet was supplemented,the normal food was removed from the LA group and the mice in the LA group were fasted for one night,so that the LA diet was more acceptable to the mice in the LA group,and LA was given on the day of the experiment recording,and the feed was updated at any time to ensure that the mice could eat freely until the end of modeling.After 12 weeks of modeling,mouse feces were collected,and mixed samples were collected for every two mice feces,and then 16sRNA high-throughput sequencing was performed to analyze intestinal flora structure,Alpha and Beta diversity.Results 16sRNA high-throughput sequencing showed that LA intervention damaged the richness and diversity of intestinal flora.The results of principal component analysis showed that the composition of flora in CTRL group was different from that in LA group.At gate level,the relative abundance of Actinobacteria in LA group increased(P＜0.01).At the genus level,the relative abundance of L.Duchennei in the LA group decreased(P＜0.05),but the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium,Faecalibaculum and Erysipelotrichaceae in the LA group increased(all P＜0.01).Conclusion LA intervention could reduce the richness and diversity of intestinal flora in mice,and adjust the structure of intestinal flora.There were significant differences between beneficial bacteria and pathogenic bacte-ria in intestinal flora after LA intervention,which provided certain basis for the treatment of bioactive compounds of linoleic acid and the therapeutic adjustment of intestinal microorganisms as targets.

To construct a recombinant expression system for a single-domain antibody targeting the urease of Helicobacter pylori(Hp),this study employed several strategies.First,using artificial intelligence(AI)auxiliary tools such as Pymol,I-TASSER,and ClussPro2,the molecular interactions between different antibodies and Hp urease subunit B(UreB)were analyzed.The fully humanized single-domain antibody UreBAb was identified as the primary research target.Next,the UreBAb gene sequence was optimized based on Escherichia coli codon preferences,and was inserted into expression vectors such as pET28a and pE-SUMO.The resulting recombinant expression strains were obtained by transforming Escherichia coli Rosetta(DE3).Recombinant antibody proteins were prepared through IPTG induction,and its activity was detected using extracted Hp urease as the antigen.SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed the correct expression of both UreBAb and SUMO-UreBAb,with protein yields of 0.34 mg/mL and 0.41 mg/mL,respectively.Unidirectional immunodiffusion experiments further confirmed that both recombinant antibodies exhibited strong affinity for Hp UreB antigen,with inhibition rates of 51.27%and 74.07%,respectively.Additionally,leveraging artificial intelligence tools such as AlphaFold2,cluspro2,mCSM-AB,OSPREY,and FoldX,the study evaluated and analyzed key binding sites and mutational strategies affecting the stability of the antigen-antibody complex.Subsequently,nine UreBAb evolution mutants were constructed,and their binding activities with the antigen were enhanced.Among these,the I107W mutant showed the most significant improvement,achieving a 24.95%increase compared to the wild-type UreBAb.This research lays a solid foundation for the development of fully humanized single-domain antibodies against Hp.

Objective To explore the mechanism by which diazepam alleviates lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced pyroptosis and inflammation to delay the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.Methods MRC-5 cells challenged with LPS were treated with diazepam and transfected with a let-7a-5p mimic alone or co-transfected with pc-DNA-MYD88.The changes in cellular expressions of inflammatory factors were analyzed with ELISA,and the expressions of fibrosis-and pyroptosis-related proteins were detected using Western blotting.In the animal experiment,C57BL/6 mice were randomized for treatment with LPS,LPS+diazepam,LPS+diazepam+let-7a-5p mimic,LPS+diazepam+ST2825(a MYD88 inhibitor),or LPS+diazepam+let-7a-5p mimic+pc-DNA-MYD88,and pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary expression of α-SMA were examined using Masson staining and immunofluorescence staining,respectively.Results LPS exposure of MRC-5 cells significantly downregulated let-7a-5p expression,up-regulated MYD88 expression,increased the levels of IL-4,IL-6,TGF-β and TNF-α,and enhanced the expressions of fibrosis-related proteins(Col-I,Col-III,and α-SMA)and pyroptosis-related proteins(NLRP3,caspase-1,ASC,and GSDMD-N).Diazepam treatment of LPS-stimulated cells effectively inhibited the expressions of inflammation-related factors and the fibrosis-and pyroptosis-related proteins.In C57BL/6 mice,diazepam treatment obviously alleviated LPS-induced pulmonary fibrosis and reduced and pulmonary expression of α-SMA,and these effects were further enhanced by treatment with let-7a-5p mimic or ST2825,but the effect of let-7a-5p mimic was significantly attenuated by MYD88 over-expression.Conclusion Diazepam can negatively regulate MYD88 by upregulating the expression of let-7a-5p to inhibit LPS-induced pyroptosis and inflammatory response,thereby alleviating lung fibrosis in mice.

Unicorn lotus is a plant tuber in the araceae family, which has therapeutic effects such as dispelling cold and dampness, dispelling wind and phlegm, and treating stroke. However, acute poisoning of fresh Unicorn lotus has been rarely reported domestically and internationally. This article reports a case of poisoning caused by chewing unicorn lotus. The patient experienced numbness in the lips, swelling and rupture of the oral cavity, continuous salivation, difficulty swallowing and obvious burning sensation in the throat, accompanied by shortness of breath and mild hypoxemia. After receiving comprehensive treatments such as oxygen therapy, electrocardiographic monitoring, cleaning of necrotic oral mucosa, anti infection, inhibition of oral salivary secretion, and nutritional support, the patient finally recovered and was discharged.