Hygroscopicity research has long been a key focus and hot topic in Chinese materia medica（CMM）. Elucidating hygroscopic mechanisms plays a vital role in formulation design， process optimization， and storage condition selection. Hygroscopic models serve as essential tools for characterizing CMM hygroscopic mechanisms， with various types available. The double exponential model is a kinetic mathematical model constructed based on the law of conservation of energy and Fick's first law of diffusion， tailored to the physical properties of CMM extracts. In recent years， this model has been extensively applied to simulate the dynamic moisture absorption behavior of CMM extracts and solid dosage forms under varying humidity conditions. It has revealed the correlation between moisture absorption kinetic parameters and material properties， offering a new perspective for characterizing the moisture uptake behavior of CMM. This paper systematically reviews the application progress of this model in the field of CMM， analyzes its advantages， disadvantages， and challenges in this domain， and explores its potential application trends in other fields. It aims to provide references for elucidating the moisture absorption mechanisms of CMM and researching moisture-proofing technologies， while also offering insights for its broader application in food and polymer materials.

Childhood simple obesity has become a significant public health issue in China. Modern medicine primarily relies on lifestyle interventions and often suffers from poor long-term compliance， while pharmacological options are limited and associated with potential adverse effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） has a long history in the prevention and management of this condition， demonstrating eight distinct advantages， including systematic theoretical foundation， diversified therapeutic approaches， definite therapeutic efficacy， high safety profile， good patient compliance， comprehensive intervention strategies， emphasis on prevention， and stepwise treatment protocols. Additionally， TCM is characterized by six distinctive features： the use of natural medicinal substances， non-invasive external therapies， integration of medicinal dietetics， simple exercise regimens， precise syndrome differentiation， and diverse dosage forms. By combining internal and external treatments， TCM facilitates individualized regimen adjustment and holistic regulation， demonstrating remarkable effects in improving obesity-related metabolic indicators， regulating constitutional imbalance， and promoting healthy behaviors. However， challenges remain， such as inconsistent operational standards， insufficient high-quality clinical evidence， and a gap between basic research and clinical application. Future efforts should focus on accelerating the standardization of TCM diagnosis and treatment， conducting multicenter randomized controlled trials， and fostering interdisciplinary integration， so as to enhance the scientific validity and international recognition of TCM in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

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.

Objective To analyze the effect of releasing the lower pulmonary ligament on right residual lung expansion after right upper lobe resection under different body mass index (BMI) levels. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe resection in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from 2021 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a group A (17 kg/m2＜BMI≤23 kg/m2), a group B (23 kg/m2＜BMI≤29 kg/m2) and a group C (BMI＞29 kg/m2) according to BMI. The presence of residual cavity was judged by chest X-ray at 7-10 days after operation, the degree of compensation change of the right main bronchus angle was measured, and the changes in lung volume were determined by CT three-dimensional reconstruction. Results A total of 157 patients who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe resection were included, including 71 males and 86 females, with an average age of (59.7±11.2) years. There were 50 patients in the group A, 75 patients in the group B, and 32 patients in the group C. In the group A, compared with those without releasing the lower pulmonary ligament, patients with releasing had a lower incidence of postoperative residual cavity (P=0.016), greater changes in bronchus angle (P<0.001), and smaller changes in lung volume (P<0.001). In the group B and C, there was no significant effect of releasing the lower pulmonary ligament on postoperative residual cavity, bronchus angle, and lung volume changes (P>0.05). Conclusion For patients with thin and long body shape and low BMI, releasing the lower pulmonary ligament is helpful to promote the expansion of the residual lung after right upper lobe resection and reduce the occurrence of postoperative residual cavity in patients.

[Objective] To analyze the infection status of hepatitis E virus (HEV) among blood donors in Zhengzhou, so as to provide data support for formulating local blood screening strategies. [Methods] Random samples from blood donors from January to December 2022 were tested for HEV RNA using PCR technology. Reactive samples were sequenced for gene analysis, and the donors were followed up. [Results] Among 21 311 samples, 3(0.14‰) were reactive for HEV RNA, all of whom were male. Genetic sequencing results revealed that one strong positive sample was genotype 4, while sequencing failed for the other two due to low viral load. A follow-up of 25 strong positive donors showed that ALT significantly increased on day 7 after donation, anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG turned positive. On day 21, ALT returned to normal, and on day 35, HEV RNA turned negative. Notably, anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG persisted until day 482. [Conclusion] There is HEV infection among blood donors in Zhengzhou, and it is necessary to expand the screening scope to comprehensively explore the prevalence and genotype distribution of HEV among blood donors.

OBJECTIVE To establish the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography （UPLC） fingerprint of Jingtian granule， and to evaluate its quality by chemical pattern recognition. METHODS Luna® Omega Polar C18 column （150 mm×2.1 mm， 1.6 μm） was used as the chromatographic column， and acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid solution was used as the mobile phase for gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.2 mL/min， the column temperature was 30 ℃， and the detection wavelength was 265 nm. With peak 16 as the reference peak， the UPLC fingerprint of Jingtian granule was established by the Similarity Evaluation System of Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine （2012 edition）. The common peaks were identified， the similarity evaluation was carried out， and the ownership of each common peak was confirmed. Hierarchical cluster analysis （HCA） and principal component analysis （PCA） in chemical pattern recognition methods were used to classify 13 batches of samples （S1- S13）， and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） was used to identify the key components of the differences between different batches of samples. RESULTS RSDs of precision， repeatability and stability of the UPLC method were not more than 4.4%. A total of 25 common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of 13 batches of Jingtian granules. By comparing with the reference substance fingerprint， 10 common peaks were identified， namely peak 3 （hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde）， peak 5 （salidroside）， peak 8（chlorogenic acid）， peak 15 （cinnamic acid）， peak 19 （aloe-emodin）， peak 20 （ammonium glycyrrhizinate）， peak 21 （rhein）， peak 23 （emodin）， peak 24 （glycyrrhetinic acid）， peak 25 （chrysophanol）. The similarities of fingerprints of 13 batches of samples were 0.955-0.996. The results of HCA showed that 13 batches of samples could be divided into three categories， among which samples S1， S5， S7， S11-S13 were clustered in one category， S4 and S6 were clustered in one category， S2， S3 and S8-S10 were clustered in one category. PCA results showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of principal components 1-7 was 92.666%. OPLS-DA further identified 13 differential components， which were mainly derived from Polygonati Rhizoma with wine steaming， Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix Et Rhizoma， prepared Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizome Praeparata Cum Melle. CONCLUSIONS The established UPLC fingerprint of Jingtian granule is simple， stable and reproducible. Combined with the chemical pattern recognition method， it can effectively reveal the overall quality difference between different batches of Jingtian granule. The quality of Polygonati Rhizoma with wine steaming， Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix Et Rhizoma， prepared Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma， Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma， Polyporus， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizome Praeparata Cum Melle is the key to the overall quality of Jingtian granule.

Objective To explore the construction of α-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) gene-knockout (GTKO) Diannan miniature pigs and the kidney xenotransplantation from pigs to rhesus macaques, and to assess the effectiveness of GTKO pigs. Methods The GTKO Diannan miniature pigs were constructed using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system and somatic cell cloning technology. The phenotype of GTKO pigs was verified through polymerase chain reaction, Sanger sequencing and immunofluorescence staining. Flow cytometry was used to detect antigen-antibody (IgM) binding and complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Kidney xenotransplantation was performed from GTKO pigs to rhesus macaques. The humoral immunity, cellular immunity, coagulation and physiological indicators of the recipient monkeys were monitored. The function and pathological changes of the transplanted kidneys were analyzed using ultrasonography, hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining. Results Single-guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting exon 4 of the GGTA1 gene in Diannan miniature pigs was designed. The pGL3-GGTA1-sgRNA1-GFP vector was transfected into fetal fibroblasts of Diannan miniature pigs. After puromycin selection, two cell clones, C59# and C89#, were identified as GGTA1 gene-knockout clones. These clones were expanded to form cell lines, which were used as donor cells for somatic cell nuclear transfer. The reconstructed embryos were transferred into the oviducts of trihybrid surrogate sows, resulting in 13 fetal pigs. Among them, fetuses F04 and F11 exhibited biallelic mutations in the GGTA1 gene, and F04 had a normal karyotype. Using this GTKO fetal pig for recloning and transferring the reconstructed embryos into the oviducts of trihybrid surrogate sows, seven surviving piglets were obtained, all of which did not express α-Gal epitope. The binding of IgM from the serum of rhesus monkey 20# to GTKO pig PBMC was reduced, and the survival rate of GTKO pig PBMC in the complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay was higher than that of wild-type pig. GTKO pig kidneys were harvested and perfused until completely white. After the left kidney of the recipient monkey was removed, the pig kidney was heterotopically transplanted. Following vascular anastomosis and blood flow restoration, the pig kidney rapidly turned pink without hyperacute rejection (HAR). Urine appeared in the ureter 6 minutes later, indicating successful kidney transplantation. The right kidney of the recipient was then removed. Seven days after transplantation, the transplanted kidney had good blood flow, the recipient monkey's serum creatinine level was stable, and serum potassium and cystatin C levels were effectively controlled, although they increased 10 days after transplantation. Seven days after transplantation, the levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils in the recipient monkey increased, while platelet count and fibrinogen levels decreased. The activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time and prothrombin time remained relatively stable but later showed an upward trend. The recipient monkey survived for 10 days. At autopsy, the transplanted kidney was found to be congested, swollen and necrotic, with a small amount of IgG deposition in the renal tissue, and a large amount of IgM, complement C3c and C4d deposition, as well as CD68⁺ macrophage infiltration. Conclusions The kidneys of GTKO Diannan miniature pigs may maintain normal renal function for a certain period in rhesus macaques and effectively overcome HAR, confirming the effectiveness of GTKO pigs for xenotransplantation.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the pharmacological effect of Buzhong Yiqitang on brain development in offspring of rats with subclinical hypothyroidism （SCH） during pregnancy and explore its potential mechanism. MethodsForty-eight SPF female SD rats were divided into sham operation group （n=8） and model group （n=40）. The rat model of subclinical hypothyroidism （SCH） was constructed by total thyroidectomy combined with postoperative subcutaneous injection of levothyroxine （L-T₄）. The modeled rats were randomly allocated into model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （5.58， 11.16， 22.32 g∙kg^-1， respectively） Buzhong Yiqitang， and euthyrox （4.5×10^-6 g∙kg^-1） groups， with 8 rats in each group. These rats were co-housed with normal male rats for mating. Drug administration started 2 weeks before pregnancy and continued until delivery. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Golgi-cox staining were used to observe pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue of offspring rats. Western blot was employed to detect the effects of Buzhong Yiqitang on the protein levels of cytochrome C oxidase subunitⅠ （COX）Ⅰ and COXⅣ in the hippocampal tissue of offspring rats. A colorimetric method was used to measure the mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content in the hippocampal tissue of offspring rats. For in vitro experiments， a hydrogen peroxide （H₂O₂）-induced oxidative damage model was established with rat pheochromocytoma cells （PC12）. Interventions included the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor （SGI-1027）， Buzhong Yiqitang-medicated serum， and euthyrox-medicated serum. The cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to examine the effect of Buzhong Yiqitang on cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to evaluate the effect on tubulin beta 3 class Ⅲ （TUBB3） in PC12 cells. Western blot was employed to assess the effects on the protein levels of DNA methyltransferases （TETs and DNMTs） in PC12 cells. The fluorescent probe 2′，7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate （DCFH-DA）， luciferase assay， and JC-1 staining were employed to assess the effects of Buzhong Yiqitang on the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS） and ATP and the mitochondrial membrane potential in PC12 cells. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed a reduction in the number of hippocampal neurons， incomplete pyramidal cell bodies， loose arrangement， shortened average dendrite length， decreased dendritic complexity and dendritic spine density， and reduced expression levels of COXⅠ and COXⅣ and content of ATP in the brain tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， after administration of Buzhong Yiqitang and euthyrox， hippocampal neurons exhibited regular arrangement， complete morphology， extended dendrite， increased dendritic complexity and dendritic spine density， and restored expression levels of COXⅠ and COXⅣ and content of ATP （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the medium-dose Buzhong Yiqitang group showing the best therapeutic effect. In the PC12 cell model of oxidative damage， Buzhong Yiqitang increased the cell viability （P<0.01）， enhanced neuronal differentiation， down-regulated the expression levels of DNMTs （P<0.05）， up-regulated the expression levels of TETs （P<0.05）， decreased the ROS content （P<0.01）， and restored the ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential （P<0.01）. ConclusionBuzhong Yiqitang protects brain development in offspring of pregnant rats with SCH. It mainly acts on the oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction resulted from abnormal mtDNA methylation， with DNMTs and TETs as the key proteins for its effects.

Locomotion, a fundamental motor function encompassing various forms such as swimming, walking, running, and flying, is essential for animal survival and adaptation. The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR), located at the midbrain-hindbrain junction, is a conserved brain area critical for controlling locomotion. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the MLR’s structure and function across species, from lampreys to mammals and birds, with a particular focus on insights gained from optogenetic studies in mammals. The goal is to uncover universal strategies for MLR-mediated locomotor control. Electrical stimulation of the MLR in species such as lampreys, salamanders, cats, and mice initiates locomotion and modulates speed and patterns. For example, in lampreys, MLR stimulation induces swimming, with increased intensity or frequency enhancing propulsive force. Similarly, in salamanders, graded stimulation transitions locomotor outputs from walking to swimming. Histochemical studies reveal that effective MLR stimulation sites colocalize with cholinergic neurons, suggesting a conserved neurochemical basis for locomotion control. In mammals, the MLR comprises two key nuclei: the cuneiform nucleus (CnF) and the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). Both nuclei contain glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, with the PPN additionally housing cholinergic neurons. Optogenetic studies in mice by selectively activating glutamatergic neurons have demonstrated that the CnF and PPN play distinct roles in motor control: the CnF drives rapid escape behaviors, while the PPN regulates slower, exploratory movements. This functional specialization within the MLR allows animals to adapt their locomotion patterns and speed in response to environmental demands and behavioral objectives. Similar to findings in lampreys, the CnF and PPN in mice transmit motor commands to spinal effector circuits by modulating the activity of brainstem reticular formation neurons. However, they achieve this through distinct reticulospinal pathways, enabling the generation of specific behaviors. Further insights from monosynaptic rabies viral tracing reveal that the CnF and PPN integrate inputs from diverse brain regions to produce context-appropriate behaviors. For instance, glutamatergic neurons in the PPN receive signals from other midbrain structures, the basal ganglia, and medullary nuclei, whereas glutamatergic neurons in the CnF rarely receive inputs from the basal ganglia but instead are strongly influenced by the periaqueductal grey and inferior colliculus within the midbrain. These differential connectivity patterns underscore the specialized roles of the CnF and PPN in motor control, highlighting their unique contributions to coordinating locomotion. Birds exhibit exceptional flight capabilities, yet the avian MLR remains poorly understood. Comparative studies suggest that the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) in birds is homologous to the mammalian PPN, which contains cholinergic neurons, while the intercollicular nucleus (ICo) or nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis (ImC) may correspond to the CnF. These findings provide important clues for identifying the avian MLR and elucidating its role in flight control. However, functional validation through targeted experiments is urgently needed to confirm these hypotheses. Optogenetics and other advanced techniques in mice have greatly advanced MLR research, enabling precise manipulation of specific neuronal populations. Future studies should extend these methods to other species, particularly birds, to explore unique locomotor adaptations. Comparative analyses of MLR structure and function across species will deepen our understanding of the conserved and evolved features of motor control, revealing fundamental principles of locomotion regulation throughout evolution. By integrating findings from diverse species, we can uncover how the MLR has been adapted to meet the locomotor demands of different environments, from aquatic to aerial habitats.

This study aims to investigate the ameliorating effect of Corni Fructus(CF) on the myocardial ischemic injury and the pharmacokinetic properties of characteristic components of CF. The mouse model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemia was established and administrated with the aqueous extract of CF. The general efficacy of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury was evaluated based on the cardiac histopathology and the levels of myocardial injury markers: creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I(cTn-I). The metabolomics analysis was carried out for the heart and serum samples of mice to screen the biomarkers of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury and then the predicted biomarkers were submitted to metabolic pathway enrichment. The pharmacokinetic analysis was performed for morroniside, loganin, and cornuside Ⅰ in mouse heart and serum samples to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters of these components. The pharmacokinetic parameters were then integrated on the basis of self-defined weighting coefficients to simulate an integrated pharmacokinetic profile of CF iridoid glycosides in the heart and serum of the mouse model of myocardial ischemia. The results indicated that CF reduced the pathological damage to cardiac cells and tissue(hematoxylin-eosin staining) and lowered the levels of CK-MB and cTn-I in the serum of the mouse model of myocardial ischemia(P<0.01). Metabolomics analysis screed out 31 endogenous metabolites in the heart and 35 in the serum as biomarkers of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury. These biomarkers were altered by modeling and restored by CF. Six metabolic pathways in the heart and 5 in the serum were enriched based on these metabolic markers. The main integrated pharmacokinetic parameters of CF iridoid glycosides were T_(max)=1 h, t_(1/2)=(1.52±0.05) h in the heart and T_(max)=1 h, t_(1/2)=(1.56±0.50) h in the serum. Both concentration-time curves showed a double-peak phenomenon. In conclusion, CF demonstrated the cardioprotective effect by regulating metabolic pathways such as taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and pantothenic acid and coenzyme A biosynthesis. The integrated pharmacokinetics reflect the general pharmacokinetic properties of characteristic components in CF.
Animals ; Cornus/chemistry* ; Mice ; Metabolomics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia/metabolism* ; Humans ; Troponin I/metabolism* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Biomarkers/metabolism* ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form/metabolism*