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.

ObjectiveThe widespread adoption of portable fundus cameras for primary care and community screening is hindered by limitations in current autofocus(AF) technologies. Image-based methods relying on sharpness evaluation require iterative searches, resulting in slow convergence, while projection-based techniques are susceptible to optical artifacts and calibration errors. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel AF system based on direct wavefront sensing, designed to deliver simultaneous high speed, high precision, and operational robustness within the compact form factor essential for portable ophthalmic devices. MethodsOur approach fundamentally reimagines the AF process by directly measuring the ocular wavefront aberration. We developed a custom portable fundus camera integrating a miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) into the optical path. An 850 nm laser diode projects a point source onto the retina via oblique illumination to minimize corneal reflections. Light scattered from this spot carries the eye’s refractive error through the imaging optics and is directed to the SHWS, positioned at a plane optically conjugate to the primary color CMOS imaging sensor. A microlens array within the SHWS samples the incident wavefront, generating a pattern of focal spots on a CCD. Real-time centroid analysis of these spots provides a map of local wavefront slopes. These measurements are processed through a singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm to fit a Zernike polynomial basis set, enabling real-time reconstruction of the wavefront phase. The defocus component (S) is extracted from the second-order Zernike coefficients, providing a direct, quantitative measure of the refractive error in diopters. This value serves as a precise error signal in a closed-loop control system, which commands a voice-coil actuated focusing lens to its null position in a single, deterministic step, eliminating the need for iterative search algorithms. ResultsComprehensive evaluation demonstrated the system’s high performance. Testing on a calibrated model eye (OEMI-7) established a highly linear relationship between the computed defocus S and the focusing lens position across a ±20 Diopter (D) compensation range, achievable within a 5 mm mechanical travel. The system achieved a focusing precision of 0.08 D, corresponding to an 18-fold improvement over a conventional projection spot-size method tested under identical conditions. The total focus acquisition time, encompassing wavefront measurement, computation, and lens actuation, averaged under 0.5 s. Clinical validation with 25 human volunteers (50 eyes, refractive range -15 D to +10 D) confirmed practical efficacy. The wavefront-sensing AF succeeded in 92% of attempts with a mean time of 0.5 s, substantially outperforming a projection-based benchmark which achieved only a 32% success rate with an average time of 4.25 s. The system provided instantaneous directional guidance and maintained stability during minor ocular movements. Objective assessment of image quality, via amplitude contrast of retinal vasculature, showed consistent and significant enhancement following AF correction across the entire tested diopter range. ConclusionThis work successfully implements and validates a direct wavefront-sensing autofocus paradigm for portable fundus cameras. By directly quantifying and compensating for the optical defocus aberration, this method bypasses the fundamental limitations of image-processing and projection-based techniques, enabling rapid, precise, and deterministic diopter compensation. The developed system delivers an exceptional combination of a wide operational range (±20 D), high accuracy (0.08 D), fast convergence (0.5 s), and a compact physical footprint. This technology provides a practical and high-performance focusing solution capable of enhancing the reliability, throughput, and diagnostic utility of portable retinal imaging in large-scale screening applications. Future efforts will be directed towards system cost optimization and performance adaptation for diverse ocular conditions.

ObjectiveBased on traditional quality evaluation of Gardeniae Fructus（GF） recorded in historical materia medica， this study systematically compared the quality differences between wild and cultivated GF from morphological characteristics， microscopic features， and contents of primary and secondary metabolites. MethodsVernier calipers and analytical balances were used to measure the length， diameter and individual fruit weight of wild and cultivated GF， and the aspect ratio was calculated. A colorimeter was used to determine the chromaticity value of wild and cultivated GF， and the paraffin sections of them were prepared by safranin-fast green staining and examined under an optical microscope to observe their microstructure. Subsequently， the contents of water-soluble and alcohol-soluble extracts of wild and cultivated GF were detected by hot immersion method under the general rule 2201 in volume Ⅳ of the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China， the starch content was measured by anthrone colorimetric method， the content of total polysaccharides was determined by phenol-sulfuric acid colorimetric method， the sucrose content was determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detection（HPLC-ELSD）， and the contents of representative components in them were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography（UPLC）. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between quality traits and phenotypic traits， combined with multivariate statistical analysis methods such as principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA）， key differential components between wild and cultivated GF were screened. ResultsIn terms of traits， the wild GF fruits were smaller， exhibiting reddish yellow or brownish red hues with significant variation between batches. While the cultivated GF fruits are larger， displaying deeper orange-red or brownish red. The diameter and individual fruit weight of cultivated GF were significantly greater than those of wild GF， while the blue-yellow value（b^*） of wild GF was significantly higher than that of cultivated GF. In the microstructure， the mesocarp of wild GF contained numerous scattered calcium oxalate cluster crystals， while the endocarp contained stone cell class round， polygonal or tangential prolongation， undeveloped seeds were visible within the fruit. In contrast， the mesocarp of cultivated GF contained few calcium oxalate cluster crystals， or some batches exhibited extremely numerous cluster crystals. The stone cells in the endocarp were predominantly round-like， with the innermost layer arranged in a grid pattern. Seeds were basically mature， and only a few immature seeds existed in some batches. Regarding primary metabolite content， wild GF exhibited significantly higher total polysaccharide level than cultivated GF（P<0.01）. In category-specific component content， wild GF exhibited significantly higher levels of total flavonoids and total polyphenols compared to cultivated GF（P<0.01）. Analysis of 12 secondary metabolites revealed that wild GF exhibited significantly higher levels of Shanzhiside， deacetyl asperulosidic acid methyl ester， gardenoside and chlorogenic acid compared to cultivated GF（P<0.01）. Conversely， the contents of genipin 1-gentiobioside， geniposide and genipin were significantly lower in wild GF（P<0.01）. ConclusionThere are significant differences between wild and cultivated GF in terms of traits， microstructure， and contents of primary and secondary metabolites. At present， the quality evaluation system of cultivated GF remains incomplete， and this study provides a reference for guiding the production of high-quality GF medicinal materials.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ameliorative effect and mechanism of short-acting exenatide on diabetic cognitive dysfunction. METHODS Spontaneously diabetic db / db mice were randomly divided into model group （normal saline） and exenatide group （50 μg/kg）， with db / m mice as the normal control group （normal saline）， with 8 mice in each group. Mice in each group were subcutaneously injected with corresponding drugs or normal saline twice daily for 8 consecutive weeks. Body weight and fasting blood glucose were measured at a fixed time every week. Cognitive function was evaluated by Morris water maze test. The levels of oxidative st ress indicators [malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione （GSH） ] ， cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） and protein kinase A （PKA） were detected in hippocampus tissue of mice. The hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells of mice were divided into control group （25 mmol/L glucose）， high glucose group （125 mmol/L glucose）， high glucose+exenatide group （125 mmol/L glucose+20 nmol/L exenatide）， high glucose+exenatide+H89 （PKA inhibitor） group （125 mmol/L glucose+20 nmol/L exenatide+10 μmol/L H89）， and high glucose+H89 group （125 mmol/L glucose+10 μmol/L H89）. After 48 h of intervention with corresponding solutions/culture medium， the levels of oxidative stress indicators， cAMP and PKA， the activities of mitochondrial respiratory enzymes Ⅱ and Ⅳ， and the phosphorylation level of dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1） were measured. RESULTS Animal experiments showed that compared with the normal control group， the model group exhibited significantly increased body weight， fasting blood glucose and MDA level in the hippocampus （ P ＜0.05）， as well as significantly prolonged escape latency （ P ＜0.05）； swimming speed significantly slowed down， the time spent in the target quadrant， the number of platform crossings， and the levels of SOD， GSH， cAMP and PKA in the hippocampus were significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with model group， all the above indicators （except for swimming speed） in the exenatide group were significantly reversed （ P ＜0.05）. Cell experiments showed that compared with high glucose group， the high glucose+exenatide group had significantly decreased MDA level （ P ＜0.05）， and significantly increased levels of SOD， GSH， cAMP and PKA， the activities of mitochondrial respiratory enzymes Ⅱ and Ⅳ， and phosphorylation level of Drp1 （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with high glucose+exenatide group， the above indicators in the high glucose+exenatide+H89 group were significantly reversed （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Short-acting exenatide can activate the cAMP/PKA pathway， promote Drp1 phosphorylation， and increase the activities of mitochondrial respiratory enzymes， thereby maintaining mitochondrial stability， reducing oxidative stress injury， and ultimately improving diabetic cognitive dysfunction.

ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the effect of Feiyanning granules on ferroptosis in lung cancer cells and its regulatory function within the nuclear transcription factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/mouse solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11）/glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodsThe cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method was used to detect the effect of Feiyanning granule on the proliferation of A549 lung cancer cells. A549 lung cancer cells were categorized into a blank group， a ferroptosis inhibitor-1 （Fer-1） group （10 μmol·L^-1）， a Feiyanning granules （600 mg·L^-1） group， and a Feiyanning granules + Fer-1 group. After 48 hours of intervention， the activity and morphology of the cells were observed. The CCK-8 method was employed to measure cell viability. Biochemical assays were carried out to measure the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and ferrous ions （Fe²⁺） in A549 cells. Western blot was utilized to evaluate the expression levels of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 （Keap1）， Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 proteins. A549 lung cancer cells were categorized into a blank group and a Feiyanning Granule group （600 mg·L^-1）， and mitochondrial morphology was examined via transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. ResultsAfter the intervention of Feiyaning granules， the proliferation of A549 cells was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner compared with that in the blank group （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the Feiyanning granules group exerted an significantly inhibitory effect on the viability of lung cancer cells （P<0.01）. Compared with that in the Feiyanning granules group， the cell viability in the Feiyanning granules +Fer-1 group was obviously restored （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the Feiyanning Granule group showed a significant increase in the levels of ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺ （P<0.01）， a significant decrease in the GSH level （P<0.01）， and facilitated ferroptosis. Compared with the blank group， the Feiyanning granules group showed significantly decreased expression of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 proteins and enhanced expression of Keap1 （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the Feiyanning Granule group， the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 increased significantly （P<0.01）， and the expression of Keap1 decreased significantly in the Feiyanning granules + Fer-1 group （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the Feiyaning granules group exhibited reduced mitochondrial size and increased matrix electron density. ConclusionFeiyanning granules can induce ferroptosis in lung cancer cells， and its underlying mechanism might be associated with the inhibition of the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Objective: To investigate the effects of a Twin-Block appliance combined with slow maxillary expansion (SME) on transverse dental and skeletal parameters in adolescent patients with Angle Class Ⅱ division 1 malocclusion, and to provide a reference for clinical orthodontic practice. Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 21 adolescents with Class Ⅱ division 1 malocclusion who underwent two-phase treatment with a Twin-Block appliance combined with SME at the Department of Orthodontics, College & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, in 2021 to 2023 were consecutively enrolled. In the first phase, a functional appliance was used to coordinate the skeletal relationship between the maxilla and mandible by leveraging growth potential. In the second phase, a fixed appliance was employed for fine adjustments of the dental arches based on the specific condition. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were obtained before treatment (T0) and after the first phase of functional correction (T1). Transverse measurements at the first molar region, including molar buccolingual inclination, dental arch width, and basal bone width, were performed using Dolphin 3D Imaging software. Changes between T0 and T1 were statistically analyzed. Results: After the first phase of treatment, the left and right maxillary first molars showed a significant increase in buccal inclination by 5.47° ± 1.38° and 5.35° ± 1.61°, respectively (P<0.001). The arch width in the maxillary first molar region also increased by (2.68 ± 1.14) mm, and the basal bone width increased by (1.14 ± 1.24) mm (all P<0.001). The proportion of skeletal expansion accounted for an average of 42.86%, while dental expansion accounted for 57.14%. No statistically significant changes were observed in any mandibular transverse measurements (all P>0.05). Conclusion In adolescent patients with Angle Class Ⅱ division 1 malocclusion accompanied by maxillary transverse deficiency, Twin-Block appliance combined with SME can effectively expand maxillary dental arch and basal bone width while improving sagittal relationship, thereby correcting transverse discrepancy. The maxillary width changes were predominantly dental.

ObjectiveTo assess the cost-effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and control strategies across different high-risk populations, investment levels, and allocation proportions in an area, thereby providing a reference for optimizing resource allocation in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention and control. MethodsDemographic, epidemiological, and clinical progression data of the target population in an area from 2018 to 2024 were collected, along with the input costs and intervention coverage of HIV-related projects. The Optima HIV model was utilized to perform fitting and prediction, whereby the allocation of resources to optimized target populations and program interventions was modeled under varying future investment scenarios to predict the impacts on the reduction of new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths. ResultsUnder the scenario of maintaining the current level of intervention input for HIV key populations, new HIV infections and related deaths in the region were predicted to be controlled at a low level by 2030. In terms of intervention input for HIV key populations, it is suggested that appropriately increasing the intervention input for key HIV populations will further reduce new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths in the region. However, when the total input increases to 1.75 times the baseline level, the marginal effect of input will be saturated. Regarding structural adjustments in investment and considering both the current total investment scenario and 1.75 times the total investment scenario, it is predicted that further reductions in regional HIV new infections and HIV-related deaths can be achieved, provided that the intervention input for key populations (including men who have sex with men, MSM) is increased, while concurrently intensifying the proportion of intervention measures such as condom promotion to form optimized intervention portfolios. ConclusionIn the field of HIV/ AIDS prevention and control, sustained commitment to intervention investment, with a strategic focus on interventions for key populations and intensified implementation of critical intervention measures, will effectively improve the epidemiological impacts of HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts.

ObjectiveBy comparing the composition and content of volatile components in raw products， wine-washed products and wine-fried products of Ligusticum sinense cv. Chaxiong rhizome（LSCR）， to investigate the influence of wine processing on the volatile components of LSCR， in order to provide a basis for the development of quality standards for LSCR and its processed products. MethodsElectronic nose was used to identify the odors of LSCR， wine-washed and wine-fried LSCR， and their volatile components were detected by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（HS-GC-MS）， and the relative mass fractions of these components were determined by peak area normalization method. Principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were performed on the obtained sample data by SIMCA 14.1 software， and the differential components of LSCR， wine-washed and wine-fried LSCR were screened according to the variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between volatile differential flavor components and electronic nose sensors. ResultsElectronic nose detection results showed that there were significant differences in the odors of LSCR， wine-washed and wine-fried LSCR， mainly reflected in the sensors S2， S4， S5， S6， S11， S12， S13. And a total of 62 compounds were identified from LSCR and its wine-processed products， among which 46， 50 and 51 compounds were identified from LSCR， wine-fried and wine-washed LSCR， respectively. There were 21 differential components between the raw products and wine-fried products， of which 10 components were increased and 11 were decreased after processing. There were 20 differential components between the raw products and wine-washed products， of which 11 constituents increased and 9 decreased after processing. There were 17 differential components between the wine-wash products and wine-fried products. Compared with the wine-washed products， the contents of 13 components in the wine-fried products increased， and the contents of 4 components decreased. The increasing trend of the content of phthalides in the wine-washed products was more obvious than that in the wine-fried products， but the content of total volatile components was higher in the wine-fried products than the wine-washed products. Correlation analysis showed that there were different degrees of correlation between the 7 differential sensors of electronic nose and 24 differential volatile components， mainly phthalides and olefins. ConclusionThe odor and the content of volatile components in LSCR changed obviously after wine processing， and n-butylphthalide， Z-butylidenephthalide and E-ligustilide can be used as the candidate differential markers of volatile components in LSCR before and after wine processing.

As biological sample biobanks progressively demonstrate their significant value in the field of biomedical research， they also pose challenges to existing social norms and ethical rules， making the normative issue of informed consent of participants highly concerned. The current research has insufficient exploration of informed consent in the collection， preservation， utilization， and other links of the sample. In response to the complexity and diversity of each link， it is advocated to refine informed consent strategies to ensure comprehensive protection of participants’ rights and interests. Given the continuity and dynamism of informed consent， it is recommended to establish a flexible review mechanism to address changes in research content， increased risks， and changes in participant capabilities， ensuring the ethical legitimacy of the research and the autonomy in making decisions of participants. Meanwhile， it is emphasized to fully confirm informed consent before sample entry into the bank， adopt suitable consent forms for outbound utilization and waste disposal， and pay special attention to ethical and legal issues related to human genetic resources.

[Objective] To analyze the loss rate of platelet donors and evaluate the strategies for establishing a platelet donor bank. [Methods] A total of 1 443 donors who joined the HLA and HPA gene donor bank for platelets in Henan Province from 2018 to 2020 were included in this study. Data on the total number of apheresis platelet donations, annual donation frequency, age at enrollment, donation habits (including the number of platelets donated per session and whether they had previously donated whole blood), and enrollment location were collected from the platelet donor information management system. Donor loss was determined based on the date of their last donation. The loss rates of different groups under various conditions were compared to assess the enrollment strategies. [Results] By the time the platelet bank was officially operational in 2022, 421 donors had been lost, resulting in an loss rate of 29% (421/1 443). By the end of 2023, the overall cumulative loss rate reached 52% (746/1 443). The loss rate was lower than the overall level in groups meeting any of the following conditions: total apheresis platelet donations exceeding 50, annual donation frequency of 10 or more, age at enrollment of 40 years or older, donation of more than a single therapeutic dose per session, or a history of whole blood donation two or more times. Additionally, loss rates varied across different enrollment locations, with higher enrollment numbers generally associated with higher loss rates. [Conclusion] Through a comprehensive analysis of donor loss, our center has adjusted its strategies for establishing the donor pool. These findings also provide valuable insights for other blood collection and supply institutions in building platelet donor banks.