ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism by which Zuoguiwan （ZGW） treat hyperthyroidism in rats with kidney-Yin deficiency based on the dopamine receptor D4 （DRD4）/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH） oxidase 4 （NOX4） signaling pathway. MethodsThe rat model of kidney-Yin deficiency was induced by unilateral intramuscular injection of dexamethasone （0.35 mg·kg^-1）. After successful modeling， the rats were randomized into model， methimazole （positive control， 5 mg·kg^-1）， low-， medium-， and high-dose （1.85， 3.70， 7.40 g·kg^-1， respectively） ZGW， and normal control groups. After 21 days of continuous gavage， the behavioral indexes and body weight changes of rats were evaluated. The pathological changes of the renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The serum levels of thyroid hormones ［triiodothyronine （T₃）， thyroxine （T₄）， thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH）］， renal function indexes ［serum creatine （Scr） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN）］， energy metabolism markers ［cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） and cyclic guanosine monophosphate （cGMP）］， and oxidative stress-related factors ［superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and NADPH）］ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Western blot was employed to analyze the expression of DRD4， NOX4， mitochondrial respiratory chain complex proteins ［NADH：ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit S4 （NDUFS4） and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 4 （COX4）］， and inflammation-related protein ［tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）］ pathway in the renal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed mental malaise， body weight decreases （P<0.01）， inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal tissue， a few residual parotid glands in the thyroid， elevations in serum levels of T₃， T₄， Scr， BUN， cAMP， cAMP/cGMP， MDA， and NADPH （P<0.01）， down-regulation in protein levels of TSH， SOD， and DRD4 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulation in expression of NOX4， p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK， and inflammatory factors （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， ZGW increased the body weight （P<0.05， P<0.01）， reduced the infiltration of renal interstitial inflammatory cells， restored the thyroid structure and follicle size， lowered the serum levels of T₃， T₄， Scr， BUN， cAMP， cAMP/cGMP， MDA and NADPH （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the expression of TSH， SOD and DRD4 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated the expression of NOX4， p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK， and inflammatory factors （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， high-dose ZGW outperformed methimazole （P<0.05）. ConclusionBy activating DRD4， ZGW can inhibit the expression of NOX4 mediated by the p38 MAPK pathway， reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response， thereby ameliorating the pathological state of hyperthyroidism due to kidney-Yin deficiency. This study provides new molecular mechanism support for the clinical application of ZGW.

In this paper， by referring to ancient and modern literature， the textual research of Inulae Flos has been conducted to clarify the name， origin， production area， quality evaluation， harvesting， processing and others， so as to provide reference and basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. After textual research， it could be verified that the medicinal use of Inulae Flos was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing of the Han dynasty. In successive dynasties， Xuanfuhua has been taken as the official name， and it also has other alternative names such as Jinfeicao， Daogeng and Jinqianhua. The period before the Song and Yuan dynasties， the main origin of Inulae Flos was the Asteraceae plant Inula japonica， and from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present， I. japonica and I. britannica are the primary source. In addition to the dominant basal species， there are also regional species such as I. linariifolia， I. helianthus-aquatili， and I. hupehensis. The earliest recorded production areas in ancient times were Henan， Hubei and other places， and the literature records that it has been distributed throughout the country since modern times. The medicinal part is its flower， the harvesting and processing method recorded in the past dynasties is mainly harvested in the fifth and ninth lunar months， and dried in the sun， and the modern harvesting is mostly harvested in summer and autumn when the flowers bloom， in order to remove impurities， dry in the shade or dry in the sun. In addition， the roots， whole herbs and aerial parts are used as medicinal materials. In ancient times， there were no records about the quality of Inulae Flos， and in modern times， it is generally believed that the quality of complete flower structure， small receptacles， large blooms， yellow petals， long filaments， many fluffs， no fragments， and no branches is better. Ancient processing methods primarily involved cleaning， steaming， and sun-drying， supplemented by techniques such as boiling， roasting， burning， simmering， stir-frying， and honey-processing. Modern processing focuses mainly on cleaning the stems and leaves before use. Regarding the medicinal properties， ancient texts describe it as salty and sweet in taste， slightly warm in nature， and mildly toxic. Modern studies characterize it as bitter， pungent， and salty in taste， with a slightly warm nature. Its therapeutic effects remain consistent across eras， including descending Qi， resolving phlegm， promoting diuresis， and stopping vomiting. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing Inulae Flos， either I. japonica or I. britannica should be used as the medicinal source. Processing methods should follow formula requirements， where no processing instructions are specified， the raw products may be used after cleaning.

In this paper， by referring to ancient and modern literature， the textual research of Inulae Flos has been conducted to clarify the name， origin， production area， quality evaluation， harvesting， processing and others， so as to provide reference and basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. After textual research， it could be verified that the medicinal use of Inulae Flos was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing of the Han dynasty. In successive dynasties， Xuanfuhua has been taken as the official name， and it also has other alternative names such as Jinfeicao， Daogeng and Jinqianhua. The period before the Song and Yuan dynasties， the main origin of Inulae Flos was the Asteraceae plant Inula japonica， and from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present， I. japonica and I. britannica are the primary source. In addition to the dominant basal species， there are also regional species such as I. linariifolia， I. helianthus-aquatili， and I. hupehensis. The earliest recorded production areas in ancient times were Henan， Hubei and other places， and the literature records that it has been distributed throughout the country since modern times. The medicinal part is its flower， the harvesting and processing method recorded in the past dynasties is mainly harvested in the fifth and ninth lunar months， and dried in the sun， and the modern harvesting is mostly harvested in summer and autumn when the flowers bloom， in order to remove impurities， dry in the shade or dry in the sun. In addition， the roots， whole herbs and aerial parts are used as medicinal materials. In ancient times， there were no records about the quality of Inulae Flos， and in modern times， it is generally believed that the quality of complete flower structure， small receptacles， large blooms， yellow petals， long filaments， many fluffs， no fragments， and no branches is better. Ancient processing methods primarily involved cleaning， steaming， and sun-drying， supplemented by techniques such as boiling， roasting， burning， simmering， stir-frying， and honey-processing. Modern processing focuses mainly on cleaning the stems and leaves before use. Regarding the medicinal properties， ancient texts describe it as salty and sweet in taste， slightly warm in nature， and mildly toxic. Modern studies characterize it as bitter， pungent， and salty in taste， with a slightly warm nature. Its therapeutic effects remain consistent across eras， including descending Qi， resolving phlegm， promoting diuresis， and stopping vomiting. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing Inulae Flos， either I. japonica or I. britannica should be used as the medicinal source. Processing methods should follow formula requirements， where no processing instructions are specified， the raw products may be used after cleaning.

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.

Abstract The prevention and control of myopia in Chinese children and adolescents has become a major public health issue. While maintaining increased outdoor activity as a cornerstone intervention, there is an urgent need to explore new complementary approaches that can be effectively implemented in both indoor and outdoor settings. In recent years, environmental spatial frequency has gained increasing attention as one of the key environmental factors influencing the development and progression of myopia. Both animal studies and human research have confirmed that indoor environments lacking mid to high spatial frequency components, often characterized as "visually impoverished", can promote axial elongation and myopia through mechanisms such as disruption of retinal neural signaling, impaired accommodative function, and altered expression of related molecules. Based on the scientific consensus, it is recommended that "enriching of environmental spatial frequency" should be integrated into the myopia prevention and control framework. Following the principles of schoolled organization, family cooperation, community involvement, and student participation, specific measures are put forward in three areas：optimizing school visual settings, improving home spatial environments, and promoting healthy visual behavior. The aim is to create "visually friendly" indoor environments as an important supplement to outdoor activity, thereby providing a novel perspective and strategy for comprehensively advancing myopia prevention and control among children and adolescents.

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of Astragali Radix-mediated changes in gut microbiota on treating type 2 diabetes （T2DM）. MethodsA 12-week randomized， placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled eighty patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and poor glycemic control in the Qi deficiency type. All patients received insulin therapy. The observation group （40 cases） was administered with Astragali Radix Granules， while the control group （40 cases） received a placebo. Both treamtents were taken orally twice daily. Changes in gut microbiota were assessed by 16s rDNA sequencing. Serum glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1） levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Glucose metabolism indicators including fasting blood glucose （FPG）， 2-hour postprandial blood glucose （2 h PG），glycated albumin（GA）， and glycated hemoglobin （HbA1c） were evaluated. Pancreatic function was evaluated using fasting C-peptide （FCP）， 2-hour postprandial C-peptide （2 h CP）， and C-peptide area under the curve （AUC_cp）. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， clinical efficacy， and safety indicators were also observed. ResultsIn terms of glucose metabolism indicators， compared with the baseline， both groups exhibited significantly lower FPG， 2 h PG， GA and HbA1C （P<0.01），while FCP， 2 h CP and AUC_cp were significantly higher （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group after the treatment， the observation group showed significantly lower FPG， 2 h PG， GA and HbA1C（P<0.05， P<0.01），and significantly higher FCP， 2 h CP and AUC_cp （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that Astragali Radix can improve glucose metabolism. In terms of the diversity of gut microbiota， no significant differences were detected in the Chao1， Shannon and Simpson indexes of the two groups compared with their respective baselines. However， compared with the post-treatment control group， the observation group demonstrated significant increases in the Chao1， Shannon and Simpson indexes （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The β-diversity analysis showed significant separation in gut microbiota composition before and after treatment in both groups， indicating that Astragali Radix can significantly alter the structure and improve the diversity of gut microbiota. At the phylum level， compared with the baseline， both groups showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidota（P<0.01）. The relative abundance of the potentially harmful phylum Proteobacteria was significantly lower in the observation Group after treatment （P<0.01）. Compared with the post-treatment control group， the observation group had a significantly higher relative abundance of Bacteroidota（P<0.01）. No significant difference was found in Firmicutes/Bacteroidota （F/B） ratio between the two groups after treatment， and other phyla showed no significant differences. At the genus level， compared with the baseline， the observation group exhibited a significant increase in Bacteroides （P<0.01） and a significant decrease in Escherichia-Shigella （P<0.01）， whereas no significant difference was seen in the control group . Compared with the control group after treatment， the observation group after treatment had a significantly higher relative abundance of Bacteroides （P<0.01）. No significant differences were seen in other genera. Linear discriminant analysis （LDA） identified potential characteristics taxa： in the observation group， Bacteroidota at the phylum level and Bacteroides and Dubosiella at the genus level， in the control group， Proteobacteria at the phylum level as well as Barnesiella and Staphylococcus at the genus level. Correlation analysis based on a heatmap revealed that GLP-1 levels were positively correlated with Firmicutes， F/B ratio and Fusobacterium， and negatively correlated with Bacteroidota， Proteobacteria， Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella. In terms of clinical efficacy， compared with the control group， the total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher （P<0.05）. Compared with the baseline， the scores for shortness of breath， fatigue， weakness， spontaneous sweating and reluctance to speak significantly decreased in both groups （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the score for weakness was significantly lower in the observation group （P<0.01），indicating that Astragali Radix could improve clinical symptoms and alleviate weakness symptoms. In terms of safety， compared with the baseline， alanine aminotransferase （ALT） levels significantly decreased in both groups （P<0.05，P<0.01），indicating that Astragali Radix did not induce any significant abnormalities in liver and kidney functions. ConclusionAstragali Radix demonstrates the potential to significantly improve the gut microbiota environment in patients of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes with Qi deficiency. The therapeutic effect may contribute to glycemic control， possibly mediated by an elevation in GLP-1 level. These findings may support its further clinical investigations and potential applications.

Patients with liver cirrhosis are more susceptible to various bacterial or viral infections due to immune dysfunction. Recent studies have shown that compared with the general population， individuals with liver cirrhosis show a significant increase in the incidence rate of adverse outcomes after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection， including the progression of liver injury and the increase in mortality rate. Vaccination can reduce the incidence rates of breakthrough infections and severe coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19） in patients with liver cirrhosis， but such patients have low immune response and thus require booster doses to enhance immunity. This article reviews the clinical features of cirrhotic patients with COVID-19 and related management strategies， in order to provide evidence-based guidance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such patients.

The movement of wei qi （defensive qi） follows the circadian rhythm of "circulating on the yang during the day， and on the yin at night" and serves a defensive function to "protect the body". Guided by the theory of wei qi， it is believed that time rhythms and the immune system play significant roles in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis （UC）. Dysfunction in wei qi circulation， particularly when "yang fails to enter yin，" can lead to the onset of UC； the cyclical nature of wei qi's movement results in disease patterns characterized by "morning relief， daytime stability， evening aggravation， and nighttime worsening"， which align with the rhythmic characteristics of immune responses. The defensive function of wei qi is crucial in maintaining intestinal immunity of patients with UC， and the spleen and stomach， which are the sources of wei qi， are key to sustaining intestinal mucosal immune homeostasis； additionally， obstruction in the ascending and descending movements of wei qi， internal disruption， and latent pathogen in the intestines lead to the development of UC. Based on the theory of wei qi， treatment approaches for UC are proposed， including time-based dietary adjustments and chronotherapy to harmonize human activities with natural rhythms； these approaches emphasize protecting the spleen and stomach while also considering the lungs and kidneys， balancing sanjiao， and harmonizing ying qi and wei qi， so as to improve the clinical effectiveness of UC treatment.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanisms of electroacupuncture at Fengchi （GB 20）， Waiguan （TE 5）， and Yanglingquan （GB 34） in treating chronic migraine from the perspective of nociceptive sensitization. MethodsForty SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， electroacupuncture group， electroacupuncture + agonist group， and inhibitor group， with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group， rats were injected intraperitoneally with nitroglycerin to establish a chronic migraine rat model. After successful modeling， the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at bilateral "Fengchi" （GB 20）， "Waiguan" （TE 5）， and "Yanglingquan" （GB 34） for 30 minutes each session. The electroacupuncture + agonist group received the same electroacupuncture treatment and additional injection of protein kinase C （PKC） agonist Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate （1.0 ng/μl， 25 μl） via the infraorbital foramen. The inhibitor group received PKC inhibitor Chelerythrine Chloride （1.0 ng/μl， 10 μl） via the infraorbital foramen. The blank group， model group， and inhibitor group underwent restraint for 30 minutes without other interventions. All groups were continuously intervened for 5 days. After the intervention， the nociceptive thresholds （mechanical and thermal pain） of the periorbital area and hind paw were measured. The expression levels of transient receptor potential vanillic acid subtype 1 （TRPV1）， phosphorylated TRPV1 （p-TRPV1）， PKC proteins， Trpv1， Pkc mRNA， and the average fluorescence intensity of transient receptor potential vanillic acid subtype 1 （TRPV1） and PKC in the trigeminal ganglion were detected using Western Blot， real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR， and immunofluorescence methods. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds of the periorbital area and hind paw were reduced in the model group， and the protein levels of TRPV1， PKC， p-TRPV1， as well as the mRNA expression of Trpv1 and Pkc， and the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 and PKC in the trigeminal ganglion significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the electroacupuncture group exhibited increased mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in the periorbital and hind paw areas， and decreased protein levels of TRPV1， PKC， p-TRPV1， mRNA expression of Trpv1 and Pkc， and average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1. In the electroacupuncture + agonist group， the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 in the trigeminal ganglion decreased. The inhibitor group exhibited increased mechanical pain thresholds in the periorbital area and thermal pain thresholds in the hind paw， along with decreased protein levels of TRPV1， PKC， p-TRPV1， and the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 and PKC （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the electroacupuncture group， the electroacupuncture + agonist group showed an increase in the protein levels of TRPV1， PKC， p-TRPV1， and the mRNA expression of Trpv1 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionElectroacupuncture at the "Fengchi" （GB 20）， "Waiguan" （TE 5）， and "Yanglingquan" （GB 34） acupoints can increase the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in chronic migraine rats and alleviate nociceptive sensitization. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PKC/TRPV1 pathway.

[Objective] To investigate the seroprevalence characteristics of hepatitis E virus (HEV) among blood donors with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, so as to provide data support for the monitoring, prevention and treatment of HEV. [Methods] From January to December 2022, 219 samples positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), 142 occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) samples (HBV group) and 873 samples tested negative (control group) were collected. 361 samples were further tested with viral load assay and serological testing for five serological markers (HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb and HBcAb), and the DNA load was measured using real time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used for the detection of anti-HEV IgG, anti-HEV IgM and HEV antigen (Ag). The Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to assess the differences in the reactivity rates of anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM among different blood donor populations and different variables. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine potential risk factors associated with anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence. [Results] In the HBV group, HBsAg positive donors exhibited low expression of antigen. The HBV DNA load of OBI infected donors ranged from 1 to 131.43 IU/mL (median 11.24 IU/mL). The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibody in the HBV group were 34.63% and 1.11%, respectively. Among them, the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM in the HBV group was 34.63% and 0, respectively (P<0.05), while in the OBI donors, they were 41.55% and 2.82%, respectively. In the normal donors, the reactivity rates for anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM were 18.67% and 1.49%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that there was a difference in the reactivity rate of anti-HEV IgG between the HBV-infected donors and the normal donors (34.63% vs 18.67%, P<0.05), but no difference in the reactivity rate of anti-HEV IgM (1.11% vs 1.49%, P>0.05). No HEV Ag was detected in either group of blood donors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age was an independent risk factor for anti-HEV IgG reactivity in both groups of blood donors. [Conclusion] The reactivity rate of anti-HEV IgG among HBV-infected blood donors was significantly higher than that in the normal donors in Wuhan, with age being an independent risk factor. Therefore, for HBV-infected donors, it is essential to strengthen and prioritize the prevention and treatment of HEV to reduce the spread of HEV.