This study aims to explore the mechanism of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction(HJD) in treating acute liver injury(ALI) in the mouse model of sepsis induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Fifty-four male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into six groups: blank group, model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose group HJD, and dexamethasone group. The mouse model of sepsis was established by intraperitoneal injection of LPS after 7 days of gavage with HJD, and dexamethasone(0.2 mL) was injected intraperitoneally 1.5 h after modeling. The murine sepsis score(MSS) was recorded 12 h after modeling. The levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase(AST) in the liver tissue and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6) in the serum were measured by ELISA. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the mouse liver. The content of light chain 3 of microtubule-associated protein 1(LC3) was detected by immunofluorescence, and that of sirtuin 1(SIRT1) was detected by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK), LC3, and P62 were detected by RT-PCR. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of AMPK, p-AMPK, and SIRT1 in the liver tissue. The results showed that compared with model group, drug interventions decreased the MSS and liver injury indicators, lowered the levels of inflammatory cytokines, improved the liver tissue structure, upregulated the protein levels of of p-AMPK/AMPK and SIRT1 and the mRNA levels of AMPK and LC3, and downregulated the mRNA level of P62. To sum up, HJD can regulate the autophagy level and reduce inflammation to ameliorate acute liver injury in septic mice by activating the AMPK/SIRT1 autophagy pathway.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Sirtuin 1/genetics* ; Male ; Mice ; Sepsis/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Humans ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics*

As the relationship between exposure to chemical carcinogens and human health risks becomes increasingly clear, identifying effective biomarkers to reveal early exposure and prevent the occurrence and development of tumors has become particularly critical. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA), a cluster of genes encoding ribosomal RNA, has emerged as a focal point in chemical carcinogen exposure research in recent years, due to its high copy number within cells and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. The dynamic changes in rDNA copy numbers, especially the significant alterations observed following exposure to environmental carcinogens, have rendered it a promising potential biomarker. This paper aims to systematically review the theoretical underpinnings and research progress of rDNA copy numbers as a biomarker for exposure to chemical carcinogens, and further discuss the challenges and prospects in future research and applications.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of Huayu jiedu formula in regulating inflammatory injury in chronic kidney disease （CKD）. METHODS Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham surgery group （10 rats） and a modeling group （40 rats）. The CKD model was replicated in the modeling group by unilateral ureteral obstruction surgery. After successful modeling， the rats were randomly divided into model group， esaxerenone group （positive control）， and TCM low- and high-dose groups， with 10 rats in each group. The Esaxerenone group was given 1 mg/kg of esaxerenone， while the TCM low- and high-dose groups were given 13.7 and 27.4 g/kg of Huayu jiedu formula respectively， the sham surgery group and model group were given an equal volume of physiological saline， all groups were intervened continuously for 14 days. Hematoxylin eosin and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes in rat kidney tissue. Conventional biochemical methods were used to detect serum urea （SUr）， serum creatinine （SCr）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD） levels； enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of serum interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-6， and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）； immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α（PGC-1α） ， mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM）， absent in melanoma 2（AIM2）， caspase-1， gasdermin D （GSDMD）， IL-1β and IL-18 in renal tissue； real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of AIM2. RESULTS Compared with the sham surgery group， the renal tissue of the model group showed pathological changes such as glomerular deformation and destruction， severe tubular dilation， and increased deposition of blue fibrin； the levels of SUr， SCr， MDA， IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α，the protein expression of AIM2， GSDMD， caspase-1， IL-1β， IL-18 ， and the mRNA expression of AIM2 were significantly increased or up-regulated （P＜0.01）； the levels of SOD， the protein expression of PGC-1α， TFAM were significantly reduced or down-regulated （P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups showed improvement in the above symptoms and most indicators in rats. CONCLUSIONS Huayu jiedu formula may improve renal function， alleviate renal inflammatory damage and pyroptosis， and exert renal protective effects by regulating the AIM2 pyroptosis pathway.

Objective:To evaluate the detection capability of the contrast-enhanced three-dimensional turbo spin-echo (CE-SPACE) sequence for brain metastases (BM), aiming to provide evidence for precise target delineation in stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).Methods:A total of 123 BM patients who received radiotherapy at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May to November 2024 were enrolled. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI and CT scans in the same treatment position, with images rigidly registered in the Eclipse planning system. Two experienced radiation oncologists independently delineated BM lesions on CE-MPRAGE and CE-SPACE sequences in a blinded manner. Patients were divided into the delayed group (10 min, n=61) and a priority group (5 min, n=62) based on the time interval between gadolinium injection and CE-SPACE acquisition. The non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the lesion counts and volume differences between the two imaging sequences. Point-biserial correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the additional lesions identified by CE-SPACE and lesion volume. Results:The overall analysis demonstrated that CE-SPACE detected 421 BM lesions, achieving an 8.2% higher detection rate than CE-MPRAGE ( Z=3.78, P<0.001). In terms of lesion volume, the median BM lesions volume identified by CE-SPACE [0.30(0.07,1.53)cm 3] was 8.7% larger than that by CE-MPRAGE [0.23 (0.04, 1.34) cm 3] ( Z=12.88, P<0.001). CE-SPACE demonstrated superior sensitivity for lesions ≤ 0.06 cm3, with negative correlation between the number of additional lesions detected and lesion volume ( r=-0.104, P=0.034). Subgroup analysis revealed that in the delayed group, CE-SPACE detected significantly more lesions [median 2 (1, 3.5) vs. 2 (1, 3), P=0.002] and larger volumes [0.39 (0.08, 2.24) cm3 vs. 0.29 (0.05, 1.99) cm3, P<0.001] than CE-MPRAGE. In the priority group, CE-SPACE detected significantly larger lesion volumes [0.55 (0.09, 2.06) cm3 vs. 0.45 (0.08, 1.88) cm3, P<0.001], but no significant difference was observed in lesion counts between two sequences ( P=0.059). Conclusions:Three-dimensional CE-SPACE sequence offers superior detection sensitivity for small BM (≤ 0.06 cm3), providing crucial guidance for accurate target delineation in SRT.

External apical root resorption(EARR)is one of the most common side effects of orthodontic treatment.Contact with sur-rounding anatomical structures during tooth movement is a significant cause for EARR.However,a comprehensive review of factors leading to EARR due to direct contact of surrounding anatomical structures with the root apex during orthodontic treatment is still lac-king.This review summarizes the anatomical structures related to EARR,including alveolar bone,incisive canal,maxillary sinus,ad-jacent teeth,and bone islands.Alveolar bone,incisive canal,and adjacent teeth can directly cause EARR during orthodontic treat-ment,while the impact of the maxillary sinus and bone islands on EARR has not been discovered so far.Analyzing the anatomical structures around the tooth roots can help develop more effective methods to prevent or reduce the occurrence of EARR during orthodon-tic treatment.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of applying exoskeleton robots in lower limb functional rehabilitation for patients after minimally invasive surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 56 patients who underwent spinal endoscopic minimally invasive surgery between April 2021 and October 2022.Based on the rehabilitation methods,patients were divided into the observation group(robot-assisted rehabilitation group)and the control group(conventional rehabilitation group).The Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)scores for cervical spinal cord function,lower limb somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes,and gait analysis indicators(step frequency,walking speed,and stance phase ratio)were assessed preoperatively,4 weeks postoperatively,and 8 weeks postoperatively.Results In 4 and 8 weeks after surgery,both groups showed significant improvements in JOA scores,lower-limb somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes,and gait parameters(step frequency,walking speed,and stance phase ratio)com-pared with preoperative data(P<0.05).Furthermore,the improvements in JOA scores,somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes,and gait parameters in the observation group were significantly greater than those in the control group at both 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively(P<0.05).However,at the 2-year follow-up,there were no statistically significant differences(P>0.05)between the two groups in any of these measures.Conclusions Rehabilitation using lower limb exoskeleton robots can accelerate spinal cord function recovery and improve lower limb walking ability in patients after minimally invasive surgery for CSM,demonstrating superior short-term clinical efficacy com-pared to conventional rehabilitation.However,no significant differences were observed between the two methods during long-term follow-up.

As the relationship between exposure to chemical carcinogens and human health risks becomes increasingly clear, identifying effective biomarkers to reveal early exposure and prevent the occurrence and development of tumors has become particularly critical. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA), a cluster of genes encoding ribosomal RNA, has emerged as a focal point in chemical carcinogen exposure research in recent years, due to its high copy number within cells and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. The dynamic changes in rDNA copy numbers, especially the significant alterations observed following exposure to environmental carcinogens, have rendered it a promising potential biomarker. This paper aims to systematically review the theoretical underpinnings and research progress of rDNA copy numbers as a biomarker for exposure to chemical carcinogens, and further discuss the challenges and prospects in future research and applications.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of applying exoskeleton robots in lower limb functional rehabilitation for patients after minimally invasive surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 56 patients who underwent spinal endoscopic minimally invasive surgery between April 2021 and October 2022.Based on the rehabilitation methods,patients were divided into the observation group(robot-assisted rehabilitation group)and the control group(conventional rehabilitation group).The Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)scores for cervical spinal cord function,lower limb somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes,and gait analysis indicators(step frequency,walking speed,and stance phase ratio)were assessed preoperatively,4 weeks postoperatively,and 8 weeks postoperatively.Results In 4 and 8 weeks after surgery,both groups showed significant improvements in JOA scores,lower-limb somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes,and gait parameters(step frequency,walking speed,and stance phase ratio)com-pared with preoperative data(P<0.05).Furthermore,the improvements in JOA scores,somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes,and gait parameters in the observation group were significantly greater than those in the control group at both 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively(P<0.05).However,at the 2-year follow-up,there were no statistically significant differences(P>0.05)between the two groups in any of these measures.Conclusions Rehabilitation using lower limb exoskeleton robots can accelerate spinal cord function recovery and improve lower limb walking ability in patients after minimally invasive surgery for CSM,demonstrating superior short-term clinical efficacy com-pared to conventional rehabilitation.However,no significant differences were observed between the two methods during long-term follow-up.

External apical root resorption(EARR)is one of the most common side effects of orthodontic treatment.Contact with sur-rounding anatomical structures during tooth movement is a significant cause for EARR.However,a comprehensive review of factors leading to EARR due to direct contact of surrounding anatomical structures with the root apex during orthodontic treatment is still lac-king.This review summarizes the anatomical structures related to EARR,including alveolar bone,incisive canal,maxillary sinus,ad-jacent teeth,and bone islands.Alveolar bone,incisive canal,and adjacent teeth can directly cause EARR during orthodontic treat-ment,while the impact of the maxillary sinus and bone islands on EARR has not been discovered so far.Analyzing the anatomical structures around the tooth roots can help develop more effective methods to prevent or reduce the occurrence of EARR during orthodon-tic treatment.

Objective:To evaluate the detection capability of the contrast-enhanced three-dimensional turbo spin-echo (CE-SPACE) sequence for brain metastases (BM), aiming to provide evidence for precise target delineation in stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).Methods:A total of 123 BM patients who received radiotherapy at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May to November 2024 were enrolled. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI and CT scans in the same treatment position, with images rigidly registered in the Eclipse planning system. Two experienced radiation oncologists independently delineated BM lesions on CE-MPRAGE and CE-SPACE sequences in a blinded manner. Patients were divided into the delayed group (10 min, n=61) and a priority group (5 min, n=62) based on the time interval between gadolinium injection and CE-SPACE acquisition. The non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the lesion counts and volume differences between the two imaging sequences. Point-biserial correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the additional lesions identified by CE-SPACE and lesion volume. Results:The overall analysis demonstrated that CE-SPACE detected 421 BM lesions, achieving an 8.2% higher detection rate than CE-MPRAGE ( Z=3.78, P<0.001). In terms of lesion volume, the median BM lesions volume identified by CE-SPACE [0.30(0.07,1.53)cm 3] was 8.7% larger than that by CE-MPRAGE [0.23 (0.04, 1.34) cm 3] ( Z=12.88, P<0.001). CE-SPACE demonstrated superior sensitivity for lesions ≤ 0.06 cm3, with negative correlation between the number of additional lesions detected and lesion volume ( r=-0.104, P=0.034). Subgroup analysis revealed that in the delayed group, CE-SPACE detected significantly more lesions [median 2 (1, 3.5) vs. 2 (1, 3), P=0.002] and larger volumes [0.39 (0.08, 2.24) cm3 vs. 0.29 (0.05, 1.99) cm3, P<0.001] than CE-MPRAGE. In the priority group, CE-SPACE detected significantly larger lesion volumes [0.55 (0.09, 2.06) cm3 vs. 0.45 (0.08, 1.88) cm3, P<0.001], but no significant difference was observed in lesion counts between two sequences ( P=0.059). Conclusions:Three-dimensional CE-SPACE sequence offers superior detection sensitivity for small BM (≤ 0.06 cm3), providing crucial guidance for accurate target delineation in SRT.