ObjectiveBased on the Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） signaling pathway， this study explores the protective effect and mechanism of Taohong Siwutang against retinal vasculitis （RV） from the perspective of angiogenesis. MethodsSPF-grade C57BL/6J mice were used to establish a RV model induced by experimental autoimmune uveitis （EAU）， and the protective effect of Taohong Siwutang on RV was investigated. Fifty mice were randomly assigned to a blank group， model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose Taohong Siwutang groups （3.315、6.63、13.26 g·kg^-1，10 mice in each group）. After modeling， gavage administration was performed for 20 consecutive days. A small-animal retinal imaging system and fluorescein sodium angiography were used to observe pathological changes in the retinal tissue and vessels. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to assess retinal histopathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate CD31-positive expression. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of JAK2， phosphorylated （p）-JAK2， STAT3， p-STAT3， and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2） in retinal tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the relative expression level of VEGFR2 mRNA in retinal vessels. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed relative optic disc swelling， multiple areas of inflammatory cell infiltration around retinal veins with partial vascular occlusion， vessel thickening and morphological alterations， uneven retinal thickness， wrinkling and bending of inner and outer layers， vascular dilation， and disordered cellular arrangement. Compared with the model group， the Taohong Siwutang groups showed markedly reduced CD31-positive expression and effectively improved perivascular inflammatory infiltration， vascular tortuous dilation， angiogenesis， vascular occlusion， and hemorrhage. Western blot results showed that compared with the model group， the expression of VEGFR2 and the phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 were significantly decreased in the Taohong Siwutang groups （P0.01）. Real-time PCR results indicated that VEGFR2 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the Taohong Siwutang groups compared with the model group （P0.05）. ConclusionTaohong Siwutang can effectively alleviate angiogenesis in RV and， through the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway， reduce angiogenesis and improve retinal pathological injury， thereby exerting a protective effect on retinal vessels.

ObjectiveBased on the Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） signaling pathway， this study explores the protective effect and mechanism of Taohong Siwutang against retinal vasculitis （RV） from the perspective of angiogenesis. MethodsSPF-grade C57BL/6J mice were used to establish a RV model induced by experimental autoimmune uveitis （EAU）， and the protective effect of Taohong Siwutang on RV was investigated. Fifty mice were randomly assigned to a blank group， model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose Taohong Siwutang groups （3.315、6.63、13.26 g·kg^-1，10 mice in each group）. After modeling， gavage administration was performed for 20 consecutive days. A small-animal retinal imaging system and fluorescein sodium angiography were used to observe pathological changes in the retinal tissue and vessels. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to assess retinal histopathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate CD31-positive expression. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of JAK2， phosphorylated （p）-JAK2， STAT3， p-STAT3， and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2） in retinal tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the relative expression level of VEGFR2 mRNA in retinal vessels. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed relative optic disc swelling， multiple areas of inflammatory cell infiltration around retinal veins with partial vascular occlusion， vessel thickening and morphological alterations， uneven retinal thickness， wrinkling and bending of inner and outer layers， vascular dilation， and disordered cellular arrangement. Compared with the model group， the Taohong Siwutang groups showed markedly reduced CD31-positive expression and effectively improved perivascular inflammatory infiltration， vascular tortuous dilation， angiogenesis， vascular occlusion， and hemorrhage. Western blot results showed that compared with the model group， the expression of VEGFR2 and the phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 were significantly decreased in the Taohong Siwutang groups （P0.01）. Real-time PCR results indicated that VEGFR2 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the Taohong Siwutang groups compared with the model group （P0.05）. ConclusionTaohong Siwutang can effectively alleviate angiogenesis in RV and， through the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway， reduce angiogenesis and improve retinal pathological injury， thereby exerting a protective effect on retinal vessels.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

The 5-hydroxytryptamine type3 (5-HT3 ) receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel, plays a critical role in synaptic transmission. It has been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic, could inhibit 5-HT3 receptor-mediated currents in NCB20 neuroblastoma cells. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were used to study effects of quetiapine on receptor ion channel kinetics and its competitive antagonism. Co-application of quetiapine shifted 5-HT concentration-response curve rightward, significantly increasing the EC50 without altering the maximal response (Emax ), suggesting a competitive inhibition. Quetiapine's IC50 varied with 5-HT concentration and treatment condition. The IC50 value of quetiapine was 0.58 μM with 3μM 5-HT and 25.23 μM with 10 μM 5-HT, indicating an inverse relationship between quetiapine efficacy and agonist concentration. Pretreatment of quetiapine significantly enhanced its inhibitory potency, reducing its IC50 from 25.23 μM to 0.20 μM.Interaction kinetics experiments revealed an IC50 of 5.17 μM for an open state of the 5-HT3 receptor, suggesting weaker affinity during receptor activation. Quetiapine also accelerated receptor deactivation and desensitization, suggesting that it could stabilize the receptor in non-conducting states. Additionally, quetiapine significantly prolonged recovery from desensitization without affecting recovery from deactivation, demonstrating its selective impact on receptor kinetics. Inhibition of the 5-HT3 receptor by quetiapine was voltage-independent, and quetiapine exhibited no usedependency, further supporting its role as a competitive antagonist. These findings provide insights into inhibitory mechanism of quetiapine on 5-HT3 receptor and suggest its potential therapeutic implications for modulating serotonergic pathways in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic drug effective in alleviating positive symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking dopamine receptor 2 (DR2). However, it is also known to produce neuropsychiatric effects by acting on various targets other than DR. In this study, we investigated effect of haloperidol on function of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 3 receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel belonging to the serotonin receptor family using the whole-cell voltage clamp technique and NCB20 neuroblastoma cells. When co-applied with 5-HT, haloperidol inhibited 5-HT3 receptormediated currents in a concentration-dependent manner. A reduction in maximal effect (E max ) and an increase in EC 50 observed during co-application indicated that haloperidol could act as a non-competitive antagonist of 5-HT3 receptors. Haloperidol inhibited the activation of 5-HT3 receptor, while also accelerating their deactivation and desensitization. The inhibitory effect of haloperidol showed no significant difference between pre- and co-application. Haloperidol did not alter the reversal potential of 5-HT3 receptor currents. Furthermore, haloperidol did not affect recovery from deactivation or desensitization of 5-HT3 receptors. It did not show a use-dependent inhibition either. These findings suggest that haloperidol can exert its inhibitory effect on 5-HT3 receptors by allosterically preventing opening of ion channels. This mechanistic insight enhances our understanding of relationships between 5-HT3 receptors and pharmacological actions of antipsychotics.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of action of Kaixinsan in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease （AD） based on network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experimental validation. MethodsThe Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP） and the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine（ETCM） databases were used to obtain the active ingredients and targets of Kaixinsan. GeneCards， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man（OMIM）， TTD， PharmGKB， and DrugBank databases were used to obtain the relevant targets of AD. The intersection （common targets） of the active ingredient targets of Kaixinsan and the relevant targets of AD was taken， and the network interaction analysis of the common targets was carried out in the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction（PPI） network. The CytoNCA plugin within Cytoscape was used to screen out the core targets， and the Metascape platform was used to perform gene ontology（GO） functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis. The “drug-active ingredient-target” interaction network was constructed with the help of Cytoscape 3.8.2， and AutoDock Vina was used for molecular docking. Scopolamine （SCOP） was utilized for modeling and injected intraperitoneally once daily. Thirty-two male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into blank control （CON） group （0.9% NaCl， n=8）， model （SCOP） group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， n=8）， positive control group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of SCOP+3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of Donepezil， n=8）， and Kaixinsan group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of SCOP+6.5 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of Kaixinsan， n=8）. Mice in each group were administered with 0.9% NaCl， Kaixinsan， or Donepezil by gavage twice a day for 14 days. Morris water maze experiment was used to observe the learning memory ability of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining method was used to observe the pathological changes in the CA1 area of the mouse hippocampus. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to determine the serum acetylcholine （ACh） and acetylcholinesterase （AChE） contents of mice. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3） and nuclear transcription factor（NF）-κB p65 in the hippocampus of mice. ResultsA total of 73 active ingredients of Kaixinsan were obtained， and 578 potential targets （common targets） of Kaixinsan for the treatment of AD were screened out. Key active ingredients included kaempferol， gijugliflozin， etc.. Potential core targets were STAT3， NF-κB p65， et al. GO functional enrichment analysis obtained 3 124 biological functions， 254 cellular building blocks， and 461 molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment obtained 248 pathways， mainly involving cancer-related pathways， TRP pathway， cyclic adenosine monophosphate（cAMP） pathway， and NF-κB pathway. Molecular docking showed that the binding of the key active ingredients to the target targets was more stable. Morris water maze experiment indicated that Kaixinsan could improve the learning memory ability of SCOP-induced mice. HE staining and ELISA results showed that Kaixinsan had an ameliorating effect on central nerve injury in mice. Western blot test indicated that Kaixinsan had a down-regulating effect on the levels of NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and STAT3 phosphorylation in the hippocampal tissue of mice in the SCOP model. ConclusionKaixinsan can improve the cognitive impairment function in SCOP model mice and may reduce hippocampal neuronal damage and thus play a therapeutic role in the treatment of AD by regulating NF-κB p65， STAT3， and other targets involved in the NF-κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of borneol on pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic effects of Corydalis saxicola total alkaloids in depression model rats. METHODS Thirty male SD rats were divided into blank control group， negative control group， positive control group （fluoxetine 10 mg/kg， i.g.）， single drug group （C. saxicola total alkaloids 210 mg/kg， i.g.） and combined drug group （C. saxicola total alkaloids 210 mg/kg+borneol 50 mg/kg， i.g.） according to the random number table method， with 6 rats in each group. By lipopolysaccharide （LPS） induction modeling， except blank control group （no model and no administration） received intraperitoneal injection of the same amount of normal saline， the rats in the other groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS once a day to establish a rat model of depression. After 1 week of modeling， each administration group was given relevant drug intragastrically according to the corresponding dose， and blank control group and negative control group （without drug treatment） were administered intragastrically with an equal volume of solvent to dissolve the drug； continued modeling while administering the drug. After two weeks of continuous administration， the effects of C. saxicola total alkaloids versus the combination of C. saxicola total alkaloids and borneol on the behavior of depressed rats were tested by behavioral experiments； the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α， interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in rats were determined； the histopathological changes of the hippocampus of rats were observed. Blood sample was collected from the orbit at different time points after administration on the 15th day， and the upper plasma was obtained. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was established for the simultaneous determination of dehydrocarvedine， tetrahydropalmatine， coptisine， palmatine， jatrorrhizine， berberine， berberrubine and epiberberine in rat plasma. The average plasma concentration-time curve was depicted， the area under the curve （AUC） was calculated， and the pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed by DAS 3.2.2 software. RESULTS Compared with blank control group， the negative control group had a decrease in body mass and sugar water preference rate， a decrease in the total distance of open field， a prolonged swimming immobility time， and a increased in the expression of inflammatory factors in serum （P＜0.05）； compared with negative control group, the single drug group and the combined drug group increased the preference rate of sugar water， increased the total distance of open field， shortened the time of swimming immobility， and decreased the expression of inflammatory factors in serum （P＜0.05）. There was no significant difference in the above indicators between the single drug group and the combined drug group in rats （P＞0.05）. Pharmacokinetic results showed that compared with single drug group， AUC0-t of coptisine， AUC0-t， AUC0-∞， tmax and cmax of jatrorrhizine， AUC0-t， AUC0-∞， t1/2 and cmax of berberrubine， and AUC0-t of epiberberine， cmax of dehydrocarvedine， cmax of palmatine were significantly increased in combined drug group， but there was no significant difference， indicating that borneol didn’t have a significant effect on the efficacy of Corydalis saxicola nigra at this dose. CONCLUSIONS Both C. saxicola total alkaloids alone and in combination with borneol can improve depression-like behavior in depression model rats， reduce serum inflammatory cytokine levels， and protect hippocampal neurons. Compared with the use of Corydalis saxicola base alone， the combination with borneol do not show significant pharmacodynamic differences， bu can improve the absorption of coptisine， jatrorrhizine in model rats.

Background: Recurrent gynecological clear cell carcinoma (rGCCC) has a low objective response rate (ORR) to chemotherapy. Previous preclinical and clinical data suggest a potential synergy between immune checkpoint inhibitors and bevacizumab in rGCCC.Dostarlimab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), combined with the anti-angiogenic bevacizumab, presents a novel therapeutic approach. This study will investigate the efficacy of dostarlimab +/− bevacizumab in rGCCC. Methods DOVE is a global, multicenter, international, open-label, randomized phase 2 study of dostarlimab +/− bevacizumab with standard chemotherapy in rGCCC. We will enroll 198 patients with rGCCC and assign them to one of three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio: arm A (dostarlimab monotherapy), B (dostarlimab + bevacizumab), and C (investigator’s choice of chemotherapy [weekly paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, doxorubicin, or gemcitabine]). Patients with disease progression in arm A or C will be allowed to cross over to arm B. Stratification factors include prior bevacizumab use, prior lines of therapy (1 vs. >1), and primary site (ovarian vs. non-ovarian). Key inclusion criteria are histologically proven recurrent or persistent clear cell carcinoma of the ovary, endometrium, cervix, vagina, or vulva; up to five prior lines of therapy; disease progression within 12 months after platinumbased chemotherapy; and measurable disease. Key exclusion criteria are prior treatment with an anti–PD-1, anti–programmed death-ligand 1, or anti–programmed death-ligand 2 agent.The primary endpoint is progression-free survival determined by investigators. Secondary endpoints are ORR, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, progression-free survival 2, overall survival, and toxicity. Exploratory objectives include immune biomarkers.

Purpose: This study aimed to report the results of Korean Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (KARMS) for uncomplicated cystitis (UC) in 2023. Materials and Methods: KARMS was established for the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in urinary tract infections with the cooperation of Korean nationwide medical centers. Data from patients with UC have been collected in the web-based KARMS database. Demographic data, uropathogen distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility of representative pathogens were analyzed. Results: A total of 885 patients’ data were collected in KARMS database. The mean patient age was 56.39±18.26 years. The number of postmenopausal and recurrent cystitis were 530 (61.1%) and 102 (11.5%), respectively. Escherichia coli was the most frequently identified uropathogen (654/871, 75.1%). Regarding antimicrobial susceptibility, 94.9% were susceptible to fosfomycin, 90.5% to nitrofurantoin, 58.4% to ciprofloxacin, 83.6% to cefotaxime, and 100.0% to ertapenem. ESBL positivity was 13.7% (96/702), and significantly higher in tertiary hospital (23.1%, p<0.001), postmenopausal (15.9%, p=0.044), and recurrent cystitis (24.7%, p=0.001).Fluoroquinolone resistance was significantly higher in tertiary hospital (47.4%, p=0.001), postmenopausal (44.9%, p<0.001), and recurrent cystitis (59.8%, p<0.001). In addition, postmenopausal (odds ratio [OR] 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38–2.77, p<0.001) and recurrent cystitis (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.44–3.92, p=0.001) were associated with increased fluoroquinolone resistance. Conclusions These data provide information on the distribution of uropathogen and the status of antimicrobial resistance in UC of South Korea. In addition, KARMS will be a useful reference in the future through the continuous surveillance system construction over the years.