ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of the Wenyang Jieyu prescription in regulating depression-like behavior in mice after maternal-infant separation combined with secondary stress. MethodsAfter birth， the rats were randomly divided into blank （NC） group， maternal-infant separation （MS） group， restraint stress （RS） group， maternal-infant separation combined with restraint stress （MRS） group， Wenyang group， Jieyu group， Wenyang Jieyu （XSF） group， and minocycline group. Maternal-infant separation was performed on day 5 （PD5）， followed by weaning at PD21 and prophylactic administration. The dose of Wenyang group， Xiaoyao group， XSF group and minocycline group were 5.85， 12.03， 16.71 g·kg^-1 and 50 mg·kg^-1， respectively. Restraint stress was applied on PD90. The model was evaluated using glucose， social interaction， open field， and O-maze behavior tests， as well as high-performance liquid chromatography to measure serotonin， dopamine， and other neurotransmitters. The expression level of ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 （Iba-1） protein， a marker of hippocampal microglia， was detected by immunohistochemistry. Protein expression levels of Janus kinase 2 （JAK2） and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） in the hippocampus were analyzed by an automatic protein expression analysis system. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mRNA expression levels of M1 markers， JAK2/STAT3 pathway-related genes， and cytokines in hippocampal microglia in each group. ResultsCompared with the NC group， the MRS group exhibited depression-like behavior， with significantly decreased levels of neurotransmitters in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased expression of Iba-1 （P<0.01）， and elevated protein levels of JAK2 and STAT3 （P<0.05）. The mRNA expression levels of CD68， CD11b， IL-1β， JAK2， and STAT3 were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while IL-10 mRNA expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the MRS group， the XSF and minocycline groups showed some improvement in depression-like behavior. In these groups， the hippocampal neurotransmitter content was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and Iba-1 expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The protein levels of JAK2 and STAT3 in the XSF group showed a downward trend. The mRNA expression levels of CD68， CD11b， JAK2， STAT3， and IL-1β in the hippocampus were significantly decreased in the XSF and minocycline groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while IL-10 mRNA expression was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionWenyang Jieyu prescription can regulate depression-like behavior in maternal-infant separation mice combined with secondary stress by inhibiting the polarization of hippocampal microglia to the M1 phenotype. The regulation of hippocampal microglia polarization by Wenyang Jieyu prescription may be associated with the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Sinusitis is a prevalent nasal disease in children, characterized by chronic and difficult-to-treat symptoms. Its onset is related to nasal stagnation, gallbladder and lung dysfunctions. This article explores the root cause based on Huangdi Neijing by considering the physiological and pathological characteristics of children. The core pathogenesis of pediatric sinusitis is the transmission of heat from the gallbladder and lung to the brain and nose, disrupting normal nasal function. Wind and heat pathogens often persist, accumulate, and transform into turbid qi, which are common triggers of the disease. Evil qi retention and yin depletion are internal factors that cause the prolonged and unhealed condition of the disease. This article emphasizes individualized treatment approaches based on disease duration and the severity of pathogenic factors. If external pathogens remain uncleared, treatment should focus on dispelling wind, clearing heat, dispersing with pungent medicinals, and dredging nasal orifices. If internal fire is exuberant, clearing lung qi, inhibiting hyperactive liver yang, and clearing exuberant fire should be used to relieve stagnation. In chronic cases with residual pathogens and liver-kidney yin deficiency, nourishing yin, clearing fire, and moistening the nasal orifices are essential. When exuberant heat has subsided, but the symptom of a persistent runny nose continues, leading to the loss of healthy qi and damage to the lung and spleen, treatments that tonify the spleen, benefit the lung, and reinforce healthy qi should be adopted to relieve stagnation. These treatments aim to restore the balance of the body′s vital qi by addressing both the lingering symptoms and the underlying weakness of the lung and spleen. The diagnosis and treatment of pediatric sinusitis based on the theory of "the transmission of heat from gallbladder and lung" can help reduce the recurrence of sinusitis and alleviate symptoms, with the aim of broadening the approach of traditional Chinese medicine in treating this condition.

POEMS syndrome is a rare condition associated with plasma cell disorders， and it often involves multiple systems and has diverse clinical manifestations. This article reports two cases of POEMS syndrome with hepatosplenomegaly as the initial manifestation. During the course of the disease， the patients presented with lower limb weakness， hepatosplenomegaly， lymph node enlargement， ascites， hypothyroidism， positive M protein， and skin hyperpigmentation， and ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT imaging revealed bone lesions mainly characterized by osteolytic changes and plasma cell tumors. There was an increase in the serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor. The patients were finally diagnosed with POEMS syndrome， and the symptoms were relieved after immunomodulatory treatment.

ObjectiveTo assess the relapse rate， clinical efficacy， and safety of a traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） sequential syndrome differentiation protocol for frequently relapsing/steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome （FRNS/SDNS） in children. MethodsA total of 151 children with FRNS/SDNS treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from December 2020 to June 2024 were randomized into an observation group （77 cases） and a control group （74 cases）. Both groups received Western medicine （prednisone tablets and tacrolimus capsules）. In addition， the observation group additionally underwent TCM sequential syndrome differentiation and the control group received 1/10 of the TCM dose. The 6-month intervention was followed by a 12-month follow-up， totaling 18 months of observation across seven time points （before treatment and after 1， 2， 4， 24， 52， 76 weeks of treatment）. The evaluation was carried out based on the following indicators. ① The relapse rates were mainly recorded after 24， 52， 76 weeks of treatment. ② The efficacy was evaluated based on the clinical remission rates after 1， 2， 4 weeks of treatment， the time to proteinuria clearance， the levels of 24-hour urine total protein （24-h UTP）， serum total protein （TP）， serum albumin （ALB）， cholesterol （CHO）， and triglycerides （TG） and the TCM symptom scores before treatment and after 24 weeks of treatment. ③ The treatment safety was evaluated based on blood routine and levels of liver enzymes， renal function indicators and blood glucose （Glu） before treatment and after 24 weeks of treatment. Results① Relapse rate： After 24 weeks of treatment， no significant difference in relapse rate was found between the two groups. The observation group showed lower relapse rates than the control group after 52 weeks of treatment ［24.2% （16/66） vs. 52.5% （31/59）， χ²=10.634， P<0.01］ and 76 weeks of treatment ［42.4% （28/66） vs. 74.6% （44/59）， χ²=13.186， P<0.01］ than the control group. ② Efficacy indicators： The two groups showed no significant difference in remission rate after 1 week of treatment. The observation group demonstrated higher remission rates after 2 weeks of treatment ［88.2% （67/76） vs. 74.0% （54/73）， Z=-1.999， P<0.05］ and 4 weeks of treatment ［94.7% （72/76） vs. 82.2% （60/73）， Z=-2.3589， P<0.05）. In addition， the observation group had shorter time to proteinuria clearance （P<0.01）. After treatment， both groups showed declined 24 h-UTP， CHO， TG， and TCM symptom scores and elevated TP and ALB levels （P<0.01）， and the observation group had lower CHO， TG， and TCM symptom scores and higher TP and ALB than the control group （P<0.05）. ③ Safety indicators： After treatment， both groups showed declined white blood cell count （WBC）， red blood cell count （RBC）， hemoglobin （HB）， and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） （P<0.05， P<0.01） and elevated Glu （P<0.01） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） （P<0.05）. After 24 weeks of treatment， none of WBC， RBC， HB， PLT， ALT， AST， BUN， Cr or Glu had significant differences between groups. Moreover， the incidence of adverse reactions showed no significant difference between the two groups. ConclusionThe TCM sequential syndrome differentiation protocol effectively reduces the relapse rate， improves the remission rate， shortens the time to proteinuria clearance， raised serum protein levels， lowers blood lipid levels， and alleviates symptoms， demonstrating good clinical safety in children with FRNS/SDNS.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing intestinal disorder driven by multiple factors including genetics, immunity, and environment, and is clinically classified into ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Currently, mice and zebrafish are the primary experimental animals used in IBD research, among which zebrafish have emerged as an ideal model due to their unique advantages. Compared with rodent models, zebrafish serve as an effective and convenient model, offering advantages such as a short life cycle, robust reproductive capacity, small size, and transparent embryos. These characteristics make zebrafish highly suitable for dynamic tracking of continuous pathological progression and high-throughput drug screening. Zebrafish share over 70% genetic homology with humans, and their intestinal cellular composition and ontogeny closely resemble those of humans. Moreover, the structure and characteristics of their gut microbiota are similar to the human intestinal microbiome, providing a solid foundation for studying the relationship between gut microbiota and IBD. With advances in biotechnology, zebrafish IBD models generated by chemical induction or genetic engineering can accurately simulate the core pathological features of human IBD, such as intestinal wall thickening, inflammatory cell infiltration, and elevated expression of pro-inflammatory factors. These models have played a significant role in revealing the pathogenesis of IBD as well as the development of targeted therapeutic drugs. This article first outlines the intestinal characteristics of zebrafish and features of zebrafish IBD models, then provides an in-depth analysis of their application in IBD pathogenesis research from multiple aspects, including genetics, immunity, environment and diet, and infection. It also reviews research progress on the application of zebrafish in the development of anti-inflammatory drugs, probiotics, and traditional Chinese medicine therapies, aiming to provide researchers with references for the rational use of zebrafish models at all stages of preclinical research, to advance fundamental IBD research and accelerate breakthroughs in this field.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a multifunctional protein involved in diverse cellular functions, notably DNA damage repair. Pharmacological inhibition of PARP1 has therapeutic benefits for various pathologies. Despite the increased use of PARP inhibitors, challenges persist in achieving PARP1 selectivity and effective blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. The development of a PARP1-specific positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand is crucial for understanding disease biology and performing target occupancy studies, which may aid in the development of PARP1-specific inhibitors. In this study, we leverage the recently identified PARP1 inhibitor, AZD9574, to introduce the design and development of its ¹⁸F-isotopologue ([¹⁸F]AZD9574). Our comprehensive approach, encompassing pharmacological, cellular, autoradiographic, and in vivo PET imaging evaluations in non-human primates, demonstrates the capacity of [¹⁸F]AZD9574 to specifically bind to PARP1 and to successfully penetrate the BBB. These findings position [¹⁸F]AZD9574 as a viable molecular imaging tool, poised to facilitate the exploration of pathophysiological changes in PARP1 tissue abundance across various diseases.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of automated peritoneal dialysis(APD)in urgent-start peritoneal dialysis patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease(CKD).Methods A total of 60 patients with end-stage renal disease who underwent urgent-start peritoneal dialysis in Shenyang Red Cross Hospital from June 2021 to December 2023 were selected as study objects.According to peritoneal dialysis,patients were divided into APD group and intermittent peritoneal dialysis(IPD)group,with 30 patients in each group.Renal function,electrolyte,parathyroid hormone,inflammatory factors,nutritional indexes,brain natriuretic peptide,blood pressure,urine volume,ultrafiltration volume and adverse reactions were compared between two groups.Results After treatment,serum creatinine,urea nitrogen,uric acid,potassium,phosphorus,parathyroid hormone,C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,brain natriuretic peptide,systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in two groups were significantly lower than before treatment,and urine volume was significantly higher than before treatment(P＜0.05).Serum creatinine,urea nitrogen,uric acid,potassium,phosphorus,parathyroid hormone,C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,brain natriuretic peptide,systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in APD group were significantly lower than those in IPD group,and ultrafiltration volume in APD group was significantly higher than that in IPD group(P＜0.05).After treatment,there was no significant difference in urine volume between two groups(P＜0.05).No serious complications and death were observed during treatment.Conclusion APD is safe and effective,and is a good choice for urgent-start peritoneal dialysis in stage 5 CKD patients.

Objective To investigate the effect of Yiqi Jiedu Recipe(YQ)on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells,and to explore its mechanisms of action on proliferation,migration,and invasion through the TGF-β1/SMAD3 signaling pathway.Methods(1)The 5-8F cells were divided into four groups:solvent control group,YQ 0.5 mg·mL-1 group,YQ 1.0 mg·mL-1 group,and 5-fluorouracil 2 μg·mL-1 group.Cell proliferation was monitored using real-time cell analysis(RTCA).Wound healing experiment was conducted to assess cell migration.After 24 hours of drug intervention,transwell assay was employed to measure cell invasion.The protein expression levels of β-catenin,E-cadherin,N-cadherin,TGF-β1,and SMAD3 in the cells were evaluated using the Western Blot method.(2)The 5-8F cells were divided into five groups:solvent control group,TGF-β1 10 ng·mL-1 group,TGF-β1 10 ng·mL-1+YQ 1.0 mg·mL-1 group,YQ 1.0 mg·mL-1 group,and LY3200882 10 μmol·L-1 group.Cell proliferation was monitored using RTCA.Wound healing experiment was conducted to assess cell migration.After 24 hours of drug intervention,transwell assay was employed to measure cell invasion.The protein expression levels of β-catenin,E-cadherin,N-cadherin,TGF-β1,and SMAD3 in the cells were evaluated using Western Blot.(3)The nude mice were randomly assigned into the model group,YQ group,and 5-fluorouracil group.Subcutaneous injection of 5-8F cell suspension was performed to establish the xenograft nude mouse model of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.After the tumors reached a certain size,the 5-fluorouracil group received intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu once every 2 days,while the other groups were orally administered corresponding drugs once a day for three consecutive weeks.Tumor volume was measured every 3 days.Western Blot was conducted to assess the protein expression levels of β-catenin,E-cadherin,and N-cadherin in the tissues of each group.Results Compared with the solvent control group,the proliferation curves of 5-8F cells in the YQ(0.5 mg·mL-1,1.0 mg·mL-1)groups showed a decrease.The migration and invasion abilities of the cells were both reduced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Additionally,the expression of E-cadherin protein significantly increased(P＜0.01),while the protein expression of β-catenin,N-cadherin,TGF-β1,and SMAD3 all decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the transplanted tumor volume of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the YQ group significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Furthermore,the protein expression of β-catenin and N-cadherin in the transplanted tissues of the YQ group was significantly downregulated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),while the expression of E-cadherin protein was significantly upregulated(P＜0.01).After the addition of the activator and inhibitor of TGF-β1 signaling pathway,compared with the YQ 1.0 mg·mL-1 group,the TGF-β1 10 ng·mL-1+YQ 1.0 mg·mL-1 group showed a significant increase in the expression of TGF-β1,SMAD3,β-catenin,and N-cadherin proteins(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)and obvious enhancement of the abilities of cell proliferation,migration,and invasion(P＜0.01).Conclusion Yiqi Jiedu Recipe can inhibit the proliferation,migration,and invasion by regulating the TGF-β1/SMAD3 signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the inhibitory effect of ferulic acid on the retina of diabetic mice and high glucose-induced human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell injury and the mechanism.Methods:Thirty 8-week-old SPF male type 2 diabetic db/db mice were selected and divided into a model group and a ferulic acid group by the random number table method, with 15 mice in each group.Another 15 db/m mice of the same age were selected as a control group.The model and control groups received normal saline (5 ml/kg) by gavage daily, and the ferulic acid group received ferulic acid solution (0.05 g/kg) by gavage daily.After two months of treatment, the mice were sacrificed and the eyeballs were removed.The morphological changes of mouse retinal tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The fluorescence intensity and expression levels of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) in mouse retinal tissues were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.Human RPE cells were divided into control group, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) group, high glucose group and high glucose+ ferulic acid group.The control group received no treatment, and the other cell groups were cultured with the corresponding reagents for 24 hours.The reactive oxygen (ROS) level of RPE cells in each group was detected with the ROS detection kit.The mitochondrial membrane potential level of RPE cells was detected with the a mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit (JC-1).The MCU and microfilament fluorescence intensity of RPE cells were detected with the a microfilament green fluorescent probe.To explore the regulatory relationship between MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK, the MCU protein level was silenced and overexpressed by lentivirus transfection technology.The fluorescence intensity and expression levels of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins in RPE cells were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.The use and feeding of experimental animals followed the 3R principle and the Statement of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology on the Use of Animals in Ophthalmology and Vision Research.This study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ningxia Eye Hospital, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (No.2019085).Results:The intercellular space of the outer nuclear layer, inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer of the retinal tissue in the model group was increased and the cell arrangement was disordered compared with the control group, and the retinal tissue in the ferulic acid group was significantly improved.Compared with the control group, the fluorescence intensity of MCU, p-p38 MAPK and MCU+ p-p38 MAPK protein of mouse retinal tissue in model group and ferulic acid group was significantly increased (all at P<0.05).Compared with the model group, the fluorescence intensity of MCU, p-p38 MAPK and MCU+ p-p38 MAPK protein of mice retinal tissue in ferulic acid group was significantly decreased (all at P<0.05).Compared with the control group, the relative expression levels of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins of mouse retinal tissue in model group were significantly increased (all at P<0.05).Compared with the model group, the relative expression levels of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins of mice retinal tissue in ferulic acid group were significantly decreased (all at P<0.05).The ROS fluorescence intensities in the control group, DMSO group, high glucose group and high glucose+ ferulic acid group were 0.22±0.02, 0.22±0.03, 0.30±0.02 and 0.24±0.02, respectively, and the overall difference was statistically significant ( F=7.845, P<0.01).The ROS fluorescence intensity was significantly higher in the high glucose group than in the control and DMSO groups, and it was significantly lower in the high glucose+ ferulic acid group than in the high glucose group (all at P<0.05).The mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly lower in high glucose group and high glucose+ ferulic acid group than in control and DMSO groups, and significantly higher in high glucose+ ferulic acid group than in high glucose group (all at P<0.05).Compared with the control group and DMSO group, the fluorescence intensity of MCU was higher in the high glucose group, accompanied by the decrease and thinning of cell microfilaments, and the fluorescence intensity of MCU protein was significantly decreased in high glucose+ ferulic acid group, with the number of microfilaments increased significantly.Compared with the control group and DMSO group, the fluorescence intensity and relative expressions of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins were significantly increased in the high glucose group (all at P<0.05).Compared with the high glucose group, the fluorescence intensity and relative expressions of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins were significantly decreased in the high glucose+ ferulic acid group (all at P<0.05).Compared with the control group and the empty vector group, the relative expressions of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins were significantly increased in the MCU overexpression group and significantly decreased in the MCU shRNA group and the MCU overexpression+ ferulic acid group (all at P<0.05).Compared with MCU overexpression group, the relative expressions of MCU, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK proteins were significantly decreased in MCU shRNA group and MCU overexpression+ ferulic acid group, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:Ferulic acid can regulate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby ameliorating retinal damage and high glucose-induced RPE cell injury in diabetic mice, which may play a protective role through MCU and p38MAPK signaling pathways.