Hepatic encephalopathy （HE） is a common complication of severe liver disease in the end stage， and it is urgently needed to improve the rate of effective treatment and clarify the pathogenesis of HE. The liver is a crucial hub for immune regulation， and disruption of immune homeostasis is a key factor in the pathological mechanisms of HE. As the main metabolites of intestinal flora， short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs） play a vital role in the biological processes of both innate and adaptive immunity and can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells maintain the homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment and the integrity of barrier function. Studies have shown that SCFAs participate in bidirectional and dynamic interactions with the liver-gut-brain axis through immunomodulatory pathways， thereby playing an important role in the diagnosis， treatment， and prognostic evaluation of HE. Starting from the immunoregulatory effect of SCFAs， this article summarizes and analyzes the crosstalk relationship between SCFAs and the liver-gut-brain axis and the significance of SCFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HE， in order to provide new ideas for optimizing clinical prevention and treatment strategies.

AIM: To investigate the effect of the relationship between scotopic pupil and optical zone diameters on short-term subjective and objective visual quality after small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE).METHODS:In this prospective cohort study, 98 patients(196 eyes)who underwent SMILE from September 2021 to June 2023 were included. Participants were divided into two groups based on the ratio of scotopic pupil diameter to optical zone diameter: group A(ratio >1, 70 eyes)and group B(ratio ≤1, 126 eyes). The preoperative and postoperative uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA), spherical equivalent(SE), total corneal high-order aberrations at 4, 6, and 8 mm of pupil diameters, objective scatter index(OSI), pre- and post-operative QoV subjective visual quality questionnaire were observed and recorded. The refractive status of different groups of patients at different time points before and after surgery, and differences in subjective and objective visual quality indices were analyzed. Furthermore, the changes in subjective and objective visual quality(postoperative-preoperative)at different postoperative time points were analyzed between the two groups.RESULTS:No significant differences in visual acuity or refractive state were observed between the two groups at 3 mo postoperatively. In both the group A and the group B, there was a difference in the changes of corneal total higher-order aberration centered on 8 mm cornea at 1 mo postoperatively(P<0.05), and there was a difference in the changes of total higher-order aberration and corneal spherical aberration centered on 8 mm cornea at 3 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). At 3 mo after surgery, the most commonly reported symptoms in the group A were glare, starburst, hazy vision, and halo. In the group B, the most common symptoms were hazy vision, halo, starburst, and glare. Statistically significant differences were observed in the severity of glare and visual fluctuation between groups before surgery and at 3 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the severity of halo, starburst, blurred vision, double vision, or focusing difficulty at 3 mo postoperatively(all P>0.05).CONCLUSION:When the scotopic pupil diameter exceeds the optical zone, SMILE may increase postoperative corneal aberrations, as evidenced by an increase in high-order corneal aberrations within an 8-mm central corneal range, a higher incidence of postoperative glare, and more severe glare and visual fluctuation symptoms. Nevertheless, these symptoms are mild and remain within a safe range.

Nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） is an important intracellular transcription factor widely involved in the processes such as immune response， inflammatory response， cell proliferation， and apoptosis. The abnormal activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in various liver diseases including chronic hepatitis， liver fibrosis， liver cirrhosis， and hepatocellular carcinoma. Extensive studies have shown that inhibiting NF-κB activity may effectively reduce inflammation and fibrosis and improve metabolic disorders. Several natural compounds， such as matrine and salvianolic acid B， have shown the potential in suppressing NF-κB activity， thereby exerting anti-inflammatory， anti-fibrotic， and anti-tumor effects. This article systematically reviews the critical role of the NF-κB signaling pathway in liver diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target， in order to highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for liver diseases and provide new directions for the treatment of liver diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To provide the experience and demonstration for the transformation of acupuncture-moxibustion techniques standards from Chinese national standards to international standards. METHODS: Questionnaire research, literature research, semi-structured interviews and expert consultation were used. RESULTS: The safety of acupuncture-moxibustion techniques was evaluated through literature research, and based on the results of the questionnaire survey, expert interviews, and expert consultation, 11 main bodies and structure of the former Chinese national standard, Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: General Rules for Drafting, were adjusted and optimized in accordance with the requirements of international standard (including the language, normative references, purpose, scope, applicable environment, target population, work team, terms and definitions, general principles and basic requirements, structural elements and text structure, and compilation process); and the first international standard, World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societis (WFAS) Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: General Rules for Drafting was formulated to specify the general rules for drafting. CONCLUSION The 3 key questions, "international compatibility", "technical operability" and "safety" should be solved technically on the basis of explicit international requirements. It is the core technical issue during transforming the national standards of technical benchmark of acupuncture and moxibustion into international standards.
Moxibustion/methods* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Humans ; Translational Research, Biomedical/standards* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; China ; Benchmarking/standards*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Wendan Decoction for phlegm syndrome in rats with metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=8) and 3 phlegm syndrome model groups (induced by high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt feeding and a single-dose intraperitoneal STZ injection; n=24) treated with daily gavage of saline, Wendan Decoction (3.6 g/kg), or metformin (0.1 g/kg) for 4 weeks. General conditions and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters of the rats were monitored, and serum LPS, liver histopathology, hepatic expressions of FXR, CYP7A1 and FGFR4 and ileal expressions of FXR and FGF15 were examined. Gut microbiota structure was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing, and serum bile acids were quantified with UHPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The rat models of phlegm syndrome exhibited severe hepatic steatosis and necrosis, increased body weight, abdominal circumference, Lee's index, FBG, FINS, HOMA-IR, TG, TC, LDL and LPS, and decreased HDL level. The abundance of Bacteroidetes, Megamonas, and Bacteroides in gut microbiota increased while Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, isohyodeoxycholic acid, and glycohyodeoxycholic acid decreased significantly; hepatic FXR and FGFR4 expressions and ileal FXR and FGF15 expressions decreased while hepatic CYP7A1 expression increased significantly in the rat models. Treatment with Wendan Decoction effectively alleviated hepatic pathology, reduced body weight and abdominal circumference, improved glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and gut microbiota structure, and reversed the changes in hepatic and ileal protein expressions. Correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were positively correlated while Bacteroidetes, Megamonas and Bacteroides were negative correlated with the levels of isohyodeoxycholic acid and hyodeoxycholic acid. CONCLUSIONS Wendan Decoction can significantly improve metabolic profiles in rats with phlegm syndrome of MS possibly by regulating the intestinal flora-bile acid axis to modulate the intestinal flora structure and maintain bile acid homeostasis via the FXR signaling pathway.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Metabolic Syndrome/microbiology* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Rats, Wistar ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Rats ; Male ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase/metabolism* ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism*

Objective:To screen ferroptosis genes related to prognosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma(MPM),explore the relationship between ferroptosis and tumor immune microenvironment and provide a new perspective for targeting and immunotherapy of MPM patients.Methods:The differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in MPM tumor group and normal group were analyzed in GEO database;intersection of DEGs and ferroptosis genes to obtain differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes(DE-FRGs).GO,KEGG function enrichment and protein protein interaction(PPI)were used to identify the signal pathways mainly involved by DE-FRGs.The prognosis related ferroptosis genes were identified by univariate COX analysis.LASSO regression analysis was used to screen the best DE-FRGs for establishing the risk prediction model,and a risk prognosis model based on the best DE-FRGs was estab-lished by multivariate cox analysis to verify the prediction effect of the model.Finally,CIBERSORT and other algorithms were used to analyze tumor immune cell infiltration and evaluate immune microenvironment.Results:Twenty-four prognosis related DE-FRGs were screened,which were mainly concentrated in ferroptosis,transcriptional regulation and response to inorganic substances.A MPM risk prediction model based on five ferroptosis-related genes(ALDH3A2,CAV1,HRAS,CDCA3 and RRM2)was established and vali-dated.In the model,the proportion of CD8+T cells and macrophages in high-risk group were higher,while the proportion of B lympho-cytes was lower.In addition,PD-1,CTLA-4 and their ligands at immune checkpoint had higher expression status in high-risk group.Conclusion:The MPM risk prediction model based on five ferroptosis-related genes is established,and the immune status in the model is clarified.It provides a certain research basis for targeting and immunotherapy of MPM.The predictive ability of this model in MPM needs to be further verified in clinical practice to better predict disease stratification and treatment management.

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of Baicalein in the treatment of hyperuricemia.Methods The mouse model of hyperuricemia was established by yeast extract combined with potassium oxazinate.The effect and potential mechanism of Baicalein in the treatment of hyperuricemia were studied by biochemical indexes,pathological changes,non-target metabonomics and network pharmacology.Results Baicalein could reduce the contents of serum uric acid,creatinine and blood urea nitrogen,reduce the inflammatory injury of renal tissue,up-regulate the expression level of uric acid excretion protein and down-regulate the expression level of uric acid reabsorption protein.Nine disease-related targets such as BCL2,SIRT1 and XDH were screened by network pharmacology.Six key metabolic pathways including nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolism,caffeine metabolism and purine metabolism were screened by metabonomics analysis.Conclusions Baicalein can treat hyperuricemia and reduce renal injury,and its mechanism may be related to the metabolic pathways of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide regulated by SIRT1 and quinolinate.