Objective: To investigate the protective effects of morusin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver injury in mice and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Thirty-two male specific pathogen-free (SPF) C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 per group): control, LPS, low-dose morusin (morusin-L, 10 mg/kg), and high-dose morusin (morusin-H, 20 mg/kg) groups. The mice in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or normal saline via continuous gavage daily for 16 consecutive days. Except for control group, which received an equal volume of normal saline, other groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (5 mg/kg) 2 h after the last gavage to establish the acute liver injury model. Serum and liver tissues were collected for subsequent analysis 6 h after LPS injection. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were detected with biochemical methods. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hepatic pathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing was performed to assess the composition of intestinal flora, linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was applied for multi-level species discrimination, and Spearman’s correlation analysis was performed. The liver tissues of mice with acute liver injury were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and then enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway was conducted. The expression levels of selected genes was validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), while immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to examine the expression levels of IL-6, myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MYD88), and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). Results: Morusin significantly reduced the serum levels of ALT, AST, and inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, or P < 0.001), while alleviating the hepatic pathological damage in mice. Based on efficacy comparisons, morusin-H group was selected for subsequent microbiome and transcriptome analyses. Microbiome analysis revealed that morusin-H effectively mitigated LPS-induced gut dysbiosis and restored the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota balance (P < 0.01). At the genus level, morusin-H significantly reduced the abundances of norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Desulfovibrio, Parabacteroides, and Muribaculum (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, or P < 0.001). At the phylum, family, and genus levels, our findings indicated that morusin-H treatment caused a significant decrease in the abundance of Desulfobacterota, Desulfovibrionaceae, and Desulfovibrio (P < 0.01). Importantly, the abundance of Desulfovibrio was positively correlated with the levels of ALT, AST, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Transcriptomic and molecular analyses showed that the therapeutic mechanism of morusin-H involved suppression of the IL-17/TNF signaling pathways and downregulating the mRNA levels of Tlr2, Tlr3, Myd88, Il6, and Cxcl10 (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001), as well as the protein levels of key inflammatory mediators (IL-6, MYD88, and TLR2) (P < 0.001). Conclusion Morusin demonstrates protective effects against LPS-induced acute liver injury, likely through modulation of gut microbiota and suppression of pro-inflammatory factor expression. These findings indicate that morusin exerts its effects through the "microbiota-inflammation-liver" axis, providing a theoretical basis for its use as a multi-target plant-based drug in the treatment of metabolic inflammation-related liver diseases.

Objective:To investigate the synergistic activity and mechanism of vinegar baked radix bupleurum polysaccharides(VBCP)in combination with oxaliplatin(OXA),and to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of primary hepatocellular carci-noma.Methods:MTT assay was used to detect the cytotoxic effect of VBCP 3-4 and VBCP 3-3 in combination with OXA on Huh7 cells;ICP-MS was used to measure the uptake rate of OXA by Huh7 cells and evaluate the in vitro synergistic pathway of VBCP 3-4 in combination with OXA;Western blotting was used to measure the expression levels of related transporter proteins in Huh7 cells and explore the synergistic mechanism of VBCP 3-4 in combination and MRP1 in Huh7 cells,and the protein expression level of multidrug resistance-associated protein(MRP)2 was upregulated to 18.11%and 25.00%,respectively(P=0.008,P=0.001),while that of MRP1 was upregulated to 28.51%(P>0.05)and 39.70%(P=0.015),respectively.After the combination of VBCP 3-4 and OXA,the protein expression of MRP2,MRP1,and breast cancer resis-tance protein(BCRP)was inhibited;MRP2 was reduced by 47.38%in the high-dose combination group(P=0.000)and 15.18%in the low-dose combination group(P=0.049);MRP1 was reduced by 64.96%in the high-dose combination group(P=0.000)and 34.63%in the low-dose combination group(P=0.000);BCRP was reduced by 29.00%(P=0.020)in the high-dose combination group.Acting on Huh7 cells alone,VBCP 3-4 significantly reduced the protein expression levels of MRP2,MRP1,and BCRP,and in the high-dose VBCP 3-4 group,MRP2 and MRP1 were reduced by 24.91%and 20.79%,respectively(P=0.004,P=0.005).VBCP 3-4 downregu-lated the protein expression level of BCRP by 15.02%in the high-dose group(P=0.003)and 13.92%in the middle-dose group(P=0.030).Conclusion:VBCP 3-4 exerts a synergistic effect by inhibiting the expression of the efflux transporter proteins MRP1,MRP2,and BCRP,promoting the intake of OXA by Huh7 cells,and increasing the intracellular effective concentration.

Objective:Malnutrition is prevalent among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and closely associ-ated with adverse outcomes.This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of three nutritional indices in predicting all-cause mortality among COPD patients.Methods:Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES),this study included 1640 patients with COPD surveyed from 1999 to 2018.The optimal cutoff values for controlling nutritional status(CONUT)score,geri-atric nutritional risk index(GNRI),and prognostic nutritional index(PNI)were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves.The predictive value of these nutritional indices was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and C-index.Their predictive abilities were compared using the net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement.A Cox regression analysis was conducted to explore the association of the three nutritional indices with all-cause mortality.Results:Log-rank tests revealed lower overall survival rates in patients with higher nutritional risks(P<0.001).In multivariate Cox regression adjusting for all covariates,CONUT score(hazard ratio[HR]=1.31,95%CI=1.03-1.67,P=0.030),GNRI(HR=2.02,95%CI=1.26-3.24,P=0.004),and PNI(HR=2.05,95%CI=1.53-2.75,P<0.001)were independently associated with all-cause mortality.Conclusion:This study confirms that the three nutritional indices are effective predictors of all-cause mortality in COPD patients.Compared with PNI,CONUT score and GNRI demonstrate im-proved predictive abilities,and they are recommended for routine screening for high-risk malnutrition in COPD patients.

The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of idebenone (IDE) combined with borneol (BO) against Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, wild-type AB zebrafish and transgenic Tg ( vmat2: GFP) zebrafish with green fluorescence labeled dopamine neurons were used to establish the PD model with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride (MPTP). Following drug treatment, the behavioral performance and dopamine neuron morphology of zebrafish were evaluated, and regulation of dopamine signaling pathway-related genes was determined using RT-qPCR. The results showed that IDE combined with BO improved the behavioral disorders of zebrafish such as bradykinesia and shortening movement distance, also effectively reversed the damage of MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurons. At the same time, the expression of dopamine synthesis and transportation-related genes was up-regulated, and the normal function of the signal transduction pathway was restored. The combination showed a better therapeutic effect compared to the IDE monotherapy group. This study reveals the protective mechanism of IDE combined with BO on the central nervous system for the first time, which provides an important experimental basis and theoretical reference for clinical combination strategy in PD treatment.
Animals ; Zebrafish ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Animals, Genetically Modified ; Dopamine/metabolism* ; Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Camphanes/pharmacology* ; Ubiquinone/pharmacology* ; Parkinson Disease/drug therapy* ; Dopaminergic Neurons/metabolism*

Objective To analyze the predictive value of CT cerebral perfusion(CTP)combined with CT angiography(CTA)for the prognosis of patients with large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction.Methods A retrospective study was performed in 98 patients with large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction who were admitted to Haian People's Hospital from January 2021 to November 2024.There were 63 males and 56 females with a mean age of(57.26±5.03)years.The mean time from onset to admission was(4.89±0.69)h.There were 20 patients with a history of smoking.After admission,CTP and CTA were performed to evaluate relative cerebral blood volume(rCBV),relative cerebral blood flow(rCBF),relative mean transit time(rMTT),relative time to peak(rTTP),and CTA score.The prognosis was evaluated according to the modified Rankin scale(mRS)3 months after intravenous thrombolysis.Then the patients were assigned to good prognosis group(0-2 points)or poor prognosis group(3-6 points).The basic data and the parameters of CTP and CTA were compared between the two groups.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the CTP-and CTA-related influencing factors of poor prognosis in patients with large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction.Results During 3-month follow-up,poor prognosis was found in 30 patients(25.21%).The rCBV,rCBF and CTA scores of the poor prognosis group were significantly lower than those of the good prognosis group,while the National Institutes of Health stroke scale(NIHSS)score,rMTT and rTTP at admission in the good prognosis group were significantly higher than those in the good prognosis group(P<0.05).Logistic regression equation analysis(introduction level 0.05,exclusion level 0.10)showed that NIHSS score(OR=1.622,95%CI:1.258 to 2.093),rMTT level(OR=10.757,95%CI:2.847 to 40.640)and rTTP level(OR=14.774,95%CI:3.280 to 66.558)at admission were risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction(P<0.05),while CTA score(OR=0.315,95%CI:0.163 to 0.608),rCBF level(OR=0.008,95%CI:0.001 to 0.109),and rCBV level(OR=0.016,95%CI:0.002 to 0.155)were protective factors for poor prognosis in these patients(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivities of CTA score,rCBF,rCBV,rMTT,and rTTP in predicting poor prognosis in patients with large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction were 79.2%,75.0%,70.8%,58.3%,and 83.3%,respectively;the specificities were 62.2%,64.9%,70.3%,72.0%,and 70.3%,respectively;their combination had a relatively high predictive value for poor prognosis(area under the curve was 0.863).Conclusion The combination of CTP and CTA has a relatively high value in predicting the prognosis of patients with large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction.

Objective:To explore the effects of essential tremor(ET)on the mitochondrial morphology of GABAer-gic and glutamatergic neurons in the inferior olive(IO).Methods:The ET mouse model was established via intraper-itoneal injection of harmaline.Twelve 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into saline control group and harmaline treatment group(HA).Behavioral tests,including open field test,rotarod test,balance beam test,and tremor scoring,were conducted to assess the behavior of mice.Using genetic engineering technology and the CRISPR/Cas9 system,we designed and generated 6 male GAD2-Mito-GFP mice and 6 male VGLUT2-Mito-GFP mice,all being 8-week-old.The mice of each transgenic line were randomly divided into Control and HA group.Immunofluorescence staining was used to analyze the expression of c-FOS positive cells in the IO of both the Control and HA groups,and to classify different types of neurons.Mitochondrial network analysis(MiNA)was performed to quantitatively analyze the area,mean aspect ratio,branch length,and other of mitochondria in different types of neurons in the IO under ET con-ditions.Results:Compared to the Control group,the HA group exhibited motor abnormalities and significant tremors.Immunofluorescence results showed a significant increase in the number of c-FOS positive cells in the IO,primarily in GABAergic neurons.MiNA results revealed that the mitochondria of GABAergic neurons showed increased area,branch length diameter,demonstrating irregular morphology.Conclusion:ET induces activation of GABAergic neurons in the IO and leads to more prominent mitochondrial morphological changes.This provides a new perspective for further inves-tigation of the pathogenesis of essential tremor and its relationship with mitochondrial.

"When warm evil is received,it first attacks the lungs and then spread to the pericardium reversely"is the general rule of warm diseases.Doctors of different dynasties have different views on the phrase"reverse spread to the pericardium",especially the word"reverse".Professor Tong Xiaolin proposed that the heart governs the mind,the pericardium and the heart are connected in qi,and when the heart is affected by evil,the pericardium instead suffers from the evil.The"reverse spread to the pericardium"proposed by Ye Tianshi is actually the spread of warm evil to the brain.Taking meningococcal meningitis as the basic disease,it can be matched one by one with the typical stages of the transmission of Wei-Qi-Ying-Xue.Combined with the theory of Dingjiao,it is believed that the function of"the heart governing the mind"focuses more on the brain in the modern anatomical sense.Combining traditional Chinese medicine's ideas on diagnosis and treatment of warm diseases with modern medicine,revealing the essence of the disease,grasping the core of the pathogenesis,analyzing the word"reverse"from a new perspective,and exploring its true meaning,is of great significance for clarifying its connotation,exploring the development laws of warm diseases,and guiding the diagnosis and treatment of warm disea-ses.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of intraoperative intravenous tirofiban versus preoperative loading dose dual antiplatelet therapy in the acute phase LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization treatment for ruptured wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.Methods Patients with acutely ruptured,wide-neck intracranial aneurysms underwent LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization in the Department of Neurosurgery at Heze Municipal Hospital were retrospectively and consecutively enrolled from January 2017 to June 2023.According to the Chinese expert consensus on antiplatelet therapy for intracranial aneurysms,patients were divided into two groups based on the types of antiplatelet therapy they received:the loading-dose dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT)group and the tirofiban group.Baseline and clinical data were collected and compared between the two groups,including age,sex,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,coronary artery disease,history of cerebral hemorrhage,preoperative Hunt-Hess grade,maximum aneurysm diameter,aneurysm neck width,and aneurysm location.Perioperative ischemic and hemorrhagic complications were collected and compared between the two groups.Perioperative ischemic complications included:intraoperative stent thrombosis(defined as filling defects in the parent artery,and,occlusion of the parent artery or stented branch during the procedure),and symptomatic ischemic infarction within 24 h postoperatively(confirmed by imaging with corresponding neurological deficits).Perioperative hemorrhagic complications included:intraoperative rupture of the target aneurysm(contrast extravasation or acute hemorrhage during embolization)and intracranial hemorrhage within 24 h postoperatively(new or worsened subarachnoid hemorrhage or intraparenchymal hemorrhage on CT).Clinical outcomes at 90 days were collected via telephone or outpatient follow-up,and evaluated using favorable prognosis defined as modified Rankin scale(mRS).A mRS score of 0-2 were defined as favorable prognosis and 3-6 as poor prognosis.Six-month postoperative imaging follow-up were collected,angiographic outcomes were categorized into four groups based on comparison with immediate post-embolization results:complete occlusion,total absence of contrast filling in the aneurysm sac;improved,reduced contrast filling;stable,unchanged contrast filling;and,recurrence,increased contrast filling.Results Totals of 108 patients with intracranial aneurysms treated by LVIS stent-assisted coiling were enrolled,with 30 males and 78females,aged32-75years(median age63[50,66]years).Among the108cases,55cases were assigned into the DAPT group,and 53 cases were included in the tirofiban group.(1)No statistically significant differences were observed between the tirofiban group and the DAPT group in baseline and clinical characteristics(all P＞0.05).(2)All patients underwent successful LVIS stent-assisted coiling,with a technical success rate of 100%.The total perioperative ischemic complications were 12.0%(13/108),including 4.6%(5/108)intraoperative stent thrombosis and 7.4%(8/108)symptomatic ischemic infarction within 24h after surgery.The total perioperative hemorrhagic complications rate was 1.9%(2/108),including 1 case of intraoperative aneurysm rupture and 1 case of postoperative intracranial hemorrhage within24h.92.6%(100/108)of the patients exhibited favorable prognosis and 7.4%(8/108)showed poor prognosis at the 90-day follow-ups.78.7%(85/108)of the patients accomplished at 6-month imaging follow-ups,the complete occlusion ratio was 94.1%(80/85)and the recurrence ratio was 2.4%(2/85).(3)The overall perioperative ischemic complication rates were 13.2%(7/53)in the tirofiban group and 10.9%(6/55)in the DAPT group,with no statistically significant difference(P=0.720).Intraoperative stent thrombosis occurred more frequently in the DAPT group(9.1%[5/55]vs.0,P=0.025),while symptomatic ischemic infarction within 24 h post-procedure was lower in the DAPT group(1.8%[1/55]vs.13.2%[7/53],P=0.028).The hemorrhagic complications occurred only in the DAPT group,with a rate of 3.6%(2/55),while no events observed in the tirofiban group.At the 90-day follow-up,the proportion of patients with favorable outcomes was 94.3%(50/53)in the tirofiban group and 90.9%(50/55)in the DAPT group,with no statistically significant difference between the groups(P=0.754).Conclusions Both intraoperative intravenous tirofiban and preoperative loading-dose DAPT demonstrated comparable safety profile and favorable clinical efficacy in the acute-phase treatment of ruptured wide-necked intracranial aneurysms with LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization.The results require further validation through large-scale prospective studies.

Objective:To explore the effects of peripheral nerve injury(PNI)on neuropathic pain(NP)and memo-ry function in mice,as well as the activation of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus(PVT)of the thalamus,so as to provide a basis for studying the relationship between NP and memory impairment.Methods:Twenty one 8-week-old male C57 BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham group and experimental group,and the routine spared nerve inju-ry(SNI)was constructed in the mice of experimental group.The pain behavior and memory impairment of mice after SNI were evaluated with hot plate and eight-arm maze behavioral tests.Pearson correlation analysis was performed to an-alyze the correlation between pain behavior and memory impairment.The c-FOS expression in PVT was detected with immuno-staining.Results:Compared with the sham group,the heat pain threshold of mice in the experimental group was significantly reduced(P＜0.001).The results of the eight-arm maze test showed that the total rest time was signifi-cantly increased(P＜0.001),and the working memory error was increased from 1 to 4 days after SNI(P＜0.01).Correlation analysis indicated that early working memory errors were negatively correlated with heat pain threshold after SNI(P＜0.001).The immunofluorescence revealed that the number of c-FOS positive cells in PVT increased signifi-cantly(P＜0.001).Conclusion:SNI can cause abnormal pain behavior and memory impairment in mice,and cause neuronal activation in PVT.This study provides a basis for neurons in PVT to participate in the regulation of memory impairment in the context of NP.

"When warm evil is received,it first attacks the lungs and then spread to the pericardium reversely"is the general rule of warm diseases.Doctors of different dynasties have different views on the phrase"reverse spread to the pericardium",especially the word"reverse".Professor Tong Xiaolin proposed that the heart governs the mind,the pericardium and the heart are connected in qi,and when the heart is affected by evil,the pericardium instead suffers from the evil.The"reverse spread to the pericardium"proposed by Ye Tianshi is actually the spread of warm evil to the brain.Taking meningococcal meningitis as the basic disease,it can be matched one by one with the typical stages of the transmission of Wei-Qi-Ying-Xue.Combined with the theory of Dingjiao,it is believed that the function of"the heart governing the mind"focuses more on the brain in the modern anatomical sense.Combining traditional Chinese medicine's ideas on diagnosis and treatment of warm diseases with modern medicine,revealing the essence of the disease,grasping the core of the pathogenesis,analyzing the word"reverse"from a new perspective,and exploring its true meaning,is of great significance for clarifying its connotation,exploring the development laws of warm diseases,and guiding the diagnosis and treatment of warm disea-ses.