BACKGROUND:Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteonecrosis of femoral head,and previous methods of predicting osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse based on magnetic resonance images mostly require the combined assessment of coronal and sagittal images.However,osteonecrosis of femoral head tends to occur bilaterally,most hospitals perform bilateral hip magnetic resonance imaging scans during clinical examinations,but the bilateral hip scans can only view coronal and cross-sectional images,and it is difficult to obtain sagittal images,which affects the assessment of the risk of collapse.Therefore,it is of clinical value to establish a method to assess the risk of early osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse by applying the images that can be obtained after bilateral hip magnetic resonance scanning. OBJECTIVE:To establish a method of applying coronal and cross-sectional images of bilateral hip magnetic resonance imaging to assess the risk of osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse. METHODS:The medical records of 111 patients(181 hips)with early-stage osteonecrosis of femoral head diagnosed at the outpatient clinic of Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University from October 2017 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.They were categorized into collapsed and non-collapsed groups according to the femoral head collapse at the final follow-up,with 69 hips in the collapsed group and 112 hips in the non-collapsed group.The angle of necrotic range on the images of median coronal plane,transverse plane or one level above and below it was measured on the magnetic resonance imaging system.The sum of the two angles of necrotic angle on the coronal and transverse planes was used as the combined necrotic angle.The average of the three combined necrotic angles of each hip was taken to get the average combined necrotic angle of each hip.Finally,the correlation between the three combined necrotic angles and the average combined necrotic angle with the collapse of osteonecrosis of femoral head was analyzed,and the specificity and sensitivity of the four combined necrotic angles in predicting collapse were evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Totally 69 hips(38.1%)had femoral head collapse at the last follow-up and were included in the collapsed group;112 hips(61.9%)did not have progression of collapse and were included in the non-collapsed group.(2)The difference between the collapsed group and the non-collapsed group in terms of Association Research Circulation Osseous(ARCO)stage was significant(P<0.001).The difference in age,body mass index,follow-up time,gender distribution,side of onset,and causative factors was not significant(P>0.05).(3)The results of independent samples t-test suggested that all four combined necrotic angles were significantly correlated with collapse(P<0.000 1);and the differences in combined necrotic angles between the collapsed group and the non-collapsed group of ARCO stage I and the two groups of ARCO stage II were all significant(P<0.000 1).(4)In the analysis of the receiver operating characteristic,the area under the curve of the average combined necrotic angle was greater than that of the combined necrotic angle on the lower level of the median,the middle level,and the upper level of the median.(5)The average combined necrotic angle had a higher accuracy in the prediction of collapse than the lower level of the median,the middle level,and the upper level of the combined necrotic angle.(6)It is concluded that the accuracy of the average combined necrotic angle in predicting the risk of osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse is higher,and the clinical practicability is stronger,so we can consider using this method to predict the risk of osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Shaoyaotang （SYD） on the lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced damage of tight junction proteins in the human colorectal adenocarcinoma （Caco-2） cell model of inflammation via the Ras homolog gene family member A （RhoA）/Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase （ROCK） pathway. MethodsCaco-2 cells were grouped as follows： Blank， model （LPS， 10 mg·L^-1）， SYD-containing serum （10%， 15%， and 20%）， and inhibitor （Fasudil， 25 μmol·L^-1）. After 24 hours of intervention， the cell viability in each group was examined by the cell-counting kit 8 （CCK-8） method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of endothelin-1 （ET-1）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6）. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels， respectively， of RhoA， ROCK2， claudin-5， and zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） in cells of each group. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showcased a marked reduction in the cell viability （P<0.01）， elevations in the levels of ET-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.01）， declines in both mRNA and protein levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5 （P<0.01）， and rises in mRNA and protein levels of RhoA and ROCK2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Shaoyaotang-containing serum （10%， 15%， and 20%） groups had enhanced cell viability （P<0.01）， lowered levels of ET-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.01）， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of RhoA and ROCK2 （P<0.01）. Moreover， the inhibitor group and the 15% and 20% Shaoyaotang-containing serum groups had lower levels of ET-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， higher mRNA and protein levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lower mRNA and protein levels of RhoA and ROCK2 （P<0.05， P<0.01） than the 10% Shaoyaotang-containing serum group. ConclusionThe Shaoyaotang-containing serum can lower the levels of LPS-induced increases in levels of inflammatory cytokines and endothelin to ameliorate the damage of tight junction proteins of the Caco-2 cell model of inflammation by regulating the expression of proteins in the RhoA/ROCK pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Shaoyaotang （SYD） on the lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced damage of tight junction proteins in the human colorectal adenocarcinoma （Caco-2） cell model of inflammation via the Ras homolog gene family member A （RhoA）/Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase （ROCK） pathway. MethodsCaco-2 cells were grouped as follows： Blank， model （LPS， 10 mg·L^-1）， SYD-containing serum （10%， 15%， and 20%）， and inhibitor （Fasudil， 25 μmol·L^-1）. After 24 hours of intervention， the cell viability in each group was examined by the cell-counting kit 8 （CCK-8） method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of endothelin-1 （ET-1）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6）. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels， respectively， of RhoA， ROCK2， claudin-5， and zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） in cells of each group. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showcased a marked reduction in the cell viability （P<0.01）， elevations in the levels of ET-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.01）， declines in both mRNA and protein levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5 （P<0.01）， and rises in mRNA and protein levels of RhoA and ROCK2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Shaoyaotang-containing serum （10%， 15%， and 20%） groups had enhanced cell viability （P<0.01）， lowered levels of ET-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.01）， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of RhoA and ROCK2 （P<0.01）. Moreover， the inhibitor group and the 15% and 20% Shaoyaotang-containing serum groups had lower levels of ET-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， higher mRNA and protein levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lower mRNA and protein levels of RhoA and ROCK2 （P<0.05， P<0.01） than the 10% Shaoyaotang-containing serum group. ConclusionThe Shaoyaotang-containing serum can lower the levels of LPS-induced increases in levels of inflammatory cytokines and endothelin to ameliorate the damage of tight junction proteins of the Caco-2 cell model of inflammation by regulating the expression of proteins in the RhoA/ROCK pathway.

Objective To analyze the nonlinear relationship between hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) parameters and delayed graft function (DGF) and optimize the construction of a predictive model for DGF. Methods The data of 923 recipients who underwent kidney transplantation from deceased donors were retrospectively analyzed. According to the occurrence of DGF, the recipients were divided into DGF group (n=823) and non-DGF group (n=100). Donor data, HMP parameters and recipient data were analyzed for both groups. The nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the occurrence of DGF was explored based on restricted cubic splines (RCS). Over-sampling, under-sampling and balanced sampling were used to address the imbalance in the proportion of DGF to construct logistic regression predictive models. The area under the curve (AUC) of each model was compared in the validation set, and a nomogram model was constructed. Results Donor BMI, cold ischemia time of the donor kidney, and HMP parameters (initial and final pressures, resistance, and perfusion time) were significantly different between the DGF and non-DGF groups (all P<0.05). The RCS analysis revealed a threshold-like nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the risk of DGF. Among the models constructed using different sampling methods, the balanced sampling model had the highest AUC. Using this model, a nomogram was constructed to stratify recipients based on risk scores. Recipients in the high-risk group had higher serum creatinine levels at 1, 6, and 12 months after kidney transplantation compared to those in the low-risk group (all P<0.05). Conclusions There is a nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the risk of DGF, and the threshold is helpful for organ quality assessment and monitoring of graft function after transplantation. The predictive model for DGF constructed on the base of balanced sampling algorithms helps perioperative decision-making and postoperative graft function monitoring of kidney transplantation.

ObjectiveTo clarify the neuroprotective effect of black Panacis Quinquefolii Radix（PQR） and explore its active ingredients， with the aim of establishing an activity-oriented quality evaluation method. MethodsTransgenic Tg（HuC∶EGFP） zebrafish was used to establish a neuronal injury model by aluminum chloride immersion. Different doses（10， 20 mg·L^-1） of PQR and black PQR ethanol extracts were administered. The neuroprotective effects of PQR and black PQR were compared by analyzing the fluorescent area and intensity of zebrafish neurons. Based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography（UPLC）， a fingerprint profile of black PQR was established， followed by principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA）. Differential components were screened using the criteria of variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1 and P<0.05. The neuroprotective activity of 14 batches of black PQR was assessed， and Spearman correlation analysis was used to identify saponins related to neuroprotective activity， which were then validated. Based on the above results， active marker components were determined， and an UPLC method was established for their quantitation with clear content limits. ResultsPharmacological efficacy results showed that both PQR and black PQR at different doses could significantly improved neuronal damage in zebrafish. At a dose of 20 mg·L^-1， black PQR demonstrated superior efficacy（P<0.05）. The fingerprint similarities of 14 batches of black PQR were>0.94， with 26 common peaks identified. Through comparison with the reference standards， 8 components were confirmed， including peak 1（ginsenoside Rg₁）， peak 2（ginsenoside Re）， peak 5（ginsenoside Rb₁）， peak 9（ginsenoside Rd）， peak 16［ginsenoside 20（S）-Rg₃］， peak 17［ginsenoside 20（R）-Rg₃］， peak 18（ginsenoside Rk₁）， and peak 19（ginsenoside Rg₅）. The results of PCA and OPLS-DA indicated that there were differences in saponins among black PQR samples from different origins， and 12 differential components were screened. All 14 batches of black PQR exhibited good protective effects on zebrafish neurons， with Shaanxi-produced black PQR showing superior protective effects compared to the other three production regions. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that a total of 11 components， including ginsenosides 20（S）-Rg₃， 20（R）-Rg₃， Rk₁ and Rg₅， showed a significant positive correlation with the neuroprotective effect in zebrafish（P<0.05）. The activity validation results indicated that ginsenosides 20（S）-Rg₃， 20（R）-Rg₃， Rk₁ and Rg₅ were the primary components responsible for the neuroprotective effects of black PQR. Quantitative analysis showed that the content of ginsenoside 20（S）-Rg₃ in 14 batches of black PQR ranged from 0.17% to 0.52%， and the repair rate of neuronal damage ranged from 42.77% to 97.83%. ConclusionBased on the fingerprint and neuronal protective activity， the spectrum-effect related quality control model of black PQR was established， with ginsenoside 20（S）-Rg₃ as the quality control index， and the neuronal damage repair rate≥60% as the evaluation standard， the minimum limit of ginsenoside 20（S）-Rg₃ in black PQR should be≥0.20%.

ObjectiveTo assess the quality consistency of black Panacis Quinquefolii Radix（bPQR） decoction pieces prepared by atmospheric and pressurized steaming processes based on chromaticity-chemical composition-vasoactive inhibition. The ultimate goal was to screen the pressurized steaming process yielding quality equivalent to atmospheric steaming， and optimize the processing technology of bPQR. MethodsThe bPQR decoction pieces were prepared using both atmospheric and pressurized steaming processes， and the chromaticity values［lightness value（L^*）， red/green chromaticity value（a^*）， yellow/blue chromaticity value（b^*）， total chromaticity value（E^*ab）］ were measured. High performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） was employed to establish fingerprint profiles for the decoction pieces， and cluster analysis was conducted on chromaticity values and the common peak areas in fingerprint profiles to elucidate the quality relationships between the decoction pieces processed by different methods. The optimal atmospheric steaming of bPQR decoction pieces was determined through zebrafish angiogenesis inhibition experiments. The contents of ginsenosides Rg₁， Re， Rb₁， 20（S）-Rg₃， Rk₁ and Rg₅ in the decoction pieces were quantified， and Spearman correlation analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between saponin content， chromaticity， and angiogenesis inhibition activity during the steaming process. By integrating the consistency of chromaticity， saponin components and angiogenesis inhibition activity， pressurized steaming conditions with quality equivalent to the atmospheric pressure method were selected. ResultsCompared with the atmospheric steaming method， pressurized steaming resulted in faster color darkening and higher conversion rates of ginsenosides in bPQR decoction pieces. Moreover， the neovascularization inhibitory activity of bPQR decoction pieces continued to increase with the deepening of processing. Based on the effectiveness and safety， the optimal process for preparing bPQR decoction pieces with neovascularization inhibitory activity was determined to be atmospheric steaming for 21 h. All six ginsenosides tested exhibited strong to extremely strong correlations with both the chromaticity values of the decoction pieces and their neovascularization inhibitory activities. Among them， ginsenosides Rg₁， Re and Rb₁ exhibited positive correlations with chromaticity values and negative correlations with zebrafish angiogenesis inhibition activity. Conversely， ginsenosides 20（S）-Rg₃， Rk₁ and Rg₅ showed negative correlations with chromaticity values and positive correlations with zebrafish angiogenesis inhibition activity. By integrating chromaticity values， cluster analysis results， as well as the results of activity， it was determined that the quality of bPQR decoction pieces steamed under pressurized conditions of 110 ℃（0.045 MPa） for 5 h and 115 ℃（0.07 MPa） for 3 h was highly consistent with that obtained by atmospheric steaming for 21 h. ConclusionThe preparation of bPQR decoction pieces by pressurized steaming has the advantages of short preparation time， low energy consumption， and rapid saponin conversion rate， making it a viable alternative to atmospheric steaming for preparing bPQR decoction pieces. Meanwhile， the evaluation method based on chromaticity-chemical composition-activity can provide a more scientific and effective explanation of change rules in the quality during traditional Chinese medicine processing， and offer a new model for optimizing processing technology and enhancing quality control.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the molecular mechanism by which He's Yangchao Decoction (HSYC) improves ovarian function in a mouse model of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). METHODS: Forty ICR mice were used to establish a POI model via intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide and were randomly assigned to four groups: model control group, low-dose HSYC group, high-dose HSYC group, and estradiol group (positive control). Additionally, 10 age-matched ICR mice were selected as the blank control group. After intragastric intervention, the ovarian index, serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, and ovarian tissue expression of the FSH receptor (FSHR) were measured. A POI cell model was established by treating the human granulosa tumor cell line (KGN) with 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide. The cells were divided into four groups: solvent control group, HSYC group, inhibitor control group, and inhibitor+HSYC group, which were respectively treated with TH5487 (an OGG1 inhibitor) and HSYC-containing serum. The expressions of OGG1, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) oxidative damage markers, and pyroptosis-related proteins were detected by molecular docking, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the model control group showed a decreased ovarian index (P<0.05) and increased serum FSH levels (P<0.01). The ovarian index was higher in both the low- and high-dose HSYC groups compared with the model control group (both P<0.05). FSHR expression in ovarian tissue was lower in the model control group than that in the blank control group, but was higher in the high-dose HSYC group compared with the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Molecular docking confirmed strong binding affinity between the active components of HSYC and OGG1 (binding energy: －6.3 to －8.3 kcal/mol). Western blotting analysis revealed that OGG1 protein expression in the ovaries of the model control group was significantly reduced compared with the blank control group, while it was increased in the low-dose HSYC group and the estradiol group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Immunofluorescence results demonstrated that the expression levels of mito-chondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) were decreased in the model control group compared with the blank control group (P<0.01), whereas their expressions were significantly elevated in the high-dose HSYC group and the estradiol group (all P<0.01). Cell experiments showed that TH5487 intervention increased the expression of 8-oxoguanine (8-OxoG) (P<0.01), while HSYC-containing serum intervention reduced 8-OxoG expression and increased TFAM expression (P<0.01). The expression of pyroptosis-related proteins (GSDMD, N-GSDMD, caspase-1, IL-1β) increased after TH5487 intervention (P<0.05), whereas HSYC-containing serum suppressed their expression (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS HSYC improves POI by upregulating OGG1 expression, mitigating mtDNA oxidative damage, and inhibiting granulosa cell pyroptosis.

Glioma represents the most prevalent malignant tumor of the central nervous system, with chemotherapy serving as an essential adjunctive treatment. However, most chemotherapeutic agents exhibit limited ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This study introduced a novel dual-targeting strategy for glioma therapy by modulating the formation of nanobody-driven protein coronas to enhance the brain and tumor-targeting efficiency of hydrophobic cisplatin prodrug-loaded lipid nanoparticles (C8Pt-Ls). Specifically, nanobodies (Nbs) with fibrinogen-binding capabilities were conjugated to the surface of C8Pt-Ls, resulting in the generation of Nb-C8Pt-Ls. Within the bloodstream, Nb-C8Pt-Ls could bound more fibrinogen, forming the protein corona that specifically interacted with LRP-1, a receptor highly expressed on the BBB. This interaction enabled a "Hitchhiking Effect" mechanism, facilitating efficient trans-BBB transport and promoting effective brain targeting. Additionally, the protein corona interacted with LRP-1, which is also overexpressed in glioma cells, achieving precise tumor targeting. Computational simulations and SPR detection clarified the molecular interaction mechanism of the Nb-fibrinogen-(LRP-1) complex, confirming its binding specificity and stability. Our results demonstrated that this strategy significantly enhanced C8Pt accumulation in brain tissues and tumors, induced apoptosis in glioma cells, and improved therapeutic efficacy. This study provides a novel framework for glioma therapy and underscores the potential of protein corona modulation-based dual-targeting strategies in advancing treatments for brain tumors.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Stresses induced by the deficiency or excess of trace mineral elements, such as manganese (Mn), represent a common limiting factor for the production of crops like Brassica napus. To identify key genes involved in Mn allocation in B. napus and elucidate the underlying mechanisms, a member of the metal tolerance protein (MTP) family obtained in the previous screening of cDNA library of B. napus under Mn stress was selected as the research subject. Based on the sequence information and phylogenetic analysis, it was named as BnMTP10. It belongs to the Mn-cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) subfamily. Expression of BnMTP10 in yeast significantly improved the tolerance of transformants to excessive Mn and iron (Fe) and reduced the accumulation of Mn and Fe. However, the yeast transformants exhibited no significant changes in tolerance to excess cadmium, boron, aluminum, zinc, or copper. The qRT-PCR results demonstrated that the flowers of B. napus had the highest expression of BnMTP10, followed by roots and leaves. Subcellular localization studies revealed that BnMTP10 was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Compared with wild-type plants, transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing BnMTP10 exhibited enhanced tolerance to excessive Mn stress but showed no significant difference under Fe stress. Correspondingly, under excessive Mn stress, the Mn content in the roots of transgenic Arabidopsis increased significantly. However, under excessive Fe stress, the Fe content in transgenic Arabidopsis did not alter significantly. According to the results, we hypothesize that BnMTP10 may alleviate excessive Mn stress in plants by mediating Mn transport to the ER. This study facilitated our understanding of efficient mineral nutrients, and provided theoretical foundations and gene resources for breeding B. napus.
Brassica napus/genetics* ; Manganese/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics* ; Plant Proteins/physiology* ; Arabidopsis/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Phylogeny ; Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism* ; Stress, Physiological