OBJECTIVE To study the protective effect and potential mechanism of chikusetsu saponin Ⅳ a （chsⅣ） on renal function in diabetic nephropathy （DN） model rats. METHODS DN rat model was established by high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin injection. Thirty-six model rats were randomly divided into model group （i.g. administration of normal saline， high-fat diet）， chsⅣ low-dose and high-dose groups （i.g. administration of 90， 180 mg/kg chsⅣ， high-fat diet）， with 12 rats in each group. Additionally， 10 normal rats were set as the control group （i.g. administration of normal saline， regular diet）. From the 5th to the 12th week after streptozotocin injection， they were given intragastric administration of relevant drug or normal saline， once a day. After the last medication， the levels of fasting blood glucose， fasting insulin， blood urea nitrogen， serum creatinine and urine protein as well as the levels of reduced glutathione （GSH）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） in renal tissues were measured. Additionally， the insulin resistance index was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin， periodic acid-Schiff， and Masson staining techniques were employed to examine the histopathological alterations in the renal tissue. The expressions of Notch signaling pathway-related proteins in renal tissue were detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot methods. RESULTS Compared with model group， the histomorphological of renal tissues in the chsⅣ low- and high-dose groups were significantly improved， with significant decreases in renal histological scores， mesangial expansion index， and glomerulosclerosis scores （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of fasting blood glucose， fasting insulin， blood urea nitrogen， serum creatinine， urine protein and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance， as well as MDA content， the expression levels of Notch1， Notch intracellular domain， hairy and enhancer of Split 1 and Delta-like protein 1 in renal tissue were all significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. The levels of GSH and SOD in renal tissue were significantly elevated （ P ＜0.05）. Moreover， the improvement in these indicators was significantly more pronounced in the chsⅣ high-dose group compared to the chsⅣ low-dose group （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS ChsⅣ can ameliorate renal pathological damage and functional impairment in DN rats. Its underlying mechanisms include restoration of glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity， attenuation of renal oxidative stress， and suppression of aberrant Notch signaling pathway activation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of interfering with long noncoding RNA （LncRNA） small nucleolar RNA host gene16 （SNHG16） on improving angiogenesis of ectopic endometrial stromal cells （EScs） in adenomyosis （AM） by targeting upregulation of miRNA （miR）-141-3p and inhibition of high mobility group box-1 protein （HMGB1）. MethodsThe expression levels of SNHG16， miR-141-3p and HMGB1 mRNA in endometrial tissues of 52 patients with adenomyosis （AM group） and 52 patients who needed hysterectomy due to cervical cancer or ovarian cancer （control group） were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR）. Y14 cells were divided into small hairpin RNA （shRNA） NC group， shRNA SNHG16 group， shRNA SNHG16+miR-141-3p inhibitor （inhibitor） group， shRNA SNHG16+inhibitor NC group and blank group. The targeting relationship between miR-141-3p and SNHG16 as well as HMGB1 was verified. The expression levels of SNHG16， miR-141-3p and HMGB1 mRNA in Y14 cells were detected by qRT-PCR. CCK-8 and Transwell assay were used to detect cell proliferation， invasion and migration. Microvascular density （MVD） was determined by immunofluorescence. The expressions of hypoxia-inducing factor α （HIF-1α）， cyclooxygenase-2 （Cox-2）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and HMGB1 were detected by Western blot. ResultsThe expression of SNHG16 and HMGB1 mRNA in AM group was higher than that in control group， but the expression of miR-141-3p was lower than that in control group （P0.05）. The expression of SNHG16， HMGB1 mRNA， proliferation rate， migration， invasion number， MVD， expression of VEGF， HIF-1 α， Cox-2， and HMGB1 proteins in the shRNA SNHG16 group were lower than those in the blank group and shRNA NC group， while the expression of miR-141-3p was higher than that in the blank group and shRNA NC group （P0.05）. Inhibition of miR-141-3p reversed the improvement of EScs angiogenesis by interfering with SNHG16. ConclusionInterference with LncRNA SNHG16 improves EScs angiogenesis and inhibits proliferation， migration， and invasion of EScs by targeting upregulation of miR-141-3p and inhibition of HMGB1.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of transurethral blue laser vaporization of prostate (BVP) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and to explore the feasibility of its promotion in primary hospitals. Methods Clinical data of 30 BPH patients undergoing BVP in our hospital during Sep. and Dec. 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The preoperative prostate volume, decrease in hemoglobin level 2 hours after operation, operation time, postoperative bladder irrigation time, catheter indwelling time, and intra-/postoperative complications were recorded. The changes of international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) score, and maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) were compared before operation and 6 months after operation. Results The mean prostate volume was (46.9±15.7) mL. BVP was successfully completed in 28 patients. The 2 unsuccessful cases (6.7%) converted to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) due to intraoperative bleeding. For the 28 successful cases, the median postoperative 2-hour hemoglobin decrease was 4 (2, 11) g/L, mean operation time (59.8±13.2) min, median postoperative bladder irrigation time 21 (18, 23) h, median postoperative catheter indwelling time 5 (5, 5) d, and median postoperative hospital stay 6 (5, 6) d. After catheter removal, urinary retention with infection occurred in 1 case (3.6%), and hemorrhage in 1 case (3.6%). No severe complications occurred during the perioperative period. At 6 months postoperatively, the 28 patients showed significant improvement compared to preoperative values in IPSS[11 (10, 11) vs. 22 (21, 26), P＜0.001], QoL score[2 (2, 3) vs. 5 (5, 6), P＜0.001], and Qmax[ (17.2±5.6) mL/s vs. (7.8±1.4) mL/s, P＜0.001]. Conclusion BVP is a safe and effective treatment for BPH, offering advantages such as minimal blood loss, short operation time, and few complications. It effectively improves patients' lower urinary tract symptoms and quality of life, and is recommended for promotion in primary hospitals.

ObjectiveTo systematically elucidate the accumulation characteristics of secondary metabolites in the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng with different stem colors. MethodsUltra-high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry （UHPLC-QqQ-MS） was employed to determine the of 22 ginsenosides in the stems and leaves of 2- to 5-year-old P. ginseng plants with green and purple stems. Principal component analysis （PCA）， orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）， and one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA） were performed to explore the distribution patterns of ginsenosides from three dimensions： tissue distribution， growth duration， and stem color. Results① Tissue distribution： Leaves served as the primary organ for ginsenoside accumulation， exhibiting significantly higher total ginsenoside content than stems， which indicated distinct tissue-specific distribution of ginsenosides. ② Growth duration： Ginsenoside levels in stems generally peaked in the 2-year-old plants before stabilizing， while those in leaves displayed a declining-rebounding pattern， indicating that the 2-year-old plants （harvest stage） was a critical time point for the resurgence of leaf ginsenosides. ③ Stem color： A stage-specific correlation was observed between stem color and ginsenoside accumulation. In stems， the early-growth stage （2-year-old） of purple-stemmed plants exhibited higher content of specific ginsenosides （e.g.， ginsenoside Rk₁ and notoginsenoside R₁）， which may be associated with its stronger early-stage stress resistance. In leaves， the content of core ginsenosides （e.g.， ginsenosides Re and Rd） in 5-year-old plants with green stems showed a surpassing trend， demonstrating higher potential of resource development. ConclusionThe accumulation of ginsenosides in P. ginseng stems and leaves is multidimensionally regulated by tissue type， growth duration， and stem color phenotypes. Purple-stemmed plants exhibit early-stage specific ginsenoside accumulation and stress resistance potential， whereas green-stemmed plants are more advantageous for core leaf ginsenoside development at the harvest stage. The findings confirm that aboveground stem color can serve as a biomarker for directed breeding and efficient resource utilization of P. ginseng.

ObjectiveTo systematically elucidate the accumulation characteristics of secondary metabolites in the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng with different stem colors. MethodsUltra-high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry （UHPLC-QqQ-MS） was employed to determine the of 22 ginsenosides in the stems and leaves of 2- to 5-year-old P. ginseng plants with green and purple stems. Principal component analysis （PCA）， orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）， and one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA） were performed to explore the distribution patterns of ginsenosides from three dimensions： tissue distribution， growth duration， and stem color. Results① Tissue distribution： Leaves served as the primary organ for ginsenoside accumulation， exhibiting significantly higher total ginsenoside content than stems， which indicated distinct tissue-specific distribution of ginsenosides. ② Growth duration： Ginsenoside levels in stems generally peaked in the 2-year-old plants before stabilizing， while those in leaves displayed a declining-rebounding pattern， indicating that the 2-year-old plants （harvest stage） was a critical time point for the resurgence of leaf ginsenosides. ③ Stem color： A stage-specific correlation was observed between stem color and ginsenoside accumulation. In stems， the early-growth stage （2-year-old） of purple-stemmed plants exhibited higher content of specific ginsenosides （e.g.， ginsenoside Rk₁ and notoginsenoside R₁）， which may be associated with its stronger early-stage stress resistance. In leaves， the content of core ginsenosides （e.g.， ginsenosides Re and Rd） in 5-year-old plants with green stems showed a surpassing trend， demonstrating higher potential of resource development. ConclusionThe accumulation of ginsenosides in P. ginseng stems and leaves is multidimensionally regulated by tissue type， growth duration， and stem color phenotypes. Purple-stemmed plants exhibit early-stage specific ginsenoside accumulation and stress resistance potential， whereas green-stemmed plants are more advantageous for core leaf ginsenoside development at the harvest stage. The findings confirm that aboveground stem color can serve as a biomarker for directed breeding and efficient resource utilization of P. ginseng.

NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome mediates inflammation, induces pyroptosis, and regulates periodontal tissue remodeling through the maturation and secretion of its downstream cysteine protease 1 (Caspase-1)-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. Orthodontic force mediates the aseptic inflammation of periodontal tissues and triggers adaptive alteration of periodontal tissues, thereby promoting the movement and stability of orthodontic teeth. NLRP3 inflammasome plays an important role in orthodontic tooth movement and causes periodontal tissue inflammation and orthodontic inflammatory root resorption in orthodontic patients. Literature review suggests that NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the activation and differentiation of periodontal ligament fibroblasts, periodontal ligament stem cells, macrophages, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts in orthodontic tooth mobile tissue remodeling. Additionally, it targets the upstream nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway; downstream effectors, such as Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18; and the NLRP3 inflammasome components for regulating tooth movement as well as treating and preventing orthodontics-associated periodontitis and orthodontic-induced inflammatory root resorption. Future studies can be focused on the specific mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome tissue modification during orthodontic tooth movement. This article reviews the effects and regulatory mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway on the corresponding tissue remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of CD19/CD73 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and its correlation with clinical features. METHODS: The clinical data of 60 CLL patients and 40 healthy volunteers (control group) from January 2022 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The levels of CD19 and CD73 in peripheral blood of CLL patients were measured by flow cytometry. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. RESULTS: The hemoglobin (Hb) and CD19/CD73 levels in CLL group were significantly lower than those in control group, while CD19, CD73 and β₂-MG were significantly higher (all P <0.001). According to ROC curve analysis, the AUC value of CD19/CD73 for CLL diagnosis was 0.980 (95%CI : 0.949-1.000, P <0.05), the specificity was 92.50%, and the sensitivity was 98.30%. The CD19/CD73 level of CLL patients with splenomegaly was significantly lower than those without splenomegaly (P <0.01). There was no significant correlation between CD19/CD73 and Hb in CLL patients ( r =0.056, P >0.05). CD19/CD73 was positively correlated with β₂-MG ( r =0.837, 95%CI : 0.740 2-0.899 6, P <0.01). According to the median value (12.84) of CD19/CD73, the patients were divided into high and low expression groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the overall survival rate and progression-free survival rate at 18^th month in the low expression group were 87.08% and 93.25%, while those in the high expression group were 96.41% and 99.90%, respectively (both P <0.05). CONCLUSION The level of CD19/CD73 is low in CLL patients, which can be used as an auxiliary index for clinical diagnosis of CLL. CD19/CD73 is closely related to splenomegaly in CLL patients. Low expression of CD19/CD73 predicts poor prognosis.
Humans ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/metabolism* ; 5'-Nucleotidase/metabolism* ; Antigens, CD19/metabolism* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Prognosis ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Adult ; GPI-Linked Proteins

Direct electrical stimulation of the human cortex can produce subjective visual sensations, yet these sensations are unstable. The underlying mechanisms may stem from differences in electrophysiological activity within the distributed network outside the stimulated site. To address this problem, we recruited 69 patients who experienced visual sensations during invasive electrical stimulation while intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) data were recorded. We found significantly flattened power spectral slopes in distributed regions involving different brain networks and decreased integrated information during elicited visual sensations compared with the non-sensation condition. Further analysis based on minimum information partitions revealed that the reconfigured network interactions primarily involved the inferior frontal cortex, posterior superior temporal sulcus, and temporoparietal junction. The flattened power spectral slope in the inferior frontal gyrus was also correlated with integrated information. Taken together, this study indicates that the altered electrophysiological signatures provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying subjective visual sensations.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Visual Perception/physiology* ; Electric Stimulation ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Electrocorticography ; Electroencephalography ; Brain Mapping

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder affecting ~65 million individuals worldwide. Abnormal synaptic plasticity is one of the most important pathological features of this condition. We investigated how ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47) influences synaptic plasticity and its link to epilepsy. We found that USP47 enhanced excitatory postsynaptic transmission and increased the density of total dendritic spines and the proportion of mature dendritic spines. Furthermore, USP47 inhibited the degradation of the ubiquitinated α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1), which is associated with synaptic plasticity. In addition, elevated levels of USP47 were found in epileptic mice, and USP47 knockdown reduced the frequency and duration of seizure-like events and alleviated epileptic seizures. To summarize, we present a new mechanism whereby USP47 regulates excitatory postsynaptic plasticity through the inhibition of ubiquitinated GluR1 degradation. Modulating USP47 may offer a potential approach for controlling seizures and modifying disease progression in future therapeutic strategies.
Animals ; Receptors, AMPA/metabolism* ; Neuronal Plasticity/physiology* ; Seizures/physiopathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/genetics* ; Male ; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials/physiology* ; Ubiquitination ; Dendritic Spines/metabolism* ; Hippocampus/metabolism*

Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards* ; Humans ; Apicoectomy ; Contraindications, Procedure ; Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Consensus ; Treatment Outcome