OBJECTIVE:Disorders in iron metabolism increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Hepcidin play an important role in maintaining iron homeostasis in the body,but its level increases with increased inflammation.Changes in hepcidin and iron homeostasis and the extent of their association with inflammation in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown.Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the effect of inflammation on serum hepcidin and iron metabolism related parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODS:CNKI,PubMed,Web of Science and EBSCOhost databases were searched by computer to collect observational studies related to inflammatory index and hepcidin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.The search time was from September 1,2000 to September 30,2024.Three researchers independently screened the literature,extracted data and evaluated the quality of the included literature.Meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3,Stata 17.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0.2 software.RESULTS:A total of 15 articles(17 studies)involving 3 159 participants,including 1 357 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,were included.Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the control group,patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had higher levels of serum hepcidin[standardized mean difference(SMD)=0.35,95％confidence interval(CI)(0.05,0.65),P＜0.05],serum ferritin(SMD=0.49,95％CI(0.21,0.78),P＜0.01)and serum transferrin(SMD=0.19,95％CI(0.00,0.37),P＜0.05).Subgroup analysis results indicated that inflammation had a significant effect on serum hepcidin(SMD=0.76,95％CI(0.17,1.34),P＜0.05)and serum ferritin(SMD=0.77,95％CI(0.06,1.47),P＜0.05)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.CONCLUSION:Hepcidin concentration is positively correlated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Inflammation is one of the risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Early prevention of inflammation has certain significance in preventing iron metabolism disorder in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the mechanism by which total flavonoids of Abelmoschi Corolla （TFA） treat immunoglobulin A （IgA） nephropathy （IgAN） through serum metabolomics analysis. MethodsSPF-grade male SD rats were randomly assigned into six groups （n=10）： blank， model， low-dose TFA （TFA-L， 27 mg·kg^-1）， medium-dose TFA （TFA-M， 54 mg·kg^-1）， high-dose TFA （TFA-H， 108 mg·kg^-1）， and losartan potassium （LST， 4.5 mg·kg^-1） groups. The remaining five groups， excluding the blank group， were modeled with bovine serum albumin （BSA）， lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， and carbon tetrachloride （CCl₄）. Specifically， from weeks 1 to 10， BSA was administered via gavage every other day， and a mixture of castor oil and CCl₄ was injected subcutaneously once a week， with LPS injected into the tail vein at weeks 6 and 8. After successful modeling， each intervention group was administrated with the medication prepared with distilled water once daily by gavage for a continuous period of 4 weeks. The levels of 24-hour urinary total protein （24 h UP） and serum creatinine （SCr） were quantified by kits， and the serum IgA level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Renal pathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining. Renal IgA deposition was assessed by immunofluorescence （IF）. Endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Western blot and immunohistochemistry （IHC） were employed to detect the expression of ER stress-related factors. Non-targeted metabolomics was used to screen differential metabolites for analysis， and key metabolites arachidonic acid （AA）， prostaglandin E₂ （PGE₂）， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） were validated. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed increased 24-hour urine protein （24 h UP） and serum creatinine （SCr） levels （P<0.01）， obvious renal pathological damage， elevated serum IgA level （P<0.01）， increased renal AA and PGE₂ levels （P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein levels of COX-2， glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78）， phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α （P-EIF2α）， activating transcription factor 4 （ATF4）， inositol-requiring enzyme 1α （IRE1α）， and spliced X-box binding protein 1 （XBP1s） in the renal tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the intervention groups showed reductions in 24 h UP and SCr levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， alleviated renal pathological injury， decreased serum IgA level （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced renal AA and PGE₂ levels （P<0.01）. Western blot and IHC results showed that TFA reduced the levels of COX-2， GRP78， P-EIF2α， ATF4， IRE1α， and XBP1s in the renal tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Metabolomics results indicated that 51 commonly differential metabolites were found among the normal， model， and TFA-M groups. TFA ameliorated IgAN by affecting metabolic pathways related to the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid and arginine through L-aspartic acid， prostaglandin 2α， leukotriene B₄， leukotriene D₄， among others. ConclusionTFA can regulate the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway， thereby modulating ER stress， reducing renal damage， and ameliorating IgA nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE:Disorders in iron metabolism increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Hepcidin play an important role in maintaining iron homeostasis in the body,but its level increases with increased inflammation.Changes in hepcidin and iron homeostasis and the extent of their association with inflammation in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown.Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the effect of inflammation on serum hepcidin and iron metabolism related parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODS:CNKI,PubMed,Web of Science and EBSCOhost databases were searched by computer to collect observational studies related to inflammatory index and hepcidin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.The search time was from September 1,2000 to September 30,2024.Three researchers independently screened the literature,extracted data and evaluated the quality of the included literature.Meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3,Stata 17.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0.2 software.RESULTS:A total of 15 articles(17 studies)involving 3 159 participants,including 1 357 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,were included.Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the control group,patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had higher levels of serum hepcidin[standardized mean difference(SMD)=0.35,95％confidence interval(CI)(0.05,0.65),P＜0.05],serum ferritin(SMD=0.49,95％CI(0.21,0.78),P＜0.01)and serum transferrin(SMD=0.19,95％CI(0.00,0.37),P＜0.05).Subgroup analysis results indicated that inflammation had a significant effect on serum hepcidin(SMD=0.76,95％CI(0.17,1.34),P＜0.05)and serum ferritin(SMD=0.77,95％CI(0.06,1.47),P＜0.05)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.CONCLUSION:Hepcidin concentration is positively correlated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Inflammation is one of the risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Early prevention of inflammation has certain significance in preventing iron metabolism disorder in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective To explore the effective substances that specifically bind to RSV-F protein in the water extract of Forsythia suspensa,and verify its effect.Methods Surface plasmon resonance(SPR)affinity fishing technology was used to enrich,regenerate and recover the active components that specifically bind to RSV-F protein in the water extract of Forsythia suspensa.The recovered samples were analyzed and identified by UHPLC-MS/MS,and the active components that stably bind to F protein were screened by molecular docking,molecular dynamics simulation and SPR affinity detection,and then returned to animal experiments for pharmacodynamics verification.BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,positive control group,protocatechuic acid group and verbascoside group.In the experimental group,RSV was dripped into the nose to make models.Each drug group began to be given intragastric intervention on the day of modeling,and samples were taken after 4 days.HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissue,and ELISA was used to detect the changes of inflammatory factors in lung tissue.Results A variety of active components in the aqueous extract of Forsythia suspensa could bind to RSV-F protein,among which the results of verbascoside and protocatechuic acid were more stable.In vivo pharmacodynamics experiments showed that the lung tissue of the model group had obvious pathological changes and the level of inflammatory factors increased,and the pathological state was improved after the intervention of verbascoside and protocatechuic acid compared with the normal group.Conclusion Forsythia suspensa can interfere with the expression of RSV-F protein through many active components such as verbascoside and protocatechuic acid,which may be the material basis of its anti-RSV.

In 2015,the International Ascites Club proposed a new definition of hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury based on the progression of hepatorenal syndrome,and studies are still being conducted to explore the exact pathogenesis of hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury.Intestinal barrier plays an important bridging role in liver-kidney connection,and intestinal flora disturbance,bacterial translocation,and endotoxins entering the blood cause damage to the kidneys by releasing proinflammatory cytokines and activating immune-related cells.The entrance of bile acid into the circulation system also directly or indirectly lead to the development and progression of hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury.This article reviews the crosstalk mechanism of hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury from the perspective of the intestinal barrier and further clarifies the key role of the liver-gut-kidney axis in the pathogenesis of this disease,in order to provide new treatment ideas.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which Biejiajian Pill(BJJP)regulates ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells through the p62/Keap1/NRF2 pathway and to provide an experimental basis for its application in the prevention and treatment of HCC.Methods Huh7 HCC cells were divided into a normal control group,a BJJP drug serum group,an erastin(a ferroptosis inducer)group,a BJJP drug serum+erastin group,and BJJP drug serum+ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)(a ferroptosis inhibitor)group.BJJP drug serum was prepared with animals treated with BJJP and CCK-8 assay was performed to determine the optimal concentration and duration of BJJP intervention.The levels of intracellular iron(Fe),reduced glutathione(GSH),lipid peroxides(MDA),and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were measured.Western blot was performed to determine the expression levels of FTH1,GPX4,xCT,SLC40A1,Keapl,p62,and NRF2.JC-1 staining was performed to measure mitochondrial membrane potential,and cell immunofluorescence was performed to determine the expression of p62 and Keap1.Results According to the CCK-8 assay results,the cell inhibition rate was highest when BJJP was administered at a high dose of 2.2 g/kg(P＜0.001).Furthermore,the inhibition rate of Huh7 cells was highest when Huh7 cells were treated with high-dose BJJP drug serum for 48 h.Therefore,the serum concentration of high-dose BJJP and 48 h were selected as the treatment dose and duration for the subsequent experiment.Compared with the control group,the BJJP drug serum group,the erastin group,and the BJJP drug serum+erastin group showed increased iron content,decreased GSH content,increased MDA levels,increased ROS aggregation,decreased FTH1,GPX4,xCT,SLC40A1,p62,and NRF2 contents,increased Keap1 content,and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential(P＜0.05).Conclusion BJJP regulates ferroptosis in Huh7 HCC cells by inhibiting the p62/Keap1/NRF2 pathway,demonstrating potentials as a therapeutic agent for HCC.

Empathy is a cornerstone in cultivating medical ethics.This article delves into the profound significance of empathy and underscores the importance of promoting it among medical students and practitioners.It also details methods for strengthening empathy and capacity building concerned in students through oral medicine instruction,with the goal of nurturing oral healthcare professionals who provide compassionate care.

Background: and Purpose Limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute posterior circulation tandem lesion (PCTL). This study aimed to explore the role of extracranial vertebral artery (VA) stenting in patients with PCTL stroke undergoing EVT. Methods: Individual patient data were pooled from the BASILAR (EVT for Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion Study) and PERSIST (Posterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke) registries. Patients with PCTLs who underwent EVT were included in the present cohort and divided into the stenting and nonstenting groups based on the placement of extracranial VA stents. The primary efficacy outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days and 1 year. Safety outcomes included 24-hour symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and all-cause mortality at 90 days and 1 year post-surgery. Results: A combined dataset of 1,320 patients with posterior circulation artery occlusion, including 263 (19.9%) with tandem lesions, of whom 217 (median age, 65 years; 82.9% male) met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. The stenting group had 84 (38.7%) patients, while the non-stenting group had 133 (61.3%). After adjustment for the potential confounders, extracranial VA stenting was associated with favorable shifts in mRS scores at both 90 days (adjusted common odds ratio [OR], 2.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–4.28; P<0.01) and 1 year (adjusted OR [aOR], 2.04; 95% CI [1.05–3.97]; P=0.04), along with lower rate of mortality at both 90 days (aOR, 0.45; 95% CI [0.21–0.93]; P=0.01) and 1 year (aOR, 0.36; 95% CI [0.16–0.79]; P=0.01), with no significant difference in sICH incidence (aOR, 0.35; 95% CI [0.06–1.98]; P=0.24). Conclusion Extracranial VA stenting during EVT may improve functional outcomes and reduce mortality in patients with PCTL strokes.

Background: and Purpose Limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute posterior circulation tandem lesion (PCTL). This study aimed to explore the role of extracranial vertebral artery (VA) stenting in patients with PCTL stroke undergoing EVT. Methods: Individual patient data were pooled from the BASILAR (EVT for Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion Study) and PERSIST (Posterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke) registries. Patients with PCTLs who underwent EVT were included in the present cohort and divided into the stenting and nonstenting groups based on the placement of extracranial VA stents. The primary efficacy outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days and 1 year. Safety outcomes included 24-hour symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and all-cause mortality at 90 days and 1 year post-surgery. Results: A combined dataset of 1,320 patients with posterior circulation artery occlusion, including 263 (19.9%) with tandem lesions, of whom 217 (median age, 65 years; 82.9% male) met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. The stenting group had 84 (38.7%) patients, while the non-stenting group had 133 (61.3%). After adjustment for the potential confounders, extracranial VA stenting was associated with favorable shifts in mRS scores at both 90 days (adjusted common odds ratio [OR], 2.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–4.28; P<0.01) and 1 year (adjusted OR [aOR], 2.04; 95% CI [1.05–3.97]; P=0.04), along with lower rate of mortality at both 90 days (aOR, 0.45; 95% CI [0.21–0.93]; P=0.01) and 1 year (aOR, 0.36; 95% CI [0.16–0.79]; P=0.01), with no significant difference in sICH incidence (aOR, 0.35; 95% CI [0.06–1.98]; P=0.24). Conclusion Extracranial VA stenting during EVT may improve functional outcomes and reduce mortality in patients with PCTL strokes.