OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the BNIP3-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in mediating the inhibitory effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWT) on mitochondrial autophagy in human synovial fibroblasts from rheumatoid arthritis patients (FLS-RA) cultured under a hypoxic condition. METHODS: Forty normal Wistar rats were randomized into two groups (n=20) for daily gavage of BYHWT or distilled water for 7 days to prepare BYHWT-medicated or control sera. FLS-RA were cultured in routine condition or exposed to hypoxia (10% O₂) for 24 h wigh subsequent treatment with IL-1β, followed by treatment with diluted BYHWT-medicated serum (5%, 10% and 20%) or control serum. AnnexinV-APC/7-AAD double staining and T-AOC kit were used for detecting apoptosis and total antioxidant capacity of the cells, and the changes in ROS, ATP level, mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca²⁺ homeostasis were analyzed. The changes in mRNA and protein expressions of BNIP3, PI3K and AKT and mRNA expressions of LC3, Beclin-1 and P62 were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment with BYHWT-medicated serum dose-dependently lowered apoptosis rate of IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure. The treatment significantly decreased T-AOC concentration, increased ROS production, autophagosome formation and ATPase levels, and lowered mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca²⁺ level in the cells. In IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure, treatment with BYHWT-medicated serum significantly increased BNIP3 protein expression, decreased the protein expressions of PI3K and AKT, increased the mRNA expressions of BNIP3 and P62, and lowered the mRNA expressions of PI3K, AKT, LC3 and Beclin-1 without significantly affecting Beclin-1 protein expression. The cells treated with 5% and 10% BYHWT-medicated serum showed no significant changes in LC3 expression. CONCLUSIONS BYHWT inhibits mitochondrial autophagy in IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure possibly by inhibiting BNIP3-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Humans ; Fibroblasts/cytology* ; Rats, Wistar ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Rats ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Hypoxia ; Synovial Membrane/cytology* ; Male ; Mitochondrial Proteins

ObjectiveTo investigate and explore the characteristics and influencing factors of glucose metabolism in children with β-thalassemia major （β-TM） after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （allo-HSCT）. MethodsThe follow-up data of 41 patients with β-TM who underwent HSCT at Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Department of Children's Medical Center of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital， Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively analyzed. Their glucose metabolism characteristics were evaluated through laboratory tests and the related influencing factors were analyzed. ResultsIn the study， 41.46% （17/41） of patients developed abnormal glucose homeostasis after HSCT. Among them， 82.35% （14/17） characterized by insulin resistance， but no cases of diabetes mellitus were found. The results of insulin releasing test and oral glucose tolerance test（OGTT） showed that 45.00% （9/20） of patients had abnormal insulin releasing curve and 40.0% （8/20） had delayed serum glucose peak. The average age of HSCT in abnormal glucose homeostasis group was significantly older than that in the normal glucose homeostasis group ［（8.8±3.9） years old vs （6.0±3.1） years old， P=0.015］. ConclusionsPatients with β-TM after HSCT may develop abnormal glucose homeostasis， consists largely of insulin resistance. The elder age of HSCT （≥7 years old） is a risk factor for abnormal glucose homeostasis in β-TM patients after HSCT. It is recommended to regularly monitor glucose metabolism indicators in β-TM children after HSCT， especially in elderly transplant recipients.

Depression is a frequently-seen mental disorder that profoundly affects the survival and quality of life of individuals.Present clinical medicine therapies for depression are not fully efficacious and novel therapeutic agents and targets remain necessary.Bupleuri Radix-Paeoniae Radix(BR-PRA),an essential and crucial compo-nent of traditional antidepressant compound,possesses the beneficial effect of lowering toxicity and amplifying the antidepressant effect when utilized in combination.The underlying mechanisms of these synergistic effects may involve the suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress,the regulation of monoamine neurotransmitters,brain-derived neurotrophic factors,the modulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis,and the metabolism of various amino acids and energy.This article summarizes the synergistic effects and antidepressant pharmacological effects of BR-PRA herb-pair,thereby providing valuable insights into the potential advantages of this combination and its potential mechanisms of antidepressant action.

Objective:To study the differential gene expression and immune cell infiltration of gout patients,to find the key genes and immune cells of gout pathogenesis,and to explore the relationship between immune cells and gout.Methods:The gout chip GSE160170 was downloaded from the GEO database,and the differential gene expression analysis was carried out with the help of R language.Then,the STRING database was used to analyze the differential gene,and the Cytoscape software was used to screen the key genes,and then carry out enrichment analysis.At the same time,the infiltration of immune cells were analyzed.Results:The study found that IL-6,IL-1β,TNF,CCL3,CXCL8 and CXCL1 were key genes in the pathogenesis of gout,which were mainly exerted by IL-17,Toll-like receptor,NOD-like receptor,NF-κB and other signaling pathways.Processes such as cellular responses to lipo-polysaccharides,bacteria-derived molecules,and biological stimuli lead to disease;immune infiltration results indicate that memory B cells,activated NK cells,activated dendritic cells,activated mast cells and eosinophils were involved in the disease.It was signifi-cantly expressed in gout patients;the correlation analysis between immune cells showed that the expression of follicular helper T cells were positively correlated with the expression of activated mast cells,and the expression of unactivated NK cells and monocyte were negatively correlated.Conclusion:Key genes and differentially expressed immune cells are closely related to the pathogenesis of gout,providing new ideas for the study of the molecular mechanism of gout.

Objective     To explore the correlation between the quantitative and qualitative features of CT images and the invasiveness of pulmonary ground-glass nodules, providing reference value for preoperative planning of patients with ground-glass nodules. Methods    The patients with ground-glass nodules who underwent surgical treatment and were diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma from September 2020 to July 2022 at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were collected. Based on the pathological diagnosis results, they were divided into two groups: a non-invasive adenocarcinoma group with in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, and an invasive adenocarcinoma group. Imaging features were collected, and a univariate logistic regression analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of the patients. Variables with statistical difference were selected for multivariate logistic regression analysis to establish a predictive model of invasive adenocarcinoma based on independent risk factors. Finally, the sensitivity and specificity were calculated based on the Youden index. Results     A total of 555 patients were collected. The were 310 patients in the non-invasive adenocarcinoma group, including 235 females and 75 males, with a meadian age of 49 (43, 58) years, and 245 patients in the invasive adenocarcinoma group, including 163 females and 82 males, with a meadian age of 53 (46, 61) years. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the maximum diameter (OR=4.707, 95%CI 2.060 to 10.758), consolidation/tumor ratio (CTR, OR=1.027, 95%CI 1.011 to 1.043), maximum CT value (OR=1.025, 95%CI 1.004 to 1.047), mean CT value (OR=1.035, 95%CI 1.008 to 1.063), spiculation sign (OR=2.055, 95%CI 1.148 to 3.679), and vascular convergence sign (OR=2.508, 95%CI 1.345 to 4.676) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of invasive adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). Based on the independent predictive factors, a predictive model of invasive adenocarcinoma was constructed. The formula for the model prediction was: Logit(P)=–1.293+1.549×maximum diameter of lesion+0.026×CTR+0.025×maximum CT value+0.034×mean CT value+0.72×spiculation sign+0.919×vascular convergence sign. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model was 0.910 (95%CI 0.885 to 0.934), indicating that the model had good discrimination ability. The calibration curve showed that the predictive model had good calibration, and the decision analysis curve showed that the model had good clinical utility. Conclusion     The predictive model combining quantitative and qualitative features of CT has a good predictive ability for the invasiveness of ground-glass nodules. Its predictive performance is higher than any single indicator.

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic and progressive autoimmune disease.Current clinical treatments for RA often exhibit inadequate drug responses and severe adverse effects,underscoring the necessity for alternative therapies.Baicalin,a flavonoid derived from Scutellaria baicalensis roots,possesses anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,and immunomodulatory properties.Research suggests that baicalin can inhibit the release of inflamma-tory mediators,thereby reducing inflammation.Moreover,it demonstrates antioxidant effects by decreasing reactive oxygen species production and mitigating synovial damage induced by oxidative stress.Baicalin may impede the activation of inflammatory cytokines through pathways such as NF-κB,MAPKs,and JAK-STAT signaling cascades while inducing apoptosis,regulating immune cell activity,and balancing immune mediators to impact synovitis progression.Clinically,both monotherapy with baicalin or its combination with other formulations have exhibited efficacy and safety profiles.The advancement in targeted drug delivery systems has improved its bioavailability further suggesting promising clinical applications.This review provides an overview of research progress on baicalin's mechanisms in inhibiting RA synovitis along with its clinical applications.

Objective:To explore the application value of artificial intelligence (AI) model based on deep learning in breast nodules classification of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System of ultrasound (BI-RADS-US).Methods:The ultrasound images of 2 426 breast nodules from 1 558 female patients with breast diseases at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University between December 2006 and December 2019 were collected . The image data sets were divided into training (63%), verification (7%), and test (30%) subsets for the construction of AI model. The diagnostic efficiencies of AI model, doctors' arbitration results and doctors' diagnosis with or without AI model assistance were analyzed by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The Cohen weighted Kappa statistic was used to compare the consistency of BI-RADS-US classification among 5 ultrasound doctors' diagnosis with or without AI model assistance. And the changes of BI-RADS-US classification were analyzed before and after each doctor adopted AI model assistance.Results:The differences in diagnostic efficiencies of AI model, doctors' arbitration results and doctors' diagnosis with or without AI model assistance were statistically significant (all P > 0.05). The consistency among 5 ultrasound doctors was improved due to AI model assistance and Kappa value was increased from 0.433 (category 3), 0.600 (category 4a), 0.614 (category 4b), 0.570 (category 4c) and 0.495 (category 5) to 0.812, 0.704, 0.823, 0.690 and 0.509 (all P < 0.05), respectively. The upgrade and downgrade of BI-RADS-US classification occurred in 5 doctors after the classification of AI model assistance. Downgrade from category 4 to 3 in benign nodules of 56.6% (47/76) and upgrade from category 4 to 5 in malignant nodules of 69.4% (34/49) were mostly observed. Conclusions:AI-assisted BI-RADS-US classification can effectively improve the consistency of classification among the doctors without reducing the diagnostic efficiency. AI model shows clinical values in reducing unnecessary biopsy of partial benign lesions and increasing diagnostic accuracy of partial malignant lesions through the adjustment of breast nodule classification.

The chemical constituents from 70% ethanol petroleum ether and n-butanol extractions of Callerya nitita Benth.var.hirsutissima.Z.Wei. were separated by preparative high-performance liquid chromatographic techniques, including repeated column chromatography over macroporous adsorption resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20. The structures of the compounds were identified by their physicochemical properties, spectral data, and mass spectrometry data, in comparison with literature. In our research, one triterpenoids, taraxerone (1), and twenty flavonoids, including genistein-4′-O-β-glucoside (2), 5-hydroxy-4′-methoxyisoflavone-7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), biochanin A 7-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→5)-β-D-apiofuranosyl- (1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), formononetin-7-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (5), 5,7-dihydroxy-3′,4′-dimethoxyisoflavone (6), biochanin A-7-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), 5, 7-dihydroxyisoflavone-4′-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), formononetin-7-O-D-apio-β-D-furanosyl(l→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (9), 4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyisoflavone-7-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), prunetin (11), prunetin 4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (12), pratensein7-O-β-D-glucoside (13), 8-methoxyisoformononetin (14), genistein (15), 3′-hydroxybiochanin A (16), biochanin A (17), 5,7-dihydroxy-3′,5′-dimethoxyisoflavone (18), ononin (19), isoformononetin (20), 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxyflavone (21) were isolated from the two extract parts.Compounds 1-10, 12-14, 16-18, 20 were obtained from this plant, and it is the first time to investigate the plant for the first time.

Objective To analyze and summarize the sonographic features of immunoglobulin G4(IgG4)-related submandibular gland disease.Methods The retrospective analysis on the sonographic results of 22 lesions in 19 patients with IgG4-related submandibular gland disease were conducted,including submandibular gland size,shape,lesion range,internal echo,blood flow,and peripheral lymph nodes.Results The sonographic features of 22 lesions of IgG4-related submandibular gland disease were classified into localized nodule changes,diffuse nodule changes,and tumor-forming changes.The localized nodule appearance,includes 2 lesions in 2 patients,shows a hypo-echoic area with a coarse echotexture in the superficial site of the gland and rich blood flow.In the diffuse nodule appearance,includes 12 lesions in 11 patients,the gland shows an irregular net or honeycomb structure.Further,the gland shows echo enhancement,thickening,uneven,and rich blood flow with the features of multiple,variously sized hypoechoic foci and surrounding parallel echogenic foci.The tumor-forming appearance,includes 8 lesions in 7 patients,shows the decrease of echogenic heterogeneity,coarse gland texture,multiple parallel echogenicity,and rich blood flow.Conclusions Ultrasonography can be used as the preferred diagnostic method for IgG4-related submandibular gland disease.When a patient is suspected of having IgG4-related submandibular gland disease,the tissues and organs often involved in IgG4 related diseases should be further examined,meanwhile conducting ultrasound-guided biopsy.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the rhizomas of Smilax glauco-china Warb.METHODS The n-butanol fraction of ethanol extract of S.glauco-china was isolated and purified by silica,Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative column,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Ten compounds were isolated and identified as phenethanol-β-D-gentiobioside (1),2-phenylethyl-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 →6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (2),phenylethyl D-rutinoside (3),phenylethyl β-D-glucoside (4),hydrangeifolin Ⅰ (5),icariside D1 (6),calophymembranside B (7),2-hydroxyphenol-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6 → 1)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (8),β-sitosterol (9),daucosterol (10).CONCLUSION All the compounds are isolated from this plant for the first time.