Atherosclerosis （AS） is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases and seriously threatens human quality of life. Its prevention and treatment urgently need breakthroughs. The inflammatory response， which runs through the physiological and pathological evolution process of AS， is one of the important mechanisms for AS occurrence. Currently， the treatment methods for AS in Western medicine are relatively mature. However， they have adverse reactions such as abnormal liver and kidney function， drug tolerance， target vessel restenosis， and stent thrombosis， which remain the key bottleneck restricting clinical efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， characterized by multiple components， multiple targets， and multi-pathway synergy， shows unique clinical application potential and efficacy advantages in the intervention of AS. This article reviewed the research progress of TCM in intervening in AS by regulating inflammatory-related signaling pathways， such as nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Toll-like receptors （TLRs）， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）， in the past five years. It summarized the combined mechanism of action of TCM monomers， TCM pairs， and compound preparations in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction through multiple targets， regulating lipid metabolism disorders， and improving vascular endothelial dysfunction and the imbalance of the microenvironment. It deepened the research on the molecular mechanism of TCM in anti-AS， so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical transformation application and related theoretical research of TCM in anti-AS.

Atherosclerosis （AS） is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases and seriously threatens human quality of life. Its prevention and treatment urgently need breakthroughs. The inflammatory response， which runs through the physiological and pathological evolution process of AS， is one of the important mechanisms for AS occurrence. Currently， the treatment methods for AS in Western medicine are relatively mature. However， they have adverse reactions such as abnormal liver and kidney function， drug tolerance， target vessel restenosis， and stent thrombosis， which remain the key bottleneck restricting clinical efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， characterized by multiple components， multiple targets， and multi-pathway synergy， shows unique clinical application potential and efficacy advantages in the intervention of AS. This article reviewed the research progress of TCM in intervening in AS by regulating inflammatory-related signaling pathways， such as nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Toll-like receptors （TLRs）， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）， in the past five years. It summarized the combined mechanism of action of TCM monomers， TCM pairs， and compound preparations in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction through multiple targets， regulating lipid metabolism disorders， and improving vascular endothelial dysfunction and the imbalance of the microenvironment. It deepened the research on the molecular mechanism of TCM in anti-AS， so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical transformation application and related theoretical research of TCM in anti-AS.

Objective Using female mice to investigate the reparative effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on radiation-induced ovarian injury. Methods Mice were randomly divided into three groups: a blank control group, a radiation model group, and a cell therapy group. Mice in the radiation model group and the cell therapy group received a single whole-body irradiation of 5 Gy X-rays. Within 2 hours post-irradiation, mice in the cell therapy group underwent ovarian transplantation of UC-MSCs. On days 1, 7, and 14 post-irradiation, body weight was measured, ovarian index was calculated, histopathological changes in ovarian tissue were examined, serum levels of reproductive hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, anti-Müllerian hormone, and estradiol) were determined, and the colonization of implanted UC-MSCs in the mice was observed. Results On days 1, 7, and 14 post-irradiation, both the cell therapy group and the radiation model group showed decreased body weight compared to the blank control group (P < 0.05). On day 1 post-irradiation compared to day 1 pre-irradiation within the same group, the radiation model group exhibited a greater decrease in body weight than the cell therapy group (P < 0.05). On days 1, 7, and 14 post-irradiation, the ovarian index decreased in both the radiation model group and the cell therapy group compared to the blank control group (P < 0.05). On days 7 and 14 post-irradiation, the ovarian index in the cell therapy group was significantly higher than that in the radiation model group (P < 0.05). Ovarian tissue in the radiation model group exhibited atrophy and a reduction in the number of follicles at all stages. In contrast, follicles in the cell therapy group were large and abundant. On days 1, 7, and 14 post-irradiation, serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels in the cell therapy group were lower than those in the radiation model group, while anti-Müllerian hormone and estradiol levels were higher than those in the radiation model group (P < 0.01). In vivo fluorescence imaging demonstrated that UC-MSCs successfully colonized the ovarian tissue on days 1, 7, and 14 after transplantation. Conclusion UC-MSCs exert a repair effect on radiation-induced ovarian injury in mice.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of mumps in Guangxi from 2012 to 2024, and to provide a scientific basis for formulating prevention and control strategies. Methods Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the incidence data of mumps in Guangxi from 2012 to 2024. Results A total of 159 873 mumps cases were reported from 2012 to 2024 in Guangxi, with an average annual reported incidence of 25.41/100 000, and no death. Mumps occurred every month, with the peak incidence mainly concentrated in April to July and October to January of the next year. There were 96,118 male cases (29.43 /100 000), and 63 755 female cases (21.07 /100 000). The male to female ratio was 1.40:1, and the difference between male and female was significant (χ²=4 321.276，P＜0.05). The annual incidence of mumps showed a certain periodic change, with the incidence peak and trough alternating every 4 - 5 years. The majority of patients were under 15 years old, accounting for 85.32% of the total number of cases. The patients mainly included students, preschool children and scattered children. The highest average incidence was in Nanning City with 40 231 cases (42.08/100 000), and the lowest was in Qinzhou City with 3 466 cases (8.16/100 000). From 2012 to 2024, a total of 210 mumps outbreaks with 4 483 cases were reported in Guangxi. Conclusion The incidence of mumps in Guangxi from 2012 to 2024 shows a periodic change and obvious seasonality. People under 15 years old are the key group at risk of mumps. The prevention and control of the epidemic of mumps in schools and kindergartens should be strengthened. It is suggested to carry out long-term monitoring of mumps as well as immune effect research, and continue to maintain a high vaccination rate of 2 doses of mumps-containing vaccines.

Kupffer cells (KCs), as residents and sentinels of the liver, are involved in the formation of hepatic fibrosis (HF). However, the biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in KCs to HF have not been determined. In this study, the expression levels of circRNAs, microRNAs, and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in KCs from a mouse model of HF mice were investigated using microarray and circRNA-Seq analyses. circDcbld2 was identified as a candidate circRNA in HF, as evidenced by its up-regulation in KCs. Silver staining and mass spectrometry showed that Wtap and Igf2bp2 bind to cirDcbld2. The suppression of circDcbld2 expression decreased the KC inflammatory response and oxidative stress and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) activation, attenuating mouse liver fibrogenesis. Mechanistically, Wtap mediated the N ⁶-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of circDcbld2, and Igf2bp2 recognized m6A-modified circDcbld2 and increased its stability. circDcbld2 contributes to the occurrence of HF by binding miR-144-3p/Et-1 to regulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. These findings indicate that circDcbld2 functions via the m6A/circDcbld2/miR-144-3p/Et-1 axis and may act as a potential biomarker for HF treatment.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a specific form of post-translational modification (PTM) predominantly triggered by the activation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). However, the role and mechanism of PARylation in the advancement of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain undetermined. Here, we demonstrated the significant upregulation of PARP1 and its associated PARylation in murine models of AKI, consistent with renal biopsy findings in patients with AKI. This elevation in PARP1 expression might be attributed to trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Furthermore, a reduction in PARylation levels mitigated renal dysfunction in the AKI mouse models. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that PARylation mainly occurred in receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), thereby facilitating its subsequent phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylation of RACK1 enhanced its dimerization and accelerated the ubiquitination-mediated hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) degradation, thereby exacerbating kidney injury. Additionally, we identified a PARP1 proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC), A19, as a PARP1 degrader that demonstrated superior protective effects against renal injury compared with PJ34, a previously identified PARP1 inhibitor. Collectively, both genetic and drug-based inhibition of PARylation mitigated kidney injury, indicating that the PARylated RACK1/HIF-1α axis could be a promising therapeutic target for AKI treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Cassiae Semen (CS, Juemingzi in Chinese) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with a variety of pharmacological effects. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of anthraquinones of CS (AQS) for adiposity. METHODS: The chemical components of the AQS were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Network pharmacology analysis was used to predict potential anti-obesity targets of action for AQS. We constructed high fat with high sugar water diet-induced obese mice and observed their body weight and whole-body lipid metabolism to evaluate the efficacy of AQS in promoting lipid metabolism. Subsequently, the epidermal temperature at the brown adipose tissue (BAT) before and after cold stimulation was observed and the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in the liver and BAT tissues was detected to clarify the mechanism of action of AQS. RESULTS: Network pharmacology analysis showed that AQS was involved in the regulation of liver and adipose tissue function under obesity. Pathological and biochemical results showed that AQS reduced lipid accumulation in the liver and adipose tissue induced by an unhealthy diet. With the increase of cold tolerance, the volume and weight of BAT were increased by AQS, suggesting that it regulated the body heat production dominated by BAT. After AQS treatment, the levels of genes related to uncoupling protein1 (UCP1)-mediated adaptive thermogenesis in BAT tissues and lipid metabolism in the liver were also increased, which further proved that AQS activated BAT function to promote lipid metabolism in the whole body. CONCLUSION This study revealed the pharmacological effects of AQS, thereby providing a scientific basis for regulating BAT thermogenesis and liver lipid metabolism to alleviate obesity and providing clues for further exploring the application of natural active ingredients in the treatment of metabolism-related diseases.

OBJECTIVE To explore the impact of Shaoyao decoction on the intestinal microecology of rats with damp-heat diarrhea. METHODS Male SD rats were randomly divided into physiological group， model group， and Shaoyao decoction low-， medium- and high-dose groups （single dose of 5.62， 28.10 and 56.20 g/kg， by raw drugs）， with 7 rats in each group. Except for the physiological group， the remaining groups were all fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet， raised in a high-temperature and high- humidity environment， and administered white liquor and Escherichia coli suspension by gavage to establish a rat model of damp- heat diarrhea. On the second day after modeling， rats in each dosage group of Shaoyao decoction were administered the corresponding solution by gavage， once in the morning and once in the evening， for 3 consecutive days. After the last administration， fecal metagenomic sequencing analysis and biological information analysis were performed to detect the activities of intestinal cytochrome P450 （CYP） enzymes and intestinal flora metabolic enzymes. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the α diversity indexes of intestinal flora among the groups （P＞0.05）. The main phyla of rats in each group included Firmicutes， Actinobacteriota and Verrucomicrobiota， and the core dominant genera included Dubosiella， Lactobacillus and Romboutsia； low- ， medium- and high-dose of Shaoyao decoction could reverse the decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes， Romboutsia， Bifidobacterium and Monoglobus， as well as the increase in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria， Verrucomicrobiota， Escherichia-Shigella and Corynebacterium （P＜0.05）. Rats in each dosage group of Shaoyao decoction showed higher relative abundance of intestinal flora involved in carbon metabolism and cofactor biosynthesis pathways. Compared with the model group， the elimination rates of aminophenol and midazolam， as well as the concentration （except for the low-dose group） and metabolic rate of p-nitrophenol in rats of each dose group of Shaoyao decoction were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Shaoyao decoction can correct intestinal flora disorder in rats with damp-heat diarrhea， promote the recovery of intestinal CYP metabolic enzymes and intestinal flora metabolic enzymes， and thereby comprehensively improve intestinal microecology. Δ 基金项目 国家自然科学基金青年科学基金项目 （No. 82104726）；河南省软科学研究项目（No.252400410455）

Objective To establish an animal model and evaluation system for lymph node metastasis of breast cancer.Methods A total of 60 female BALB/c mice(6～8 weeks old)were subjected,and then 6 models of lymph node metastasis(n=10)were constructed through injection at different parts in the mice with cell suspension of 4T1 breast cancer cells.Transgenic mice(n=5)of mouse mammary tumor virus-polyoma middle T antigen(MMTV-PyMT)were employed and served as model of spontaneous tumor metastasis.Then the advantages and disadvantages of different lymph node metastasis models were comprehensively evaluated from multiple aspects,such as operability,histomorphology and pathological detection,tumor growth rate and mouse survival.Results Among the 7 metastasis models,4 models of lymph node metastasis were successfully established.Among them,the PyMT mouse spontaneous tumorigenesis model showed the best clinical reproduction,with a tumorigenesis rate of up to 100％,but had a disadvantage of poor experimental standardization.The hind paw-popliteal lymph node model had the fastest lymph node metastasis,easy operation and high repeatability,and a tumorigenesis rate of 100％,indicating its suitable for lymph node metastasis related research.The thigh subcutaneous-inguinal lymph node model also successfully simulated lymph node metastasis,with simple operation and high repeatability,a tumorigenesis rate of up to 100％,but its metastasis time was slightly longer than the hind paw-popliteal lymph node model.The inguinal lymph node-contralateral lymph node model was also a successful lymph node metastasis model,but with difficult operation,only 50％tumor-bearing rate,and poor repeatability.Lymph node metastasis model was not successfully established in the other 3 tumor-bearing models(under the tongue-internal jugular scapular tongue muscle lymph node model,bone marrow-inguinal lymph node model and right upper back skin-axillary lymph node model)in a short time,with no tumor cells observed in the pathological sections.Conclusion Through the comprehensive comparison of multiple models,mouse hind paw-popliteal lymph node model is the most suitable for conducting related research.

ObjectiveTo understand the relative bioavailability （RBA） of cadmium in different aquatic products. Based on the consideration of the gender differences and the relative bioavailability of cadmium in different foods， the physiologically based toxicokinetic （PBTK） model of cadmium was further optimized and verified. The correlation between internal and external exposure in quantitative risk assessment of food safety was optimized， and the provisional tolerable daily intake （PTDI） value of cadmium was derived. MethodsThe relative bioavailability of cadmium in different aquatic products was determined in four-week-old Balb/c female mice. The PBTK model of cadmium metabolism was optimized by ABC-MCMC method using combined internal and external exposure data of cadmium in Shanghai residents， and the PTDI was calculated accordingly. ResultsExcept for scallops and squid， the RBA of aquatic samples was less than 1， indicating that the absorption rate of cadmium in aquatic products was lower than that of cadmium chloride. The higher RBA of squid and scallop may be due to the presence of cadmium in the visceral organs， which is conducive to cadmium absorption and its higher concentration of cadmium. Frying at the temperature less than 160 ℃ reduced cadmium absorption but may increase cadmium absorption at the temperature greater than 160 ℃. The optimized model parameters converged well and the model could reasonably estimate urinary cadmium level according to the external exposure of cadmium. The PTDI value was0.466 4 μg·（kg·day）^-1 according to the optimized single-chamber model. ConclusionThe relative bioavailability of cadmium in different foods varies greatly， except for squid and scallops， RBA is less than 1， and cooking processing will affect the RBA of food. The construction of the PBTK model did not only consider the effects of gender differences on cadmium metabolism， but also included the relative bioavailability data to optimize and adjust the correlation coefficient of absorption rate. Compared with the model without RBA adjustment， the adjusted model has enhanced the ability to predict urinary cadmium level， which provides a new， more accurate method for the risk assessment of food safety.