Acute kidney injury （AKI） is a clinical syndrome characterized by a rapid decline in renal function over a short period due to various etiologic factors. If left untreated， AKI can progress to chronic kidney disease （CKD） or even end-stage renal disease （ESRD）. Although continuous renal replacement therapy （CRRT） can manage severe AKI， effective pharmacological treatments for AKI remain largely unavailable. Chinese medicine， with its multi-target and multi-pathway approaches， has accumulated substantial theoretical and practical knowledge in treating AKI and related complications. Rehmanniae Radix is a commonly used Chinese medicinal， known for its functions in clearing heat， cooling blood， nourishing yin， and promoting fluid production. The primary active ingredients of Rehmanniae Radix include catalpol， acteoside， and aucubin. In this study， we summarized recent research on the effect of the active ingredients of Rehmanniae Radix in preventing and treating AKI. We found that the key mechanisms underlying its anti-AKI effects include amelioration of inflammation， alleviation of oxidative stress， and inhibition of apoptosis. Additionally， the antifibrotic properties of the active ingredients of Rehmanniae Radix suggest its potential in slowing CKD progression. We reviewed the mechanisms of Rehmanniae Radix in treating AKI and its antifibrotic effects to provide a scientific basis for developing new AKI drugs， promoting the utilization of Rehmanniae Radix resources， and reducing the transition from AKI to CKD.

Radiotherapy is a first-line treatment for a variety of malignant tumors by inducing DNA damage to kill tumor cells. However, tumor cells have different sensitivities to radiotherapy, ultimately leading to different therapeutic effects. Histone acetylation, regulated by histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC), is involved in the regulation of cell radiation sensitivity by influencing DNA damage repair. The main mechanisms are recruiting DNA repair related proteins and mediating chromatin dynamic changes. In this article, the role of histone acetylation modification in tumor radiotherapy was reviewed, aming to provide the basis for the radiotherapy sensitization strategy based on histone acetylation.

Objective:To explore the application of 3D visualisation technology combined with perforator flap transfer in reconstruction of soft tissue defects in traumatic hand and foot injury and explore the clinical outcomes.Methods:Between January 2021 and February 2023, a retrospective analysis was conducted in the Department of Emergency of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University and the Department of Sports Medical of Wuxi No. 9 People's Hospital, on the data of 12 patients (13 flaps) who received surgery of 3D visualisation technology combined with perforator flap transfer for soft tissue defects left by traumatic hand and foot injuries. The patients were 7 males and 5 females aged 45 [36.5, 55.8] years old. Nine patients had the defects in hand and 3 in foot, with 3 in the left and 9 in the right. The sizes of defects ranged from 8.0 cm×6.0 cm to 18.0 cm×17.0 cm. The time from injury to surgery was 13.5 [8.3, 20.8] days. Preoperative CTA scans of donor and recipient sites were performed, and the imaging data were processed for 3D image reconstruction and visualisation. A total of 13 flaps were designed and harvested, including 10 free anterolateral thigh perforator flaps (ALTPFs) and 3 pedicled perforator flaps of fibular artery containing fibular nerve nutrient vessel chains. The flap sizes ranged from 9.0 cm×6.0 cm to 20.0 cm×15.0 cm. Five of the donor sites were directly closed by suture and 8 by skin grafting. Monthly outpatient follow-ups were conducted for the first 3 months after surgery, and then the follow-up reviews were conducted through visits of outpatient clinic or reviewed via WeChat interviews. Information about the outcomes of the transferred flaps, complications and function recovery were recorded on all patients.Results:All 13 flaps were successfully harvested and transferred with the assistance of 3D visualisation technology. Preoperative location of perforator vessels was accurate and flap design was reasonable. The 3D visualisation provided an effective guidance for surgical manipulation. Twelve flaps survived completely after surgery. One flap that had partial necrosis healed after skin grafting. All patients were included in more than 6 months of postoperative follow-up, with a mean follow-up duration of 8.1 months±1.7 months. All flaps had good colour and texture. Four flaps that had swollen appearance received secondary thinning surgery with satisfactory outcomes. The recovery of 9 patients with hand injury was evaluated according to the Blood Circulation Elauation of Severed Finger Replantation Evaluation Standard of Upper Limb Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. At the final follow-up, the blood supply of flaps was excellent in 11 flaps and good in 2 flaps. Hand function was excellent in 2 hands, good in 4 hands and poor in 3 hands. Scores of American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Societ(AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot was used for foot function evaluation and all 3 patients were in excellent. Of the postoperative complications, due to a haematoma beneath the flap, a local infection and a delayed fracture healing were occurred in 3 patients separately.Conclusion:The 3D visualisation technology assisted perforator flap transfer can achieve high-quality reconstruction of defects in hand and foot through precise preoperative flap design and simulated surgical incision, therefore it provides a better treatment outcomes for patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Akt2 inhibitor on macrophage polarization in the periapical tissue in a rat model of periapical inflammation. METHODS: Rat models of periapical inflammation were established in 28 normal SD rats by opening the pulp cavity of the mandibular first molars, followed by injection of normal saline and Akt2 inhibitor into the left and right medullary cavities, respectively. Four rats without any treatment served as the healthy control group. At 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after modeling, 7 rat models and 1 control rat were randomly selected for observation of inflammatory infiltration in the periapical tissues by X-ray and HE staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression and localization of Akt2, macrophages and the inflammatory mediators. RT-PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of Akt2, CD86, CD163, inflammatory mediators, miR-155-5p and C/EBPβ to analyze the changes in macrophage polarization. RESULTS: X-ray and HE staining showed that periapical inflammation was the most obvious at 21 days after modeling in the rats. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR showed that compared with those in the control rats, the expressions of Akt2, CD86, CD163, miR-155-5p, C/EBPβ, and IL-10 increased significantly in the rat models at 21 days (P < 0.05). Compared with saline treatment, treatment with the Akt2 inhibitor significantly decreased the expression levels of Akt2, CD86, miR-155-5p and IL-6 and the ratio of CD86⁺M1/CD163⁺M2 macrophages (P < 0.05) and increased the expression levels of CD163, C/EBPβ and IL-10 in the rat models (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Inhibition of Akt2 can delay the progression of periapical inflammation in rats and promote M2 macrophage polarization in the periapical inflammatory microenvironment possibly by reducing miR-155-5p expression and activating the expression of C/EBPβ in the Akt signaling pathway.
Rats ; Animals ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Interleukin-10 ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Inflammation/metabolism*

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and genetic characteristics of sapovirus (SaV) in a cluster of schools in Changzhou, so as to provide a reference for the treatment of clustered vomiting and diarrhea events in schools. Methods: The epidemiological data and laboratory test data of sapovirus clusters in Changzhou from 2019 to 2022 were collected and analyzed. Partial VP1 genes of SaV positive samples were amplified and sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. Results: A total of 8 cases of clusters of SaV epidemics were reported in Changzhou City from 2019 to 2022, with 118 reported cases. The total attack rate was 1.47%, and the median of the attack number was 15. There were 6 outbreaks in kindergartens and 2 outbreaks in primary schools, which were reported in the epidemic period from September to December. The main clinical manifestations were vomiting (113 cases, 95.76 %), abdominal pain (39 cases, 33.05%), and diarrhea (16 cases, 13.56%). Among the 8 outbreaks, 17 sample strains were successfully sequenced. 5 outbreaks were GII.3 , and the other 3 outbreaks were GI.1, GI .3 and GII.2. GI and GII were the main genotypes in this area, and GII .3 was the predominant strain. Conclusion SaV is an important pathogen in the clusters of vomiting and diarrhea in schools after the transmission of norovirus. Continuous surveillance of SaV should be carried out to further understand its epidemiological characteristics and genotype distribution, so as to provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of the epidemic in schools.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Steward Scale(S Scale)and the Modified Aldrete Scale (A Scale) for resuscitation of children undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy with general anesthesia.Methods:A total of 199 underage children who underwent non-intubated gastrointestinal endoscopy with general anesthesia in Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from July to December 2022 were retrospectively included in this study and divided into preschool group (36 cases), low school-age group (75 cases) and high school-age group (88 cases) according to age. S Scale and A Scale were also performed to evaluate the recovery from anesthesia. The vital signs of the children and the time required for reaching the target were recorded, and the scoring efficiency and safety of the two scales were compared.Results:The time required for S Scale to reach the standard (17.50 ± 9.29) min was significantly lower than that of A Scale (20.80 ± 12.61) min, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t = 2.97, P<0.01). In the low school-age group, oxygen saturation (0.989 ± 0.010) of A Scale was higher than that of S Scale (0.980 ± 0.015), the difference was significant ( t = 2.17, P<0.05). The time required for S Scale to reach the standard was negatively correlated with age ( r = -0.385, P<0.01). There was no significant correlation between the time required for A scale to reach the standard and the children′s age ( r = -0.089, P>0.05). Conclusions:Although Steward Scale is more efficient than modified Aldrete Scale in evaluating anesthesia resuscitation in underage children undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy with general anesthesia, modified Aldrete Scale is safer than Steward Scale and is more conducive to ensuring the life safety of children.

Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor has become a new drug for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have shown that the mechanism of PCSK9 in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is very complex, which is closely related to the increase of plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, apoptosis, autophagy, inflammation, foam cell formation and vascular smooth muscle cell calcification, which will help us better understand the " multiple effects" of PCSK9 inhibitors. This review aims to analyze the research status of PCSK9 in molecular structure, cell function and cardiovascular disease treatment, which will further consolidate the success of new treatment strategies for atherosclerosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Dahuang Zhechongwan （DHZCW） on adenine-induced renal fibrosis in rats from the perspective of intestinal flora. MethodThirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， and high-， medium- and low-dose DHZCW groups （0.168， 0.084， 0.042 g·kg^-1）， and a pirfenidone group （200 mg·kg^-1）， with 6 rats in each group. Except for those in the blank group， rats in other groups were treated with adenine suspension （250 mg·kg^-1） by gavage for 28 days for renal fibrosis model induction. Subsequently， they received drug intervention for 4 weeks. Urine samples were collected from rats in metabolic cages， and renal function indicators including blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， urea， creatinine （Crea）， cystatin C （Cys C）， and 24-hour urine protein （24 h TP） were measured. Kidney samples were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Masson's trichrome staining to observe the pathological changes in rat renal tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of key effector proteins α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， type Ⅰ collagen （ColⅠ）， and type Ⅲ collagen （ColⅢ） in the kidneys. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA was used to analyze the species diversity of rat intestinal flora. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed increased BUN， urea， Crea， Cys C， and 24 h TP levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-， medium-， and low-dose DHZCW groups， as well as the pirfenidone group， showed significant reductions in BUN， urea， Crea， Cys C， and 24 h TP levels （P<0.01）， indicating that DHZCW intervention significantly improved renal function. In the model group， renal tissues exhibited significant fibrotic changes， and the protein levels of α-SMA， ColⅠ， and ColⅢ were significantly increased （P<0.01） compared to those in the blank group. Compared with the model group， the high-dose DHZCW group and the pirfenidone group had relatively normal tissue structure， with no significant pathological damage observed. However， fibrotic changes were observed in the medium- and low-dose DHZCW groups， with the changes being more significant in the low-dose group. The protein levels of α-SMA， ColⅠ， and ColⅢ were significantly decreased in the high-， medium-， and low-dose DHZCW groups， as well as the pirfenidone group （P<0.01）， indicating that DHZCW effectively reduced abnormal collagen deposition and inhibited renal fibrosis. From the perspective of intestinal flora， at the phylum level， compared with the blank group， the model group showed a significant increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes， leading to a significant imbalance in their ratio. At the family level， the model group decreased the abundance of Lachnospiraceae， Prevotellaceae， and Bacteroidota_unclassified， and increased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae， Lactobacillaceae， and Oscillospiraceae. At the genus level， the model group showed significantly reduced abundance of Firmicutes_unclassified， Bacteroidota_unclassified， and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001， etc.， and increased abundance of UCG-005， Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified， etc. Compared with the model group， DHZCW effectively reduced the abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria， regulating the intestinal flora. ConclusionDHZCW can effectively improve renal function and inhibit renal fibrosis， and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora.

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of Momordica charantia polysaccharide (MCP) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice and the possible mechanism. Methods:MCP was extracted from Momordica charantia (MC). Fifteen C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into three groups with five in each group: control group, DSS group and DSS+ MCP group. The body weight and disease activity index (DAI) of the mice were monitored every day. Mouse colon tissues and serum samples were collected. Pathological changes in intestinal tissues and the expression of inflammatory factors, CD4 + T cells, neutrophils and macrophages were analyzed by HE staining, ELISA, RT-qPCR and flow cytometry. Results:MCP alleviated the DSS-induced UC in mice by restoring body weight and stool consistency and reducing bleeding. Moreover, MCP could repair the mucosal barrier function of colon tissues, decreasing inflammatory cell infiltration and lessening the edema in mucosal layer and muscle layer, and therefore protect the damaged intestinal tract of mice. The expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) and the level of CD4 + T cells were decreased in the colonic tissues of MCP-treated mice. Conclusions:MCP ameliorated DSS-induced UC in mice through inhibiting weight loss, repairing colonic tissue damage, improving immune system disorder and decreasing the expression of inflammatory cytokines. This study provided reference for further study of MCP as a potential dietary intervention in the treatment of UC.

  Objective  This study aimed at describing the frequency of rare variants of monogenic cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVD) in a cohort of patients with CSVD, and to explore its clinical relevance.  Methods  This study included CSVD patients visiting the Neurology Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital(PUMCH) from March 2017 to January 2022, collecting their demographic and clinical information and DNA samples for whole-exome sequencing. Descriptive analysis and statistical analysis were conducted exploring the differences between monogenic CSVD-related gene mutation carriers and noncarriers.  Results  A total of 292 patients were included, 51.03% of whom carried one or more rare variants of monogenic CSVD-related genes. The most common rare low-frequency variants were located in the NOTCH3 gene (70 patients, 23.97%), followed by HTRA1 and COL4A1/COL4A2 (22 patients, 7.53%) respectively. Among the subgroup of patients without a family history of stroke (n=176), the frequency of rare variants was as high as 47.16%. Compared with non-carriers, the carriers were diagnosed at a younger age (58.76±13.71 vs. 63.46±13.21, P=0.003). No difference was found in phenotypes among single-SNP carriers, multiple-SNPs carriers, and noncarriers.  Conclusions  The frequency of rare mutation of monogenic CSVD-related genes were relatively high in Chinese CSVD cohort. The most common rare variant was within the NOTCH3, followed by HTRA1 and COL4A1/COL4A2 genes. For CSVD patients of unknown causes, genetic screening should not be neglected even if there is not a family history of the disease.