Objective To investigate the effects of Shuwei Decoction on calcium homeostasis,oxidative stress,mitochondrial autophagy and cell apoptosis of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in functional dyspepsia(FD)rat with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome;To discuss its mechanism in the treatment of FD.Methods Totally 50 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and Shuwei Decoction low-,medium-and high-dosage groups(3.78,7.56,15.34 g/kg),with 10 rats in each group.An improved composite etiology method was used to establish a rat model of FD with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome,and rats in the Shuwei Decoction low-,medium-and high-dosage groups were orally administered for 14 days.The gastric antrum was taken,the primary ICC was isolated and cultures,and Fluo-4 AM and Rhod-2 AM staining was used to detect the accumulation of calcium ions in the cytoplasm and mitochondria of ICC,DCFH-DA and MitoSox Red were used to detect the content of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in ICC cytoplasm and mitochondria respectively,immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry were used to detect mitochondrial autophagy and apoptosis in ICC,Western blot was used to detect ICC mitochondrial LC3 and voltage dependent anion channel(VDAC)1 protein expression.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group exhibited significantly increased accumulation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca2+and ROS in ICC,the co-localization of TOM20 and LAMP2 markedly increased(P<0.01),along with a significant increase in cell apoptosis rate(P<0.01),the expressions of mitochondrial LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ and VDAC1 proteins significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the accumulation of Ca2+and ROS in ICC cytoplasm and mitochondria was significantly decreased in Shuwei Decoction medium-and high-dosage groups(P<0.05,P<0.01),the co-expression of TOMM20 and LAMP2 significantly decreased(P<0.01),the apoptosis rate decreased(P<0.01),and the expressions of mitochondrial LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ and VDAC1 proteins significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Shuwei Decoction may achieve the treatment of FD with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome in rats by inhibiting Ca2+overload,reducing the accumulation of ROS and excessive autophagy of mitochondria,inhibiting the apoptosis of ICC and restoring ICC function.

Objective·To identify relevant biomarkers for patients with coronavirus disease 2019-associated kidney injury(COVID-19-associated KI)and explore the mechanisms underlying the involvement of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)proteins in infection-related KI by affecting the interactions between renal cells and macrophages.Methods·A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with KI treated in Shanghai Ninth,People's,hospital from December 2022 to February 2023.Serum levels of inflammatory factors and chemokines were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).In vitro,human macrophage cell line THP-1 cells were stimulated with recombinant S1 subunit protein derived from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.The cells and culture supernatants were collected to detect the levels of inflammatory factors and chemokines by using quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)and ELISA.Conditioned medium was prepared from the cell culture supernatants of S1-stimulated THP-1 cells and used to stimulate human renal epithelial cells(HK-2)in vitro to assess cytokine secretion.Antibody blocking experiments were performed to analyze the effects of the conditioned medium on the production of cytokines in HK-2 cells.Results·Among 39 patients with COVID-19,8(20.50%)had creatinine levels above the reference interval,which indicated the occurrence of KI.The levels of peripheral tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the COVID-19 patient with KI group[(18.33±8.20)pg/mL]were significantly higher than those in the non-KI group[(11.88±6.50)pg/mL](P=0.015).In vitro assay has shown that S1-spike protein stimulation promoted the level of gene transcription and production of TNF-α,interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 10(CXCL10)in THP-1 macrophage cells(P＜0.001).Furthermore,the conditioned medium from S1-stimulated THP-1 cells promoted the secretion of TNF-α,IL-1β and CXCL10 by HK-2 cells(P=0.005).When anti-TNF-α antibody(Infliximab)was used to block TNF-α in the culture supernatants from S1-stimulated THP-1 cells,the secretion level of TNF-α by HK-2 cells decreased dramatically(P＜0.001).Conclusion·TNF-α levels increase significantly in COVID-19 patients with KI,implying the significance of TNF-α in the occurrence of COVID-19-associated KI.In vitro experiments confirm that the S1 protein induces TNF-α secretion from THP-1 cells,leading to increased inflammatory responses in renal cells,which may contribute to the development of COVID-19-associated KI.Therefore,targeting TNF-α may become an alternative strategy to reduce the occurrence of COVID-19-associated KI.

Objective:To evaluate the detection capability of the contrast-enhanced three-dimensional turbo spin-echo (CE-SPACE) sequence for brain metastases (BM), aiming to provide evidence for precise target delineation in stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).Methods:A total of 123 BM patients who received radiotherapy at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May to November 2024 were enrolled. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI and CT scans in the same treatment position, with images rigidly registered in the Eclipse planning system. Two experienced radiation oncologists independently delineated BM lesions on CE-MPRAGE and CE-SPACE sequences in a blinded manner. Patients were divided into the delayed group (10 min, n=61) and a priority group (5 min, n=62) based on the time interval between gadolinium injection and CE-SPACE acquisition. The non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the lesion counts and volume differences between the two imaging sequences. Point-biserial correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the additional lesions identified by CE-SPACE and lesion volume. Results:The overall analysis demonstrated that CE-SPACE detected 421 BM lesions, achieving an 8.2% higher detection rate than CE-MPRAGE ( Z=3.78, P<0.001). In terms of lesion volume, the median BM lesions volume identified by CE-SPACE [0.30(0.07,1.53)cm 3] was 8.7% larger than that by CE-MPRAGE [0.23 (0.04, 1.34) cm 3] ( Z=12.88, P<0.001). CE-SPACE demonstrated superior sensitivity for lesions ≤ 0.06 cm3, with negative correlation between the number of additional lesions detected and lesion volume ( r=-0.104, P=0.034). Subgroup analysis revealed that in the delayed group, CE-SPACE detected significantly more lesions [median 2 (1, 3.5) vs. 2 (1, 3), P=0.002] and larger volumes [0.39 (0.08, 2.24) cm3 vs. 0.29 (0.05, 1.99) cm3, P<0.001] than CE-MPRAGE. In the priority group, CE-SPACE detected significantly larger lesion volumes [0.55 (0.09, 2.06) cm3 vs. 0.45 (0.08, 1.88) cm3, P<0.001], but no significant difference was observed in lesion counts between two sequences ( P=0.059). Conclusions:Three-dimensional CE-SPACE sequence offers superior detection sensitivity for small BM (≤ 0.06 cm3), providing crucial guidance for accurate target delineation in SRT.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between maternal infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant during pregnancy and common infant illnesses and neurodevelopment. MethodsA cohort study was designed, selecting 113 pregnant women from Shanghai’s Pudong New Area who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by nasal swab reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and were transported to medical institutions for isolation treatment between March and May 2022. These women constituted the pregnancy infection group. Concurrently, 226 pregnant women from the same region and time period who did not infect with SARS-CoV-2 were selected as the control group. Both groups were followed up until delivery and their offspring’s one year old. The differences in the risk of common infant illnesses and the level of infant’s neurodevelopment at age one were compared between the two groups. ResultsNo significant difference was found in the incidence of common illnesses before one year of age between the pregnancy infection group and the control group. Additionally, no significant differences were found in any domain scores of the ASQ-3 between the two groups. ConclusionMaternal infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant during pregnancy was not statistically significant correlated with common infant illnesses in infancy and neurodevelopment at age one.

Background and aims:Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is an autoimmune liver disease characterized by complex pathogenesis and limited available therapeutic options.The mechanisms underlying the development and progression of PSCs remain unclear.Liver X receptor beta(LXR-β)is recognized to modulate lipid metabolism and immune response,but its specific involvement in the PSC has not been elucidated.Here,we explored the role and mechanism of LXR-β in PSC induced by 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-2,4,6-collidine(DDC).Methods:CRISPR-Cas9 technology was applied to generate Abcb4(coding MDR2,next named as Mdr2),Nr1h2(coding LXR-β,next named as Lxrβ),and Rag2(coding RAG2)knockout mice.DDC was used to induce PSC.Hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining were used to assess the extent of hepatic injury and fibrosis.Flow cytometry was used to observe immune cell subsets.Results:We observed a declining trend in hepatic Lxrβ in the PSC model.Unexpectedly,Lxrβ knockout failed to modulate DDC-induced PSC pathogenesis.Concomitantly,assessment of the influence of Rag2 deficiency on PSC progression revealed the absence of aggravated or alleviated hepatic injury or fibrosis in the Rag2-/-DDC mice.However,Lxrβ depletion intensified DDC-induced PSC in the Rag2-/-mice,with more abundant infiltrative inflammatory cells and more severe liver fibrosis.Compared with Rag2-/-DDC mice,Lxrβ-/-Rag2-/-DDC mice had higher serum ALT and AST levels and mRNA expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic genes.Flow cytometry showed that LXR-β deficiency resulted in a diminished population of hepatic innate immune cells.Conclusion:This study indicated innate immune cell LXR-β deficiency can exacerbate hepatic injury and fibrosis in murine models of PSC suggesting that LXR-β may regulate the function of innate immunity in the fibrotic advancement of PSC.

Objective To investigate the effects of Shuwei Decoction on calcium homeostasis,oxidative stress,mitochondrial autophagy and cell apoptosis of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in functional dyspepsia(FD)rat with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome;To discuss its mechanism in the treatment of FD.Methods Totally 50 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and Shuwei Decoction low-,medium-and high-dosage groups(3.78,7.56,15.34 g/kg),with 10 rats in each group.An improved composite etiology method was used to establish a rat model of FD with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome,and rats in the Shuwei Decoction low-,medium-and high-dosage groups were orally administered for 14 days.The gastric antrum was taken,the primary ICC was isolated and cultures,and Fluo-4 AM and Rhod-2 AM staining was used to detect the accumulation of calcium ions in the cytoplasm and mitochondria of ICC,DCFH-DA and MitoSox Red were used to detect the content of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in ICC cytoplasm and mitochondria respectively,immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry were used to detect mitochondrial autophagy and apoptosis in ICC,Western blot was used to detect ICC mitochondrial LC3 and voltage dependent anion channel(VDAC)1 protein expression.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group exhibited significantly increased accumulation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca2+and ROS in ICC,the co-localization of TOM20 and LAMP2 markedly increased(P<0.01),along with a significant increase in cell apoptosis rate(P<0.01),the expressions of mitochondrial LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ and VDAC1 proteins significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the accumulation of Ca2+and ROS in ICC cytoplasm and mitochondria was significantly decreased in Shuwei Decoction medium-and high-dosage groups(P<0.05,P<0.01),the co-expression of TOMM20 and LAMP2 significantly decreased(P<0.01),the apoptosis rate decreased(P<0.01),and the expressions of mitochondrial LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ and VDAC1 proteins significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Shuwei Decoction may achieve the treatment of FD with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome in rats by inhibiting Ca2+overload,reducing the accumulation of ROS and excessive autophagy of mitochondria,inhibiting the apoptosis of ICC and restoring ICC function.

Objective·To identify relevant biomarkers for patients with coronavirus disease 2019-associated kidney injury(COVID-19-associated KI)and explore the mechanisms underlying the involvement of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)proteins in infection-related KI by affecting the interactions between renal cells and macrophages.Methods·A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with KI treated in Shanghai Ninth,People's,hospital from December 2022 to February 2023.Serum levels of inflammatory factors and chemokines were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).In vitro,human macrophage cell line THP-1 cells were stimulated with recombinant S1 subunit protein derived from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.The cells and culture supernatants were collected to detect the levels of inflammatory factors and chemokines by using quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)and ELISA.Conditioned medium was prepared from the cell culture supernatants of S1-stimulated THP-1 cells and used to stimulate human renal epithelial cells(HK-2)in vitro to assess cytokine secretion.Antibody blocking experiments were performed to analyze the effects of the conditioned medium on the production of cytokines in HK-2 cells.Results·Among 39 patients with COVID-19,8(20.50%)had creatinine levels above the reference interval,which indicated the occurrence of KI.The levels of peripheral tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the COVID-19 patient with KI group[(18.33±8.20)pg/mL]were significantly higher than those in the non-KI group[(11.88±6.50)pg/mL](P=0.015).In vitro assay has shown that S1-spike protein stimulation promoted the level of gene transcription and production of TNF-α,interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 10(CXCL10)in THP-1 macrophage cells(P＜0.001).Furthermore,the conditioned medium from S1-stimulated THP-1 cells promoted the secretion of TNF-α,IL-1β and CXCL10 by HK-2 cells(P=0.005).When anti-TNF-α antibody(Infliximab)was used to block TNF-α in the culture supernatants from S1-stimulated THP-1 cells,the secretion level of TNF-α by HK-2 cells decreased dramatically(P＜0.001).Conclusion·TNF-α levels increase significantly in COVID-19 patients with KI,implying the significance of TNF-α in the occurrence of COVID-19-associated KI.In vitro experiments confirm that the S1 protein induces TNF-α secretion from THP-1 cells,leading to increased inflammatory responses in renal cells,which may contribute to the development of COVID-19-associated KI.Therefore,targeting TNF-α may become an alternative strategy to reduce the occurrence of COVID-19-associated KI.

Objective:To evaluate the detection capability of the contrast-enhanced three-dimensional turbo spin-echo (CE-SPACE) sequence for brain metastases (BM), aiming to provide evidence for precise target delineation in stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).Methods:A total of 123 BM patients who received radiotherapy at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May to November 2024 were enrolled. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI and CT scans in the same treatment position, with images rigidly registered in the Eclipse planning system. Two experienced radiation oncologists independently delineated BM lesions on CE-MPRAGE and CE-SPACE sequences in a blinded manner. Patients were divided into the delayed group (10 min, n=61) and a priority group (5 min, n=62) based on the time interval between gadolinium injection and CE-SPACE acquisition. The non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the lesion counts and volume differences between the two imaging sequences. Point-biserial correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the additional lesions identified by CE-SPACE and lesion volume. Results:The overall analysis demonstrated that CE-SPACE detected 421 BM lesions, achieving an 8.2% higher detection rate than CE-MPRAGE ( Z=3.78, P<0.001). In terms of lesion volume, the median BM lesions volume identified by CE-SPACE [0.30(0.07,1.53)cm 3] was 8.7% larger than that by CE-MPRAGE [0.23 (0.04, 1.34) cm 3] ( Z=12.88, P<0.001). CE-SPACE demonstrated superior sensitivity for lesions ≤ 0.06 cm3, with negative correlation between the number of additional lesions detected and lesion volume ( r=-0.104, P=0.034). Subgroup analysis revealed that in the delayed group, CE-SPACE detected significantly more lesions [median 2 (1, 3.5) vs. 2 (1, 3), P=0.002] and larger volumes [0.39 (0.08, 2.24) cm3 vs. 0.29 (0.05, 1.99) cm3, P<0.001] than CE-MPRAGE. In the priority group, CE-SPACE detected significantly larger lesion volumes [0.55 (0.09, 2.06) cm3 vs. 0.45 (0.08, 1.88) cm3, P<0.001], but no significant difference was observed in lesion counts between two sequences ( P=0.059). Conclusions:Three-dimensional CE-SPACE sequence offers superior detection sensitivity for small BM (≤ 0.06 cm3), providing crucial guidance for accurate target delineation in SRT.

Aim Preliminarily construct a classification system for Yi medicine diseases,and establish a relatively well-defined and clear hierarchy of disease terms and their classification system.Methods Adopting the research methods of Yi medicine,terminology and standard science,and drawing on the idea of standardisation of Chinese medicine's disease classification system,through in-depth excavation of the content characteristics of the 52 excavated ancient Yi medicine books on diseases and medicines,systematically collate the terms and terminology of Yi medicine diseases,and formulate the'Three-level Class List of Yi Medicine Diseases'on the basis of the original classification of ancient books,and construct a knowledge database of Yi medicine diseases.Constructing a knowledge database of Yi medical conditions.Results To establish the principle of classification of diseases and conditions in Yi medicine,with the first level of categories being the categories of diseases and conditions in Yi medicine,the second level of categories being the categories of sections,and the third level of categories being the subcategories of speciality systems,and to establish the method of classifying the various diseases and conditions in Yi medicine into categories and systems in accordance with the established principles.Conclusion The Yi medicine disease classification system is a systematic integration and standardised classification of disease terms from Yi medicine texts and literature over the ages,which helps to lead Yi medicine clinics to carry out medical activities in accordance with their own academic and clinical trajectories,and promotes the standardised research of Yi medicine.

Aim Preliminarily construct a classification system for Yi medicine diseases,and establish a relatively well-defined and clear hierarchy of disease terms and their classification system.Methods Adopting the research methods of Yi medicine,terminology and standard science,and drawing on the idea of standardisation of Chinese medicine's disease classification system,through in-depth excavation of the content characteristics of the 52 excavated ancient Yi medicine books on diseases and medicines,systematically collate the terms and terminology of Yi medicine diseases,and formulate the'Three-level Class List of Yi Medicine Diseases'on the basis of the original classification of ancient books,and construct a knowledge database of Yi medicine diseases.Constructing a knowledge database of Yi medical conditions.Results To establish the principle of classification of diseases and conditions in Yi medicine,with the first level of categories being the categories of diseases and conditions in Yi medicine,the second level of categories being the categories of sections,and the third level of categories being the subcategories of speciality systems,and to establish the method of classifying the various diseases and conditions in Yi medicine into categories and systems in accordance with the established principles.Conclusion The Yi medicine disease classification system is a systematic integration and standardised classification of disease terms from Yi medicine texts and literature over the ages,which helps to lead Yi medicine clinics to carry out medical activities in accordance with their own academic and clinical trajectories,and promotes the standardised research of Yi medicine.