ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Tangning Tongluo tablets in the treatment of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy （DR）. MethodsFourteen research centers participated in this study， which spanned a time interval from September 2021 to May 2023. A total of 240 patients with nonproliferative DR were included and randomly assigned into an observation group （120 cases） and a control group （120 cases）. The observation group was treated with Tangning Tongluo tablets， and the control group with calcium dobesilate capsules. Both groups were treated for 24 consecutive weeks. The vision， DR progression rate， retinal microhemangioma， hemorrhage area， exudation area， glycosylated hemoglobin （HbA1c） level， and TCM syndrome score were assessed before and after treatment， and the safety was observed. ResultsThe vision changed in both groups after treatment （P<0.05）， and the observation group showed higher best corrected visual acuity （BCVA） than the control group （P<0.05）. The DR progression was slow with similar rates in the two groups. The fundus hemorrhage area and exudation area did not change significantly after treatment in both groups， while the observation group outperformed the control group in reducing the fundus hemorrhage area and exudation area. There was no significant difference in the number of microhemangiomas between the two groups before treatment. After treatment， the number of microhemangiomas decreased in both the observation group （Z=-1.437， P<0.05） and the control group （Z=-2.238， P<0.05）， and it showed no significant difference between the two groups. As the treatment time prolonged， the number of microhemangiomas gradually decreased in both groups. There was no significant difference in the HbA1c level between the two groups before treatment. After treatment， the decline in the HbA1c level showed no significant difference between the two groups. The TCM syndrome score did not have a statistically significant difference between the two groups before treatment. After treatment， neither the TCM syndrome score nor the response rate had significant difference between the two groups. With the extension of the treatment time， both groups showed amelioration of TCM syndrome compared with the baseline. ConclusionTangning Tongluo tablets are safe and effective in the treatment of nonproliferative DR， being capable of improving vision and reducing hemorrhage and exudation in the fundus.

This study aims to explore the specific mechanism by which puerarin inhibits ferroptosis and improves the myocardial contractile function in myocardial hypertrophy through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/antioxidant response element(ARE)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) signaling pathway. The hypertrophic cardiomyocyte model was established using phenylephrine, and H9c2 cells were divided into control group, model group, puerarin group, and puerarin+ML385 group. Cell viability and surface area were detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) and immunofluorescence experiments. The mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca~(2+) concentration were measured. The ferroptosis-related indicators were detected by biochemical and fluorescence staining methods. The expression of proteins related to ferroptosis and the Nrf2/ARE/HO-1 signaling pathway was detected by Western blot. A myocardial hypertrophy model was established, and 40 rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group, puerarin group, and puerarin+Nrf2 inhibitor(ML385) group, with 10 rats in each group. Echocardiogram, hemodynamic parameters, and myocardial hypertrophy parameters were measured. Histopathological changes of myocardial tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining. Biochemical methods, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and fluorescence staining were used to detect inflammatory factors and ferroptosis-related indicators. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of proteins related to ferroptosis and the Nrf2/ARE/HO-1 signaling pathway. Cell experiments showed that puerarin intervention significantly enhanced the viability of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes, reduced their surface area, and restored mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca~(2+) homeostasis. Mechanism studies revealed that puerarin promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation, upregulated the expression of HO-1, solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11), and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), and decreased malondialdehyde(MDA), reactive oxygen species(ROS), and iron levels. These protective effects were reversed by ML385. In animal experiments, puerarin improved cardiac function in rats with myocardial hypertrophy, alleviated myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, inhibited inflammatory responses and ferroptosis, and promoted nuclear Nrf2 translocation and HO-1 expression. However, combined intervention with ML385 led to deterioration of hemodynamics and a rebound in ferroptosis marker levels. In conclusion, puerarin may inhibit cardiomyocyte ferroptosis through the Nrf2/ARE/HO-1 signaling pathway, thereby improving myocardial contractile function in myocardial hypertrophy.
Animals ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics* ; Rats ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Isoflavones/pharmacology* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Cardiomegaly/genetics* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Antioxidant Response Elements/drug effects* ; Myocardial Contraction/drug effects* ; Heme Oxygenase-1/genetics* ; Cell Line

Acute kidney injury(AKI)is a common critical condition in clinical practice,characterized by a rapid decline in renal function within a short period.The pathogenesis of AKI is complex and has not been fully elucidated.In recent years,studies have found that the activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)and the Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)inflammasome are closely related to the occurrence of AKI.When the kidneys is damaged,the internal environment of the kidney cells is disrupted,leading to the activation of ERS.Excessive ERS can induce apoptosis of renal cells,leading to the occurrence of AKI.Additionally,the NLRP3 inflammasome can mediate the recognition of endogenous and exogenous danger signal molecules by the host,subsequently activating caspase-1,pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18,inducing inflammatory responses,and promoting apoptosis of renal cells.In animal models of AKI,the upregulation of ERS markers is often accompanied by increased expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins,indicating that ERS can regulate the activation process of the NLRP3 inflammasome.Clarifying the role and mechanism of ERS and NLRP3 inflammasome in AKI is expected to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of AKI.

Xiaoyaowan has the effects of soothing the liver， invigorating the spleen， regulating menstruation， and nourishing blood. It is often used to treat the distending pain of the chest and hypochondriac， loss of appetite， dizziness， and irregular menstruation caused by liver depression and spleen deficiency. The formula originated from the Sinisan of Treatise on Cold Damage（《伤寒论》） in the Han dynasty and was officially formulated in the Song dynasty's Taiping Royal Prescriptions（《太平惠民合计局方》）. In the Ming and Qing dynasties， it was developed into more comprehensive formulas such as modified Bazhentang， modified Xiaoyaowan， and other formulas. In recent years， Xiaoyaowan has become a classic formula for treating many symptoms of liver depression. The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China（《中华人民共和国药典》）， 2020 edition， records Xiaoyaowan and modified Xiaoyaowan. Modern clinical research has further expanded the therapeutic range of this formula. Through literature research， it is found that there are certain reports on the clinical application and quality analysis of Xiaoyaowan， but the relevant literature lacks collation so far. Therefore， relevant literature was consulted and sorted out. The paper summarized the treatment of mammary hyperplasia， depression， irregular menstruation， melasma， menopausal syndrome， and polycystic ovary syndrome with Xiaoyaowan， as well as the quality analysis of paeoniflorin， ferulic acid， and glycyrrhizinic acid of Xiaoyaowan. It is expected to lay a foundation for further research on clinical application， pharmacodynamic mechanism， and quality control of this classic formula.

OBJECTIVE To study the antifungal activity of Huangqin decoction （HQD） against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and explore its mechanism. METHODS Minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC）， minimal fungicidal concentration （MFC）， mycelial length， spore germination rate， biomass and mycelium ultrastructure observation were performed to evaluate the antifungal activity of HQD against T. mentagrophytes. The effects of HQD on the cell wall of T. mentagrophytes were detected through sorbitol protection experiment. By measuring the content of ergosterol and the activities of squalene epoxide （SE） and lanosterol 14α-demethylase （CYP51）， the activity of HQD on the cell membrane of T. mentagrophytes was investigated. The effects of HQD on T. mentagrophytes mitochondria were investigated by determining the activities of malate dehydrogenase （MDH）， succinate dehydrogenase （SDH）， and ATPases （including sodium potassium ATPase， calcium magnesium ATPase， and total ATPase）. RESULTS HQD exhibited significant antifungal activity against T. mentagrophytes with MIC of 3.13 mg/mL and MFC of 25 mg/mL. After intervention with HQD， the mycelial length of T. mentagrophytes was significantly shortened （P＜0.05）； spore germination rate， biomass， the content of ergosterol in the cell membrane， the activities of SE and CYP51 in the cell membrane and MDH， SDH and ATPase in mitochondria were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； cell structure had been ；damaged to a certain extent， but the integrity of the cell wall had not been affected. CONCLUSIONS HQD shows significant antifungal activity against T. mentagrophytes， the mechanism of which may be associated with reducing the 0791- content of ergosterol in the cell membrane and the activities of SE， CYP51， and mitochondria-related enzymes.

BackgroundDomestic researches on the professional identity of psychiatrists are still relatively rare up to now， and effective evaluation tools remain inadequate. ObjectiveTo construct a professional identity questionnaire for psychiatrists with high reliability and validity， so as to provide an effective tool for the evaluation of professional identity of psychiatrists. MethodsA self-designed questionnaire titled "Professional Identity Questionnaire" was compiled. After preliminary screening of items and expert consultation， an initial questionnaire was formed and administered to a sample of 400 psychiatrists， and the final questionnaire was assessed by item analysis， reliability analysis and validity analysis. ResultsThe Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.930 for the final questionnaire， and ranged from 0.817 to 0.920 for each dimension. The value of KMO was 0.904 （χ²=2 931.652， P<0.01）. The cumulative variance contribution rate of factors extracted from exploratory factor analysis was 68.306%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the integrity of fit indexes were χ²/df=1.234， GFI=0.905， NFI=0.916， RMSEA=0.036， CFI=0.983， IFI=0.983. The final version of the professional identity questionnaire for psychiatrists consisted of 23 items relating to 4 dimensions， namely， professional cognition， professional behavior， professional emotion and professional values. ConclusionThe professional identity questionnaire for psychiatrists has good reliability and validity， and can be used as an effective tool to evaluate the professional identity of psychiatrists. ［Funded by Foundation of Sichuan Research Center of Applied Psychology of Chengdu Medical College （number， CSXL-22304）； Science and Technology Guiding Plan Project of Guangyuan City （number， 22ZDYF0072）］

ObjectiveTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the breast cancer subtype with the worst prognosis, and lacks effective therapeutic targets. Colony stimulating factors (CSFs) are cytokines that can regulate the production of blood cells and stimulate the growth and development of immune cells, playing an important role in the malignant progression of TNBC. This article aims to construct a novel prognostic model based on the expression of colony stimulating factors-related genes (CRGs), and analyze the sensitivity of TNBC patients to immunotherapy and drug therapy. MethodsWe downloaded CRGs from public databases and screened for differentially expressed CRGs between normal and TNBC tissues in the TCGA-BRCA database. Through LASSO Cox regression analysis, we constructed a prognostic model and stratified TNBC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups based on the colony stimulating factors-related genes risk score (CRRS). We further analyzed the correlation between CRRS and patient prognosis, clinical features, tumor microenvironment (TME) in both high-risk and low-risk groups, and evaluated the relationship between CRRS and sensitivity to immunotherapy and drug therapy. ResultsWe identified 842 differentially expressed CRGs in breast cancer tissues of TNBC patients and selected 13 CRGs for constructing the prognostic model. Kaplan-Meier survival curves, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves, and other analyses confirmed that TNBC patients with high CRRS had shorter overall survival, and the predictive ability of CRRS prognostic model was further validated using the GEO dataset. Nomogram combining clinical features confirmed that CRRS was an independent factor for the prognosis of TNBC patients. Moreover, patients in the high-risk group had lower levels of immune infiltration in the TME and were sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs such as 5-fluorouracil, ipatasertib, and paclitaxel. ConclusionWe have developed a CRRS-based prognostic model composed of 13 differentially expressed CRGs, which may serve as a useful tool for predicting the prognosis of TNBC patients and guiding clinical treatment. Moreover, the key genes within this model may represent potential molecular targets for future therapies of TNBC.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatial distribution characteristics of Clonorchis sinensis human infections in Guangdong Province from 2016 to 2022, so as to provide insights into formulation of the clonorchiasis control measures in the province. Methods Xinhui District of Jiangmen City, Longmen County of Huizhou City and Wengyuan County of Shaoguan City in Guangdong Province were selected as fixed surveillance sites for human clonorchiasis from 2016 to 2022, and additional 10% to 15% counties (districts) endemic for clonorchiasis were sampled from Guangdong Province as mobile surveillance sites each year from 2016 to 2022. A village (community) was randomly selected from each surveillance site according to the geographical orientations of east, west, south, north and middle, and subjects were randomly sampled from each village (community). C. sinensis eggs were detected in subjects’ stool samples using the Kato-Katz technique, and the prevalence and intensity of C. sinensis infections were calculated. In addition, subjects’ gender, age, ethnicity, educational level and occupation were collected. The Guangdong Provincial 1:1 million electronic map in vector format was downloaded from the National Geomatics Center of China, and kernel density analysis and spatial autocorrelation analysis of C. sinensis human infections in Guangdong Province from 2016 to 2022 were performed using the software ArcGIS 10.7. Results A total of 153 188 residents were tested for C. sinensis infections in Guangdong Province from 2016 to 2022, including 75 596 men (49.35%) and 77 592 women (50.65%), and there were 5 369 residents infected with C. sinensis, with 3.50% overall prevalence of infections. The prevalence rates of severe, moderate and mild C. sinensis infections were 0.76%, 7.26% and 91.97% among C. sinensis-infected residents in Guangdong Province from 2016 to 2022, and there were age-, gender-, ethnicity-, occupation- and educational level-specific prevalence of C. sinensis human infections (χ² = 2 578.31, 637.33, 52.22, 2 893.28 and 1 139.33, all P values < 0.05). Global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed a cluster in the prevalence of C. sinensis human infections in Guangdong Province (Moran’s I = 0.63, Z = 27.31, P < 0.05). Kernel density analysis showed that the prevalence of C. sinensis human infections with a high kernel density in Guangdong Province was mainly distributed along the Zhujiang River basin in Pearl River Delta areas, followed by in eastern and northern Guangdong Province. In addition, local spatial autocorrelation analysis identified 73 high-high clusters of the prevalence of C. sinensis human infections in Guangdong Province. Conclusions The prevalence of C. sinensis human infections was high in Guangdong Province from 2016 to 2022, and mild infection was predominant among all clonorchiasis cases, with spatial clusters identified in the prevalence of C. sinensis human infections. Targeted clonorchiasis control measures are required among high-risk populations and areas.

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of high glucose on mesothelial-mesenchymal transition(MMT)of peritoneal mesothelial cells(HMrSV5),and the protective effect of pharmacological blocking of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)on rat peritoneal fibrosis(PF)model.Methods The animals were divided into three groups:the sham group,the model group,and the STAT3 inhibitor group.A miniature per-itoneal dialysis catheter was implanted under the dorsal skin of rat and the rat peritoneal fibrosis model was induced by daily injection of high glucose dialysate.After 10 weeks,HE staining was used to evaluate the histology of the peritoneum,and the level of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)in the peritoneum was measured by immuno-histochemistry.HMrSV5 was cultured in high glucose and the optimal stimulation concentration of high glucose was determined by Western blot.High glucose was used to stimulate HMrSV5 after successful transfection with si-STAT3 and Western blot was used to measure the protein level of STAT3,p-STAT3,and the key enzymes of glycol-ysis 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3(PFKFB3)and lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA).Results HE staining showed that administration of STAT3 inhibitor(BP-1-102)could inhibit the thickening of subperitoneal tissue and the proliferation of vessels in HG dialysis rats.The expression of TGF-β1 in the rats perito-neum of the model group was significantly higher than that in the sham group,and the level of TGF-β1 was marked-ly lower in the STAT3 inhibitor group compared to the model group(P<0.05).Compared to the control group,high glucose induced the up-regulation of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),the down-regulation of E-cadherin and STAT3 activation in HMrSV5(P<0.05).Mesothelial cells treated with high glucose also exhibited high expres-sion of the key enzymes of glycolysis(PFKFB3,LDHA)(P<0.05),and si-STAT3 can effectively inhibit the overexpression of PFKFB3 and LDHA induced by high glucose(P<0.05).Conclusion STAT3 is involved in high glucose-induced HMrSV5 hyperglycolysis and MMT,and targeting STAT3 alleviates peritoneal fibrosis and an-giogenesis during peritoneal dialysis treatment in rats.

Objective To investigate the effect of the petroleum ether extract of Sageretia thea on the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells.Methods After breast cancer cells were incubated with the petroleum ether extract for different times,cell viability was analyzed by CCK8 assay,cell proliferation was detected by plate cloning test,nuclear morphology was observed by DAPI staining,mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were determined by immunofluorescence,and the cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.After incubating with the extract for 24 h,the CCK8 assay was used to observe the toxicity to normal human vascular endothelial cells.Results The IC50 of BT549 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines treated with the petroleum ether extract for 24 h were 45.40 μg/ml and 12.23 μg/ml,respectively.The extract time and dose dependently inhibited breast cancer cell viability and clonal formation,induced cell apoptosis and cycle arrest in G1/S phase,decreased MMP and increased ROS levels.There was no toxic effect on normal endothelial cells.Conclusion The petroleum ether extract of Sageretia thea may induce apoptosis by increasing ROS to cause MMP collapse,followed by activating mitochondrial pathway,thereby hindering the growth of breast cancer cells.These results could support the application of Sageretia thea to anti-breast tumor in the folk.