ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Naoqingtong decoction （NQT） on the kidney damage and the inflammatory factors NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain （ASC）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 （Caspase-1）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in spontaneously hypertensive rats （SHRs）. MethodsTwenty-four SHRs were randomized into a model group， a low-dose （12.9 g·kg^-1·d^-1） NQT （NQT-L） group， a high-dose （25.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1） NQT group （NQT-H）， and a captopril （CTP， 20 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） group， with 6 rats in each group. In addition， 6 homozygous male Wistar-Kyoto rats were used as the control group. The control and model groups were administrated with the same amount of normal saline by gavage for 8 weeks. General behaviors of rats were observed during the intervention period， and the blood pressure was measured periodically. At the end of intervention， the body mass was weighed， and both kidneys were collected and weighed for the calculation of the renal index. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the kidney tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were employed to determine the expression levels of NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， IL-6， and TNF-α in the kidney tissue. ResultsDuring the experiment period， the control group had normal mental status， food intake， and activity， while the model group showed thinning of hair， loss of luster， reduced activity， loss of appetite， fecal adhesion， and irritability， and some of the skin had scratches or blood scabs. The above symptoms were alleviated to different degrees after 8 weeks of NQT administration. An intelligent non-invasive sphygmomanometer was used to measure the tail artery pressure of rats， which showed that the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of rats in the model group was higher than that in the control group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， drug interventions lowered the systolic and diastolic blood pressure （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the model group showed severe pathological damage in the kidney tissue， which was alleviated in each drug intervention group. Compared with the control group， the model group showed up-regulated expression levels of NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， IL-6， and TNF-α in the kidney tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the drug intervention groups showed down-regulated expression levels of NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， IL-6， and TNF-α in the kidney tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionNQT can lower the blood pressure in SHRs by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes， suppressing renal inflammation， and ameliorating hypertensive kidney damage.

The innate immune system can be boosted in response to subsequent triggers by pre-exposure to microbes or microbial products, known as “trained immunity”. Compared to classical immune memory, innate trained immunity has several different features. Firstly, the molecules involved in trained immunity differ from those involved in classical immune memory. Innate trained immunity mainly involves innate immune cells (e.g., myeloid immune cells, natural killer cells, innate lymphoid cells) and their effector molecules (e.g., pattern recognition receptor (PRR), various cytokines), as well as some kinds of non-immune cells (e.g., microglial cells). Secondly, the increased responsiveness to secondary stimuli during innate trained immunity is not specific to a particular pathogen, but influences epigenetic reprogramming in the cell through signaling pathways, leading to the sustained changes in genes transcriptional process, which ultimately affects cellular physiology without permanent genetic changes (e.g., mutations or recombination). Finally, innate trained immunity relies on an altered functional state of innate immune cells that could persist for weeks to months after initial stimulus removal. An appropriate inducer could induce trained immunity in innate lymphocytes, such as exogenous stimulants (including vaccines) and endogenous stimulants, which was firstly discovered in bone marrow derived immune cells. However, mature bone marrow derived immune cells are short-lived cells, that may not be able to transmit memory phenotypes to their offspring and provide long-term protection. Therefore, trained immunity is more likely to be relied on long-lived cells, such as epithelial stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells and non-immune cells such as fibroblasts. Epigenetic reprogramming is one of the key molecular mechanisms that induces trained immunity, including DNA modifications, non-coding RNAs, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling. In addition to epigenetic reprogramming, different cellular metabolic pathways are involved in the regulation of innate trained immunity, including aerobic glycolysis, glutamine catabolism, cholesterol metabolism and fatty acid synthesis, through a series of intracellular cascade responses triggered by the recognition of PRR specific ligands. In the view of evolutionary, trained immunity is beneficial in enhancing protection against secondary infections with an induction in the evolutionary protective process against infections. Therefore, innate trained immunity plays an important role in therapy against diseases such as tumors and infections, which has signature therapeutic effects in these diseases. In organ transplantation, trained immunity has been associated with acute rejection, which prolongs the survival of allografts. However, trained immunity is not always protective but pathological in some cases, and dysregulated trained immunity contributes to the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Trained immunity provides a novel form of immune memory, but when inappropriately activated, may lead to an attack on tissues, causing autoinflammation. In autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, trained immunity may lead to enhance inflammation and tissue lesion in diseased regions. In Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, trained immunity may lead to over-activation of microglial cells, triggering neuroinflammation even nerve injury. This paper summarizes the basis and mechanisms of innate trained immunity, including the different cell types involved, the impacts on diseases and the effects as a therapeutic strategy to provide novel ideas for different diseases.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Shentong Zhuyutang combined with Dilongtang in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation （LDH） with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome， and its effect on nucleus pulposus reabsorption and immune-inflammatory factors， exploring its therapeutic mechanism from the perspective of reabsorption. MethodsA total of 120 patients with LDH from the Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine， treated between June 2020 and January 2023， were randomly divided into the control group （52 cases， with 8 dropouts） and the observation group （49 cases， with 11 dropouts） according to a random number table. The control group received routine treatment， while the observation group was treated with Shentong Zhuyutang combined with Dilongtang in addition to routine treatment. Visual Analogue Scale （VAS）， Oswestry Disability Index （ODI）， Japanese Orthopaedic Association （JOA） score， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score were measured before treatment and after 3 courses of treatment. Venous blood samples were collected for the determination of serological indexes. MR examination was performed during the 6-month follow-up to calculate the absorption rate. ResultsAfter treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in VAS， ODI， TCM syndrome score， serum tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， matrix metalloproteinase （MMP）-9， and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） levels， and a significant increase in JOA score compared with pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the observation group showed significantly lower VAS， ODI， TCM syndrome score， serum TNF-α， MMP-9， and VEGF levels， and a significantly higher JOA score （P<0.05）. The proportion of nucleus pulposus reabsorption in the observation group was 57.14% （28/49）， significantly higher than 21.15% （11/52） in the control group （χ²=6.161， P<0.05）. ConclusionShentong Zhuyutang combined with Dilongtang can effectively relieve pain， improve lumbar function， and alleviate TCM clinical symptoms in LDH patients with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. Imaging findings suggest that the treatment promotes the reabsorption of nucleus pulposus protrusion， while laboratory testing shows reduced serum levels of TNF-α， MMP-9， and VEGF， which contribute to the rehabilitation of patients.

Cardiovascular diseases （CVD），a group of common diseases in clinical practice，are witnessing a steady rise in both incidence and mortality rates，posing a challenge to public health. Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang，originating from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber （《金匮要略》），was initially used to treat severe cases of chest impediment. The formula consists of Trichosanthis Fructus，Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus，Pinelliae Rhizoma，and Baijiu. It has a wide range of clinical applications，with therapeutic effects including moving Qi to relieve depression，activating Yang to dissipate mass，and expelling phlegm to alleviate chest congestion. In recent years，clinical research has confirmed that Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang，with or without modification，used alone or in combination with Western medicine，has definite effects in the treatment of CVD such as hyperlipidemia，coronary atherosclerotic heart disease，hypertension，heart failure，and arrhythmia. It can alleviate disease symptoms and reduce the risk of re-hospitalization. Basic research indicates that the mechanisms of Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang include improving endothelial functions，exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties，countering oxidative stress，preventing apoptosis，inhibiting ventricular remodeling，regulating mitochondrial functions，improving hemorheology，and modulating autophagy and neurotransmitters. This article reviews relevant articles in recent years with focuses on the compatibility，clinical application，and mechanism of Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang. This review is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the mechanism research and clinical application of this formula in treating CVD and to offer ideas and reference for in-depth research.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of neferine （NEF） on mitophagy in Parkinson’s disease （PD） cells by regulating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）/UNC-51-like kinase 1 （ULK1） signaling pathway， and explore the mechanism of this drug to improve PD. METHODS SH-SY5Y cells were treated with 100 μmol/L 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion （MPP+） for 24 h to construct a PD cell model. PD model cells were divided into model group （PD group）， NEF low-， medium- and high-concentration groups （NEF-L， NEF-M， NEF-H group， 2.5， 5.0， 10.0 μmol/L）， and high concentration of NEF+AMPK inhibitor group （NEF-H+Compound C group， 10.0 μmol/L NEF+50 μmol/L Compound C）. The cells treated without MPP+ and NEF were used as the control group. The ultrastructure of the cells in each group was observed； the amount of autophagosomes， survival rate， apoptosis rate， mitochondrial membrane potential， and the protein expressions of Caspase-3， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） and Beclin-1， as well as the phosphorylation levels of mTOR， AMPK and ULK1 were detected. RESULTS Compared with PD group， the amount of autophagosomes in NEF-L， NEF-M and NEF-H groups was increased， and membrane potential was increased； survival rate， LC3- Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ， protein expression of Beclin-1， and protein phosphorylation levels of AMPK and ULK1 were significantly increased or up-regulated； the apoptotic rate， protein expressions of Caspase-3 and p62， and protein phosphorylation level of mTOR were significantly decreased or down-regulated， and the above improvements were in a dose-dependent manner （P＜0.05）. Compound C could significantly reverse the above improvement effect of high concentration of NEF （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS NEF can promote mitophagy and inhibit apoptosis of PD model cells by up-regulating protein phosphorylation levels of AMPK and ULK1， and down-regulating protein phosphorylation level of mTOR， thus playing a protective role in nerve cells.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of neferine （NEF） on mitophagy in Parkinson’s disease （PD） cells by regulating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）/UNC-51-like kinase 1 （ULK1） signaling pathway， and explore the mechanism of this drug to improve PD. METHODS SH-SY5Y cells were treated with 100 μmol/L 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion （MPP+） for 24 h to construct a PD cell model. PD model cells were divided into model group （PD group）， NEF low-， medium- and high-concentration groups （NEF-L， NEF-M， NEF-H group， 2.5， 5.0， 10.0 μmol/L）， and high concentration of NEF+AMPK inhibitor group （NEF-H+Compound C group， 10.0 μmol/L NEF+50 μmol/L Compound C）. The cells treated without MPP+ and NEF were used as the control group. The ultrastructure of the cells in each group was observed； the amount of autophagosomes， survival rate， apoptosis rate， mitochondrial membrane potential， and the protein expressions of Caspase-3， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） and Beclin-1， as well as the phosphorylation levels of mTOR， AMPK and ULK1 were detected. RESULTS Compared with PD group， the amount of autophagosomes in NEF-L， NEF-M and NEF-H groups was increased， and membrane potential was increased； survival rate， LC3- Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ， protein expression of Beclin-1， and protein phosphorylation levels of AMPK and ULK1 were significantly increased or up-regulated； the apoptotic rate， protein expressions of Caspase-3 and p62， and protein phosphorylation level of mTOR were significantly decreased or down-regulated， and the above improvements were in a dose-dependent manner （P＜0.05）. Compound C could significantly reverse the above improvement effect of high concentration of NEF （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS NEF can promote mitophagy and inhibit apoptosis of PD model cells by up-regulating protein phosphorylation levels of AMPK and ULK1， and down-regulating protein phosphorylation level of mTOR， thus playing a protective role in nerve cells.

Objective To explore the recognition capabilities of electronic nose combined with machine learning in identifying the breath odor map of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome elements. Methods The study design was a single-center observational study. General data and four diagnostic information were collected from 108 patients with pulmonary nodules admitted to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM from April 2023 to March 2024. The patients' TCM disease location and nature distribution characteristics were analyzed using the syndrome differentiation method. The Cyranose 320 electronic nose was used to collect the odor profiles of oral exhalation, and five machine learning algorithms including random forest (RF), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), and eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were employed to identify the exhaled breath profiles of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules and different TCM syndromes. Results (1) The common disease locations in pulmonary nodules were ranked in descending order as liver, lung, and kidney; the common disease natures were ranked in descending order as Yin deficiency, phlegm, dampness, Qi stagnation, and blood deficiency. (2) The electronic nose combined with the RF algorithm had the best efficacy in identifying the exhaled breath profiles of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules, with an AUC of 0.91, accuracy of 86.36%, specificity of 75.00%, and sensitivity of 92.85%. (3) The electronic nose combined with RF, LR, or XGBoost algorithms could effectively identify the different TCM disease locations and natures of pulmonary nodules, with classification accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity generally exceeding 80.00%.Conclusion Electronic nose combined with machine learning not only has the potential capabilities to differentiate the benign and malignant pulmonary nodules, but also provides new technologies and methods for the objective diagnosis of TCM syndromes in pulmonary nodules.

This paper comprehensively discusses on the potential neurobiological mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of tobacco dependence， focusing on three important aspects， including acupuncture's regulation of tobacco dependence behavior， effects of acupuncture on withdrawal syndrome， and the role of acupuncture in preventing relapse. It is found that acupuncture can inhibit drug-seeking behavior by regulating the reward pathway and related neurons， such as dopamine， thus modulating tobacco dependence behavior. It also alleviates withdrawal symptoms by improving the oral environment of smokers and reducing negative emotions after quitting. Furthermore， acupuncture can prevent relapse by decreasing brain network activity related to smoking cravings and improving cognitive brain functions like addiction memory. Currently， research on the specific neurobiological mechanism of acupuncture in treating tobacco dependence and the involved neural circuits is limited. Future research directions are proposed， including the evaluation of clinical effects， exploration of specific therapeutic mechanisms， investigation of brain pathology， and strengthening the exploration of brain functions. Additionally， combining modern technologies to clarify the neural circuits involved in acupuncture intervention will provide a basis for acupuncture treatment of tobacco addiction.

Objective : To investigate the biomechanical effect of alveolar bone graft (ABG) resorption on the maxillary alveolar process under occlusal force in a patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and provide evidence for the clinical application of ABG. Methods: A 3D finite element maxillary model of an 11-year-old female patient with UCLP was generated. The occlusal force was applied to six models with different ABG resorption, namely non-resorption, upper 1/3 resorption, upper 2/3 resorption, lower 1/3 resorption, lower 2/3 resorption, and upper&lower 1/3 resorption. The properties of structures in all models were set to be linear, elastic, and isotropic. The displacement and Von Mises stress of each reference node of the alveolar process were compared and analyzed. Results: Under occlusal force, the most significant displacement of the alveolar process was located in the anterior area, and it decreased gradually from anterior area to both sides in all groups. The displacement values of the alveolar process under cleft side lateral occlusion were as follows: non-resorption group < lower 2/3 resorption group < upper&lower 1/3 resorption group < lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 2/3 resorption group < upper 1/3 resorption group. The displacement values of the alveolar process under centric occlusion were as follows: non-resorption group < lower 1/3 resorption group < upper&lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 2/3 resorption group < lower 2/3 resorption group < upper 1/3 resorption group. The displacement values of the alveolar process under non-cleft side lateral occlusion were as follows: non-resorption group < lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 1/3 resorption group < lower 2/3 resorption group < upper&lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 2/3 resorption group. The stress was concentrated on the premolar area on the functional side of the alveolar process, followed by the canine and molar areas in all groups. The stress values of the alveolar process under cleft side lateral occlusion were as follows: non-resorption group < lower 2/3 resorption group < upper&lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 2/3 resorption group < lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 1/3 resorption group. The stress values of the alveolar process under centric occlusion were as follows: non-resorption group < upper 1/3 resorption group < lower 1/3 resorption group < lower 2/3 resorption group < upper&lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 2/3 resorption group. The stress values of the alveolar process under non-cleft side lateral occlusion were as follows: non-resorption group < lower 2/3 resorption group < upper&lower 1/3 resorption group < lower 1/3 resorption group < upper 2/3 resorption group < upper 1/3 resorption group. Under occlusal force, the displacement and stress of the alveolar process in the non-resorption model were significantly lower than those in other models. The displacement and stress of the alveolar process in the models with resorption in the lower area of the ABG were significantly lower than those in the models with resorption in the upper-middle areas of the ABG. Conclusion After unilateral complete cleft lip and palate bone grafting, the integrity and continuity of the middle and upper parts of the alveolar process bone grafting play a key role in the biomechanical status of the alveolar process. If bone resorption occurs in the above parts, bone grafting should be considered.

BACKGROUND:Various proteins,signaling pathways,and inflammatory mediators are involved in the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis.The development of small molecule drugs targeting these proteins,signaling pathways,and inflammatory mediators can effectively delay the progression of osteoarthritis and ameliorate its clinical manifestations. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress of small molecule drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis based on the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. METHODS:PubMed,CNKI,and WanFang databases were searched with English search terms"osteoarthritis,arthritis,osteoarthrosis,degenerative,arthritides,deformans,small molecule drugs,small molecule inhibitors,small molecule agents"and Chinese search terms"osteoarthritis,small molecule drugs,small molecule inhibitors."A total of 68 articles were included for review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Currently,studies concerning the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis remain unclear.The occurrence and development of osteoarthritis are strongly associated with proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways,so its therapeutic mechanism is relatively complex.Currently,targeting proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways related to osteoarthritis with small molecule drugs has become a major research focus.(2)Small molecule drugs frequently possess visible intracellular or extracellular targets and efficacy,containing enhancing cartilage repair,resisting joint degradation,attenuating inflammation,and relieving pain.Other anti-osteoarthritis small molecule drugs have shown promise in promoting stem cell chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage matrix reconstruction.(3)At present,small molecule drugs targeting the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis to delay the progression of osteoarthritis are still in the experimental stage,but most of these small molecule drugs have shown the expected results in the experimental process,and there are no relevant studies to illustrate the efficacy of small molecule drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis.(4)Small molecule drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis have reached the expected experimental results in the basic experimental stage.Numerous studies have exhibited that small molecule drugs can target the suppression of specific proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways that cause osteoarthritis,so as to treat osteoarthritis.Nevertheless,its safety and effectiveness still need to be identified by further basic and clinical studies.This process needs to be investigated and studied by more scholars.(5)At present,many scholars in and outside China have made contributions to the treatment of osteoarthritis.Compared with traditional treatment methods,small molecule drugs reveal better efficacy and safety in the basic experimental stage,and it is expected to become an emerging method for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the future to rid patients of pain.