OBJECTIVE To preliminarily investigate the antiasthmatic effect and mechanism of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair on the respiratory center. METHODS Male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， dexamethasone group （positive control）， and Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum 2∶1， 1∶1 and 1∶2 groups. Rats in each group were administered different ratios of the herb pair decoction [all at 18 g （crude drug）/kg]， dexamethasone suspension （0.5 mg/kg）， or normal saline intragastrically twice daily for seven consecutive days. Forty minutes after the last administration， medicated cerebrospinal fluid was collected to determine the content of effective components entering the brain. One and a half hours after the last administration， the nucleus tractus solitarius （NTS） was located using a stereotaxic apparatus. Histamine phosphate （1 μL） was injected into the NTS region at a constant rate of 1 μL/min using a 10 μL microsyringe to induce excitation of the respiratory center in rats； the blank group was injected with normal saline. The contents of neurotransmitters [nerve growth factor （NGF）， substance P （SP）， norepinephrine （NA）， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） and acetylcholine （Ach）] in the medulla oblongata brain tissue were detected. The mRNA expressions of neurokinin-1 receptor （NK-1R）， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and c-fos in the medulla oblongata， as well as the protein expressions of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos in the NTS region， were determined. RESULTS The main active components of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair entering the brain were ephedrine， pseudoephedrine， and methylephedrine. Compared with blank group， the contents of NGF， SP， NA， 5-HT and Ach， and the relative expression levels of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos mRNA and protein were significantly increased in the model group （ P ＜0.01）. Compared with model group， Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair groups with different ratios significantly reduced the neurotransmitter contents and the relative expression levels of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos mRNA and protein （ P ＜0.01）， with the 2∶1 Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair and 1∶1 mass ratios showing relatively better effects. CONCLUSIONS Ephedrae Herba alkaloids are the main active components in affecting the function of the respiratory center. The herb pair groups with a larger proportion of Ephedrae Herba exhibit stronger effects. Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair can reduce the excitability of the respiratory center by down-regulating the expression of the NK-1R/MAPK/c-fos pathway in the NTS and decreasing the abnormal release of neurotransmitters such as NGF and SP.

ObjectiveTo study the clinical characteristics and influencing factors of rheumatoid arthritis （RA） in the patients with cold dampness obstruction syndrome. MethodsThe RA patients treated in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Rheumatology of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from August 2022 to June 2024 were selected. The demographic information， clinical data， laboratory test results， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom information were collected for syndrome differentiation， on the basis of which the characteristics and influencing factors of cold dampness obstruction syndrome were analyzed. ResultsA total of 258 RA patients were selected in this study， including 88 （34.1%） patients with cold dampness obstruction syndrome， 53 （20.5%） patients with dampness and heat obstruction syndrome， 31 （12.0%） patients with wind dampness obstruction syndrome， 29 （11.2%） patients with liver-kidney deficiency syndrome， 19 （7.4%） patients with Qi-blood deficiency syndrome， 14 （5.4%） patients with phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome， 15 （5.8%） patients with stasis obstructing collateral syndrome and 9 （3.5%） patients with Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome. The patients were assigned into two groups of cold dampness obstruction syndrome and other syndromes. The group of cold dampness obstruction syndrome had lower joint fever， 28-tender joint count （TJC28）， and 28-joint disease activity score （DAS28）-C-reactive protein （CRP） and higher central sensitization， cold feeling of joints， fear of wind and cold， cold limbs， and abdominal distention than the group of other syndromes （P<0.05）. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that central sensitization （OR 5.749， 95%CI 2.116-15.616， P<0.001） and DAS28-CRP （OR 0.600， 95% CI 0.418-0.862， P=0.006） were the independent factors influencing cold dampness obstruction syndrome in RA. ConclusionCold dampness obstruction syndrome is a common syndrome in RA patients. It is associated with central sensitization， cold feeling of joints， abdominal distension and may be a clinical syndrome associated with central sensitization.

Antibody humanization is critical to reduce immunogenicity and enhance efficacy in the preclinical phase of the development of therapeutic antibodies originated from animal models.Computational suggestions have long been desired,but available tools focused on immunogenicity calculation of whole antibody sequences and sequence segments,missing the individual residue sites.This study introduces Site-specific Immunogenicity for Therapeutic Antibody(SITA),a novel computational framework that predicts B-cell immunogenicity score for not only the overall antibody,but also individual residues,based on a comprehensive set of amino acid descriptors characterizing physicochemical and spatial features for antibody structures.A transfer-learning-inspired framework was purposely adopted to overcome the scarcity of Antibody-Antibody structural complexes.On an independent testing dataset derived from 13 Antibody-Antibody structural complexes,SITA successfully predicted the epitope sites for Antibody-Antibody structures with a receiver operating characteristic(ROC)-area unver the ROC curve(AUC)of 0.85 and a precision-recall(PR)-AUC of 0.305 at the residue level.Furthermore,the SITA score can significantly distinguish immunogenicity levels of whole human antibodies,therapeutic antibodies and non-human-derived antibodies.More importantly,analysis of an additional 25 thera-peutic antibodies revealed that over 70％of them were detected with decreased immunogenicity after modification compared to their parent variants.Among these,nearly 66％antibodies successfully iden-tified actual modification sites from the top five sites with the highest SITA scores,suggesting the ability of SITA scores for guide the humanization of antibody.Overall,these findings highlight the potential of SITA in optimizing immunogenicity assessments during the process of therapeutic antibody design.

Objective:To summarize the technical experience of using a contralateral free gracilis myocutaneous flap combined with an adductor magnus perforator flap for salvaging failure of breast reconstruction after transplantation with the free adductor magnus perforator flap.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with breast cancer who received contralateral posteromedial thigh flap (gracilis myocutaneous flap combined with adductor magnus perforator flap) transplantation for immediate unilateral breast reconstruction developed vascular crisis and caused flap necrosis at the Department of Oncology Plastic Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital, between December 2016 to December 2022. All patients with early-stage breast cancer received modified radical mastectomy. All patients were selected to undergo the immediate breast reconstruction surgery with unilateral free adductor magnus perforator flap transplantation. The proximal end of internal mammary vessels were used as the recipient vessels in all cases. After the emergency exploration confirmed the necrosis of the flap, a contralateral free gracilis myocutaneous flap combined with adductor magnus perforator flap were immediately harvested for salvage breast reconstruction. The vascular pedicle of the gracilis muscular branch and the adductor magnus perforator branch were anastomosed with the proximal and distal ends of the internal mammary vessels, respectively. Postoperative patient monitoring was conducted intensively, with follow-up assessments focusing on breast contour and donor site recovery.Results:A total of 5 patients were included, aged 26 to 42 years, with an average of (31.5±1.8) years. All salvaged breast reconstruction surgeries were successful, the salvaged flap measured 15.0 cm×6.0 cm×4.0 cm-17.0 cm×7.5 cm×5.5 cm. All the transplanted flaps survived after the operation, with satisfactory breast contour, good flap elasticity, and no contracture or deformation. The donor sites of both thigh flaps healed well, leaving only linear scars and no significant functional impairment to the lower limbs. Follow-up ranged from 9 to 24 months, with an average of 15.7 months. The breast shape was satisfactory, and there was no recurrence of breast cancer.Conclusion:The donor site morbidity of the posteromedial thigh flap is relatively small. When unilateral flap transplantation fails, immediate transfer of the contralateral flap can be chosen for salvage reconstruction. This approach ensures symmetrical donor site outcomes and is generally well-accepted by patients.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of coronary angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) and index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) for identifying coronary functional abnormalities.Methods:This diagnostic study enrolled patients with clinically suspected or diagnosed coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University between December 2021 and June 2022. All enrolled patients successfully underwent invasive wire-based FFR and IMR measurements during angiography. In a core laboratory, FFR and IMR for the target vessels were measured using artificial intelligence technology based on coronary angiographic images. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between angiography-derived FFR and wire-based FFR, and between angiography-derived IMR and wire-based IMR. Coronary hemodynamic abnormality was defined as FFR≤0.80; the diagnostic performance of angiography-derived FFR for identifying this abnormality was evaluated. Microcirculatory dysfunction was defined as IMR≥25; the diagnostic performance of angiography-derived IMR for identifying microcirculatory dysfunction was evaluated.Results:A total of 181 patients, aged (60.6±8.8) years, with 62 (34.3%) females, and 181 target vessels were included in the final analysis. Angiography-derived FFR showed a significant positive correlation with wire-based FFR ( r=0.78, P<0.001). For identifying coronary hemodynamic abnormality, angiography-derived FFR showed an accuracy of 89.0%, sensitivity of 88.8%, specificity of 89.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 88.8%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 89.1%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( AUC) of 0.88. Angiography-derived IMR showed a significant positive correlation with wire-based IMR ( r=0.93, P<0.001). For identifying microcirculatory dysfunction, angiography-derived IMR demonstrated an accuracy of 89.5%, sensitivity of 86.8%, specificity of 90.2%, PPV of 70.2%, NPV of 96.3%, and an AUC of 0.95. Conclusion:Angiography-derived FFR and IMR exhibit strong correlations with their invasive wire-based counterparts and demonstrate high diagnostic value for assessing coronary hemodynamics and coronary microcirculatory function.

OBJECTIVE To observe the clinical efficacy of Yijinjing in the treatment of elderly sarcopenia and its effect on chro-nic inflammatory response in patients,and to explore the Yijinjing exercise prescription suitable for elderly patients with sarcopenia.METHODS A total of 120 elderly patients with sarcopenia admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine,Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2022 to September 2024 were selected and randomly divided into a control group and a Yijinjing group,with 60 cases in each group.The control group received health education and dietary guidance,and the Yijinjing group received Yijinjing exercises on the basis of the intervention of the control group.The changes in skeletal muscle mass,upper and lower limb muscle strength,muscle thickness,muscle cross-sectional area,physical fitness and chronic inflammation level were observed in the two groups before and after the intervention.RESULTS After intervention,the skeletal muscle mass,grip strength,30 s sit-stand test times,rectus femoris thickness and cross-sectional area,vastus intermedius thickness,and physical fit-ness assessment of the patients in the Yijinjing group were significantly increased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the indicators after intervention were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05);the serum TNF-α and IL-18 levels in the Yi-jinjing group were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the indicators after intervention were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05);there was no statistically significant change in the biceps brachii thickness and serum IL-6 level in the Yijinjing group compared with those before treatment(P>0.05);there was no significant correlation between the bi-ceps brachii thickness and grip strength after Yijinjing intervention,r=0.139 8,P>0.05;there was a significant negative correlation between the TNF-α level and grip strength after Yijinjing intervention,r=-0.313 8,P<0.05.CONCLUSION Yijinjing exercises can improve muscle mass and strength in elderly patients with sarcopenia,and improve the physical fitness of patients,which may be related to improving the chronic inflammatory state of the body.

Patients with brain tumors frequently experience comorbid sleep disorders,which can impair daytime functioning and significantly impact patient quality of life and prognosis.The clinical manifestations of sleep disorders in brain tumor patients are primarily characterized by insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness.The underlying mechanisms remain unclear and are likely influenced by multiple factors,including tumor location and type,neurotransmitter abnormalities,and emotional disorders.Both non-pharmacological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy and individualized pharmacological treatments can effectively alleviate sleep disorders in brain tumor patients.Moderate exercise may further improve sleep symptoms and long-term outcomes.The current review summarizes and discuss advanced findings regarding clinical manifestations,risk factors,assessment tools,and intervention strategies for sleep disorders comorbid with brain tumors,aiming to enhance clinical understanding and provide references for early identification and management of this comorbidity.

Objective To observe the expression levels of base excision repair(BER)pathway-related proteins in small cell lung cancer(SCLC)tissues,and analyze their relationship with the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 74 patients with limited-stage SCLC undergoing surgical treatment in our medical center from December 2018 to June 2023.Immunohistochemical staining was performed to analyze the protein expression of BER pathway components,apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1(APE1),8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1(OGG1),DNA polymerase β(POLβ),X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 1(XRCC1),ATP-dependent DNA ligase I(LIGⅠ),and immune cell infiltration markers of CD3? T cells,CD8? T cells,CD68? macrophages in SCLC tissues.Chi-square test was applied to analyze the relationship of BER protein expression and clinicopathological features;Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted to evaluate the impacts of BER protein expression and immune cells on disease-free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS),multivariate Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify DFS prognostic factors,and Spearman correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation of BER-immune cell infiltration.In in vitro experiments,transient transfection was applied in H196 cells to overexpress APE1/POLβ/LIGⅠ,respectively.Thus,the cells were divided into negative control(NC,empty vector)and overexpression(OE,target plasmids)groups.CCK-8 and TUNEL assays were employed to determine the effects of OEAPE1,OEPOLβ and OELIGⅠon cell sensitivity to cisplatin.In in vivo experiments,nude mice bearing xenograft tumors were grouped into WT,E3330(APE1 inhibitor),cisplatin,and cisplatin+E3330 groups to determine the effects of the combination therapy on tumor growth.Results There were no significant correlations of the expression levels of key BER pathway proteins with clinicopathological characteristics,including gender,age,smoking history,tumor location,Ki67 index,or TNM stage(all P>0.05).The patients with low expression of APE1,POLβ,and LIGⅠ had obviously higher DFS rates than those with high expression(P<0.05),and the patients with larger proportion of CD3+T cells also had higher DFS rates than those with smaller proportion(P=0.043).Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that tumor TNM stage(HR=2.465)and APE1 expression(HR=2.730)were independent risk factors for the prognosis of SCLC patients(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between APE1 and CD8+T cell proportion in the SCLC patients(r=0.27,P<0.05).In vitro experiments showed that the overexpression(OE)cells(OEAPE1 and OELIGⅠ)exhibited reduced sensitivity to cisplatin than the NC group(P<0.05).Animal experiments indicated that cisplatin+E3330 significant inhibited xenograft tumor growth,indicating enhanced therapeutic efficacy(P<0.01).Conclusion High expression of APE1,POLβ,and LIGⅠ in the BER pathway indicates poor prognosis and low DFS rate in SCLC patients.High expression of APE1 is positively correlated with CD8+T cells,and can be used as an auxiliary marker for SCLC immunotherapy.

Objective:To evaluate the role of necroptosis in paclitaxel-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice.Methods:Thirty SPF healthy male C57BL/6N mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=10 each) using a random number table method: vehicle control group (Veh group), paclitaxel group (PTX group), and paclitaxel+ a specific inhibitor of necroptosis Necrostatin-1 group (P+ N group). In PTX group and P+ N group, paclitaxel 10 mg/kg (diluted to 5 mg/ml in anhydrous ethanol and castor oil [1∶1], and further diluted to 1 mg/ml in 0.9% normal saline before use) was intraperitoneally injected daily for 7 consecutive days to induce cognitive dysfunction. P+ N group received an intraperitoneal injection of Necrostatin-1 6.5 mg/kg (diluted to 10 mg/ml in dimethyl sulfoxide, and further diluted to 1 mg/ml in 0.9% normal saline before use) at 2 h before paclitaxel administration every other day, 4 times in total. Veh group received the equal volume of solvent at the matched time points as previously described in P+ N group. After establishment of the model, spontaneous locomotor activity was assessed using the open field test, followed by the novel object recognition test and the Morris water maze to evaluate the cognitive function. The animals were sacrificed after the end of the Morris water maze test, and the hippocampal tissues were collected for determination of the expression of necroptosis-related proteins receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), and phospho-MLKL (p-MLKL) (by Western blot analysis) and contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (double immunofluorescence staining) and for observation of the localization of programmed necrosis cells (using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results:There were no significant differences in the total distance traveled and mean movement speed in the open field test or swimming speed in the Morris water maze test among the three groups ( P>0.05). Compared to Veh group, the time spent in the central zone in the open field and time spent in the original platform quadrant were significantly shortened, the discrimination index was decreased, the escape latency was prolonged, the number of crossing the original platform was reduced, the expression of RIPK1, RIPK3, MLKL and p-MLKL was up-regulated, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β were increased, and the number of RIPK1-positive neurons was increased in PTX group ( P<0.05). Compared to PTX group, the time spent in the central zone in the open field test and time spent in the original platform quadrant were significantly prolonged, the discrimination index was increased, the escape latency was shortened, the number of crossing the original platform was increased, the expression of RIPK1, RIPK3, MLKL and p-MLKL was down-regulated, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β were decreased, and the number of RIPK1-positive neurons was decreased in P+ N group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Necroptosis in hippocampal neurons can lead to neuroinflammation, thus contributeing to paclitaxel-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice.

Reninoma is a rare renal secretory tumor，prevalent in the young population. This disease is mostly surgically resected，and the use of microwave ablation to treat reninoma in children is scarce. A case of reninoma in a child was reported in this paper. The patient presented with refractory hypertension，hypokalemia，hyperreninemia and hyperaldosteronemia. Enhanced CT and contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed mass in the lower pole of the right kidney，which was considered as reninoma and microwave ablation was performed. The renin concentration decreased to 68.42 pg/ml at 4 hours after surgery. After 1 year of postoperative follow-up，there was no recurrence of hypertension and hypokalemia，and no signs of tumor recurrence were seen on repeated ultrasound examinations.