ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the prophylactic effects of caloric restriction (CR) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective actions of CR. This research aims to provide innovative strategies and theoretical support for the prevention of SCM. MethodsA total of forty-eight 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice, weighing between 20-25 g, were randomly assigned to 4 distinct groups, each consisting of 12 mice. The groups were designated as follows: CON (control), LPS, CR, and CR+LPS. Prior to the initiation of the CR protocol, the CR and CR+LPS groups underwent a 2-week acclimatization period during which individual food consumption was measured. The initial week of CR intervention was set at 80% of the baseline intake, followed by a reduction to 60% for the subsequent 5 weeks. After 6-week CR intervention, all 4 groups received an intraperitoneal injection of either normal saline or LPS (10 mg/kg). Twelve hours post-injection, heart function was assessed, and subsequently, heart and blood samples were collected. Serum inflammatory markers were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The serum myocardial enzyme spectrum was analyzed using an automated biochemical instrument. Myocardial tissue sections underwent hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of protein in myocardial tissue, including inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-9, IL-18), oxidative stress markers (iNOS, SOD2), pro-apoptotic markers (Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, CASP3), and SIRT3/SIRT6. ResultsTwelve hours after LPS injection, there was a significant decrease in ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) ratios, along with a notable increase in left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD). Morphological and serum indicators (AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB) indicated that LPS injection could induce myocardial structural disorders and myocardial injury. Furthermore, 6-week CR effectively prevented the myocardial injury. LPS injection also significantly increased the circulating inflammatory levels (IL-1β, TNF-α) in mice. IF and Western blot analyses revealed that LPS injection significantly up-regulating the expression of inflammatory-related proteins (TNF-α, IL-9, IL-18), oxidative stress-related proteins (iNOS, SOD2) and apoptotic proteins (Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, CASP3) in myocardial tissue. 6-week CR intervention significantly reduced circulating inflammatory levels and downregulated the expression of inflammatory, oxidative stress-related proteins and pro-apoptotic level in myocardial tissue. Additionally, LPS injection significantly downregulated the expression of SIRT3 and SIRT6 proteins in myocardial tissue, and CR intervention could restore the expression of SIRT3 proteins. ConclusionA 6-week CR could prevent LPS-induced septic cardiomyopathy, including cardiac function decline, myocardial structural damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The mechanism may be associated with the regulation of SIRT3 expression in myocardial tissue.

A high-performance liquid chromatography method using pre-column derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate was developed to determine the content of 15 amino acids in the medicinal snakes Bungarus Parvus, Agkistrodon, and Zaocys. The results showed that the total amino acid(TAA) content ranged from 277.13 to 515.05 mg·g~(-1), with the top four amino acids in all three species being glutamic acid(Glu), glycine(Gly), aspartic acid(Asp), and lysine(Lys). The essential amino acid(EAA) content ranged from 74.56 to 203.94 mg·g~(-1), with Agkistrodon exhibiting the highest content. The non-essential amino acid(NEAA), semi-essential amino acid(semi-EAA), and medicinal amino acid(MAA) content ranged from 189.06 to 318.23, 12.89 to 33.53, and 179.83 to 342.33 mg·g~(-1), respectively, with Zaocys having the highest content in these categories. Amino acid nutritional value was evaluated using the amino acid ratio(RAA), amino acid ratio coefficient(RCAA), and amino acid ratio coefficient score(SRCAA), and the results indicated that all three medicinal snakes possessed good nutritional value. The amino acid composition was similar across the species, though significant differences in content were observed. Based on these differences, an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) model was established, which could clearly distinguish between the three medicinal snake species. The key differences in amino acid content included Gly, tyrosine(Tyr), Glu, and serine(Ser), which may be related to the observed clinical application differences among the species. Further research into the mechanisms of these differential amino acids is expected to provide more insights into the clinical application disparities of these three medicinal snake species.
Amino Acids/chemistry* ; Animals ; Nutritive Value ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Snakes/classification* ; Bungarus

This research investigated the impact of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides(GLP) on hepatoblastoma HepG2 and Huh6 cell models, as well as KM mouse model with in situ transplanted tumors, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of GLP. Cell viability was assessed through the CCK-8 assay, whereas cell proliferation was evaluated by using the BeyoClick~(TM)EdU-488 test. Cell apoptosis was visualized via Hochest 33258 staining, and autophagy was detected through Mrfp-GFP-LC3 dual fluorescence staining. An in situ tumor transplantation model was created by using HepG2 cells in mice, and mice were treated with normal saline and GLP of 100, 200, and 300 mg·kg~(-1) for tumor count calculation and size assessment. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe pathological changes in tumor tissue and vital organs(liver, kidney, lung, spleen, and heart). Western blot analysis was conducted to measure the protein expressions of tumor protein P53(P53), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cleaved-caspase-3, Beclin-1, autophagy related protein-5(Atg-5), microtubule-associated protein-light chain-3Ⅰ(LC3Ⅰ)/LC3Ⅱ, autophagy adapter protein 62(P62), protein kinase B(Akt), p-Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), and p-mTOR. The in vitro experiment revealed that compared with the control group, after GLP treatment, tumor cell viability decreased significantly; apoptosis rate increased in a dose-dependent manner, and autophagic flux was inhibited. The in vivo experiments showed that compared with the model group, mice treated with GLP exhibited significantly fewer and smaller tumors. Western blot results showed that compared with the control group or model group, levels of P53, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, Beclin-1, Atg-5, and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ were significantly increased after GLP treatment, and the levels of Bcl-2, P62, p-Akt/Akt, and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased. These outcomes suggest that GLP promotes apoptosis and autophagy in hepatoblastoma cells by regulating the Akt/mTOR pathway.
Animals ; Humans ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Reishi/chemistry* ; Mice ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Hepatoblastoma/genetics* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Hep G2 Cells

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study aims to explore the mechanism through which Yishen Jiangtang Decoction(YSJTD) regulates endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)-mediated NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome to improve diabetic nephropathy(DN) in db/db mice. Thirty db/db mice were randomly divided into the model group, YSJTD group, ERS inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid(4-PBA) group, with 10 mice in each group. Additionally, 10 db/m mice were selected as the control group. The YSJTD group was orally administered YSJTD at a dose of 0.01 mL·g~(-1), the 4-PBA group was orally administered 4-PBA at a dose of 0.5 mg·g~(-1), and the control and model groups were given an equal volume of carboxylmethyl cellulose sodium. The treatments were administered once daily for 8 weeks. Food intake, water consumption, and body weight were recorded every 2 weeks. After the intervention, fasting blood glucose(FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c), urine microalbumin(U-mALB), 24-hour urine volume, serum creatinine(Scr), and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) were measured. Inflammatory markers interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and interleukin-18(IL-18) were detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Renal pathology was assessed through hematoxylin-eosin(HE), periodic acid-Schiff(PAS), and Masson staining, and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP), NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD(ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase(caspase-1), and gasdermin D(GSDMD) in kidney tissues. The results showed that compared to the control group, the model group exhibited poor general condition, increased weight and food and water intake, and significantly higher levels of FBG, HbA1c, U-mALB, kidney index, 24-hour urine volume, IL-1β, and IL-18. Compared to the model group, the YSJTD and 4-PBA groups showed improved general condition, increased body weight, decreased food intake, and lower levels of FBG, U-mALB, kidney index, 24-hour urine volume, and IL-1β. Specifically, the YSJTD group showed a significant reduction in IL-18 levels compared to the model group, while the 4-PBA group exhibited decreased water intake and HbA1c levels compared to the model group. Although there was a decreasing trend in water intake and HbA1c in the YSJTD group, the differences were not statistically significant. No significant differences were observed in BUN, Scr, and kidney weight among the groups. Renal pathology revealed that the model group exhibited more severe renal damage compared to the control group. Kidney sections from the model group showed diffuse mesangial proliferation in the glomeruli, tubular edema, tubular dilation, significant inflammatory cell infiltration in the interstitium, and increased glycogen staining and blue collagen deposition in the basement membrane. In contrast, the YSJTD and 4-PBA groups showed varying degrees of improvement in renal damage, glycogen staining, and collagen deposition, with the YSJTD group showing more significant improvements. TEM analysis indicated that the model group had extensive cytoplasmic edema, homogeneous thickening of the basement membrane, fewer foot processes, and widening of fused foot processes. In the YSJTD and 4-PBA groups, cytoplasmic swelling of renal tissues was reduced, the basement membrane remained intact and uniform, and foot process fusion improved.Western blot results indicated that compared to the control group, the model group showed upregulation of GRP78, CHOP, GSDMD, NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 expression. In contrast, both the YSJTD and 4-PBA groups showed downregulation of these markers compared to the model group. These findings suggest that YSJTD exerts a protective effect against DN by alleviating NLRP3 inflammasome activation through the inhibition of ERS, thereby improving the inflammatory response in db/db DN mice.
Animals ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress/drug effects* ; Diabetic Nephropathies/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Inflammasomes/drug effects* ; Male ; Kidney/pathology* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP ; Humans ; Interleukin-18/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Qing court records show that Arecae Semen was extensively applied. The royal medical records of the Qing Dynasty document nine types of Arecae Semen, with the Palace Museum preserving seven kinds, totaling twelve cultural relics. Historical documents and physical artifacts corroborate each other, providing evidence for the study of the supply channels and court processing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court. According to relevant Qing court archival records, the sources of Arecae Semen used in the imperial court were diverse, including tributes from foreign countries such as Vietnam and Gurkha, annual tributes from local governments in Guangdong, gifts from close aides, and commodities purchased by the Imperial Household Department from civilian shops. The imperial physicians of the Qing court placed great emphasis on the specifications of Arecae Semen slices and were extremely meticulous about their processing. The variety of Arecae Semen slices used in the Qing palace exceeded those recorded in the botanical texts of the era. Compared with the commonly used processing methods for Arecae Semen in the Qing Dynasty, the imperial physicians adjusted the properties and efficacy of the herbs through different processing techniques, based on the patient's condition, constitution, and other factors, in order to meet the clinical treatment needs of the court. The slicing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court required strict control of thickness, with an average thickness of 0.44 mm, which is significantly thinner than the Arecae Semen slices found in today's markets. The texture was softer, making them easier to chew and absorb. Both the Qing court Arecae Semen slices and the Muxiang Binglang Pills focused on the use of authentic medicinal materials, ensuring the quality of the medicine and enhancing the efficacy of Arecae Semen through meticulous selection and preparation.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history* ; History, 19th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century

Maidong products are categorized into "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong". Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, "Hang Maidong" has been regarded as having superior quality, but currently, it remains in name only in the market. This article reviewed historical materia medica and local chronicles from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and analyzed the historical evolution of Maidong production areas. The history of Maidong production in Zhejiang can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and cultivation had already developed by at least the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was consistently used as a tribute. Ming Dynasty chronicles record "Chuan Maidong", which had already been cultivated on a large scale by the Qing Dynasty. "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong" share the same origin, with the former identifiable by the "gourd waist" shape of its tuberous root. Based on this, it can be inferred that the "Maimendong" herb illustrated in the Origins of Materia Medica(Ben Cao Yuan Shi) and the Maidong stored in the Qing Palace Imperial Pharmacy were both "Hang Maidong". The protection and development of the authentic "Hang Maidong" medicinal herb are urgently needed.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; History, 17th Century ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history* ; History, Medieval ; History, 16th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 15th Century ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Materia Medica/history* ; History, 21st Century

GPR126, also known as ADGRG6, is one of the most deeply studied aGPCRs. Initially, GPR126 was thought to be a receptor associated with muscle development and was primarily expressed in the muscular and skeletal systems. With the deepening of research, it was found that GPR126 is expressed in multiple mammalian tissues and organs, and is involved in many biological processes such as embryonic development, nervous system development, and extracellular matrix interactions. Compared with other aGPCRs proteins, GPR126 has a longer N-terminal domain, which can bind to ligands one-to-one and one-to-many. Its N-terminus contains five domains, a CUB (complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, Bmp1) domain, a PTX (Pentraxin) domain, a SEA (Sperm protein, Enterokinase, and Agrin) domain, a hormone binding (HormR) domain, and a conserved GAIN domain. The GAIN domain has a self-shearing function, which is essential for the maturation, stability, transport and function of aGPCRs. Different SEA domains constitute different GPR126 isomers, which can regulate the activation and closure of downstream signaling pathways through conformational changes. GPR126 has a typical aGPCRs seven-transmembrane helical structure, which can be coupled to Gs and Gi, causing cAMP to up- or down-regulation, mediating transmembrane signaling and participating in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. GPR126 is activated in a tethered-stalk peptide agonism or orthosteric agonism, which is mainly manifested by self-proteolysis or conformational changes in the GAIN domain, which mediates the rapid activation or closure of downstream pathways by tethered agonists. In addition to the tethered short stem peptide activation mode, GPR126 also has another allosteric agonism or tunable agonism mode, which is specifically expressed as the GAIN domain does not have self-shearing function in the physiological state, NTF and CTF always maintain the binding state, and the NTF binds to the ligand to cause conformational changes of the receptor, which somehow transmits signals to the GAIN domain in a spatial structure. The GAIN domain can cause the 7TM domain to produce an activated or inhibited signal for signal transduction, For example, type IV collagen interacts with the CUB and PTX domains of GPR126 to activate GPR126 downstream signal transduction. GPR126 has homology of 51.6%-86.9% among different species, with 10 conserved regions between different species, which can be traced back to the oldest metazoans as well as unicellular animals.In terms of diseases, GPR126 dysfunction involves the pathological process of bone, myelin, embryo and other related diseases, and is also closely related to the occurrence and development of malignant tumors such as breast cancer and colon cancer. However, the biological function of GPR126 in various diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target still needs further research. This paper focuses on the structure, interspecies differences and conservatism, signal transduction and biological functions of GPR126, which provides ideas and references for future research on GPR126.

During orthodontic treatment, clinical monitoring of patients is a crucial factor in determining treatment success. It aids in timely problem detection and resolution, ensuring adherence to the intended treatment plan. In recent years, digital technology has increasingly permeated orthodontic clinical diagnosis and treatment, facilitating clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and follow-up monitoring. This review summarizes recent advancements in digital technology for monitoring orthodontic tooth movement, related complications, and appliance-wearing compliance. It aims to provide insights for researchers and clinicians to enhance the application of digital technology in orthodontics, improve treatment outcomes, and optimize patient experience. The digitization of diagnostic data and the visualization of dental models make chair-side follow-up monitoring more convenient, accurate, and efficient. At the same time, the emergence of remote monitoring technology allows orthodontists to promptly identify oral health issues in patients and take corresponding measures. Furthermore, the multimodal data fusion method offers valuable insights into the monitoring of the root-alveolar relationship. Artificial intelligence technology has made initial strides in automating the identification of orthodontic tooth movement, associated complications, and patient compliance evaluation. Sensors are effective tools for monitoring patient adherence and providing data-driven support for clinical decision-making. The application of digital technology in orthodontic monitoring holds great promise. However, challenges like technical bottlenecks, ethical considerations, and patient acceptance remain.

ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.