This paper explores the therapeutic approach for glaucoma based on the concept of "jueyin （厥阴） as the closing phase" from the perspectives of time and space. In traditional Chinese medicine， jueyin governs inward， converging aspect of qi， representing the crucial turning point between the end of yin and the emergence of yang， as well as the transformation between yin and yang. When the closing and descending function of jueyin operates smoothly， it promotes the inward convergence and smooth descent of qi， enabling the internal retention of blood， spirit， and emotions， which nourishes the internal organs and moistens the meridian-sinews. Conversely， dysfunction of this "closing" mechanism results in a disturbance of yin and yang， a mixture of cold and heat， and disharmony of qi and blood. It is proposed that "failure of jueyin to properly close and descend" is a core pathomechanism of glaucoma. From the perspective of spatiotemporal theory， clinical treatment should focus on "regulating the closing function of jueyin and harmonizing yin and yang". The modified Wumei Pill （乌梅丸） is recommended to adjust the ascending-descending and entering-exiting dynamics of jueyin qi transformation， thereby restoring its free flow， achieving yin and yang balance， and ensuring nourishment to the ocular system.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of rhizosphere organic acids secreted by the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza on continuous cropping obstacles. MethodsThe mixed solution of organic acids in the rhizosphere of S. miltiorrhiza in continuous cropping and rotation cropping was added to the hairy roots subcultured for 21 days， and samples were collected on days 0， 2， 4， 6， 8， and 10. The changes of biomass， effective components， primary metabolites， secondary metabolites， antioxidant enzymes， and hormones in hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza were observed and determined. ResultsCompared with the rotation cropping group and the blank control group， the simulation of organic acid secretion from the roots of S. miltiorrhiza had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of hairy roots and decreased the content of effective components as well as total sugar and total protein in primary metabolites. Compared with the blank control group， the rotation cropping group and the continuous cropping group showed total sugar and total protein content decreases of 33.9% and 5.1%， respectively. On the other hand， the secretion of organic acids from S. miltiorrhiza roots significantly promoted the accumulation of total phenolic acids and total tanshinone， which showed increases of 14.6% and 1.6%， respectively， in continuous cropping group and rotation cropping group compared with the blank control group. ConclusionThe organic acid environment under continuous cropping significantly inhibited the growth of hairy roots and the accumulation of primary metabolites， while promoting the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites of S. miltiorrhiza.

Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder. In the past few decades, the exact mechanisms underlying the onset of the disease have remained unclear, and treatment options are still lacking. Due to the inability of two-dimensional cell and animal models to fully simulate the pathogenesis of AD, there have been shortcomings in clinical trials of new drugs. The development of organoids and organ-on-a-chip technologies has improved the dilemma of AD research, providing reliable in vitro research models for studying pathogenic mechanisms and drug screening. This article elaborates on the applications and progress of organoids and organ-on-a-chip in AD modeling, pathogenesis, and drug development, and discusses the current limitations of organoids and organ-on-a-chip and their future perspectives.

Microcephaly is a common pediatric neurodevelopmental disorder with complex etiology. In recent years, with the development of brain organoid technology, there has been rapid progress in understanding the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of microcephaly using this technology. This article elucidates the advantages of brain organoids over traditional experimental models, reviews the research progress of brain organoid technology in disease modeling and drug screening for various causes of microcephaly, and discusses the limitations and future prospects of brain organoids.

Dynamic changes in gut dysbiosis and metabolomic dysregulation are associated with immune-complex glomerulonephritis(ICGN).However,an in-depth study on this topic is currently lacking.Herein,we report an ICGN model to address this gap.ICGN was induced via the intravenous injection of cationized bovine serum albumin(c-BSA)into Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats for two weeks,after which mycophenolate mofetil(MMF)and losartan were administered orally.Two and six weeks after ICGN establishment,fecal samples were collected and 16S ribosomal DNA(rDNA)sequencing and untargeted metabolomic were conducted.Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)was conducted to determine whether gut normali-zation caused by MMF and losartan contributed to their renal protective effects.A gradual decline in microbial diversity and richness was accompanied by a loss of renal function.Approximately 18 genera were found to have significantly different relative abundances between the early and later stages,and Marvinbryantia and Allobaculum were markedly upregulated in both stages.Untargeted metabolomics indicated that the tryptophan metabolism was enhanced in ICGN,characterized by the overproduction of indole and kynurenic acid,while the serotonin pathway was reduced.Administration of losartan and MMF ameliorated microbial dysbiosis and reduced the accumulation of indoxyl conjugates in feces.FMT using feces from animals administered MMF and losartan improved gut dysbiosis by decreasing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes(F/B)ratio but did not improve renal function.These findings indicate that ICGN induces serous gut dysbiosis,wherein an altered tryptophan metabolism may contribute to its pro-gression.MMF and losartan significantly reversed the gut microbial and metabolomic dysbiosis,which partially contributed to their renoprotective effects.

BackgroundWomen may develop severe symptoms of stress disorder following childbirth， which may be exposed to a risk of developing mental health problems， and even lead to the recurrence of the illness in female patients with schizophrenia， while comparatively limited research has been undertaken concerning the clinical characteristics and treatment of puerperal schizophrenia in China. ObjectiveTo explore the clinical characteristics of puerperal schizophrenia， so as to provide references for the clinical treatment. MethodsA total of 24 patients with puerperal schizophrenia who were hospitalized in the female ward of adult psychiatry department of the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from 2012 to 2020 and met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fourth edition （DSM-IV） diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia were included as puerperal group. Another 48 non-puerperal women with schizophrenia were concurrently enrolled as control group. Then the basic data， scores on Positive and Negative Symptom Scale （PANSS） and the discharge medication were recorded. ResultsThe percentages of newly onset and positive family history of psychosis in puerperal group were larger than those in control group， with statistical significance （χ²=9.321， 5.240， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Puerperal group scored higher on PANSS excitement factor （t=-2.220， P<0.05） and lower on negative factor （t=3.377， P<0.01） compared with control group. In terms of discharge medication， puerperal group reported a higher dosage of antipsychotic drugs （t=-2.095， P<0.05）， and a larger proportion of combined use of benzodiazepines or antidepressants （χ²=21.316， 5.114， P<0.05 or 0.01） compared with control group， with statistical significance. ConclusionPatients with puerperal schizophrenia display increased ratings of excitement symptoms and decreased ratings of negative symptoms， which necessitates the use of high doses of antipsychotic drugs， and combined use of benzodiazepines and antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Buyang huanwu decoction on red blood cells in hyperlipidemia model mice. METHODS Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet to prepare a hyperlipidemia model. Successfully modeled mice were randomly assigned to the model group， atorvastatin calcium group （0.26 g/kg）， fenofibrate group （1.3 mg/kg）， and high-， medium-， and low- dose groups of Buyang huanwu decoction （18.6， 9.3， 4.6 g/kg）， with 10 mice in each group. Additionally， 10 mice fed with regular chow served as the normal group. Each group of mice received intragastric administration with the corresponding drug or normal saline once daily for 21 consecutive days. After the last administration， the body weight of the mice in each group was measured， and blood glucose， total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TAG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） levels were measured. Red blood cell morphology changes were observed， and the expression levels of glucose transporter type 1 （GLUT1）， erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.2 （protein 4.2）， caveolin-1， and flotillin-1 in erythrocyte membrane were determined. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the body weight and levels of TC， TAG， HDL-C， LDL-C， and the expression levels of GLUT1， caveolin-1 and flotillin-1 in the Buyang huanwu decoction groups were significantly decreased， while blood glucose levels and the expression levels of protein 4.2 were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The red blood cell morphology in the low- and medium-dose groups of Buyang huanwu decoction was significantly promoted. CONCLUSIONS Buyang huanwu decoction can reduce blood lipid levels in hyperlipidemia model mice and strengthen the morphology and function of red blood cells in a hyperlipidemic environment， which has the potential to be used for preventing hyperlipidemia complications such as atherosclerosis.

Ketone bodies have beneficial metabolic activities, and the induction of plasma ketone bodies is a health promotion strategy. Dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate (SB) is an effective approach in the induction of plasma ketone bodies. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are unknown. In this study, SB was found to enhance the catalytic activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2), a rate-limiting enzyme in ketogenesis, to promote ketone body production in hepatocytes. SB administrated by gavage or intraperitoneal injection significantly induced blood ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in mice. BHB production was induced in the primary hepatocytes by SB. Protein succinylation was altered by SB in the liver tissues with down-regulation in 58 proteins and up-regulation in 26 proteins in the proteomics analysis. However, the alteration was mostly observed in mitochondrial proteins with 41% down- and 65% up-regulation, respectively. Succinylation status of HMGCS2 protein was altered by a reduction at two sites (K221 and K358) without a change in the protein level. The SB effect was significantly reduced by a SIRT5 inhibitor and in Sirt5-KO mice. The data suggests that SB activated HMGCS2 through SIRT5-mediated desuccinylation for ketone body production by the liver. The effect was not associated with an elevation in NAD⁺/NADH ratio according to our metabolomics analysis. The data provide a novel molecular mechanism for SB activity in the induction of ketone body production.
Mice ; Animals ; Butyric Acid/metabolism* ; Ketone Bodies/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Hydroxybutyrates/metabolism* ; Down-Regulation ; Sirtuins/metabolism* ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Synthase/metabolism*

Traditional depression research based on electroencephalogram (EEG) regards electrodes as isolated nodes and ignores the correlation between them. So it is difficult to discover abnormal brain topology alters in patients with depression. To resolve this problem, this paper proposes a framework for depression recognition based on brain function network (BFN). To avoid the volume conductor effect, the phase lag index is used to construct BFN. BFN indexes closely related to the characteristics of "small world" and specific brain regions of minimum spanning tree were selected based on the information complementarity of weighted and binary BFN and then potential biomarkers of depression recognition are found based on the progressive index analysis strategy. The resting state EEG data of 48 subjects was used to verify this scheme. The results showed that the synchronization between groups was significantly changed in the left temporal, right parietal occipital and right frontal, the shortest path length and clustering coefficient of weighted BFN, the leaf scores of left temporal and right frontal and the diameter of right parietal occipital of binary BFN were correlated with patient health questionnaire 9-items (PHQ-9), and the highest recognition rate was 94.11%. In addition, the study found that compared with healthy controls, the information processing ability of patients with depression reduced significantly. The results of this study provide a new idea for the construction and analysis of BFN and a new method for exploring the potential markers of depression recognition.
Brain ; Brain Mapping ; Depression/diagnosis* ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Recognition, Psychology

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the role of preoperative two-dimensional (2D) shear wave elastography (SWE) in assessing the stages of liver fibrosis in patients with suspected biliary atresia (BA) and compared its diagnostic performance with those of serum fibrosis biomarkers. Materials and Methods: This study was approved by the ethical committee, and written informed parental consent was obtained. Two hundred and sixteen patients were prospectively enrolled between January 2012 and October 2018. The 2D SWE measurements of 69 patients have been previously reported. 2D SWE measurements, serum fibrosis biomarkers, including fibrotic markers and biochemical test results, and liver histology parameters were obtained. 2D SWE values, serum biomarkers including, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRi), and other serum fibrotic markers were correlated with the stages of liver fibrosis by METAVIR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the ROC (AUROC) curve analyses were used. Results: The correlation coefficient of 2D SWE value in correlation with the stages of liver fibrosis was 0.789 (p < 0.001). The cut-off values of 2D SWE were calculated as 9.1 kPa for F1, 11.6 kPa for F2, 13.0 kPa for F3, and 15.7 kPa for F4. The AUROCs of 2D SWE in the determination of the stages of liver fibrosis ranged from 0.869 to 0.941. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of 2D SWE in the diagnosis of ≥ F3 was 93.4% and 96.0%, respectively. The diagnostic performance of 2D SWE was superior to that of APRi and other serum fibrotic markers in predicting severe fibrosis and cirrhosis (all p < 0.005) and other serum biomarkers. Multivariate analysis showed that the 2D SWE value was the only statistically significant parameter for predicting liver fibrosis. Conclusion 2D SWE is a more effective non-invasive tool for predicting the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with suspected BA, compared with serum fibrosis biomarkers.