ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Simiaowan on intestinal barrier function and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） binding cassette transporter G2 （ABCG2） expression in hyperuricemic （HUA） rats， and elucidate its therapeutic mechanisms. MethodsForty male Sprague Dawley （SD） rats were randomized into a normal group， a model group， low-dose （282.6 mg·kg^-1） and high-dose （565.2 mg·kg^-1） Simiaowan groups， and a Benzbromarone （4.7 mg·kg^-1） group. The HUA model was established via intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate （ip） combined with oral gavage of hypoxanthine （ig） for 14 days. Following modeling， treatments were administered for 14 days. Samples were collected and weighed 4 h after final dosing. Blood uric acid and hepatic function were analyzed. Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and Chiu's scoring was conducted. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） quantified tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， diamine oxidase （DAO）， and D-lactic acid （D-LA） levels. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， Western blot， and immunohistochemistry assessed the expression of Claudin-1， Occludin， occludens-1 （ZO-1）， and ABCG2 mRNAs and proteins. 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing characterized ileal microbiota. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited epithelial shedding in the ileal villus， structural disruption， infiltration of extensive inflammatory cells， and significantly elevated Chiu's scores （P<0.01）. The DAO， TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， LPS， and D-LA levels in the ileum were markedly increased （P<0.01）， while mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin 1， Occludin， ZO-1， and ABCG2， as well as positive staining area and proportion， were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Simiaowan groups at all doses showed improved epithelial damage in the ileal villus， significantly lowered Chiu's scores （P<0.01）， significantly reduced DAO， TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， LPS， and D-LA levels in the ileum （P<0.01）， and upregulated mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin 1， Occludin， ZO-1， and ABCG2， as well as positive staining area and proportion （P<0.01）. The 16S rDNA results showed that in the model group， the α-diversity index of the ileal microbiota was increased， and species diversity and richness were enhanced， with microbiota dysfunction observed. The community structure of the gut microbiota was significantly different from that of the normal microbiota. The abundance of probiotics was decreased， and the abundance of pathogenic bacteria was increased， with butyrate-producing bacteria showing a low abundance. In contrast， Simiaowan at all doses reduced species diversity and richness， regulated microbiota dysfunction， and promoted the shift of the structure of the gut microbiota community towards a normal one. This increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria， decreased the abundance of harmful bacteria， and restored the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria. ConclusionSimiaowan enhances ileal uric acid excretion and further alleviates HUA by modulating the gut microbiota composition to improve the intestinal barrier and upregulate the expression of the urate transporter ABCG2 in HUA rats.

Background: and Purpose Therapeutic target selection in noninvasive brain stimulation for poststroke motor recovery typically relies on the interhemispheric inhibition model, which is effective for mildly affected patients but offers limited benefits for severely affected individuals. The mechanisms governing recovery from moderate-to-severe stroke remain poorly understood, which hinders the development of targeted interventions. Methods: We analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from patients with unilateral subcortical stroke and moderate-to-severe upper limb deficits, both pre- and postintervention, along with data from healthy controls. We developed a novel dynamic lag analysis method for identifying recovery-related homotopic sensorimotor regions with altered interhemispheric interactions. To further uncover the global reorganization pathway, we developed dynamic lateralization approaches to detect large-scale functional connectivity (FC) alterations associated with the identified regions in transient lateralization states. Results: Dynamic time-lag analysis revealed significantly reduced synchronized states in the homotopic dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) post-intervention compared with pre-intervention, which correlated with motor recovery. Further dynamic lateralization analysis revealed a prolonged segregation state in patients, characterized by weakened interhemispheric and strengthened intrahemispheric interactions. In this state, patients showed decreased FC in the ipsilesional PMd and increased FC in the contralesional PMd with bilateral subcortical networks. These recoveryrelated alterations were absent in the traditional static analysis. Conclusions Dynamic analyses targeting interhemispheric interactions are valuable for understanding neural reorganization after stroke. The diminished interactions between the homotopic PMd indicate a compensatory mechanism. Importantly, a state-dependent compensatory pathway was identified, wherein the contralesional PMd assumes the functions of the ipsilesional PMd through enhanced interactions with subcortical structures, potentially guiding more effective interventions.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Simiao Wan improve intestinal uric acid excretion in hyperuricemic （HUA） rats by inhibiting ferroptosis via the solute carrier family 7 member 11/glutathione peroxidase 4 （SLC7A11/GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly assigned to a normal group， a model group， a low-dose Simiao Wan group （282.6 mg·kg^-1）， a high-dose Simiao Wan group （565.2 mg·kg^-1）， an etoricoxib group （5.4 mg·kg^-1）， and a ferroptosis inhibitor （Fer-1） group （2 mg·kg^-1）. Except for the normal group， rats in all other groups were intraperitoneally injected with potassium oxonate （100 mg·kg^-1） combined with intragastric administration of hypoxanthine （500 mg·kg^-1） to establish the HUA rat model. After 21 days， rats in each administration group received the corresponding dose of drug by gavage， rats in the Fer-1 group received intraperitoneal injection of Fer-1， and rats in the normal and model groups were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. After sampling， serum levels of uric acid （SUA）， creatinine （Cr）， and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） were measured using biochemical assays. The content of ferrous ion （Fe²⁺）， reduced glutathione （GSH）， and malondialdehyde （MDA）， as well as superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity in ileal tissues were determined. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe the histopathological changes in the ileum， and transmission electron microscopy was used to observe mitochondrial alterations in the ileal tissue. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression levels of GPX4， ferritin heavy chain 1 （FTH1）， acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 （ACSL4）， SLC7A11， and ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 （ABCG2） in ileal tissue. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the mRNA expression of GPX4， FTH1， ACSL4， SLC7A11， and ABCG2 in the ileal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significantly elevated serum UA， Cr， and BUN levels （P<0.01）， significantly increased content of MDA and Fe²⁺ in ileal tissue， and significantly decreased GSH content and SOD activity （P<0.01）. HE staining showed extensive shedding of the ileal villous epithelium， disrupted and disorganized villous structure， and incomplete local tissue architecture. Transmission electron microscopy revealed reduced mitochondrial volume， decreased or even vanished cristae， indicating ultrastructural features characteristic of ferroptosis. Molecular and immunohistochemical results demonstrated that the protein and mRNA expression levels of GPX4， FTH1， SLC7A11， and ABCG2 were significantly downregulated， whereas those of ACSL4 were significantly upregulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， after intervention with Simiao Wan， the serum UA， Cr， and BUN levels significantly decreased in all dose groups （P<0.05，P<0.01）， the MDA and Fe²⁺ content in ileal tissues were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the GSH content and SOD activity significantly increased （P<0.01）. HE staining showed that the shedding of ileal villous epithelium was markedly alleviated， the villous structure became relatively intact and regularly arranged， and local tissue damage was obviously improved. Transmission electron microscopy showed attenuated mitochondrial damage， improvement in mitochondrial shrinkage， and partial restoration of mitochondrial cristae. Molecular and immunohistochemical results showed that Simiao Wan upregulated GPX4， FTH1， SLC7A11， and ABCG2， and downregulated ACSL4 in a dose-dependent manner. In the high‑dose group， all indices improved significantly （P<0.05，P<0.01）， whereas in the low‑dose group， only improving trends were observed for FTH1， SLC7A11 mRNA， and ABCG2 protein. ConclusionSimiao Wan may inhibit ferroptosis of ileal epithelial cells by regulating the SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway， and upregulate the expression of the uric acid transporter ABCG2， thereby promoting intestinal uric acid excretion and improving HUA.

Ecological cultivation is an important way for the sustainable production of traditional Chinese medicine in the context of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Facility cultivation and simulative habitat cultivation modes have been developed and applied to develop the endangered Dendrobium huoshanense on the basis of protection. However, the differences in the greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential of these cultivation modes remain unexplored, which limits the accurate assessment of carbon-friendly ecological cultivation modes of D. huoshanense. Greenhouse gas emission flux monitoring based on the static chamber method provides an effective way to solve this problem. Therefore, this study conducted a field experiment in the facility cultivation and simulative habitat cultivation modes at a D. huoshanense cultivation base in Dabie Mountains, Anhui Province. From April 2023 to March 2024, samples of greenhouse gases were collected every month, and the concentrations of CO_2, CH_4, and N_2O of the samples were then detected by gas chromatography. The greenhouse gas emission fluxes, cumulative emissions, and global warming potential were further calculated, and the following results were obtained.(1)The two cultivation modes of D. huoshanense showed significant differences in greenhouse gas emission fluxes, especially the CO_2 emission flux, with a pattern of facility cultivation>simulative habitat cultivation [(35.60±11.70)mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1) vs(2.10±4.59)mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)].(2) The annual cumulative CO_2 emission flux in the case of facility cultivation was significantly higher than that of simulative habitat cultivation[(3 077.00±842.00)kg·hm~(-2) vs(221.00±332.00)kg·hm~(-2)], while no significant difference was found in annual cumulative CH_4 and N_2O emission fluxes.(3) The facility cultivation mode had a significantly higher global warming potential than the simulative habitat cultivation mode [(3 053.00±847.00)kg·hm~(-2) vs(196.00±362.00)kg·hm~(-2)]. Overall, the simulative habitat cultivation of D. huoshanense has obvious carbon-friendly characteristics compared with facility cultivation, which is in line with the concept of ecological cultivation of medicinal plants. This study is of great reference significance for the implementation and promotion of the ecological cultivation mode of D. huoshanense under carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.
Dendrobium/chemistry* ; Greenhouse Gases/metabolism* ; Carbon/analysis* ; Ecosystem ; Carbon Dioxide/metabolism* ; China ; Global Warming

This study aims to explore whether Naoxintong Capsules improve multiple cerebral infarctions and myocardial injury via promoting angiogenesis, thereby exerting a simultaneous treatment effect on both the brain and heart. Male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: sham-operated group, model group, high-dose, medium-dose, and low-dose groups of Naoxintong Capsules(440, 220, and 110 mg·kg~(-1)), and nimodipine group(10.8 mg·kg~(-1)). Rat models of multiple cerebral infarctions were established by injecting autologous thrombus, and samples were collected and tested seven days after modeling. Evaluations included multiple cerebral infarction model assessments, neurological function scores, grip strength tests, and rotarod tests, so as to evaluate neuromotor functions. Morphological structures of brain and heart tissue were observed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, Nissl staining, and Masson staining. Network pharmacology was employed to screen the mechanisms of Naoxintong Capsules in improving multiple cerebral infarctions and myocardial injury. Neuronal and myocardial cell ultrastructures were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Apoptosis rate in brain neuronal cells was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) staining, and reactive oxygen species(ROS) levels in myocardial cells were measured. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1(CD31), antigen identified by monoclonal antibody Ki67(Ki67), hematopoietic progenitor cell antigen CD34(CD34), and hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) in brain and myocardial tissue. Western blot, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) were used to detect the expression of HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2), sarcoma(Src), basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF), angiopoietin-1(Ang-1), and TEK receptor tyrosine kinase(Tie-2). Compared with the model group, the medium-dose group of Naoxintong Capsules showed significantly lower neurological function scores, increased grip strength, and prolonged time on the rotarod. Pathological damage in brain and heart tissue was reduced, with increased and more orderly arranged mitochondria in neurons and cardiomyocytes. Apoptosis in brain neuronal cells was decreased, and ROS levels in cardiomyocytes were reduced. The microvascular density and endothelial cells of new blood vessels in brain and heart tissue increased, with increased overlapping regions of CD31 and Ki67 expression. The relative protein and mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, VEGFR2, Src, Ang-1, Tie-2, and bFGF were elevated in brain tissue and myocardial tissue. Naoxintong Capsules may improve multiple cerebral infarctions and myocardial injury by mediating HIF-1α/VEGF expression to promote angiogenesis.
Animals ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Cerebral Infarction/genetics* ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/genetics* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/genetics* ; Capsules ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Humans ; Brain/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects*

The three-dimensional (3D) printed bone tissue repair guide scaffold is considered a promising method for treating bone defect repair. In this experiment, chitosan (CS), sodium alginate (SA), and mineralized collagen (MC) were combined and 3D printed to form scaffolds. The experimental results showed that the printability of the scaffold was improved with the increase of chitosan concentration. Infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the scaffold formed a cross-linked network through electrostatic interaction between chitosan and sodium alginate under acidic conditions, and X-ray diffraction results showed the presence of characteristic peaks of hydroxyapatite, indicating the incorporation of mineralized collagen into the scaffold system. In the in vitro collagen release experiments, a weakly alkaline environment was found to accelerate the release rate of collagen, and the release amount increased significantly with a lower concentration of chitosan. Cell experiments showed that scaffolds loaded with mineralized collagen could significantly promote cell proliferation activity and alkaline phosphatase expression. The subcutaneous implantation experiment further verified the biocompatibility of the material, and the implantation of printed scaffolds did not cause significant inflammatory reactions. Histological analysis showed no abnormal pathological changes in the surrounding tissues. Therefore, incorporating mineralized collagen into sodium alginate/chitosan scaffolds is believed to be a new tissue engineering and regeneration strategy for achieving enhanced osteogenic differentiation through the slow release of collagen.
Chitosan/chemistry* ; Alginates/chemistry* ; Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry* ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Osteogenesis ; Collagen/chemistry* ; Cell Differentiation ; Animals ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Cell Proliferation ; Biocompatible Materials ; Glucuronic Acid/chemistry* ; Hexuronic Acids/chemistry*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical sub-phenotype (SP) of pediatric acute kidney injury (AKI) and their association with clinical outcomes. METHODS: General status and initial values of laboratory markers within 24 hours after admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were recorded for children with AKI in the derivation cohort (n=650) and the validation cohort (n=177). In the derivation cohort, a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to identify death-related indicators, and a two-step cluster analysis was employed to obtain the clinical SP of AKI. A logistic regression analysis was used to develop a parsimonious classifier model with simplified metrics, and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess the value of this model. This model was then applied to the validation cohort and the combined derivation and validation cohort. The association between SPs and clinical outcomes was analyzed with all children with AKI as subjects. RESULTS: In the derivation cohort, two clinical SPs of AKI (SP1 and SP2) were identified by the two-step cluster analysis using the 20 variables screened by LASSO regression, namely SP_d1 group (n=536) and SP_d2 group (n=114). The simplified classifier model containing eight variables (P<0.05) had an AUC of 0.965 in identifying the two clinical SPs of AKI (P<0.001). The validation cohort was clustered into SP_v1 group (n=156) and SP_v2 group (n=21), and the combined derivation and validation cohort was clustered into SP1 group (n=694) and SP2 group (n=133). After adjustment for confounding factors, compared with the SP1 group, the SP2 group had significantly higher incidence rates of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death during the PICU stay (P<0.001), and SP2 was significantly associated with the risk of death within 28 days after admission to the PICU (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study establishes a parsimonious classifier model and identifies two clinical SPs of AKI with different clinical features and outcomes.The SP2 group has more severe disease and worse clinical prognosis.
Humans ; Acute Kidney Injury/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Phenotype ; Infant ; Logistic Models ; Adolescent

Objective:To evaluate preoperative high-resolution thin-layer cervical enhanced CT used to predict the venous route of the submental flap reflux vein and its relationship with adjacent structures in order to guide the anatomical understanding and protection of submental flap in pharyngeal cancer surgery.Methods:Sixty consecutive patients with pharyngeal cancer who underwent submental flap repair surgery in our department from March 2022 to December 2024, as well as 60 patients who were accepted neck dissection suffering other cancers, were selected. Before surgery, high-resolution cervical enhanced CT scans were performed, and the position of the transverse section of the facial vein in the venous phase horizontal image gradually variation tendency was focused layer by layer. The direction and adjacent relationship of the submental flap reflux veins were determined and recorded. Combined with 60 patients with other head and neck tumors who underwent neck dissection in our department during the same period (a total of 120 cases, 240 sides), the classification and management of the draining veins of Fang′s mental flap were conducted. Type Ⅰ mainly drains into the internal jugular vein; Type Ⅱ mainly drains into the external jugular vein and Type Ⅲ mainly drains into the anterior jugular vein (often accompanied by an external jugular draining branch). The status and proportion of venous drainage were analyzed.Results:Vascular predictive coincidence rate was 98.3% (59/60) among the 60 patients with pharyngeal cancer. Only one patient was predicted to have a simple return to the external jugular vein. However, during the operation, in addition to the main return to the external jugular vein, a small portion also returned to the internal jugular vein. Submental flap reflux vessels were classified into three types based on intraoperative submental flap venous return in 60 cases of laryngopharyngeal cancer, in conjunction with the analysis of venous return patterns from 240 cervical CT scans. Type Ⅰ mainly refluxed to the internal jugular vein, accounting for 42.1%. Type Ⅱ mainly refluxed to the external jugular vein (47.9%). Type Ⅲ mainly refluxed to the anterior jugular vein (10.0%). The total detection rate of CT reading of 240 venous reflux was 98.7% (237/240). Vascular predictive coincidence rate was 97.9%(235/240).Conclusion:The detailed analysis of submental venous return vessels can accurately predict the direction of reflux veins and its surrounding areas by preoperative high-resolution enhanced CT scan. This provides reliable guidance for the anatomy and protection of the submental flap reflux veins during surgery.

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients often experience massive bleeding and require blood transfusion. However, the storage duration of the transfused blood may affect the prognosis of these patients. This study explored the influence of exosomes derived from fresh and aged blood on the prognosis of rats with TBI, so as to provide theoretical support for the blood transfusion management of TBI patients. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from red blood cell (RBC) suspensions stored for 1 week and 5 weeks using ultracentrifugation method. The size, morphology and surface markers of the exosomes were identified by nanoparticle flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy and Western blotting, respectively. A rat model of TBI was constructed using a mechanical impactor for brain injury. After the successful establishment of the model, exosomes from RBC suspensions stored for 1 week and 5 weeks were injected into the extracellular space of rat brain cells using a stereotactic syringe. Cerebral edema at day 1, 3, 7 and 14 were recorded through cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Magnetic tracing technology (the tracer was Gd-DTPA solution) was used to evaluate the drug metabolism level in the extracellular space of brain cells of TBI rats. The cranial magnetic resonance imaging was scanned every 15 or 30 minutes, and the recording lasted for a total of 240 minutes. The magnetic images were imported into the 3D-Slicer software in Dicom data format for analysis. Mass spectrometry technology was used to analyze the differential proteins of exosomes from RBC suspensions stored for 1 week and 5 weeks, and functional prediction was carried out to explore the possible mechanisms by which exosomes affect the prognosis of TBI. Results: After injection of exosomes into TBI rats, the areas of cerebral edema on the day 1, 3, 7, and 14 were all significantly higher in the rats treated with exosomes from 5-week-stored RBC suspensions, with peak cerebral edema occurring at day 3. The diffusion volume of the tracer was significantly higher in TBI rats than in normal rats, which implied there was a disorder in the structure of the traumatic brain tissue in TBI rats. Compared with the rats injected with exosomes from 1-week-stored RBC suspensions, those treated with exosomes from 5-week-stored RBC suspensions showed increased tracer diffusion volume within 120 minutes. Mass spectrometry analysis identified 81 differentially expressed proteins between exosomes from RBC suspensions stored for 5 weeks vs 1 week. Among them, 93.83% (76/81) proteins had increased expression levels. The neurodegeneration-related pathways were among the most enriched pathways for upregulated proteins. Conclusion: The exosomes from aged RBC suspensions can lead to exacerbated cerebral edema, disrupted extracellular space, and suppressed metabolic rate in TBI rats, suggesting that transfusion of aged RBC suspensions may have adverse effects on TBI patients.