ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription improves renal fibrosis in rats with chronic kidney disease （CKD） through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodsSeventy specific pathogen-free （SPF） Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a control group （n=15） and a modeling group （n=55）. Rats in the modeling group were administered a 2.5% adenine suspension at a dose of 200 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 by gavage for 4 weeks to establish a CKD model. Successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group， an irbesartan group （20.25 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， and Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （5.82， 11.64， and 23.28 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively）， with 10 rats in each group. Each group was administered an equal volume of physiological saline， the corresponding concentration of irbesartan， or Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription by gavage for 12 weeks. Body weight and renal function indices were dynamically monitored. Serum creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio （ACR）， 24-hour urinary total protein （24 hUTP）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） levels were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Renal histopathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson staining. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expression of PI3K， Akt， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， and mTOR in renal tissues. Western blot was performed to assess the protein expression of PI3K， p-Akt， Akt， phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR）， and mTOR in renal tissues. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR in renal tissues. ResultsCompared with the model group， rats in the irbesartan group and the low-， medium-， and high-dose Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription groups showed significantly decreased levels of SCr， BUN， ACR， 24 hUTP， IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α （P<0.01）. AST levels were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while no significant difference was observed in ALT levels. Histopathological examination revealed that， compared with the model group， renal tubular epithelial cell edema and necrosis and Bowman's capsule dilation were alleviated， inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced， and interstitial and glomerular fibrosis was markedly improved in all treatment groups， with the most pronounced effect observed in the high-dose Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription group. Real-time PCR results showed that mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR were significantly downregulated in the high-dose group （P<0.01）. IHC results demonstrated that PI3K and p-Akt expression levels in renal tissues were significantly decreased in the high-dose group （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis further confirmed that the expression levels of PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly reduced in the high-dose group （P<0.01）. ConclusionBushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription improves renal function indices in CKD rats， reduces collagen deposition in renal tissues， and decreases serum inflammatory factor levels. Its protective effect on renal function may be achieved by activating autophagy through downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， thereby alleviating renal fibrosis.

ObjectiveTo establish a model that can quickly identify the aroma components in different parts of Nardostachys jatamansi， so as to provide a quality control basis for the market circulation and clinical use of N. jatamansi. MethodsHeadspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（HS-SPME-GC-MS） combined with Smart aroma database and National Institute of Standards and Technology（NIST） database were used to characterize the aroma components in different parts of N. jatamansi， and the aroma components were quantified according to relative response factor（RRF） and three internal standards， and the markers of aroma differences in different parts of N. jatamansi were identified by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） and cluster thermal analysis based on variable importance in the projection（VIP） value >1 and P<0.01. The odor data of different parts of N. jatamansi were collected by Heracles Ⅱ Neo ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose， and the correlation between compound types of aroma components collected by the ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose and the detection results of HS-SPME-GC-MS was investigated by drawing odor fingerprints and odor response radargrams. Chromatographic peak information with distinguishing ability≥0.700 and peak area≥200 was selected as sensor data， and the rapid identification model of different parts of N. jatamansi was established by principal component analysis（PCA）， discriminant factor alysis（DFA）， soft independent modeling of class analogies（SIMCA） and statistical quality control analysis（SQCA）. ResultsThe HS-SPME-GC-MS results showed that there were 28 common components in the underground and aboveground parts of N. jatamansi， of which 22 could be quantified and 12 significantly different components were screened out. Among these 12 components， the contents of five components（ethyl isovalerate， 2-pentylfuran， benzyl alcohol， nonanal and glacial acetic acid，） in the aboveground part of N. jatamansi were significantly higher than those in the underground part（P<0.01）， the contents of β-ionone， patchouli alcohol， α-caryophyllene， linalyl butyrate， valencene， 1，8-cineole and p-cymene in the underground part of N. jatamansi were significantly higher than those in the aboveground part（P<0.01）. Heracles Ⅱ Neo electronic nose results showed that the PCA discrimination index of the underground and aboveground parts of N. jatamansi was 82， and the contribution rates of the principal component factors were 99.94% and 99.89% when 2 and 3 principal components were extracted， respectively. The contribution rate of the discriminant factor 1 of the DFA model constructed on the basis of PCA was 100%， the validation score of the SIMCA model for discrimination of the two parts was 99， and SQCA could clearly distinguish different parts of N. jatamansi. ConclusionHS-SPME-GC-MS can clarify the differential markers of underground and aboveground parts of N. jatamansi. The four analytical models provided by Heracles Ⅱ Neo electronic nose（PCA， DFA， SIMCA and SQCA） can realize the rapid identification of different parts of N. jatamansi. Combining the two results， it is speculated that terpenes and carboxylic acids may be the main factors contributing to the difference in aroma between the underground and aboveground parts of N. jatamansi.

Background: Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are the major pathogens associated with respiratory infections which can result in extensive pathological damage in lungs and serious complications. Isorhamnetin, an abundant natural flavonoid in fruits and medicinal plants, has recently been shown to have strong antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects. Objective: This study investigated the pharmacological effects of isorhamnetin on viral pneumonia and explored the underlying mechanisms by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Materials and methods: In the present study, the protective effect of isorhamnetin against IAV was evaluated by the cytopathogenic effect assay, cell counting kit-8 assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence assay in vitro. Then the pathological damage associated with pneumonia was examined by calculating the pulmonary index and performing micro-CT and hematoxylin-eosin staining in vivo. Thereafter, the related protein or gene levels of factors in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathways were determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results: Isorhamnetin exerted significant anti-influenza effects and inhibited the expression of viral RNA in A549 cells, counteracting oxidative stress and apoptosis by suppressing the production of reactive oxygen species and caspase-3. The in vivo experiment results showed that isorhamnetin (20 and 40 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in the pulmonary index, ameliorated pathological damage in the lung tissue, decreased viral load and NA activity, and reduced cytokines and nuclear factors. Furthermore, isorhamnetin could counteract the B cell lymphoma-2/B cell lymphoma-2–associated X protein (Bax) imbalance induced by PR8, suppress activation of the MAPK pathway, and upregulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Conclusions: Isorhamnetin can protect against viral pneumonia by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and suppressing the MAPK path-way. This study deciphers the pharmacological mechanism of isorhamnetin in alleviating pathological damage in viral pneumonia and provides rationale for the application of isorhamnetin in influenza treatment.

Background: Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are the major pathogens associated with respiratory infections which can result in extensive pathological damage in lungs and serious complications. Isorhamnetin, an abundant natural flavonoid in fruits and medicinal plants, has recently been shown to have strong antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects. Objective: This study investigated the pharmacological effects of isorhamnetin on viral pneumonia and explored the underlying mechanisms by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Materials and methods: In the present study, the protective effect of isorhamnetin against IAV was evaluated by the cytopathogenic effect assay, cell counting kit-8 assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence assay in vitro. Then the pathological damage associated with pneumonia was examined by calculating the pulmonary index and performing micro-CT and hematoxylin-eosin staining in vivo. Thereafter, the related protein or gene levels of factors in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathways were determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results: Isorhamnetin exerted significant anti-influenza effects and inhibited the expression of viral RNA in A549 cells, counteracting oxidative stress and apoptosis by suppressing the production of reactive oxygen species and caspase-3. The in vivo experiment results showed that isorhamnetin (20 and 40 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in the pulmonary index, ameliorated pathological damage in the lung tissue, decreased viral load and NA activity, and reduced cytokines and nuclear factors. Furthermore, isorhamnetin could counteract the B cell lymphoma-2/B cell lymphoma-2–associated X protein (Bax) imbalance induced by PR8, suppress activation of the MAPK pathway, and upregulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Conclusions: Isorhamnetin can protect against viral pneumonia by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and suppressing the MAPK path-way. This study deciphers the pharmacological mechanism of isorhamnetin in alleviating pathological damage in viral pneumonia and provides rationale for the application of isorhamnetin in influenza treatment.

Background: Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are the major pathogens associated with respiratory infections which can result in extensive pathological damage in lungs and serious complications. Isorhamnetin, an abundant natural flavonoid in fruits and medicinal plants, has recently been shown to have strong antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects. Objective: This study investigated the pharmacological effects of isorhamnetin on viral pneumonia and explored the underlying mechanisms by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Materials and methods: In the present study, the protective effect of isorhamnetin against IAV was evaluated by the cytopathogenic effect assay, cell counting kit-8 assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence assay in vitro. Then the pathological damage associated with pneumonia was examined by calculating the pulmonary index and performing micro-CT and hematoxylin-eosin staining in vivo. Thereafter, the related protein or gene levels of factors in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathways were determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results: Isorhamnetin exerted significant anti-influenza effects and inhibited the expression of viral RNA in A549 cells, counteracting oxidative stress and apoptosis by suppressing the production of reactive oxygen species and caspase-3. The in vivo experiment results showed that isorhamnetin (20 and 40 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in the pulmonary index, ameliorated pathological damage in the lung tissue, decreased viral load and NA activity, and reduced cytokines and nuclear factors. Furthermore, isorhamnetin could counteract the B cell lymphoma-2/B cell lymphoma-2–associated X protein (Bax) imbalance induced by PR8, suppress activation of the MAPK pathway, and upregulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Conclusions: Isorhamnetin can protect against viral pneumonia by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and suppressing the MAPK path-way. This study deciphers the pharmacological mechanism of isorhamnetin in alleviating pathological damage in viral pneumonia and provides rationale for the application of isorhamnetin in influenza treatment.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of Xuanfei Baidu Decoction (XFBD) in a mouse model of dampness-heat toxin pneumonia. By exploring how XFBD exerts its effects, we seek to deepen our understanding of its role in treating pulmonary diseases and to address the current knowledge gap regarding its mechanisms of action, thereby supporting its clinical application. Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) were employed to analyze the chemical constituents of XFBD. The protective effects of XFBD were evaluated using a dampness-heat toxin-induced mouse model, established through dampness-heat exposure and HCoV-229E infection. XFBD was administered orally, followed by assessments including lung index measurement, micro-CT imaging, viral load quantification, cytokine analysis, and histological evaluation via hematoxylin-eosin staining. Proteomics and single-cell transcriptomic analyses were conducted to explore the potential mechanisms underlying XFBD’s pharmacological effects. A cellular model of HCoV-229E infection was developed to investigate changes in the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments confirmed the strong binding affinity between key XFBD components and PKA. Finally, PKA activators and inhibitors were applied in vitro to validate these mechanistic findings. Results: In vivo studies demonstrated that XFBD significantly reduced the lung index, improved the structural integrity of lung and tongue tissues, and decreased levels of proinflammatory mediators, including IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Proteomic and single-cell transcriptomic analyses showed that the differentially expressed proteins after XFBD treatment were primarily associated with inflammatory responses and immune regulation. The cAMP/PKA signaling pathway was identified as a key mechanism underlying these therapeutic effects. Notably, Western blot, ELISA, molecular docking, and SPR analyses confirmed that XFBD elevated cAMP levels and p-PKA expression, thereby activating the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in vitro. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that XFBD significantly alleviates symptoms in mice with dampness-heat toxin pneumonia. Its therapeutic effects are mediated, at least in part, through activation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. These findings provide compelling evidence that XFBD is an effective herbal remedy against HCoV-229E infection.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the buds of Aralia chinensis L.var.nuda Nakai and their in vitro anti-inflammatory activities.METHODS The 70％ethanol extract from the buds of A.chinensis var.nuda was isolated and purified by silica gel,Sephadex LH-20,ODS and semi-preparative HPLC,then the structures of compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.Their anti-inflammatory activities in vitro were evaluated by RAW264.7 model.RESULTS Sixteen compounds were isolated and identified as 4-(2,2-dibutoxyethyl)phenol(1),trans-linalool-3,7-oxide-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(2),2'-O-(9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecatrienoyl)glyceryl β-D-galactopyranoside(3),quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(3'→ O-3''')quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside(4),syringaresinol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(5),p-hydroxybenzaldehyde(6),7α-hydroxystigmasterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(7),trans-p-hydroxy cinnamic acid methyl ester(8),funingensin A(9),3,4-dihydroxy-acetophenone(10),N-acetyltyramine(11),3,4-di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid(12),chlorogenic acid(13),aralia cerebroside(14),caffeic acid methyl ester(15),tetradecanoic acid(16).The IC50values of compounds 8,10,12 and 13 were(22.19±1.59),(35.25±1.30),(13.38±0.72),(15.73±1.16)μmol/L,respectively.CONCLUSION Compound 1 is a new compound,2-13 are isolated from genus Aralia for the first time.Compounds 8,10,12,13 exhibit significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activities.

Radiotherapy is an important part of the standard treatment regimen for rectal cancer, bringing survival benefits and improved quality of life to patients with rectal cancer. However, the radiotherapy resistance of rectal cancer patients greatly limits the effectiveness of treatment and affects the prognosis of patients. The emergence of nanoparticles provides a new way to improve radiotherapy resistance of rectal cancer, which can overcome radiotherapy resistance by inhibiting DNA damage repair, affecting cell cycle, targeting delivery, enhancing DNA damage, and regulating tumor microenvironment, etc. In this article, complex coordination mechanism leading to radiotherapy resistance in rectal cancer was reviewed, current relevant studies on nanoparticles in improving radiotherapy response in rectal cancer were summarized, and the feasibility and future research direction of the combination of nanoparticles and radiotherapy in clinical treatment of rectal cancer were discussed.

Objective:To explore the expression of CD14 in peripheral blood monocytes to predict the prognosis of patients with severe COPD complicated with pulmonary infection.Methods:A total of 122 patients with severe COPD and pulmonary infection diagnosed and treated in East Lianyungang Hospital from January 2019 to February 2022 were selected as co-infection group,127 pa-tients with severe COPD were selected as COPD group,and 62 healthy subjects in physical examination during the same period were selected as control group.After 30 days of follow-up,patients in co-infected group were divided into death group(n=16)and survival group(n=106)according to prognosis during hospitalization.Membrane CD14(mCD14)related parameters of control group,COPD group and co-infected group were compared.Dynamic changes of mCD14 related parameters were compared between death group and survival group at day 1,3,5,7 and 14 after diagnosis.Cox proportional hazard regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors of death in patients with severe COPD complicated with pulmonary infection after 30 days.Predictive values of CD14%,CD14MFI and CD14IND on prognostic death were analyzed by ROC curve,and the area under the curve(AUC)was compared.Ka-plan-Meier method was used to draw survival curve to compare the survival of patients with different CD14IND levels.Results:Com-pared with control group,CD14%,CD14MFI and CD14IND in COPD group and co-infection group were significantly decreased;com-pared with COPD group,CD14%,CD14MFI and CD14IND in co-infection group were significantly decreased,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Expression of mCD14 in survival group increased steadily during the whole monitoring process,while expression in death group fluctuated at a low level.COPD grade,forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC),forced expiratory volume in 1 second as a percentage of predicted value(FEV1%pred),CD14%,CD14MFI,CD14IND were all risk factors for death in patients with severe COPD complicated with pulmonary infection(P<0.05).CD14%,CD14MFI and CD14IND were negatively correlated with mortality and COPD grade in patients with severe COPD complicated with pulmonary infec-tion,while were positively correlated with FEV1%pred and FEV1/FVC(P<0.001).With CD14IND≤74.36 as cut-off value,the sensi-tivity and specificity of predicting death reached 91.22%and 95.51%respectively.The 30-day survival rate of high-risk group was 68.42%(26/38),which was significantly lower than 95.24%(80/84)of low-risk group(log-rank χ2=10.067,P=0.002).Conclusion:mCD14-related parameters are expected to be the prognostic markers of death in patients with severe COPD complicated with pulmo-nary infection,and the sensitivity and specificity of CD14IND are better than those of CD14%and CD14MFI.

The aim of this study was to understand the internal genetic diversity and population history dynamics of ticks in Inner Mongolia,to provide data for designing effective vector control programs and revealing ticks'transmission mechanisms.From 2022 to 2023,the manual collection method was used to collect samples in Inner Mongolia.The 16S rDNA and COI gene sequences of ticks were used to identify Hyalomma marginatum,Haemaphysalis concinna,and Argas persicus,and analyze the sequence characteristics and genetic diversity within the populations.Base composition analysis indicated that the average A+T content of the 16S rDNA gene and CO I gene in the three ticks was significantly higher than that of C+G.Moreover,22 haplotypes of the COI gene and 12 haplotypes of the 16S rDNA sequence were identified in Hyalomma marginatum.Eleven haplotypes were identified according to the COI gene,and nine haplotypes were identified according to the16S rDNA sequence of Haemaphysalis concinna.Two haplotypes were identified on the basis of the COI gene,and six haplotypes were identified on the basis of the 16S rDNA sequence of Ar gas persicus.The minimum 16S rDNA haplotype diversity was 0.264 for Ar gas persicus and 0.579 for the other two species.The nucleotide diversity of the three tick species was less than 0.05.Tajima's val-ue and Fu's Fs value of the neutrality test were negative.Base saturation substitution analysis indicated that neither of the two genes in the three tick species reached saturation.The phylogenetic tree revealed that Hyalomma marginatum,Haema physalis concinna,and Ar gas persicus in Inner Mongolia independently aggregated into branches.In conclusion,the base content of Hyalomma marginatum,Haemaphysalis concinna,and Argas persicus genes in Inner Mongolia was consist-ent with the characteristics of insect mitochondrial DNA content.Furthermore,the three tick populations showed rapid evolu-tionary population expansion,and the phylogeny of three tick species showed independent aggregation into clades,with no pop-ulation isolation.