Objective: To determine the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Piwei Peiyuan Pill (PPP) combined with moxibustion for treating patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome. Methods: Ninety-six CAG patients with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled at the Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from June 2022 to December 2023. The patients were randomly divided into a control, a Chinese medicine, and a combined group using a random number table method, with 32 cases in each group (two cases per group were excluded). The control group was treated with rabeprazole combined with folic acid tablets (both thrice daily), the Chinese medicine group was treated with PPP (8 g, thrice daily), and the combined group was treated with moxa stick moxibustion (once daily) on the basis of the Chinese medicine group for 12 consecutive weeks. Gastric mucosa atrophy in the three groups was observed before and after treatment. The gastric mucosal pathological score was evaluated. The Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) scale was used to evaluate the patients′ physical and mental health status and quality of life.An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-37, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels in each group. Real-time fluorescence PCR was used to detect the relative expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mRNA in each group. Western blotting was used to detect the relative expression levels of proteins related to the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway, and the adverse drug reactions and events were recorded and compared. Results: There was no statistical difference in age, gender, disease duration, family history of gastrointestinal tumors, alcohol consumption history, and body mass index among the three groups of patients.The total therapeutic efficacy rates of the control, Chinese medicine, and combined groups in treating gastric mucosal atrophy were 66.67% (20/30), 86.67% (26/30), and 90.00% (27/30), respectively (P<0.05). Compared to before treatment, the pathological and PRO scale scores of gastric mucosa in each group decreased after treatment, and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-37, and TGF-β levels decreased. The relative STAT3 and mTOR mRNA expression levels, as well as the relative STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels decreased (P<0.05), whereas the IL-4 and IL-10 levels increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared to the control group, the pathological score of gastric mucosa, PRO scale score, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-37, TGF-β content, relative STAT3 and mTOR mRNA expression levels, and relative STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels in the Chinese medicine and combined groups after treatment were reduced (P<0.05), whereas the IL-4 and IL-10 levels increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared to the Chinese medicine group, the combined group showed a decrease in relative STAT3, mTOR mRNA expression levels, and STAT3, p-STAT3, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein expression levels (P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of PPP and moxibustion may regulate the inflammatory mechanism of the body by inhibiting the abnormal activation of the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway, upregulating related anti-inflammatory factor levels, downregulating pro-inflammatory factor expression, and increasing related repair factor expression, thereby promoting the recovery of atrophic gastric mucosa, reducing discomfort symptoms, and improving the physical and mental state of CAG patients with spleen and stomach weakness syndrome.

Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, is markedly influenced by both immune and inflammatory reactions throughout its progression. Dendritic cells, as pivotal antigen-presenting entities, play a crucial role in the initiation of immune responses and the preservation of immunological homeostasis. Accumulating data indicates that dendritic cells are present in healthy arteries and accumulate significantly in atherosclerotic plaques. Novel immunotherapeutic approaches and vaccination protocols have yielded substantial clinical advancements in managing chronic inflammatory diseases, with dendritic cell-centric modalities emerging for atherosclerotic management. In this review, we delineate the essential functions and underlying mechanisms of dendritic cells and their subsets in the modulation of atherosclerotic inflammation and immune responses. We underscore the immense promise of dendritic cell-based immunotherapeutic strategies, including vaccines and innovative combinations with nanotechnological drug delivery platforms for atherosclerosis treatment. We also discuss the challenges associated with dendritic cell immunotherapy and provide perspectives on the future direction of this field.

The ventral anterior (VA) nucleus of the thalamus is a major target of the basal ganglia and is closely associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Notably, the VA receives direct innervation from the hypothalamic histaminergic system. However, its role in PD remains unknown. Here, we assessed the contribution of histamine to VA neuronal activity and PD motor deficits. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed reduced VA activity in PD patients. Optogenetic activation of VA neurons or histaminergic afferents significantly alleviated motor deficits in 6-OHDA-induced PD rats. Furthermore, histamine excited VA neurons via H1 and H2 receptors and their coupled hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, inward-rectifier K⁺ channels, or Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels. These results demonstrate that histaminergic afferents actively compensate for Parkinsonian motor deficits by biasing VA activity. These findings suggest that targeting VA histamine receptors and downstream ion channels may be a potential therapeutic strategy for PD motor dysfunction.
Animals ; Histamine/metabolism* ; Male ; Oxidopamine/toxicity* ; Rats ; Ventral Thalamic Nuclei/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Disease Models, Animal ; Parkinson Disease/metabolism* ; Neurons/physiology* ; Humans ; Optogenetics

A method was developed for determination of dilauryl thiodipropionate(DLTDP)in fried foods by coupling solid-phase extraction(SPE)pretreatment with reverse-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(RPLC-MS/MS)detection.Samples were extracted with n-hexane as the solvent,purified using a neutral alumina SPE cartridge,and finally analyzed by RPLC-MS/MS.Quantitative analysis was performed using matrix-matched calibration curves combined with an external standard method under optimal experimental conditions.The results showed that DLTDP exhibited good linearity in the range of 2.0-50.0 μg/L,with a correlation coefficient(R2)≥0.999.The limit of detection(LOD)and the limit of quantification(LOQ)of the method were 0.15 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg,respectively.The mean recoveries at three fortification levels(0.5,1.0,and 200 mg/kg)in different samples ranged from 84.8%to 96.8%,with the relative standard deviations(RSDs)all less than 8.0%.The developed method was highly sensitive,accurate and reliable,and easy to operate,making it well suited for the routine quantitative analysis of DLTDP in fried foods.

Enzymatic cascade catalysis has emerged as an effective means to enhance the sensitivity of biosensors due to its remarkable amplification effect on electrochemical signals.However,the most used natural enzymes have high specificity and high catalytic activity,but are susceptible to environmental factors,easy denaturation and inactivation,and high cost,which limit their practical applications.Additionally,the majority of nanozymes with excellent catalytic activity cannot be directly used as redox probes.The redox signal can only be required under high potentials in strong acid/alkali solutions,or functionalized with electroactive substances.To tackle this problem,herein,AuNPs(glucose oxidase-like activity)and Mn,Zr dual-doped CeO2 nanozymes(Mn,Zr-CeO2,peroxidase-like activity)were used as model enzymes to construct a high-performance nanozymes cascade catalytic system.Owing to high Ce4+/Ce3+ratio and a considerable number of oxygen vacancies,Mn,Zr-CeO2 nanozymes exhibited excellent peroxidase-like activity and could generate amplified electrochemical signals in neutral medium at low potentials.Furthermore,the porous structure of Mn,Zr-CeO2 nanozymes could accelerate the mass transfer of intermediate H2O2,thereby enhancing the efficiency of enzymatic cascade catalysis.As a result,a label-free electrochemical biosensor was constructed for sensitive detection of the cancer marker miRNA-21 at physiological pH,with a detection limit as low as 32.5 fmol/L.This strategy offered a novel approach for the development of a new generation of high-performance nanozymes cascade platforms,which could be widely applied in the fields such as biotechnology,bioanalysis,and disease diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the role of the TNFRSF12A molecule in the pathogenesis of liver cancer.Methods Through comprehensive analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas Program(TCGA)database and single-cell sequencing data,we studied the expression of TNFRSF12A in liver cancer and its correlation with prognosis.HPA database was utilized to analyze the subcellular localization of TNFRSF12A,and GO and KEGG analyses were performed by DAVID.TIME 2.0 was employed to analyze the correlation between TNFRSF12A and immune cell infiltration in liver cancer tissues.Results TNFRSF12A was found to be highly expressed in liver cancer tissues,significantly correlating with patient survival prognosis(OS:HR=1.61,P=0.007 0;RFS:HR=1.45,P=0.037 0;PFS:HR=1.30,P=0.099 0;DSS:HR=1.67,P=0.027 0),as well as age(P=0.046 7)and BCLC stage(P=0.045 6).TNFRSF12A co-expressed with tumor stem cell markers(CD24,SOX4,ANPEP),indicating a strong link to malignancy.Furthermore,molecular functional analysis unveiled that IL-2R primarily existed in the cell cytoplasm and played a role in processes such as cell apoptosis,invasion,and protein binding.Moreover,TNFRSF12A was associated with Treg cells and immune cell infiltration,further suggesting its role in tumor immune regulation.Conclusion TNFRSF12A exhibits a significant elevation within liver tumors and shows a notable correlation with patients'prognosis.Tumor cells engage in interactions with cytokines produced by Tregs,thereby reshaping the tumor microenvironment.The potential clinical significance of TNFRSF12A as a prognostic marker for tumors holds promise in offering novel avenues for personalized treatment and prognosis prediction.

Objective To explore the cut-off value of three dimensional(3D)vena contracta area(VCA)in diagnosing severe tricuspid regrugitation(TR)under different etiologies and its accuracy and practicality in clinical application.Methods From Mar 2019 to May 2021,ninety-two patients with confirmed TR underwent two dimensional(2D)and 3D transthoracic echocardiography.The correlation and consistency between 3D VCA 3D calculated based on the proximal isokinetic surface area(PISA)effective regurgitant orifice area(EROA)was calculated.Comprehensive 2D multi-parameter method was used as a reference method to calculate the cut-off value of the diagnosis of severe TR.Results A total of 85 patients were ultimately included.3D VCA and 3D PISA EROA had similar and acceptable correlations in both primary TR and secondary TR(primary TR:r=0.831,P<0.01;secondary TR:r=0.806,P<0.01).Bland-Altman analysis showed that 3D VCA overestimated TR compared with 3D PISA EROA(62%overestimated in the total patient population,51%overestimated in primary TR,and 74%overestimated in secondary TR).In secondary TR,the cut-off value of 3D VCA for diagnosing severe TR was 0.45 cm2(sensitivity 89%,specificity 82%);combining clinical symptoms,positive 2D PISA EROA results and 3D VCA results for severe TR,the chi-square value was higher than those only included clinical symptoms or incorporated clinical symptoms and positive 2D PISA EROA results(42.168 vs.26.059 and 16.759,P<0.01).Conclusion 3D VCA would overestimate TR,and had high and incremental diagnostic value for evaluating severe TR in secondary TR.

UDP glycosyltransferase (UGT) is a terminal modifying enzyme for the formation of flavonoid glycosides. In this study, we obtained two glycosyltransferase genes, CtUGT25 and CtUGT18, which are closely related to the synthesis of safflower flavonoids, through the Pierce correlation analysis of the expression of glycosyltransferase genes in the safflower corolla transcriptome database at different developmental stages with the contents of the major constituents of safflower metabolome database, and bioinformatically analyzed the gene and protein sequences of the two genes. Expression pattern analysis revealed that CtUGT25 was mainly expressed in the corolla, with the highest expression on day 3 of flowering stage; CtUGT18 was mainly expressed in the root, with the highest expression on day 1 of flowering stage. Functional validation was verified in safflower by Agrobacterium-mediated pollen-tube pathway transgenesis method, demonstrating that CtUGT25 promoted the accumulation of kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), and CtUGT18 promoted the accumulation of kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and orientin, both of which may be the glycosyl-modifying enzymes for the synthesis of safflower flavonoids. Meanwhile, in vitro experiments demonstrated the catalytic activity of CtUGT25 protein on naringenin, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, luteoin, 2-hydroxynaringenin and galangin. This study serves as reference for future advancements in regulating the quality of safflower using molecular biotechnology, particularly focuses on the industrial production of safflower exclusive component HSYA. Additionally, it offers valuable insights for researching related genes in other plants.

Objective To investigate the publication status of papers written by key nursing staff of vascular interventional academic organizations and to analyze its influencing factors so as to provide a theoretical basis for improving the scientific research output of vascular interventional nursing staff.Methods The questionnaire was designed by reading and referring to the domestic and foreign literature.A survey was conducted in a total of 346 members of the Nursing Professional Committee of the China Branch of the International Vascular Alliance,who were from 22 provinces,autonomous regions,and municipalities of China.Results Of the 346 key vascular interventional nursing staff,190 had published one paper(54.91％)and 156(45.09％)had published multiple papers in the past 5 years as the first author or corresponding author,and among them 267(77.17％)wrote papers for the purpose to make a promotion.Multiple regression analysis showed that academic position,first education degree,professional position,length of nursing service,knowledge of the English literature,and source of scientific research knowledge(school study)were the independent factors affecting the paper publication by vascular interventional nursing staff(all P＜0.05).The survey showed that vascular interventional nursing staff had difficulties in carrying out scientific research because they were lack of scientific research-related knowledge,busy with daily work,and lack of scientific research atmosphere.Conclusion The publication of academic papers written by key nursing staff of vascular interventional academic organizations is influenced by many factors.It is recommended that the hospital administration should strengthen the training of English literature retrieval ability for nursing staff so as to fundamentally improve the overall scientific research level of nursing staff.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:309-313)

In healthy individuals,there is a favourable balance between commensal and potentially patho-genic bacteria.When the balance is broken,the host might suffer from gastrointestinal cancer.Studies have shown that high-fat diet can alter the composition of gastrointestinal microbiota,gastrointestinal microbiota may promote gastrointestinal cancer by affecting metabolites of gastrointestinal microbiota,leading to loss of gastrointestinal barrier function,suppressing anti-tumor immunity,etc.In this work,we will summary the current knowledge on relations and possible mechanisms of high-fat diet-associated gastrointestinal microbiota and gastrointestinal cancer.To provide new ideas for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer.