Objective To introduce the causes of accidents and the diagnosis and treatment of two patients with radiation-induced skin injury admitted to our hospital in 2023, and to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of subsequent radiation-induced skin injury. Methods The clinical treatment process of two patients with acute skin injury caused by external radiation exposure were summarized and analyzed. Results The exposure history of the two patients was reconstructed, the flaw detection scenario was simulated, the biological dose and hand skin exposure dose were estimated, and the infrared thermal imaging device was used for dynamic monitoring. A comprehensive analysis was conducted based on clinical manifestations and other data. The diagnosis of “Xie” was excessive exposure combined with acute radiation-induced skin injury on both hands (Grade IV for the right hand palm, index finger, and middle finger and Grade II for the left hand little finger). The diagnosis of “Hao” was acute radiation-induced skin injury on both hands (Grade I). The two patients received different clinical treatment measures: “Xie” was treated with both local and systemic therapies, while “Hao” was mainly treated with systemic therapy. Conclusion After systematic and effective treatment, the radiation-induced skin injuries healed in both patients.

The compilation explanation for the Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Ruyi Zhenbao pills systematically expounds the formulation methods and evidence-based basis of this consensus. In response to the weak clinical application evidence and ambiguous indications of Ruyi Zhenbao pills， the Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences， Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences， and Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine invited 39 experts from 31 medical institutions across China to complete the compilation through multi-disciplinary collaboration. The compilation strictly adheres to the World Health Organization （WHO） guidelines for guideline development and the GRADE evidence grading system. The work process covered the construction of clinical questions （a total of 30 clinical questions were determined based on expert voting results）， evidence retrieval （covering Chinese and English databases and gray literature）， safety assessment （integrating drug monitoring data and clinical research）， and the formation of recommendation opinions and consensus suggestions （18 recommendation opinions were reached through the GRADE grid method， and 22 consensus suggestions were reached through majority voting rules）. The results show that the consensus clearly states that this medicine is suitable for knee osteoarthritis， gouty arthritis， rheumatoid arthritis， neuropathic pain， and sequelae of stroke. In terms of safety， the adverse reactions are mainly gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea， vomiting， and abdominal pain. Pregnant women and those allergic to the ingredients of this medicine are contraindicated. The compilation process underwent three rounds of expert reviews and adopted methods such as nominal group technique and Delphi method to ensure the rigor of the consensus compilation process. It provides a paradigm for the formulation of expert consensus on clinical application of Tibetan medicine through the academic promotion and dynamic revision.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of ferroptosis mediated by long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4 （ACSL4） signalling pathway in rats with coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome and the intervention effect of Xuefu Zhuyutang. MethodsSPF male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， sham-operation group， model group， trimetazidine group （5.4 mg·kg^-1）， low-， medium-， and high-dose group （3.51， 7.02，14.04 g·kg^-1） of Xuefu Zhuyutang. The coronary artery left anterior descending ligation method was used to prepare a model of coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome， and continuous treatment for 7 d was conducted， while the sham-operation group was only threaded and not ligated. The general macroscopic symptoms of the rats were observed， and indicators such as electrocardiogram， echocardiography， and blood rheology were detected. The pathological morphology of myocardial tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the changes in mitochondria in myocardial tissue were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The level of iron deposition in myocardial tissue was observed by Prussian blue staining. The levels of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid （12-HETE） and 15-HETE were detected in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A biochemical colourimetric assay was used to detect the levels of Fe²⁺， lipid peroxidation （LPO）， glutathione （GSH）， and T-GSH/glutathione disulfide （GSSG） in myocardial tissue. DCFH-DA fluorescence quantitative assay was employed to detect the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）. Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was adopted to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）， ferritin heavy chain 1 （FTH1）， ACSL4， and ly-sophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase3 （LPCAT3） in myocardial tissue. ResultsCompared with those in the normal group， the rats in the model group were poor in general macroscopic symptoms. The electrocardiogram showed widened QRS wave amplitude and increased voltage， bow-back elevation of the ST segments， elevated T waves， J-point elevation， and accelerated heart rate. Echocardiography showed a significant reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and left ventricular fraction shortening （LVFS） （P<0.01）. Blood rheology showed that the viscosity of the whole blood （low， medium， and high rate of shear） was significantly increased （P<0.01）. HE staining showed an abnormal structure of myocardial tissue. There was a large area of myocardial necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration and a large number of connective tissue between myocardial fibers. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the mitochondria were severely atrophy or swelling. The cristae were reduced or even broken， and the matrix was flocculent or even vacuolated. Prussian blue staining showed that there were a large number of iron-containing particles， and the iron deposition was obvious. The content of 12-HETE and 15-HETE in the serum was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The content of Fe²⁺， LPO， and ROS in myocardial tissue was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The content of GSH was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and T-GSH/GSSG was decreased （P<0.01）. The protein and mRNA expressions of GPX4 and FTH1 in myocardial tissue were both significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while those of ACSL4 and LPCAT3 increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the general macroscopic symptoms and electrocardiogram results of rats in low-， medium- and high-dose groups of Xuefu Zhuyutang were alleviated， and the differences in LVEF/LVFS ratios were all significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The differences in whole-blood viscosity （low， medium， and high rate of shear） were all significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The results of HE staining and transmission electron microscopy showed that the morphology， structure， and mitochondria of cardiomyocytes were improved. The content of 12-HETE and 15-HETE in serum was reduced to different degrees in low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of Xuefu Zhuyutang （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The content of Fe²⁺， LPO， and ROS was significantly reduced in the medium- and high-dose groups of Xuefu Zhuyutang （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the content of GSH and T-GSH/GSSG was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein and mRNA expressions of GPX4 and FTH1 were significantly increased to varying degrees in the medium- and high-dose groups of Xuefu Zhuyutang （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and ACSL4 and LPCAT3 were decreased to different degrees in the low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of Xuefu Zhuyutang （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionXuefu Zhuyutang can regulate iron metabolism and anti-lipid oxidation reaction to mediate ferroptosis through the ACSL4 signalling pathway， thus exerting a protective effect on rats with coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome.

Osteoarthritis （OA） and stroke are common clinical diseases that reduce patients' quality of life and place a burden on families and society. Ruyi Zhenbaowan， a classic prescription in Tibetan medicine， have the functions of clearing heat， awakening the brain and opening orifices， relaxing tendons and promoting meridian circulation， and eliminating yellow water. Clinically， they are used to treat osteoarthritis， post-stroke sequelae， neuropathic pain， and other related conditions. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated their anti-inflammatory， analgesic， and nerve-repairing effects. However， current research remains insufficient regarding the appropriate indications， timing， and efficacy of this medicine in treating relevant diseases. To enhance clinicians' understanding of this medicine and promote its standardized and rational clinical use， a panel of national experts， including clinical specialists， Tibetan medicine practitioners， pharmacologists， and methodologists， formulated this consensus based on clinical experience and evidence-based practice. The Cochrane systematic review framework， the Grading of Recommendations Assessment， Development and Evaluation （GRADE） system， and the nominal group method were employed to generate seven graded recommendations and 19 consensus-based suggestions. These recommendations clearly define the key points in the clinical application of Ruyi Zhenbaowan， including therapeutic indications， dosage and administration， treatment duration， and medication safety. The consensus specifically addresses the clinical efficacy， appropriate timing of administration， dosage strategies， treatment cycles， and combination medication strategies for treating osteoarthritis and stroke and provides an overview of safety considerations. The aim is to provide standardized guidance for hospitals and healthcare institutions nationwide to ensure the rational application of Ruyi Zhenbaowan in the treatment of osteoarthritis and stroke， reduce medication-related risks， and further leverage its clinical advantages. This consensus has been approved and issued by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， with the standard number GS/CACM 369-2024.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of electrocardiogram parameters combined with serum microRNA(miR)-322 and miR-568 levels in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF)complicated with ventricular arrhythmias(VA).Methods A total of 230 CHF patients admitted to Zhangjiakou First Hospital from April 2020 to April 2023 were selected as the study objects,including 120 VA patients(VA group)and 110 non VA patients(non VA group),and 110 patients who underwent health examinations in Zhangjiakou First Hospital during the same period as the control group.Compared three sets of general information,electrocardiogram parameters,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),cardiac function grade and serum miR-322 and miR-568 levels.Logistic regression analyzed the influencing factors of VA in CHF patients.Receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)analyzed electrocardiogram parameters combined with serum miR-322 and miR-568 for the diagnostic value of VA in CHF patients.Results The three groups showed statistically obvious differences in classification of nyha heart function(NYHA)and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)(F=6.033,691.853,all P<0.05).The electrocardiogram parameters of CHF patients,including QT interval dispersion(QTD),QRS wave duration and corrected QT systolic time(QTc)were obviously higher than those in the control group(t=16.539,17.709,14.414),and the VA group were obviously higher than the non VA group(q=10.984,7.794,10.174),and the differences were statistically significan(all P<0.05).The serum levels of miR-322 and miR-568 were obviously lower than those in the control group(t=23.719,17.359).and the VA group were obviously lower than the non VA group(q=10.345,9.941),the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that NYHA grading,LVEF,QTD,QRS,wave duration,QTc,serum miR-322 and miR-568 levels were all influencing factors in the complication of VA in patients with CHF(Wald χ2=4.267～9.839,all P<0.05).The combination of electrocardiogram parameters and serum miR-322,miR-568 was better diagnosing CHF patients with concurrent VA that QTD,QRS duration,QTc and serum miR-332,miR-568 were measured separately.Conclusion Serum levels of miR-322 and miR-568 are obviously reduced,and the combination of electrocardiogram parameters with serum miR-322 and miR-568 has high diagnostic value for CHF patients with VA.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic potential of pseudolaric acid B (PAB) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its underlying molecular mechanism in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (n=32) were fed either a normal chow diet (NCD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. The HFD mice were divided into 3 groups according to a simple random method, including HFD, PAB low-dose [10 mg/(kg·d), PAB-L], and PAB high-dose [20 mg/(kg·d), PAB-H] groups. After 8 weeks of treatment, glucose metabolism and insulin resistance were assessed by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT). Biochemical assays were used to measure the serum and cellular levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). White adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT) and liver tissue were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining or Oil Red O staining to observe the alterations in adipose tissue and liver injury. PharmMapper and DisGeNet were used to predict the NAFLD-related PAB targets. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) pathway involvement was suggested by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and search tool Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) analyses. Luciferase reporter assay, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and drug affinity responsive target stability assay (DARTS) were conducted to confirm direct binding of PAB with PPARα. Molecular dynamics simulations were applied to further validate target engagement. RT-qPCR and Western blot were performed to assess the downstream genes and proteins expression, and validated by PPARα inhibitor MK886. RESULTS: PAB significantly reduced serum TC, TG, LDL-C, AST, and ALT levels, and increased HDL-C level in HFD mice (P<0.01). Target prediction analysis indicated a significant correlation between PAB and PPARα pathway. PAB direct target binding with PPARα was confirmed through luciferase reporter assay, CETSA, and DARTS (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The target engagement between PAB and PPARα protein was further confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations and the top 3 amino acid residues, LEU321, MET355, and PHE273 showed the most significant changes in mutational energy. Subsequently, PAB upregulated the genes expressions involved in lipid metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis downstream of PPARα (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Significantly, the PPARα inhibitor MK886 effectively reversed the lipid-lowering and PPARα activation properties of PAB (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION PAB mitigates lipid accumulation, ameliorates liver damage, and improves mitochondrial biogenesis by binding with PPARα, thus presenting a potential candidate for pharmaceutical development in the treatment of NAFLD.
Animals ; PPAR alpha/metabolism* ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/pathology* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Lipid Metabolism/drug effects* ; Diterpenes/therapeutic use* ; Organelle Biogenesis ; Diet, High-Fat ; Humans ; Mice ; Liver/metabolism* ; Insulin Resistance ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Molecular Docking Simulation

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.

Disrupted bone morphogenetic protein type 2 receptor (BMPR2) signaling in endothelial cells drives pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, targeted recovery of this signaling pathway by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) has not been explored as a therapy. Here, we employed Design of Experiments to optimize the delivery efficiency of LNPs targeting pulmonary endothelial cells developed by our laboratory, resulting in a remarkable 35-fold increase in a simplified three-component formulation without helper lipids. Administration of BMPR2 mRNA LNPs effectively reversed established PAH in two experimental rat models (monocrotaline or SU5416-hypoxia) by reversing pulmonary vascular remodeling. Specifically, BMPR2 mRNA LNPs replenished the expression of BMPR2 protein and subsequently activated downstream pathways, as confirmed by elevated levels of p-SMAD1/5/9 and ID1 proteins. The relief of pulmonary arterial occlusion was demonstrated by thinned pulmonary arterial media and decreased proportion of full muscularized vessels. Alleviation of right ventricular hypertrophy was indicated by declined Fulton index, the cross-sectional area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes as well as collagen deposition. Effective recovery of right ventricular function was evidenced by increased pulmonary artery flow acceleration time/pulmonary artery flow ejection time ratio. These findings underscore the potential of restoring BMPR2 signaling through pulmonary endothelial cell-specific LNPs for treating PAH.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection frequently develop central nervous system damage, yet the mechanisms driving this pathology remain unclear. This study investigated the primary pathways and key factors underlying brain tissue damage induced by the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant (lineage B.1.351). METHODS: K18-hACE2 and C57BL/6 mice were intranasally infected with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant. Viral replication, pathological phenotypes, and brain transcriptomes were analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed to identify altered pathways. Expression changes of host genes were verified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. RESULTS: Pathological alterations were observed in the lungs of both mouse strains. However, only K18-hACE2 mice exhibited elevated viral RNA loads and infectious titers in the brain at 3 days post-infection, accompanied by neuropathological injury and weight loss. GO analysis of infected K18-hACE2 brain tissue revealed significant dysregulation of genes associated with innate immunity and antiviral defense responses, including type I interferons, pro-inflammatory cytokines, Toll-like receptor signaling components, and interferon-stimulated genes. Neuroinflammation was evident, alongside activation of apoptotic and pyroptotic pathways. Furthermore, altered neural cell marker expression suggested viral-induced neuroglial activation, resulting in caspase 4 and lipocalin 2 release and disruption of neuronal molecular networks. CONCLUSION These findings elucidate mechanisms of neuropathogenicity associated with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant and highlight therapeutic targets to mitigate COVID-19-related neurological dysfunction.
Animals ; COVID-19/genetics* ; Mice ; Brain/metabolism* ; Apoptosis ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; SARS-CoV-2/physiology* ; Pyroptosis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Transcriptome ; Male ; Female

AIM:This study aims to investigate the impact of chronic kidney disease(CKD)on the growth,development,and cognitive function of offspring rats,and to evaluate the effects of esaxerenone(ESAX)intervention.METHODS:Thirty female non-pregnant Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups:sham operation+pregnancy(control group),UUO+pregnancy(model group),and UUO+pregnancy+esaxerenone(treatment group),with 10 rats in each group.CKD was induced in the UUO+pregnancy and UUO+pregnancy+esaxerenone groups by performing uni-lateral ureteral obstruction(UUO),while the sham operation+pregnancy group underwent a non-ligated and non-clipped ureter procedure.Rats in the treatment group received esaxerenone at a dosage of 1 mg·kg-1·d-1.Vaginal smears were per-formed weekly from the 8th week post-UUO to monitor the estrous cycle.Female and male rats in pre-estrus or estrus were paired in a 2∶1 ratio,and the day with the first appearance of sperm in vaginal smears was recorded as the first day of preg-nancy.Offspring were delivered 21 to 22 days post-gestation,and 10 offspring from each group were selected for further experimentation:sham-offspring(sham-offspr)group,UUO-offspro group,and esaxerenone treatment offspring(ESAX-offspr)group.At 21 days of age,offspring weight and tail length were measured.Behavioral tests,including the open field test,Y maze test,and Morris water maze test,assessed learning and memory abilities.Serum levels of aldosterone,5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)were measured using ELISA.Serum creati-nine(SCr)and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)levels were assessed using conventional biochemical methods.Renal pathology was examined using Hematoxylin-Eosin(HE)staining.RESULTS:Offspring in the UUO-offspr group had reduced body weight and tail length compared to the sham-offspr group(P＜0.05).Behavioral tests indicated that exploration and memo-ry abilities were significantly impaired in the UUO-offspr group compared to the sham-offspr group(P＜0.05),while the ESAX-offspr group showed improved behavioral development compared to the UUO-offspr group(P＜0.05).ELISA results revealed decreased levels of serum 5-HT,BDNF,and aldosterone in the UUO-offspr group compared to the sham-offspr group(P＜0.01),with increased levels in the ESAX-offspr group(P＜0.05).Renal function tests showed elevated SCr and BUN levels in the UUO-offspr group compared to the sham-offspr group(P＜0.01),while levels in the ESAX-offspr group were reduced(P＜0.01).HE staining demonstrated mild tubular dilation and inflammatory cell infiltration in the UUO-offspr group,whereas the ESAX-offspr group had well-arranged tubules with reduced inflammation.CONCLU-SION:Chronic kidney disease adversely affects the growth,development,and cognitive function of offspring rats by 21 days of age.Esaxerenone intervention can mitigate these detrimental effects on growth,development,and cognitive abili-ties in offspring rats.