ObjectiveTo establish a new noninvasive， simple， and convenient clinical predictive model by identifying independent predictive factors for rebleeding after endoscopic therapy in cirrhotic patients with esophagogastric variceal bleeding （EGVB）， and to provide a basis for individualized risk assessment and development of clinical intervention strategies. MethodsCirrhotic patients with EGVB who were diagnosed and treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University from September 2018 to October 2023 were enrolled as subjects， and according to whether the patient experienced rebleeding within 1 year after endoscopic therapy， they were divided into rebleeding group with 93 patients and non-rebleeding group with 84 patients. Clinical data were collected and analyzed. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A Logistic model was established based on the results of the univariate and multivariate analyses， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve and the area under the ROC curve （AUC） were used to assess the accuracy of the model. R software was used to visualize the model by plotting a nomogram， and the Bootstrap method was used for internal validation of the model. ResultsThe multivariate analysis showed that red blood cell count （RBC）， cholinesterase （ChE）， alkaline phosphatase （ALP）， albumin （Alb）， thrombin time （TT）， portal vein trunk diameter， sequential therapy， and primary prevention were independent predictive factors for rebleeding. Based on the results of the multivariate analysis， a logistic model was established as logit（P）=-0.805-1.978×（RBC）+0.001×（ChE）-0.020×（ALP）-0.314×（Alb）+0.567×（TT）+0.428×（portal vein trunk diameter）-2.303×［sequential therapy （yes=1， no=0）］-2.368×［primary prevention （yes=1， no=0）］. The logistic model （AUC=0.928， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.893—0.964， P<0.001） had a better performance in predicting rebleeding than MELD score （AUC=0.603， 95%CI： 0.520—0.687， P=0.003）， Child-Pugh class （AUC=0.650， 95%CI： 0.578—0.722， P=0.001）， and FIB-4 index （AUC=0.587， 95%CI： 0.503—0.671， P=0.045）. The model had an optimal cut-off value of 0.607， a sensitivity of 0.817， and a specificity of 0.817. Internal validation confirmed that the model had good predictive performance and accuracy. ConclusionSequential therapy， implementation of primary prevention， an increase in RBC， and an increase in Alb are protective factors against rebleeding， while prolonged TT and widened main portal vein diameter are risk factors. The logistic model based on these independent predictive factors can predict rebleeding and thus holds promise for clinical application.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors for batroxobin-related severe hypofibrinogenemia （HFIB） and construct a risk prediction model. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on inpatients treated with batroxobin in the First Medical Center of a tertiary hospital from January 1， 2020， to December 31， 2024. Patients were categorized into non-severe HFIB group and severe HFIB group based on the severity of HFIB. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent influencing factors for batroxobin-related severe HFIB. A nomogram was developed using the “rms” package in R 4.5 software. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Calibration was assessed via the Bootstrap resampling method， and goodness-of-fit was evaluated with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS A total of 1 472 patients were included in this study. Of these， 1 445 developed HFIB， yi elding an incidence of 98.17%. Furthermore， 895 were classified as severe HFIB， accounting for 60.80% of the cohort. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that increased age， high initial dose per 10 kg body weight， use of maintenance dose， and concomitant glucocorticoid use were independent risk factors for batroxobin-related severe HFIB， while high baseline fibrinogen （FIB） level was identified as a protective factor. The model demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.760 （95% CI： 0.735-0.785）. The mean absolute error of the calibration curve was 0.006. The P value of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was 0.609. CONCLUSIONS Batroxobin can rapidly and significantly reduce FIB levels and carries a risk of inducing severe HFIB. Patients with advanced age， high initial dose per 10 kg body weight， use of maintenance dose and concomitant glucocorticoid use had a higher risk of batroxobin-related severe HFIB， while high baseline FIB level had a lower risk of batroxobin-related severe HFIB. The risk prediction model developed based on these factors can be used to predict the likelihood of batroxobin-related severe HFIB.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential mechanism of epigallocatechin gallate （EGCG） enhancing the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） cells to lenvatinib based on the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. METHODS Five human HCC cell lines （HepG2， Huh-7， SMMC-7721， SNU-368 and SNU-739） were used to evaluate the effects of lenvatinib alone and in combination with EGCG on survival rates， clone number， proliferation rate， invasion number and the expressions of mRNAs and proteins related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The PI3K activator insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1） was introduced to investigate the effect of activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway on the sensitization effect of EGCG. RESULTS Compared with the control group， lenvatinib （10 μmol/L） and different concentrations of EGCG+ lenvatinib （1， 5 and 10 μg/mL EGCG+10 μmol/L lenvatinib） significantly reduced the survival rates and clone numbers of all five HCC cell lines in a dose-dependent manner （P＜0.05）. Lenvatinib （10 μmol/L） and EGCG+lenvatinib （10 μg/mL EGCG+10 μmol/L lenvatinib） also markedly inhibited the proliferation rate and invasion numbers of these cells， and decreased the mRNA expressions of PI3K， Akt， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， P70S6K and 4EBP， and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt， as well as the protein expressions of mTOR and B cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） in HepG2 cells or all five HCC cells； conversely， the mRNA and protein expressions of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10（PTEN）， and the protein expressions of caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3 were significantly upregulated， with more pronounced effects observed in the EGCG+lenvatinib group than in the lenvatinib group （P＜0.05）. Compared with the lenvatinib group and the EGCG+lenvatinib group， the clone number， proliferation rate and invasion number of HepG2 cells in the EGCG+lenvatinib+IGF-1 group （10 μg/mL EGCG+10 μmol/L lenvatinib+50 ng/mL IGF-1） were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS EGCG can enhance the sensitivity of HCC cells to lenvatinib， and its underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activation.

The etiology of nervous system diseases is complicated, posing significant harm to patients and often resulting in poor prognoses. In recent years, the role of dopaminergic system in nervous system diseases has attracted much attention, and its complex regulatory mechanism and therapeutic potential have been gradually revealed. This paper reviews the role of dopaminergic neurons, the neurotransmitter dopamine, dopamine receptors and dopamine transporters in neurological diseases (including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia), with a view to further elucidating the disease mechanism and providing new insights and strategies for the treatment of neurological diseases.
Humans ; Dopamine/metabolism* ; Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology* ; Parkinson Disease/physiopathology* ; Receptors, Dopamine/metabolism* ; Dopaminergic Neurons/physiology* ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism* ; Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology* ; Schizophrenia/physiopathology* ; Animals

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a perennial herb of the genus Salvia(Lamiaceae). As one of the earliest medicinal plants to undergo molecular biology research, it has gradually become a model plant for molecular biology of medicinal plants. With the gradual analysis of the genome of S. miltiorrhiza and the biosynthetic pathways of its main active components tanshinone and salvianolic acids, the transcriptional regulation mediated by transcription factors and related regulatory proteins has gradually become a new research focus. Due to the lack of scientific and unified naming of transcription factors and different research indexes in different literature, this paper systematically sorted out the transcription factors in different literature with the genomes of DSS3 from selfing for three generations and bh2-7 from selfing for six generations as reference. In total, 73 transcription factors and related regulatory proteins belonging to 13 gene families were identified. The effects of overexpression or gene silencing experiments on tanshinone and salvianolic acids were also analyzed. This study unified the identified transcription factors, which laid a foundation for further constructing the regulatory networks of secondary metabolites and insect or stress resistance and improving the quality of medicinal materials by using global transcriptional regulation engineering.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Abietanes/metabolism*

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between changes in intestinal toxicity and compositional alterations of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix(commonly known as Langdu) before and after milk processing, and to explore the detoxification mechanism of milk processing. Mice were intragastrically administered the 95% ethanol extract of raw Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, milk-decocted(milk-processed), and water-decocted(water-processed) Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Fecal morphology, fecal water content, and the release levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in different intestinal segments were used as indicators to evaluate the effects of different processing methods on the cathartic effect and intestinal inflammatory toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. LC-MS/MS was employed to analyze the small-molecule components in the raw product, the 95% ethanol extract of the milk-processed product, and the milky waste(precipitate) formed during milk processing, to assess the impact of milk processing on the chemical composition of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. The results showed that compared with the blank group, both the raw and water-processed Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix significantly increased the fecal morphology score, fecal water content, and the release levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in various intestinal segments(P<0.05). Compared with the raw group, all indicators in the milk-processed group significantly decreased(P<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in the water-processed group, indicating that milk, as an adjuvant in processing, plays a key role in reducing the intestinal toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Mass spectrometry results revealed that 29 components were identified in the raw product, including 28 terpenoids and 1 acetophenone. The content of these components decreased to varying extents after milk processing. A total of 28 components derived from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix were identified in the milky precipitate, of which 27 were terpenoids, suggesting that milk processing promotes the transfer of toxic components from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix into milk. To further investigate the effect of milk adjuvant processing on the toxic terpenoid components of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was used to observe the morphology of self-assembled casein micelles(the main protein in milk) in the milky precipitate. The micelles formed in casein-terpenoid solutions were characterized using particle size analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy. TEM observations confirmed the presence of casein micelles in the milky precipitate. Characterization results showed that with increasing concentrations of toxic terpenoids, the average particle size of casein micelles increased, fluorescence intensity of the solution decreased, the maximum absorption wavelength in the UV spectrum shifted, and significant changes occurred in the infrared spectrum, indicating that interactions occurred between casein micelles and toxic terpenoid components. These findings indicate that the cathartic effect of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix becomes milder and its intestinal inflammatory toxicity is reduced after milk processing. The detoxification mechanism is that terpenoid components in Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix reassemble with casein in milk to form micelles, promoting the transfer of some terpenoids into the milky precipitate.
Animals ; Mice ; Milk/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/immunology* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Female

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, primarily originating from recurrent inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). Therefore, blocking the inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon has become a focus in the early prevention and treatment of CRC. The inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon involves multiple types of cells and complex pathological processes, including inflammatory responses and tumorigenesis. In this complex pathological process, immune cells(including non-specific and specific immune cells) and non-immune cells(such as tumor cells and fibroblasts) interact with each other, collectively promoting the progression of the disease. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon belongs to the categories of dysentery and diarrhea, with the main pathogenesis being cold and heat in complexity. This paper first elaborates on the complex molecular mechanisms involved in the inflammation-cancer transformation process in the colon from the perspectives of inflammation, cancer, and their mutual influences. Subsequently, by comparing the pathogenic characteristics and clinical manifestations between inflammation-cancer transformation and the TCM pathogenesis of cold and heat in complexity, this paper explores the intrinsic connections between the two. Furthermore, based on the correlation between inflammation-cancer transformation in the colon and the TCM pathogenesis, this paper delves into the importance of the interaction between inflammation and cancer. Finally, it summarizes and discusses the clinical and basic research progress in the TCM intervention in the inflammation-cancer transformation process, providing a theoretical basis and treatment strategy for the treatment of CRC with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Humans ; Colon/pathology* ; Integrative Medicine ; Animals ; Cold Temperature ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Hot Temperature ; Inflammation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy*

To investigate the effects of phosphorus fertilizer on the morphological traits, active ingredients and rhizosphere soil microbial community of Polygala tenuifolia. The phosphorus fertilizer was calculated in terms of P_2O_5. Five treatments were set up: 0(CK), 17(P1), 34(P2), 51(P3), and 68(P4) kg per Mu(1 Mu≈667 m~2). A randomized block design was adopted. Samples of P. tenuifolia and its rhizosphere soil were collected under different superphosphate fertilizer treatments. Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the rhizosphere soil microbial community, 9 morphological traits were measured and the content of 11 active ingredients were determined. The results showed that the whole plant weight, shoot fresh weight, root weight, and root peel thickness were the highest under P1 treatment, increasing by 34.41%, 38.80%, 39.21%, and 3.17% respectively compared to CK. Under P2 treatment, the plant height, stem diameter, root thickness, and core thickness were significantly higher than CK. Phosphorus fertilizer had a significant impact on the content of tenuifolin, sibiricose A5, sibiricose A6, arillanin A, 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, and polygalaxanthone Ⅲ. Correlation analysis results showed that the relative abundance of Arthrobacter, Bacillus, norank＿f＿Vicinamibacteraceae, norank＿o＿Vicinamibacterales, MND1 and other bacteria, as well as the relative abundance of Neocosmospora, Paraphoma and other fungi were positively correlated with root diameter, wood core diameter, the whole plant weight, root weight, shoot fresh weight of P. tenuifolia. Bacillus, Neocosmospora, Subulicystidium were significantly positively correlated with oligosaccharides such as 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, sibiricose A5、sibiricose A6、glomeratose A、arillanin A and tenuifoliside C. Arthrobacter, Humicola, Aspergillus, Paraphoma were positively correlated with tenuifolin and norank＿f＿Vicinamibacteraceae, norank＿o＿Vicinamibacterales, Fusarium were positively correlated with polygalaxanthone Ⅲ. Evidently, appropriate phosphorus application is conducive to the growth and quality improvement of P. tenuifolia, and can increase the abundance of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.
Rhizosphere ; Phosphorus/pharmacology* ; Soil Microbiology ; Polygala/anatomy & histology* ; Fertilizers/analysis* ; Bacteria/metabolism* ; Soil/chemistry* ; Microbiota/drug effects* ; Plant Roots/metabolism*

Prosthesis loosening is the leading cause of postoperative revision in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The deviation of medial and lateral translational installation of the prosthesis during surgery is a common clinical phenomenon and an important factor in increasing the risk of prosthesis loosening. This study established a UKA finite element model and a bone-prosthesis fixation interface micromotion prediction model. The predicted medial contact force and joint motion of the knee joint from a patient-specific lower extremity musculoskeletal multibody dynamics model of UKA were used as boundary conditions. The effects of 9 femoral component medial and lateral translational installation deviations on the Von Mises stress of the proximal tibia, the contact stress, and the micro-motion of the bone prosthesis fixation interface were quantitatively studied. It was found that compared with the neutral position (a/A of 0.492), the lateral translational deviation of the femoral component significantly increased the tibial Von Mises stress and the bone-prosthesis fixation interface contact stress. The maximum Von Mises stress and the maximum contact stress of the fixation interface increased by 14.08% and 143.15%, respectively, when a/A was 0.361. The medial translational deviation of the femoral component significantly increased the bone-prosthesis fixation interface micro-motion. The maximum value of micromotion under the conditions of femoral neutral and medial translation deviation was in the range of 20-50 μm, which is suitable for osseointegration. Therefore, based on considerations such as the micromotion range suitable for osseointegration reported in the literature, the risk of reducing prosthesis loosening, and factors that may induce pain, it is recommended that clinicians control the mounting position of the femoral component during surgery within the safe range of 0-4 mm medial translation deviation.
Humans ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods* ; Finite Element Analysis ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Knee Prosthesis ; Tibia/surgery* ; Femur/surgery* ; Stress, Mechanical ; Prosthesis Failure ; Knee Joint/surgery* ; Prosthesis Design

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the accuracy and safety of pedicle screw placement using 3D-printed auxiliary guides in scoliosis correction surgery for adolescents. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 51 patients who underwent posterior scoliosis correction surgery from January 2020 to March 2023. Among them, there were 35 cases of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and 16 cases of congenital scoliosis. The patients were divided into two groups based on the auxiliary tool used:the 3D-printed auxiliary guide screw placement group (3D printing group) and the free-hand screw placement group (free-hand group, without auxiliary tools). The 3D printing group included 32 patients (12 males and 20 females) with an average age of (12.59±2.60) years;the free-hand group included 19 patients (7 males and 12 females) with an average age of (14.58±3.53) years. The two groups were compared in terms of screw placement accuracy and safety, spinal correction rate, intraoperative blood loss, number of intraoperative fluoroscopies, operation time, hospital stay, and preoperative and last follow-up scores of the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 707 pedicle screws were placed in the two groups, with 441 screws in the 3D printing group and 266 screws in the free-hand group. All patients in both groups successfully completed the surgery. There was a statistically significant difference in operation time between the two groups (P<0.05). The screw placement accuracy rate of the 3D printing group was 95.46% (421/441), among which the Grade A placement rate was 89.34% (394/441);the screw placement accuracy rate of the free-hand group was 86.47% (230/266), with a Grade A placement rate of 73.31% (195/266). There were statistically significant differences in the accuracy of Grade A, B, and C screw placements between the two groups (P<0.05), while no statistically significant differences were observed in intraoperative blood loss, number of fluoroscopies, correction rate, or hospital stay (P>0.05). In the SRS-22 questionnaire scores, the scores of functional status and activity ability, self-image, mental status, and pain of patients in each group at the last follow-up were significantly improved compared with those before surgery (P<0.05), but there were no statistically significant differences in all scores between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION In scoliosis correction surgery, compared with traditional free-hand screw placement, the use of 3D-printed auxiliary guides for screw placement significantly improves the accuracy and safety of screw placement and shortens the operation time.
Humans ; Male ; Scoliosis/surgery* ; Female ; Adolescent ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Retrospective Studies ; Pedicle Screws ; Child