Hepatic fibrosis is a pathological repair response of the liver to various chronic injuries, commonly seen in chronic liver diseases such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, etc. Hepatic fibrosis is a necessary stage for the development of chronic liver disease into cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma. Reversing or delaying the progression of hepatic fibrosis is crucial for the treatment of chronic liver disease, but there are currently no safe and effective therapeutic drugs in clinical practice. In recent years, research has found that many alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicine have anti-fibrotic activity, and their mechanisms involved multiple aspects such as cell autophagy, antioxidation, and anti-inflammation. The anti-fibrotic effects and mechanisms of alkaloids from traditional Chinese medicine were reviewed, which could provide reference for the application of alkaloids in the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

The paper introduces Professor SUN Shentian's experience in clinical practice of Ningshen (tranquilizing the mind) point. This point is an empirical point discovered by Professor SUN on the basis of meridian differentiation, nerve function and anatomic location, and in association with the years of clinical practice. The point is located in the prefrontal area, jointed with the distribution of the governor vessel, and responded to the body surface projection area of the frontal pole. It works on regulating the mind, regaining consciousness, improving cognition, alleviating depression, mutually treating physical and mental disorders, as well as unblocking collaterals, regulating the tendons and relieving spasm. This point is widely used in treatment of mental disorders, stroke and extrapyramidal diseases and obtains the reliable therapeutic effect in clinical practice.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy/history* ; China ; Meridians ; History, 20th Century

Objective:To systematically elucidate the molecular mechanism of hesperetin in the treatment of heart failure by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics, and to clarify its key targets and pathway regulatory networks.Methods:Potential targets of hesperetin were retrieved from the PubChem, Pharmmapper, SwissTargetPrediction, and Similarity ensemble approach databases. Heart failure-related targets were obtained from the OMIM, GeneCards, and TTD databases. Intersection targets were identified using Venny 2.1. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of potential targets was constructed using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0 software. Gene ontology (GO) functional and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of key targets were performed using the Metascape database. Molecular docking was carried out using Autodock vina1.1.2. GROMACS (2024.03) was employed to conduct a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation on the optimal affinity complex. The thermodynamic stability of the candidate complex during simulation was evaluated by analyzing the root mean square deviation (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), radius of gyration (Rg), and binding free energy. Data were analyzed by an independent sample t test or one-way analysis of variance. Results:A total of 356 related targets of hesperetin and 2 923 related targets of heart failure were screened, with 152 intersection targets identified as potential targets for hesperetin intervention in heart failure. PPI network topological analysis revealed key targets for hesperetin intervention in heart failure, including insulin-like growth factor 1, estrogen receptor 1 (ER1), cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-3, sarcoma proto-oncogene, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), MMP2, Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), albumin, heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). GO functional enrichment analysis indicated that biological processes were mainly enriched in response to hormone stimulation, positive regulation of cell migration, gland development, response to nutritional levels, regulation of system processes, and response to trauma. Molecular functions were primarily enriched in phosphotransferase activity, nuclear receptor activity, endopeptidase activity, kinase binding, heme binding, hormone binding and protease binding. Cellular components were mainly enriched in membrane-related structures such as vesicle cavity, membrane raft, vacuole cavity, receptor complex and extracellular matrix containing collagen. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these key targets were significantly enriched in lipid and atherosclerosis, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathway. Molecular docking results indicated that the binding energy of hesperetin to MMP9 (?46.442 kJ/mol) was significantly lower than that to other key targets. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the hesperetin-MMP9 complex maintained structural stability, with an average RMSD of 1.60 ?. The average RMSF values of MMP9 residues (0.83 ?) and ligand atoms (0.68 ?) indicated stable protein conformation and ligand-binding states. The Rg values of MMP9 [(15.04±0.60) ?] and hesperetin [(4.19±0.35) ?] showed minimal fluctuations, further supporting structural compactness. The total binding free energy of the hesperetin-MMP9 complex during the 100 ns simulation was (?142.3±6.3) kJ/mol, with minimal energy fluctuations, confirming that the complex remained structurally stable without significant energy transition throughout the simulation.Conclusions:Hesperetin may bind effectively to targets such as MMP9, JAK2, Bcl-2, and ER1, and form a stable complex with MMP9. It is suggested to influence biological processes related to lipids and signaling pathways such as atherosclerosis, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1, thereby playing a role in heart failure intervention.

Objective: To investigate the ferroptosis induced by sesamin in triple-negative breast cancer ( TNBC) 4T1 cells and its underlying mechanism . Methods: The binding energy of sesamin with glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) , solute carrier family 7 member 11 ( SLC7A11) , and P53 was analyzed by molecular docking. Mouse TNBC cell line 4T1 was used as a model . Different concentrations of sesamin were administered to 4T1 cells . The effect of sesamin on cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) . Transwell assay was used to evaluate the effect of sesamin on cell migration and invasion . The contents of Fe2 + , malondialdehyde (MDA) , and reduced glutathione (GSH) in the cells were measured using kits . 2 ′,7 ′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) probe was employed to detect the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells . Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were performed to evaluate the expression of GPX4 , SLC7A11 , and P53 at mRNA and protein levels . Results: The binding energies of sesamin with GPX4 , SLC7A11 and P53 were - 21 . 46 , - 21 . 67 , and - 27 . 03 kJ/mol , respectively . Compared with the control group , the viability of 4T1 cells in different concentrations of sesamin groups decreased gradually ( P < 0. 001) , and the migration and invasion ability of 4T1 cells in 20 , 40 , and 80 μmol/L sesamin groups decreased gradually (all P < 0. 001) . Compared with the control group , the contents of Fe2 + , MDA , and ROS in 4T1 cells of 20 , 40 , and 80 μmol/L sesamin groups increased , and the content of GSH decreased . Compared with the control group , the mRNA and protein expression of GPX4 and SLC7A11 in 4T1 cells in the sesamin treatment group decreased , and the mRNA and protein expression of P53 increased ( all P < 0. 001) . Conclusion Sesamin may induce the ferroptosis in 4T1 cells through P53/SLC7A11 /GPX4 pathway .

Cryptogenic multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis（CMUSE） is a rare and difficult disease characte-rized by chronic recurrent intestinal obstruction and gastrointestinal bleeding caused by multiple ulcers and strictures of the small intestine. There is still a lack of mature and systematic guidance for the treatment of the disease. This paper reported a case of CMUSE mainly manifested as fatigue， abdominal distention， and edema of both lower limbs ， who is treated by integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine. In western medicine treatment， hormone and symptomatic treatment are mainly used. In traditional Chinese medicine treatment， the method of fortifying spleen and reinforcing healthy qi is taken as the basis； during the active stage of the disease， the method of moving qi and removing stagnation， clearing and removing dampness and heat， astringing and engendering flesh should be combined with， while during the remission stage， it is advised to unite with the method of diffusing lung and moving water， regulating and harmonizing zang-fu （脏腑） organs； simultaneously， replenishing qi and invigorating blood can be used throughout the treatment， and attach importance to the maintenance therapy of the traditional Chinese medicine immunomo-dulatory agent Tripterygium glycosides. After more than 2 years of treatment， the patient's clinical symptoms were significantly relieved， and all indicators basically restored to normal， having a stable condition.

ObjectiveTo investigate the menstrual conditions of women infected with COVID-19 in Shanghai and analyze the influencing factors. MethodsFrom December 2022 to March 2023， menstrual data from 281 women infected with COVID-19 in Shanghai were collected with a questionnaire survey， including usual menstrual characteristics， the most recent menstrual period post-infection， symptoms of infection， and medication usage. According to the crossover period between the menstrual period and the infection period of the respondents， the samples were divided into two groups for comparative analysis： those whose menstrual and infection periods overlapped （positive group） and those whose menstruation started after conversion to virus-negative （negative conversion group）. ResultsAmong the 281 respondents， 196 （65.8%） experienced menstrual changes. Among them， 145 （51.6%） had changes in menstrual volume， color and texture， and 109 （38.8%） had changes in menstrual duration or cycle. Decreased menstrual volume （22.1%）， darker color （23.49%）， thicker texture （21.0%）， increased blood clots （16.7%）， and prolonged duration （21.8%） were observed in both groups. The rate of changes in menstrual volume， color， and texture was higher in the positive group （56.8%， 69/110） than that in negative group （37.3%， 76/171） （P<0.05）. Regarding the menstrual cycle changes， the rate of early onset was higher in the positive group （14.5%） compared to the negative conversion group （3.5%）（P<0.05）， while the rate of delayed menstruation was higher in the negative conversion group （25.1%） than that in the positive group （5.5%） （P<0.05）. Correlation analysis showed a weak association between sore throat and menstrual changes （r=0.154， P<0.05）. ConclusionSome women infected with COVID-19 experience short-term changes in their menstrual conditions， characterized by reduced volume， darker color， thick texture， increased clots， and prolonged menstrual duration， reflecting a pathogenesis of blood stasis. Menstruation during the infection period tends to occur earlier， while delayed menstruation is more prevalent at post-conversion.

ObjectiveTo conduct comprehensive assessment of internal and external cadmium exposure and health risks for Shanghai residents. MethodsCadmium levels in food samples were calculated by employing two dietary exposure assessment methods， total diet study （TDS） and food frequency questionnaire （FFQ）， to estimate the daily dietary cadmium exposure of Shanghai residents. The provisional tolerable monthly intake （PTMI） of cadmium set by joint food and agriculture organization/WHO expert committee on food additives （JECFA） was applied to evaluate the health risk. Differences in dietary and urinary cadmium were compared by rank-sum test among different regions， age， gender， smoking status， and BMI groups， and the association between internal and external cadmium exposure was investigated by correlation analysis. ResultsThe mean value of urinary cadmium for 1 300 respondents was 0.542 μg·L^-1. Urinary cadmium was higher in the population in central urban and urban-rural fringe areas than in the suburban area， higher in the older age group than in the younger age group， and higher in the smoking group than in the non-smoking group （all P<0.01）. The two assessment methods showed that the mean values of daily dietary cadmium exposure for Shanghai residents were 0.306 and 0.090 μg·kg^-1， with 3.69% and 0.85% of Shanghai residents exceeding the PTMI， respectively. Correlation analyses showed that dietary exposure to cadmium based on the FFQ method was positively correlated with the urinary cadmium level when smoking status， age， gender， and BMI were adjusted. ConclusionDietary exposure to cadmium of Shanghai residents is mainly derived from vegetables， aquatic products， cereals and potatoes， and is overall at a low-risk level. Dietary exposure assessment based on FFQ and risk monitoring data can effectively estimate long-term cadmium exposure.

Objective:To investigate the application value of ultrasound-guided multimodal examinations in the diagnosis of lymph node mycobacterial infection.Methods:The clinical data of 42 patients with suspected lymph node mycobacterial infection who were initially diagnosed at the Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent an ultrasound-guided lymph node-negative pressure puncture. Acid-fast staining, bacterial culture, pathological examination or their combination were used to screen lymph nodes for mycobacterial infection. The results were compared with those of acid-fast staining and bacterial culture of sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid smears.Results:The combined application of acid fast staining, bacterial culture, and pathological examination for the puncture fluid smear showed a positive rate of 71.4% (30/42), which was significantly higher than the positive rate [26.2% (11/42)] for acid fast staining of the puncture fluid smear, the positive rate [42.9% (18/42)] for bacterial culture of the puncture fluid, and the positive rate [50.0% (21/42)] of pathological examination ( χ2 = 17.20, 7.00, 4.04, P < 0.001, P < 0.01, P = 0.040). The positive rate for sputum smear and bacterial culture was 21.4% (9/33). The positive rate for acid fast staining and bacterial culture of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was 28.6% (12/30). The differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 21.11, 15.43, both P < 0.001). Conclusion:Ultrasound-guided negative pressure aspiration and puncture biopsy of lymph nodes combined with acid fast staining, bacterial culture, and pathological examinations can markedly increase the detection rate and diagnostic rate of mycobacterial infection.

The incidence rate of vascular dementia is increasing year by year, and there is still no effective treatment at present, so it is very important to reduce the risk of developing vascular dementia. Research shows that diabetes is associated with vascular dementia. Based on the research literature related to diabetes and vascular dementia from January 1995 to April 2023, This article reviews the relationship between diabetes and vascular dementia, pathological mechanism and prevention and control strategies. It is found that diabetes can promote the occurrence and development of vascular dementia by inducing cerebrovascular disease, oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction, using hypoglycemic drugs, removing the incentives of cerebrovascular disease, maintaining the stability of blood-brain barrier and adhering to a healthy lifestyle are the main measures for the prevention and control of vascular dementia at this stage. Future research needs to further explore the mechanism of vascular dementia induced by diabetes, and seek economic and effective prevention targets.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.03.043.].