epsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome triggered by infection， and its high mortality rate is closely associated with immune imbalance， particularly the imbalance in the differentiation of helper T cell （Th） cell subsets [Th1， Th2， Th17， regulatory T cell （Treg） ] . In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its characteristics of multi-component and multi-target actions， has demonstrated unique advantages in regulating Th cell differentiation and function， as well as correcting immune imbalances in sepsis， offering new perspectives for immunotherapy of sepsis. This review summarizes relevant studies on the regulation of Th cell differentiation for sepsis treatment by TCM monomers and active ingredients （such as Astragalus membranaceus ， Scutellaria baicalensis ， Coptis chinensis ， Rheum palmatum ， Ganoderma lucidum ， Ginkgo biloba ， and Cistanche deserticola ）， the alcohol extract of Dai Baijie， and TCM formulas and preparations categorized as blood-activating and stasis-removing， purgative and laxative， warming and tonifying yang， and tonifying qi and nourishing yin. The results indicate that these TCM monomers， active ingredients， extracts， formulas， and preparations can regulate the Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg balance， target the differentiation balance of Th cell subsets， alleviate inflammatory responses， or improve immune suppression， thereby exerting therapeutic effects on sepsis.

This article discusses the key pathogenesis of atherosclerosis （AS） based on the physiological characteristics and pathological changes of lipids and introduces the therapeutic effect of Zhuyuwan on AS， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases from the spleen. As essential substances， lipids have the same essence but different forms. They circulate throughout the body with body fluids under the action of Yang Qi to nourish the nutrient Qi and support the defensive Qi. Lipid metabolism disorder often leads to the obstruction of Qi movement， the accumulation of dampness and turbidity， and the generation of phlegm and blood stasis. It has been proven that the formation of vulnerable plaques in AS is attributed to the interaction of three pathogenic factors： deficiency of healthy Qi， phlegm-turbidity， and collateral stasis. Their pathological essence is closely related to abnormal lipid metabolism. As lipids constitute the thick and dense components of body fluids， their impaired dispersion may lead to phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis， the pathological process of which is predominantly ascribed to the dysfunction of the spleen in distributing essence. Therefore， AS is rooted in spleen-stomach disorder， manifests as plaques formed by pathological product accumulation in vessels， with lipid transport disorder as its core pathogenesis. Specifically speaking， the dysfunction of spleen in transportation with accumulation of dampness-turbidity marks the initial stage， and blood turbidity and coagulation and phlegm-nodules accumulating in vessels represent the intermediate phase. Cold accumulation and stagnated heat transforming into toxins represent the terminal stage. Zhuyuwan， first recorded in Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief， contains equal proportions of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus. Coptidis Rhizoma， bitter and cold， exerts descending and purging actions to assist stomach Qi in lowering turbidity. Evodiae Fructus， pungent-bitter and hot， disperses obstruction and promotes free flow to support spleen Qi in ascending the clear. The compatibility of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus ascends the clear and descends the turbid to harmonize Yin and Yang， assisting the spleen in distributing essence and resolving lipid accumulation to reduce lipid levels. In terms of the therapeutic mechanism， Zhuyuwan modulates lipid metabolism by correcting immune-inflammation network imbalance， improving gut microbiota composition and metabolism， and enhancing reverse cholesterol transport. By analyzing the pathological characteristics of lipid transport disorder in AS， this study delves into the intrinsic connections between cardiovascular disease and lipid transport disorder， giving novel insights into the prevention and treatment of AS.

This article discusses the key pathogenesis of atherosclerosis （AS） based on the physiological characteristics and pathological changes of lipids and introduces the therapeutic effect of Zhuyuwan on AS， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases from the spleen. As essential substances， lipids have the same essence but different forms. They circulate throughout the body with body fluids under the action of Yang Qi to nourish the nutrient Qi and support the defensive Qi. Lipid metabolism disorder often leads to the obstruction of Qi movement， the accumulation of dampness and turbidity， and the generation of phlegm and blood stasis. It has been proven that the formation of vulnerable plaques in AS is attributed to the interaction of three pathogenic factors： deficiency of healthy Qi， phlegm-turbidity， and collateral stasis. Their pathological essence is closely related to abnormal lipid metabolism. As lipids constitute the thick and dense components of body fluids， their impaired dispersion may lead to phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis， the pathological process of which is predominantly ascribed to the dysfunction of the spleen in distributing essence. Therefore， AS is rooted in spleen-stomach disorder， manifests as plaques formed by pathological product accumulation in vessels， with lipid transport disorder as its core pathogenesis. Specifically speaking， the dysfunction of spleen in transportation with accumulation of dampness-turbidity marks the initial stage， and blood turbidity and coagulation and phlegm-nodules accumulating in vessels represent the intermediate phase. Cold accumulation and stagnated heat transforming into toxins represent the terminal stage. Zhuyuwan， first recorded in Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief， contains equal proportions of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus. Coptidis Rhizoma， bitter and cold， exerts descending and purging actions to assist stomach Qi in lowering turbidity. Evodiae Fructus， pungent-bitter and hot， disperses obstruction and promotes free flow to support spleen Qi in ascending the clear. The compatibility of Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus ascends the clear and descends the turbid to harmonize Yin and Yang， assisting the spleen in distributing essence and resolving lipid accumulation to reduce lipid levels. In terms of the therapeutic mechanism， Zhuyuwan modulates lipid metabolism by correcting immune-inflammation network imbalance， improving gut microbiota composition and metabolism， and enhancing reverse cholesterol transport. By analyzing the pathological characteristics of lipid transport disorder in AS， this study delves into the intrinsic connections between cardiovascular disease and lipid transport disorder， giving novel insights into the prevention and treatment of AS.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in regulating many physiological processes. Activating the AhR-CYP1A1 axis has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy against various inflammatory diseases. Here, a practical in situ cell-based fluorometric assay was constructed to screen AhR-CYP1A1 axis modulators, via functional sensing of CYP1A1 activities in live cells. Firstly, a cell-permeable, isoform-specific enzyme-activable fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 was rationally constructed for in-situ visualizing the dynamic changes of CYP1A1 function in living systems, which was subsequently used for discovering the efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis. Following screening of a compound library, LAC-7 was identified as an efficacious activator of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis, which dose-dependently up-regulated the expression levels of both CYP1A1 and AhR in multiple cell lines. LAC-7 also suppressed macrophage M1 polarization and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages. Animal tests showed that LAC-7 could significantly mitigate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice, and markedly reduced the levels of multiple inflammatory factors. Collectively, an optimized fluorometric cell-based assay was devised for in situ functional imaging of CYP1A1 activities in living systems, which strongly facilitated the discovery of efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis as novel anti-inflammatory agents.

Notum, a negative feedback regulator of the Wnt signaling, has emerged as a promising target for treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). This study showcases an efficient strategy for discovering the anti-Notum constituents from herbal medicines (HMs) as novel anti-GIOP agents. Firstly, a rapid-responding near-infrared fluorogenic substrate for Notum was rationally engineered for high-throughput identifying the anti-Notum HMs. The results showed that Bu-Gu-Zhi (BGZ), a known anti-osteoporosis herb, potently inhibited Notum in a competitive-inhibition manner. To uncover the key anti-Notum constituents in BGZ, an efficient strategy was adapted via integrating biochemical, phytochemical, computational, and pharmacological assays. Among all identified BGZ constituents, three furanocoumarins were validated as strong Notum inhibitors, while 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MP) showed the most potent anti-Notum activity and favorable safety profiles. Mechanistically, 5-MP acted as a competitive inhibitor of Notum via creating strong hydrophobic interactions with Trp128 and Phe268 in the catalytic cavity of Notum. Cellular assays showed that 5-MP remarkably promoted osteoblast differentiation and activated Wnt signaling in dexamethasone (DXMS)-challenged MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. In dexamethasone-induced osteoporotic mice, 5-MP strongly elevated bone mineral density (BMD) and improved cancellous and cortical bone thickness. Collectively, this study constructs a high-efficient platform for discovering key anti-Notum constituents from HMs, while 5-MP emerges as a promising anti-GIOP agent.

Human carboxylesterase 2A (hCES2A) plays pivotal roles in prodrug activation and hydrolytic metabolism of ester-bearing chemicals. Targeted inhibition of intestinal hCES2A represents a feasible strategy to mitigate irinotecan-triggered gut toxicity (ITGT), but the orally active, selective, and efficacious hCES2A inhibitors are rarely reported. Here, a novel drug-like hCES2A inhibitor was developed via three rounds of structure-based drug design (SBDD) and structural optimization. Initially, donepezil was identified as a moderate hCES2A inhibitor from 2000 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs. Following two rounds of SBDD and structural optimization, a donepezil derivative (B7) was identified as a strong reversible hCES2A inhibitor. Subsequently, nine B7 carbamates were rationally designed, synthesized and biologically assayed. Among all synthesized carbamates, C3 showed the most potent time-dependent inhibition on hCES2A (IC₅₀ = 0.56 nmol/L), excellent specificity and favorable drug-like properties. C3 could covalently modify the catalytic serine of hCES2A with high selectivity, while this agent also showed favorable safety profiles, high intestinal exposure, and impressive effects for ameliorating ITGT in both human intestinal organoids and tumor-bearing mice. Collectively, this study showcases a rational strategy for developing drug-like and serine-targeting covalent inhibitors against target serine hydrolase(s), while C3 emerges as a promising orally active drug candidate for ameliorating ITGT.

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), the most commonly-occurring form of hearing loss, is caused mainly by injury to or the loss of hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea. Numerous environmental and physiological factors have been shown to cause acquired SNHL, such as ototoxic drugs, noise exposure, aging, infections, and diseases. Several programmed cell death (PCD) pathways have been reported to be involved in SNHL, especially some novel PCD pathways that have only recently been reported, such as ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis. Here we summarize these PCD pathways and their roles and mechanisms in SNHL, aiming to provide new insights and potential therapeutic strategies for SNHL by targeting these PCD pathways.
Humans ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/metabolism* ; Necroptosis/drug effects* ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Animals

Objective·To preliminarily investigate the value of high-order functional magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors and the changes after chemotherapy.Methods·Patients clinically diagnosed with bone and soft tissue tumors at the Department of Orthopaedics,Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,from October 2014 to December 2024 were enrolled.The patients were divided into a control group and an amide proton transfer-weighted imaging(APTw)group according to the imaging method.All patients underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI),and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging(DCE)before surgery.Patients in the APTw group received additional APTw imaging.Both groups were divided into non-malignant and malignant lesion subgroups according to pathological results.According to whether the patients received chemotherapy before enrollment,the patients with malignant lesions in the APTw group were further divided into malignant group without chemotherapy and malignant group with chemotherapy.Clinical and imaging data,including APT values,apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC),and time-intensity curves(TICs)from the largest tumor section,were collected and analyzed to assess the diagnostic performance of APTw,DWI,and DCE,and to evaluate changes after chemotherapy.Results·Eighty-five patients were enrolled,including 51 males and 34 females,with ages ranging from 10 to 84 years,and a mean age of(43.05±17.62)years.There were 51 patients in the control group(16 with non-malignant lesions and 35 with malignant lesions)and 34 patients in the APTw group(5 with non-malignant lesions and 29 with malignant lesions;23 malignant lesions without chemotherapy and 6 malignant lesions with chemotherapy).The clinical and imaging data showed that only the tumor margin of the control group and the maximum tumor diameter of the APTw group had statistically significant differences in their malignant and non-malignant lesion groups(P<0.05).In the APTw group,there was a statistically significant difference in APT values between the malignant lesion group and the non-malignant lesion group(P<0.001).Further analysis showed that the APT values in the malignant group without chemotherapy were significantly lower than that in the malignant group with chemotherapy(P<0.001).However,there were no statistically significant differences in APT values between the malignant group with chemotherapy and the non-malignant lesion group(P>0.05).There were no significant differences in ADC values and TIC types between malignant and non-malignant lesion groups in the control group and the APTw group(P>0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of the diagnostic model in the APTw group(MRI+DWI+DCE+APTw)for distinguishing malignant from benign tumors was significantly higher than that of the control group(MRI+DWI+DCE)(P<0.05).The Youden index and specificity of the diagnostic model in the APTw group were higher than those in the control group.Conclusion·As a high-order functional MRI technique,APTw imaging is capable of evaluating the nature(benign or malignant)of bone and soft tissue tumors and detecting changes after chemotherapy.It serves as a valuable supplement to conventional MRI,DWI,and DCE imaging,providing a novel noninvasive tool for the diagnosis and treatment evaluation of bone and soft tissue tumors.

Objective To investigate the effects of super early enteral nutrition support on postoperative serum miR-124 levels,inflammatory markers,immune function,nutritional status,and short-term and long-term rehabilitation outcomes in patients with severe traumatic brain injury(STBI).Methods A total of123 STBI patients admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected.According to the start time of enteral nutrition,patients were divided into super early enteral nutrition group,late enteral nutrition group and parenteral nutrition group.We collect clinical data from each group and detected serum miR-124 and inflammatory factors,immune indicator,nutritional indicators levels before and after treatment,as well as postoperative complications and prognosis.Results Compared with the parenteral group and the late intestinal group,the levels of miR-124,inflammatory factors and the proportion of CD8+T cells in the super early intestinal group were significantly reduced,while the proportion of CD4+/CD8+cells was significantly increased,with statistical differences(all P＜0.05).Compared with the parenteral group,the levels of albumin,prealbumin,and transferrin in intestinal groups were significantly increased with statistical differences(both P＜0.05).Compared with the late intestinal group,the levels of albumin and prealbumin in the super early intestinal group were significantly increased,with statistical differences(both P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference in transferrin levels between two groups(P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of various complications during hospitalization among all groups(all P＞0.05).The total incidence of complications in the super early intestinal group was significantly lower than that in the parenteral group and late intestinal group with statistical differences(both P＜0.05).During the follow-up period,there was no significant difference in prognosis,disability,and mortality among three groups(all P＞0.05).Compared with the parenteral group,the GOS scores of the intestinal groups were significantly reduced with statistical differences(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in GOS scores between two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Super early enteral nutrition support is effective in treating patients with STBI,which can effectively improve the patient's nutritional status,enhance immune function,suppress inflammatory reactions,help repair nerve injuries,and enhance rehabilitation effects.

Objective To explore the relationship between plantar fascia stiffness and windlass mechanism and their impact on the arch,and provide a biomechanical mechanism explanation for plantar fascia and arch-related diseases.Methods A foot-plate model with 30° flexion angle at the metatarsophalangeal joint was constructed.The musculoskeletal model combined with the three-dimensional finite element analysis method was used,and the dynamic data of the foot during walking at the speed of 5 km/h was obtained using dual fluoroscopic imaging system(DFIS).The finite element model was verified,and the influence of plantar fascia stiffness on the capstan mechanism and arch-related mechanical parameters was explored.Results The finite element simulation analysis results were highly consistent with the foot data obtained by DFIS,confirming the validity of the model.With the increase of plantar fascia stiffness,the windlass effect and the stiffness of the longitudinal arch of the foot both showed an increasing trend,but the flexion angle of the metatarsophalangeal joint decreased,the distal stress of the plantar fascia gradually decreased,and the proximal stress increased;when the plantar fascia stiffness was 25％-150％,the width of the transverse arch of the foot increased with the increase of plantar fascia stiffness,while the height of the transverse arch decreased with the increase of plantar fascia stiffness;when the plantar fascia stiffness was 150％-200％,the width of the transverse arch of the foot decreased,the height increased,and the stiffness also increased.Conclusions An increase in plantar fascia stiffness can enhance the windlass mechanism to some extent,but it also leads to a reduction in metatarsophalangeal joint flexion.The stiffness of the plantar fascia affects the metatarsophalangeal joint flexion,thereby impacting the windlass mechanism and the distal tensile force of the plantar fascia.Together with the ground reaction force at the distal end of the metatarsals,these factors collectively influence the stiffness of the transverse arch of the foot.