Based on the theory of "shaoyang（少阳） resembling the pivot" and collateral diseases， this article proposes that pulmonary fibrosis （PF） can be divided into three stages including wind bi （痹）， constraint bi， and atrophy bi. The core pathogenesis of PF is the obstruction of the pivot and pulmonary collateral obstruction. In terms of treatment， the basic principles are to harmonize and regulate the pivot， and to promote the circulation of the lung collaterals. Depending on the different characteristics of the "essence-attribute-function"， treatment methods such as harmonizing and regulating the pivot， resolving phlegm and removing stasis， supplementing deficiency and harmonizing collaterals are suggested. This approach ensures the regulation of the pivot， smooth circulation of qi and blood， unblocking of the lung collaterals and nourishing the lung body， achieving the goals of balancing the ascending and descending of qi， removing phlegm and stasis， and relieving cough and wheezing.

A primary hallmark of pathological cardiac hypertrophy is excess protein synthesis due to enhanced translational activity. However, regulatory mechanisms at the translational level under cardiac stress remain poorly understood. Here we examined the translational regulations in a mouse cardiac hypertrophy model induced by transaortic constriction (TAC) and explored the conservative networks versus the translatome pattern in human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The results showed that the heart weight to body weight ratio was significantly elevated, and the ejection fraction and fractional shortening significantly decreased 8 weeks after TAC. Puromycin incorporation assay showed that TAC significantly increased protein synthesis rate in the left ventricle. RNA-seq revealed 1,632 differentially expressed genes showing functional enrichment in pathways including extracellular matrix remodeling, metabolic processes, and signaling cascades associated with pathological cardiomyocyte growth. When combined with ribosome profiling analysis, we revealed that translation efficiency (TE) of 1,495 genes was enhanced, while the TE of 933 genes was inhibited following TAC. In DCM patients, 1,354 genes were upregulated versus 1,213 genes were downregulated at the translation level. Although the majority of the genes were not shared between mouse and human, we identified 93 genes, including Nos3, Kcnj8, Adcy4, Itpr1, Fasn, Scd1, etc., with highly conserved translational regulations. These genes were remarkably associated with myocardial function, signal transduction, and energy metabolism, particularly related to cGMP-PKG signaling and fatty acid metabolism. Motif analysis revealed enriched regulatory elements in the 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs) of transcripts with differential TE, which exhibited strong cross-species sequence conservation. Our study revealed novel regulatory mechanisms at the translational level in cardiac hypertrophy and identified conserved translation-sensitive targets with potential applications to treat cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in the clinic.
Animals ; Humans ; Cardiomegaly/physiopathology* ; Ribosomes/physiology* ; Protein Biosynthesis/physiology* ; Mice ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/genetics* ; Ribosome Profiling

This study employed the "disease-medicine-dose" pattern to mine the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions containing Astragali Radix in ancient Chinese medical books, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines. The TCM prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were retrieved from databases such as Chinese Medical Dictionary and imported into Excel 2020 to construct the prescription library. Statical analysis were performed for the prescriptions regarding the indications, syndromes, medicine use frequency, herb effects, nature and taste, meridian tropism, dosage forms, and dose. SPSS statistics 26.0 and IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used for association rules analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 2 297 prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were collected, involving 233 indications, among which sore and ulcer, consumptive disease, sweating disorder, and apoplexy had high frequency(>25), and their syndromes were mainly Qi and blood deficiency, Qi and blood deficiency, Yin and Yang deficiency, and Qi deficiency and collateral obstruction, respectively. In the prescriptions, 98 medicines were used with the frequency >25 and they mainly included Qi-tonifying medicines and blood-tonifying medicines. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium were frequently used. The medicines with high frequency mainly have warm or cold nature, and sweet, pungent, or bitter taste, with tropism to spleen, lung, heart, liver, and kidney meridians. In the treatment of sore and ulcer, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to promote granulation and heal up sores. In the treatment of consumptive disease, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 37.30 g and combined with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma to tonify deficiency and replenish Qi. In the treatment of sweating disorder, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to consolidate exterior and stop sweating. In the treatment of apoplexy, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 7.46 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to dispell wind and stop convulsions. Astragali Radix can be used in the treatment of multiple system diseases, with the effects of tonifying Qi and ascending Yang, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and expressing toxin and promoting granulation. According to the manifestations of different diseases, when combined with other medicines, Astragali Radix was endowed with the effects of promoting granulation and healing up sores, tonifying deficiency and Qi, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and dispelling wind and replenishing Qi. The findings provide a theoretical reference and a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history* ; History, Ancient ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; China ; Astragalus propinquus

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of bone loss in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patients with SCI in our hospital from January 2019 to March 2023 were collected. According to the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) at different sites, the patients were divided into the lumbar spine group and the hip joint group. According to the BMD value, the patients were divided into the normal bone mass group (t > -1.0 standard deviation) and the osteopenia group (t ≤ -1.0 standard deviation). The influencing factors accumulated as follows: gender, age, height, weight, cause of injury, injury segment, injury degree, time after injury, start time of rehabilitation, motor score, sensory score, spasticity, serum value of alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus. The trend chart was drawn and the influencing factors were analyzed. SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis. Correlation analysis was used to test the correlation between the BMD values of the lumbar spine and bilateral hips. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of osteoporosis after SCI. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The incidence of bone loss in patients with SCI was 66.3%. There was a low concordance between bone loss in the lumbar spine and the hip, and the hip was particularly susceptible to bone loss after SCI, with an upward trend in incidence (36% - 82%). In this study, patients with SCI were divided into the lumbar spine group (n = 100) and the hip group (n = 185) according to the BMD values of different sites. Then, the lumbar spine group was divided into the normal bone mass group (n = 53) and the osteopenia group (n = 47); the hip joint group was divided into the normal bone mass group (n = 83) and the osteopenia group (n = 102). Of these, lumbar bone loss after SCI is correlated with gender and weight (p = 0.032 and < 0.001, respectively), and hip bone loss is correlated with gender, height, weight, and time since injury (p < 0.001, p = 0.015, 0.009, and 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of bone loss after SCI was high, especially in the hip. The incidence and influencing factors of bone loss in the lumbar spine and hip were different. Patients with SCI who are male, low height, lightweight, and long time after injury were more likely to have bone loss.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Incidence ; Adult ; Bone Density ; Middle Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Osteoporosis/etiology* ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic/etiology* ; Aged ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To assess the preliminary efficacy and safety of a dose-intensified C5VD regimen (cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and doxorubicin) in children with locally advanced hepatoblastoma. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 24 children with newly diagnosed, locally advanced hepatoblastoma who received the dose-intensified C5VD regimen at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Children's Hospital between January 2020 and December 2023. Clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and chemotherapy-related toxicities were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 24 patients, 13 were male and 11 were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 18.7 months (range: 3.5-79.4 months). All patients achieved complete macroscopic resection of hepatic lesions without liver transplantation. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels decreased significantly after two chemotherapy cycles. During a median follow-up of 38.4 months (range: 15.8-50.7 months), all patients maintained continuous complete remission, with 3-year event-free survival and overall survival rates of 100%. Across 144 chemotherapy cycles, the incidence rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and infections were 97%, 77%, and 71%, respectively; no treatment-related deaths occurred. Notably, 5 patients (21%) developed Brock grade ≥3 hearing loss, of whom 1 required a hearing aid. CONCLUSIONS The dose-intensified C5VD regimen demonstrates significant efficacy with an overall favorable safety profile in the treatment of newly diagnosed, locally advanced pediatric hepatoblastoma. Grade 3-4 myelosuppression and infection are the predominant toxicities. However, high‑dose cisplatin-induced ototoxicity remains a concern, highlighting the need for improved otoprotective strategies.
Humans ; Hepatoblastoma/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Child, Preschool ; Prospective Studies ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Child ; Cisplatin/adverse effects* ; Vincristine/adverse effects* ; Fluorouracil/adverse effects*

Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a pathological process involving multiple injury factors and cell types, with different stages. Currently, protective drugs targeting a single condition are limited in efficacy, and interventions on immune cells will also be accompanied by a series of side effects. In the current bottleneck research stage, the multi-target and obvious clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine (CM) is expected to become a breakthrough point in the research and development of new drugs. In this review, we summarize the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in various stages of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion and on various types of cells. Combined with the current research progress in reducing ROS/RNS with CM, new therapies and mechanisms for the treatment of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion are discussed.
Reperfusion Injury/drug therapy* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Reactive Nitrogen Species/metabolism* ; Humans ; Liver/drug effects* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Loss-of-function variants in CSDE1 have been strongly linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, yet the precise role of CSDE1 in neurogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that knockout of Csde1 during cortical development in mice results in impaired neural progenitor proliferation, leading to abnormal cortical lamination and embryonic lethality. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Csde1 upregulates the transcription of genes involved in the cell cycle network. Applying a dual thymidine-labelling approach, we further revealed prolonged cell cycle durations of neuronal progenitors in Csde1-knockout mice, with a notable extension of the G1 phase. Intersection with CLIP-seq data demonstrated that Csde1 binds to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNA transcripts encoding cell cycle genes. Particularly, we uncovered that Csde1 directly binds to the 3' UTR of mRNA transcripts encoding Cdk6, a pivotal gene in regulating the transition from the G1 to S phases of the cell cycle, thereby maintaining its stability. Collectively, this study elucidates Csde1 as a novel regulator of Cdk6, sheds new light on its critical roles in orchestrating brain development, and underscores how mutations in Csde1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Animals ; Neurogenesis/genetics* ; Cell Cycle/genetics* ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice ; Neural Stem Cells/metabolism* ; DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation ; 3' Untranslated Regions ; Cerebral Cortex/embryology* ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Objective To evaluate the value of tripartite motif-containing protein 21(TRIM21)mRNA expression in alveolar macrophages for the serverity and prognosis of patients with severe pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome(SP-ARDS).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 42 SP-ARDS patients(SP-ARDS group)and 15 outpatient healthy controls(control group)admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine,Jinling Hospital Affilicated to Medical School of Nanjing University,from November 2023 to June 2024.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected,and alveolar macrophages were isolated.The expression levels of TRIM21 mRNA were quantified using qPCR.Differences in TRIM21 mRNA expression levels,clinical characteristics,and relevant laboratory test results were compared between the two groups.Correlations between TRIM21 mRNA expression and SP-ARDS severity,28-day mortality,inflammatory indicators,acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)scores,duration of mechanical ventilation,and ICU stay were analyzed using Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis.Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for 28-day mortality,and the predictive value of each factor was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results Compared with control group,the expression levels of TRIM21 mRNA,white blood cell counts,neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),and C-reactive protein(CRP),and procalcitonin(PCT)levels increased(P<0.05),and hemoglobin levels decreased(P<0.05)in SP-ARDS group.No significant differences were observed in gender,age,smoking history,alcohol consumption,underlying disease history,and platelet count between the two groups(P>0.05).TRIM21 mRNA expression level in SP-ARDS patients was positively correlated with ARDS severity(P<0.05).Additionally,non-survivors within 28 days had a significantly higher expression level of TRIM21 mRNA compared to survivors(P<0.001).Correlation analysis indicated that the relative expression level of TRIM21 mRNA in SP-ARDS patients was positively correlated with CRP(r=0.309,P<0.05),NLR(r=0.422,P<0.01),PCT(r=0.561,P<0.001),APACHE Ⅱ score(r=0.615,P<0.001),and duration of mechanical ventilation(r=0.665,P<0.001).Logistic regression analysis revealed that elevated expression levels of TRIM21 mRNA(OR=2.886,P=0.043)and higher APACHE Ⅱ scores(OR=1.546,P=0.037)were independent risk factors for 28-day mortality in SP-ARDS patients.The areas under the ROC curves(AUCs)for predicting 28-day mortality using TRIM21 mRNA expression level and APACHE Ⅱ score were 0.889 and 0.874,respectively,with optimal cut-off values of 5.21 and 20.5 points,respectively.The combined AUC for prediction was 0.962.Conclusion Increased TRIM21 mRNA expression in alveolar macrophages of SP-ARDS patients is positively correlated with disease severity and may serve as a potential predictive marker for 28-day survival in SP-ARDS patients.

Objective To explore the effect of miR-1-3p on the malignant biological behavior of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells and the potential mechanisms.Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database was analyzed to screen differentially expressed miRNAs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-1-3p in human ESCC cell lines(KYSE30,KYSE150,KYSE410,KYSE510,and Eca109)and normal esophageal epithelial cell line HET-1A.CCK-8,wound healing,Transwell assays,and flow cytometry were applied to detect the effect of miR-1-3p on the proliferation,migration,invasion,and apoptosis of ESCC cells.Bioinformatics tool was used to predict the target genes of miR-1-3p.A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was drawn to analyze the correlation between STC2 expression and overall survival of patients in the ESCC cohort of the TCGA database.Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed to verify the subcellular location of miR-1-3p in ESCC cells,and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to validate the regulation of miR-1-3p on stanniocalcin 2(STC2).RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to detect the binding of miR-1-3p and STC2.Western blot assay was performed to determine the effect of miR-1-3p on the expression of STC2 and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway-related proteins,including p-PERK,p-eIF2α,and ATF4.CCK-8,wound healing,Transwell assays,and flow cytometry were applied to detect the effect of STC2 overexpression and knockdown on the proliferation,migration,invasion,and apoptosis of ESCC cells.Results The expression of miR-1-3p was lower in ESCC cell lines than in HET-1A cells(all P<0.05).The transfection of miR-1-3p mimic decreased the proliferation,invasion,and migration of ESCC cells(all P<0.05)and promoted the apoptosis of ESCC cells(all P<0.001).Bioinformatics tool showed that STC2 was a target gene of miR-1-3p.The expression of STC2 in ESCC tissues was higher than that in normal esophageal epithelial tissues in the ESCC cohort of TCGA database and was negatively correlated with prognosis(all P<0.05).miR-1-3p was located in the cytoplasm and can directly bind to STC2 mRNA.The transfection of miR-1-3p mimic downregulated the expression of STC2,p-PERK,p-eIF2α,and ATF4(all P<0.05).The overexpression of STC2 promoted the proliferation,invasion,and migration(all P<0.05)and inhibited the apoptosis of ESCC cells(all P<0.05).Knockdown of STC2 inhibited the proliferation,invasion,and migration(all P<0.05)and promoted the apoptosis of ESCC cells(all P<0.05).Conclusion miR-1-3p inhibits the malignant biological behavior and promotes the apoptosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating STC2 possibly by suppressing the endoplasmic reticulum stress.