Huaihuasan， first recorded in Experiential Prescriptions for Universal Relief （Pu Ji Ben Shi Fang）， is a classic prescription for the treatment of ''hematochezia due to intestinal wind''. In 2018， it was included by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine as one of the first 100 classic prescriptions. This formula consists of four ingredients， i.e.， Sophorae Flos， Platycladi Cacumen， Schizonepetae Spica， and Aurantii Fructus. It is known for its ability to clear the intestines， dispel wind， cool the blood， and stop bleeding. In modern clinical practice， Huaihuasan， often with modifications， is widely used to treat various digestive tract diseases， including ulcerative colitis （UC）， with significant long-term effects. UC is a chronic， non-specific inflammatory bowel disease. Currently， Western medicine primarily treats UC with glucocorticoids， aminosalicylates， and immunosuppressants， which have good short-term efficacy but numerous adverse reactions， high recurrence rates， and the need for lifelong medication. Modern clinical studies have shown that Huaihuasan can significantly improve symptoms of UC， such as abdominal pain and diarrhea， reduce disease activity scores （Sutherland）， promote intestinal mucosal healing， alleviate anxiety and depression， and significantly improve the quality of life of patients. Pharmacological studies have shown that the main active components of Huaihuasan include quercetin， rutin， kaempferol， naringenin， and volatile oils. These compounds exert their effects by inhibiting inflammatory responses and protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier. They also exhibit antioxidant properties and regulate various signaling pathways， including tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-2 （IL-2）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 （MCP-1）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Janus kinase （JAK）/signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT）， and the KRAS-regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase （MEK）-extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK） pathway. These multi-target pathways improve UC symptoms， inhibit inflammation-cancer transition， and help maintain intestinal homeostasis. However， the precise mechanism of action has not yet been systematically elucidated. This paper reviews the research progress on Huaihuasan and main ingredients from its component drugs， focusing on their effects against UC. It also discusses current research limitations and suggests strategies for improvement， aiming to provide a reference for further studies on Huaihuasan in the treatment of UC and the development of new drugs.

Stem cells play a crucial role in maintaining tissue regenerative capacity and homeostasis. However, mechanisms associated with stem cell senescence require further investigation. In this study, we conducted a proteomic analysis of human dental pulp stem cells (HDPSCs) obtained from individuals of various ages. Our findings showed that the expression of NUP62 was decreased in aged HDPSCs. We discovered that NUP62 alleviated senescence-associated phenotypes and enhanced differentiation potential both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, the knocking down of NUP62 expression aggravated the senescence-associated phenotypes and impaired the proliferation and migration capacity of HDPSCs. Through RNA-sequence and decoding the epigenomic landscapes remodeled induced by NUP62 overexpression, we found that NUP62 helps alleviate senescence in HDPSCs by enhancing the nuclear transport of the transcription factor E2F1. This, in turn, stimulates the transcription of the epigenetic enzyme NSD2. Finally, the overexpression of NUP62 influences the H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 modifications of anti-aging genes (HMGA1, HMGA2, and SIRT6). Our results demonstrated that NUP62 regulates the fate of HDPSCs via NSD2-dependent epigenetic reprogramming.
Humans ; Dental Pulp/cytology* ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics* ; Cellular Senescence/genetics* ; Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Differentiation ; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Cellular Reprogramming ; Cell Movement ; Proteomics

Objective To elucidate the role of programmed cell death factor 4(PDCD4)in mitochondrial dysfunction caused by sepsis-related vascular endothelial damage.Methods Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)and mouse vascular endothelial cells(C166 cells)were transfected with a small interfering RNA targeting PDCD4 followed by treatment with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)alone or in combination with carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone(FCCP).The proteomic changes in the cells after PDCD4 knockdown were analyzed using LC-MS/MS technique.The mRNA expressions of PDCD4 and the genes associated with cell inflammation and apoptosis were detected with RT-PCR,and the expressions of FIS1,DRP1 and OPA1 proteins key to mitochondrial fission and fusion were determined using Western blotting.JC-1 and MitoSOX fluorescent probes were used to observe the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels under by a laser confocal microscope.Results LPS stimulation of the cells significantly increased the mRNA expressions of interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP1)and enhanced the cellular expression of PDCD4(P<0.05).Proteomic analysis suggested a correlation between PDCD4 knockdown and changes in mitochondrial dynamics in the cells.LPS treatment significantly increased the expressions of mitochondrial fission proteins FIS1 and DRP1 and lowered the expression of the fusion protein OPA1 in the cells(P<0.05),causing also mitochondrial oxidative stress and reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05).In HUVECs,treatment with FCCP significantly attenuated the protective effect of PDCD4 knockdown,which inhibited LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress and restored the balance between mitochondrial fission and fusion.Conclusion PDCD4 knockdown protects vascular endothelial cells against LPS-induced damages by repressing mitochondrial fission and oxidative stress,promoting mitochondrial fusion,and maintaining normal mitochondrial function.

Objective To elucidate the role of programmed cell death factor 4(PDCD4)in mitochondrial dysfunction caused by sepsis-related vascular endothelial damage.Methods Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)and mouse vascular endothelial cells(C166 cells)were transfected with a small interfering RNA targeting PDCD4 followed by treatment with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)alone or in combination with carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone(FCCP).The proteomic changes in the cells after PDCD4 knockdown were analyzed using LC-MS/MS technique.The mRNA expressions of PDCD4 and the genes associated with cell inflammation and apoptosis were detected with RT-PCR,and the expressions of FIS1,DRP1 and OPA1 proteins key to mitochondrial fission and fusion were determined using Western blotting.JC-1 and MitoSOX fluorescent probes were used to observe the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels under by a laser confocal microscope.Results LPS stimulation of the cells significantly increased the mRNA expressions of interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP1)and enhanced the cellular expression of PDCD4(P<0.05).Proteomic analysis suggested a correlation between PDCD4 knockdown and changes in mitochondrial dynamics in the cells.LPS treatment significantly increased the expressions of mitochondrial fission proteins FIS1 and DRP1 and lowered the expression of the fusion protein OPA1 in the cells(P<0.05),causing also mitochondrial oxidative stress and reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05).In HUVECs,treatment with FCCP significantly attenuated the protective effect of PDCD4 knockdown,which inhibited LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress and restored the balance between mitochondrial fission and fusion.Conclusion PDCD4 knockdown protects vascular endothelial cells against LPS-induced damages by repressing mitochondrial fission and oxidative stress,promoting mitochondrial fusion,and maintaining normal mitochondrial function.

A GC-LSTM model is proposed based on the characteristics of global optimization of genetic algorithm.The model automatically and iteratively searches the optimal hyper-parameter configuration of the C-LSTM model through the genetic algorithm of a specific genetic strategy,and it is configured using the genetic iteration results and validated on the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database according to the classification criteria of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation.The testing shows that the classification accuracy,sensitivity,accuracy and F1 value of GC-LSTM model are 99.37%,95.62%,95.17%and 95.39%,respectively,higher than those of the manually established model,and it is also advantageous over the existing mainstream methods.Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve better classification performance while avoiding a large number of experimental parameters.

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of anterior column reconstruction using single or double titanium mesh cage (TMC) after total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) of thoracic and lumbar spinal tumors. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed involving 39 patients with thoracic or lumbar spinal tumors. All patients underwent TES, followed by anterior reconstruction and screw-rod instrumentation via a posterior-only procedure. Twenty-two patients in group A were treated with a single TMC to reconstruct the anterior column, whereas 17 patients in group B were reconstructed with double TMCs. Results: The overall follow-up is 20.5 ± 4.6 months. There is no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding age, sex, body mass index, tumor location, operative time, and intraoperative blood loss. The time for TMC placement was significantly shortened in the double TMCs group (5.2 ± 1.3 minutes vs. 15.6 ± 3.3 minutes, p = 0.004). Additionally, postoperative neural complications were significantly reduced with double TMCs (5/22 vs. 0/17, p = 0.046). The kyphotic Cobb angle and mean intervertebral height were significantly corrected in both groups (p ≤ 0.001), without obvious loss of correction at the last follow-up in either group. The bone fusion rates for single TMC and double TMCs were 77.3% and 76.5%, respectively. Conclusion Using 2 smaller TMCs instead of a single large one eases the placement of TMC by shortening the time and avoiding nerve impingement. Anterior column reconstruction with double TMC is a clinically feasible, and safe alternative following TES for thoracic and lumbar tumors.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of digestive system with poor prognosis. It has the characteristics of low early diagnosis rate, low feasible operation rate and low treatment success rate. Most patients are in advanced stage when they are found. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are important treatments for pancreatic cancer because of its low operative rate. However, the extracellular matrix (ECM) of pancreatic cancer forms a special physical and metabolic barrier, which reduces the effect of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Cancer associated fibroblast (CAF) are tumor promoting cells in the extracellular matrix and are novel targets for anti-tumor interventions. However, the lack of specific markers and unknown differences between CAF subtypes have hindered relevant clinical trials. This article reviews the origin and functional diversity of CAF, and discusses the clinical progress and treatment strategies of CAF and pancreatic cancer.

The incidence and mortality rates of primary liver cancer remain very high,posing a serious threat to the global public health.In Asia,the guidelines from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center,the Japan Society of Hepatology,and the Chinese Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer(2024 edition)have significant influence and provide important guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of primary liver cancer.These guidelines,based on their own national condition,background,evidence and clinical practice,exhibit both commonalities and divergences in the imaging diagnosis of liver cancer.This study aims to provide a more comprehensive and scientific reference for clinicians by comparing the specific contents of three guidelines regarding screening,surveillance,imaging diagnosis and staging of liver cancer,thereby promoting the standardized diagnosis and treatment of clinical practice in the primary liver cancer.

Objective:To explore the clinical outcomes of locking compression plating (LCP) in the treatment of periprosthetic fracture (PPF) of the distal femur in the aged patients.Methods:A retrospective study was performed to analyze the 31 aged patients who had been treated at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital to Nantong University for PPF of the distal femur with LCP between June 2012 and May 2023. There were 27 females and 4 males with an age of (80.2±6.1) years. According to the Unified Classification System (UCS), 18 PPFs were classified as type Ⅴ.3B1 and 6 PPFs as type Ⅴ.3B2 after total knee arthroplasty and 7 PPFs as type Ⅳ.3C after total hip arthroplasty. The patients were fixated with a lateral single plate in 25 cases, and with lateral and medial dual plates in 6 cases. The surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization time, postoperative weight-bearing time, fracture healing time, and knee joint function and complications during follow-up were recorded.Results:For the 25 patients undergoing fixation with a lateral single plate, the surgical time was (58.7±7.9) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss (78.0±15.1) mL, the hospitalization time (6.9±1.6) days, the postoperative weight-bearing time (5.9±1.4) days, and the follow-up time 37 (15, 51) months. For the 6 patients undergoing fixation with lateral and medial dual plates, the surgical time was (186.6±9.8) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss (1,256.7±231.2) mL, the hospitalization time (17.8±3.3) days, the postoperative weight-bearing time (3.6±0.6) days, and the follow-up time 17 (16, 21) months. The fracture healing time was (14.9±2.0) and (18.7±2.6) weeks, respectively, for patients fixed with single and double steel plates. By the scoring criteria of the American Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the knee joint function was evaluated at the last follow-up as excellent in 10 cases and as good in 15 cases for the 25 patients undergoing fixation with a lateral single plate, and as good for all the 6 patients undergoing fixation with lateral and medial dual plates. No patient experienced such complications as incision infection, bone nonunion, or internal fixation failure during the follow-up period.Conclusions:LCP fixation can achieve satisfactory outcomes in the treatment of PPF of the distal femur in the aged patients. As fixation with a single lateral femoral plate is suitable for most of the aged patients with PPF of the distal femur, it can be used as the first choice. Fixation with dual plates can provide stronger stability, but its indications should be strictly controlled.

Objective:To investigate the effects of radiation dose to the host immune system during radiotherapy on disease progression and survival in patients with peripheral early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC) receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).Methods:Clinical data of pathologically confirmed ES-NSCLC patients who were treated with SBRT at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital between January 2007 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic significance of the estimated dose of radiation to immune cells (EDRIC) in ES-NSCLC patients undergoing SBRT was cited and validated. EDRIC was calculated using the model developed by Kong et al. and improved by Ladbury et al. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression were adopted to estimate cancer-specific survival (CSS), progression-free survival (PFS), local progression-free survival (LPFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Pearson's correlation was used to assess the correlation between variables. Results:The median prescription dose/fraction was 60 Gy/5 fractions (range: 48-60 Gy in 3-10 fractions). The median follow-up time was 52.17 (1.17-154.77) months. The median gross tumor volume (GTV) and EDRIC were 10.98 (0.91-120.34) cm 3 and 2.064 (0.426-6.015) Gy, respectively. Person's correlation analysis showed that GTV was positively correlated with EDRIC ( r=0.712, P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, EDRIC was an important prognostic variable of CSS and DMFS. Higher EDRIC was significantly associated with worse CSS ( HR=1.763, P=0.004) and DMFS ( HR=1.902, P=0.004). Compared to patients with EDRIC ≤ 1.56 Gy, those with EDRIC > 2.64 Gy and EDRIC between <2.06-2.64 Gy exhibited significantly lower CSS ( P<0.001, P=0.049). There were significant differences in DMFS among the groups divided by quartiles of EDRIC (compared to EDRIC ≤1.56 Gy, the P values were <0.001, 0.004, and 0.022 respectively). Conclusions:EDRIC is an important predictor of CSS and DMFS in ES-NSCLC patients treated with SBRT, suggesting that radiation dose to the immune system is a critical determinant of treatment outcomes. EDRIC can be used to quantify the effects of radiation therapy on the host immune system.