ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which Buyang Huanwutang regulates the glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）-acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 （ACSL4） axis to inhibit ferroptosis and promote neurological functional recovery after spinal cord injury （SCI）. MethodsNinety rats were randomly divided into five groups： sham operation group， model group， low-dose Buyang Huanwutang group （12.5 g·kg^-1）， high-dose Buyang Huanwutang group （25 g·kg^-1）， and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group （25 g·kg^-1 + 5 g·kg^-1 RSL3）. The SCI model was established by using the allen method. Tissue was collected on the 7th and 28th days after operation. Motor function was assessed by using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan （BBB） scale. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Nissl， and Luxol fast blue （LFB） staining were performed to observe spinal cord histopathology. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine mitochondrial ultrastructure. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the number of NeuN-positive cells and the fluorescence intensity of myelin basic protein （MBP）， GPX4， and ACSL4. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to analyze the mRNA expression of GPX4 and ACSL4. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was performed to measure the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD）. Colorimetric assays were used to determine the iron content in spinal cord tissue. ResultsCompared to the sham operation group， the model group exhibited significantly reduced BBB scores （P<0.01）， severe pathological damage in spinal cord tissue， and marked mitochondrial ultrastructural disruption. In addition， the model group showed a decrease in the number of NeuN-positive cells （P<0.01）， reduced fluorescence intensity of MBP and GPX4 （P<0.01）， lower levels of GSH and SOD （P<0.01）， and downregulated mRNA expression of GPX4 （P<0.01）. Moreover， compared to the sham operation group， the model group had elevated levels of ROS， MDA， and tissue iron content （P<0.01）， along with increased fluorescence intensity and mRNA expression of ACSL4 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group， the Buyang Huanwutang group showed significantly improved BBB scores （P<0.05， P<0.01） and exhibited less severe spinal cord tissue damage， reduced edema and inflammatory cell infiltration， increased neuronal survival， and more intact myelin structures. Additionally， mitochondrial ultrastructure was significantly improved in the Buyang Huanwutang group. Compared to the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group， the Buyang Huanwutang group significantly increased the number of NeuN-positive cells and the fluorescence intensity of MBP （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， Buyang Huanwutang significantly increased the fluorescence intensity and mRNA expression of GPX4 （P<0.01） and decreased the fluorescence intensity and mRNA expression of ACSL4 （P<0.01） compared to the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group. Finally， the Buyang Huanwutang group significantly decreased ROS， MDA， and tissue iron content （P<0.01） and significantly increased GSH and SOD levels （P<0.01） compared to the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group. ConclusionBuyang Huanwutang inhibits ferroptosis through the GPX4/ACSL4 axis， reduces secondary neuronal and myelin injury and oxidative stress， and ultimately promotes the recovery of neurological function.

Objective: To explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and upper urinary tract stones using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis，and to investigate the potential mediating role of plasma metabolites. Methods: Data on gut microbiota，plasma metabolites，and upper urinary tract stones were obtained from publicly available Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS).Bidirectional MR analysis was performed to examine the causal relationship between gut microbiota and upper urinary tract stones.Subsequently，a two-step MR approach was employed to determine whether gut microbiota contribute to upper urinary tract stones through plasma metabolites，and the mediating effects and mediator ratio were calculated.The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analytical tool，supplemented by Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization (BWMR)，MR-Egger，and weighted median (WM) analyses.Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests were conducted to ensure the robustness of the findings. Results: Bidirectional MR analysis identified causal associations between 7 gut microbial taxa and 6 microbial metabolic pathways with upper urinary tract stones，while the development of upper urinary tract stones affected 13 gut microbial taxa and 5 metabolic pathways.Additionally，43 plasma metabolites (including 27 identified metabolites，8 unidentified metabolites，and 8 metabolite ratios) were causally associated with upper urinary tract stones.The two-step MR analysis identified 11 potential causal pathways.After metabolic pathways and unidentified metabolites were excluded，a causal link mediated by Bacteroides faecis between galactarate and upper urinary tract stones was confirmed，with a mediation proportion of 16.99% (95%CI：5.76%-33.95%，P=0.0371). Conclusion: This study establishes a causal relationship between parabacteroides and upper urinary tract stones，and elucidates the mediating role of galactarate，offering new insights into the pathogenesis and prevention strategies for upper urinary tract stones.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux for gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC). METHODS: A total of 120 GERC patients were randomly assigned to an observation group (60 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (60 cases, 1 case was eliminated). The observation group received acupoint thread-embedding treatment at positive response points of governor vessel. If no such points were detected, the following acupoints were used: Dazhui (GV14), Fenghu (Extra), Shendao (GV11), Lingtai (GV10), and Zhiyang (GV9). Treatment was administered once every two weeks. The control group received oral rabeprazole enteric capsules at 20 mg twice daily. All the treatment was given for 6 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed using cough symptom score, reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) score, and Leicester cough questionnaire (LCQ) score before and after treatment in the two groups. Clinical efficacy was also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, both groups showed decreased cough symptom scores and the each item scores and total scores of RDQ (P<0.001), and increased LCQ scores (P<0.001) compare with those before treatment. The observation group exhibited lower cough symptom score and chest pain, reflux and total score of RDQ, and higher LCQ score compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 94.9% (56/59), which was higher than 84.7% (50/59) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux could effectively alleviate cough and reflux symptoms in patients with GERC and improve their quality of life.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Cough/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Lung/physiopathology* ; Meridians

BACKGROUND: Disease-modifying therapies have been approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). The present study aims to examine the safety of teriflunomide in Chinese patients with RMS. METHODS: This non-randomized, multi-center, 24-week, prospective study enrolled RMS patients with variant (c.421C>A) or wild type ABCG2 who received once-daily oral teriflunomide 14 mg. The primary endpoint was the relationship between ABCG2 polymorphisms and teriflunomide exposure over 24 weeks. Safety was assessed over the 24-week treatment with teriflunomide. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients were assigned to variant ( n  = 42) and wild type groups ( n  = 40), respectively. Geometric mean and geometric standard deviation (SD) of pre-dose concentration (variant, 54.9 [38.0] μg/mL; wild type, 49.1 [32.0] μg/mL) and area under plasma concentration-time curve over a dosing interval (AUC tau ) (variant, 1731.3 [769.0] μg∙h/mL; wild type, 1564.5 [1053.0] μg∙h/mL) values at steady state were approximately similar between the two groups. Safety profile was similar and well tolerated across variant and wild type groups in terms of rates of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE), treatment-related TEAE, grade ≥3 TEAE, and serious adverse events (AEs). No new specific safety concerns or deaths were reported in the study. CONCLUSION: ABCG2 polymorphisms did not affect the steady-state exposure of teriflunomide, suggesting a similar efficacy and safety profile between variant and wild type RMS patients. REGISTRATION NCT04410965, https://clinicaltrials.gov .
Humans ; Crotonates/adverse effects* ; Toluidines/adverse effects* ; Nitriles ; Hydroxybutyrates ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/genetics* ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult ; Neoplasm Proteins/genetics* ; East Asian People

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which the SLC7A11 gene regulates the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCCLM3)through the ferroptosis pathway,and to evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target.Methods Differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes in liver cancer were screened based on data from the TCGA and ICGC databases.Detection of mRNA expression levels of TERT,MIOX,MYCN,NOX4,and SLC7A11 in tumor and adjacent non-tumorous tissues from 32 clinical liver cancer samples using qRT-PCR.Further analysis of SLC7A11 and its downstream molecules SLC3A2,GSS,and GPX4 was performed through qRT-PCR,Western blot,and IHC to assess expression levels and tissue distribution.A stable SLC7A11-knockdown HCCLM3 cell line was constructed and used to establish a subcutaneous xenograft tumor model in nude mice to evaluate its effect on tumor growth.Mice were divided into two groups(n=6 per group):HCCLM3+sh-NC and HCCLM3+sh-SLC7A11.Serum levels of IL-6,IL-1β,and TNF-α were measured using ELISA.Histopathological changes in tumor tissues were examined by H&E staining,and the expression of key genes was validated through multiple approaches.Results Bioinformatics analysis showed high expression of SLC7A11 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues(P<0.05),significantly associated with poor patient prognosis.Clinical sample validation revealed significantly higher expression of SLC7A11,SLC3A2,GSS,and GPX4 in cancer tissues compared to control groups(All P<0.05).SLC7A11 knockdown significantly inhibited tumor volume and wet weight(P<0.05),and H&E staining showed reduced vascular density in the sh-SLC7A11 group.ELISA results showed elevated serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α in the sh-SLC7A11 group.qRT-PCR,Western blot,and IHC all showed significantly downregulated expression of SLC7A11,SLC3A2,GSS,and GPX4 in tumor tissues(All P<0.05).Conclusion SLC7A11 inhibits ferroptosis by regulating the GSH-GPX4 axis,promoting hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth.Targeted inhibition of SLC7A11 can induce tumor cell ferroptosis and suppress tumor progression,suggesting it may be an important therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma.

ObjectiveTo investigate the promotional effect of astragaloside on the repair and healing of chronic non-healing wounds and its mechanism. MethodA total of 60 male SD rats were constructed with full-layer skin defect wounds on the back， and except for the control （Con） group， the rest were constructed with non-healing wounds， which were then randomly divided into the sham-operation （sham） group， the low-dose astragaloside group， the high-dose astragaloside group， the astragaloside + LY294002 ［phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K） inhibitor］ group， and the astragaloside + EX527 ［silencing regulatory protein 1 （SIRT1） inhibitor］ group. The percentage of wound area in each group was observed on the 2nd， 4th， 6th， and 8th days after wound molding. Collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1 （COL1A1） and alpha smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） expressions in the wound tissue were detected by immunofluorescence. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was performed to determine the pathological structure of the wound. The mRNA expression of inflammatory factors in the wound was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the expression of proteins related to the SIRT1/ nuclear factor （NF）-κB and PI3K/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathways in the wound was tested by Western blot. ResultCompared with the sham group， the percentage of postoperative wound area of rats in both low-dose and high-dose astragaloside groups gradually decreased with time， and the efficacy of the high-dose astragaloside group was better. Compared with the Con group， the fluorescence intensity of COL1A1 in wound tissue of the sham group decreased， while the expression of α-SMA increased. The epithelial tissue was severely damaged， with an increase in the thickness， and a large number of inflammatory cells were seen in the infiltration. The mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， and inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） was elevated. The protein expression of NF-κB p65， p-PI3K/PI3K， and p-Akt/Akt was elevated， while SIRT1 expression was decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the sham group， the fluorescence intensity of COL1A1 and α-SMA increased after astragaloside treatment. The number of epithelial cells increased， and the thickness decreased. The inflammatory cells decreased， and the amount of collagen increased. The mRNA expression of TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and iNOS was decreased， and the protein expression of NF-κB p65， p-PI3K/PI3K， and p-Akt/Akt was decreased. SIRT1 was elevated， and the effect was better in the high-dose astragaloside group （P<0.05）. Compared with the high-dose astragaloside group， inhibition of the PI3K/Akt and SIRT1 pathways by LY294002 and EX527 prevented the therapeutic efficacy of astragaloside on chronic non-healing wounds. ConclusionThe topical application of astragaloside significantly promotes the healing of chronic non-healing wounds in rats， and the mechanism may be related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway.

Bone formation and deposition are initiated by sensory nerve infiltration in adaptive bone remodeling. Here, we focused on the role of Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), expressed by sensory nerves, in mechanical loads-induced bone formation and nerve withdrawal using orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) model. Firstly, bone formation was activated after the 3rd day of OTM, coinciding with a decrease in sensory nerves and an increase in pain threshold. Sema3A, rather than nerve growth factor (NGF), highly expressed in both trigeminal ganglion and the axons of periodontal ligament following the 3rd day of OTM. Moreover, in vitro mechanical loads upregulated Sema3A in neurons instead of in human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) within 24 hours. Furthermore, exogenous Sema3A restored the suppressed alveolar bone formation and the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLCs induced by mechanical overload. Mechanistically, Sema3A prevented overstretching of F-actin induced by mechanical overload through ROCK2 pathway, maintaining mitochondrial dynamics as mitochondrial fusion. Therefore, Sema3A exhibits dual therapeutic effects in mechanical loads-induced bone formation, both as a pain-sensitive analgesic and a positive regulator for bone formation.
Humans ; Bone Remodeling ; Cell Differentiation ; Osteogenesis ; Semaphorin-3A/pharmacology* ; Trigeminal Ganglion/metabolism*

Objective: To explore the effects of Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) on vascular neogenesis and hemorheological parameters following cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: An acute cervical SCI model was established using 84 female Sprague–Dawley rats. Functional recovery of the rats was evaluated using the forelimb locomotor scale score, forelimb grip strength test, and Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score. The animals were subsequently euthanized at days 7 and 28 postoperatively. The gross morphology, neuronal survival, and myelin sheath in the injured area were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Nissl, and luxol fast blue (LFB) staining, respectively. Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe CD31 expression 7 days post-injury. Furthermore, the expression of CD31, neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN), and myelin basic protein (MBP) were evaluated 28 days post-injury. Additionally, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) expression was evaluated using western blotting. Whole-blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and red blood cell aggregation were measured using a hemorheometer. Results: From postoperative days 3–28, motor function in the BYHWD group began to recover considerably compared to the SCI group. BYHWD effectively restored spinal cord histopathology. In addition, the number of NeuN-positive cells, and fluorescence intensity of CD31at 7 and 28 days and MBP significantly increased in the BYHWD group compared with the SCI group (all P < .05). Moreover, this decoction significantly upregulated the expression of VEGFA and VEGFR-2 (all P < .05). BYHWD improved the hemorheology results (i.e., except erythrocyte aggregation index in the low-dose group), revealing statistically significant differences compared with the SCI group (all P < .05). Conclusion BYHWD effectively promoted angiogenesis, improved hemorheological parameters, and protected neurons and myelin sheaths, ultimately promoting the recovery of neurological function after cervical SCI in rats. These findings suggest that BYHWD promotes vascular neogenesis through the VEGFA/VEGFR-2 pathway.

Objective : To investigate the correlation between the expression level of YTHDF1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma ( OSCC) and clinicopathologic features and its potential prognostic value． Methods : The expression of YTHDF1 in 132 OSCC tissues and 66 paracancerous tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) ，and the expression of YTHDF1 protein in OSCC cell lines was detected by Western blot．The correlation between YTHDF1 and clinicopathological features was analyzed by chi-square test．Kaplan-Meier and Cox factors were used to analyze the factors affecting the survival time of the patients and draw the survival curves of the YTHDF1 gene to evaluate its potential clinical significance. Results : The expression of YTHDF1 in OSCC tissues was higher than that in para- cancerous tissues (P＜0. 001) ，and the expression of YTHDF1 protein increased in OSCC cell lines compared with normal oral epithelial keratinocytes (P ＜0. 001) ．The expression of YTHDF1 was correlated with the TNM stage and T stage of patients with OSCC (P＜0. 05) ，and the patients with high expression of YTHDF1 had a shorter sur- vival time compared with those with low expression (P ＜0. 001) ． Conclusion High expression of YTHDF1 may be associated with poor patient prognosis and YTHDF1 may be able to serve as a target for OSCC treatment.

A dose reconstruction algorithm for electrionic portal imaging device(EPID)based on calibration and calculation is developed.The raw data of EPID in continuous acquisition mode are corrected for dark field and gain,and the gray level features of bright field are used to determine the field boundary.Subsequently,MU calibration,off-axis calibration and field size calibration are performed on the EPID data,and dose reconstruction is carried out based on the calibrated superimposed flux and the Monte Carlo model of the linac head.Nine cases of IMRT plans are selected for verification and measurement using EPID and MapCheck separately,and the passing rates between the two tools are compared under different gamma criteria(3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm).For a planned case,the average passing rates of multiple cases verified by MapCheck under the two criteria were 99.02%±1.28%and 90.84%±4.49%,and the average passing rates of the EPID reconstruction models were 98.86%±1.19%and 91.39%±4.80%.Compared with MapCheck,the EPID reconstruction algorithm based on calibration and calculation has no significant difference in the passing rate of IMRT plan verification(P＞0.05),which meets the clinical requirements of dose verification.