Objective To introduce an innovative technique, the "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" and its application in the subxiphoid uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for anterior mediastinal masses resection. Methods Patients who underwent single-port thoracoscopic assisted anterior mediastinal tumor resection through the xiphoid process at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from May to June 2024 were included, and their clinical data were analyzed. Results A total of 7 patients were included, with 3 males and 4 females, aged 28-72 years. The diameter of the tumor was 1.9-17.0 cm. The operation time was 62-308 min, intraoperative blood loss was 5-100 mL, postoperative chest drainage tube retention time was 0-9 days, pain score on the 7th day after surgery was 0-2 points, and postoperative hospital stay was 3-12 days. All patients underwent successful and complete resection of the masses and thymus, with favorable postoperative recovery. Conclusion The "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" effectively expands the retrosternal space, providing surgeons with satisfactory surgical views and operating space. This technique significantly enhances the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive surgery for anterior mediastinal masses, reduces trauma and postoperative pain, and accelerates patient recovery, demonstrating important clinical significance and application value.

BACKGROUND:Eucommia ulmoides has a certain osteogenic effect,which can promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.However,it is unclear whether Eucommia ulmoides has effects on alveolar bone formation and Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism by which Eucommia ulmoides promotes alveolar bone formation in ovariectomized rats based on the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. METHODS:Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into five groups:blank control group,sham-operation group,model group,low-dose group Eucommia ulmoides group,and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides group,with twelve rats in each group.Osteoporosis animal models were constructed by bilateral oophorectomy in the model group and the low-dose and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups.The sham-operation group underwent the same method to remove adipose tissue of equal mass around the bilateral ovaries.Three months after surgery,the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups were given 2.1 g/kg/d and 4.2 g/kg/d Eucommia ulmoides by gavage,respectively.The sham-operation group and model group were given the same amount of physiological saline by gavage.After 12 weeks of drug intervention,the changes in alveolar bone mass of rats in each group were observed through Micro-CT;hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological structural changes of alveolar bone in rats;enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the expression levels of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin in the serum of rats;western blot was used to detect the expression levels of β-Catenin and Frizzled9 receptor proteins in the alveolar bone of rats;and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of osteocalcin,Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2),alkaline phosphatase,β-catenin,and frizzled9 mRNAs in alveolar bone tissues of rats. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group,bone volume fraction,trabecular number,trabecular thickness,and bone mineral density were reduced in the model group(P＜0.05),and trabecular separation was elevated(P＜0.05).Pathological observation showed that the arrangement of trabeculae was disordered and irregular,the trabeculae were thinned or broken,and the marrow cavity was enlarged in the model group,with a significant reduction in bone volume;the level of alkaline phosphatase in the serum was increased(P＜0.05),and the level of osteocalcin was decreased(P＜0.05);mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase,osteocalcin,Runx2,β-catenin,and frizzled9 were decreased(P＜0.05);protein expression of β-Catenin and Frizzled9 was decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups showed an increase in bone volume fraction,trabecular number,trabecular thickness,and bone mineral density(P＜0.05)and a decrease in trabecular separation(P＜0.05).In the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups,bone trabeculae were slightly aligned and thickened,with a significant increase in bone mass.Compared with the model group,the serum level of alkaline phosphatase was reduced(P＜0.05)and the serum level of osteocalcin was elevated(P＜0.05)in the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups.Compared with the model group,the mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase,osteocalcin,Runx2,β-catenin,and frizzled9 were increased in the low-and high-dose Eucommia ulmoides groups(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the protein expression of Frizzled9 was increased in the low-dose Eucommia ulmoides group(P＜0.05),while the protein expression of β-Catenin and Frizzled9 was increased in the high-dose Eucommia ulmoides group(P＜0.05).Compared with the low-dose Eucommia ulmoides group,the high-dose Eucommia ulmoides group had a more significant improvement in the above indexes.To conclude,Eucommia ulmoides can effectively promote the alveolar bone formation,and its mechanism of action might be related to the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) is a widely used technique for structural analysis of small molecular compounds. It can obtain information about the hydrogen-hydrogen correlation, hydrogen-carbon single bond correlation, hydrogen-carbon remote correlation, and hydrogen-hydrogen spatial arrangement of compounds. Thus, 2D NMR has an irreplaceable role in the structure elucidation of small molecular products. However, the sample amount of trace components in phytochemical research is very low, and the traditional sampling method (uniform sampling) has problems of poor spectral quality and too long measure time. Increasing the number of scans results in several hours of the acquisition time for a single two-dimensional spectrum, which in turn causes strain on the NMR machine. The non-uniform sampling (NUS) technique can shorten the acquisition time to a large extent and not affect the quality of 2D NMR data, which greatly improves the efficiency of 2D NMR acquisition. In this paper, fuziline, a small molecular compound in the lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii was selected as the research object. Its ¹H-¹³C HSQC, ¹H-¹H COSY, HMBC, and NOESY spectra were acquired by US and NUS methods, respectively. By comparing the integral values of NMR signals of three chemical groups in fuziline, it is confirmed that the NUS technique has the advantages of improving the quality of 2D NMR spectra and shortening the acquisition time in structure elucidation of small molecule compounds. In HMBC spectrum, it was further confirmed that NUS technology can improve the quality of the 2D spectra and the signal resolution. This indicates that NUS technology can improve the efficiency and reliability of the structure elucidation of small molecule compounds.

Objective To investigate the effect of sophoridine on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)induced pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell damage by regulating the high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1)-receptor for advanced glycation end product(RAGE)signal pathway.Methods A549 and HAEC Ⅱ cells cultured in vitro were randomly divided into 5 groups:control group,LPS group,LPS+sophoridine group,LPS+empty group and LPS+sophoridine+HMGB1 overexpression group.Except for the control group,cells in other groups were induced by LPS to establish the injury models and treated with sophoridine and plasmids,respectively.Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)method and terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling staining were used to detect cell viability and apoptosis rate in each group;Western blotting was used to detect the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE proteins.Results The A549 cell viability of control group,LPS group,LPS+sophoridine group,LPS+empty group and LPS+sophoridine+HMGB1 overexpression group were(100.00±0.00)％,(56.73±8.31)％,(90.02±11.24)％,(53.26±9.15)％and(60.84±8.13)％;the cell viability of HAEC Ⅱ were(100.00±0.00)％,(50.86±7.56)％,(93.05±12.38)％,(54.10±8.42)％and(54.43±6.14)％;the apoptosis rates of A549 cells were(2.11±0.65)％,(42.46±5.20)％,(4.01±1.31)％,(44.74±4.93)％and(39.75±4.86)％;the apoptosis rates of HAEC Ⅱ cells were(2.30±0.72)％,(48.14±4.87)％,(3.83±1.23)％,(45.72±5.14)％and(44.81±5.25)％;the HMGB1 protein levels in A549 cells were 0.16±0.02,0.87±0.13,0.19±0.04,0.89±0.11 and 0.84±0.12;RAGE protein levels were 0.19±0.03,0.94±0.16,0.21±0.04,0.96±0.15 and 0.90±0.17;the HMGB1 protein levels in HAEC Ⅱ cells were 0.13±0.04,0.79±0.10,0.15±0.04,0.80±0.14 and 0.75±0.12;RAGE protein levels were 0.28±0.07,1.08±0.19,0.31±0.06,1.10±0.21 and 1.04±0.15.The above indexes:there were statistically significant differences between LPS group and control group,LPS+sophoridine group and LPS group,LPS+sophoridine+HMGB1 overexpression group and LPS+sophoridine group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Sophoritine can clear reactive oxygen species,reduce the production of inflammatory factors,enhance antioxidant enzyme activity,and inhibit LPS induced inflammation and oxidative stress in alveolar epithelial cells by reducing HMGB1-RAGE signal activity,ultimately reducing cell damage.

Objective: To gain an in depth understanding of the cognitive appraisal of middle school students with mental illness after experiencing childhood trauma, so as to provide a reference for the development of effective interventions. Methods: From March to September in 2023, 21 middle school students with childhood trauma experiences and mental illnesses were selected from outpatient and inpatient departments through purposive sampling in a tertiary grade A psychiatric hospital in Wuhan. Semistructured interviews were conducted and the seven steps of Colaizzi phenomenology were used to analyze the data and extract themes. Results: A total of 3 themes and 11 subthemes were extracted:insufficient awareness of childhood trauma (lack of selfawareness, lack of awareness of primary caregivers), multiple hurtful experiences after experiencing childhood trauma (complex negative affective experiences, multiple physical discomfort, pessimistic attitudes toward life, social impairment, and academic impairment), and influences on childhood trauma experiences (personality traits, inappropriate personal coping styles, poor upbringing environment, and difficulty in obtaining social support). Conclusions Middle school students with mental illnesses and their caregivers generally lack knowledge about childhood trauma, which brings widespread harm and are affected by multiple factors. It should jointly strengthen the popularization of scientific knowledge, intervene in a timely manner, and thereby reduce the adverse consequences of childhood trauma experiences.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Tongfu Xiezhuo enema in treating stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease （CKD） and the effect of the therapy on the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR） as an inflammation marker. MethodSixty patients diagnosed with stage 3-4 CKD who visited the Nephrology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine from December 2022 to June 2023 were included and randomly assigned into observation and control groups in a ratio of 1∶1. The control group received conventional therapy plus Shenkang suppositories， while the observation group received conventional therapy plus Tongfu Xiezhuo enema. After 8 weeks of treatment， the clinical efficacy was assessed based on the changes in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom scores， renal function indicators， and NLR. Result① Both groups showed decreases in TCM symptom scores after treatment （P<0.01）， and the decreases were more significant in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.05）. The total response rate of TCM symptoms in the observation group was 79.31% （23/29）， which was higher than that （62.96%， 17/27） in the control group （Z=0.604，P<0.05）. ② After treatment， the observation group showed declined serum levels of creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， and cystatin C （Cys C） and increased glomerular filtration rate （GFR） （P<0.01）， and the control group showed lowered SCr level and increased GFR （P<0.05）. The observation group had lower SCr level and higher GFR than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. The total response rate of renal function in the observation group was 79.31% （23/29）， which was higher than that （55.56%， 15/27） in the control group （Z=1.127，P<0.01）. ③ The NLR in the observation group decreased after treatment （P<0.05）， and it was lower than that in the control group （P<0.05）. ④ There were no significant differences in safety indicators between the two groups before and after treatment. ConclusionTongfu Xiezhuo enema ameliorated symptoms and improved renal function indicators in the patients with stage 3-4 CKD by reducing the NLR and inhibiting inflammation.

As the second largest cofactor after ATP in body, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is responsible for methyl donor in SAM-dependent methyltransferases (MTases). The methylation of essential ingredients (e.g., DNA, RNA, protein) plays a critical role in epigenetic regulation, cellular signal transduction and metabolic cycles, which is closely related to different kinds of diseases. Therefore, SAM-dependent methyltransferases are considered as promising drug targets. Currently, a growing number of nucleoside analogues have been developed as SAM-competitive inhibitors, blocking the downstream signaling pathways to cure diseases. In the review, we outline the design strategy and optimization process of methyltransferase inhibitors, analyze the shortcomings and solutions of developing nucleoside derivatives as MTase inhibitors, to provide guidance and broad direction to the development of nucleoside MTase inhibitors.

This study aimed to investigate halofuginone's inhibitory effect and mechanism on the activity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. HepG2 cells were used to detect the effects of halofuginone. After treatment, cell activity, cell migration, cell cycle, and cell apoptosis were detected by CCK-8, transwell, and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression levels of growth and metabolism-related factors such as citrate synthase (CS), ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH), and isocitrate deoxygenase (IDH) were detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. Compared with the control group, the activity of HepG2 cells was significantly inhibited by halofuginone (P < 0.01), the migration rate of HepG2 cells was decreased (P < 0.01), the apoptosis of HepG2 cells was induced (P < 0.01), and the cell cycle was arrested in S phase (P < 0.01). The expression levels of tricarboxylic acid key enzymes CS, IDH3, and OGDH were up-regulated, the expression level of isocitrate dehydrogenase isoenzymes IDH1 and IDH2 were down-regulation. In conclusion, halofuginone can inhibit the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells and promote apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which may be due to the promotion of the aerobic metabolism of cells.

To clarify the causal factors of a case with severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia in Jiujiang District， Jiangxi Province and provide a scientific basis for effective prevention and control. Basic information and epidemiological data of the case were collected by epidemiological survey， and the samples from the close contacts and environment were collected for pathogen detection. A 37-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital due to "fever with cough for five days and worsening dyspnea". The results of targeted next-generation sequencing （tNGS） of pathogenic microorganisms in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the case indicated that the patient was infected with Chlamydia psittaci. Our epidemiological investigation revealed a clear history of chicken and duck exposure. Four throat swab samples of close contacts and one spleen， liver and lung sample of sick chicken and duck were collected for testing. One of the duck tissue samples tested positive， while the other samples were negative. The severe pneumonia was likely caused by exposure to the external environment contaminated by Chlamydia psittaci. Poultry farming should be regulated to prevent the transmission infection from poultry to humans．Additionally， awareness among medical staff should be increased to prevent severe outcomes．

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics,treatment methods,and prognosis of a-cute leukemia patients with extramedullary infiltration.Methods The clinical characteristics and treatment methods of 47 acute leukemia patients with extramedullary infiltration admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from April 2014 to April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Subgroup analysis was performed according to whether there was extramedullary infiltration before transplantation,and whether there was isolated extramedullary recurrence after transplantation.Based on this analysis,the patients were di-vided into the pre-transplantation radiotherapy group and pre-transplantation non-radiotherapy group,the post-transplantation radiotherapy group and post-transplantation non-radiotherapy group.According to the treatment methods of central nervous system leukemia(CNSL),the patients were divided into the intrathecal injection group(n=12)and combination of intrathecal injection and radiotherapy group(n=13).The local remission situation,survival duration,and toxic and side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy were com-pared.Results For acute leukemia patients with extramedullary infiltration,the overall survival time(OS)in the radiotherapy group was better than that in the non-radiotherapy group(median OS:706 d vs.151 d,P=0.015).Subgroup analysis showed that the OS of the pre-transplantation radiotherapy group was better than that of the pre-transplantation non-radiotherapy group(median OS:592 d vs.386 d,P=0.035).For CNSL,the combination of intrathecal injection and radiotherapy group had a better OS than the intrathecal injection group(median OS:547 d vs.388 d,P=0.045).The event-free survival time(EFS)of the radiotherapy group was better than that of the non-radiotherapy group(median EFS:175 d vs.50 d,P=0.005).The COX pro-portional-hazards model showed that treatment with or without radiotherapy had a significant impact on the OS of acute leukemia patients with extramedullary infiltration.The risk of death in the pre-transplantation non-radiotherapy group was 2.231 times higher than that in the pre-transplantation radiotherapy group(HR=3.231,95％CI:1.021-10.227,P=0.046).Compared with the non-radiotherapy group,the radiother-apy group had a higher local remission and a lower risk of haematological toxicity,infection,and haemorrhage.Conclusion Radiotherapy can rapidly alleviate the local symptoms of acute leukemia complicated with extr-amedullary infiltration,prolong the survival time of these patients,and reduce the risk of hematologic toxicity,infection,and haemorrhage.