ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of modified Buyang Huanwu Tang on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury （CI/RI） in mice via the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1/E3 ubiquitin ligase （PINK1/Parkin） signaling pathway-mediated mitophagy， and to explore the underlying mechanism by which modified Buyang Huanwu Tang improves CI/RI. MethodsSeventy-two male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups （n = 12 per group）： Sham-operated group， middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion （MCAO/R） model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Buyang Huanwu Tang groups （8.84， 17.68， 35.36 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and an aspirin group （13.00 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. Neurological deficit scores were assessed using the Zea-Longa method. Cerebral infarct volume ratio was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Histopathological changes and neuronal injury in brain tissues were observed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining. Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） assay. Mitochondrial ultrastructure in brain tissue was observed by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. Serum levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B （LC3B， LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ）， and p62 in brain tissues were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the MCAO/R model group showed significantly increased neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarct volume ratios （P<0.01）. Severe cortical injury on the infarct side was observed， characterized by decreased neuronal density， cytoplasmic vacuolation， nuclear pyknosis， a marked reduction in Nissl bodies， dissolution of Nissl bodies in the cytoplasm of some pyramidal neurons， and blurred cellular boundaries. The number of TUNEL-positive cells increased significantly （P<0.01）. Mitochondria exhibited cristae membrane rupture and matrix vacuolation， with rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane and formation of autophagosomes， the number of which increased significantly. Serum SOD activity decreased significantly （P<0.01）， while MDA content increased significantly （P<0.01）. In infarcted brain tissues of model mice， the relative mRNA expression and protein levels of PINK1， Parkin and LC3B were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas p62 mRNA and protein expression were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， showing statistical significance. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups showed significantly decreased neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarct volume ratios （P<0.01）. Neuronal density increased significantly， cytoplasmic vacuolation was alleviated， nuclear morphology tended to be more regular and clearer， Nissl body density increased significantly with reduced dissolution and improved contour clarity. The mitochondrial cristae structure was partially restored， with some mitochondria showing autophagosome encapsulation， and the degree of mitochondrial damage was alleviated. Serum SOD activity increased significantly （P<0.01）， while MDA content decreased significantly. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while p62 mRNA and protein expression in the low- and medium-dose modified Buyang Huanwu Tang groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， showing statistical significance. ConclusionModified Buyang Huanwu Tang can upregulate the protein expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and downregulate p62 protein expression， suggesting that it may improve CI/RI by regulating the expression of proteins related to the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway. Regulation of the mitophagy pathway may be one of the mechanisms by which modified Buyang Huanwu Tang alleviates CI/RI in mice.

Background: and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs. Conclusions Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.

Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.

Objective To describe the significance of the pretreatment inflammatory indicators in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after undergoing radical radiotherapy. Methods The data of 246 ESCC patients who underwent radical radiotherapy were retrospectively collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the optimal cutoff values for platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses by using the Cox proportional risk regression model. Software R (version 4.2.0) was used to create the nomogram of prognostic factors. Results The results of the ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cutoff values of PLR, NLR, and SII were 146.06, 2.67, and 493.97, respectively. The overall response rates were 77.6% and 64.5% in the low and high NLR groups, respectively (P<0.05). The results of the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the prognosis of patients in the low PLR, NLR, and SII group was better than that of patients in the high PLR, NLR, and SII group (all P<0.05). The results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that gender, treatment modalities, T stage, and NLR were independent factors affecting the overall survival (OS). In addition, T stage and NLR were independent factors affecting the progression-free survival (PFS) (all P<0.05). The nomogram models of OS and PFS prediction were established based on multivariate analysis. The C-index values were 0.703 and 0.668. The calibration curves showed excellent consistency between the predicted and observed OS and PFS. Conclusion The pretreatment values of PLR, NLR, and SII are correlated with the prognosis of patients with ESCC who underwent radical radiotherapy. Moreover, NLR is an independent factor affecting the OS and PFS of ESCC patients. The NLR-based nomogram model has a good predictive ability.

The iridoid glycosides from Veronica anagallis-aquatica L. alleviate heart failure by modulating the gut microbiota and influencing the production of two metabolites with potential antihypertrophic effects, HVA and 2OH-VA.Image 1.

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

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.

The prelimbic cortex (PL) plays a critical role in processing both the sensory and affective components of pain. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we observed a reduction in hyperpolarization-activated cation current (I_h) in layer V pyramidal neurons of the contralateral PL in a mouse model of spared nerve injury (SNI). The expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated 2 (HCN2) channels was also decreased in the contralateral PL. Conversely, microinjection of fisetin, a partial agonist of HCN2, produced both analgesic and anxiolytic effects. Additionally, we found that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) was activated in the contralateral PL, where it formed a complex with HCN2 and phosphorylated its C-terminus. Knockdown of CDK5 restored HCN2 expression and alleviated both pain hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors. Collectively, these results indicate that CDK5-mediated dysfunction of HCN2 in the PL underlies nerve injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and anxiety.
Animals ; Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels/metabolism* ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Male ; Anxiety/metabolism* ; Mice ; Potassium Channels/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Disease Models, Animal ; Pyramidal Cells/metabolism*

Regenerating periodontal bone defect surrounding periodontal tissue is crucial for orthodontic or dental implant treatment. The declined osteogenic ability of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) induced by inflammation stimulus contributes to reduced capacity to regenerate periodontal bone, which brings about a huge challenge for treating periodontitis. Here, inspired by the adhesive property of mussels, we have created adhesive and mineralized hydrogel microspheres loaded with traditional compound cordycepin (MMS-CY). MMS-CY could adhere to the surface of alveolar bone, then promote the migration capacity of PDLSCs and thus recruit them to inflammatory periodontal tissues. Furthermore, MMS-CY rescued the impaired osteogenesis and ligament-forming capacity of PDLSCs, which were suppressed by the inflammation stimulus. Moreover, MMS-CY also displayed the excellent inhibitory effect on the osteoclastic activity. Mechanistically, MMS-CY inhibited the premature senescence induced by the inflammation stimulus through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (NRF2) pathway and reducing the DNA injury. Utilizing in vivo rat periodontitis model, MMS-CY was demonstrated to enhance the periodontal bone regeneration by improving osteogenesis and inhibiting the osteoclastic activity. Altogether, our study indicated that the multi-pronged approach is promising to promote the periodontal bone regeneration in periodontitis condition by reducing the inflammation-induced stem cell senescence and maintaining bone homeostasis.
Animals ; Bone Regeneration/drug effects* ; Rats ; Periodontal Ligament/cytology* ; Microspheres ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; Hydrogels ; Periodontitis/therapy* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Stem Cells ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Humans

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*