Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

Detection of poor-water-soluble substances typically requires an organic solvent containing solution,and therefore,the biosensors that can operate in such conditions are highly promising for practical applications.However,most existing biosensors have been developed in aqueous solution and it is hard to work effectively in organic solvent systems.In this work,we uncovered that the G-quadruplex(G4)/hemin DNAzyme(G4HD)could be strongly reactivated by NH4 in organic solvents at concentration up to 30％,and the activity was significantly higher than that in aqueous solutions containing K+.Based on this discovery,a biosensing system was developed for small molecule in 40％methanol by coupling G4HD with our previously identified RNA-cleaving DNAzyme(E3).This system comprised an ATP-activated aptazyme that was made of E3 and a G4HD that was activated by the cleavage product of the aptazyme.By using a manmade pipette tip filter to separate the reaction products,the subsequent colorimetric reaction of the G4HD could be triggered.This biosensing system enabled the visualization of target molecules in organic cosolvents without any other instruments.The activable DNAzyme-cascade sensing system had potential in point-of-care detection of poor-water-soluble pollutants,thereby enhancing the practical values of functional nucleic acid-based biosensors in real-world detection conditions.

A new method was developed for simultaneous and efficient determination of linear perfluorooctanoic acid(n-PFOA)and linear perfluorooctane sulfonate(n-PFOS),and their typical branched isomers in seawater by online solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(Online SPE-LC-MS/MS).Only centrifugation of the seawater sample was required to remove the particulate matter,and then the seawater sample was directly injected and analyzed by online SPE-LC-MS/MS.An Eclipse Plus-C18 guard column was selected as SPE column for online enrichment of linear and branched isomers,and a F5 PFP column(150 mm×2.1 mm,2.7 μm)was used as the analytical column.Under the optimized experimental conditions,the separation and detection of all PFOA and PFOS linear and branched isomers could be completed within 20 min.The spiked recoveries of various target compounds ranged from 82.9%to 107.7%with detection limits and limits of quantification of 0.10-1.05 ng/L and 0.30-2.11 ng/L,respectively.The method was characterized by good precision(RSD≤9.10%)and linearity(R2≥0.990).Subsequently,linear and branched isomers of PFOA and PFOS in surface and bottom seawater samples collected from the Laizhou Bay of China were determined.The results showed that the detection rate of all the four branched PFOA isomers were 100%,with the highest average concentration of 25.85 ng/L found for 6m-PFOA,which accounted for 11.79%of the∑PFOA.For the five branched isomers of PFOS,the highest detection rate of 90.84%was found for 5m-PFOS.The highest average concentration of 0.64 ng/L was observed for 3m-PFOS,accounting for 19.88%of ∑PFOS.The proposed method provided an effective detection tool for qualitative and quantitative detection of PFOA and PFOS isomers in the marine aquatic environment.

Decabromodiphenyl ether(BDE-209)and decabromodiphenyl ethane(DBDPE)are widely used brominated flame retardants,which have been detected in the atmosphere,water,soil,and various organisms.In this study,a method based on high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(HPLC-ICP-MS)was developed for determination of BDE-209 and DBDPE in sediment.Firstly,the target compounds in the sediments were extracted by accelerated solvent extraction(ASE),and the extraction solvent was hexane/dichloromethane(1∶1,V/V).The extract was concentrated by rotary evaporation and purified by a composite silica gel column(6 g neutral silica gel,8 g acidic silica gel,and 4 g anhydrous sodium sulfate),concentrated by nitrogen blowing,and then re-dissolved with 1 mL of toluene for instrumental determination.The chromatographic separation was carried out on a TC-C18(2)column(250 mm×4.6 mm)with isocratic elution using methanol-isopropanol-water(89∶6∶5,V/V)as the mobile phase,and the samples were separated within 20 min.Further,the Br element was quantified by ICP-MS to realize the detection of the target.The results showed that the method established in this study exhibited good linearity(R2>0.999)in the range of 100-10000 ng/mL,and the limits of quantification(LOQs)of the method were 2.0 ng/g for BDE-209 and 10.0 ng/g for DBDPE,with the relative standard deviations(RSDs,n=3)lower than 10%,and the recoveries were in the acceptable range(80.9%-120.7%).The matrix effect was effectively controlled within 10%.In addition,by analyzing the actual sediment samples from Guangxi,a background point,and Taizhou,Zhejiang,a typical contaminated area,it was found that neither BDE-209 nor DBDPE was detected in the sediment from Guangxi,while the concentrations of BDE-209 and DBDPE in the sediment from Zhejiang ranged from 1591.8 to 3362.9 ng/g,which further demonstrated the applicability and reliability of the method for analyzing actual environmental samples.This study provided a strong technical support for the accurate detection of POPs in the environment.

Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) has been a safe and viable alternative to conversion to laparotomy in cases of severe cholecystitis. The objective of this study is to determine the utility of intraoperative choledochoscopy in LSC for the exploration of the gallbladder, cyst duct, and subsequent stone clearance of the cystic duct in cases of severe cholecystitis. A total of 72 patients diagnosed with severe cholecystitis received choledochoscopy-assisted laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (CALSC). A choledochoscopy was performed to explore the gallbladder cavity and/or cystic duct, and to extract stones using a range of techniques. The clinical records, including the operative records and outcomes, were subjected to analysis. No LSC was converted to open surgery, and no bile duct or vascular injuries were sustained. All stones within the cystic duct were removed by a combination of techniques, including high-frequency needle knife electrotomy, basket, and electrohydraulic lithotripsy. A follow-up examination revealed the absence of residual bile duct stones, with the exception of one common bile duct stone, which was extracted via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. In certain special cases, CALSC may prove to be an efficacious treatment for the management of severe cholecystitis. This technique allows for optimal comprehension of the situation within the gallbladder cavity and cystic duct, facilitating the removal of stones from the cystic duct and reducing the residue of the non-functional gallbladder remnant.

Objective: Accurate evaluation of inflammation severity in ulcerative colitis (UC) can guide treatment strategy selection. The potential value of the pericolic fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT as an indicator of disease severity remains unknown.This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of pericolic FAI in predicting UC severity. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients (mean age 48 years; 87 males). The fat attenuation on CT was measured in four different locations: the mesocolic vascular side (MS) and opposite side of MS (OMS) around the most severe bowel lesion, the retroperitoneal space (RS), and the subcutaneous area. The fat attenuation indices (FAI MS, FAI OMS, and FAI RS) were calculated as the fat attenuation measured in MS, OMS, and RS, respectively, minus that of the subcutaneous area, and were obtained in the non-enhanced, arterial, and delayed phases. Correlations between the FAI and UC Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Predictors of severe UC (UCEIS ≥7) were selected by univariable analysis. The performance of FAI in predicting severe UC was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores were significantly higher than FAI RS in three phases (all P < 0.001). The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores moderately correlated with the UCEIS score (r = 0.474–0.649 among the three phases). Additionally, FAI MS and FAI OMS identified severe UC, with AUC varying from 0.77 to 0.85. Conclusion Increased CT attenuation of pericolic adipose tissue could serve as a noninvasive marker for evaluating UC severity. FAI MS and FAI OMS of three phases showed similar prediction accuracies for severe UC identification.

ObjectiveAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviors. Previous studies have indicated that individuals with ASD exhibit early and lifelong attention deficits, which are closely related to the core symptoms of ASD. Basic visual attention processes may provide a critical foundation for their social communication and interaction abilities. Therefore, this study explores the behavior of children with ASD in capturing attention to changes in topological properties. MethodsOur study recruited twenty-seven ASD children diagnosed by professional clinicians according to DSM-5 and twenty-eight typically developing (TD) age-matched controls. In an attention capture task, we recorded the saccadic behaviors of children with ASD and TD in response to topological change (TC) and non-topological change (nTC) stimuli. Saccadic reaction time (SRT), visual search time (VS), and first fixation dwell time (FFDT) were used as indicators of attentional bias. Pearson correlation tests between the clinical assessment scales and attentional bias were conducted. ResultsThis study found that TD children had significantly faster SRT (P<0.05) and VS (P<0.05) for the TC stimuli compared to the nTC stimuli, while the children with ASD did not exhibit significant differences in either measure (P>0.05). Additionally, ASD children demonstrated significantly less attention towards the TC targets (measured by FFDT), in comparison to TD children (P<0.05). Furthermore, ASD children exhibited a significant negative linear correlation between their attentional bias (measured by VS) and their scores on the compulsive subscale (P<0.05). ConclusionThe results suggest that children with ASD have difficulty shifting their attention to objects with topological changes during change detection. This atypical attention may affect the child’s cognitive and behavioral development, thereby impacting their social communication and interaction. In sum, our findings indicate that difficulties in attentional capture by TC may be a key feature of ASD.

Abelmoschi Corolla, the dried corolla of Abelmoschus manihot, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrosis activities. Its chemical constituents mainly include flavonoids, organic acids, steroids, and polysaccharides. This study reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Abelmoschi Corolla in recent 20 years. According to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), the Q-markers of Abelmoschi Corolla were predicted from plant phylogeny, chemical constituent specificity, traditional efficacy, chemical constituent measurability, and absorbed constituents. The primary Q-markers for Abelmoschi Corolla were anticipated to include quercetin-3'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, gossypetin-8-O-β-D-glucuronide, isoquercetin, myricetin,quercetin, and hyperoside, with the aim of providing reference data for improving the quality evaluation system of Abelmoschi Corolla.
Abelmoschus/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Flowers/chemistry* ; Humans ; Animals ; Quality Control ; Flavonoids/chemistry*

The chemical constituents of Commiphora myrrha was investigated by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, MS, NMR, as well as ECD calculation. Seven compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane-soluble fraction of C. myrrha and their structures were identified as(1S,2R,4S,5R,8S)-guaiane-2-hydroxy-7(11),10(15)-dien-6-oxo-12,8-olide(1), commipholide E(2), myrrhterpenoid H(3), myrrhterpenoid I(4), myrrhterpenoid E(5), 2α-methoxy-8α-hydroxy-6-oxogermacra-1(10),7(11)-dien-8,12-olide(6), 8,12-epoxy-1α,9α-hydroxy-eudesma-7,11-diene-6-dione(7). Compound 1 was a new compound and named myrrhterpenoid P. Compound 7 was isolated from Commiphora genus for the first time. Compounds 2, 5, and 6 significantly inhibited nitric oxide(NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, with IC_(50) values of(49.67±4.16),(40.80±1.27),(47.22±0.87) μmol·L~(-1), respectively [indomethacin as the positive control, with IC_(50) value of(63.92±2.60) μmol·L~(-1)].
Commiphora/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Resins, Plant/chemistry* ; Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Molecular Structure ; Nitric Oxide ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*

This study identified blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills and explored their anti-insomnia effects and mechanisms. The main blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were detected and identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The rationality of the formula was assessed by using enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms, and core targets of its active components were selected as the the potential anti-insomnia targets of Anshen Dropping Pills through network pharmacology analysis. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, Gene Ontology(GO) enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were performed on the core targets. An active component-core target network for Anshen Dropping Pills was constructed. Finally, the effects of low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of Anshen Dropping Pills on sleep episodes, sleep duration, and sleep latency in mice were measured by supraliminal and subliminal pentobarbital sodium experiments. Moreover, total scores of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale was used to evaluate the changes before and after the treatment with Anshen Dropping Pills in a clinical study. The enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms verified the rationality of the Anshen Dropping Pills formula, and nine blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The network proximity revealed a significant correlation between eight components and insomnia, including magnoflorine, liquiritin, spinosin, quercitrin, jujuboside A, ginsenoside Rb_3, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhetinic acid. Network pharmacology analysis indicated that the major anti-insomnia pathways of Anshen Dropping Pills involved substance and energy metabolism, neuroprotection, immune system regulation, and endocrine regulation. Seven core genes related to insomnia were identified: APOE, ALB, BDNF, PPARG, INS, TP53, and TNF. In summary, Anshen Dropping Pills could increase sleep episodes, prolong sleep duration, and reduce sleep latency in mice. Clinical study results demonstrated that Anshen Dropping Pills could decrease total scores of PSQI scale. This study reveals the pharmacodynamic basis and potential multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway effects of Anshen Dropping Pills, suggesting that its anti-insomnia mechanisms may be associated with the regulation of insomnia-related signaling pathways. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of Anshen Dropping Pills.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/metabolism* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Male ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Sleep/drug effects* ; Female ; Adult