ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the action mechanism by which Xiaozheng Zhitong paste （XZP） alleviates bone cancer pain （BCP） by regulating programmed death protein 1 （PD-1）/programmed death-ligand 1 （PD-L1） pathway-induced osteoclast formation. MethodsThirty female C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated into the following groups （n=6 per group）： normal control group， model group， low‑dose XZP group （31.5 g·kg^-1）， high‑dose XZP group （63 g·kg^-1）， and PD‑1 inhibitor （Niv） group. A bone cancer pain （BCP） model was established by injecting Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Mice in the normal control and model groups received topical application of a blank paste matrix at the wound site. Mice in the low‑ and high‑dose XZP groups were treated with XZP applied topically twice daily. Mice in the Niv group were topically administered the blank paste matrix and additionally received Niv via tail‑vein injection every two days. All interventions were continued for 21 days. During this period， behavioral tests were performed to assess mechanical， motor， and thermal nociceptive sensitivities. After 21 days， all mice were euthanized， and bone tissue from the operated side was collected for sectioning and preservation. Tartrate‑resistant acid phosphatase （TRAP） staining was used to evaluate osteoclast expression in the lesioned bone tissue. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of Runt‑related transcription factor 2 （Runx2） in the lesioned bone tissue. Immunofluorescence was employed to assess the expression of PD‑1 and PD‑L1 in the lesioned bone tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly decreased limb mechanical withdrawal threshold， spontaneous paw flinching， and thermal withdrawal latency （P<0.01）， increased number of osteoclasts in the lesioned bone tissue （P<0.01）， and reduced expression of Runx2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the BCP mice in the XZP low-dose group， XZP high-dose group， and Niv group exhibited increased limb mechanical withdrawal threshold， movement scores， and thermal withdrawal latency （P<0.01）. The XZP low-dose group showed no significant changes in osteoclast number or Runx2 expression， while the XZP high-dose group and Niv group demonstrated significantly reduced osteoclast numbers （P<0.01） and significantly increased Runx2 expression （P<0.01）. In the lesioned bone tissue of BCP mice， the XZP low-dose group showed no significant decrease in the percentage of PD-1 expression， but a decrease in the percentage of PD-L1 expression （P<0.05）. In contrast， both the XZP high-dose group and the Niv group exhibited significant reductions in the percentages of PD-1 and PD-L1 expression （P<0.01）. ConclusionXZP alleviates the pain of mice with BCP by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway to inhibit osteoclastogenesis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Xiaozheng Zhitong Paste （XZP） on bone cancer pain （BCP）. MethodsThirty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups： a Sham group， a BCP group， a BCP+low-dose XZP group， a BCP+high-dose XZP group， and a BCP+high-dose XZP + protease-activated receptor 2 （PAR2） agonist GB-110 group. BCP mice model was constructed by injecting Lewis lung carcinoma cells into the femoral cavity of the right leg， which was followed by being treated with XZP for 21 d. After 21 d， the mice were sacrificed. Nissl staining was used to evaluate the survival of spinal cord neurons. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to localize ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba1） and neuronal nuclear antigen （NeuN） in spinal cord tissue， thereby assessing microglial activation and neuronal survival. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to measure the levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， and interleukin-10 （IL-10） in spinal cord tissue. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mRNA expression levels associated with M1/M2 polarization of microglia. Western blot analysis was performed to examine the expression of proteins related to microglial polarization as well as those involved in the PAR2/nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB）/NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） signaling pathway in the spinal cord. ResultsCompared with the Sham group， the spinal cord neurons were damaged， the number of Nissl-positive spinal cord neurons in the spinal cord tissue was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the rate of NeuN-positive cells was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The spinal cord microglia were activated， the inflammatory level of the spinal cord tissue was enhanced， and Iba1 staining was significantly enhanced （P<0.01）. The levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， IL-6， TGF-β， IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expressions of IL-1β， TNF-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the expression of PAR2， NLRP3， ASC and NF-κB p65 proteins in the spinal cord tissue of the BCP mice was significantly enhanced （P<0.01）. Compared with the BCP group， high-dose XZP treatment significantly increased the number of Nissl-positive spinal cord neurons in the BCP mice （P<0.01）， significantly enhanced the rate of NeuN-positive cells in the spinal cord tissue， and significantly weakened Iba1 staining （P<0.01）. In addition， the levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and IL-6 were significantly decreased， while the levels of TGF-β， IL-4， and IL-10 were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and iNOS were decreased， whereas those of cluster of differentiation 206 （CD206）， arginase-1 （Arg-1）， and YM1/2 were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Low-dose and high-dose XZP treatment significantly decreased the expression of PAR2， NLRP3， ASC， and NF-κB p65 proteins in the spinal cord tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. These effects could all be significantly eliminated by the PAR2 agonist GB-110. ConclusionXZP can mitigate BCP in mice， which may be achieved through blocking the activated PAR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

ObjectiveThe paper aims to investigate the action mechanism by which the Xiaozheng Zhitong paste （XZP） relieves bone cancer pain （BCP）. MethodsA model of mice with BCP was established by using Lewis tumor cells. The therapeutic effects of XZP， the ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 （Fer-1）， and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） inhibitor Brusatol （Bru） on BCP were examined. Mice were randomly divided into the Sham operation group， BCP group， BCP+XZP-L group， BCP+XZP-H group， BCP+Fer-1 group， and BCP+XZP-H+Bru group， with six mice in each group. Pain behavior tests were conducted on the mice to assess pain levels. Colorimetric assays were employed to measure ferroptosis-related factors in serum and spinal cord tissue including Fe， malondialdehyde （MDA）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD）. Immunofluorescence staining was used to assess ROS production in spinal cord tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of mitochondria in lumbar spinal cord tissue. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to detect mRNA expression of Nrf2， heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）， glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）， and solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11） in spinal cord neuron tissue. The protein expression of Nrf2， HO-1， GPX4， and SLC7A11 in spinal cord neurons was measured by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the Sham group， mice in the BCP group exhibited significantly reduced limb usage scores， mechanical foot withdrawal thresholds， and thermal foot withdrawal thresholds （P<0.01）. Serum and lumbar spinal cord tissue levels of Fe， MDA， and reactive oxygen species （ROS） were significantly elevated （P<0.05）， while superoxide dismutase （SOD） levels were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Lumbar spinal cord mitochondrial structural damage was observed， and mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2， HO-1， GPX4， and SLC7A11 were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the BCP group， both low- and high-dose XZP groups improved the aforementioned pain behavioral indicators （P<0.05，P<0.01）， reduced ferroptosis-related biomarkers including Fe， MDA， and ROS levels （P<0.05）， increased SOD levels （P<0.05，P<0.01）， alleviated mitochondrial damage， and upregulated Nrf2， HO-1， GPX4， SLC7A11 mRNA and protein expression （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The high-dose XZP group exhibited comparable efficacy to Fer-1 in alleviating pain and inhibiting ferroptosis. Following Bru administration， XZP's effects on pain behavioral indicators， regulation of ferroptosis-related markers， mitochondrial structural protection， and activation of the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4/SLC7A11 pathway were significantly reversed （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionExternal application of XZP alleviates pain symptoms in BCP mice by activating the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4/SLC7A11 pathway， thereby inhibiting ferroptosis and neuronal damage in spinal cord neurons.

Pain， as one of the most common symptoms in cancer patients， seriously affects the survival quality of patients. The three-step pain relief program currently used in clinical practice cannot completely relieve pain in cancer patients and is accompanied by many problems. From the perspective of Jueyin syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， this paper believed that the core pathogenesis of cancer pain was declined healthy Qi and cold and heat in complexity， and used Wumeiwan as the main formula with modification according to syndrome for clearing the upper， warming the lower part of the body， and harmonizing the cold and heat. It can regulate the pathological environment of deficiency， cold， stasis， toxicity， and heat， and restore the physiological function of Yang transforming Qi while Yin constituting form， so as to prevent， relieve， and even eliminate cancer pain， having achieved good clinical efficacy. It can not only help cancer patients relieve pain， but also control tumor and eliminate tumor， achieving a dual benefit of pain relief and tumor suppression. It gives full play to the characteristics and advantages of syndrome differentiation and treatment in TCM， and expands the scope of ZHANG Zhongjing's treatment for Jueyin syndrome， which provides ideas for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancer pain from the perspective of deficiency-excess in complexity and cold and heat in complexity.

To analyze the disease burden of hypertension in the elderly population from 1990 to 2021 and to predict future trends in China and globally, thereby providing insights for public health decision-making regarding older adults with hypertension in China.

ObjectiveRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, offers a non-pharmacological therapeutic option for the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis plays a pivotal role in the pathological onset and progression of AD, and the inhibition of neuronal ferroptosis can significantly ameliorate cognitive impairments associated with AD. The imbalance of calcium ion (Ca²⁺) homeostasis is intimately associated with the pathology of AD and serves as a catalyst for the induction of ferroptosis through various pathways. This study is designed to investigate whether rTMS can ameliorate AD by inhibiting neuronal ferroptosis or maintaining calcium homeostasis, ultimately establishing a theoretical and experimental framework for the utilization of rTMS in AD treatment. MethodsAPP/PS1 AD mice were subjected to both 0.5 Hz low-frequency and 20 Hz high-frequency rTMS treatments, and the efficacy of these treatments was evaluated using novel object recognition and Morris water maze tests. ELISA was employed to quantify the levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Fe²⁺ within the hippocampi of mice from each group. HT-22 cells were induced to undergo ferroptosis via Erastin treatment, and subsequent to high- and low-frequency magnetic stimulation, cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 assay, while intracellular calcium ion concentration fluctuations were monitored using Fluo-4 AM. ResultsThe findings revealed that, when compared to normal mice, AD mice displayed a notable decline in cognitive function, accompanied by a substantial increase in ferroptosis levels and intracellular calcium ion concentrations. Both high-frequency and low-frequency applications of rTMS were found to significantly ameliorate cognitive impairments in AD mice, while also effectively mitigating the abnormal augmentation of neuronal ferroptosis and intracellular calcium ion levels. ConclusionThe present study underscores that both high-frequency and low-frequency rTMS exhibit efficacy in alleviating cognitive dysfunction in AD mice, potentially through the modulation of ferroptosis and intracellular calcium ion homeostasis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Poster Fusion Cage combined with xenogeneic bone graft augmentation for bone defect management in distal radius fractures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 20 patients with bone defects complicating distal radius fractures who met the selection criteria and were treated between June 2022 and June 2024. The cohort comprised 2 males and 18 females, aged 54-87 years (mean, 63.3 years). Etiologies included falls in 17 cases, traffic accidents in 2 cases, and crush injury in 1 case. According to AO classification, there were 5 cases of type A, 8 cases of type B, and 7 cases of type C. The interval from injury to operation ranged from 2 to 10 days (mean, 5.8 days). All patients underwent volar plate fixation augmented with Poster Fusion Cage and demineralized xenogeneic bone matrix grafting. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, fracture healing time, and postoperative complications were recorded. Radiographic parameters, including radial height, volar tilt, and ulnar deviation, were measured on standardized X-ray films obtained immediately postoperatively and at last follow-up, and whether secondary reduction loss occurred was judged. At last follow-up, wrist range of motion (extension, flexion, radial deviation, ulnar deviation, pronation, and supination) and grip strength (expressed as a percentage of the contralateral side) were measured. Wrist function was assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score and Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) score. RESULTS: The operation time was 70-200 minutes (mean, 116.4 minutes), and the intraoperative blood loss was 10-80 mL (mean, 36.5 mL). All surgical incisions healed by first intention, with no neurovascular complications documented. All patients were followed up 9-12 months (mean, 11.6 months). All fractures healed normally, with a healing time of 8-14 weeks (mean, 9.95 weeks). No significant difference was observed in radial height, volar tilt, or ulnar deviation between immediate postoperatively and last follow-up ( P>0.05). All fractures achieved satisfactory reduction, with no secondary loss of reduction or implant failure occurring during follow-up. At last follow-up, the range of motion of the affected wrist joint was 60°-65° (mean, 62.5°) in extension, 67°-75° (mean, 71.1°) in flexion, 18°-23° (mean, 20.4°) in radial deviation, 28°-33° (mean, 30.1°) in ulnar deviation, 69°-80° (mean, 74.7°) in pronation, and 69°-82° (mean, 75.6°) in supination. Grip strength recovered to 75%-85% (mean, 80%) of the contralateral side. Functional scores showed a DASH score of 5-15 (mean, 9.4) and PRWE score of 8.0-12.5 (mean, 10.2). CONCLUSION The combination of Poster Fusion Cage and xenogeneic bone graft augmentation provides a safe and effective treatment for bone defects in distal radius fractures.
Retrospective Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Treatment Outcome ; Wrist Fractures/surgery* ; Heterografts ; Transplantation, Heterologous/methods* ; Bone Transplantation/methods* ; Operative Time ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; Radius/surgery* ; Fracture Healing ; Time Factors ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Follow-Up Studies ; Internal Fixators ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Combined Modality Therapy

PURPOSE: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the left and right lower extremities was treated in the same way, but the left and right extremities received different levels of attention. This study aimed to investigate the differences between the right and left lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LEDVT). METHODS: Clinical characteristics of LEDVT patients from July 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed to compare the incidence of LEDVT on different limbs, demographics, predisposing factors, and anatomical characteristics. The exclusion criteria were bilateral LEDVT and recurrent thrombosis. Measured data was analyzed using independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney test. Count data were analyzed by Chi-square test. A p < 0.05 was considered a statistically significant difference. RESULTS: There were 478 patients included in this study and the ratio of left to right LEDVT on the left and right limbs was 3.16:1 (363:115). Left LEDVT predominantly affected female, with the major aged > 50 years (50 - 60 years: 16.80%; > 60 years: 57.30%). The primary predisposing factor was iliac vein compression syndrome, with iliofemoral thrombosis being the main type. Male patients with LEDVT on the right limb were predominant and the age of onset was usually ≤ 60 years (52.17%). The main predisposing factor was recent surgery or trauma (< 30 days) and femoropopliteal thrombosis was the main type. In more detail, the left iliac vein was compressed mainly in the proximal segment, and the right iliac vein was compressed mainly in the intermediate and distal segments. Recent surgery or trauma to the locomotor system and genitourinary system often induced LEDVT. CONCLUSION The incidence of LEDVT on the left is significantly higher than that on the right. LEDVT on different sides has different characteristics, which is crucial for prevention and diagnosis in the relevant population so there are also differences in treatment of the affected limbs.
Humans ; Venous Thrombosis/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Lower Extremity/blood supply* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Aged ; Age Factors ; Sex Factors ; Risk Factors ; Acute Disease ; Incidence ; Aged, 80 and over ; Young Adult ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential effects and mechanisms of Liang-Ge-San (LGS) for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) through network pharmacology analysis and to verify LGS activity through biological experiments. METHODS: The key ingredients of LGS and related targets were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. ARDS-related targets were selected from GeneCards and DisGeNET databases. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed using the Metascape Database. Molecular docking analysis was used to confirm the binding affinity of the core compounds with key therapeutic targets. Finally, the effects of LGS on key signaling pathways and biological processes were determined by in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS: A total of LGS-related targets and 496 ARDS-related targets were obtained from the databases. Network pharmacological analysis suggested that LGS could treat ARDS based on the following information: LGS ingredients luteolin, wogonin, and baicalein may be potential candidate agents. Mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), recombinant V-Rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RELA), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) may be potential therapeutic targets. Reactive oxygen species metabolic process and the apoptotic signaling pathway were the main biological processes. The p38MAPK/NF-κ B signaling pathway might be the key signaling pathway activated by LGS against ARDS. Moreover, molecular docking demonstrated that luteolin, wogonin, and baicalein had a good binding affinity with MAPK14, RELA, and TNF α. In vitro experiments, LGS inhibited the expression and entry of p38 and p65 into the nucleation in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE) cells induced by LPS, inhibited the inflammatory response and oxidative stress response, and inhibited HBE cell apoptosis (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In vivo experiments, LGS improved lung injury caused by ligation and puncture, reduced inflammatory responses, and inhibited the activation of p38MAPK and p65 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION LGS could reduce reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokine production by inhibiting p38MAPK/NF-κ B signaling pathway, thus reducing apoptosis and attenuating ARDS.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/enzymology* ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Humans ; Male ; Network Pharmacology ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Mice