AIM To establish the preparation process and quality standard for Zhenggu Pills.METHODS With decoction time,decoction frequency and water addition as influencing factors,comprehensive score for extract yield and transfer rates of epicatechin and naringin as an evaluation index,the decoction process was optimized by orthogonal test.With sugarless paste relative density,medicinal powder fineness,sugarless paste-corn starch ratio,drying temperature and drying time as influencing factors,soft material traits,pill formability,moisture and disintegration time limit as evaluation indices,the formability process was optimized by single factor test.TLC was adopted in the qualitative identification of Dipsaci Radix,salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus,cooked Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma.HPLC was used for the content determination of paeoniflorin and naringin.RESULTS The optimal decoction process was determined to be 0.5 h for decoction time,two times for decoction frequency,and 10 times for water addition,the comprehensive score was 0.93.The optimal formability process was determined to be 1.21-1.22 for sugarless paste relative density,80 mesh for medicinal powder fineness,1∶0.17-1∶0.18 for sugarless paste-corn starch ratio,70 ℃ for drying temperature,and 24 h for drying time,good soft material traits and pill formability were observable,and moisture and disintegration time limit accored with 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia requirements.The TLC spots were clear without negative interference.Two constituents showed good linear relationships within 61.30-490.41 μg/mL(r=0.999 8)and 3.27-26.18 μg/mL(r=0.999 8),whose average recoveries were 100.15％and 98.15％with the RSDs of 0.55％and 2.30％,respectively.CONCLUSION This stable,reliable and specific method can be used for the production and quality evaluation of Zhenggu Pills.

AIM To establish the quantitative models for gallic acid,mononucleoside,loganin,resveratrol,and rhein in Yishen Xiezhuo Mixture.METHODS HPLC was adopted in the content determination of various effective components,after which the near-infrared spectroscopy(NIRS)data were collected in 128 batches of samples and pretreatment was conducted,competitive adaptive reweighting sampling(CARS)algorithm was used for screening wavelength,partial least square method(PLS)regression analysis was performed.RESULTS There were no significant differences between the predicted values obtained by PLS models and measured values obtained by HPLC for various effective components(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION The quantitative models established by NIRS combined with chemometrics display good predictive performance,which can be used for the rapid determination of effective components in Yishen Xiezhuo Mixture,and provide a reference for the rapid monitoring of other traditional Chinese medicine preparations in production processes.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value and safety of an intraperitoneal chemotherapy port technique in patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases undergoing intraperitoneal chemotherapy.Methods:This was a retrospective, descriptive case analysis. From November 2022 to October 2024, patients diagnosed with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases at Wuxi Branch of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine with an expected survival >3 months, underwent laparoscopic exploration combined with implantation of an intraperitoneal chemotherapy port [PORT-A-CATH II system (Model 21-4055-24)] implantation. The procedure was as follows: (1) after laparoscopic exploration, a 4-cm skin incision was made at a predetermined site and a subcutaneous pocket created by dissecting to the muscle fascia and removing subcutaneous fat as needed to position the port septum 0.5-1.0 cm from the skin surface; (2) under direct laparoscopic visualization, the abdominal cavity was punctured and a guidewire inserted, followed by an 8.5 Fr sheath, through which a catheter with three trimmed side holes was placed after removal of the sheath; (3) the catheter length in the abdominal cavity was adjusted to 25–30 cm and the catheter trimmed, and connected to the port base, ensuring it extended beyond the connector's visible hole; (4) the whole port was placed within the subcutaneous pocket, and non-absorbable sutures used to create a double purse-string suture at the catheter's abdominal entry, forming an anti-reflux ring; (5) non-absorbable sutures were used to securely fix the port to the fascia through its four base holes and the exposed catheter segments on the fascia sutured and buried; (6) patency was confirmed by injecting saline and followed by intermittent skin closure provided there was no bleeding; and (7) the catheter tip was positioned in the pelvic cavity under laparoscopic guidance. Postoperatively, the patients underwent normothermic intraperitoneal and systemic treatment. The port infusion protocol involved disinfecting the skin (>10 cm diameter) around the port, confirming the puncture site, inserting a Huber needle vertically at 90° to the port base, infusing 100 mL saline to ensure patency, followed by continuous infusion of 1000 mL paclitaxel solution, and sealing with 20 mL saline before removing the needle. No saline flushing was required between chemotherapy infusions. The primary outcomes were the incidence and management of complications post-port implantation.Results:The study cohort comprised 225 patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases. Using standardized port implantation and postoperative puncture procedures, the complication rate during follow-up was 14.2% (32/225), including effusion in 14 patients (6.2%), port infection in 10 (4.4%), incision dehiscence in four (1.8%), port inversion in two (0.9%), hematoma in one (0.4%), and catheter rupture in one (0.4%). Seventy-five percent (24/32) of patients with complications recovered and continued using the port after conservative treatments (e. g., aspiration of effusions, antibiotic therapy, incision management), whereas the remaining 25.0% (8/32) with complications required surgical removal of the port because the treatment was ineffective. The presence of preoperative ascites ( P=0.019) and peritoneal cancer index score>15 ( P=0.038) were significantly associated with development of complications. Conclusions:Our standardized procedure for intraperitoneal chemotherapy port implantation is safe and feasible for patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases, having a low overall complication rate. Most complications can be successfully managed with conservative treatment, the device thus providing reliable support for intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Purpose To explore the key molecules mechanisms underlying the selective activation of macrophage and the regulation of Dicer expression induced by glioblastoma(GBM)cells,as well as its prognostic significance.Methods Glioblastoma conditional medium(GCM)was fractionated by molecular weight using ultrafiltration.Specif-ic molecular weight components of GCM that upregulate Dicer expression in mouse bone marrow derived macrophages(BMDMs)were identified.Secreted proteins were identified by mass spectrometry(MS).The correlation between candidate proteins and GBM prognosis was analyzed using the TCGA and CGGA database.In vitro experiments of the candidate proteins on Dicer expression in BMDMs were further carried out.Results GCM components with a molecu-lar weight of＞50 kDa significantly upregulated Dicer expression in BMDMs.MS identified five key secreted proteins:Prg4,Psap,Hexa,Aebp1,and Itih2.High expression of Prg4 was significantly positively correlated with poor progno-sis in GBM patients(P＜0.001)and was associated with the expression of selective macrophage activation markers.Recombinant Prg4 protein stimulated BMDMs and induced Dicer expression in mouse BMDMs.Conclusion This study reveals that glioma cells induce Dicer expression in macrophages by secreting Prg4,providing a theoretical basis for GBM therapeutic strategies targeting the Prg4-Dicer axis.

Objective To investigate the biomechanical differences in plantar pressure,postural stability,and plantar Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)scores between normal feet and unilateral/bilat-eral pes cavus,reveal their unique neuromechanical compensation mechanisms,and construct a sta-bility early warning model based on the minimum center of pressure(COP)trajectory classification.Methods A total of 70 patients with pes cavus from December 2023 to October 2024 were selected as study subjects,including 33 patients in the unilateral pes cavus group and 37 patients in the bilat-eral pes cavus group.During the same period,32 normal feet were included as normal foot group.A flat-panel plantar pressure testing system was used to collect dynamic plantar pressure data and COP trajectories from three groups at a self-selected walking speed.There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data such as age,gender,and body mass index among the three groups(P＞0.05).One-way analysis of variance and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to compare the differences in maximum pressure,contact area,VAS scores,and the 95％confidence ellipse area of the COP among the three groups in 10 plantar regions.Results Patients with pes cavus exhibited lower peak pressure in the MF region compared to normal feet,while higher peak pressure in the M2,M3,and MH regions.Patients with bilateral pes cavus showed lower peak pressure in the T1 region compared to normal feet,and patients with unilateral pes cavus had lower peak pressure in the LH region compared to the normal group(P＜0.05).The plantar contact area in patients with pes cavus was reduced in the T1,M2,M3,M4,MF,and MH regions compared to normal feet(P＜0.05).The 95％confidence ellipse area of the COP was larger in both the bilateral and uni-lateral pes cavus groups compared to the normal foot group(P＜0.001).Unilateral pes cavus pres-ented a specific lateral COP drift(amplitude of 3 to 4 cm),which is a biomechanical manifestation of compensatory eversion of the unaffected foot.Patients with bilateral pes cavus exhibited a"bimod-al oscillation"trajectory(amplitude of 6 to 8 cm),suggesting possible vestibular-spinal regulatory dysfunction and the poorest postural stability.In the pes cavus group,there was a significant in-crease in pressure in the M2,M3,and MH regions,with peak pressures exceeding 190 kPa in pa-tients with bilateral pes cavus,which was highly correlated with plantar pain and could serve as a pain early warning threshold.Conclusion Unilateral and bilateral pes cavus exhibit significantly different neuromechanical compensation patterns.The classification based on the"lateral drift"and"bimodal oscillation"characteristics of the COP trajectory can serve as a stability early warning indi-cator for assessing fall risk.Decompression interventions targeting the key pressure regions of M2,M3,and MH(such as customized orthotic insoles)are the core strategies for alleviating pain and optimizing dynamic gait stability.

This article summarizes Professor Huang Guicheng's clinical experience in the syndrome differentiation and treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis using the theory of"diseases of tendons,bones and collaterals".It is believed that lumbar spinal stenosis be-longs to the syndrome of deficiency in the root and excess in the superficiality,and is closely related to the three zang organs of the liv-er,spleen and kidney.Deficiency of the liver and kidney leading to a lack of the source of qi and blood,insufficiency of the spleen and stomach giving rise to phlegm and blood stasis,and the invasion of wind,cold and dampness pathogens cause the disease.The key to the pathogenesis lies in the obstruction of the collaterals.Taking the principles of"nourishing the collaterals and strengthening the healthy qi,dredging the collaterals and expelling the pathogens"as the therapeutic principles,Professor Huang is proficient in using insect drugs.The medicinal power can directly reach the collaterals,so that the collaterals can be unobstructed and the qi and blood can flow smoothly,achieving the therapeutic effect of expelling the pathogens,unblocking the collaterals and restoring the healthy qi.

Objective:To conduct a scoping review of research on the application of mobile health technology in patients undergoing bariatric and metabolic surgery, providing a reference for related practice.Methods:PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Wanfang data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and China Biology Medicine disc were searched using terms including mobile, smart, remote, internet, bariatric, and metabolic. The search timeframe was from database inception to October 30, 2024. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature was screened, and two researchers independently extracted, summarized, and analyzed the information.Results:A total of 31 studies were included. Mobile health technology was mainly applied in the form of smartphone applications for patients undergoing bariatric and metabolic surgery. The main content included postoperative dietary management, exercise guidance, and health data monitoring. The main evaluation elements involved effectiveness (behavioral change and weight loss outcomes, readmission rate, quality of life, psychological status, adherence, and economic benefits) and patient satisfaction.Conclusions:Currently, mobile health technology is mainly used via smartphone applications to manage diet and exercise for postoperative bariatric patients. It can improve postoperative weight loss outcomes, reduce negative emotions, enhance adherence, and achieve good self-management. In the future, multidisciplinary teams should be established to conduct large-scale high-quality studies, continuously improve the forms and content of mobile health management, and implement comprehensive preoperative and postoperative management for bariatric patients.

Purpose To explore the key molecules mechanisms underlying the selective activation of macrophage and the regulation of Dicer expression induced by glioblastoma(GBM)cells,as well as its prognostic significance.Methods Glioblastoma conditional medium(GCM)was fractionated by molecular weight using ultrafiltration.Specif-ic molecular weight components of GCM that upregulate Dicer expression in mouse bone marrow derived macrophages(BMDMs)were identified.Secreted proteins were identified by mass spectrometry(MS).The correlation between candidate proteins and GBM prognosis was analyzed using the TCGA and CGGA database.In vitro experiments of the candidate proteins on Dicer expression in BMDMs were further carried out.Results GCM components with a molecu-lar weight of＞50 kDa significantly upregulated Dicer expression in BMDMs.MS identified five key secreted proteins:Prg4,Psap,Hexa,Aebp1,and Itih2.High expression of Prg4 was significantly positively correlated with poor progno-sis in GBM patients(P＜0.001)and was associated with the expression of selective macrophage activation markers.Recombinant Prg4 protein stimulated BMDMs and induced Dicer expression in mouse BMDMs.Conclusion This study reveals that glioma cells induce Dicer expression in macrophages by secreting Prg4,providing a theoretical basis for GBM therapeutic strategies targeting the Prg4-Dicer axis.

Gene regulation relies on the precise binding of transcription factors (TFs) at regulatory elements, but simultaneously detecting hundreds of TFs on chromatin is challenging. We developed cFOOT-seq, a cytosine deaminase-based TF footprinting assay, for high-resolution, quantitative genome-wide assessment of TF binding in both open and closed chromatin regions, even with small cell numbers. By utilizing the dsDNA deaminase SsdAtox, cFOOT-seq converts accessible cytosines to uracil while preserving genomic integrity, making it compatible with techniques like ATAC-seq for sensitive and cost-effective detection of TF occupancy at the single-molecule and single-cell level. Our approach enables the delineation of TF footprints, quantification of occupancy, and examination of chromatin influences on TF binding. Notably, cFOOT-seq, combined with FootTrack analysis, enables de novo prediction of TF binding sites and tracking of TF occupancy dynamics. We demonstrate its application in capturing cell type-specific TFs, analyzing TF dynamics during reprogramming, and revealing TF dependencies on chromatin remodelers. Overall, cFOOT-seq represents a robust approach for investigating the genome-wide dynamics of TF occupancy and elucidating the cis-regulatory architecture underlying gene regulation.
Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Humans ; Chromatin/genetics* ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Mice ; DNA Footprinting/methods*

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between changes in intestinal toxicity and compositional alterations of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix(commonly known as Langdu) before and after milk processing, and to explore the detoxification mechanism of milk processing. Mice were intragastrically administered the 95% ethanol extract of raw Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, milk-decocted(milk-processed), and water-decocted(water-processed) Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Fecal morphology, fecal water content, and the release levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in different intestinal segments were used as indicators to evaluate the effects of different processing methods on the cathartic effect and intestinal inflammatory toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. LC-MS/MS was employed to analyze the small-molecule components in the raw product, the 95% ethanol extract of the milk-processed product, and the milky waste(precipitate) formed during milk processing, to assess the impact of milk processing on the chemical composition of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. The results showed that compared with the blank group, both the raw and water-processed Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix significantly increased the fecal morphology score, fecal water content, and the release levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in various intestinal segments(P<0.05). Compared with the raw group, all indicators in the milk-processed group significantly decreased(P<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in the water-processed group, indicating that milk, as an adjuvant in processing, plays a key role in reducing the intestinal toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Mass spectrometry results revealed that 29 components were identified in the raw product, including 28 terpenoids and 1 acetophenone. The content of these components decreased to varying extents after milk processing. A total of 28 components derived from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix were identified in the milky precipitate, of which 27 were terpenoids, suggesting that milk processing promotes the transfer of toxic components from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix into milk. To further investigate the effect of milk adjuvant processing on the toxic terpenoid components of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was used to observe the morphology of self-assembled casein micelles(the main protein in milk) in the milky precipitate. The micelles formed in casein-terpenoid solutions were characterized using particle size analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy. TEM observations confirmed the presence of casein micelles in the milky precipitate. Characterization results showed that with increasing concentrations of toxic terpenoids, the average particle size of casein micelles increased, fluorescence intensity of the solution decreased, the maximum absorption wavelength in the UV spectrum shifted, and significant changes occurred in the infrared spectrum, indicating that interactions occurred between casein micelles and toxic terpenoid components. These findings indicate that the cathartic effect of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix becomes milder and its intestinal inflammatory toxicity is reduced after milk processing. The detoxification mechanism is that terpenoid components in Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix reassemble with casein in milk to form micelles, promoting the transfer of some terpenoids into the milky precipitate.
Animals ; Mice ; Milk/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/immunology* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Female