ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the effects and mechanism of Mimenghua prescription in modulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase （MEK）/rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog （Ras）/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma kinase （Raf）/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK） signaling pathway to inhibit inflammatory responses in a dry eye animal model. MethodsA total of 60 C57BL/6J mice （eight weeks old， half male and half female） were used in the experiment. Ten mice were randomly selected as the blank control group， while the remaining 50 were exposed to a controlled dry system and received instillation of 0.2% benzalkonium chloride （BAC） into the eyes for four weeks to establish a dry eye mouse model. After successful modeling， the mice were randomly divided into five groups： Model group， sodium hyaluronate group， and Mimenghua prescription groups with low dose （4.83 g·kg^-1）， medium dose （9.67 g·kg^-1）， and high dose （19.34 g·kg^-1）. The mice in the model group received an equal volume of normal saline via gavage for four weeks. The mice in the sodium hyaluronate group received instillation of sodium hyaluronate eye drops twice daily for 14 consecutive days. The tear secretion volume， tear film break-up time （TBUT）， and corneal fluorescein staining were evaluated once every two weeks. After four weeks of administration， mice were euthanized， and their lacrimal gland tissues and corneas were harvested. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to assess histopathological morphology. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure the contents and expressions of MEK， Ras， Raf， ERK， and interleukin （IL）-1β in lacrimal gland and corneal tissues of the mice in each group. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to determine mRNA expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK. ResultsThe Mimenghua prescription groups and the sodium hyaluronate group exhibited significantly increased tear secretion volume （P<0.05） and prolonged TBUT （P<0.05） after treatment. Ocular surface damage of mice was visibly recovered. Western blot results indicated that protein expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK in the lacrimal gland and corneal tissues were significantly downregulated in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription group with high dose （P<0.05）. ELISA results showed that IL-1β levels were highest in the model group but significantly reduced in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription groups （P<0.05）. Both ELISA and Real-time PCR results demonstrated that the expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK in the lacrimal glands and corneal tissues were significantly elevated in the model group （P<0.05）， but markedly downregulated in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription groups （P<0.05）， suggesting that Mimenghua prescription can decrease the expressions of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK in the lacrimal glands and corneal tissues. ConclusionMimenghua prescription can reduce inflammatory responses， increase tear secretion， prolong TBUT， and promote corneal recovery by inhibiting the MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK signaling pathways in lacrimal gland and corneal tissues.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment methods of middle ear cholesteatoma with intracranial and extracranial complications as the first diagnosis. Methods:A total of 244 patients were initially diagnosed with intracranial and/or extracranial complications associated with middle ear cholesteatoma at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2015 to January 2022, and medical records were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results:Among 244 patients with intracranial and extracranial complications of middle ear cholesteatoma, 203 cases had one complication, 34 cases had 2 complications, and 7 cases had 3 or more complications. One hundred and eighty-six cases presented labyrinthitis, 41 cases had peripheral facial paralysis, 27 cases had periauricular abscess, 12 cases had meningitis, 10 cases had brain abscess, 7 cases had sigmoid sinus lesions, 6 cases had epidural abscess, and 4 cases demonstrated hydrocephalus. Conclusion:The destructive nature of middle ear cholesteatoma can lead to intracranial and extracranial complications. The incidence rate of extracranial complications is highest for labyrinthitis. Patients with otitis media who complained dizziness should raise clinical suspicion for potential labyrinthitis. The second most prevalent extracranial complication is peripheral facial paralysis, and early facial nerve decompression surgery is critical for better recovery of facial paralysis symptoms. Brain abscess is the most common intracranial complications, which has the highest fatality rate. Clinicians should be alert to otogenic brain abscess. Otolaryngology and neurosurgery teams should cooperate and evaluate patients' middle ear lesions and brain abscess, and jointly develop personalized treatment plans.
Humans ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Facial Paralysis/etiology* ; Brain Abscess/diagnosis* ; Male ; Female ; Otitis Media/complications* ; Meningitis/etiology* ; Labyrinthitis/etiology* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Macrophages derived from the human THP-1 cell line have been widely used as substitutes for primary macrophages in various macrophage-related studies. However, difficulties still exist in establishing THP-1 macrophage models. This research presents techniques for generating different phenotypes of activated macrophages derived from THP-1 cells by introducing specific stimuli and provides some potential markers to confirm each type of activated macrophage. It is hoped to provide novel and useful methods for scientific research and to help researchers explore this field more intuitively and effectively.
Humans ; Macrophages/physiology* ; THP-1 Cells ; Cell Culture Techniques/methods* ; Macrophage Activation ; Cell Polarity ; Cell Differentiation ; Phenotype ; Cell Line

OBJECTIVE To conduct rapid health technology assessment （HTA） of ulinastatin （UTI）， and to evaluate the efficacy， safety and cost-effectiveness of UTI in the treatment of acute pancreatitis （AP）. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed， Embase， the Cochrane Library， CNKI， Wanfang database， CBM and official websites of HTA institutions， the systematic review （SR）/meta-analysis， economic evaluation and HTA reports of UTI in the treatment of AP were collected from the inception to Apr. 2024. Two researchers independently conducted screening， quality evaluation and data extraction according to the admission and exclusion criteria， and descriptive analysis was adopted to analyze and summarize the data. RESULTS A total of 19 studies were included， involving 15 SR/meta-analysis and 4 economic studies， and no HTA report was retrieved. In the treatment of AP， UTI showed clear advantages over conventional treatment alone in terms of improving the overall effective rate， shortening the recovery time of amylase， reducing the time required to relieve abdominal pain and distension， lowering the mortality rate， and decreasing the average hospital stay. Compared to other positive drugs （carbendate mesylate， octreotide， somatostatin， etc.）， its efficacy is similar， with a favorable safety profile. As far as the current research was concerned， UTI had obvious economic advantages over other positive drugs. CONCLUSIONS UTI is safe and effective in the treatment of AP， and has economic advantages.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of the compound drug Weng-Li-Tong(WLT)against cisplatin(CDDP)-induced hepatocyte injury.Methods A cellular injury model was established by treating murine hepatocyte line BNL CL.2 with CDDP(80 μmol/L).Experimental groups were divided as follows:CDDP group(modeling only),WLT group(intervention with 1 g/L WLT),WLT+CDDP group(co-administration of CDDP and 1 g/L WLT),and a control group(normal culture).The protective effect of the compound drug WLT on CDDP-mediated hepatocyte injury was evaluated using CCK-8 assay,PI staining,crystal violet staining,Western blotting,reactive oxygen species(ROS)detection,and apoptosis analysis.Results Compared with the control group,the number of dead cells increased significantly(P＜0.001)in the CDDP group,but no cytotoxicity was observed in the WLT group.The hepatocyte morphology in the WLT+CDDP group showed improvement with no obvious shrinkage compared to the CDDP group,as evidenced by the reduced proportion of PI-positive cells.Crystal violet staining results also indicated a higher cell count in the WLT+CDDP group than in the CDDP group,suggesting the protective effect of WLT against CDDP-mediated liver injury.Under CDDP intervention,the expression of the apoptosis-related protein Cleaved Caspase-3 increased.However,in the WLT+CDDP group,the expression of Cleaved Caspase-3 decreased,while the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 increased.Additionally,compared to the CDDP group,the WLT+CDDP group showed a reduction in ROS production[DCFH-DA staining positive rate(％):56.20±1.65 vs.44.57±0.31]and a decrease in the proportion of apoptotic cells[proportion of early and late apoptotic cells(％):43.60±0.44 vs.19.57±0.78;33.30±1.02 vs.14.83±0.57].Conclusion The compound drug WLT exhibits a protective effect against CDDP-mediated hepatocyte injury,suggesting potential therapeutic value in acute liver injury models.

Objective To investigate the impact of exosomal miRNAs derived from endoplasmic reticulum-stressed(ERS)head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)cells on macrophages.Methods This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee.The expression levels of ERS-associated proteins,including protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)and glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78),in HNSCC tissues and para-tumor tissues were detected by Western blot(WB)and quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR).HN4 human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells were treated with 500 U/mL interferon-γ(IFN-γ)for 48 h to induce ER stress,and exo-somes secreted by ER-stressed HN4 cells were collected and identified.The types of miRNAs in exosomes were identi-fied through bioinformatics analysis,and the target genes of miRNAs were predicted.Macrophages were transfected with miRNA,co cultured with collected exosomes,and the expression of PTEN in macrophages was knocked down.The downstream signaling pathway regulated by exosomal miRNAs was studied by WB and RT-qPCR.Results Compared with that in para-tumor tissues,the expression level of ER stress-associated proteins in HNSCC tissues was increased(P＜0.05).RNA-seq analysis revealed that miR-26a-5p was highly upregulated in ER-stressed HN4 cell-derived exo-somes(P＜0.05).PTEN is the target gene for miR-26a-5p.miR-26a-5p increased the expression level of PD-L1 in mac-rophages and downregulated the expression of PTEN(P＜0.05).Macrophages co cultured with ERS extracellular vesi-cles showed an increase in miR-26a-5p and PD-L1 expression,a decrease in PTEN expression,and an increase in p-AKT expression(P＜0.05).Knock down the expression of PTEN in macrophages and increase the expression of PD-L1(P＜0.01).Conclusion ERS HNSCC cell-derived exosomal miR-26a-5p promotes the expression of PD-L1 in macro-phages through the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway.

Objective:To observe the effects of Qifu Lizhong Enema Prescription on ulcerative colitis rats with yang deficiency of spleen and kidney syndrome; To discuss its mechanism.Methods:Totally 70 male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, mesalazine group, Qifu Lizhong Guanchang Prescription high-, medium- and low-dosage groups; blank group ( n=10), other groups ( n=12). Except for the blank group, the other groups used bitter cold purgative therapy (Dahuang Decoction) by gavage, and combined with trinitrobenzen sulfonic acid (TNBS) +55% ethanol compound method to induce UC rat model. After successful modeling, the blank group and model group were given 1 ml normal saline enema daily, Qifu Lizhong Enema Prescription groups were given Qifu Lizhong Enema Prescription 3.00, 1.50, 0.75 g/kg enema daily, and the mesalazine group was given mesalazine 0.03 g/kg enema daily, once a day for consecutive 14 days. After 14 days, Disease Activity Index (DAI) score was performed, and hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) was used to observe the pathological tissues of the colon. The expressions of Occludin and adhesion molecules A (JAM-A) protein in colon tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results:HE results showed that the mucosal structure was damaged, inflammatory cells were infiltrated, edema and ulcer foci were observed in model group. The mucosal structure of mesalazine group and Qifu Lizhong Enema Prescription groups were intact, and inflammatory infiltration, edema and ulcer of neoepithelial were improved. Compared with model group, the DAI scores of Qifu Lizhong Enema Prescription groups decreased ( P<0.01), the expressions of Occludin and JAM-A in Qifu Lizhong Guanchang Prescription high- and medium-dosage groups significantly increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Qifu Lizhong Enema Prescription can significantly relieve the symptoms and pathological morphology of UC rats, and the mechanism of repairing intestinal mucosal barrier may be related to up-regulating the expressions of Occludin and JAM-A proteins.

Objective:To clarify the transitional components in the blood of compound Banlangen Granules; To explore the mechanism of drugs in the treatment of epidemic encephalitis B, hepatitis and parotitis.Methods:The transitional components in blood of compound Banlangen Granules were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The regulatory targets and pathways of compound Banlangen Granules in the treatment of epidemic encephalitis B, hepatitis and parotitis were analyzed based on UPLC-MS/MS and network pharmacology.Results:A total of 9 blood components were identified, of which 8 were prototype components, including sucrose, o-aminobenzoic acid, uridine, adenosine, guanosine, indole-3-acetonitrile-2 murine-S-β-D-glucopyranoside and salicylic acid. Through network pharmacological analysis, it was concluded that compound Banlangen Granules may treat epidemic encephalitis B, hepatitis and parotitis by regulating lipid and atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, IL-17 and other signal pathways.Conclusion:The 9 blood components of compound Banlangen Granules may treat epidemic encephalitis B, hepatitis and parotitis by regulating lipid and atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, IL-17 and other signal pathways.

Six novel compounds,comprising three quinolones(1a,1b,and 2)and three flavanones(3-5),along with seven known analogs(6-13),were isolated from the 95％EtOH extract of the stems and leaves of Glycosmis craibii var.glabra.The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using HR-ESI-MS,UV,and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)data analysis.The ab-solute configurations were determined through Mosher ester and electronic circular dichroism(ECD)spectral analysis.Compounds 2,6,9,and 10 demonstrated inhibition of nitric oxide(NO)production stimulated by lipopolysaccharide in BV-2 microglial cells,with IC50 values ranging from 13.5 to 20.1 μmol·L-1,comparable to the positive control,dexamethasone.

Objective This study aims to develop and validate a dynamic web-based nomogram for predicting kinetophobia in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods A prospective design was employed to selectively enroll 330 PCI patients admitted to a hospital in Hangzhou from December 2022 to July 2023.Single-factor analysis and Lasso regression were utilized to identify independent risk factors for kinesophobia post-PCI.Logistic regression was performed using R software,and a nomogram was constructed.The model was assessed through the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests.Results There were 206 cases of kinesiophobia in 330 patients after PCI,and the incidence was 62.4％.Logistic regression analysis identified combined heart failure,emergency surgery,NYHA cardiac function grade,ADL level,sedentary behavior,Chinese version of PROMIS Physical Function Summary Table score,and Chinese version of Perceptive Social Support Scale score as independent influencing factors for kinesophobia after PCI(P＜0.05).The AUC value of the model was 0.821,with a sensitivity of 70.4％and specificity of 82.0％.The Hosmer-Lemeshow fit test yielded a non-significant result(x2=9.350,P=0.314).Calibration and decision curves demonstrated the model's favorable calibration and clinical practicability.The C-index of the nomogram prediction model was 0.778,0.774,and 0.800,respectively,by 5-fold cross-validation,10-fold cross-validation,and the Bootstrap method.Conclusion The dynamic nomogram model developed in this study effectively predicts kinesophobia in patients after PCI.It provides valuable references and support for clinical staff in early identification of high-risk patients,enabling the formulation of individualized health education strategies and exercise rehabilitation plans.