Objective To establish an animal model of lung adenoma in BALB/c mice based on dynamic characterization by micro-computed tomography(CT).Methods Eighty female SPF-grade BALB/c mice were divided randomly into four groups:model low dose group(1 mg/g urethane,iP,once),model medium dose group(1 mg/g urethane,ip,once a week,followed by 2 weeks),model high dose group(1 mg/g urethane,ip,once a week,followed by 4 weeks),and blank group(equal volume of saline).Growth of lung nodules in the mice was monitored regularly using Micro-CT.Three-dimensional images of the lungs were drawn using the Analyze 12.0 system,and lung tissues were taken for histopathological examination(hematoxylin and eosin).Results Lung nodules with round high-density shadows were observed at week 11 in all model groups compared with the findings in the blank group.The rate of nodule formation increased with increasing modeling weeks,with rates of nodule formation in the model high,medium,and low dose groups of 93.8%,93.8%,and 87.5%,respectively,at week 21.Most mice had two to four,followed by one,and one to two nodules,respectively.The average maximum diameter of the lung nodules in the low dose group was significantly higher than the diameters in the medium-and high-dose groups(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference in lung nodule volume among the three groups.Regarding pathological type,hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that the tumors in all the model groups were lung adenomas.Conclusions Lung adenomas were successfully induced in all urethane dose groups of mice and growth of the lung nodules could be characterized by micro-CT.The rate of nodule formation was highest in the medium dose group,which developed a moderate number of lung adenomas and provided a stable model,and was thus considered the most suitable model for the study of lung adenomas in mice.

Objective:To understand the effect of collagen peptides on the function of mouse lymphocytes under simulated microgravity.Methods:The splenocytes of mice were isolated,and the rotary cell culture system was used to simulate the microgravity.The T lymphocytes were stimulated with mitotic agents,concanavalin A(ConA),and the cells were treated with different concentrations of collagen peptides.The proliferation of lymphocytes and the levels of cytokines in the supernatant were detected.Results:Simulated microgravity could inhibit the proliferation of spleen T lymphocytes and decrease the level of cytokines in the supernatant.Collagen peptides could promote the lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production in cells cultured under simulated microgravity.Conclusion:Collagen peptides may attenuate the inhibitory effect of simulated microgravity on T lymphocytes by regulating the cell proliferation and the secretion of cytokines.

Objective To study the risk factors and prognostic characteristics of pediatric silent lupus nephritis(SLN)with class Ⅲ to V.Methods A retrospective study was conducted to collect clinical data from 30 children diagnosed with SLN at the Department of Pediatrics,Second Xiangya Hospital,Central South University,from May 2007 to April 2023.Based on renal pathological classification,the patients were divided into a class Ⅱ group(12 cases)and a class Ⅲ to Ⅴ group(18 cases).The risk factors for the occurrence of class Ⅲ to Ⅴ SLN were analyzed,and the prognostic characteristics were summarized.Results Among the 30 SLN patients,the median follow-up time was 61.50 months.There were no statistically significant differences in the proportions of patients who discontinued glucocorticoids or achieved low disease activity status,nor in the annual decline rate of estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)between the class Ⅱ and class Ⅲ to V groups(P>0.05).However,three patients in the class Ⅱ group progressed to stage 1 chronic kidney disease(CKD),while eight patients in the class Ⅲ to Ⅴ group reached stage 1 CKD,and four patients reached stage 2 CKD.Among the 26 female SLN patients,serum complement C3 levels in the class Ⅲ to Ⅴ group were lower than those in the class Ⅱ group(P<0.05).Serum C3 levels in SLN patients,as well as in female SLN patients,were negatively correlated with the fluorescence intensity of IgA,IgG,and C3 immune complexes in the kidneys(P<0.05).Additionally,serum C3 levels in female SLN patients were negatively correlated with the renal pathological activity index(P<0.05).Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that being female and having low serum complement C3 levels were risk factors for the occurrence of class Ⅲ to Ⅴ SLN in children(P<0.05).Conclusions Class Ⅲ to Ⅴ SLN is not uncommon among SLN children,and there remains a risk of long-term renal function progression.Being female and having low serum complement C3 levels are identified as risk factors for class Ⅲ to Ⅴ SLN in children.

Dendrobium is one of the valuable Chinese herbs in China,and Dendrobium officinale is the top grade of Dendrobium,which is recorded in many ancient medical texts as having the efficacy of treating diabetes.Modern pharmacological research shows that Dendrobium has the effects of anti-tumor,anti-fatigue,immune regulation,anti-aging,and regulation of glycolipid metabolism.In clinical application,Dendrobium officinale also has the function of balancing glucose and lipid metabolism,improving insulin resistance,promoting insulin secretion,improving the function of islet cells,and has a certain role in the prevention and treatment of diabetic complications.At present,there is a lack of systematic review of the pharmacological mechanism of Dendrobium officinale in the treatment of diabetes.In order to understand the pharmacological action of Dendrobium officinale in the treatment of diabetes more comprehensively,and to provide a reference for further pharmacological research,so that it can be better applied in clinics,this paper reviews the research progress of the pharmacological mechanism of Dendrobium officinale in the treatment of diabetes.

As a chronic metabolic disease,type 2 diabetes poses a significant threat to human health with increasing incidence.An increasing number of studies confirm that the pathogenesis of diabetes is closely related with alterations in multiple cellular signaling pathways.Although numerous studies have reported that traditional Chinese medicine compounds prevent diabetes by modulating cell signaling pathways,asystematic review of the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in modulating cell signaling pathways is still lacking.Therefore,this paper summarizes the research of type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment,which was found mainly related to the signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT,AMPK,MAPK,NF-κB,PPAR,TGF-β.This family of signaling pathways can treat type 2 diabetes by inhibiting pancreatic islet cell apoptosis,protecting pancreatic β-cell function,ameliorating insulin resistance,inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis,promoting glycogen synthesis,attenuating inflammation,and resisting oxidative stress.At the same time,we analyze the problems in current research and the future development trend,in order to provide a scientific theoretical basis for the drug development and clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine compound in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and hantavirus (HV) specific antibodies among cross-border migrant workers for assessment of the risk of rodents-borne virus infection.Methods:From 2019 to 2020, a survey was conducted on cross border migrant workers engaged in outdoor activities, and serum samples were collected, LCMV specific IgG antibody was detected by an indirect ELISA and Western blot based on recombinant nucleoprotein, and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) based on recombinant expressed glycoprotein. HV IgG antibody in serum was detected by a commercial indirect IgG ELISA kit and IFA based on hantavirus infected Vero cells.Results:A total of 139 cross-border workers, aged 25~57, were surveyed; 64% (89/139) had working experience in multiple countries, involving 26 countries, including 14 countries in Asia and 12 countries in Africa; 11.51% (16/139) of serum samples were tested positive for LCMV antibodies, and the positive samples were verified by Western blot and IFA. The antibody detection rate was slightly higher than the published infection rate from other similar studies. And, HV antibodies were detected from one serum sample (0.72%, 1/139) by ELISA and IFA. However, it was still uncertain when and where the viral infections were acquired.Conclusions:Through this serological cross-sectional preliminary analysis, the infection status and existing risks of LCMV and HV viruses among cross border migrant workers were revealed, which suggested the necessity of strengthening the prevention and control of rodents borne diseases in outdoor engineering sites.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of serological indicators and evaluate the diagnostic value of a new established combined serological model on identifying the minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with compensated cirrhosis.Methods:This prospective multicenter study enrolled 263 compensated cirrhotic patients from 23 hospitals in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China between October 2021 and August 2022. Clinical data and laboratory test results were collected, and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was calculated. Ammonia level was corrected to the upper limit of normal (AMM-ULN) by the baseline blood ammonia measurements/upper limit of the normal reference value. MHE was diagnosed by combined abnormal number connection test-A and abnormal digit symbol test as suggested by Guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis. The patients were randomly divided (7∶3) into training set ( n=185) and validation set ( n=78) based on caret package of R language. Logistic regression was used to establish a combined model of MHE diagnosis. The diagnostic performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve. The internal verification was carried out by the Bootstrap method ( n=200). AUC comparisons were achieved using the Delong test. Results:In the training set, prevalence of MHE was 37.8% (70/185). There were statistically significant differences in AMM-ULN, albumin, platelet, alkaline phosphatase, international normalized ratio, MELD score and education between non-MHE group and MHE group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that AMM-ULN [odds ratio ( OR)=1.78, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.05-3.14, P=0.038] and MELD score ( OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.20, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for MHE, and the AUC for predicting MHE were 0.663, 0.625, respectively. Compared with the use of blood AMM-ULN and MELD score alone, the AUC of the combined model of AMM-ULN, MELD score and education exhibited better predictive performance in determining the presence of MHE was 0.755, the specificity and sensitivity was 85.2% and 55.7%, respectively. Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve showed that the model had good calibration ( P=0.733). The AUC for internal validation of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.752. In the validation set, the AUC of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.794, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed good calibration ( P=0.841). Conclusion:Use of the combined model including AMM-ULN, MELD score and education could improve the predictive efficiency of MHE among patients with compensated cirrhosis.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy （DCM） is one of the most common cardiovascular lesions in diabetes mellitus. The development and progression of DCM is closely related to myocardial fibrosis， which has been shown to be an important pathological feature of DCM. Therefore， the treatment targeting myocardial fibrosis can help slow down the DCM progress. In the DCM progress， abnormal transduction of transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/Smad signaling pathway is an important mechanism of hyperglycemia-induced myocardial fibrosis. TGF-β is a key factor of myocardial fibrosis and is overexpressed during myocardial fibrosis in DCM， and Smad is a major effector in the downstream of TGF-β. By inducing myocardial apoptosis， TGF-β/Smad signal stimulates the overproduction of myofibroblasts， increase the deposition of extracellular matrix （ECM）， and plays a complex role in the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis in diabetic hearts. In recent years， Chinese medicine has played an increasingly important role in the prevention and treatment of DCM， and there has been an increase in the number of studies exploring the effects of Chinese medicine on the intervention of DN progress based on TGF-β/Smad signal. Various pharmacological studies have shown that Chinese medicine is safe and effective in the prevention and treatment of DCM， which has clear effects such as inhibiting the deposition of collagen， anti-myocardial fibrosis， improving cardiac function， and protecting myocardium， and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway is one of the key pathways in which Chinese medicine， Chinese medicine monomers， and Chinese medicine compounds exert the myocardial protective effect in DCM. Based on this， this paper reviewed the existing pharmacological and experimental research results of Chinese medicine intervention in the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway to treat DCM in the past decades， hoping to provide references for further in-depth research， development， and application of Chinese medicine in the treatment of DCM.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN） is a symptom and/or sign of peripheral nerve dysfunction that occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus when other causes are excluded. DPN， one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus， can lead to disability， foot ulcers， and amputation at a later stage. Its pathogenesis is closely related to high glucose-induced inflammatory damage， oxidative stress， mitochondrial disorders， and apoptosis in neural tissues. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK） signaling pathway is a key mechanism mediating the expression of inflammatory factors， oxidative factors， and apoptotic factors of neural tissues in DPN. The inflammatory response， oxidative stress damage， and apoptosis， induced by the activation of p38 MAPK phosphorylation by factors such as high glucose， can cause cell lipid peroxidation， protein modification， and nucleic acid damage， which results in axonal degeneration and demyelination changes. The current treatment of DPN with western medicine has obvious shortcomings such as adverse effects and addictive tendencies. In recent years， the research on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the prevention and treatment of DPN has gradually increased， and the exploration of Chinese medicine intervention in the p38 MAPK pathway transduction to improve DPN has advanced. The present study reviewed the relations of the p38 MAPK pathway with insulin resistance and peripheral neuropathy and summarized the molecular biological mechanisms involved in the pathological process of DPN， such as inflammation regulation， oxidative stress， polyol pathway regulation， and Schwann cell apoptosis in the past 10 years. In addition， the literature on Chinese medicine monomers， Chinese patent medicines， and Chinese medicine compounds in inhibiting inflammatory reactions， oxidative injury， and apoptosis of DPN peripheral nerves based on the p38 MAPK pathway， resisting axonal degeneration and demyelination changes， improving sensory and motor abnormalities， relieving peripheral pain sensitization， and facilitating nerve conduction mechanism to provide references for the development of new drugs for clinical prevention and treatment of DPN.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Loulianwan on the gut microbiota of db/db mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM）. MethodMale db/m+ mice aged 4-5 weeks were assigned to the normal group， and male db/db model mice of the same age were randomly divided into model group， metformin group （0.25 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and Loulianwan group （13 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， with six mice in each group. Drug intervention lasted five weeks. The body weight， water intake， and fasting blood glucose （FBG） of the mice were recorded every week. After five weeks， the FBG， liver triglyceride （TG）， liver total cholesterol （TC）， glycated serum protein （GSP）， and fasting serum insulin （FINS） were detected， and the insulin resistance index （HOMA-IR） was calculated. The feces in the mouse intestines were collected， and the 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to detect the structural changes in the fecal gut microbiota of mice in each group. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed increased body weight， water intake， FBG， liver TG， liver TC， GSP， FINS， and HOMA-IR （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Loulianwan group showed reduced water intake， FBG， liver TG， liver TC， GSP， FINS， and HOMA-IR （P<0.01）. The gut microbiota in the Loulian Lills group changed from phylum to genus level. The relative abundance of beneficial bacteria increased and the relative abundance of harmful bacteria decreased. Among them， the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila， Blautia， Ruminococcus， and Parabacteroides increased （P<0.01）. ConclusionLoulianwan can significantly improve glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice with T2DM， and its mechanism may be related to the increase in the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila， Blautia， Ruminococcus， and Parabacteroides in the intestine.