This study aims to explore the scientific connotation of sinking Rehmanniae Radix has the best quality and compare the quality between floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole electrostatic field Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) was employed to detect the chemical components in floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples. The fingerprint of fresh Rehmanniae Radix was established by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), and four index components were determined simultaneously. The cluster analysis, principal component analysis(PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were conducted to compare the quality of floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples. An evaporative light-scattering detector was used to compare the content of five sugars. The extract yield and drying rate were determined, and the quality connotation of sinking Rehmanniae Radix has the best quality was explained by multiple indicators. A total of 41 components were preliminarily identified from fresh Rehmanniae Radix by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, including 7 iridoid glycosides, 9 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 amino acids, 4 sugars, 3 phenolic acids, 5 nucleosides, 3 organic acids, 1 ionone, 1 furan, 1 coumarin, and 1 phenylpropanoid. The results showed that the main chemical components were consistent between floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix. Nine common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of 15 batches of floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples, and the similarity of fingerprints was greater than 0.9. The cluster analysis, PCA, and OPLS-DA classified floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix sasmples into two categories, indicating differences in the quality between them. The total content of catalpol, rehmannioside D, ajugol, and verbascoside in sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples was higher than that in floating samples of the same batch and specification, and the main differential component was catalpol. The total content of fructose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose in sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples was higher than that in floating samples of the same batch and specification, and the main differential component was stachyose. The extract yield and drying rate of the sinking samples were higher than those of floating samples. This study preliminarily showed that floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples had the same components but great differences in the content of medicinal substance basis. The total content of four glycosides and five sugars, extract yield, and drying rate of sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples is higher than that of floating samples of the same batch and specification. These findings, to a certain extent, explains the scientificity of sinking Rehmanniae Radix has the best quality recorded in ancient books and provide a reference for the quality control and clinical application of fresh Rehmanniae Radix.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Rehmannia/chemistry* ; Chemometrics ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Quality Control ; Principal Component Analysis ; Plant Extracts

Patients suffering from nerve injury often experience exacerbated pain responses and complain of memory deficits. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a well-defined region responsible for learning and memory, displays maladaptive plasticity upon injury, which is assumed to underlie pain hypersensitivity and cognitive deficits. However, much attention has thus far been paid to intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Emerging evidence has shown that nerve injury alters the microarchitecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and decreases ECM rigidity in the dHPC. Despite this, it remains elusive which element of the ECM in the dHPC is affected and how it contributes to neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits. Laminin, a key element of the ECM, consists of α-, β-, and γ-chains and has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed that peripheral nerve injury downregulates laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the dHPC. Silencing of hippocampal LAMB1 exacerbates pain sensitivity and induces cognitive dysfunction. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of hippocampal LAMB1 causes dysregulated Src/NR2A signaling cascades via interaction with integrin β1, leading to decreased Ca²⁺ levels in pyramidal neurons, which in turn orchestrates structural and functional plasticity and eventually results in exaggerated pain responses and cognitive deficits. In this study, we shed new light on the functional capability of hippocampal ECM LAMB1 in the modulation of neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits, and reveal a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified hippocampal LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and related memory loss.
Animals ; Laminin/genetics* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Male ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/metabolism* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Integrin beta1/metabolism* ; Pyramidal Cells/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction

Objective:To investigate the application value of self-pulling latter transection(SPLT)in esophagojeju-nal anastomosis during total laparoscopic total gastrectomy.Methods:From January 2021 to December 2023,80 pa-tients who underwent total laparoscopic total gastrectomy at the Department of General Surgery,Yancheng Third People's Hospital,were selected.Patients were grouped based on the intraoperative esophagojejunal anastomosis method:the SPLT group(35 cases,using SPLT esophagojejunostomy)and the Overlap group(45 cases,using esoph-agojejunal overlapping side-to-side anastomosis).Surgical related indicators,complication incidence,nutritional status,and quality of life assessment were compared between the two groups.Results:The time to first postoperative anal exhaust,the number of lymph nodes dissected,and the postoperative hospital stay were compared between the two groups(P＞0.05).The SPLT group had shorter operation time and esophagojejunal anastomosis time,and less intraopera-tive blood loss compared to the control group(P＜0.05).The incidence of postoperative complications in the SPLT group was 8.57%,and in the Overlap group was 11.11%,with no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).The nutritional status at 6 months postoperatively in the SPLT group[Hb(116.97±10.94)g/L、ALB(39.74±1.29)g/L、PA(0.30±0.45)g/L]and Overlap group[Hb(119.78±12.84)g/L、ALB(39.64±1.42)g/L、PA(0.30±0.36)g/L]were compared(P＞0.05).The quality of life assessment(overall health status,functional domains,symptom domains)at 6 months postoperatively between the SPLT group and the Overlap group was compared(P＞0.05).Conclusion:The use of SPLT esophagojeju-nal anastomosis in total laparoscopic total gastrectomy can improve the surgical efficiency,achieve high anastomosis,and its medium and short-term safety is comparable to that of esophagojejunal overlap side-to-side anastomosis.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction combined with non-immunosuppressive treatment on patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis due to Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency.METHODS Sixty patients were randomly assigned into control group(30 cases)for 24-week intervention of non-immunosuppressive treatment,and observation group(30 cases)for 24-week intervention of both Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction and non-immunosuppressive treatment.The changes in clinical effects,TCM syndrome effects,TCM syndrome score,24 h UTP,ALB,eGFR,Nephrin,Podocin and safety indices were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate and TCM syndrome effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased TCM syndrome score,24 h UTP,Nephrin,Podocin(P＜0.05),and increased ALB(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).No obvious adverse reactions occured in the two groups.CONCLUSION For the patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis due to Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency,Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction combined with non-immunosuppressive treatment can improve TCM syndromes,whose action mechanism may be contribute to the alleviation of podocyte injury.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy and pharmacotherapy alone in the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH).Methods:Firstly, retrospective case series study was conducted. Thirty cases of CSDH that had received body posture combined with pharmacotherapy at Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from December 2016 to October 2020 were studied retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients were male, and 3 patients were female. The age of patients ( M(IQR)) was 66(16) years (range:28 to 84). Nineteen patients had unilateral hematoma, and 11 patients had bilateral hematoma. All patients received pharmacotherapy and body posture therapy that was to raise their lower limbs 20 to 30 cm with leg lift pad and get abdominal compressed with customized abdominal belt in supine position. Patients were required to maintain the body posture as much as possible, with the maximum to 16 to 18 hours per day. Patients with unilateral hematoma should tilt the head to the affected side and avoid tilting it to the opposite side. For patients with bilateral hematoma, there was no need for head lateralization. Patient were treated with oral dexamethasone and atorvastatin simultaneously. The preliminary efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy was determined by hematoma improvement rate which was analyzed by Clopper-Pearson method. Then, the multi-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial had carried out in 9 medical centers from August 2020 to November 2021. The stratified block randomization method was adopted. Patients were randomized in a ratio of 1∶1 to either receive pharmacotherapy alone(the control group) or body posture combined with pharmacotherapy(the experiment group) for 3 months and followed up for 6 months. Effective treatment was defined as complete absorption of hematoma, or the hematoma volume decreased by more than 10 ml and Markwalder grading scale score had improved by more than 1 point compared to the baseline. The efficacy rate and surgery conversion rate at 3 months and recurrence at 6 months were observed. Comparison between groups was performed with paired sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, corrected χ2 test, or Fisher exact probability method. Logistic regression was used to compare the effective rate and operation rate between the two groups. Results:In the respective study, 30 patients completed follow-up 13 to 353 days after treatment. At the last follow-up, the incidence of almost complete absorption or significantly absorption of hematoma (hematoma volume was significantly reduced accompanied by symptom improvement) was 93.3%. The 95% CI for the incidence that analyzed by the Clopper-Pearson method was 77.9% to 99.2%. One hundred and six patients were enrolled in the multicenter study. Fifty-five patients underwent body posture combined with pharmacotherapy. The age was 74(17) years (range:26 to 92). Thirty-nine patients were males and 16 were females. Fifty-one patients underwent pharmacotherapy alone. The age was 69(12) years (range:48 to 84). Thirty-seven patients were males and 14 were females. The length of body posture recorded in diary card was (15.7±2.3) hours(range:7.6 to 19.3 hours). The efficacy rate in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group and pharmacotherapy alone group were 83.6% (46/55) and 56.9% (29/51), respectively at 3 months. The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that the efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group was better than that of pharmacotherapy alone group ( OR=3.88,95% CI:1.57 to 9.58, P=0.003). Surgery rate in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group and pharmacotherapy alone group were 5.5% (3/55) and 21.6% (11/51) respectively. The result of Logistic regression showed that the pharmacotherapy alone group was more likely to be converted to surgery ( OR=0.21,95% CI:0.05 to 0.80, P=0.023). At the 6 months, no recurrence of cases was found in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group. However, the recurrence rate of pharmacotherapy alone group was 6.3% (3/48), there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The effect of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy for chronic subdural hematoma is better than that of pharmacotherapy alone.

Microplastics are widely present in various environments such as water bodies,land,and atmosphere,which pose threats to the ecological environment and human health through transmission and accumulation in the food chain.The existing detection techniques for microplastics face challenges such as complex preparation procedure of samples,low efficiency in processing large batches of samples,and difficulties in handling complex samples.Therefore,there is an urgent need for rapid and efficient detection techniques suitable for complex microplastics samples in the field of environmental monitoring.Raman spectroscopy,known for its advantages such as rapidity,accuracy,high sensitivity,non-destructiveness,and non-contact,demonstrates great application potential in detection of microplastics.Deep learning,an artificial intelligence method known for its large-scale data processing,nonlinear modeling and automatic feature extraction capabilities,is receiving increasing attention in the analysis of Raman spectroscopy signals.The application of deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy has significantly improved performance indicators such as detection efficiency and accuracy.This article introduced the existing Raman enhancement techniques,summarized the deep learning methods applied in Raman spectroscopy signal analysis,reviewed the recent research and application progress of deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy in detection of microplastics,and finally discussed the challenges and future prospects of deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy in detection of microplastics.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of 4-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in modulating the metabolic homeostasis of the pyruvate-lactate axis in the hippocampus of rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) to improve their depressive-like behavior. MethodsForty-eight SPF-grade 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the normal quiet group (C), the CUMS quiet group (M), the normal exercise group (HC), and the CUMS exercise group (HM). The M and HM groups received 8 weeks of CUMS modeling, while the HC and HM groups were exposed to 4 weeks of HIIT starting from the 5th week (3 min (85%-90%) S_max+1 min (50%-55%) S_max, 3-5 cycles, S_max is the maximum movement speed). A lactate analyzer was used to detect the blood lactate concentration in the quiet state of rats in the HC and HM groups at week 4 and in the 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h after exercise, as well as in the quiet state of rats in each group at week 8. Behavioral indexes such as sucrose preference rate, number of times of uprightness and number of traversing frames in the absenteeism experiment, and other behavioral indexes were used to assess the depressive-like behavior of the rats at week 4 and week 8. The rats were anesthetized on the next day after the behavioral test in week 8, and hippocampal tissues were taken for assay. LC-MS non-targeted metabolomics, target quantification, ELISA and Western blot were used to detect the changes in metabolite content, lactate and pyruvate concentration, the content of key metabolic enzymes in the pyruvate-lactate axis, and the protein expression levels of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). Results4-week HIIT intervention significantly increased the sucrose preference rate, the number of uprights and the number of traversed frames in the absent field experiment in CUMS rats; non-targeted metabolomics assay found that 21 metabolites were significantly changed in group M compared to group C, and 14 and 11 differential metabolites were significantly dialed back in the HC and HM groups, respectively, after the 4-week HIIT intervention; the quantitative results of the targeting showed that, compared to group C, lactate concentration in the hippocampal tissues of M group, compared with group C, lactate concentration in hippocampal tissue was significantly reduced and pyruvate concentration was significantly increased, and 4-week HIIT intervention significantly increased the concentration of lactate and pyruvate in hippocampal tissue of HM group; the trend of changes in blood lactate concentration was consistent with the change in lactate concentration in hippocampal tissue; compared with group C, the LDHB content of group M was significantly increased, the content of PKM2 and PDH, as well as the protein expression level of MCT2 and MCT4 were significantly reduced. The 4-week HIIT intervention upregulated the PKM2 and PDH content as well as the protein expression levels of MCT2 and MCT4 in the HM group. ConclusionThe 4-week HIIT intervention upregulated blood lactate concentration and PKM2 and PDH metabolizing enzymes in hippocampal tissues of CUMS rats, and upregulated the expression of MCT2 and MCT4 transport carrier proteins to promote central lactate uptake and utilization, which regulated metabolic homeostasis of the pyruvate-lactate axis and improved depressive-like behaviors.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of 4-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and to explore its potential mechanisms. MethodsA total of 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control (C), model (M), control plus HIIT (HC), and model plus HIIT (HM). Rats in groups M and HM underwent 8 weeks of CUMS to establish depression-like behaviors, while groups HC and HM received HIIT intervention beginning from the 5th week for 4 consecutive weeks. The HIIT protocol consisted of repeated intervals of 3 min at high speed (85%-90% maximal training speed, S_max) alternated with one minute at low speed (50%-55% S_max), with 3 to 5 sets per session, conducted 5 d per week. Behavioral assessments and tail-vein blood lactate levels were measured at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks. After the intervention, rat PFC tissues were collected for Golgi staining to analyze synaptic morphology. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were employed to detect brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1), lactate, and glutamate levels in the PFC, as well as serotonin (5-HT) levels in serum. Additionally, Western blot analysis was conducted to quantify the expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins, including c-Fos, activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1). ResultsCompared to the control group (C), the CUMS-exposed rats (group M) exhibited significant reductions in sucrose preference rates, number of grid crossings, frequency of upright postures, and entries into and duration spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze, indicating marked depressive-like behaviors. Additionally, the group M showed significantly reduced dendritic spine density in the PFC, along with elevated levels of c-Fos, Arc, NMDAR1 protein expression, and increased concentrations of lactate and glutamate. Conversely, BDNF and MCT1 contents in the PFC and 5-HT levels in serum were significantly decreased. Following HIIT intervention, rats in the group HM displayed considerable improvement in behavioral indicators compared with the group M, accompanied by significant elevations in PFC MCT1 and lactate concentrations. Furthermore, HIIT notably normalized the expression levels of c-Fos, Arc, NMDAR1, as well as glutamate and BDNF contents in the PFC. Synaptic spine density also exhibited significant recovery. ConclusionFour weeks of HIIT intervention may alleviate depressive-like behaviors in CUMS rats by increasing lactate levels and reducing glutamate concentration in the PFC, thereby downregulating the overexpression of NMDAR, attenuating excitotoxicity, and enhancing synaptic plasticity.

Objective:To explore the method for selecting characteristic prices of Chinese patent medicines based on informa-tion entropy theory.It involves analyzing the connotative differences among various price indicators and utilizing information entropy metrics to validate the scientific rigor of characteristic price selection so as to optimize the pricing model for Chinese patent medi-cines and improve the accuracy of price evaluation.Methods:A correlation analysis and information entropy calculation are con-ducted on the median price of the smallest preparation unit,average daily cost,and average course cost of TCM.It compares the information diversity and uncertainty of different pricing indicators.Results:The average daily cost exhibits the highest information diversity and uncertainty among all the pricing indicators examined.Conclusion:It is recommended that the average daily cost be used as the dependent variable for characteristic prices in TCM pricing research.This choice plays an important role in optimizing TCM pricing models and enhancing the accuracy of price evaluation.

Objective:To establish a scientific,systematic,and objective indicator system for the characteristic price variables of Traditional Chinese Patent Medicines(TCPM),providing a reference framework for the pricing mechanism of TCPM.Methods:The brainstorming method was initially used to screen related variable indicators.The Nominal Group Technique(NGT)and Delphi methods were applied to gather expert opinions,and SPSS 28.0 was employed for data statistical analysis.It led to the development of a TCPM characteristic price variable indicator system consisting of 6 dimensions,14 characteristic variables and 26 measurement indicators.Results:The authority coefficient of the experts exceeded 0.7,indicating the representativeness of the results.Expert opinions were generally concentrated.Based on the collected opinions and statistical analysis,the scope of selected TCPM characteristic price variables was preliminarily established.Conclusion:The TCPM characteristic price variable indicator system was initially developed.However,due to the complexity of the pricing mechanism and divergent expert opinions,further qualitative and quantitative research methods,along with a dynamic adjustment mechanism,are needed to verify and refine the system.