Objective To investigate the expression profile, prognostic value, gene co-expression network, and immunomodulatory role of BRF1 in a pan-cancer context, and to explore its biological functions and molecular regulatory mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods The pan-cancer dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized to analyze the differential expression of BRF1 in tumor versus normal tissues, its association with patient survival, pathway enrichment for co-expressed genes, and immune features (including immune checkpoints, cytokines, and immune cell infiltration). The expression profile of BRF1 in ESCC was validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In vitro, BRF1 was knocked down in ESCC cells using siRNA. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed by MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. The expression levels of proliferation- and migration-related proteins were detected by Western blotting. The correlation between BRF1 and ferroptosis was analyzed using TCGA data. Results BRF1 was significantly upregulated in over 20 types of cancer, and its high expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma and prostate adenocarcinoma. BRF1 was found to positively regulate the T-cell-mediated cell death pathway in esophageal adenocarcinoma and was associated with the circadian rhythm regulation pathway in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The correlation of BRF1 with immune checkpoints, cytokine networks, and immune cell infiltration was found to be cancer type-specific. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knocking down BRF1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of ESCC cells, accompanied by the downregulation of the proliferation marker PCNA. Cell migration was also significantly impaired, with decreased expression of Vimentin and MMPs and increased expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, the expression of BRF1 was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis-antagonizing genes, such as GPX4, HSPA5, and SLC7A11. Conclusion BRF1 plays complex roles in pan-cancer, participating in the regulation of tumorigenesis, progression, and immune infiltration. BRF1 promotes the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells, a mechanism potentially associated with the regulation of ferroptosis resistance. These findings suggest that BRF1 could be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of modified Sini San in ameliorating intestinal mucosal barrier by observing its effects on short chain fatty acids （SCFAs） and high mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1）/receptor of advanced glycation end products （RAGE） signaling pathways in chronic stress rats. MethodsThe 50 male SD rats were randomly divided into control group，model group，low-dose modified Sini San group （7.34 g·kg^-1·d^-1），high-dose modified Sini San group （14.68 g·kg^-1·d^-1），and Fructo-oligosaccharides group （3.15 g·kg^-1·d^-1），with 10 rats in each group. Except for the control group，all other groups were subjected to chronic unpredictable stress/social isolation to create a chronic stress model for 6 weeks. After 4 weeks of modeling，each treatment group was given corresponding drugs by gavage for 2 weeks while modeling. The control group and model group were given the same volume of physiological saline. The effects of Modified Sini San on behaviors，body weight，Bristol score in feces and fecal moisture content in chronic stress rats were observed. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the cecum. The content of SCFAs in the cecal contents of rats were detected by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect the expression of HMGB1/RAGE pathway related proteins in cecal tissue. The levels of ZO-1，Occludin，and Claudin-1 in the cecal tissue were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultsCompared with the model group，the sucrose preference rate，total distance traveled and the number of grid crossings in the open field test of rats in the low-dose modified Sini San group were obviously increased （P<0.05， P<0.01），and the immobility time in the open field test and the immobility time in the forced swimming test of rats in the low-dose and high-dose modified Sini San groups were obviously reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile，the Bristol score and fecal moisture content of rats in the low and high dose groups of modified Sini San were obviously increased （P<0.05）. The low-dose group of modified Sini San had intact mucosal layer structure in the cecal tissue and reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells. The content of SCFAs in the cecal contents increased，with a obviously increase in the content of acetic acid，propionic acid，butyric acid，and isovaleric acid （P<0.05， P<0.01） and the expression levels of HMGB1，RAGE，Toll-like receptor 2（TLR2），Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4），tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α），and nuclear factor kappa-B p65（NF-κB p65） proteins in cecal tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01） in low-dose group of modified Sini San. Meanwhile，the contents of ZO-1，Occludin，and Claudin-1 in the cecal tissue were obviously increased （P<0.01） in low-dose group of modified Sini San. ConclusionModified Sini San can improve the function of intestinal mucosal barrier in chronic stress rats by increasing the content of SCFAs in the intestine and inhibiting the HMGB1/RAGE pathway.

Objective:To explore the impacts of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training on voice function and the levels of inflammatory factors in patients who were diagnosed with vocal cord polyp and received operation. Methods:A total of 96 cases who received operation on vocal cord polyp were randomly assigned into two groups. The control group was given ABCLOVE voice training for rehabilitation after the operation. The study group was given acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training. The voice function and the levels of inflammatory factors of the two groups were compared. Results:The effective rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group（P<0.05）. The scores of main symptoms such as hoarseness, dry mouth, and thirst in the study group were lower than those in the control group（P<0.05）. After 4 weeks of treatment, the voice fundamental frequency（F0） of the study group was higher than that of the control group（P<0.05）, the maximum phonation time（MPT） was longer than that of the control group（P<0.05）, and the voice fundamental frequency perturbation value（Jitter） and voice amplitude perturbation value（Shimmer） were lower than those of the control group（P<0.05）. The levels of serum interleukin-6（IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） were lower than those of the control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training can obviously alleviate hoarseness and other symptoms, improve voice function and reduce the level of inflammatory factors, thus is an effective treatment for patients who received operation on vocal cord polyp.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Polyps/therapy* ; Vocal Cords ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Voice Training ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Young Adult ; Laryngeal Diseases/therapy*

Acupuncture treatment of chronic pain combined with depression (CPDC) is the result of a multi-target, multi-pathway approach. Acupuncture can treat CPDC by inhibiting the activation of glial cells, regulating the release of inflammatory mediators, regulating the expressions of neurotransmitters, changing the plasticity of neural synapses, regulating related epigenetic effects, regulating the microbiota-brain-gut axis, inhibiting nerve cell apoptosis, and antagonizing oxidative stress. The mechanism of its effect mainly involves anti-inflammatory related signaling pathways, regulation of neural synapse-related signaling pathways, and exerts its therapeutic effect through hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and amygdala.

Heart failure （HF）， as the terminal stage of most cardiovascular diseases， manifests with primary symptoms including dyspnea， fatigue， edema， and palpitations. With recurrent episodes and a protracted clinical course， HF imposes a substantial global disease burden. PANoptosis represents a distinctive form of programmed cell death （PCD） that integrates features of pyroptosis， apoptosis， and necroptosis， yet cannot be fully attributed to any single pathway among these three PCD modalities. Recent studies demonstrate significant dysregulation of PANoptosis-related genes during HF progression， positioning PANoptosis as both an emerging mechanism mediating HF pathogenesis and a novel therapeutic target. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has gained substantial recognition for its therapeutic potential in HF management， offering advantages such as flexible compatibility， multi-target effects， and minimal adverse reactions. Astragali Radix， a representative Qi-invigorating and blood-activating herbal medicine， has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in the treatment for various HF subtypes. Research reveals that its major bioactive components—including astragaloside Ⅳ， polysaccharide， quercetin， and calycosin—exhibit significant associations with the regulation of apoptosis， pyroptosis， and necroptosis pathways. This review systematically explores the therapeutic feasibility of Astragali Radix in the prevention and treatment of HF through the lens of PANoptosis mechanisms. By synthesizing recent advances in the mechanisms of Astragali Radix-derived bioactive compounds and Astragali Radix-containing compound prescriptions in modulating PANoptosis， this paper aim to provide critical insights for advancing the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of HF.

Heart failure （HF）， as the terminal stage of most cardiovascular diseases， manifests with primary symptoms including dyspnea， fatigue， edema， and palpitations. With recurrent episodes and a protracted clinical course， HF imposes a substantial global disease burden. PANoptosis represents a distinctive form of programmed cell death （PCD） that integrates features of pyroptosis， apoptosis， and necroptosis， yet cannot be fully attributed to any single pathway among these three PCD modalities. Recent studies demonstrate significant dysregulation of PANoptosis-related genes during HF progression， positioning PANoptosis as both an emerging mechanism mediating HF pathogenesis and a novel therapeutic target. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has gained substantial recognition for its therapeutic potential in HF management， offering advantages such as flexible compatibility， multi-target effects， and minimal adverse reactions. Astragali Radix， a representative Qi-invigorating and blood-activating herbal medicine， has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in the treatment for various HF subtypes. Research reveals that its major bioactive components—including astragaloside Ⅳ， polysaccharide， quercetin， and calycosin—exhibit significant associations with the regulation of apoptosis， pyroptosis， and necroptosis pathways. This review systematically explores the therapeutic feasibility of Astragali Radix in the prevention and treatment of HF through the lens of PANoptosis mechanisms. By synthesizing recent advances in the mechanisms of Astragali Radix-derived bioactive compounds and Astragali Radix-containing compound prescriptions in modulating PANoptosis， this paper aim to provide critical insights for advancing the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of HF.

Crohn's disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease with an unclear pathogenesis, primarily affecting the digestive tract. Perianal involvement represents a complex form of CD. Refractory proctoanal CD is a major cause of rectal resection and permanent anal sphincter dysfunction in patients. The colon pull-through with delayed anastomosis of the anal canal involves the resection of the diseased rectum and the management of the dentate line and anal canal. After the pulled-through colon has adhered to the anal canal, a revision and anastomosis are performed, aiming to preserve anal function and enhance the patients' quality of life. The specific criteria and timing for selecting this surgical approach for refractory proctoanal CD merit further discussion and investigation.

Objective:To explore the effect of autologous vascular graft bridging of the popliteal artery defect to reconstruct the blood supply of leg on survival of lower extremity.Methods:From May 2021 to May 2024, 10 patients with traumatic popliteal artery injury with defect were treated in the Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, Nanhua Hospital Affiliated to University of South China. A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of the patients. Injury sites were: 6 in left lower extremity and 4 in right lower extremity. Causes of injury were: 4 of traffic accident, 2 of heavy object compression, 2 of electric saw, and 2 of falling from heights. Sixe patients had large vessel injury combined with fracture and (or) knee dislocation, and 4 had simple large vessel injury. Six patients had open vascular injury and 4 had closed vascular injury. There were 6 popliteal artery defect and 4 femoral artery defect, with the defects ranging from 5.0 to 10.0 cm in length. Based on the condition of the arterial defect, autologous great saphenous vein (9 patient) and small saphenous vein (1 patient) were taken and prepared to different forms of vascular bridging graft, such as "single crotch-shape" (6 patient), "double crotch-shape" (3 patient) and "triple crotch-shaped" (1 patient) vascular bridging grafts, to have the defects of popliteal artery reconstructed. Scheduled postoperative follow-up was conducted at outpatient clinic and via telephone interviews. Detailed outcomes including the peripheral blood flow, presence of necrosis or ulcer as well as patient satisfaction were recorded.Results:All of the blood vessel anastomoses in 10 patients were successful and the distal blood supply of the affected legs was restored. All of the affective legs survived. Postoperative follow-ups at 3 to 12 months showed good blood flow in the legs without necrosis nor ulcer as well as a high patient satisfaction.Conclusion:The "crotch-shaped" autologous blood vessel graft can timely and effectively reconstruct defected main artery in popliteal fossa, reduce ischemia time of the affected leg, promote extremity survival and restore its function.

Objective:To investigate the impacts of different surgical fixation sequences on the post-operative functional outcomes in patients with ankle fracture combined with Lisfranc injury.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 20 patients with ankle fracture and concomitant Lisfranc injury who had been treated between January 2014 and December 2023 at Department of Orthopedics, The 82nd Group Army Hospital of PLA. The cohort included 16 males and 4 females, with an age of (41.3±12.3) years. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on their surgical sequence: an ankle-first group ( n=12) treated first by open reduction and internal fixation of the ankle fracture and then by additional incision reduction and fixation of the Lisfranc injury, and a foot-first group ( n=8) treated first by open reduction and fixation of the Lisfranc injury and then by another incision for open reduction and internal fixation of the ankle fracture. The surgical time, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, postoperative Lisfranc articular step-off, postoperative arch height index (AHI), and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score and incidence of traumatic arthritis at 1 year after surgery were compared between the 2 groups. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative general data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for (18.3±3.2) months after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in surgical time or incidence of traumatic arthritis between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). In the ankle-first group, the intra-operative fluoroscopy frequency [(16.6±2.6) times] was significantly higher than that in the foot-first group [(13.6±2.5) times], and the postoperative Lisfranc articular step-off [0.0 (0.0, 0.8) mm], postoperative AHI [0.31 (0.29, 0.32)], and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score at 1 year after surgery [(85.2±2.2) points] were all significantly better than those in the foot-first group [(1.3±1.3) mm, 0.29±0.01, and (81.0±4.1) points] (all P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of ankle fracture combined with Lisfranc injury, prioritizing ankle fixation provides a stable biomechanical foundation for subsequent midfoot reduction, leading to improved functional recovery and radiographic outcomes, but requires increased intraoperative fluoroscopy.

BACKGROUND:The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease has been steadily rising,accompanied by a lack of definitive therapeutic strategies.Recent research endeavors have illuminated the promising potential of mesenchymal stem cells in mitigating the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease,offering a glimmer of hope for afflicted patients.OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanisms of action of mesenchymal stem cells derived from various sources in the management of inflammatory bowel disease,aiming to provide insights for future research endeavors.METHODS:Utilizing the keywords"mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs,exosomes,extracellular vesicles,EVs,inflammatory bowel disease,IBD,ulcerative colitis,UC,Crohn's disease,CD"in English and their Chinese equivalents in CNKI and PubMed databases,a total of 89 eligible articles were selected for this review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Currently,six types of mesenchymal stem cells are being explored for inflammatory bowel disease therapy:bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells,adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells,perinatal tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells,induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells,embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells,and gingival mesenchymal stem cells.Five administration routes have been adopted,with intravenous and intraperitoneal injections being the most prevalent,followed by local,mesenteric,and intra rectal injections.Their therapeutic mechanisms encompass differentiation,regeneration,anti-inflammatory effects,immune modulation,neuroprotection,antioxidant stress response,homing,modulation of gut microbiota,autophagy,ferroptosis,and endoplasmic reticulum stress.While sharing functional similarities,mesenchymal stem cells from different sources exhibit unique characteristics that confer them with distinct advantages and therapeutic potentials.Nevertheless,research into the specific properties of these mesenchymal stem cells remains limited,necessitating deeper exploration of their nuanced differences to optimize their therapeutic efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease.Additionally,the clinical safety of mesenchymal stem cells-based therapies warrants further observation and evaluation.