ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effect of Huazhuo SanJie Chubi presciption （HSCD） on chronic gouty arthritis （CGA） rats with low-grade inflammation and to explore the underlying mechanism with a focus on macrophage polarization. MethodsThe 41 male 6-week-old SD rats were randomly allocated， using the random number table， to a normal group （n=8） and a model group （n =33）. CGA with low-grade inflammation was induced in the model group by daily gavage of potassium oxonate （250 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） and hypoxanthine （300 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， combined with intra-articular injection of a monosodium urate （MSU） crystal suspension （50 μL， 25 g·L^-¹） into the left ankle twice weekly. After 4 weeks of modeling， 3 rats were randomly selected from each group for model validation. The remaining successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group， an HSCD group （10.35 g·kg^-1·d^-1， gavage once daily）， an M1 polarization agonist group （L-methionine sulfoximine， 300 mg·kg^-1， subcutaneous injection every other day）， an M1 polarization agonist + HSCD group， an M2 polarization inhibitor group （PD0325901， 10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， gavage once daily）， and M2 polarization inhibitor + HSCD group. The corresponding drug or drug combination was administered according to group assignment， whereas rats in the normal and model groups received 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium （CMC-Na） vehicle （10.35 g·kg^-1·d^-1， gavage once daily）. All interventions were continued for four weeks. During the intervention period， except for the normal group， potassium oxonate （250 mg·kg⁻¹） and hypoxanthine （300 mg·kg^-1） were co-administered by gavage every other day to maintain the model. At the end of treatment， serum uric acid （SUA）， ankle joint diameter and joint swelling index were measured. The levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 （CCL2）， S100 calcium-binding protein A8/A9 （S100A8/A9）， interleukin-10 （IL-10） and arginase-1 （Arg-1） in serum and joint fluid were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. High-frequency ultrasound was used to assess MSU deposition in the ankle joint. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to evaluate synovial histopathological changes. Quantitative Real-time PCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of the M1 macrophage polarization markers inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and the M2 macrophage polarization marker scavenger receptor cysteine-rich type 1 protein M130 （CD163） in synovial tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly elevated SUA level and joint swelling index， and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines， CCL2， and S100A8/A9 in both serum and joint fluid （P<0.05）， accompanied by MSU deposition and synovial inflammation in the ankle joint. The mRNA and protein expression levels of macrophage polarization M1/M2 markers iNOS and CD163 in synovial tissues were also significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）. Compared with model group， rats in HSCD group had significantly lower SUA levels， attenuated joint swelling， reduced serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines， and decreased levels of CCL2 and S100A8/A9 in both serum and joint fluid， accompanied with alleviated MSU deposition and synovial inflammation （P<0.05）. HSCD markedly downregulated the mRNA and protein expression of M1 marker iNOS （P<0.05）， whereas it had no significant effect on the expression of M2 marker CD163. Compared with the M1 polarization agonist group， the M1 polarization agonist + HSCD group showed significantly reduced joint swelling， lower serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines， and decreased levels of CCL2 and S100A8/A9 in joint fluid （P<0.05）. In addition， synovial inflammatory cell infiltration and angiogenesis were attenuated， and iNOS mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly reduced （P<0.05）. Compared with the M2 polarization inhibitor group， the M2 polarization inhibitor + HSCD group exhibited reduced joint swelling， decreased levels of CCL2 and S100A8/A9 in joint fluid and ameliorated synovial inflammation （P<0.05）， whereas the levels of anti-inflammatory mediators （IL-10， Arg-1） and CD163 mRNA and protein expression were not significantly increased. ConclusionHSCD alleviates low-grade inflammation in CGA rats， at least in part， by inhibiting macrophage polarization toward the M1 phenotype.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the effect of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi prescription （HSCD） on the gouty bone erosion model rats and investigate its action mechanism. MethodsThirty-six two-month-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group with nine rats and the modeling group with 27 rats. The rats in the modeling group were administered hypoxanthine solution at 300 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 and potassium oxonate solution at 250 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， combined with intra-articular injection of 200 μL monosodium urate （MSU） crystal suspension at 25 g·L^-1 into the right ankle joint （joint injection once every three days）， so as to induce the gouty bone erosion model. After four weeks of modeling， three rats were selected from these two groups to validate the model. The modeled 24 rats were randomly divided into the model group， HSCD group （10.35 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， allopurinol group （20 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， and inhibitor group （LY294002， 10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， with six rats per group. Except for the blank group， rats in all other groups continued to receive hypoxanthine solution at 300 mg·kg^-1 and potassium oxonate solution at 250 mg·kg^-1 via gavage concurrently with administration to maintain modeling intervention. The rats in the HSCD group and allopurinol group received administration by gavage at the above doses. The rats in the inhibitor group received an intraperitoneal injection at the above dose. The rats in the blank group and model group received saline （10.35 g·kg^-1·d^-1） by gavage for four consecutive weeks. After administration， ankle joint swelling of the rats in all groups was observed， and the diameters were measured. Bone volume fraction （BV/TV） and bone surface area to bone volume （BS/BV） were observed and quantitatively analyzed by Micro-CT. Histopathological changes in the ankle joint were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and safranin O-fast green staining. The uric acid in the rats' serum was determined by enzyme colorimetry. The levels of inflammatory factors， including tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin （IL）-1β， and IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand （RANKL） and phosphorylated （p）-phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K） in ankle joint tissues of rats were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The mRNA levels of the proteins related to the bone erosion， including RANKL， tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase （TRAP）， cathepsin K （CTSK）， and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in the ankle joint tissues of rats were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The expressions of the proteins related to the bone erosion， including RANKL， CTSK， TRAP， MMP-9， and the proteins related to the PI3K/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway， including PI3K， Akt， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， p-PI3K， phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt）， and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）， were detected by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the modeling group showed marked ankle swelling and increased diameter. Micro-CT revealed an uneven articular surface and honeycomb-like bone erosion in the ankle joint. Quantitative analysis showed decreased BV/TV and increased BS/BV （P<0.05）. HE staining revealed a narrowed joint space， rough and discontinuous cartilage surfaces， reduced and unevenly distributed chondrocytes， partial hypertrophy， and blurred tidemarks， confirming successful model establishment. After four weeks of intervention， compared with those in the blank group， the rats in the model group exhibited severe ankle swelling and increased diameters （P<0.05）. Micro‑CT showed that the ankle joint surface was irregular， and bone erosion exhibited a honeycomb‑like morphology. The microstructural parameters of the bone revealed a decreased BV/TV and an increased BS/BV （P<0.05）. Histopathological examination revealed a narrowed joint space and severe articular cartilage destruction. The levels of uric acid in the serum and inflammatory factors （IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α） were increased （P<0.05）. The mRNA and protein levels of the proteins related to bone erosion in joint tissue， including RANKL， CTSK， TRAP， and MMP-9， were upregulated （P<0.05）. The ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR in the proteins related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were increased （P<0.05）. RANKL and p-PI3K protein fluorescence intensities were elevated （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the model group， the above indicators in all other administration groups showed varying degrees of improvement. The HSCD group and inhibitor groups exhibited more significant effects in reducing ankle swelling， improving bone erosion， bone microstructure （significant decrease in BV/TV and increase in BS/BV）， and the pathology of cartilage erosion， lowering inflammatory factor levels， downregulating the proteins related to the bone erosion， and suppressing activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway （P<0.05）. The uric acid levels in rats' serum were reduced in both HSCD and allopurinol groups （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the HSCD group， the rats in the allopurinol group had larger ankle diameters （P<0.05）， more severe bone erosion and bone microstructure damage （P<0.05）， worse improvement of the pathology of cartilage erosion， higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.05）， elevated expressions of the proteins related to the bone erosion， higher expression ratio of proteins related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway （P<0.05）， and higher fluorescence intensities of RANKL and p-PI3K proteins （P<0.05）. The inhibitor group achieved comparable results to the HSCD group in improvements of bone microstructure and the reduction of IL-1β and IL-6， stronger suppression of TNF-α and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway activation （P<0.05）， but weaker effects on cartilage repair and serum uric acid reduction （P<0.05）. ConclusionHSCD effectively reduces uric acid levels in serum， suppresses inflammatory factor secretion， and downregulates the expressions of proteins related to bone erosion， including RANKL， CTSK， TRAP， and MMP-9 in the joint tissues. Its action mechanism of improving gouty bone erosion may be associated with inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the content differences of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules， reveal the quality fluctuation patterns of products from the same and different manufacturers， providing scientific basis for the optimization of production process and quality control. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-charged aerosol detector（HPLC-DAD-CAD） was employed to determine the contents of 4 components（syringic acid， leonurine hydrochloride， ferulic acid， and stachydrine hydrochloride） in samples from 19 manufacturers（53 batches， 159 boxes）. Additionally， fingerprint profiles were constructed， and the fingerprint dissimilarity（P_S） and relative standard deviation（RSD） of different samples from the same manufacturer were calculated. A principal component analysis（PCA） model was established with P_S and the RSD values of the 4 components as variables to classify the manufacturers. Finally， samples from 5 manufacturers（M1-M5） covering three consistency groups were selected to calculate three quality consistency parameters， namely intra-batch consistency（P_A）， inter-batch consistency（P_B）， and P_S. Then， PCA was performed with P_A， P_B， and P_S of these 5 manufacturers as variables. ResultsThe average total content of the 4 index components per bag across the 19 manufacturers ranged from 41.10 mg to 97.54 mg. Among them， the content of stachydrine hydrochloride（a pharmacopoeial quality control component） was 32.46-72.70 mg per bag， all meeting the requirements of the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China， with RSD of 1.7%-17.1%. The content ranges of the other 3 components were as follows：syringic acid of 1.43-41.92 mg per bag， leonurine hydrochloride of 0.67-11.85 mg per bag， and ferulic acid of 0.11-3.81 mg per bag. Notably， leonurine hydrochloride exhibited the most significant content fluctuation among samples from the same manufacturer（RSD of 4.8%-59.2%）. PCA results showed that the 19 manufacturers could be classified into 3 categories. Samples from 8 manufacturers（M2， M6， M7， M8， M10， M15， M17， M18） demonstrated relatively high consistency， five manufacturers（M3， M9， M12， M13， M14） showed moderate consistency， six manufacturers（M1， M4， M5， M11， M16， M19） exhibited low consistency. The two methods yielded consistent classification results for the 5 representative manufacturers， verifying the reliability of the proposed method. Among these， manufacturer M2 showed the best quality consistency and the highest total content of indicator components among M1-M5. ConclusionThe HPLC-DAD-CAD multi-detector hyphenation technology established in this study enables the accurate detection of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules. Significant differences in the total content of these four components are observed among products from 19 manufacturers. The application of 2 consistency evaluation methods combined with PCA can effectively classify their consistency into 3 categories， and the classification results of the 2 methods are highly consistent. This study provides scientific basis for the process optimization and quality standard improvement of Leonuri Herba granules.

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the content differences of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules， reveal the quality fluctuation patterns of products from the same and different manufacturers， providing scientific basis for the optimization of production process and quality control. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-charged aerosol detector（HPLC-DAD-CAD） was employed to determine the contents of 4 components（syringic acid， leonurine hydrochloride， ferulic acid， and stachydrine hydrochloride） in samples from 19 manufacturers（53 batches， 159 boxes）. Additionally， fingerprint profiles were constructed， and the fingerprint dissimilarity（P_S） and relative standard deviation（RSD） of different samples from the same manufacturer were calculated. A principal component analysis（PCA） model was established with P_S and the RSD values of the 4 components as variables to classify the manufacturers. Finally， samples from 5 manufacturers（M1-M5） covering three consistency groups were selected to calculate three quality consistency parameters， namely intra-batch consistency（P_A）， inter-batch consistency（P_B）， and P_S. Then， PCA was performed with P_A， P_B， and P_S of these 5 manufacturers as variables. ResultsThe average total content of the 4 index components per bag across the 19 manufacturers ranged from 41.10 mg to 97.54 mg. Among them， the content of stachydrine hydrochloride（a pharmacopoeial quality control component） was 32.46-72.70 mg per bag， all meeting the requirements of the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China， with RSD of 1.7%-17.1%. The content ranges of the other 3 components were as follows：syringic acid of 1.43-41.92 mg per bag， leonurine hydrochloride of 0.67-11.85 mg per bag， and ferulic acid of 0.11-3.81 mg per bag. Notably， leonurine hydrochloride exhibited the most significant content fluctuation among samples from the same manufacturer（RSD of 4.8%-59.2%）. PCA results showed that the 19 manufacturers could be classified into 3 categories. Samples from 8 manufacturers（M2， M6， M7， M8， M10， M15， M17， M18） demonstrated relatively high consistency， five manufacturers（M3， M9， M12， M13， M14） showed moderate consistency， six manufacturers（M1， M4， M5， M11， M16， M19） exhibited low consistency. The two methods yielded consistent classification results for the 5 representative manufacturers， verifying the reliability of the proposed method. Among these， manufacturer M2 showed the best quality consistency and the highest total content of indicator components among M1-M5. ConclusionThe HPLC-DAD-CAD multi-detector hyphenation technology established in this study enables the accurate detection of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules. Significant differences in the total content of these four components are observed among products from 19 manufacturers. The application of 2 consistency evaluation methods combined with PCA can effectively classify their consistency into 3 categories， and the classification results of the 2 methods are highly consistent. This study provides scientific basis for the process optimization and quality standard improvement of Leonuri Herba granules.

Objective To provide a scientific basis for vector prevention and control in port areas, vector monitoring has been conducted continuously to characterize the composition, density, and seasonal fluctuations of vectors across 21 port-areas of Shandong province from 2017 to 2023. Methods In accordance with the Regional Vector Monitoring Plan for Frontier Ports, vector surveillance of mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rodents, and other disease vectors was performed. Data were analyzed to describe vector community composition and identify seasonal fluctuations. Results A total of 601 rodents belonging to 1 family, 4 genera, and 4 species were captured. Three dominant rodent species inhabit port areas. In addition, 88 104 mosquitoes were captured and classified into 3 subfamilies, 4 genera, and 12 species; 38 959 flies were trapped and classified into 8 families,31 genera, and 51 species, including 9 dominant fly species in port-areas; and 54 672 captured cockroaches were classified into 2 families,4 genera, and 4 species, with Blattella germanica as the dominant species. Conclusions Significant vector community changes(P＜0.005)have been identified after the epidemic. To improve the pertinence and efficacy of port health quarantine work, continuous and strong attention should be paid to vector compositions and population densities at Shandong ports.

Bone is a highly calcified and vascularized tissue. The vascular system plays a vital role in supporting bone growth and repair, such as the provision of nutrients, growth factors, and metabolic waste transfer. Moreover, the additional functions of the bone vasculature, such as the secretion of various factors and the regulation of bone-related signaling pathways, are essential for maintaining bone health. In the bone microenvironment, bone tissue cells play a critical role in regulating angiogenesis, including osteoblasts, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and osteoclasts. Osteogenesis and bone angiogenesis are closely linked. The decrease in osteogenesis and bone angiogenesis caused by aging leads to osteoporosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various physiological processes, including osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Recent studies have shown that lncRNAs could mediate the crosstalk between angiogenesis and osteogenesis. However, the mechanism by which lncRNAs regulate angiogenesis‒osteogenesis crosstalk remains unclear. In this review, we describe in detail the ways in which lncRNAs regulate the crosstalk between osteogenesis and angiogenesis to promote bone health, aiming to provide new directions for the study of the mechanism by which lncRNAs regulate bone metabolism.
RNA, Long Noncoding/physiology* ; Osteogenesis/physiology* ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/genetics* ; Bone and Bones/metabolism* ; Animals ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Signal Transduction ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts ; Angiogenesis

Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death modality discovered and defined in the last decade, is primarily induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. At present, it has been found that ferroptosis is involved in various physiological functions such as immune regulation, growth and development, aging, and tumor suppression. Especially its role in tumor biology has attracted extensive attention and research. Breast cancer is one of the most common female tumors, characterized by high heterogeneity and complex genetic background. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special type of breast cancer, which lacks conventional breast cancer treatment targets and is prone to drug resistance to existing chemotherapy drugs and has a low cure rate after progression and metastasis. There is an urgent need to find new targets or develop new drugs. With the increase of studies on promoting ferroptosis in breast cancer, it has gradually attracted attention as a treatment strategy for breast cancer. Some studies have found that certain compounds and natural products can act on TNBC, promote their ferroptosis, inhibit cancer cells proliferation, enhance sensitivity to radiotherapy, and improve resistance to chemotherapy drugs. To promote the study of ferroptosis in TNBC, this article summarized and reviewed the compounds and natural products that induce ferroptosis in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. We started with the exploration of the pathways of ferroptosis, with particular attention to the System X_c^--cystine-GPX4 pathway and iron metabolism. Then, a series of compounds, including sulfasalazine (SAS), metformin, and statins, were described in terms of how they interact with cells to deplete glutathione (GSH), thereby inhibiting the activity of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and preventing the production of lipid peroxidases. The disruption of the cellular defense against oxidative stress ultimately results in the death of TNBC cells. We have also our focus to the realm of natural products, exploring the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine extracts for TNBC. These herbal extracts exhibit multi-target effects and good safety, and have shown promising capabilities in inducing ferroptosis in TNBC cells. We believe that further exploration and characterization of these natural compounds could lead to the development of a new generation of cancer therapeutics. In addition to traditional chemotherapy, we discussed the role of drug delivery systems in enhancing the efficacy and reducing the toxicity of ferroptosis inducers. Nanoparticles such as exosomes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can improve the solubility and bioavailability of these compounds, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential while minimizing systemic side effects. Although preclinical data on ferroptosis inducers are relatively robust, their translation into clinical practice remains in its early stages. We also emphasize the urgent need for more in-depth and comprehensive research to understand the complex mechanisms of ferroptosis in TNBC. This is crucial for the rational design and development of clinical trials, as well as for leveraging ferroptosis to improve patient outcomes. Hoping the above summarize and review could provide references for the research and development of lead compounds for the treatment for TNBC.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of colon dialysis with Yishen Decoction (YS) in improving the autophagy disorder of intestinal epithelial cells in chronic renal failure (CRF) in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal, CRF, and colonic dialysis with YS groups by a random number table method (n=10). The CRF model was established by orally gavage of adenine 200 mg/(kg•d) for 4 weeks. CRF rats in the YS group were treated with colonic dialysis using YS 20 g/(kg•d) for 14 consecutive days. The serum creatinine (SCr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pathological changes of kidney and colon tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Autophagosome changes in colonic epithelial cells was observed with electron microscopy. In vitro experiments, human colon cancer epithelial cells (T84) were cultured and divided into normal, urea model (74U), YS colon dialysis, autophagy activator rapamycin (Ra), autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA), and SIRT1 activator resveratrol (Re) groups. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Claudin-1, silent information regulator sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), LC3, and Beclin-1 both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Colonic dialysis with YS decreased SCr and BUN levels in CRF rats (P<0.05), and alleviated the pathological changes of renal and colon tissues. Expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, Claudin-1, Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were increased in the YS group compared with the CRF group in vivo (P<0.05). In in vitro study, compared with normal group, the expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 were decreased, and expressions of Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were increased in the 74U group (P<0.05). Compared with the 74U group, expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 were increased, whereas Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were decreased in the YS group (P<0.05). The treatment of 3-MA and rapamycin regulated autophagy and the expression of SIRT1. SIRT1 activator intervention up-regulated autophagy as well as the expressions of ZO-1 and Claudin-1 compared with the 74U group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Colonic dialysis with YS could improve autophagy disorder and repair CRF intestinal mucosal barrier injury by regulating SIRT1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells.
Animals ; Sirtuin 1/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Male ; Intestinal Mucosa/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Colon/drug effects* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Renal Dialysis ; Rats ; Kidney/drug effects*

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness of methylene blue in pain management after costal cartilage removal.Methods:A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted from June 2023 to March 2024. Female patients undergoing rhinoplasty with autologous costal cartilage transplantation were randomly divided into a methylene blue group and a control group. Before costal cartilage harvesting, patients in the methylene blue group received a 5 ml injection of 0.1% methylene blue solution into the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the costal cartilage donor site at the lower edge of the seventh costal cartilage or below the breast contour. Patients in the control group received an equal volume of normal saline injected into the same area. Postoperative management included routine observation and pain control (using oral analgesics and topical analgesia). Pain scores were assessed 24 hours after surgery using a visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10 points, higher scores indicate more severe pain) and a numerical rating scale (NRS, 0-10 points, higher scores indicate more severe pain), as well as the frequency of oral analgesics. Patients were followed up for postoperative complications within one month after surgery, and patient satisfaction with pain control was assessed using a self-made 5-point questionnaire (higher scores indicate greater patient satisfaction). Quantitative data were compared between groups using the independent sample t-test; qualitative data were compared between groups using the chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 112 female patients were enrolled. Fifty-six patients were in the methylene blue group, aged (35.4 ± 5.6) years (range, 18-55 years), and 56 patients were in the control group, aged (36.1 ± 6.0) years (range, 19-54 years). The methylene blue group had significantly lower oral analgesic use 24 hours after surgery than the control group [(1.5±0.5) times vs. (4.7±1.2) times], with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). The methylene blue group also had significantly lower VAS scores (3.2±1.2 vs. 5.8±1.3) and NRS scores (3.5±1.0 vs. 6.2±1.1) 24 hours after surgery than the control group ( P<0.05). At one-month follow-up, the incidence of postoperative complications in the methylene blue group was significantly lower than that in the control group [10.7% (6/56) vs. 21.4% (12/56)]. Patient satisfaction in the methylene blue group was significantly higher than that in the control group [4.5 ± 0.6 vs. 3.2 ± 0.8]. The differences were statistically significant ( P< 0.05). No serious adverse reactions were observed in either group. Conclusion:Methylene blue has a good analgesic effect after costal cartilage transplantation, reducing the need for analgesics, and no significant adverse reactions were observed.

Background and aims:Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is an autoimmune liver disease characterized by complex pathogenesis and limited available therapeutic options.The mechanisms underlying the development and progression of PSCs remain unclear.Liver X receptor beta(LXR-β)is recognized to modulate lipid metabolism and immune response,but its specific involvement in the PSC has not been elucidated.Here,we explored the role and mechanism of LXR-β in PSC induced by 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-2,4,6-collidine(DDC).Methods:CRISPR-Cas9 technology was applied to generate Abcb4(coding MDR2,next named as Mdr2),Nr1h2(coding LXR-β,next named as Lxrβ),and Rag2(coding RAG2)knockout mice.DDC was used to induce PSC.Hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining were used to assess the extent of hepatic injury and fibrosis.Flow cytometry was used to observe immune cell subsets.Results:We observed a declining trend in hepatic Lxrβ in the PSC model.Unexpectedly,Lxrβ knockout failed to modulate DDC-induced PSC pathogenesis.Concomitantly,assessment of the influence of Rag2 deficiency on PSC progression revealed the absence of aggravated or alleviated hepatic injury or fibrosis in the Rag2-/-DDC mice.However,Lxrβ depletion intensified DDC-induced PSC in the Rag2-/-mice,with more abundant infiltrative inflammatory cells and more severe liver fibrosis.Compared with Rag2-/-DDC mice,Lxrβ-/-Rag2-/-DDC mice had higher serum ALT and AST levels and mRNA expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic genes.Flow cytometry showed that LXR-β deficiency resulted in a diminished population of hepatic innate immune cells.Conclusion:This study indicated innate immune cell LXR-β deficiency can exacerbate hepatic injury and fibrosis in murine models of PSC suggesting that LXR-β may regulate the function of innate immunity in the fibrotic advancement of PSC.