ObjectiveTo explore the interaction and competitive binding of Homo sapiens long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA 1134 （LINC01134） to CCCTC-binding factor CTCF， affecting the transcription of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor （p21） and influencing the proliferation of A549 cells， in order to investigate the possible mechanism of Astragali Radix and Hedyotis diffusa （A-H） in inhibiting A549 proliferation by regulating this axis. MethodsRNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation （RIP） assays were conducted to examine the interaction between LINC01134 and CTCF， and chromatin immunoprecipitation （ChIP） assays were used to study the effect of LINC01134 overexpression on the interaction between CTCF and p21. Stable A549 cell lines （oe-NC and oe-LINC01134） were established using lentiviral transfection， and each group was treated with 10% A-H drug-containing serum. Real-time PCR and Western blot analyses were performed to detect the effects of A-H on the expression of LINC01134， CTCF， and p21 in A549 cells. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） and colony formation assays were used to assess the effects of A-H on A549 cell proliferation via LINC01134. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate the effects of A-H on the A549 cell cycle through LINC01134， and Western blot was used to detect changes in cell cycle proteins. ResultsCompared with the IgG group， the oe-CTCF group showed a significantly increased abundance of LINC01134 aggregates （P0.01）. Compared with the oe-Vector group， p21 abundance in CTCF complexes was significantly reduced in the oe-LINC01134 group （P0.01）. Compared with the 10% blank + oe-LINC01134 group， the 10% A-H + oe-LINC01134 group reversed the expression of LINC01134 and p21 （P0.05）， but had no significant regulatory effect on CTCF. Compared with the 10% blank + oe-LINC01134 group， the 10% A-H + oe-LINC01134 group reversed cell viability at 72 h （P0.05）， inhibited malignant proliferation （P0.05）， and reversed the proportions of cells in the G₀/G₁ and S phases （P0.01）. Furthermore， compared with the 10% blank + oe-LINC01134 group， the 10% A-H + oe-LINC01134 group reversed the expression of Cyclin D₁， CDK4， Cyclin E， CDK2， phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein （p-Rb）， and E2F transcription factor 3 （E2F3） （P0.01）. ConclusionA-H regulates the LINC01134-CTCF-p21 axis to block the G₁/S phase transition of A549 cell cycle， accelerate cellular senescence， and inhibit malignant proliferation.

ObjectiveTo explore the interaction and competitive binding of Homo sapiens long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA 1134 （LINC01134） to CCCTC-binding factor CTCF， affecting the transcription of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor （p21） and influencing the proliferation of A549 cells， in order to investigate the possible mechanism of Astragali Radix and Hedyotis diffusa （A-H） in inhibiting A549 proliferation by regulating this axis. MethodsRNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation （RIP） assays were conducted to examine the interaction between LINC01134 and CTCF， and chromatin immunoprecipitation （ChIP） assays were used to study the effect of LINC01134 overexpression on the interaction between CTCF and p21. Stable A549 cell lines （oe-NC and oe-LINC01134） were established using lentiviral transfection， and each group was treated with 10% A-H drug-containing serum. Real-time PCR and Western blot analyses were performed to detect the effects of A-H on the expression of LINC01134， CTCF， and p21 in A549 cells. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） and colony formation assays were used to assess the effects of A-H on A549 cell proliferation via LINC01134. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate the effects of A-H on the A549 cell cycle through LINC01134， and Western blot was used to detect changes in cell cycle proteins. ResultsCompared with the IgG group， the oe-CTCF group showed a significantly increased abundance of LINC01134 aggregates （P0.01）. Compared with the oe-Vector group， p21 abundance in CTCF complexes was significantly reduced in the oe-LINC01134 group （P0.01）. Compared with the 10% blank + oe-LINC01134 group， the 10% A-H + oe-LINC01134 group reversed the expression of LINC01134 and p21 （P0.05）， but had no significant regulatory effect on CTCF. Compared with the 10% blank + oe-LINC01134 group， the 10% A-H + oe-LINC01134 group reversed cell viability at 72 h （P0.05）， inhibited malignant proliferation （P0.05）， and reversed the proportions of cells in the G₀/G₁ and S phases （P0.01）. Furthermore， compared with the 10% blank + oe-LINC01134 group， the 10% A-H + oe-LINC01134 group reversed the expression of Cyclin D₁， CDK4， Cyclin E， CDK2， phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein （p-Rb）， and E2F transcription factor 3 （E2F3） （P0.01）. ConclusionA-H regulates the LINC01134-CTCF-p21 axis to block the G₁/S phase transition of A549 cell cycle， accelerate cellular senescence， and inhibit malignant proliferation.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is a chronic liver disease closely related to metabolism， which is mainly characterized by abnormal lipid deposition in hepatocytes. In recent years， with the increasing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome， NAFLD has become one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and varied， involving the cross-regulation of multiple signaling pathways such as glucose-lipid metabolism， oxidative stress， and inflammation. The TLR4 signaling pathway plays a key role in the development and progression of NAFLD， and abnormal activation of this pathway accelerates the deterioration of NAFLD by promoting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines， inducing oxidative stress， and exacerbating insulin resistance. Studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） can regulate the TLR4 signaling pathway to alleviate the symptoms and pathological features of NAFLD. The present review summarizes the experimental research progress in the TCM regulation of the TLR4 signaling pathway in treating NAFLD in the past 5 years， covering a wide range of TCM active ingredients （such as polysaccharides， terpenoids， alkaloids， flavonoids） and compound prescriptions. The active ingredients and compound prescriptions of TCM can effectively ameliorate lipid metabolism disorders， reduce insulin resistance， regulate intestinal flora， and inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress by regulating the TLR4 signaling pathway via multiple targets and pathways， thus slowing down the progression of NAFLD. Through in-depth analysis of the pathological mechanisms of NAFLD and exploration of the potential of TLR4 signaling pathway as a therapeutic target， we can provide theoretical support for the application of TCM in the treatment of NAFLD， as well as new perspectives and directions for future clinical research and new drug development， thereby promoting the innovation and development of therapeutic strategies for NAFLD.

BACKGROUND: The contraction behaviors of cardiomyocytes (CMs), especially contraction synchrony, are crucial factors reflecting their maturity and response to drugs. A wider field of view helps to observe more pronounced synchrony differences, but the accompanied greater computational load, requiring more computing power or longer computational time. METHODS: We proposed a method that directly correlates variations in optical field brightness with cardiac tissue contraction status (CVB method), based on principles from physics and photometry, for rapid video analysis in wide field of view to obtain contraction parameters, such as period and contraction propagation direction and speed. RESULTS: Through video analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived CMs labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) cultured on aligned and random nanofiber scaffolds, the CVB method was demonstrated to obtain contraction parameters and quantify the direction and speed of contraction within regions of interest (ROIs) in wide field of view. The CVB method required less computation time compared to one of the contour tracking methods, the LucasKanade (LK) optical flow method, and provided better stability and accuracy in the results. CONCLUSION This method has a smaller computational load, is less affected by motion blur and out-of-focus conditions, and provides a potential tool for accurate and rapid analysis of cardiac tissue contraction synchrony in wide field of view without the need for more powerful hardware.

ObjectiveTo explore the listed varieties and prescription characteristics of Chinese patent medicines for stroke in China， explore the medication rules of Chinese medicine for stroke， and provide guidance for further clinical research and development of Chinese patent medicines. MethodsExcel 2021 and the Ancient and Modern Medical Record Cloud Platform （V2.3.5） were used to systematically mine and analyze the varieties and prescriptions of Chinese patent medicines for stroke in China. ResultsA total of 244 Chinese patent medicines （two for different dosage forms of the same prescription）， 1 736 approval documents for Chinese patent medicines， 792 manufacturers， and 83 varieties of protected Chinese patent medicines were finally included in the database. The top three dosage forms were capsules （75）， pills （53）， and tablets （42）. There were 28 Chinese patent medicines for stroke in the National Essential Drug Catalogue （2018）， 129 in the National Essential Medical Insurance， Industrial Injury Insurance and Maternity Insurance Drug Catalogue （2023）， and 4 in the National Non-prescription Drug Catalogue. Among the 138 prescriptions screened out， Chinese patent medicines mainly treated stroke patients with the syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis. The top three most frequent medicinal herbs were Chuanxiong Rhizoma （63）， Pheretima （47）， and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma （47）. The medicinal herbs used were mainly warm， pungent， with the meridian tropism to the liver meridian. The correlation analysis showed that the herb pair with the highest support was Astragali Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma， and that with the highest confidence was Carthami Flos-Chuanxiong Rhizoma. Five herb combinations were identified based on the cluster analysis. ConclusionThe Chinese patent medicines for stroke mainly treat patients with the syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis. The medicinal herbs used in the prescriptions mainly have the functions of activating blood and resolving stasis， extinguishing wind and stopping convulsions. Drug compatibility usually focuses on activating blood and resolving stasis， as well as expelling phlegm and opening orifices. This review of the varieties and prescription characteristics of Chinese patent medicines for stroke helps optimize clinical decision-making， guide drug research and development， promote medical research and scientific progress， and provide more effective support and guarantee for the treatment of stroke patients.

BackgroundInvasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy has been approved for the adjunctive treatment of treatment-resistant depression， which may contribute to the anti-inflammatory properties of vagus nerve stimulation （VNS）， whereas the efficacy of non-invasive transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation （tcVNS） in treating major depressive disorder （MDD） and its impact on plasma inflammatory factors remain unclear. ObjectiveTo observe the effect of escitaloprom combined with tcVNS on the status of depression， anxiety and sleep quality as well as the plasma levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and interleukin-10 （IL-10） in MDD patients， in order to provide references for the recovery and treatment of MDD patients. MethodsFrom August 21， 2019 to April 17， 2024， 45 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for MDD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） were recruited from the psychosomatic outpatient clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University. Subjects were divided into study group （n=23） and control group （n=22） using random number table method. All patients were treated with escitalopram. On this basis， study group added a 30-minute tcVNS therapy once a day for 4 weeks. While control group was given corresponding sham stimulation， and the duration of each stimulation lasted 30 seconds. Before and after 4 weeks of treatment， Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item （HAMD-17） was used to assess depressive symptoms， and HAMD-17 anxiety/somatization subfactor and insomnia subfactor were used to assess patients' anxiety/somatization symptoms and sleep quality. Levels of plasma IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultsThe generalized estimating equation model yielded a significant time effect for HAMD-17 total score， anxiety/somatization subfactor score and insomnia subfactor score in both groups （Wald χ²=315.226， 495.481， 82.420， P<0.01）. After 4 weeks of treatment， HAMD-17 total score and anxiety/somatization subfactor score of study group were lower than those of control group， with statistically significant differences （Wald χ²=4.967， 32.543， P<0.05 or 0.01）， while no statistically significant difference was found in the insomnia subfactor score between two groups （Wald χ²=0.819， P=0.366）. Significant time effects were reported on plasma IL-6 and IL-10 levels in both groups （Wald χ²=21.792， 5.242， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Compared with baseline data， a reduction in plasma IL-6 levels was detected in both groups （Wald χ²=22.015， 6.803， P<0.01）， and an increase in plasma IL-10 levels was reported in study group （Wald χ²=5.118， P=0.024） after 4 weeks of treatment. ConclusionEscitalopram combined with tcVNS therapy is effective in improving depressive symptoms， anxiety/somatization symptoms and sleep quality in patients with MDD. Additionally， it helps reduce plasma IL-6 levels and increase IL-10 levels. ［Funded by Shaanxi Provincial Key Research and Development Program-General Project （number， 2023-YBSF-185）， www.clinicaltrials.gov number， NCT04037111］

[Objective] To explore the feasibility of using whole blood as a source of NK cells for allogeneic CAR NK cell therapy and activated NK cell reinfusion therapy, and initially construct a technical system for the separation and purification of NK cells from whole blood. [Methods] All peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were enriched from 400 mL of whole blood by manual separation and machine separation, respectively. The erythrocyte loss rate, PBMCs number, NK cell purity of the two methods were compared. NK cells were sorted from PBMCs by three separation and enrichment methods as immunomagnetic bead negative selection method, platelet lysate culture expansion and PERCOLL density gradient separation method, and the purity and yield of NK cells, the activity of NK cells and the tumor-killing ability of the three separation and enrichment methods were compared. [Results] The proportion of NK cells in the lymphocyte population was higher in the manual separation method than in the machine separation method[(13.16±5.16)% vs (8.56±3.92)%, P<0.05]; the number PBMCs was lower in the manual separation method than in the machine separation method[(4.09±1.80)×10⁸vs (6.49±2.16)×10⁸, P<0.05], and there was no difference in the red blood cell loss between the two methods (P>0.05). The purity of NK cells isolated and enriched from PBMCs by manual separation method using immunomagnetic was (96.77±2.31)%; the yield was (56.27±10.47)%; the inhibition of tumor proliferation was (38.67±14.05)%; and the tumor killing rate was (19.90±8.05)%. The purity of NK cells isolated and enriched from PBMCs by manual separation method using platelet lysis culture expansion method was the highest at day 7, which was (54.84±15.80)%; the cell expansion multiple could reach 16.92±6.28 at day 7; the in vitro tumor killing rate of NK cells was (15.83±5.5)%; the tumor inhibition rate was (44.33±13.5)%; and there was no difference in the toxicity and activity of NK cells between the two methods (P>0.05). The purity of NK cells isolated and enriched by PERCOLL density gradient separation method was (15.83±5.82)%, and the yield was (14±6.25)%, which was significantly lower than the other two methods. [Conclusion] PBMCs isolated from whole blood by manual separation and NK cells enriched by negative selection with immunomagnetic beads have the potential to provide NK cell materials for CAR-NK cell therapy, and NK cells enriched by platelet lysate-conditioned medium have the potential to provide NK cells for large-scale NK cell activation reinfusion therapy.

After continuous development and improvement, lung transplantation has become the preferred means to treat a variety of benign end-stage lung diseases. However, the field of lung transplantation still faces many challenges, including shortage of donor resources, preservation and maintenance of donor lungs, and postoperative complications. Lung tissue samples removed after lung transplantation are excellent clinical resources for the study of benign end-stage lung disease and perioperative complications of lung transplantation. However, at present, the collection, storage and utilization of tissue samples after lung transplantation are limited to a single study, and unified technical specifications have not been formed. Based on the construction plan of the biobank for lung transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, this study reviewed the practical experience in the collection, storage and utilization of lung transplant tissue samples in the aspects of ethical review, staffing, collection process, storage method, quality control and efficient utilization, in order to provide references for lung transplant related research.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of excessive activation of the Specific protein 1 （Sp1）-MicroRNA-582-3p （miR-582-3p）-cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor （p27） axis on the cell cycle and proliferation of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells at the cellular level， thereby investigating the possible mechanisms by which Astragali Radix and Hedyotis diffusa（A-H） regulate the axis to inhibit A549 cells proliferation. MethodsLentiviral plasmid transfection technology was used to obtain four stable A549 transgenic cell lines： shRNA-Sp1+LV-miR-582-3p mimic， shRNA-Sp1+LV-mNC， shRNA-NC+LV-miR-582-3p mimic， and shRNA-NC+LV-mNC. Real-time PCR was used to detect the effect of Sp1 on miR-582-3p expression in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. CCK-8 and colony formation assay were used to detect the effect of Sp1 on cell proliferation through miR-582-3p， while flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of Sp1 on cell cycle via miR-582-3p. Western blot was used to detect the effect of Sp1 on cyclin in A549 cells through miR-582-3p. CCK-8 was employed to detect the effects of different concentrations （5%， 10%， 20%， 40%， 80%） of A-H on A549 cell viability， and the optimal concentration was selected for subsequent mechanism exploration. Stable transgenic strains oe-Sp1 and control oe-Vector were constructed using the above-mentioned transfection techniques. Real-time PCR was then used to investigate the effect of A-H on miR-582-3p expression in A549 cells， while Western blot was employed to detect the effect of A-H on Sp1 and p27 expression in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. ResultsCompared with the shRNA-NC+LV-mNC group， the expression of miR-582-3p was significantly inhibited in the shRNA-Sp1+LV-mNC group （P<0.01）. Compared with the shRNA-Sp1+LV-mNC group， the shRNA-Sp1+LV-miR-582-3p mimic group significantly reversed miR-582-3p expression （P<0.01）， indicating that Sp1 has a significant regulatory effect on miR-582-3p. Compared with the shRNA-Sp1+LV-mNC group， the shRNA-Sp1+LV-miR-582-3p mimic group significantly reversed cell proliferation （P<0.01）， suggesting that miR-582-3p can partially reverse the proliferative effect of Sp1 on A549 lung adenocarcinoma. Compared with the shRNA-Sp1+LV-mNC group， the shRNA-Sp1+LV-miR-582-3p mimic group showed a significant decrease in G₀/G₁ proportions， while the G₂/M and S phase proportions increased significantly （P<0.01）， indicating that miR-582-3p can partially reverse the effect of Sp1 on the A549 cell cycle. Compared with the shRNA-Sp1+LV-mNC group， the shRNA-Sp1+LV-miR-582-3p mimic group significantly reversed the expression of various proteins with the decrease of p27 and the increase of Cyclin D₁， CDK4， Cyclin E， CDK2， p-Rb， and E2F3 （P<0.01）， indicating that miR-582-3p can partially reverse the effect of Sp1 on the cell cycle of A549 lung adenocarcinoma. Compared with the blank group， the serum containing A-H significantly inhibited A549 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore， 10% A-H was selected for intervention of subsequent mechanism experiments. Compared with A-H+oe-Vector， A-H+oe-Sp1 significantly reversed the downregulation of Sp1， miR-582-3p， and the upregulation of p27 （P<0.01）. This suggests that Sp1 can partially reverse the effects of A-H on miR-582-3p and p27 levels in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. ConclusionOveractivation of the Sp1-miR-582-3p-p27 axis significantly promotes the proliferation of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells， and the potential mechanism of the inhibitory effect of A-H on the proliferation of A549 cells may be related to its inhibition on the overactivation of the Sp1-miR-582-3p-p27 axis.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.