OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) had a good curative effect on the neuroprotection of red nucleus neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI) and the possible molecular mechanism. METHODS: Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups (n=18 per group) according to a random number table, including the control, model, low- (12.78 g/kg, BL group), medium- (25.65 g/kg, BM group), and high-dose BYHWD groups (51.30 g/kg, BH group). A rubrospinal tract transection model in rats was established, and different doses of BYHWD were intragastrically administrated for 4 weeks. The forelimb locomotor function was recorded using the spontaneous vertical exploration test. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level in red nucleus was detected through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The morphology and number of red nucleus neurons were observed using Nissl's staining and axonal retrograde tracing by Fluoro-Gold (FG). The expression of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in red nucleus were detected using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the utilization rate of bilateral forelimbs, unilateral right forelimbs, proportion of FG-labeled positive neurons, cAMP level, protein expressions of PKA and BDNF, and BDNF mRNA expression were significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.01), while NF-κB p65 was increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the utilization rate of bilateral forelimbs and unilateral right forelimbs were significantly higher in the BL, BM and BH groups (P<0.01), the proportion of FG-labeled positive neurons, cAMP level, protein expressions of PKA and BDNF and BDNF mRNA expression in all BYHWD groups were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while NF-κB p65 were decreased in all BYHWD groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS BYHWD possesses a sound neuroprotective effect on red nucleus neurons after SCI, and the efficacy was dose-related. The mechanism may be related to regulating the cAMP/PKA/NF-κ B p65 signaling pathway, finally promoting expression of BDNF.
Animals ; Spinal Cord Injuries/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Cyclic AMP/metabolism* ; Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism* ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/genetics* ; Red Nucleus/metabolism* ; Recovery of Function/drug effects* ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Rats

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OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of portal and tail vein transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) against cholestatic liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS: BMSCs were isolated and co-cultured with starvation-activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). HSC activation markers were identified using immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR. BMSCs were injected into the liver tissues of bile duct ligation (BDL) mice via the tail and portal veins. Histomorphology, liver function, inflammatory cytokines, and the expression of key proteins were all determined in the liver tissues. RESULTS: BMSCs inhibited HSC activation by reducing α-SMA and collagen I expression. Compared to tail vein injection, DIL-labeled BMSCs injected through the portal vein maintained a high homing rate in the liver. Moreover, BMSCs transplanted through the portal vein resulted in greater improvement in liver color, hardness, and gallbladder size than did those transplanted through the tail vein. Furthermore, BMSCs injected by portal vein, but not tail vein, markedly ameliorated liver function, reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, and decreased α-SMA + hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and collagen fiber formation. CONCLUSION The therapeutic effect of BMSCs on cholestatic liver fibrosis in mice via portal vein transplantation was superior to that of tail vein transplantation. This comparative study provides reference information for further BMSC studies focused on clinical cholestatic liver diseases.
Animals ; Mice ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology* ; Male ; Cholestasis/therapy* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Objective To observe the value of multi-detector CT(MDCT)for evaluating changes of aortic root parameters caused by aortic stenosis(AS).Methods MDCT data of 20 cases with severe AS were retrospectively analyzed.The changes of the long diameter,short diameter,mean diameter,area,circumference,as well as diameter derived from area(DA)and diameter derived from circumference(DC)of aortic annulus(AA),left ventricular outflow tract(LVOT)and sinotubular junction(STJ)during early systole,late systole,early diastole and late diastole were measured and calculated,respectively.Results In early systole,the short diameter,mean diameter,area,circumference,DA and DC of A A were all significantly larger than that those in late systole,early diastole and late diastole(all P＜0.05).No significant difference of the long diameter of AA was found among different phases(all P＞0.05).Meanwhile,the short diameter,mean diameter,area,circumference,DA and DC of LVOT in early systole were all significantly larger than those in late systole,early diastole and late diastole(all P＜0.05).The long diameter of LVOT in early systole was larger than in late systole(P＜0.05),but not significantly different compared with that in early and late diastole(both P＞0.05).No significant difference of the above parameters of STJ was found among different phases(all P＞0.05).At early systole,DA and the mean diameter of AA were both significantly smaller than those of DC(both P＜0.05).Conclusion AA parameters obtained with MDCT in patients with severe AS were valuable for selecting prosthetic valves during transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

An implantable cardiac monitor(ICM)is a subcutaneous electronic device for recording and remotely transmitting electrocardiographic events.New-generation ICM,like the Reveal LINQ,have extended arrhythmia monitoring duration and improved diagnostic yield through miniaturization,large storage capacity,and easy implantation.They provide comprehensive monitoring data for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment,optimize individualized treatment plans,and enhance patient prognosis.In recent years,research on ICM in cardiovascular fields has deepened,and their clinical application scope has expanded.They show significant advantages and unique value and are widely used in early cardiovascular disease diagnosis and prognostic management.In the future,ICM are expected to play a bigger role in boosting diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for cardiovascular disease patients,offering stronger support for early disease detection,accurate diagnosis,and effective management.

Aim To identify the underlying target of bullatine A(BA)against rheumatoid arthritis(RA)u-sing limited proteolysis-small molecule mapping(LiP-SMap)drug target proteomics and to provide a scientif-ic basis for clinical application of Aconiti brachypodi Radix in the treatment of RA.Methods LiP-SMap drug target proteomics was employed to perform bioin-formatics analysis for comparing and validating the dif-ferential protein expression after BA intervention.A collagen-induced arthritis(CIA)model was estab-lished in DBA/1 mice using bovine type Ⅱ collagen.The mice were then divided into the CIA model group,methotrexate-positive control group(MTX group),and BA groups(10 mg·kg-1 and 20 mg·kg-1)based on their clinical scores.After drug intervention,the thera-peutic efficacy against RA was assessed by joint index scores and foot thickness measurements.Histopatholog-ical changes in the arthritic joints of CIA mice were e-valuated using hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to detect inflammatory cytokines interleukin-17(IL-17)and total IgG and IgG3 anti-collagen-spe-cific antibodies levels from the serum of CIA mice.Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression levels of intracellular Th17 cells(IL-17+CD4+T cells)and Th1 cells(IFN-γ+CD4+T cells).Fluorescent quanti-tative PCR was performed to detect the expression of genes related to differential proteins.Results The proteomic analysis identified Serpinb1a as a protein with strong binding affinity to BA,and KEGG enrich-ment analysis indicated IL-17 signaling pathway was a crucial pathway of BA in against RA.BA treatment significantly reduced clinical scores and foot thickness,improved local arthritis symptoms in CIA mice,and al-leviated inflammatory cell infiltration into arthritic joints(P＜0.05).Differential protein validation re-sults showed that BA had strong affinity with Serpinb1a(-5.92 kJ·mol-1)and downregulated the expres-sion of Serpinb1a mRNA.Furthermore,the administra-tion of BA markedly reduced serum IL-17 A levels from CIA mice,inhibited the expression of intracellular IL-17 A and IFN-γ cytokines in splenic CD4+T cells(P＜0.05),and significantly downregulated the transcrip-tional expression of IL-17F(P＜0.05).Conclusion BA exhibits therapeutic effects on collagen-induced arthritis,and its mechanism of action may involve the regulation of Serpinb1a and the IL-17 signaling path-way.

Objective:To explore the correlation of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)parameters and serum level of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9(PCSK9)with pathological characteristics and chemotherapy sensitivity of breast cancer patients.Methods:The clinical data of 102 breast cancer patients admitted to our hospital from Feb 2022 to May 2024 were respectively analyzed.Based on the principle of 1∶1 selection,102 patients with benign breast tumors during the same period were selected as the control group.The DCE-MRI parameters[transport constant(Ktrans),rate constant(Kep),volume ratio of the external space(Ve),and apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)]and serum PCSK9 level were compared between the two groups and patients with different pathological characteristics,and the correlation was analyzed.The value of DCE-MRI parameters(Ktrans,Kep,Ve,ADC)combined with serum PCSK9 level in assessing the sensitivity of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients was analyzed.Results:The Ktrans,Kep,Ve,ADC values,and serum PCSK9 level in breast cancer group were higher than those in the benign breast tumor group(P＜0.01).Breast cancer patients with low-to-moderate differentiation,pathological stage Ⅲ,and lymph node metastasis had higher Ktrans,Kep,Ve,ADC values,and serum PCSK9 level compared to those with high differentiation,pathological stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ,and no lymph node metastasis(P＜0.05).The degree of differentiation,pathological stage,and lymph node metastasis were positively correlated with Ktrans,Kep,Ve,ADC values,and serum PCSK9 level(P＜0.01).The Ktrans,Kep,Ve,ADC values,and serum PCSK9 level in breast cancer patients with chemotherapy resistance were higher than those in patients with chemotherapy sensitivity(P＜0.01).Patients with chemotherapy resistance had a higher proportion of low-to-moderate differentiation,pathological stage Ⅲ,and lymph node metastasis than patients with chemotherapy sensitivity(P＜0.05).After adjusting the degree of differentiation,pathological stage and lymph node metastasis,Ktrans,Kep,Ve,ADC values and serum PCSK9 level were still the influencing factors of chemotherapy sensitivity in breast cancer patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion:DCE-MRI parameters and serum PCSK9 level are correlated with the clinical pathological characteristics of breast cancer patients,and the combination of these indicators can provide certain reference value for clinical evaluation of chemotherapy sensitivity in breast cancer patients.

Objective:To develop a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire on oral health for pregnant women and to evaluate its reliability and validity.Methods:Following the methodological framework of DeVellis's scale development guidelines, the initial version of the questionnaire was constructed through literature review, focus group discussions, and two rounds of expert consultations. A convenience sample of pregnant women attending the obstetrics outpatient clinic at Peking University People's Hospital was surveyed from September to October 2023 for psychometric evaluation.Results:A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed and all were returned with valid responses, yielding a 100.00% (200/200) response rate. The finalized KAP questionnaire consisted of 32 items across three dimensions: oral health knowledge, attitude, and behavior among pregnant women. The scale-level content validity index universal agreement ( S- CVI/UA) was 0.843, and the item-level CVI ( I- CVI) ranged from 0.889 to 1.000. Cronbach's α coefficients for the three dimensions ranged from 0.716 to 0.911, and test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from 0.744 to 0.952. Conclusions:The developed KAP questionnaire demonstrates good content validity and reliability and can be used to assess the level of oral health knowledge, attitude, and behavior among pregnant women.

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural,chlorogenic acid,caffeic acid,strychnine,paeoniflorin,ferulic acid,paeoniflorin Ⅰ,epimedium glycoside,psoralen,isopsoralen and glycyrrhetinic acid in Bunao Soft Capsules.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 35 ℃ thermostatic Waters Symmetry C18 column(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile-0.1％phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelengths were set at 230,280 nm.RESULTS Eleven constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r＞0.999 0),whose average recoveries were 98.47％-103.30％with RSDs of 1.13％-2.80％.CONCLUSION This simple and reliable method can be used for the quality control of Bunao Soft Capsules.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the management status of small pressure steam sterilizers in dental institu-tions across seven major regions of China and provide references for establishing standardized monitoring and eval-uation protocols for sterilization efficacy.METHODS From Aug.to Nov.2023,a convenience sampling method was employed to select 885 dental institutions of various levels from seven geographical regions.An online survey using a self-designed questionnaire was conducted to assess the management status of small pressure steam steri-lizers in dental institutions.RESULTS A total of 885 questionnaires were distributed,with 770 valid responses col-lected,covering 770 dental institutions at all levels.The survey involved 2 056 small pressure steam sterilizers,of which 43.14％were pre-vacuum type and 89.40％were benchtop models.Tertiary dental institutions had the high-est proportion of imported small pressure steam sterilizers(60.15％),with most devices in use for 5-10 years(36.88％).Secondary and low er-level institutions predominantly used domestically produced small pressure steam sterilizers(74.60％),which used for 3-5 years accounting for the highest proportion(34.29％).While 85.58％of dental institutions employed dedicated sterilization personnel,only 45.84％performed proper maintenance for small pressure steam sterilizers.Training rates were 80.00％for department of stomatology in ungraded general hospitals and primary medical institutions,76.19％in prejob and 71.43％during the work for department of sto-matology in primary clinics,respectively.CONCLUSIONS Although most dental institutions demonstrate sound policy formulation,challenges persist in equipment maintenance,policy implementation and grassroots training.Future efforts should be made on strengthening maintenance and inspection of equipment,enhancing sys-tem supervisory mechanisms,and optimizing training systems to ensure dental treatment safety.