Ocular surface squamous neoplasia(OSSN)is a series of pathological solid tumors formed by dysplasia of keratoconjunctival epithelium, which is one of the most common ocular surface tumors in adults. In the past two decades, the treatment of OSSN has gradually changed from surgical resection to topical chemotherapy. Interferons, 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin are the most commonly used topical agents for the clinical treatment of this disease. This paper summarizes the diagnosis of OSSN and various local chemotherapy treatment options, highlights the potential role of high-resolution optical coherence tomography(HR-OCT)technology in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) with different frequencies on spermatogenic function, testicular morphology and oxidative stress in oligoasthenospermia (OAT) rats, and to explore the mechanism and the optimal parameters of EA for OAT. METHODS: Sixty SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly divided into a solvent control group, a model group, a 2 Hz EA group, a 100 Hz EA group and a 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group, with 12 rats in each group. Except for the solvent control group, the other 4 groups were administered ornidazole suspension (800 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) by gavage for 28 d to establish the OAT model. Starting from the 1st of modeling, EA was applied at "Guanyuan" (CV4), "Qihai" (CV6) and bilateral "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) and "Zusanli" (ST36) in the 3 EA groups, continuous wave of 2 Hz, continuous wave of 100 Hz, and disperse-dense wave of 2 Hz/100 Hz were used in the 2 Hz EA group, the 100 Hz EA group, and the 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group, respectively, with current intensity of 1-3 mA, 30 min a time, once every other day, for 28 consecutive days. After intervention, the testicular index was calculated, epididymal sperm quality was assessed, and the fertility ability was observed; morphology of testicular tissue was observed by HE staining, and the Johnson score was calculated; the positive expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in testicular tissue was detected by immunofluorescence; the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), as well as the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in testicular tissue were measured by ELISA; the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in testicular tissue was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the solvent control group, in the model group, the testicular index, sperm concentration, sperm motility and the number of offspring were decreased (P<0.01), the seminiferous tubules atrophied and the Johnson score decreased (P<0.01); the activity of SOD and CAT, as well as the protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in testicular tissue were decreased (P<0.01); the sperm deformity rate, the positive expression of ROS and the MDA level in testicular tissue were increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the 2 Hz EA group, the 100 Hz EA group and the 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group, the testicular index, sperm concentration, sperm motility and the number of offspring were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the pathological morphology of testicular tissue improved and the Johnson scores increased (P<0.01); the activity of SOD and CAT, as well as the protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in testicular tissue were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01); the sperm deformity rate, the positive expression of ROS and the MDA level in testicular tissue were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the 2 Hz EA group, in the 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group, the testicular index, sperm concentration, sperm motility, as well as the CAT activity and HO-1 protein expression in testicular tissue were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05); the positive expression of ROS was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the 100 Hz EA group, in the 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group, the testicular index was increased (P<0.01), the positive expression of ROS in testicular tissue was decreased (P<0.01). CONCLUSION EA with 2 Hz continuous wave, 100 Hz continuous wave, and 2 Hz/100 Hz disperse-dense wave can all improve the spermatogenic arrest and reduce the level of oxidative stress in testicular tissue in OAT rats, the mechanism may be related to up-regulating the protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 and improving oxidative stress. EA with disperse-dense wave of 2 Hz/100 Hz shows the optimal effect.
Male ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogenesis ; Oligospermia/genetics* ; Humans ; Testis/metabolism* ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism* ; Asthenozoospermia/genetics* ; Acupuncture Points ; Malondialdehyde/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture at "four pharyngeal points" on simple vocal tics with liver hyperactivity disturbed wind in children. METHODS: Sixty children with simple vocal tics of liver hyperactivity disturbed wind were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (30 cases). The control group was given Changma Xifeng tablets orally, 3 times a day, while the observation group was treated with acupuncture at "four pharyngeal points" on the basis of the treatment in the control group, 15-20 min a time, once daily for 7 days, with a 3-day break. Both groups were treated for 3 months. The TCM syndrome score and Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS) score of the two groups were observed before treatment and after 1, 2, 3 months of treatment, the disappearance time of simple vocal tics was recorded, and the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated after treatment. RESULTS: After 1, 2, 3 months of treatment, the TCM syndrome scores and YGTSS scores of the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the scores of the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The disappearance time of simple vocal tics in the observation group was earlier than that in the control group (P<0.05). The effective rate of the observation group was 93.1% (27/29), which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture at "four pharyngeal points" could improve symptoms in children with simple vocal tics of liver hyperactivity disturbed wind, and shorten the disappearance time of simple vocal tics.
Humans ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Child ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Child, Preschool ; Liver/drug effects* ; Tics/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

This study aims to reveal the effect and mechanism of Gentianella turkestanorum total extract(GTI) in ameliorating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH). UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to identify the chemical components in GTI. SwissTarget-Prediction, GeneCards, OMIM, and TTD were utilized to screen the targets of GTI components and NASH. The common targets shared by GTI components and NASH were filtered through the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0 to identify core targets, followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. AutoDock was used for molecular docking of key components with core targets. A mouse model of NASH was established with a methionine-choline-deficient high-fat diet. A 4-week drug intervention was conducted, during which mouse weight was monitored, and the liver-to-brain ratio was measured at the end. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Sirius red staining, and oil red O staining were employed to observe the pathological changes in the liver tissue. The levels of various biomarkers, including aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), hydroxyproline(HYP), total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione(GSH), in the serum and liver tissue were determined. RT-qPCR was conducted to measure the mRNA levels of interleukin 1β(IL-1β), interleukin 6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), collagen type I α1 chain(COL1A1), and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA). Western blotting was conducted to determine the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and potential drug targets identified through network pharmacology. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS identified 581 chemical components of GTI, and 534 targets of GTI and 1 157 targets of NASH were screened out. The topological analysis of the common targets shared by GTI and NASH identified core targets such as IL-1β, IL-6, protein kinase B(AKT), TNF, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma(PPARG). GO and KEGG analyses indicated that the ameliorating effect of GTI on NASH was related to inflammatory responses and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT pathway. The staining results demonstrated that GTI ameliorated hepatocyte vacuolation, swelling, ballooning, and lipid accumulation in NASH mice. Compared with the model group, high doses of GTI reduced the AST, ALT, HYP, TC, and TG levels(P<0.01) while increasing the HDL-C, SOD, and GSH levels(P<0.01). RT-qPCR results showed that GTI down-regulated the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COL1A1, and α-SMA(P<0.01). Western blot results indicated that GTI down-regulated the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K), phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT), phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha(p-IκBα), and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)(P<0.01). In summary, GTI ameliorates inflammation, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress associated with NASH by regulating the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Liver/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Molecular Docking Simulation

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the B_el subtype gene mutation and its genetic mechanism in a family line. METHODS: ABO blood groups were identified by serologic tests. ABO genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP). Sanger sequencing was performed on exons 1-7 of the ABO gene, the flanking intronic region, and exon 7 of the single strand of the gene confirmed the mutation site location. Missense3D software was used to predict the protein structure alteration caused by this mutation. RESULTS: Conventional serologic tests failed to detect erythrocyte B antigen in the proband and her three family members, and only trace amounts of B antigen expression could be detected by the absorption-dispersal test. DNA analysis showed that, on the basis of the normal ABO gene, there was a G>T substitution in the position of exon 7, position 803, which resulted in the change of amino acid 268 from Gly to Val. Further single-stranded sequencing analysis showed that the mutation site was located in the B gene. CONCLUSION In this family line, the proband, her father, her son, and her daughter all have reduced B type glycosyltransferase activity due to the new point mutation (c.803G>T) in exon 7 of the B gene, and the B antigen can only be detected by the absorption-dispersal method, and the point mutation can be stably inherited by offspring.
Point Mutation ; Alleles ; ABO Blood-Group System/genetics* ; Exons ; Introns ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Glycosyltransferases/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis (LS) and the proportion of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis (SS) in China, and to evaluate the musculoskeletal status of patients with LS and SS. METHODS: Spine Computed Tomography (CT) images were collected from community populations aged 40 and above in a nationwide multi-center project. LS was diagnosed, and SS was graded by an experienced radiologist. Bone mineral density (BMD) and paraspinal muscle parameters were quantified based on CT images. RESULTS: One hundred and seventeen patients of a total of 3,317 individuals were diagnosed with LS, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 3.53%. 63 of the 1,214 males (5.18%) and 54 of the 2,103 females (2.57%) were diagnosed with LS. SS occurred in 64/121 vertebrae (52.89%). BMD was not associated with LS ( P = 0.341). The L5 extensor paraspinal muscle density was higher in the LS group than in the non-LS group. In the LS group, patients with SS had a smaller L5 paraspinal extensor muscle cross-sectional area than those without SS ( P = 0.003). CONCLUSION The prevalence of LS in Chinese adults was 3.53%, with prevalence rates of 5.18% in males and 2.57% in females. Patients with LS have higher muscle density, whereas those with SS have smaller muscle cross-sectional areas at the L5 level.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Adult ; Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; Spondylolysis/diagnostic imaging* ; Aged ; Bone Density ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Aged, 80 and over ; Spondylolisthesis/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

The incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) continues to rise, and there are no effective drugs to treat it. The immune microenvironment plays an important role in the development of ICC and is currently a research hotspot. Icaritin (ICA) is an innovative traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. It is considered to have potential immunoregulatory and anti-tumor effects, which is potentially consistent with the understanding of "Fuzheng" in the treatment of tumor in traditional Chinese medicine. However, whether ICA can be used to treat ICC has not been reported. Therefore, in this study, sgp19/kRas, an in situ ICC mouse model with intact immune system, was selected to evaluate the efficacy of ICA in the treatment of ICC in vivo for the first time, and the effects of ICA on the tumor immune microenvironment of ICC mice were analyzed by flow cytometry. This experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Capital Medical University (approval number: AEEI-2023-138). In this study, sgp19/kRas ICC mouse model was treated with oral gavage of 100 mg·kg^-1 ICA. We found that ICA significantly inhibited tumor growth and tumor cell proliferation in the sgp19/kRas ICC mouse model after 3 weeks of treatment. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that ICA treatment markedly reduced the proportion of M2 macrophages and increased the number of CD3⁺CD4⁺ T cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that ICA promoted macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype while inhibiting polarization towards the M2 phenotype. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis suggested that ICA enhanced Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) expression, influencing macrophage nitric oxide metabolism synthesis pathways and receptor-related activities, thereby regulating macrophage polarization. In summary, this study demonstrates that ICA treatment significantly delays tumor progression in sgp19/kRas ICC mouse models. Mechanistically, ICA may achieve its anti-ICC effects by upregulating TLR9 receptor expression levels, promoting macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype, and altering the tumor immune microenvironment.

Objective To explore the mechanism of the therapy of promoting blood circulation and nourishing yin(PBCNY)in improving spermatogenesis in rats with varicocele based on Bcl-2/Bax pathway.Methods Thirty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups(five rats per group):sham,model,levocarnitine(1.0 g/kg),and PBCNY low-dose(5.2 g/kg),PBCNY medium-dose(10.4 g/kg),and PBCNY high-dose(20.8 g/kg)groups.Apart from the sham group,all the groups were built a varicocele model by the classical Turner method.After 4 weeks,the sham group and model group were gavaged with normal saline,and the remaining groups were given with levocarnitine or different doses of PBCNY decoction once a day for 4 weeks.At the end of gavage,the sperm quality of rats in each group was detected by a computer-assisted sperm analyzer,and HE staining was used to observe the testicular tissue morphology of rats in each group and performed with Johnsen score.TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis,RT-qPCR was used to detect Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA expression,and immunohistochemical method was used to detect cytochrome C protein expression.Results Compared to the sham group,sperm total count,motility rate and percentage of sperm with grade(a+b)motility were lower in the model group of rats(P<0.05).HE staining showed disturbed arrangement of seminiferous tubules in the testicular tissue with significant changes and decreased Johnsen score(P<0.05).The result of TUNEL assay showed that the apoptosis rate was increased in the model group(P<0.05).Bax mRNA expression was increased in testicular tissue(P<0.05).The result of immunohistochemistry showed that the positive expression of cytochrome C was increased in the model group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the rat sperm total count in the PBCNY medium-dose group,motility rate in the PBCNY low-and medium-dose groups,and percentage of sperm with grade(a+b)motility in the PBCNY low-dose group increased(P<0.05);the pathological structure of rat testis had different degrees of improvement,and Johnsen score increased in the PBCNY medium-dose group(P<0.05);the apoptosis rate of testicular cells decreased in the levocarnitine group and all doses of PBCNY groups(P<0.05);the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA increased in the PBCNY low-dose and high-dose groups(P<0.05),and the expression of Bax mRNA decreased in the levocarnitine group and the PBCNY medium-dose group(P<0.05);the positive expression of cytochrome C decreased in the PBCNY medium-dose group(P<0.05).Conclusion The therapy of PBCNY can improve sperm quality,repair damaged testicular tissue structure and improve spermatogenic function in rats with varicocele,and its mechanism of action may be related to the activation of Bcl-2/Bax pathway and inhibition of cell apoptosis.