ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang can inhibit neutrophil infiltration in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） mice by regulating the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes， thereby achieving therapeutic effects. MethodsA total of 130 male specific pathogen-free （SPF） C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups： Sham-operated group， MCAO model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group （6 g·kg^-1）， and Ginaton group （21.6 mg·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in the Ginaton group and 40 mice in each of the remaining three groups. Mice in the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group were administered the corresponding drugs by oral gavage once daily at a volume of 0.15 mL·（10 g）^-1 for 7 consecutive days， while the sham-operated and model groups received an equal volume of saline via the same route. After 7 days， MCAO surgery was performed. The distal and proximal ends of the right common carotid artery （CCA） were ligated， a small incision was made between the two ligatures， and a silicone rubber-coated monofilament with a rounded tip was inserted into the lumen to occlude the CCA. The filament was left in place for 1 h to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model. At 24 h after modeling， mice were evaluated. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa score. Cerebral infarct volume was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Cerebral blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in brain tissues. Exosomes were isolated from mouse plasma and brain tissues by ultracentrifugation and molecular size exclusion and identified by electron microscopy， particle size analysis， and protein blotting. Long-chain RNA libraries of exosomes were constructed and sequenced. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the protein expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from brain tissues of each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the neutrophil-specific protein myeloperoxidase （MPO） in the brains of mice in each group. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， obvious cerebral infarction （P<0.01）， reduced cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， neuronal necrosis in the brain， and decreased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.05）， reduced cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）， restored cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， reduced necrotic cells in the brain， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. In the Huanglian Jiedutang group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang can effectively regulate the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of MCAO mice， thereby reducing neutrophil infiltration in the brain and achieving therapeutic effects.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang can inhibit neutrophil infiltration in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） mice by regulating the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes， thereby achieving therapeutic effects. MethodsA total of 130 male specific pathogen-free （SPF） C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups： Sham-operated group， MCAO model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group （6 g·kg^-1）， and Ginaton group （21.6 mg·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in the Ginaton group and 40 mice in each of the remaining three groups. Mice in the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group were administered the corresponding drugs by oral gavage once daily at a volume of 0.15 mL·（10 g）^-1 for 7 consecutive days， while the sham-operated and model groups received an equal volume of saline via the same route. After 7 days， MCAO surgery was performed. The distal and proximal ends of the right common carotid artery （CCA） were ligated， a small incision was made between the two ligatures， and a silicone rubber-coated monofilament with a rounded tip was inserted into the lumen to occlude the CCA. The filament was left in place for 1 h to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model. At 24 h after modeling， mice were evaluated. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa score. Cerebral infarct volume was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Cerebral blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in brain tissues. Exosomes were isolated from mouse plasma and brain tissues by ultracentrifugation and molecular size exclusion and identified by electron microscopy， particle size analysis， and protein blotting. Long-chain RNA libraries of exosomes were constructed and sequenced. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the protein expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from brain tissues of each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the neutrophil-specific protein myeloperoxidase （MPO） in the brains of mice in each group. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， obvious cerebral infarction （P<0.01）， reduced cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， neuronal necrosis in the brain， and decreased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.05）， reduced cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）， restored cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， reduced necrotic cells in the brain， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. In the Huanglian Jiedutang group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang can effectively regulate the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of MCAO mice， thereby reducing neutrophil infiltration in the brain and achieving therapeutic effects.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with atlas fracture were included from January 2015 to December 2020. Based on the anatomy of the fracture line, atlas fractures were divided into three types. Each type was divided into two subtypes according to the fracture displacement. Unweighted Cohen kappa coefficients were applied to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility. Results: According to the new classification, 17 cases of type A1, 12 of type A2, seven of type B1, 13 of type B2, 12 of type C1, and 14 of type C2 were identified. The K-values of the interobserver and intraobserver reliability were 0.846 and 0.912, respectively, for the new classification. The K-values of interobserver reliability for types A, B, and C were 0.843, 0.799, and 0.898, respectively. The K-values of intraobserver reliability for types A, B, and C were 0.888, 0.910, and 0.935, respectively. The mean K-values of the interobserver and intraobserver reliability for subtypes were 0.687 and 0.829, respectively. Conclusions The new classification of atlas fractures can cover nearly all atlas fractures. This system is the first to evaluate the severity of fractures based on the C1 articular facet and fracture displacement and strengthen the anatomy ring of the atlas. It is concise, easy to remember, reliable, and reproducible.

Objective: To investigate the objective characteristics of tongue manifestation in different stages of damp-heat syndrome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 134 patients with DKD G3-5 stages who met the diagnostic criteria for damp-heat syndrome in DKD. The patients were treated at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, from May 2023 to January 2024. The patients were divided into three groups: DKD G3, DKD G4, and DKD G5 stage, with 53, 33, and 48 patients in each group, respectively. Clinical general data (gender, age, and body mass index) and damp-heat syndrome scores were collected from the patients. The YZAI-02 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) AI Tongue Image Acquisition Device was used to capture tongue images from these patients. The accompanying AI Open Platform for TCM Tongue Diagnosis of the device was used to analyze and extract tongue manifestation features, including objective data on tongue color, tongue quality, coating color, and coating texture. Clinical data and objective tongue manifestation characteristics were compared among patients with DKD G3-5 based on their DKD damp-heat syndrome status. Results: No statistically significant difference in gender or body mass index was observed among the three patient groups. The DKD G3 stage group had the highest age (P<0.05). The DKD G3 stage group had a lower score for symptoms of poor appetite and anorexia(P<0.05) than the DKD G5 group. No statistically significant difference was observed in damp-heat syndrome scores among the three groups. Compared with the DKD G5 stage group, the DKD G3 stage group showed a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue (P<0.05). The DKD G4 stage group exhibited an increased proportion of crimson at the root of the tongue, a decreased proportion of thick white tongue coating at the root, a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue, an increased hue value (indicating color tone) of the tongue color in the middle, an increased brightness value (indicating color lightness) of the tongue coating color in the middle, and an increased thickness of the tongue coating (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in other tongue color proportions, color chroma values, body characteristics, coating color proportions, coating color chroma values, and coating texture characteristics among the three groups. Conclusion Tongue features differ in different stages of DKD damp-heat syndrome in multiple dimensions, enabling the inference that during the DKD G5 stage, the degree of qi and blood deficiency in the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach is prominent. Dampness is more likely to accumulate in the lower jiao, particularly in the kidneys, whereas heat evil in the spleen and stomach is the most severe. These insights provide novel ideas for the clinical treatment of DKD.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with atlas fracture were included from January 2015 to December 2020. Based on the anatomy of the fracture line, atlas fractures were divided into three types. Each type was divided into two subtypes according to the fracture displacement. Unweighted Cohen kappa coefficients were applied to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility. Results: According to the new classification, 17 cases of type A1, 12 of type A2, seven of type B1, 13 of type B2, 12 of type C1, and 14 of type C2 were identified. The K-values of the interobserver and intraobserver reliability were 0.846 and 0.912, respectively, for the new classification. The K-values of interobserver reliability for types A, B, and C were 0.843, 0.799, and 0.898, respectively. The K-values of intraobserver reliability for types A, B, and C were 0.888, 0.910, and 0.935, respectively. The mean K-values of the interobserver and intraobserver reliability for subtypes were 0.687 and 0.829, respectively. Conclusions The new classification of atlas fractures can cover nearly all atlas fractures. This system is the first to evaluate the severity of fractures based on the C1 articular facet and fracture displacement and strengthen the anatomy ring of the atlas. It is concise, easy to remember, reliable, and reproducible.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with atlas fracture were included from January 2015 to December 2020. Based on the anatomy of the fracture line, atlas fractures were divided into three types. Each type was divided into two subtypes according to the fracture displacement. Unweighted Cohen kappa coefficients were applied to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility. Results: According to the new classification, 17 cases of type A1, 12 of type A2, seven of type B1, 13 of type B2, 12 of type C1, and 14 of type C2 were identified. The K-values of the interobserver and intraobserver reliability were 0.846 and 0.912, respectively, for the new classification. The K-values of interobserver reliability for types A, B, and C were 0.843, 0.799, and 0.898, respectively. The K-values of intraobserver reliability for types A, B, and C were 0.888, 0.910, and 0.935, respectively. The mean K-values of the interobserver and intraobserver reliability for subtypes were 0.687 and 0.829, respectively. Conclusions The new classification of atlas fractures can cover nearly all atlas fractures. This system is the first to evaluate the severity of fractures based on the C1 articular facet and fracture displacement and strengthen the anatomy ring of the atlas. It is concise, easy to remember, reliable, and reproducible.

ObjectiveTobacco-related diseases remain one of the leading preventable public health challenges worldwide and are among the primary causes of premature death. In recent years, accumulating evidence has supported the classification of nicotine addiction as a chronic brain disease, profoundly affecting both brain structure and function. Despite the urgency, effective diagnostic methods for smoking addiction remain lacking, posing significant challenges for early intervention and treatment. To address this issue and gain deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying nicotine dependence, this study proposes a novel graph neural network framework, termed TI-GNN. This model leverages functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to identify complex and subtle abnormalities in brain connectivity patterns associated with smoking addiction. MethodsThe study utilizes fMRI data to construct functional connectivity matrices that represent interaction patterns among brain regions. These matrices are interpreted as graphs, where brain regions are nodes and the strength of functional connectivity between them serves as edges. The proposed TI-GNN model integrates a Transformer module to effectively capture global interactions across the entire brain network, enabling a comprehensive understanding of high-level connectivity patterns. Additionally, a spatial attention mechanism is employed to selectively focus on informative inter-regional connections while filtering out irrelevant or noisy features. This design enhances the model’s ability to learn meaningful neural representations crucial for classification tasks. A key innovation of TI-GNN lies in its built-in causal interpretation module, which aims to infer directional and potentially causal relationships among brain regions. This not only improves predictive performance but also enhances model interpretability—an essential attribute for clinical applications. The identification of causal links provides valuable insights into the neuropathological basis of addiction and contributes to the development of biologically plausible and trustworthy diagnostic tools. ResultsExperimental results demonstrate that the TI-GNN model achieves superior classification performance on the smoking addiction dataset, outperforming several state-of-the-art baseline models. Specifically, TI-GNN attains an accuracy of 0.91, an F1-score of 0.91, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.83, indicating strong robustness and reliability. Beyond performance metrics, TI-GNN identifies critical abnormal connectivity patterns in several brain regions implicated in addiction. Notably, it highlights dysregulations in the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex, consistent with prior clinical and neuroimaging findings. These regions are well known for their roles in emotional regulation, reward processing, and impulse control—functions that are frequently disrupted in nicotine dependence. ConclusionThe TI-GNN framework offers a powerful and interpretable tool for the objective diagnosis of smoking addiction. By integrating advanced graph learning techniques with causal inference capabilities, the model not only achieves high diagnostic accuracy but also elucidates the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction. The identification of specific abnormal brain networks and their causal interactions deepens our understanding of addiction pathophysiology and lays the groundwork for developing targeted intervention strategies and personalized treatment approaches in the future.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) is a central and pleiotropic metabolite involved in multiple cellular energy metabolism, such as cell signaling, DNA repair, protein modifications, and so on. Evidence suggests that NAD⁺ levels decline with age, obesity, and hypertension, which are all significant CVD risk factors. In addition, the therapeutic elevation of NAD⁺ levels reduces chronic low-grade inflammation, reactivates autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, and enhances antioxidation and metabolism in vascular cells of humans with vascular disorders. In preclinical animal models, NAD⁺ boosting also extends the health span, prevents metabolic syndrome, and decreases blood pressure. Moreover, NAD⁺ storage by genetic, pharmacological, or natural dietary NAD⁺-increasing strategies has recently been shown to be effective in improving the pathophysiology of cardiac and vascular health in different animal models and humans. Here, we discuss NAD⁺-related mechanisms pivotal for vascular health and summarize recent research on NAD⁺ and its association with vascular health and disease, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. This review also assesses various NAD⁺ precursors for their clinical efficacy and the efficiency of NAD⁺ elevation in the prevention or treatment of major CVDs, potentially guiding new therapeutic strategies.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases/physiopathology* ; NAD/metabolism* ; Animals ; Hypertension/metabolism*

This study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of polysaccharide extract PCP1 from Polygonatum cyrtonema in ameliorating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury in rats through modulation of the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) signaling pathway. In vivo, SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, model group, PCP1 group, nimodipine(NMDP) group, and TLR4 signaling inhibitor(TAK-242) group. A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R) model was established, and neurological deficit scores and infarct size were evaluated 24 hours after reperfusion. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in ischemic brain tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) assessed ultrastructural damage in cortical neurons. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-18(IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-10(IL-10), and nitric oxide(NO) in serum. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins. In vitro, a BV2 microglial cell oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R) model was established, and cells were divided into the control, OGD/R, PCP1, TAK-242, and PCP1 + TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide(LPS) groups. The CCK-8 assay evaluated BV2 cell viability, and ELISA determined NO release. Western blot was used to analyze the expression of TLR4, NLRP3, and downstream pathway-related proteins. The results indicated that, compared with the model group, PCP1 significantly reduced neurological deficit scores, infarct size, ischemic tissue pathology, cortical cell damage, and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, and NO(P<0.01). It also elevated IL-10 levels(P<0.01) and decreased the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins(P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, in vitro results showed that, compared with the OGD/R group, PCP1 significantly improved BV2 cell viability(P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced cell NO levels induced by OGD/R(P<0.01), and inhibited the expression of TLR4-related inflammatory pathway proteins, including TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p-p65)/nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p65), NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18(P<0.05, P<0.01). The protective effects of PCP1 were reversed by LPS stimulation. In conclusion, PCP1 ameliorates cerebral I/R injury by modulating the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptotic effects.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/genetics* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Polysaccharides/isolation & purification* ; Polygonatum/chemistry* ; Brain Ischemia/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Humans

Gegen Qinlian Decoction(GQD) is a classic prescription for the clinical treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC). This study, based on the differences in efficacy observed in UC mice under different level of bile acids treated with GQD, aims to clarify the impact of bile acids on UC and its therapeutic effects. It further investigates the expression of bile acid receptors in the liver of UC mice, and preliminarily reveals the mechanism through which GQD affects bile acid synthesis in the treatment of UC. A UC mouse model was established using dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) induction. The efficacy of GQD was evaluated by assessing the general condition, disease activity index(DAI) score, colon length, and histopathological changes in colon tissue via hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining. ELISA and Western blot were used to evaluate the inflammatory response in colon tissue. The total bile acid(TBA) level and liver damage were quantified using an automatic biochemistry analyzer. The expression levels of bile acid receptors and bile acid synthetases in liver tissue were detected by Western blot and RT-qPCR. The results showed that compared with the model group, GQD treatment significantly improved the DAI score, colon shortening, and histopathological damage in UC mice. The levels of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6 in the colon were significantly reduced. Serum TBA levels were significantly decreased, while alkaline phosphatase(ALP) levels significantly increased. After administration of cholic acid(CA), UC symptoms in the CA + GQD group were significantly aggravated compared with the GQD group. The DAI score, degree of weight loss, colon injury, serum TBA, and liver injury markers all increased significantly. However, compared with the CA group, the CA + GQD group showed a marked reduction in TBA levels and a significant improvement in UC-related symptoms, indicating that GQD can alleviate UC damage exacerbated by CA. Further investigation into the expression of bile acid receptors and synthetases in the liver showed that under GQD treatment, the expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR) and small heterodimer partner(SHP) significantly increased, while the expression of G protein-coupled receptor 5(TGR5) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(Cyp7A1) significantly decreased. These findings suggest that GQD may affect bile acid receptors and synthetases, inhibiting bile acid synthesis through the FXR/SHP pathway to treat UC.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/genetics* ; Bile Acids and Salts/biosynthesis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Male ; Humans ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism* ; Colon/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL