ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of action of Kaixinsan in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease （AD） based on network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experimental validation. MethodsThe Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP） and the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine（ETCM） databases were used to obtain the active ingredients and targets of Kaixinsan. GeneCards， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man（OMIM）， TTD， PharmGKB， and DrugBank databases were used to obtain the relevant targets of AD. The intersection （common targets） of the active ingredient targets of Kaixinsan and the relevant targets of AD was taken， and the network interaction analysis of the common targets was carried out in the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction（PPI） network. The CytoNCA plugin within Cytoscape was used to screen out the core targets， and the Metascape platform was used to perform gene ontology（GO） functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis. The “drug-active ingredient-target” interaction network was constructed with the help of Cytoscape 3.8.2， and AutoDock Vina was used for molecular docking. Scopolamine （SCOP） was utilized for modeling and injected intraperitoneally once daily. Thirty-two male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into blank control （CON） group （0.9% NaCl， n=8）， model （SCOP） group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， n=8）， positive control group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of SCOP+3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of Donepezil， n=8）， and Kaixinsan group （3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of SCOP+6.5 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of Kaixinsan， n=8）. Mice in each group were administered with 0.9% NaCl， Kaixinsan， or Donepezil by gavage twice a day for 14 days. Morris water maze experiment was used to observe the learning memory ability of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining method was used to observe the pathological changes in the CA1 area of the mouse hippocampus. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to determine the serum acetylcholine （ACh） and acetylcholinesterase （AChE） contents of mice. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3） and nuclear transcription factor（NF）-κB p65 in the hippocampus of mice. ResultsA total of 73 active ingredients of Kaixinsan were obtained， and 578 potential targets （common targets） of Kaixinsan for the treatment of AD were screened out. Key active ingredients included kaempferol， gijugliflozin， etc.. Potential core targets were STAT3， NF-κB p65， et al. GO functional enrichment analysis obtained 3 124 biological functions， 254 cellular building blocks， and 461 molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment obtained 248 pathways， mainly involving cancer-related pathways， TRP pathway， cyclic adenosine monophosphate（cAMP） pathway， and NF-κB pathway. Molecular docking showed that the binding of the key active ingredients to the target targets was more stable. Morris water maze experiment indicated that Kaixinsan could improve the learning memory ability of SCOP-induced mice. HE staining and ELISA results showed that Kaixinsan had an ameliorating effect on central nerve injury in mice. Western blot test indicated that Kaixinsan had a down-regulating effect on the levels of NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and STAT3 phosphorylation in the hippocampal tissue of mice in the SCOP model. ConclusionKaixinsan can improve the cognitive impairment function in SCOP model mice and may reduce hippocampal neuronal damage and thus play a therapeutic role in the treatment of AD by regulating NF-κB p65， STAT3， and other targets involved in the NF-κB signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of Fried Frailty Phenotype （FFP）， liver frailty index （LFI）， and Short Physical Performance Battery （SPPB） in predicting 2-year all-cause mortality and decompensation events in patients with liver cirrhosis. MethodsA total of 277 patients with liver cirrhosis who were hospitalized in Beijing Friendship Hospital， Capital Medical University， from December 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled， and FFP， LFI， and SPPB were used to assess the state of frailty. Based on the scores of each tool， these patients were divided into frail and non-frail groups. These three tools were compared in terms of consistency and independent predictive performance. The primary endpoints were 2-year all-cause mortality rate and composite endpoints （death+decompensation events）， and the Cox regression analysis， the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve， net reclassification index （NRI）， and integrated discrimination improvement （IDI） index were used to analyze the predictive value of the three tools. Normally distributed continuous data were compared between two groups using the independent samples t-test， while non-normally distributed continuous data were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Categorical data were compared between groups using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. The agreement among different frailty tools was evaluated using Cohen’s Kappa statistic. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted， and a survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test. ResultsThe prevalence rate of frailty assessed by FFP， LFI， and SPPB was 37.2%， 22.4%， and 20.2%， respectively， with a moderate consistency between FFP and LFI/SPPB （κ=0.57， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.47 — 0.67； κ=0.51， 95%CI： 0.41 — 0.62） and a relatively high consistency between LFI and SPPB （κ=0.87， 95%CI： 0.80 — 0.94）. Compared with the non-frailty group， the frailty group had significantly higher all-cause mortality rate and incidence rate of composite endpoints （P0.001）. After multivariate adjustment， FFP， LFI， and SPPB had a hazard ratio of 2.42（95%CI： 1.51 — 5.11）， 2.21（95%CI： 1.11 — 4.42）， and 2.21（95%CI： 1.14 — 4.30）， respectively， in predicting all-cause mortality， as well as a hazard ratio of 2.51（95%CI： 1.61 — 3.91）， 2.40（95%CI： 1.51 — 3.80）， and 2.20（95%CI： 1.39 — 3.47）， respectively， in predicting composite endpoints. Compared with Child-Pugh score， FFP had a significantly greater area under the ROC curve （AUC） in predicting all-cause mortality （0.79 vs 0.69， P=0.032） and composite endpoints （0.75 vs 0.68， P=0.044）. Frailty assessment tools combined with Child-Pugh score significantly improved the performance in predicting all-cause mortality and composite endpoints， with an AUC of 0.81 — 0.82 and 0.77 — 0.78， respectively （P0.05）. NRI and IDI analyses further confirmed the improvement of the combined model in classification （all P0.001）. ConclusionFFP， LFI， and SPPB can independently predict adverse outcomes in patients with liver cirrhosis， among which FFP has the best predictive performance， and the combination of frailty assessment tools with Child-Pugh score can significantly enhance the accuracy of prognostic evaluation.

Objective:This study aims to investigate the influence of microvessel density（MVD） and microlymphatic vessel density（MLVD） on the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma（HPSCC） and to develop a nomogram prediction model for prognosis based on pathological characteristics. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinicopathological and follow-up data from HPSCC patients who underwent surgical treatment at our institution between June 2010 and June 2020. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on tumor tissues and adjacent normal margin tissues to evaluate MVD and MLVD. The associations among MVD, MLVD, and clinicopathological features were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors affecting overall survival（OS）. Based on these findings, a nomogram model was constructed and its predictive accuracy was assessed using C-index, receiver operating characteristic（ROC） curve, and calibration curve. Results:Both MVD and MLVD were significantly higher in HPSCC tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. Patients in the high MVD and high MLVD groups exhibited significantly lower OS rates than those in the low MVD and low MLVD groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that N stage, recurrence, nerve invasion, lymph node capsule invasion, MVD, and MLVD were independent prognostic factors of OS. Based on these factors, a nomogram prognosis model was successfully constructed. The nomograms demonstrated superior performance in terms of C-index, area under the ROC curve, and calibration, outperforming the AJCC TNM staging system. Conclusion:Elevated MVD and MLVD levels are associated with poorer prognosis in HPSCC patients. The nomogram model based on pathological features provides valuable insights for clinical assessment and decision-making.
Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/blood supply* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Microvascular Density ; Nomograms ; Lymphatic Vessels/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/blood supply* ; Microvessels/pathology* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Survival Rate

Kupffer cells (KCs), as residents and sentinels of the liver, are involved in the formation of hepatic fibrosis (HF). However, the biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in KCs to HF have not been determined. In this study, the expression levels of circRNAs, microRNAs, and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in KCs from a mouse model of HF mice were investigated using microarray and circRNA-Seq analyses. circDcbld2 was identified as a candidate circRNA in HF, as evidenced by its up-regulation in KCs. Silver staining and mass spectrometry showed that Wtap and Igf2bp2 bind to cirDcbld2. The suppression of circDcbld2 expression decreased the KC inflammatory response and oxidative stress and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) activation, attenuating mouse liver fibrogenesis. Mechanistically, Wtap mediated the N ⁶-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of circDcbld2, and Igf2bp2 recognized m6A-modified circDcbld2 and increased its stability. circDcbld2 contributes to the occurrence of HF by binding miR-144-3p/Et-1 to regulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. These findings indicate that circDcbld2 functions via the m6A/circDcbld2/miR-144-3p/Et-1 axis and may act as a potential biomarker for HF treatment.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a specific form of post-translational modification (PTM) predominantly triggered by the activation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). However, the role and mechanism of PARylation in the advancement of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain undetermined. Here, we demonstrated the significant upregulation of PARP1 and its associated PARylation in murine models of AKI, consistent with renal biopsy findings in patients with AKI. This elevation in PARP1 expression might be attributed to trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Furthermore, a reduction in PARylation levels mitigated renal dysfunction in the AKI mouse models. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that PARylation mainly occurred in receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), thereby facilitating its subsequent phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylation of RACK1 enhanced its dimerization and accelerated the ubiquitination-mediated hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) degradation, thereby exacerbating kidney injury. Additionally, we identified a PARP1 proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC), A19, as a PARP1 degrader that demonstrated superior protective effects against renal injury compared with PJ34, a previously identified PARP1 inhibitor. Collectively, both genetic and drug-based inhibition of PARylation mitigated kidney injury, indicating that the PARylated RACK1/HIF-1α axis could be a promising therapeutic target for AKI treatment.

Permeability is one of the determinants of intestinal absorption and oral bioavailability. The non-cell-based permeation model is a kind of in vitro permeability measurement tool, which has the advantages of high efficiency, low cost, stable property, easy to use and customizable. According to the barrier type, non-cell-based permeation model can be divided into biomimetic barriers containing (phosphate) lipids and non-biomimetic barriers without lipids. Biomimetic permeation models include parallel artificial membrane permeability assay, vesicle-based permeation assay and PermeaPad®. Non biomimetic permeation models include Hollow fiber membrane models based on polyether sulfone materials. In foreign countries, the application of these four barriers for different purposes is gradually becoming a hot spot in drug absorption research. However, in China, there are only more applied studies on PMAPM and few published applied studies on the other three barriers. In order to meet the development needs of insoluble drug formulations, the author summarized the permeability devices and permeability calculation methods, searched the application of non-cell-based permeation model in the permeability of BSCⅡ drugs in recent years, and summarized the characteristic applications of three Biomimetic permeation models and hollow fiber membranes.

Objective:To explore the effect of family empowerment model on the improvement of swallowing care ability and care preparedness of primary caregivers of first-episode stroke dysphagia patients, further to explore its impact on patients′s wallowing function and life quality.Methods:This study was a randomized controlled study. From January 2021 to December 2022, 80 main caregivers of patients with dysphagia caused by manual stroke admitted to the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shenzhen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected as the research objects, and 40 cases in the control group and 40 cases in the observation group were selected by random number table method. The control group were treated with conventional nursing care of first-episode stroke dysphagia patients in the acupuncture and moxibustion Department. On the basis of the conventional care in the control group, the observation group were treated with family empowerment model intervention for 14 days and was followed up for 28 days. Primary caregivers′ swallowing care ability, Caregiver Preparedness Scale (CPS), patients′ swallowing function rate, Swallowing Related Quality of Life (SWALQOL) were used to evaluate the effects before intervention and at the end of intervention.Results:There were 18 males and 19 females primary caregivers in the control group, aged (55.61 ± 7.43) years old. There were 18 males and 21 females primary caregivers in the observation group, aged (58.23 ± 8.22) years old. The swallowing care ability score showed a statistically significant difference between the observation group (143.47 ± 3.96) and the control group (107.74 ± 1.43) ( t=-26.76, P<0.05). After intervention, the caregiver preparedness scale was (26.11 ± 3.81) in the observation group, and (18.35 ± 4.54) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-4.11, P<0.05).The patients′ swallowing function rate and SWALQOL score were respectively 97.44% (38/39) and (91.41 ± 8.08) points in the observation group, and 72.97% (27/37) and (80.33 ± 4.21) points in the control group, and the difference was both statistically significant ( χ2=10.76, t=-2.54, both P<0.05). Conclusions:The implementation of family empowerment model could enhance the swallowing care ability and care preparedness of primary caregivers of the first-episode stroke dysphagia patients, which could further improve patients′ swallowing function and life quality.

Background::Endometriosis (EM) is a complex benign gynecological disease, but it has malignant biological behavior and can invade any part of the body. Clinical manifestations include pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, infertility, pelvic nodules, and masses. Our previous study successfully detected circulating endometrial cells (CECs) in the peripheral blood of patients with EM. The purpose of this study is to overcome the limitation of cell size in the previous microfluidic chip method, to further accurately capture CECs, understand the characteristics of these cells, and explore the relationship between CECs and the clinical course characteristics of patients with EM.Methods::Human peripheral venous blood used to detect CECs and circulating vascular endothelial cells (CVECs) was taken from EM patients ( n = 34) hospitalized in the Peking University People’s Hospital. We used the subtraction enrichment and immunostaining fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH) method to exclude the interference of red blood cells, white blood cells, and CVECs, so as to accurately capture the CECs in the peripheral blood of patients with EM. Then we clarified the size and ploidy number of chromosome 8 of CECs, and a second grouping of patients was performed based on clinical characteristics to determine the relationship between CECs and clinical course characteristics. Results::The peripheral blood of 34 EM patients and 12 non-EM patients was evaluated by SE-iFISH. Overall, 34 eligible EM patients were enrolled. The results showed that the detection rates of CECs were 58.8% in EM patients and 16.7% in the control group. However, after classification according to clinical characteristics, more CECs could be detected in the peripheral blood of patients with rapidly progressive EM, with a detection rate of 94.4% (17/18). In total, 63.5% (40/63) of these cells were small cells with diameters below 5 μm, and 44.4% (28/63) were aneuploid cells. No significant association was found between the number of CECs and EM stage.Conclusion::The number and characteristics of CECs are related to the clinical course characteristics of patients with EM, such as pain and changes in lesion size, and may be used as biomarkers for personalized treatment and management of EM in the future.