AIM:To investigate the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of pachymic acid(PA)on li-popolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute kidney injury(AKI)in mice.METHODS:(1)Genes related to AKI were screened using the DAVID database.Core genes were identified by intersecting related genes and analyzed using Cyto-scape software.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)analyses were performed through the DAVID database for the cross-targets.Molecular docking and activity assays were conducted on the primary core targets.(2)A total of 100 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups:normal control(NC),model(LPS),solvent control(LPS+DMSO),and treatment groups(LPS+PA-10 and LPS+PA-20),with 20 mice in each group.The LPS-AKI model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 18 mg/kg LPS.The treatment groups received 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg PA,respectively,and the solvent control group was administered an equivalent dose of DMSO.Mice were euthanized 24 h after injection.Serum was collected for biochemical analysis,and Western blot was used to detect neutro-phil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL),kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1),caspase-3,cleaved caspase-3,interleu-kin-1β(IL-1β),and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)protein expression.RT-qPCR was employed to detect inflammatory factor mRNA levels.Molecular docking was used to simulate the optimal binding site of PA to caspase-3.En-zyme activity assays were performed to assess caspase protein activity,and renal lesions were observed via hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining.Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining.RESULTS:(1)Thirty-one potential targets of PA against AKI were identified through network pharmacology.GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that these tar-gets were primarily involved in immune response,inflammatory processes,apoptosis and survival,angiogenesis and hemo-dynamics,oxidative stress,and endoplasmic reticulum stress.Key targets included CASP3(caspase-3),PTGS2,BCL2,CCL2,and CYP219.(2)PA treatment improved renal function and reduced tubular epithelial injury.It significantly de-creased NGAL,KIM-1,and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels,as well as inflammatory factors TNF-α,IL-1β,and MCP-1 mRNA and protein expression.PA also reduced apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells.Enzyme activity assays and mo-lecular docking revealed that PA exerted its anti-apoptotic effect by directly binding to caspase-3,thereby inhibiting its ac-tivation by caspase-8.CONCLUSION:PA demonstrated a therapeutic effect in LPS-AKI,potentially through the inhibi-tion of inflammatory factor synthesis and release,as well as the inhibition of caspase-3 activation by caspase-8,reducing apoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells.

AIM:To investigate the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of pachymic acid(PA)on li-popolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute kidney injury(AKI)in mice.METHODS:(1)Genes related to AKI were screened using the DAVID database.Core genes were identified by intersecting related genes and analyzed using Cyto-scape software.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)analyses were performed through the DAVID database for the cross-targets.Molecular docking and activity assays were conducted on the primary core targets.(2)A total of 100 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups:normal control(NC),model(LPS),solvent control(LPS+DMSO),and treatment groups(LPS+PA-10 and LPS+PA-20),with 20 mice in each group.The LPS-AKI model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 18 mg/kg LPS.The treatment groups received 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg PA,respectively,and the solvent control group was administered an equivalent dose of DMSO.Mice were euthanized 24 h after injection.Serum was collected for biochemical analysis,and Western blot was used to detect neutro-phil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL),kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1),caspase-3,cleaved caspase-3,interleu-kin-1β(IL-1β),and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)protein expression.RT-qPCR was employed to detect inflammatory factor mRNA levels.Molecular docking was used to simulate the optimal binding site of PA to caspase-3.En-zyme activity assays were performed to assess caspase protein activity,and renal lesions were observed via hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining.Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining.RESULTS:(1)Thirty-one potential targets of PA against AKI were identified through network pharmacology.GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that these tar-gets were primarily involved in immune response,inflammatory processes,apoptosis and survival,angiogenesis and hemo-dynamics,oxidative stress,and endoplasmic reticulum stress.Key targets included CASP3(caspase-3),PTGS2,BCL2,CCL2,and CYP219.(2)PA treatment improved renal function and reduced tubular epithelial injury.It significantly de-creased NGAL,KIM-1,and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels,as well as inflammatory factors TNF-α,IL-1β,and MCP-1 mRNA and protein expression.PA also reduced apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells.Enzyme activity assays and mo-lecular docking revealed that PA exerted its anti-apoptotic effect by directly binding to caspase-3,thereby inhibiting its ac-tivation by caspase-8.CONCLUSION:PA demonstrated a therapeutic effect in LPS-AKI,potentially through the inhibi-tion of inflammatory factor synthesis and release,as well as the inhibition of caspase-3 activation by caspase-8,reducing apoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells.

Brain-computer interface(BCI)devices are crucial tools for neural stimulation and recording,offering broad prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders.Furthermore,magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is an effective and non-invasive technique for capturing whole-brain signals,providing detailed information on brain structures and activation patterns.Integrating the neural stimulation/recording capabilities of BCI devices with the non-invasive detection function of MRI is considered highly significant for brain function analysis.However,this combination imposes specific requirements on the magnetic and electronic performance of neural interface devices.The interaction between BCI devices and MRI is initially explored.Subsequently,potential safety risks arising from their combination are summarized and organized.Starting from the source of these hazards,such as the metallic electrodes and wires of BCI devices,the issues are analyzed,and current research countermeasures are summarized.In conclusion,the regulatory oversight of BCI's magnetic resonance safety is briefly discussed,and suggestions for enhancing the magnetic resonance compatibility of related BCI devices are proposed.

Objective To explore the key active ingredients and action characteristics of Wenxing Jingjintong Gel Patch in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA)based on the systematic pharmacology and LC-MS/MS technology.Methods The information of active ingredient from Wenxing Jingjintong Gel Patch was established through LC-MS/MS analysis and literature retrieval.The targets of the active ingredients were predicted using Swiss Target Prediction platform and then mapped with the RA-related targets obtained from GeneCards,DrugBank,and OMIM databases to identify the intersecting targets.The"active ingredients-effective targets"network was constructed through the Cytoscape software.The shared targets were imported into STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction network.GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed using the Metascape database.Molecular docking studies were conducted using AutoDock software to investigate the interactions between key ingredients and target proteins.Results A total of 142 active ingredients were identified in Wenxing Jingjintong Gel Patch by wsing LC-MS/MS,which were further supplemented to 174 through literature retrieval.There were 175 shared targets between the active ingredients and RA.It was anticipated that Wenxing Jingjintong Gel Patch exerted immune regulation and anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects through the interaction between key active ingredients such as berberine,neobavaisoflavone,and palmatine chloride with key targets,including TNF,IL6,and AKT1 to regulate PI3K/Akt1,JAK/STAT,and MAPK signaling pathways.In 1 152 molecular docking validation,94%of them had binding energies less than-5.0 kcal·mol-1,while 51%of them had binding energies less than-7.0 kcal·mol-1.It was indicated that there was a good binding affinity between the potential active ingredients and core targets.Conclusion This study predicted the active ingredients and action characteristics of Wenxing Jingjintong Gel Patch in the treatment of RA,which provided a theoretical basis for further clinical application and quality control.

Objective To prepare a dissolvable microneedle(DMN)with a tip-layer loaded with hyaluronic acid(HA)modified sinomenine hydrochloride liposomes(HA-SMH-Lip),as well as characterize,evaluate its in vitro transdermal permeability,cellular uptake ability,and anti-inflammatory ability.Methods HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs were prepared by a two-step casting method,and the drug loading capacity was determined using HPLC.The morphology,skin permeation properties and in vitro transdermal ability were investigated by scanning electron microscopy,puncture assay and Franz diffusion cell method.Fluorescent microneedles were prepared by replacing HA-SMH-Lip with fluorescein isothiocyanate liposomes(HA-FITC-Lip/FITC-Lip).The uptake behavior of inflammation cells on HA-FITC-Lip-DMNs/FITC-Lip-DMNs was investigated using a flow cytometer and a fluorescence microscope.To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs,the levels of inflammatory factors including nitric oxide(NO),tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin 1β(IL-1β),and IL-10 in cell supernatants were measured using an ELISA kit.Results The prepared HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs have uniform shape and size,integral and visually pleasing array,and an average drug loading of(114.01±1.04)μg.Additionally,they have good puncture ability.The results of in vitro transdermal experiments showed that the accumulated amounts of HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs were(101.47±2.91)μg·cm-2 at 36 hours.Its transdermal ability was better than that of the SMH solution group and SMH liposome group.In vitro cellular uptake results indicated that HA-FITC-Lip-DMNs were more effectively taken up by RAW 264.7 cells(P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs group significantly reduced TNF-α,IL-1β,and NO levels while increase IL-10 levels(P＜0.01).Conclusion The prepared HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs have a complete and beautiful morphology with excellent cellular uptake capability,remarkable in vitro transdermal performance,and potent anti-inflammatory properties.HA-SMH-Lip-DMNs are expected to become a new type of transdermal drug delivery system.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a relatively high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Risk stratification guided by CVD risk prediction models is essential for managing CKD populations. We reviewed the outcome events, predictive variables, modeling methods, and predictive performance of CVD risk prediction models in CKD populations. We found a large variability in predictive outcomes, number of predictors, and sample sizes across studies. The models tended to overestimate the CVD risk of CKD populations. There are few independently validated or constructed CVD risk prediction models for CKD populations in developing countries, and in particular, there is a lack of independent external validation studies of model calibration. Future studies should comply with the reporting standards of risk prediction models to better support the application of CVD risk prediction models for CKD populations.

Objective To explore whether the cognitive function of central obese mice is decreased by affecting the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in hippocampus.Methods Healthy mice at the neonatal stage were divided into normal group and model group at random.To obtain the obese models,model group mice were injected at cervical subcutaneous with 10％L-monosodium glutamate(MSG;3 mg·g-1·d-1)for 5 days.The normal group was injected with the same dose of 0.9％NaCl.In addition,mice were removed according to the requirements.Finally,we got 8 mice in each group.The following parameters were compared:body weight,Lee's index and levels of the serum lipid.The BDNF expression levels in hippocampal tissue were measured using western blotting.Results At the 8th weekend,the body weight of the model and normal groups was(49.01±2.47)and(41.27±3.28)g;the Lee's indexes were(357.14±9.24)and(330.15±7.37)g1/3·cm-1;triglyceride levels were(1.37±0.52)and(0.73±0.31)mmol·L-1;total cholesterol levels were(2.98±0.18)and(1.98±0.30)mmol·L-1;low-density lipoprotein levels were(0.31±0.03)and(0.24±0.02)mmol·L-1;high-density lipoprotein levels were(2.70±0.15)and(1.98±0.40)mmol·L-1;the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),which were consistent with the characteristics of the central obesity model.The BDNF protein expression levels in the hippocampus of the model and normal groups were 6.02 x 104±626.53 and 7.04 x 104±1 440.81,which has statistically significant(P＜0.01).Conclusion The cognitive function of central obese mice may be decreased by down-regulating the expression of BDNF in hippocampus.

OBJECTIVE To establish the fingerprints of Tianma jiannao granules （TJG） and the method for content determination to evaluate the quality of TJG comprehensively combined with chemometric analysis. METHODS High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was used to establish the fingerprints of 13 batches （S1-S3） of TJG and determine the contents of inosine， gastrodin， parishin B and parishin E. Cluster analysis， principal component analysis， and orthogonal partial least squares- discriminant analysis were performed using SPSS 20.0 and SIMCA 18 software； using variable importance projection （VIP） value greater than 1 as a criterion， marker components that affected quality were screened. RESULTS A total of 28 common peaks were identified in the 13 batches of TJG with similarities greater than 0.9， and 7 common peaks were identified， which were gastrodin， p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol， parishin B， parishin E， rhynchophylline， inosine and salidroside. The 13 batches of TJG were clustered into 3 categories， S1-S2， S8-S10 and S12 were clustered into one category； S3 and S7 were clustered into one category； S4-S6， S11 and S13 were clustered into one category. VIP of inosine was greater than 1. The contents of inosine， gastrodin， parishin B and parishin E were 62.637-176.677， 17.821-37.642， 5.748-16.077 and 5.660-13.510 μg/g. CONCLUSIONS The established HPLC fingerprints and content determination method are stable， reliable and highly reproducible， which can be used to evaluate the quality of TJG in combination with chemometric analysis. Inosine may be a marker component that affects the quality of TJG. There are differences in the quality of 13 batches of TJG.

To expand the single-dose duration over which noninvasive clinical and preclinical cancer imaging can be conducted with high sensitivity, and well-defined spatial and temporal resolutions, a facile strategy to prepare ultrasmall nanoparticulate X-ray contrast media (nano-XRCM) as dual-modality imaging agents for positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) has been established. Synthesized from controlled copolymerization of triiodobenzoyl ethyl acrylate and oligo(ethylene oxide) acrylate monomers, the amphiphilic statistical iodocopolymers (ICPs) could directly dissolve in water to afford thermodynamically stable solutions with high aqueous iodine concentrations (>140 mg iodine/mL water) and comparable viscosities to conventional small molecule XRCM. The formation of ultrasmall iodinated nanoparticles with hydrodynamic diameters of ca. 10 nm in water was confirmed by dynamic and static light scattering techniques. In a breast cancer mouse model, in vivo biodistribution studies revealed that the ⁶⁴Cu-chelator-functionalized iodinated nano-XRCM exhibited extended blood residency and higher tumor accumulation compared to typical small molecule imaging agents. PET/CT imaging of tumor over 3 days showed good correlation between PET and CT signals, while CT imaging allowed continuous observation of tumor retention even after 10 days post-injection, enabling longitudinal monitoring of tumor retention for imaging or potentially therapeutic effect after a single administration of nano-XRCM.

【Objective】 To analyze the difference of circulating threshold (Ct) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in blood station laboratories during the external quality assessment, and to put forward suggestions for the quality improvement of participating laboratories. 【Methods】 From 2018 to 2021, the blood station laboratories participated in the external laboratory quality assessment of CITIC including blood screening items with nucleic acid testing method. The data of Roche diagnostic reagent group were used as the source, and the detected Ct values of three groups of quality control samples of HBV A subtype (400 IU/mL), HCV 1b subtype (400 IU/mL) and HIV B genotype (500 IU/mL) were used as the objects. The data were grouped according to quality control (sample) batches, reagent batches and different laboratories. Using the statistical method of variance analysis (assuming P<0.05 as significant), the detected Ct value of each group was analyzed. 【Results】 For the three items (HBV/HCV/HIV), the grouping data involving 42 batches of quality control (13/12/17), 28 batches of reagent (11/8/9) and 57 laboratories (19/19/19) were selected. The grouping analysis of quality assessment batches shows that there was no significant difference between HBV and HCV quality assessment batches, and there was no significant difference between other HIV batches except the two batches of HIV quality assessment samples released in 2021. The grouping analysis of each reagent batch showed that there was no significant difference between each reagent batch for HCV and HIV detection, while there was significant difference between two batches of HBV reagents. After excluding the data groups with significant differences in the quality control batch groups and the reagent batch groups, the detected Ct value of each laboratory group had extremely significant differences in the three items of HBV, HCV and HIV. Through pairing analysis, it was found that four laboratories had significant differences with most other laboratories in the three items, mainly manifested in the high mean value of Ct. 【Conclusion】 For the blood station laboratories with correct test results of quality assessment samples, there are differences in Ct values detected by PCR, which may be mainly caused by the detection ability of the participating laboratories.