ObjectiveTo unveil the mechanism of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） in ameliorating the dyslipidemia of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femur head （SONFH） by oxylipidomics combined with transcriptomics. MethodsSixty SD rats were assigned into normal， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.5， 5， 10 g·kg^-1， respectively） JPHGP， and Jiangushengwan （1.53 g·kg^-1） groups. Lipopolysaccharide was injected into the tail vein at a dose of 20 μg·kg^-1 on days 1 and 2， and methylprednisolone sodium succinate was injected at a dose of 40 mg·kg^-1 into the buttock muscle on days 3 to 5. The normal group received an equal volume of normal saline. Drug administration by gavage began 4 weeks after the last injection， and samples were taken after administration for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to reveal the histopathological changes of the femoral head， and the number of adipocytes， the rate of empty bone lacunae， and the trabecular area were calculated. Micro-computed tomography was used for revealing the histological and histomorphometrical changes of the femoral head. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， low-density lipoprotein （LDL）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， apolipoprotein A1 （ApoA1）， and apolipoprotein B （ApoB）. At the same time， the femoral head was collected for oxylipidomic and transcriptomic detection. The differential metabolites and differential genes were enriched and analyzed， and the target genes regulating lipid metabolism were predicted. The predicted target proteins were further verified by molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showcased thinning of the femoral head， trabecular fracture， karyopyknosis， subchondral cystic degeneration， increases in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae （P<0.01）， a reduction in the trabecular area （P<0.01）， decreases in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and increases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups showed no obvious thinning of the femoral head or subchondroidal cystic degeneration. The high- and medium-dose JPHGP groups presented declines in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae， an increase in the trabecular area （P<0.05， P<0.01）， rises in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and decreases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group showcased raised serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB and lowered serum levels of HDL and ApoA1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups had lowered serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB （P<0.05， P<0.01） and a risen serum level of ApoA1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the serum level of HDL in the high-dose JPHGP group increased （P<0.01）. A total of 19 different metabolites of disease set and drug set were screened out by oxylipidomics of the femoral head， and 119 core genes with restored expression were detected by transcriptomics. The enriched pathways were mainly concentrated in inflammation， lipids， apoptosis， and osteoclast differentiation. Molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group displayed increased content of 5-lipoxygenase （5-LO） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPARγ） in the femoral head （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， medium- and high-dose JPHGP reduced the content of 5-LO and PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can restore the levels of oxidized lipid metabolites by regulating the 5-LO-PPARγ axis to treat SONFH in rats. Relevant studies provide experimental evidence for the efficacy mechanism of JPHGP in the treatment of SONFH.

ObjectiveTo unveil the mechanism of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） in ameliorating the dyslipidemia of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femur head （SONFH） by oxylipidomics combined with transcriptomics. MethodsSixty SD rats were assigned into normal， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.5， 5， 10 g·kg^-1， respectively） JPHGP， and Jiangushengwan （1.53 g·kg^-1） groups. Lipopolysaccharide was injected into the tail vein at a dose of 20 μg·kg^-1 on days 1 and 2， and methylprednisolone sodium succinate was injected at a dose of 40 mg·kg^-1 into the buttock muscle on days 3 to 5. The normal group received an equal volume of normal saline. Drug administration by gavage began 4 weeks after the last injection， and samples were taken after administration for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to reveal the histopathological changes of the femoral head， and the number of adipocytes， the rate of empty bone lacunae， and the trabecular area were calculated. Micro-computed tomography was used for revealing the histological and histomorphometrical changes of the femoral head. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， low-density lipoprotein （LDL）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， apolipoprotein A1 （ApoA1）， and apolipoprotein B （ApoB）. At the same time， the femoral head was collected for oxylipidomic and transcriptomic detection. The differential metabolites and differential genes were enriched and analyzed， and the target genes regulating lipid metabolism were predicted. The predicted target proteins were further verified by molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showcased thinning of the femoral head， trabecular fracture， karyopyknosis， subchondral cystic degeneration， increases in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae （P<0.01）， a reduction in the trabecular area （P<0.01）， decreases in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and increases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups showed no obvious thinning of the femoral head or subchondroidal cystic degeneration. The high- and medium-dose JPHGP groups presented declines in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae， an increase in the trabecular area （P<0.05， P<0.01）， rises in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and decreases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group showcased raised serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB and lowered serum levels of HDL and ApoA1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups had lowered serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB （P<0.05， P<0.01） and a risen serum level of ApoA1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the serum level of HDL in the high-dose JPHGP group increased （P<0.01）. A total of 19 different metabolites of disease set and drug set were screened out by oxylipidomics of the femoral head， and 119 core genes with restored expression were detected by transcriptomics. The enriched pathways were mainly concentrated in inflammation， lipids， apoptosis， and osteoclast differentiation. Molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group displayed increased content of 5-lipoxygenase （5-LO） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPARγ） in the femoral head （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， medium- and high-dose JPHGP reduced the content of 5-LO and PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can restore the levels of oxidized lipid metabolites by regulating the 5-LO-PPARγ axis to treat SONFH in rats. Relevant studies provide experimental evidence for the efficacy mechanism of JPHGP in the treatment of SONFH.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the joints of the limbs. As the disease progresses, it can involve multiple organ systems. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most common pulmonary manifestation of RA. Reported animal models of RA-ILD include adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA), collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), and transgenic mouse arthritis. However, the establishment criteria and evaluation methods for these models lack uniform standards, and they fail to fully replicate the clinicopathological characteristics of RA-ILD. This limitation significantly hinders research into the pathogenesis and development of therapeutic drugs for RA-ILD. Objective: The aim of the study was to review literature in China and abroad on RA-ILD animal models, analyze current research progress, identify existing issues, and propose research recommendations. Methods: Literature searches were conducted using the English keywords “rheumatoid arthritis, interstitial lung disease, model” and the Chinese keywords “(rheumatoid arthritis), (interstitial lung disease), (model)” or “(rheumatoid arthritis), (lung interstitial lesions), (model).” The search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP (China Science and Technology Journal Database) for articles published before November 2024. A total of 41 articles were included. Results and conclusions: The CIA model and the CIA model combined with bleomycin are commonly used due to their similarities to the histopathology and disease manifestations of human RA-ILD. Additionally, these models have appropriate cost and modeling duration, along with a high success rate, making them preferable choices. Transgenic animal models exhibit pathological features similar to the nonspecific interstitial pneumonia subtype of human RA-ILD and are useful for studying the genetic effects on RA-ILD. However, they have drawbacks such as high economic costs, long modeling durations, and a low success rate in some cases. The AA model is easy to establish, requires a short modeling period, and has low experimental costs. However, it lacks the chronic pathological development characteristic of human RA and exhibits a degree of self-limitation in lesion progression. Among other models, the comprehensive HLA-DQ8 transgenic mouse model can be used to study the combined effects of genetic and environmental factors on RA-ILD. The collagen autoantibody-induced arthritis model combined with bleomycin has a short modeling period, but it does not align well with the disease course of RA-ILD. These established animal models provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of RA-ILD, the identification of novel biomarkers, and the development of new therapeutic approaches. Future research should focus on identifying an animal model that better replicates the physiological and pathological changes of clinical RA-ILD while being more convenient, cost-effective, and comprehensive in reflecting disease progression.

The p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), a key regulator of malignancy, is negatively correlated with immune infiltration and has become an emergent drug target of cancer therapy. Given the lack of high efficacy PAK4 inhibitors, we herein reported the identification of a novel inhibitor 13 bearing a tetrahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridine tricyclic core and possessing high potency against MIA PaCa-2 and Pan02 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 0.38 and 0.50 μmol/L, respectively. This compound directly binds to PAK4 in a non-ATP competitive manner. In the mouse Pan02 model, compound 13 exhibited significant tumor growth inhibition at a dose of 100 mg/kg, accompanied by reduced levels of PAK4 and its phosphorylation together with immune infiltration in mice tumor tissue. Overall, compound 13 is a novel allosteric PAK4 inhibitor with a unique tricyclic structural feature and high potency both in vitro and in vivo, thus making it worthy of further exploration.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic interstitial lung disease, is characterized by aberrant wound healing, excessive scarring and the formation of myofibroblastic foci. Although the role of alternative splicing (AS) in the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis has garnered increasing attention, its specific contribution to pulmonary fibrosis remains incompletely understood. In this study, we identified an up-regulation of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 7 (SRSF7) in lung fibroblasts derived from IPF patients and a bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse model, and further characterized its functional role in both human fetal lung fibroblasts and mice. We demonstrated that enhanced expression of Srsf7 in mice spontaneously induced alveolar collagen accumulation. Mechanistically, we investigated alternative splicing events and revealed that SRSF7 modulates the alternative splicing of pyruvate kinase (PKM), leading to metabolic dysregulation and fibroblast activation. In vivo studies showed that fibroblast-specific knockout of Srsf7 in conditional knockout mice conferred resistance to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Importantly, through drug screening, we identified lomitapide as a novel modulator of SRSF7, which effectively mitigated experimental pulmonary fibrosis. Collectively, our findings elucidate a molecular pathway by which SRSF7 drives fibroblast metabolic dysregulation and propose a potential therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis.

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) is a common disease often accompanied by pain, seriously affecting physical and mental health of patients. Abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction has been considered as a predominant origin of arthralgia, while the specific mechanism mediating pain remains unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanism of TMJ-OA pain, an abnormal joint loading model was used to induce TMJ-OA pain. We found that during the development of TMJ-OA, the increased innervation of sympathetic nerve of subchondral bone precedes that of sensory nerves. Furthermore, these two types of nerves are spatially closely associated. Additionally, it was discovered that activation of sympathetic neural signals promotes osteoarthritic pain in mice, whereas blocking these signals effectively alleviates pain. In vitro experiments also confirmed that norepinephrine released by sympathetic neurons promotes the activation and axonal growth of sensory neurons. Moreover, we also discovered that through releasing norepinephrine, regional sympathetic nerves of subchondral bone were found to regulate growth and activation of local sensory nerves synergistically with other pain regulators. This study identified the role of regional sympathetic nerves in mediating pain in TMJ-OA. It sheds light on a new mechanism of abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction and the regional crosstalk between peripheral nerves, providing a potential target for treating TMJ-OA pain.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Sympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology* ; Arthralgia ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Disease Models, Animal ; Norepinephrine ; Male ; Temporomandibular Joint/physiopathology* ; Pain Measurement

Objective : To investigate the expression and clinical significance of kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) ，synovial tissue ，and fibroblastic-like synovial cells (FLS) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients． Methods : Peripheral blood samples from 25 healthy control ( HC) individuals and 25 patients diagnosed with RA were collected ，and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect KMO gene and protein expression in PBMC of RA and HC groups，and to analyze the correlation between the expression level of the KMO gene in the PBMC of the RA patients and the indexes of the laboratory tests．Meanwhile，immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect KMO expression in synovial tissue and FLS in RA and HC groups． Results : ① KMO gene and protein expression in PBMC of RA group were higher than that of HC group，and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0. 001) ．② The level of KMO gene expression in PBMC of RA group was positively correlated with disease activity index 28 score，blood sedimentation，and rheumatoid factor (rs = 0. 417，P = 0. 038 ; r = 0. 545，P = 0. 005 ; rs = 0. 433，P = 0. 031) ， and had no correlation with C-reactive protein and anti-cyclic citrullinated polypeptide antibody．③ KMO expres- sion in synovial tissue of RA group was higher than that of HC group，and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0. 01) ; KMO expression in FLS of synovial tissue of RA group was higher than that of HC group，and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0. 001) ． Conclusion KMO expression increases in PBMC ，synovial tissue and FLS of RA patients，and the level of KMO gene expression is correlated with the disease activity of RA patients，suggesting that KMO may promote the course of RA．

Objective:To construct dynamic cycle management mode of medical equipment,so as to analyze the influence of that on management effect of medical equipment in the department of neurosurgery,and improve the management effect of neurosurgery equipment.Method:Based on the full-process monitoring,full participation and all-round management of the dynamic cycle management mode,the full life cycle management was implemented on medical instruments and equipment.A total of 1,269 used medical equipment in the department of neurosurgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from January 2022 to December 2023 were selected.During the period from January 2022 to December 2022,the conventional management mode was adopted to manage these equipment.From January and December 2023,the dynamic cycle management mode was adopted to manage them.The management effects of equipment failure and the incidence of risk events of the two management modes were compared.A self-made satisfaction questionnaire was used to investigate the satisfaction scores of medical staffs,who used the equipment,for maintaining and using the equipment.Results:The time of average internal reporting for repair,the time of external reporting for repair,the time of diagnosing fault,total time of reporting repair and total maintenance time in dynamic cycle management mode were respectively(3.15±1.04)min,(19.34±2.81)min,(22.66±3.73)min,(10.04±1.11)min and(5.38±1.92)d,which were significantly lower than those in conventional management mode(t=15.878,21.553,18.755,20.486,7.636,P<0.05).The incidence of risk events of equipment in dynamic cycle management mode was significantly lower than that in conventional management group(x2=8.635,P<0.05).The satisfaction scores of medical staffs who used equipment in dynamic cycle management mode were significantly higher than those in conventional management mode in the timeliness of reporting repair,the speed of diagnosis and maintenance,the used effect after maintenance for failure of equipment,and the differences were significant(t=7.364,7.381,5.413,P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of dynamic cycle management mode for medical equipment in the management for instrument and equipment of the department of neurosurgery in hospital can improve management effect for equipment,and reduce incidence of risk events of equipment,and enhance the satisfaction of staffs who use equipment.

A total of 269 non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, 175 patients (65.1%) were assigned to the control group and received conventional therapy with maximally tolerated doses of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, while 94 patients (34.9%) were assigned to the dapagliflozin group and received oral dapagliflozin 10 mg/day in addition to the conventional therapy. The results showed that the urine protein quantity in the dapagliflozin group was lower than those in the control group at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of follow-up (all P<0.05), and the blood albumin level was higher than those in the control group at 18 and 24 months of follow-up (all P<0.05). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis results showed that the cumulative renal survival rate of the dapagliflozin group was significantly higher than that of the control group (Log-rank test, χ2=5.078, P=0.024). Multivariable Cox regression analysis results revealed that using dapagliflozin was independently associated with a reduced risk of the composite endpoint in non-diabetic CKD patients ( HR=0.400, 95% CI 0.163-0.983, P=0.046). There was no statistical difference in adverse reactions between the two groups (all P>0.05). It is indicated that dapagliflozin has a renal protective effect independent of hypoglycemic action and good safety.

Objective:To construct and validate a predictive model for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic urological surgery.Methods:This retrospective study included the medical records of 932 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic urological surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to February 2022. The patients were divided into a training group ( n=559) and a validation group ( n=373) at a 6∶4 ratio. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for PPCs, and a nomogram prediction model was constructed based on these factors. The performance of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration curve, and the clinical benefit was assessed using the clinical decision curve analysis. Results:The independent risk factors for PPCs included advanced age (>60 yr), smoking history, respiratory tract infection within 1 month, preoperative low SpO 2 (<96%), and prolonged length of postoperative hospital stay ( P<0.05), and the body mass index (18.5-<28.0 kg/m 2) was a protective factor. The nomogram prediction model developed based on the aforementioned 6 influencing factors had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.76-0.86) in training group and 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.75-0.86) in validation group. The calibration curve indicated a good consistency between the predicted and actual occurrence curves, and the clinical decision curve analysis showed good accuracy and net benefit of the prediction model. Conclusions:The predictive model for PPCs is successfully constructed based on age, low body mass index, smoking history, history of respiratory tract infection within 1 month, preoperative low SpO 2 and prolonged length of postoperative hospital stay and has good predictive performance in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic urological surgery.