This study investigated the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Modified Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Powder on ulcerative colitis(UC) in rats from the perspective of dampness. SD rats were randomly allocated into six groups(n=10): control, model, mesalazine, and Modified Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Powder at low(3.96 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), medium(7.92 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and high(15.84 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) doses. UC was induced in all groups except the control by administration with 3% dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) solution for 7 days. The disease activity index(DAI) was recorded, and the colon tissue was collected for analysis. Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Serum levels of D-lactic acid(D-LA) and diamine oxidase(DAO) were measured by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry and PCR were employed to evaluate the expression of aquaporins(AQP3, AQP4) and tight junction proteins [zonula occludens-1(ZO-1) and occludin] at both protein and mRNA levels. Compared with the control group, the model group showed an increased DAI scores(P<0.05), intestinal mucosal damage, elevated serum levels of DAO and D-LA(P<0.05), and decreased expression of AQP3, AQP4, ZO-1, and occludin(P<0.05). Treatment with Modified Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Powder reduced the DAI scores(P<0.05), lowered the serum levels of D-LA and DAO(P<0.05), and upregulated the expression of AQP3, AQP4, ZO-1, and occludin at both protein and mRNA levels compared with the model group. These findings suggest that Modified Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Powder exerts therapeutic effects on UC by reducing the intestinal mucosal permeability, promoting colonic mucosal repair, and regulating abnormal intestinal water metabolism, which may involve the upregulation of AQP3 and AQP4 expression.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism* ; Male ; Aquaporin 3/metabolism* ; Aquaporin 4/metabolism* ; Permeability/drug effects* ; Humans ; Powders ; Intestinal Barrier Function

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the modulation mechanism of Suanzaoren Decoction (SZRD) on basolateral amygdala (BLA) neuronal activity to alleviate chronic restraint stress (CRS)-related behavioral deficits. METHODS: The male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to 4 groups using the complete randomization method, including control (CON, n=19), CRS (n=19), SZRD (n=21), and fluoxetine (Flu, n=22) groups. Mice were restrained for 6 h per day, over a 21-d period to establish CRS models. The CON group remained in their cages without food or water during the 6-h matching period. SZRD and Flu groups received intragastric administration of SZRD (4.68 g/kg) and Flu (20 mg/kg) daily, respectively, 30 min before restraint for 21 consecutive days. The therapeutic effects of SZRD were evaluated using behavioral tests including the tail suspension test, elevated plus maze test, and forced swimming test. The cellular Fletcher B. Judson murine osteosarcoma proto-oncogene (c-Fos) expression in the BLA was measured using immunofluorescence, while action potential (AP) firing and synaptic transmission in BLA pyramidal neurons were evaluated using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. RESULTS: SZRD administration significantly increased time spent in the open arms and open-arm entries while reducing immobility time (P<0.05 or P<0.01). It downregulated CRS-induced c-Fos expression and AP firing of pyramidal neurons in the BLA (P<0.01). Additionally, SZRD selectively attenuated excitatory (P<0.01), but not inhibitory, synaptic transmission onto BLA pyramidal neurons. CONCLUSION SZRD alleviated CRS-induced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in mice by modulating the excitability and synaptic transmission of BLA pyramidal neurons.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Depression/complications* ; Pyramidal Cells/pathology* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Basolateral Nuclear Complex/pathology* ; Restraint, Physical ; Anxiety/complications* ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Stress, Psychological/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism* ; Action Potentials/drug effects* ; Synaptic Transmission/drug effects*

Objective To perform the identification at the subspecies-level of Mycobacterium abscessus(M.abscessus)and analyze its characteristics based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF MS).Methods Bi-otyper software was used to construct the predicted peak spectrum of M.abscessus subsp.abscessus and M.abscessus subsp.massiliense.The predicted peak spectrum was constructed with expected maximum peak value number of 70 and peak frequency of 100％in the ex-perimental group and control group,respectively.A blind test was performed on 31 strains of M.abscessus that were not used to con-struct predictive peak spectra to evaluate the identification efficiency of predictive peak spectra.FlexAnalysis software was used to sum-marize and analyze the list of mass spectral peak value of M.abscessus,and screen the specific peaks in mass spectra of different sub-species of M.abscessus.The principal component analysis(PCA)algorithm was used to perform the cluster analysis for the data from mass spectrometry of M.abscessus,and explore the feasibility of PCA clustering in distinguishing the subspecies of M.abscessus.Results In the experimental group,96.8％(30/31)of the strains were correctly identified,and one strain of M.abscessus subsp.massiliense with rough colony form was mistakenly identified as M.abscessus subsp.abscessus.In control group,77.4％(24/31)of the strains were correctly identified,but 7 strains of M.abscessus subsp.massiliense were incorrectly identified or unable to be identified.The identification efficiency in the experimental group was significantly better than that in the control group with statistical difference(X2=5.167,P=0.026).M.abscessus subsp.abscessus exhibited three specific peaks(m/z 4 001.67,4 386.81 and 4 963.17),and M.abscessus subsp.massiliense also exhibited three specific peaks(m/z 4 950.48,4 381.78 and 5 214.90).In the PCA 3D scatter plot,the data points of M.abscessus subsp.abscessus and M.abscessus subsp.massiliense were relatively dispersed without obvious clus-tering.The PC A dendrograph could be divided into six branches in which only four branches were composed of a single subspecies.The minimum level value of distance between M.abscessus subsp.abscessus and M.abscessus subsp.massiliense was about 0.1.Conclusion The predicted peak spectrum based on MALDI-TOF MS with the expected maximum peak number of 70 could accurately identify M.abscessus at the subspecies level.The specific peak of mass spectrometry method in this study should be feasible to distinguish the subspecies of M.abscessus subsp.abscessus and the subspecies of M.abscessus subsp.Massiliense,but PCA cluster analysis cannot be used as a means to distinguish M.abscessus subsp.abscessus from M.abscessus subsp.massiliense.

Anxiety disorder is a highly prevalent psychological illness, and research has shown that obesity is a significant risk factor for its development. This study explored the ameliorative effects and mechanisms of saponins from Panax japonicus(SPJ) on anxiety disorder in mice fed a high-fat diet(HFD). Fifty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control diet(NCD) group, HFD group, and low-and high-dose SPJ groups. At week 12, six mice from the HFD group were further divided into a control group(treated with DMSO) and an exogenous fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21) group(administered rFGF21). The anxiety-like behavior of the mice was assessed using the open field test and elevated plus maze test. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and oil red O staining were performed to observe pathological changes in the liver and adipose tissue. Glucose metabolism was evaluated through the glucose tolerance test(GTT) and insulin tolerance test(ITT). Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of FGF21 and its downstream-related proteins in the liver and cortex, along with the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), disks large homolog 4(DLG4), and synaptophysin(SYP) in the cortex. Real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR(qPCR) was used to detect the expression of FGF21 and its receptor genes in the liver and cortex. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to examine the expression of neuronal activator c-Fos, FGF21, and the FGF21 co-receptor β-klotho in the cerebral cortex. The results showed that SPJ significantly improved the frequency of activity in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and the central area of the open field in HFD mice, up-regulated the expression of BDNF, DLG4, and SYP, and effectively alleviated anxiety-like behaviors in HFD mice. Compared with the NCD group, HFD mice exhibited up-regulated expression of FGF21 in the liver and cerebral cortex, while the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1(FGFR1) and β-klotho was significantly down-regulated, suggesting that HFD mice exhibited FGF21 resistance. SPJ markedly up-regulated the β-klotho levels in HFD mice, reversing FGF21 resistance. Further comparison with exogenously administered FGF21 revealed that SPJ activates brain cortical regions in a consistent manner, and additionally, SPJ promotes the number and colocalization of c-Fos and β-klotho positive cells in the brain cortex. In summary, SPJ effectively alleviates anxiety-like behaviors in HFD mice. Its mechanism is associated with up-regulation of β-klotho expression in the brain, reversal of FGF21 resistance, and subsequent activation of neurons in the cerebral cortex and amygdala.
Animals ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/genetics* ; Mice ; Male ; Panax/chemistry* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Anxiety/etiology* ; Saponins/administration & dosage* ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/genetics* ; Humans ; Liver/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*

Objective:To investigate the association of peripheral blood inflammatory markers and lymphocyte subsets with different severities of acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods:A total of 128 AIS patients who were admitted to Department of Neurology,The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University,from January to December 2022 were enrolled as subjects,and according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score,the patients were divided into mild AIS group(67 patients with an NIHSS score of<4)and moderate-to-severe AIS group(61 patients with an NIHSS score of≥4).The two groups were compared in terms of baseline clinical data,blood biochemical parameters,and peripheral[MLR],neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio[NLR],and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio[PLR]).Flow cytometry was used to measure the number and percentage of lymphocyte subsets.Results:Compared with the mild AIS group,the moderate-to-severe AIS group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with hyperlipidemia blood inflammatory markers(C-reactive protein[CRP],systemic immune-inflammation index[SII],monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio(47.761%vs.67.213%,P=0.032),with relatively high values of low-density lipoprotein(LDL)/high-density lipoprotein(HDL)ratio(P=0.025)and total cholesterol(TCHO)/HDL ratio(P=0.020),as well as significantly higher levels of the peripheral blood inflamma-tory markers CRP(P<0.001),platelet count(P=0.001),MLR(P<0.001),and NLR(P<0.001),significantly higher numbers of periph-eral blood CD3 T cells(P=0.006),CD4 T cells(P=0.009),CD8 T cells(P=0.032),and CD3-/CD16+/CD56+NK cells(P=0.002),and a significantly higher proportion of T helper cells(P=0.041).The binary logistic regression analysis showed that platelet count(odds ratio[OR]=1.035,P=0.004),CRP(OR=2.016,P<0.001),NLR(OR=2.585,P=0.030),the proportion of total lymphocytes(OR=1.169,P<0.001),and the number of lymphocytes(OR=1.008,P<0.001)were significantly associated with moderate-to-severe AIS.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis showed that NLR,CRP,and the proportion of total lymphocytes had an area under the ROC curve of 0.760,0.812,and 0.777,respectively.Conclusion:Patients with moderate-to-severe AIS tend to have high levels of the peripheral blood inflammatory markers NLR and CRP,a high lymphocyte count,and a high proportion of lymphocytes.NLR,CRP,and the proportion of lymphocytes are independent risk factors for the development of moderate-to-severe AIS.

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Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

OBJECTIVE To explore the expressions of apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1(Apo B/A1)and procalci-tonin(PCT)in peripheral blood of the acute pancreatitis(AP)patients with infectious pancreatic necrosis(IPN)and analyze the predictive values.METHODS A total of 102 patients with AP who were treated in Lishui People's Hospital from Jan.2022 to Dec.2023 were recruited as the research subjects and were divided into the IPN group with 29 cases and the non-IPN group with 73 cases according to the status of IPN.The baseline data of the two groups of patients were analyzed,the expression levels of Apo B/A1,PCT and other serologic indexes were ob-served and compared between the two groups.The values of peripheral blood Apo B/A1 and PCT in prediction of IPN in the AP patients were analyzed by means of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.RESULTS There were no significant differences in the baseline data such as age and gender between the two groups of pa-tients.There were significant differences in the expression levels of peripheral blood Apo B/A1,PCT and RDW as well as blood calcium level between the IPN group and the non-IPN group(P＜0.05);the expression levels of pe-ripheral blood Apo B/A1 and PCT of the IPN group were respectively(2.54±0.75)and(11.77±3.21)ng/ml,higher than those of the non-IPN group(t=8.712,12.095,all P＜0.001);the blood calcium level of the IPN group was(2.22±0.22)mmol/L,lower than that of the non-IPN group(t=2.749,P=0.007).There were no sig-nificant differences in other serologic indexes.ROC curve analysis showed that both the single and joint detection of peripheral blood Apo B/A1 and PCT had the predictive efficiency for IPN in the AP patients(P＜0.05),the ar-eas under the curves(AUCs)were 0.886,0.874 and 0.922,respectively;the efficiency of the joint detection of the two indexes was the highest,with the sensitivity 82.72％,the specificity 86.30％.CONCLUSIONS The peripheral blood Apo B/A1,PCT,RDW and blood calcium are the influencing factors for the IPN in the AP patients.The joint detection of Apo B/A1 and PCT can predict the IPN for the AP patients in early stage.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA)is the most prevalent joint disease in childhood.The disease is defined as arthritis of unknown etiology,involving one or more joints,with onset before the age of 16 years and symptomatic duration of more than 6 weeks.Temporomandibular joint(TMJ)arthritis is a common manifestation of JIA,but it often develops insidiously.Failing to diag-nose and treat it promptly may lead to maxillofacial dysfunction and dentofacial deformity,and negatively affect the patient's quality of life.Therefore,early diagnosis and disease management of TMJ arthritis are crucial.This article reviews the occurrence of JIA-TMJ arthritis and its progress in clinical diagnosis and disease treatment in recent years,aiming to provide some reference for den-tists in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of JIA.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of an interpretable integrated learning model combining clinical indicators,CT image features and radiomics features for the differential diagnosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma,so as to provide references for clincal treatment decisions.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical and imaging data from 220 patients(231 lesions)with primary non-small cell lung cancer at Jiangjin Central Hospital of Chongqing(Center 1)and 83 patients(84 lesions)at Chongqing General Hospital(Center 2).In Center 1,the squamous cell carcinoma group consisted of 60 patients(60 lesions),while the adenocarcinoma group included 160 patients(171 lesions).In Center 2,the squamous cell carcinoma group comprised 18 patients(18 lesions),and the adenocarcinoma group involved 65 patients(66 lesions).The patients were categorized into squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma groups based on pathological findings.Center 1 was randomly partitioned into a training set and a validation set at a 7∶3 ratio,while Center 2 served as the independent test set.Firstly,a deep learning model,VB-Net,was used to automatically segment the tumor region on the lung window image;secondly,the SMOTE(synthetic minority oversampling technique)method was used to balance the categories in the training set and standardize the extracted features with Z-scores;thirdly,the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)were used to select the optimal radiomics features and calculate the radiomics score(Radscore),and univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to screen clinical indicators and independent clinical factors for differentiating lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma in CT image features;finally,three ensemble learning algorithms(AdaBoost,Bagging decision tree and XGBoost)were used to combine independent clinical factors and Radscore to construct the model.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the models.SHAP technique was used to analyze the feature contribution and model decision-making process.Results Among the evaluated ensemble models,AdaBoost and Bagging decision trees demonstrated overfitting tendencies.In contrast,the XGBoost model showed the best performance,achieving AUC values of 0.939,0.887 and 0.853 in the training,validation and independent test sets,respectively.SHAP indicated that Radscore was the most important feature affecting the performance of the model.The decision diagram enabled the visualization of the diagnostic process of the model.Conclusion The interpretable integrated learning model based on clinical indicators,CT image and radiomics features is expected to non-invasively diagnose lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma before treatment and assist clinicians make treatment decisions as early as possible.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(7):12-20]