This study aims to explore the effects and action mechanisms of the active ingredients in Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BYHWD), namely tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) and hydroxy-safflor yellow A(HSYA), on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reglucose-reoxygenation(OGD/R)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of microglia(MG). Network pharmacology was used to screen the effective monomer ingredients of BYHWD and determine the safe concentration range for each component. Inflammation and oxidative stress models were established to further screen the best ingredient combination and optimal concentration ratio with the most effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. OGD/R BV2 cell models were constructed, and BV2 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided into a normal group, a model group, an HSYA group, a TMP group, and an HSYA + TMP group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6). Oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase(SOD), nitric oxide(NO), and malondialdehyde(MDA), were also measured. Western blot was used to analyze the protein expression of both inflammation-related pathway [Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)] and oxidative stress-related pathway [nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)]. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the expression of proteins such as inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and arginase-1(Arg-1). The most effective ingredients for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in BYHWD were TMP and HSYA. Compared to the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, along with significantly higher protein expression of NF-κB, TLR4, Nrf2, and HO-1 and significantly lower SOD levels. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant. Compared to the model group, both the HSYA group and the TMP group showed significantly reduced levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, lower expression of NF-κB and TLR4 proteins, higher levels of SOD, and significantly increased protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was significantly reduced, while the expression of the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 was significantly increased. The results of the HSYA group and the TMP group had statistically significant differences from those of the model group. Compared to the HSYA group and the TMP group, the HSYA + TMP group showed further significant reductions in IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA levels, along with significant reductions in NF-κB and TLR4 protein expression, an increase in SOD levels, and elevated Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was reduced, while the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 expression increased significantly in the HSYA + TMP group compared to the TMP or HSYA group. The differences in the results were statistically significant between the HSYA + TMP group and the TMP or HSYA group. The findings indicated that the combined use of HSYA and TMP, the active ingredients of BYHWD, can effectively inhibit OGD/R-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of MG, showing superior effects compared to the individual use of either component.
Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Inflammation/genetics* ; Oxygen/metabolism* ; Pyrazines/pharmacology* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; NF-kappa B/immunology* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; Humans

Compounds isolated from Epimedium include the total flavonoids of Epimedium , icariin, and its metabolites (icaritin, icariside I, and icariside II), which have similar molecular structures. Modern pharmacological research and clinical practice have proved that Epimedium and its active components have a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially in improving sexual function, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, immune function regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-tumor activity. To date, we still need a comprehensive source of knowledge about the pharmacological effects of Epimedium and its bioactive compounds on the male reproductive system. However, their actions in other tissues have been reviewed in recent years. This review critically focuses on the Epimedium , its bioactive compounds, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that modulate vital pathways associated with the male reproductive system. Such intrinsic knowledge will significantly further studies on the Epimedium and its bioactive compounds that protect the male reproductive system and provide some guidances for clinical treatment of related male reproductive disorders.
Male ; Epimedium/chemistry* ; Humans ; Genitalia, Male/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Animals

BACKGROUND: The association of systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) with prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has never been investigated in a large sample with long-term follow-up. This study aimed to explore the association of SIRI with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a nationally representative sample of CAD patients from United States. METHODS: A total of 3386 participants with CAD from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018 were included in this study. Cox proportional hazards model, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were performed to investigate the association of SIRI with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Piece-wise linear regression and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.7 years, 1454 all-cause mortality occurred. After adjusting for confounding factors, higher lnSIRI was significantly associated with higher risk of all-cause (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23) and CVD mortality (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05-1.30) but not cancer mortality (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.99-1.38). The associations of SIRI with all-cause and CVD mortality were detected as J-shaped with threshold values of 1.05935 and 1.122946 for SIRI, respectively. ROC curves showed that lnSIRI had robust predictive effect both in short and long terms. CONCLUSIONS SIRI was independently associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, and the dose-response relationship was J-shaped. SIRI might serve as a valid predictor for all-cause and CVD mortality both in the short and long terms.

Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a novel non-invasive neuromodulation technique with the potential to precisely target deep brain structures. This study explores the neural and behavioral effects of tTIS on the superior colliculus (SC), a region involved in eye movement control, in mice. Computational modeling revealed that tTIS delivers more focused stimulation to the SC than traditional transcranial alternating current stimulation. In vivo experiments, including Ca²⁺ signal recordings and eye movement tracking, showed that tTIS effectively modulates SC neural activity and induces eye movements. A significant correlation was found between stimulation frequency and saccade frequency, suggesting direct tTIS-induced modulation of SC activity. These results demonstrate the precision of tTIS in targeting deep brain regions and regulating eye movements, highlighting its potential for neuroscientific research and therapeutic applications.
Animals ; Superior Colliculi/physiology* ; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation/methods* ; Eye Movements/physiology* ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Aim To mine the competing ceRNA net-works associated with programmed cell death in the pathophysiological mechanisms of atherosclerosis(AS)based on bioinformatics,in order to identify new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of AS.Methods Firstly,the GSE97210 and GSE28858 datasets were screened from the GEO database.Differentially ex-pressed lncRNA,mRNA and miRNA were identified,following which a IncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed in Cytoscape 3.7.2 software based on ceRNA theory.Second,GO and KEGG en-richment analysis of mRNA in the ceRNA network was performed.Finally,the mRNAS within the ceRNA net-work were compared with genes related to autophagy,pyroptosis and ferroptosis to establish a ceRNA network related to programmed cell death.Results A total of 1208 DElncRNAS,4723 DEmRNAS and 139 DEmiR-NAS were identified.A ceRNA network was estab-lished,comprising 64 lncRNAS,8 miRNAS and 167 mRNAS.The mRNAS within the CeRNA network were mainly enriched in biological processes such as positive regulation of transcription and migration,protein bind-ing,and signaling pathways including PI3K-Akt signa-ling pathway,and mTOR signaling pathway.Finally,this study established 7 lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regu-latory pathways associated with pyroptosis and 23 ln-cRNA-mediated regulatory pathways for ferroptosis and autophagy.Conclusion This study has successfully constructed a ceRNA network related to programmed cell death,which helps us understand the mechanism by which programmed cell death leads to AS.

BACKGROUND:Repetitive trans-spinal magnetic stimulation(rTSMS)can inhibit inflammatory responses following spinal cord injury.rTSMS applies magnetic field stimulation to the spinal cord region to modulate neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission,thereby promoting plasticity and repair of the nervous system. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of rTSMS on the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor(NF)-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway after spinal cord injury and explore its mechanism in promoting motor function recovery. METHODS:Male C57BL/6J mice,SPF grade,were randomly divided into sham surgery group,spinal cord injury group,and rTSMS group.The latter two groups of mice were anesthetized and the T9 vertebral plate was removed using rongeur forceps to expose the spinal cord,and the spinal cord was clamped using a small aneurysm clip for 20 seconds to establish the spinal cord injury model.Mice in the rTSMS group underwent a 21-day rTSMS intervention starting on day 1 after spinal cord injury.The stimulation lasted 10 minutes per day,5 days per week with an interval of 2 days.Basso Mouse Scale scores were used to assess motor function recovery in mice after spinal cord injury at 1,3,7,14,and 21 days after spinal cord injury.Western blot was employed to detect the expression of AQP4,apoptotic factors Bax,Bcl-2,CL-Caspase-3,inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α,interferon-γ,interleukin-6,interleukin-4,and the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins in the injured spinal cord.Oxidative stress assay kit was used to measure the activity of superoxide dismutase,glutathione peroxidase,and malondialdehyde content at the site of spinal cord injury.Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of neuronal nuclei(NeuN). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The Basso Mouse Scale score in the rTSMS group was significantly higher than that in the spinal cord injury group(P<0.05).Compared with the spinal cord injury group,the rTSMS group showed a reduction in spinal cord water content.The expression of AQP4 protein,malondialdehyde content,and expression of Bax,Bcl-2,CL-Caspase-3,tumor necrosis factor-α,interferon-γ,interleukin-6,and TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins were all decreased in the rTSMS group,while the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase,as well as the expression of Bcl-2,interleukin-4,and NeuN,were all increased(P<0.05).These results suggest that rTSMS downregulates the expression of proteins related to the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway,alleviating symptoms after spinal cord injury such as spinal cord edema,oxidative stress,apoptosis,and inflammation,exerting neuroprotective effects,and thereby promoting the recovery of hindlimb motor function after spinal cord injury.

Objective To investigate the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)in predicting the in-hospital mortality risk of patients with acute aortic dissection(AAD)in multicenter hospitals.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted.Clinical data were collected from 2642 AAD patients who were hospitalized in five teaching hospitals:Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Henan Provincial People's Hospital,Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University,and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between August 2010 and December 2021.According to the quartiles of serum NLRlevels,the patients were divided into four groups:first quartile(Q1,n=660),second quartile(Q2,n=661),third quartile(Q3,n=661),and fourth quartile(Q4,n=660).The clinical characteristics and biochemical indicators of each group were compared.Partial correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between NLR and cardiovascular parameters.Restricted cubic splines,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis,and Cox regression models were employed to evaluate the association between NLR levels and in-hospital mortality risk in AAD patients.Results The median age of all patients was 54[interquartile range(IQR):46-63]years,including 2096 males and 546 females.Compared with Q1-Q3 groups,patients inQ4group had a lower incidence of smoking history and diabetes history,and were more likely to have DeBakey type Ⅰ AAD(P＜0.05).Additionally,the levels of aspartate aminotransferase,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,creatinine,and D-dimer in Q4 group were higher,while the levels of triglycerides and C-reactive protein(CRP)were lower(P＜0.01).The results of partial correlation analysis showed that the plasma NLR level was positively correlated with D-dimer(r=0.43,P＜0.01)and creatinine(r=0.16,P＜0.01).The restricted cubic spline function in the Cox model revealed a significant non-linear relationship between the plasma NLR level and clinical outcomes in AAD patients(P＜0.01).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that patients in Q4 group had the highest in-hospital mortality rate compared with Q1-Q3 groups(P＜0.0001).Furthermore,multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that compared with Q1 group,the hazard ratio(HR)of NLR in Q4 group was 1.77(95％CI 1.33-2.37,P＜0.001),which was an independent risk factor for the primary endpoint events.Conclusion A higher plasma NLR level is significantly associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular events in AAD patients,and this association remains significant even after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as the multicenter visiting hospitals.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of urea cycle disorder (UCD), the efficacy and safety of glyceryl phenylbutyrate (GPB) therapy in pediatric patients with UCD.Methods:This study was a retrospective, single-arm, multicenter clinical study. The clinical data of 20 pediatric patients with UCD who received GPB treatment at 9 hospitals nationwide between December 2021 and August 2024 were collected. The clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and molecular genetic characteristics were analyzed, ammonia levels and other laboratory results were evaluated pre-post GPB therapy by paired t-tests or Wilcoxon tests. Results:Among the 20 pediatric patients with UCD, there were 8 males and 12 females, and the onset age was 2.8 (1.4, 5.7) years. The ammonia levels were 174 (125, 342) μmol/L at first onset. The symptoms included vomiting in 6 cases, drowsiness in 5 cases, epilepsy in 5 cases, developmental delay in 5 cases, psychiatric and behavioral abnormalities in 3 cases, and lethargy in 1 case, and 18 cases exhibited abnormal liver function. Twenty cases included 6 UCD subtypes, with 11 cases being ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. A total of 27 variants were identified, 11 (41%) of which were novel. The age of patients who began GPB therapy was 4.0 (1.5, 6.6) years. Ten cases stopped GPB after 4.2 (3.4, 5.3) months, with 4 patients undergoing liver transplantation and 6 discontinuing for financial reasons. The remaining ten patients continued GPB therapy for 11.6 (8.6, 14.0) months. The duration of GPB treatment was 6.0 (4.2, 12.3) months, at the final visit, the levels of ammonia, platelets and aspartate aminotransferase were lower compared to those of pre-treatment (all P<0.05). The serum albumin level was higher than that of pre-treatment ( P=0.016). Two patients suffered only one episode of acute hyperammonaemia, with ammonia levels of 232 and 141 μmol/L, respectively. Nine cases experienced adverse effects potentially related to GPB, decreased appetite in 6 cases, vomiting in 3 cases, abnormal skin oil odor in 2 cases, somnolence, fatigue and diarrhea each in 1 case, with symptoms improved within 6 (3, 10) days. Conclusions:UCD primarily manifests with neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms, and early diagnosis of UCD could be achieved through the analysis of ammonia. GPB may effectively reduce ammonia levels in UCD pediatric patients, with favorable safety and tolerability.