OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effects and mechanism of astragaloside Ⅳ （AS- Ⅳ ） on lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced neuroinflammation. METHODS BV2 cells were divided into control group， LPS group， AS-Ⅳ groups at concentrations of 20 and 40 μmol/L， and dexamethasone group （2 μmol/L）. Except for control group， neuroinflammation model was established with LPS （1 μg/mL） in other groups after medication. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and nitric oxide （NO）] in cell supernatant were measured in each group. Mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， positive control group （Aspirin enteric-coated tablet， 20 mg/kg）， AS-Ⅳ low- and high-dose groups （10， 20 mg/kg）， with 6 mice in each group. Mice in each group were administered the corresponding drug/normal saline via gavage/intraperitoneal injection， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. Except for normal group， other groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS （250 μg/kg） 1 hour after daily administration of the drug/normal saline to establish neuroinflammation model. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured 2 h after the last medication； histopathological morphology of cerebral tissue in mice were observed； the co-localization of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）/ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba1） and CD206/Iba1 in the cerebral cortex region of mice was observed； the expressions of proteins related to the nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）/mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway in brain tissue of mice were also determined， including NF-κB p65， phosphorylated NF-κB p65（p-NF-κB p65）， p38 MAPK， phosphorylated p38 MAPK （p-p38 MAPK）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， and phosphorylated ERK （p-ERK）. RESULTS In the cell experiments， compared with control group， the levels of IL-6， TNF- α and NO in the cell supernatant of the LPS group were increased significantly （P＜0.05）； compared with LPS group， the levels of IL-6， TNF-α and NO were decreased significantly in the administration groups （P＜0.05）. In the animal experiments， compared with the normal group， the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF- α， the number of iNOS/Iba1 co-localization positive cells in the cerebral cortex， and the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK， NF- κB p65 and ERK proteins in brain tissue were all significantly increased/elevated in model group （P＜0.05）； the number of CD206/ Iba1 co-localization positive cells in the cerebral cortex region significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. The neurons in the cerebral cortex and the CA3 region of the hippocampus displayed a disordered arrangement. Compared with model group， above quantitative indexes of mice were all reversed significantly in administration groups （P＜0.05）； the neuronal cells in the cerebral cortex and the CA3 region of the hippocampus exhibited a relatively orderly arrangement. CONCLUSIONS AS-Ⅳ may inhibit the activation of the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway， promote the M2-type polarization of microglia， and thereby suppress neuroinflammatory responses.

Biomolecular condensates are formed through phase separation of biomacromolecules such as proteins and RNAs. These condensates exhibit liquid-like properties that can futher transition into more stable material states. They form complex internal structures via multivalent weak interactions, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulations. However, the use of inconsistent and non-standardized terminology has become increasingly problematic, hindering academic exchange and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the terminology related to biomolecular condensates in order to clarify concepts, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, enhance research efficiency, and support the healthy development of this field.

"Prescriptions being modified according to the syndrome and processing following prescription" is one of the characteristics of clinical medication in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), and it is also an important sign that distinguishes TCM from other traditional medicine. The processing methods of TCM decoctions originate from the ingenious combination of medicinal materials, the mutual restraint of seven emotions, the harmony of four properties, and the pairing and combining of medicinal materials in prescriptions. They are the concrete embodiment of the essence and characteristics of "prescriptions being modified according to the syndrome and processing following prescription". However, due to insufficient inheritance and innovation, many characteristic varieties and pharmaceutical experience have been lost or forgotten. There is an urgent need to systematically explore and organize the processing theory and characteristic varieties of TCM decoctions, delve into the scientific connotation of the processing principles, and optimize the processing technology. Therefore, this article systematically organizes and summarizes the historical evolution and modern research progress of TCM decoction processing, conducts in-depth reflection on the current problems, and puts forward reasonable suggestions, with the aim of further inheriting, enriching, and developing the processing theory of TCM decoctions and providing support for ensuring the clinical efficacy of prescriptions.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*

This study established the HPLC fingerprints, characteristic chromatograms, and a multi-component content determination method for Bidens bipinnata and B. biternata. The chemical pattern recognition analysis was then employed to clarify the characteristic indexes of quality differences between the two original plants of Bidentis Herba, providing a reference for establishing the quality standards of Bidentis Herba. HPLC was launched on an Agilent Poroshell 120 EC-C_(18) chromatographic column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 4 μm) by gradient elution with a mobile phase of 0.1% aqueous phosphoric acid-acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.7 mL·min~(-1), detection wavelength of 270 nm, column temperature of 25 ℃, and an injection volume of 5 μL. The similarity between the fingerprints of 18 batches of Bidentis Herba samples and the common pattern(R) ranged from 0.572 to 0.933. A total of 23 chromatographic peaks were calibrated. Through comparison with the reference substances, six components(neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid B, rutin, and hyperoside) were identified and subjected to quantitative analysis. The characteristic fingerprints of B. bipinnata and B. biternata were calibrated with 20 and 17 characteristic peaks, respectively. Among them, peaks 8, 9, 22, and 23 were the characteristic peaks of B. bipinnata, and peak 7 was the characteristic peak of B. biternata, which can be used to distinguish the two original plants of Bidentis Herba. The relative standard deviation of the content of the above-mentioned six components ranged from 36% to 123%. The cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) classified the 18 batches of Bidentis Herba samples into two categories. Additionally, through the analysis of variable importance in projection(VIP) under OPLS-DA, three characteristic indexes, rutin, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid B, were identified. The analytical method established in this study can comprehensively evaluate the consistency of Bidentis Herba samples derived from different original plants, specifically identify the differential components between them, and effectively distinguish the two original plants of Bidentis Herba, providing a basis for the differentiation between different original plants and the quality control of Bidentis Herba.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Bidens/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of clavicular hook plate fixation in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation and distal clavicle fractures. METHODS: A clinical data of 90 patients, who underwent clavicular hook plate fixation between January 2014 and June 2023, was retrospectively analyzed. There were 40 patients with distal clavicle fractures (fracture group) and 50 with acromioclavicular joint dislocations (dislocation group). There was no significant difference in the baseline data of gender, age, cause of injury, side of injury, time from injury to operation, and constituent ratio of osteoporosis patients between the two groups ( P>0.05). The time to remove the internal fixators and the occurrence of complications were recorded. Before removing the internal fixator and at 3 months after removing, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to evaluate the degree of pain, and the mobility of the shoulder joint in forward flexion, elevation, and abduction was measured. Before removing the internal fixators, the Constant-Murley score and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score were used to evaluate the function of the shoulder joint. X-ray films of the shoulder joint were taken during follow-up to observe the occurrence of subacromial osteolysis, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and distal clavicle bone atrophy. Subgroup comparison was conducted between patients with and without subacromial osteolysis in the two groups. RESULTS: All incisions healed by first intention in both groups. All patients were followed up 1-9 years, with a median of 5 years; the difference in follow-up time between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). During follow-up, subacromial osteolysis occurred in 74 cases, including 41 cases of typeⅠand 33 cases of type Ⅱ, distal clavicle bone atrophy in 15 cases, and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis in 8 cases. There were significant differences in the removal time of internal fixators, the incidence of bone atrophy, and the incidence of osteoarthritis between the two groups ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of subacromial osteolysis ( P>0.05). Before removing the internal fixators, there was no significant difference in VAS score, UCLA score, and Constant-Murley score between the two groups ( P>0.05), while there were significant differences in shoulder joint range of motion in all directions ( P<0.05). After removing the internal fixators, only the difference in elevation was significant ( P<0.05). Within the group comparison, the VAS score and mobility of shoulder joint in abduction and elevation after removing the internal fixators were significantly superior to those before removing ( P<0.05). In the fracture and dislocation groups, there was only a significant difference in plate length between the subgroup with and without subacromial osteolysis ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the above other indicators ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION Clavicular hook plate is a good choice for treating acromioclavicular dislocation or distal clavicle fractures, but the incidence of subacromial osteolysis is higher, and the degree of bone resorption is more severe in fracture patients. After removal of the internal fixator, the shoulder functions significantly improve. It is recommended to remove the internal fixator as soon as possible within the allowable range of the condition.
Humans ; Clavicle/surgery* ; Acromioclavicular Joint/surgery* ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Fractures, Bone/surgery* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Joint Dislocations/surgery* ; Aged ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Young Adult ; Postoperative Complications

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effect of autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) in the treatment of recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder joint with glenoid cartilage defect in rabbits by establishing a model of recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder joint with < 20% glenoid cartilage defect in rabbits. METHODS: Twenty-four male New Zealand white rabbits, aged 6-month-old, weighed (2.69±0.17) kg were selected. The labrum of shoulder joint of rabbits was artificially destroyed to establish a model of recurrent anterior dislocation of shoulder joint with cartilage defect. They were divided into AOT surgery group and simple suture group, with 12 rabbits in each group. AOT group were underwent AOT surgery, while simple suture group was treated with simple Bankart suture for recurrent shoulder joint dislocation. At 6 and 12 weeks after operation, 6 rabbits between two groups were sacrificed for sampling. The dietary conditions, activity conditions, mental states of rabbits and healing conditions of grafts in the specimens were observed and compared between two groups. HE staining was used to observe cell creep, cell morphology, inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrochondrocytes and their arrangement. Masson staining was used to observe the formation and arrangement of collagen fibers; Safrane-green staining was used to observe the regeneration of articular cartilage, subchondral bone and bone tissue. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume (BV) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) between two groups were measured by Micro-CT to evaluate the remodeling of shoulder glenoid bone defects by autologous osteochondral cartilage. RESULTS: After different surgical interventions were carried out in both groups of rabbits, at 6 weeks after the operation, the abduction, extension, internal rotation and external rotation of the shoulder joint on the operated side showed limited range of motion compared with the contralateral side, while adduction and forward flexion showed no obvious abnormalities compared with the contralateral side. At 12 weeks after operation, the range motion of tshoulder joints in both groups of rabbits had returned to the state before modeling. The effects of HE staining, Masson staining and safrane-green staining at 12 weeks after operation in both groups were stronger than the staining results at 6 weeks after operation. Moreover, the results of HE staining, Masson staining and safranin fixation green staining in AOT group at 6 and 12 weeks after operation were all higher than those in simple suture group. Micro-CT scan results at 6 and 12 weeks after operation showed that BMD (0.427±0.014), (0.466±0.032) g·cm-3, BV(116.171±3.527), (159.327±3.500) mm3, and Tb.Th (0.230±0.006), (0.285±0.009) mm in AOT group, which were higher than those of simple suture group in BMD(0.358±0.011), (0.384±0.096) g·cm-3, BV(72.657±3.903), (118.713±3.860) mm3, and Tb.Th(0.204±0.009), (0.243±0.007) mm;and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION AOT procedure could effectively promote osteogenesis and fibrocartilage regeneration in the cartilage defect area of the shoulder glenoid <20%, which is conducive to reshaping the structure of the shoulder glenoid.
Animals ; Rabbits ; Male ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Cartilage, Articular/injuries* ; Shoulder Dislocation/physiopathology* ; Bone Transplantation ; Shoulder Joint/surgery*

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

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the genomic characteristics and prognostic factors of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) with RAS mutations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of JMML children with RAS mutations treated at the Hematology Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2008 to November 2022. RESULTS: A total of 34 children were included, with 17 cases (50%) having isolated NRAS mutations, 9 cases (27%) having isolated KRAS mutations, and 8 cases (24%) having compound mutations. Compared to children with isolated NRAS mutations, those with NRAS compound mutations showed statistically significant differences in age at onset, platelet count, and fetal hemoglobin proportion (P<0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis revealed that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and hepatomegaly (≥2 cm below the costal margin) were factors affecting the survival rate of JMML children with RAS mutations (P<0.05); hepatomegaly was a factor affecting survival in the non-HSCT group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Children with NRAS compound mutations have a later onset age compared to those with isolated NRAS mutations. At initial diagnosis, children with NRAS compound mutations have poorer peripheral platelet and fetal hemoglobin levels than those with isolated NRAS mutations. Liver size at initial diagnosis is related to the prognosis of JMML children with RAS mutations. HSCT can improve the prognosis of JMML children with RAS mutations.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile/therapy* ; Mutation ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Child ; Infant ; GTP Phosphohydrolases/genetics* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Adolescent ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum levels of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), heparanase (HPSE) and early renal impairment (RI) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 125 MM patients who were initially diagnosed in the Department of Hematology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology from June 2020 to June 2023. The patients were divided into RI group (>176.80 μmol/L) and non-RI group (≤176.80 μmol/L) based on their serum creatinine levels when diagnosed. The baseline data and laboratory indexes of the two groups were compared. The relationship between serum FGF-23, HPSE and early RI in MM patients was analyzed. RESULTS: Among 125 newly diagnosed MM patients, 33 cases developed early RI, accounting for 26.40%. The proportion of light chain type, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood uric acid, lactate dehydrogenase, FGF-23, and HPSE levels in RI group were higher than those in non-RI group (all P <0.05). There was no statistical significant difference in other data between the two groups (P >0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BUN, FGF-23 and HPSE were associated with early RI in MM patients (all P <0.05). The serum FGF-23 level was divided into Q1-Q4 groups by quartile, and the serum HPSE level was divided into q1-q4 groups. The correlation analysis showed that with the increase of serum FGF-23 and HPSE levels, the incidence of early RI increased (r =0.668, 0.592). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for confounding factors, elevated levels of serum FGF-23 and HPSE were still influencing factors for early RI in MM patients (OR>1, P <0.05). According to Pearson's linear correlation test, there was a positive correlation between serum FGF-23 level and HPSE level (r =0.373). CONCLUSION There is a certain correlation between serum levels of FGF-23, HPSE and early RI in MM patients, and the incidence of early RI is higher in patients with abnormally high levels of both.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/complications* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 ; Retrospective Studies ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/blood* ; Glucuronidase/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency/blood* ; Aged