This article systematically analyzed the historical evolution of the origin， scientific name， producing area， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing， and other aspects of Quisqualis Fructus by consulting the ancient materia medica， medical books， prescription books， local literature and combining with the modern literature and standards， summarized and explored the development rules of its medicinal properties and efficacy along with their underlying causes， in order to provide support for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. According to the textual research， Shijunzi was first recorded as Liuqiuzi in Nanfang Caomuzhuang of the Jin dynasty， and the name of Shijunzi was first used in Kaibao Bencao of the Song dynasty， which has been consistently used throughout subsequent dynasties， and there were also aliases such as Junziren， Sijunzi， and Dujilizi. The mainstream source of Quisqualis Fructus used in the past dynasties has been the dried mature fruits of Quisqualis indica， a plant belonging to the family Combretaceae. In modern times， its variety Q. indica var. villosa has also been recorded as the medicinal material of Quisqualis Fructus. In 2007， the Flora of China（English edition） designated Q. indica var. villosa as a synonym of Q. indica. Today， the accepted name of Shijunzi is updated to Combretum indicum. According to ancient herbal records， the producing areas of Quisqualis Fructus were Guangdong， Hong Kong， Macao， Guangxi， Hainan， Sichuan and Fujian， and then gradually expanded to Yunnan， Taiwan， Jiangxi and Guizhou. Since the Song dynasty， two major production regions have gradually emerged in Sichuan， Chongqing and Fujian. Currently， it is primarily cultivated in Chongqing， Guangxi and other areas， with Chongqing yielding the highest output. Since modern times， superior quality has been defined by large size， a purple-black surface， plump grains， and a yellowish-white kernel. According to ancient herbal records， the harvesting period of Quisqualis Fructus was the July and August of the lunar calendar， mostly used raw after shelling or with the shell intact， it underwent processing methods such as cleaning， slicing， mixing， steaming， roasting， stewing， and frying. Currently， the harvesting period is autumn， followed by sun-drying or low-heat drying， with processing methods including cleaning， stir-frying， and stewing. In ancient and modern literature， the records of the properties， functions and indications of Quisqualis Fructus are basically the same， that is， sweet in taste， warm in nature， predominantly non-toxic， belonging to the spleen and stomach meridians. It possesses effects of insecticide， decontamination and invigorating spleen for ascariasis， enterobiasis， abdominal pain due to worm accumulation and infantile malnutrition.The contraindications for use primarily include avoiding consumption by individuals without parasitic infestations， limiting use for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold， refraining from drinking hot tea during medication， and avoiding excessive intake. Based on the textual research， it is suggested that the dried mature fruits of Q. indica should be used as the medicinal material for the development of famous classical formulas containing Quisqualis Fructus. Processing methods may be chosen according to prescription requirements， and the raw products is recommended for medicinal use if not specified.

BACKGROUND:Collagen combined with microneedling therapy has gradually become an important means of improving skin photoaging.OBJECTIVE:To summarize and explore the main mechanism and clinical application status of collagen combined with microneedle therapy.METHODS:PubMed,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,and ScienceDirect databases were searched for Chinese and English literature published before August 2024.Chinese and English search terms were"ultraviolet radiation,photoaging,collagen,microneedling,clinical applications."Finally,74 articles were included for summary.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Collagen treats skin photoaging through mechanisms such as inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase expression,retaining skin moisture,and reducing melanin formation.Microneedles can better promote the penetration of collagen into deep layers of the skin,breaking down the skin's barrier and increasing the absorption rate.Collagen combined with microneedles has various beneficial effects for treating skin photoaging,such as whitening,anti-wrinkle,improving skin elasticity,shrinking pores,and repairing skin barriers.It also has the advantages of easy operation,significant effects,and high safety.Currently,the research on collagen combined with microneedling therapy is still in its early stages,and achieving clinical application may become a key research direction in the future.The clinical application of collagen combined with microneedles for the treatment of photoaging still faces many challenges,such as exploring the optimal mechanical structure and materials of microneedles,selecting appropriate microneedle types,and insufficient clinical evidence that collagen combined with microneedles can further delay the treatment of skin photoaging.

BACKGROUND:Collagen combined with microneedling therapy has gradually become an important means of improving skin photoaging.OBJECTIVE:To summarize and explore the main mechanism and clinical application status of collagen combined with microneedle therapy.METHODS:PubMed,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,and ScienceDirect databases were searched for Chinese and English literature published before August 2024.Chinese and English search terms were"ultraviolet radiation,photoaging,collagen,microneedling,clinical applications."Finally,74 articles were included for summary.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Collagen treats skin photoaging through mechanisms such as inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase expression,retaining skin moisture,and reducing melanin formation.Microneedles can better promote the penetration of collagen into deep layers of the skin,breaking down the skin's barrier and increasing the absorption rate.Collagen combined with microneedles has various beneficial effects for treating skin photoaging,such as whitening,anti-wrinkle,improving skin elasticity,shrinking pores,and repairing skin barriers.It also has the advantages of easy operation,significant effects,and high safety.Currently,the research on collagen combined with microneedling therapy is still in its early stages,and achieving clinical application may become a key research direction in the future.The clinical application of collagen combined with microneedles for the treatment of photoaging still faces many challenges,such as exploring the optimal mechanical structure and materials of microneedles,selecting appropriate microneedle types,and insufficient clinical evidence that collagen combined with microneedles can further delay the treatment of skin photoaging.

To analyze the application value of artificial intelligence (AI)-based classification in the categorization of medical adverse events.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.08.008.].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the regulatory role of Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator-like 1 (RGL1) in metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: We analyzed the differential expression of RGL1 between metastatic and non-metastatic CRC in GEO database, and examined its expression in 25 patients with metastatic CRC and 25 patients with non-metastatic CRC treated in Zhujiang Hospital between January, 2020 and December, 2022 using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. HCT116 cell lines with stable RGL1 overexpression and SW480 cells with RGL1 knockdown were established using lentiviral vecors, and the changes in invasion and migration abilities of the cells were assessed using Transwell invasion and migration assays. The transduced cells were injected into the serosa of the cecum of nude mice, and tumor growth and liver metastasis were observed 8 weeks later. Fibronectin adhesion assays and immunofluorescence experiments were employed to assess the relationship between RGL1 and focal adhesion formation, and co-immuno-precipitation assays were performed to explore the interaction between RGL1 and GTPase activation. RESULTS: Compared with non-metastatic CRC, metastatic CRC showed significantly upregulated expression of RGL1. HCT116 cells overexpressing RGL1 exhibited obviously enhanced migration and invasion in vitro with increased capacity for liver metastasis in nude mice. RGL1 overexpression strongly accelerated focal adhesion assembly, facilitated the formation of motile focal adhesions, and enhanced the binding of activated CDC42/RAC1 complex to RGL1. CONCLUSIONS RGL1 is highly expressed in metastatic CRC and promotes distant metastasis of CRC by activating the CDC42/RAC1 complex to facilitate the formation of motile focal adhesions. These findings suggest that RGL1 can potentially serve as a therapeutic target for CRC metastasis.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein/metabolism* ; Animals ; Mice, Nude ; rac1 GTP-Binding Protein/metabolism* ; Cell Movement ; Mice ; Focal Adhesions/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; HCT116 Cells ; Up-Regulation ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; Female ; Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors

Loss-of-function variants in CSDE1 have been strongly linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, yet the precise role of CSDE1 in neurogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that knockout of Csde1 during cortical development in mice results in impaired neural progenitor proliferation, leading to abnormal cortical lamination and embryonic lethality. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Csde1 upregulates the transcription of genes involved in the cell cycle network. Applying a dual thymidine-labelling approach, we further revealed prolonged cell cycle durations of neuronal progenitors in Csde1-knockout mice, with a notable extension of the G1 phase. Intersection with CLIP-seq data demonstrated that Csde1 binds to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNA transcripts encoding cell cycle genes. Particularly, we uncovered that Csde1 directly binds to the 3' UTR of mRNA transcripts encoding Cdk6, a pivotal gene in regulating the transition from the G1 to S phases of the cell cycle, thereby maintaining its stability. Collectively, this study elucidates Csde1 as a novel regulator of Cdk6, sheds new light on its critical roles in orchestrating brain development, and underscores how mutations in Csde1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Animals ; Neurogenesis/genetics* ; Cell Cycle/genetics* ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice ; Neural Stem Cells/metabolism* ; DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation ; 3' Untranslated Regions ; Cerebral Cortex/embryology* ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and mechanism of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase/stimulator of interferon gene (cGAS/STING) pathway in oleic acid-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. METHODS: Male wild-type C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups (each n = 10): normal control group, ALI model group, and 5, 50, 500 μg/kg inhibitor pretreatment groups. The ALI model was established by tail vein injection of oleic acid (7 mL/kg), while the normal control group received no intervention. The inhibitor pretreatment groups were intraperitoneally injected with the corresponding doses of cGAS inhibitor RU.521 respectively 1 hour before modeling. At 24 hours post-modeling, blood was collected, and mice were sacrificed. Lung tissue pathological changes were observed under light microscopy after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and pathological scores were assessed. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of cGAS, STING, phosphorylated TANK-binding kinase 1 (p-TBK1), phosphorylated interferon regulatory factor 3 (p-IRF3), and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) in lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was performed to observe STING and p-NF-κB positive expressions in lung tissue. Serum interferon-β (IFN-β) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the ALI model group exhibited significant focal alveolar thickening, intra-alveolar hemorrhage, pulmonary capillary congestion, and neutrophil infiltration in the pulmonary interstitium and alveoli, along with markedly increased pathological scores (10.33±0.58 vs. 1.33±0.58, P < 0.05). Protein expressions of cGAS, STING, p-TBK1, p-IRF3, and p-NF-κB p65 in lung tissue significantly increased [cGAS protein (cGAS/β-actin): 1.24±0.02 vs. 0.56±0.02, STING protein (STING/β-actin): 1.27±0.01 vs. 0.55±0.01, p-TBK1 protin (p-TBK1/β-actin): 1.34±0.03 vs. 0.22±0.01, p-IRF3 protein (p-IRF3/β-actin): 1.23±0.02 vs. 0.36±0.01, p-NF-κB p65 protein (p-NF-κB p65/β-actin): 1.30±0.02 vs. 0.53±0.02, all P < 0.05], positive expressions of STING and p-NF-κB in lung tissue were significantly elevated [STING (A value): 0.51±0.03 vs. 0.30±0.07, p-NF-κB (A value): 0.57±0.05 vs. 0.31±0.03, both P < 0.05], and serum IFN-β levels were also significantly higher (ng/L: 256.02±3.84 vs. 64.15±1.17, P < 0.05). The cGAS inhibitor pretreatment groups showed restored alveolar structural integrity, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and decreased hemorrhage area, along with dose-dependent lower pathological scores as well as the protein expressions of cGAS, STING, p-TBK1, p-IRF3 and p-NF-κB p65 in lung tissue, with significant differences between the 500 μg/kg inhibitor group and ALI model group [pathological score: 2.67±0.58 vs. 10.33±0.58, cGAS protein (cGAS/β-actin): 0.56±0.03 vs. 1.24±0.02, STING protein (STING/β-actin): 0.67±0.03 vs. 1.27±0.01, p-TBK1 protein (p-TBK1/β-actin): 0.28±0.01 vs. 1.34±0.03, p-IRF3 protein (p-IRF3/β-actin): 0.32±0.01 vs. 1.23±0.02, p-NF-κB p65 protein (p-NF-κB p65/β-actin): 0.63±0.01 vs. 1.30±0.02, all P < 0.05]. Compared with the ALI model group, positive expressions of STING and p-NF-κB in lung tissue were significantly reduced in the 500 μg/kg inhibitor group [STING (A value): 0.40±0.01 vs. 0.51±0.03, p-NF-κB (A value): 0.43±0.02 vs. 0.57±0.05, both P < 0.05], and serum IFN-β levels were also markedly reduced (ng/L: 150.03±6.19 vs. 256.02±3.84, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The cGAS/STING pathway is activated in oleic acid-induced ALI, leading to exacerbated inflammatory responses and increased lung damage. RU.521 can inhibit cGAS, thereby down-regulating the expression of pathway proteins and cytokines, and providing protection to lung tissue.
Animals ; Acute Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Male ; Nucleotidyltransferases/metabolism* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Oleic Acid/adverse effects* ; Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism* ; Lung/pathology* ; Interferon Regulatory Factor-3/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of primary interventional revascularization combined with secondary perforator composite flap in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) accompanied by soft tissue defects around the ankle. METHODS: Between January 2022 and January 2025, 12 patients with PAD and soft tissue defects around the ankle were admitted. Among them, there were 9 males and 3 females; their ages ranged from 52 to 82 years, with an average of 68.9 years. The causes of injury included 4 cases of traffic accident, 5 cases of falls, 1 case of falling from height, 1 case of foreign body puncture injury, and 1 case of electric shock injury. The infection duration ranged from 1 month to 35 years, with a median duration of 3.5 months. The wound size ranged from 5.5 cm×3.0 cm to 15.0 cm×9.0 cm. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) was 0.32±0.12. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain was 3.3±0.5. Preoperative vascular stenosis assessment was performed in all patients, with primary intervention to dredge large and medium-sized arteries, followed by secondary repair of the wound using a perforator composite flap. The flap size ranged from 6.5 cm×4.0 cm to 16.0 cm×10.0 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly or repaired with skin grafts. After two stages of treatment, the effectiveness was evaluated by measuring ABI, observing flap survival and wound healing, assessing VAS scores, and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores. RESULTS: All 12 cases completed two stages of treatment; all patients were followed up after the second-stage treatment, with a follow-up period ranging from 7 to 28 months, with an average of 16.8 months. After the first-stage treatment, the skin temperature around the ankle was significantly higher than that before treatment, and the ABI increased to 0.71±0.07, with a significant difference ( t=9.918, P<0.001). After the second-stage treatment, the blisters on the distal end of the skin flap occurred in 3 cases. The flaps survived and the wounds healed, with a healing time ranging from 10 to 14 days (mean, 11.8 days). The incisions at the donor site healed by first intention, and the skin grafts survived. The VAS score was 0.5±0.5 at 3 weeks, which was significantly lower than that before treatment ( t=13.675, P<0.001). No infection recurrence occurred during follow-up. At 6 months after the second-stage treatment, the AOFAS score of the ankle joint ranged from 92 to 97, with an average of 94.7, all reaching excellent. CONCLUSION Interventional revascularization combined with perforator composite flap for staged treatment of PAD with ankle soft tissue defects can obtain good effectiveness, by unclogging the main blood vessels, improving lower limb blood supply, and improving the survival rate of the skin flap.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Peripheral Arterial Disease/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ankle/blood supply* ; Treatment Outcome ; Ankle Brachial Index ; Skin Transplantation/methods*