This paper summarizes Professor LIU Shangyi's clinical experience in treating acute mastitis based on the "membrane collaterals" theory. It is considered that constraint and stagnation of the membrane collaterrals is the primary pathogenic factor， with damp， heat， phlegm， and stasis being the secondary manifestations. If untreated， the condition can progress to heat toxin injuring the membrane. In treatment， the emphasis is diffusing and unblocking membrane collaterals， unblocking breast and relieving constraint. The clinical course of the disease can be divided into three stages including the early stage with mild constraint heat， the middle stage with escalating toxic heat， and the later stage with a decline of pathogens but deficiency of healthy qi. In correspondence， self-made Tongru Formula （通乳方） for diffusing membrane and venting constraint， self-made Toumo Jiedu Formula （透膜解毒方） for unblocking membrane and relieving toxin， and Tuoli Xiaodu Powder （托里消毒散） with modifications for restoring membrane and rectifying healthy qi should be used， respectively.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of liver-targeted fibroblast growth factor 21 （FGF21） overexpression against CCl₄-induced acute liver injury （ALI） and its association with silent information regulator 1/glutathione peroxidase 4 （SIRT1/GPX4） expression and ferroptosis-related markers. MethodsFemale ICR mice （8 weeks old） were randomly divided into Control， CCl₄， adeno-associated virus （AAV）-FGF21， and AAV-FGF21 + CCl₄ groups. Liver-targeted FGF21 overexpression was achieved via tail vein injection of AAV8-FGF21 virus with green fluorescent protein （GFP） labeling. ALI was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ （0.3 mL/kg）， with sample collection at 12 hours. Body weight and liver weight were recorded to calculate the liver weight/body weight. Alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） levels were measured using a biochemical analyzer. FGF21 expression in liver tissues was detected by immunofluorescence. Hepatic histopathology was evaluated by HE staining. RT-qPCR was performed to assess mRNA expression of ferroptosis and iron metabolism-related genes （ACSL4， PTGS2， HJV， FPN， GPX4）， FGF21， and SIRT1. Protein expression of FGF21， SIRT1， and GPX4 were determined by Western blot. Iron content， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity in liver homogenate were quantified using assay kits. ResultsCompared with the Control group， the FGF21 mRNA and protein expression elevated in CCl₄ group； serum ALT/AST levels and liver weight/body weigh increased. The HE staining results showed that the liver cell membranes were ruptured. The mRNA levels of ACSL4 and PTGS2， the iron content and MDA levels all increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA levels of SIRT1， GPX4， HJV， and FPN， the GSH level and SOD activity all decreased （P<0.05）， and the protein levels of SIRT1 and GPX4 both decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the CCl₄ group， the serum levels of ALT and AST in the AAV-FGF21 + CCl4 group were decreased （P<0.01）， and the liver/body ratio of mice decreased （P<0.01）. The results of HE staining showed that the degree of liver injury was alleviated. The mRNA levels of ACSL4 and PTGS2， iron content and MDA level all decreased （P<0.01）， while the mRNA levels of SIRT1， GPX4， HJV， FPN， GSH level and SOD activity all increased （P<0.05）. The protein levels of SIRT1 and GPX4 both increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionFGF21 overexpression is associated with enhanced SIRT1/GPX4 expression and suppression of ferroptosis features， thereby contributing to the alleviation of CCl₄-induced ALI.

Background and aims As a ferroptosis inducer, sorafenib, a first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has a significant antitumor effect. Nonetheless, HCC patients frequently develop sorafenib resistance. Here, we investigated the impacts of progestagen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP), which controls sorafenib resistance and tumorigenesis in HCC. Furthermore, we investigated the function of PAEP and the underlying molecular mechanisms that cause HCC ferroptosis when sorafenib is applied. Methods Western blot analysis, cell proliferation, colony formation and animal experiments were performed to investigate the function of PAEP in sorafenib resistance and tumorigenesis in HCC. We detected the levels of reactive oxygen species, iron, and malondialdehyde and preformed transmission electron microscopy to investigate the relationship between PAEP and ferroptosis. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assay was performed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of PAEP that cause HCC ferroptosis. Results PAEP was significantly overexpressed in HCC tissues, and this was associated with a poor clinical prognosis. PAEP silencing dramatically reduced HCC cells’ malignant phenotype. We found that sorafenib-induced ferroptosis was more sensitive to HCC cells with PAEP knockdown. Furthermore, the orthotopic cell line-derived xenograft mouse model results showed that sorafenib sensitivity can be effectively increased in vivo by PAEP knockdown. We determined that transferrin (TF) was a PAEP target using the String database, and we further supported this finding with Co-IP analysis. Additionally, on sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in HCC cells, TF partially reversed the effects of PAEP knockdown. Conclusions Our research indicates that PAEP may be a potential biomarker for predicting sorafenib resistance in HCC and disruption of PAEP expression may be a potential cancer-directed therapeutic option for HCC.

Objective : To investigate the protective effect of dimethyl fumarate(DMF) on maternal intrahepatic cholestasis(ICP) during pregnancy induced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP) exposure and its mechanism. Methods : Thirty-two 8-week-old female institute of cancer research(ICR) mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Ctrl group, DEHP group, DMF group and DEHP+DMF group. DEHP and DEHP+DMF groups were treated with DEHP(200 mg/kg) by gavage every morning at 9:00 a.m. DMF and DEHP+DMF groups were treated with DMF(150 mg/kg) from day 13 to day 16 of gestation by gavage. After completion of gavage on day 16 of pregnancy, maternal blood, maternal liver, placenta, and amniotic fluid were collected from pregnant mice after a six-hour abrosia. The body weight of the mother rats and the body weight of the fetus rats were sorted and analyzed; the levels of total bile acid(TBA), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase(AST/ALT) in serum and TBA in liver, amniotic fluid and placenta were detected by biochemical analyzer; HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissue; Quantitative reverse transcription PCR(RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1, IL-18 and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) in the liver; Western blot was used to detect the expression of the nuclear factor KappaB(NF-κB) and NLRP3. Results : Compared with the control group, the body weight of the DEHP-treated dams and pups decreased(P<0.05); the levels of TBA, ALP, AST/ALT in the serum of dams and the levels of TBA in the liver, amniotic fluid, and placenta of dams increased(P<0.05); the histopathological results showed that liver tissue was damaged, bile ducts were deformed, and there was inflammatory cell infiltration around them; the levels of inflammation-related factors TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1, IL-18 and NLRP3 transcription in maternal liver increased(P<0.05); the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 protein in maternal liver significantly increased( P<0. 05). Compared with the DEHP group,the body weight of both dams and fetuses significantly increased in DEHP + DMF group( P<0. 05); the levels of TBA,ALP,AST/ALT in the serum of dams and amniotic fluid of fetuses decreased( P<0. 05); the degree of liver lesions was improved; the transcription levels of inflammation-related factors TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1,IL-18 and NLRP3 in maternal liver decreased( P<0. 05); the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 protein in maternal liver significantly decreased( P<0. 05). Conclusion DMF can effectively protect the DEHP exposure to lead to female ICP,and its mechanism may be through inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and reducing liver inflammation.

Aromatic Chinese medicinal essential oils are volatile oils extracted from aromatic Chinese herbs， which can prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases through multiple synergistic mechanisms including pathogen inhibition， immune regulation， and inflammatory response regulation. Essential oils are primarily used externally on the body to prevent infections and alleviate symptoms through methods like inhalation， smearing， topical application， bathing， gargling or as a suppository. They can also be utilized in the environment for disinfection and air purification， through methods like diffusion， vaporization， or spraying. The external application of essential oils extracted from Chinese aromatic herbs has the advantages of convenience， quick absorption， and simultaneous influence on both the body and mind. However， there are still challenges and deficiencies in aspects such as the positioning of functions， indications， safety， and the research on the mechanism of action. It has been proposed to combine the theory of aromatic Chinese medicinals with the characteristics of essential oils， and formulate prescriptions of Chinese medicinal essential oils under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation， and prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases efficiently， accurately， and safely， thereby expanding the clinical application of aromatic Chinese medicinals and the preventive theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

Extensive studies have identified potential adverse effects on semen quality of obesity, based on body mass index, but the association between body fat distribution, a more relevant indicator for obesity, and semen quality remains less clear. We conducted a longitudinal study of 4304 sperm donors from the Guangdong Provincial Human Sperm Bank (Guangzhou, China) during 2017-2021. A body composition analyzer was used to measure total and local body fat percentage for each participant. Generalized estimating equations were employed to assess the association between body fat percentage and sperm count, motility, and morphology. We estimated that each 10% increase in total body fat percentage (estimated change [95% confidence interval, 95% CI]) was significantly associated with a 0.18 × 10 6 (0.09 × 10 6 -0.27 × 10 6 ) ml and 12.21 × 10 6 (4.52 × 10 6 -19.91 × 10 6 ) reduction in semen volume and total sperm count, respectively. Categorical analyses and exposure-response curves showed that the association of body fat distribution with semen volume and total sperm count was stronger at higher body fat percentages. In addition, the association still held among normal weight and overweight participants. We observed similar associations for upper limb, trunk, and lower limb body fact distributions. In conclusion, we found that a higher body fat distribution was significantly associated with lower semen quality (especially semen volume) even in men with a normal weight. These findings provide useful clues in exploring body fat as a risk factor for semen quality decline and add to evidence for improving semen quality for those who are expected to conceive.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Semen Analysis ; China ; Body Fat Distribution ; Longitudinal Studies ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Body Mass Index ; Tissue Donors ; Obesity/complications* ; Spermatozoa ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of central nervous system (CNS) invasion in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and construct a risk prediction model for CNS invasion. METHODS: Clinical data of 395 patients with PTCL diagnosed and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median follow-up time of 395 PTCL patients was 24(1-143) months. There were 13 patients diagnosed CNS invasion, and the incidence was 3.3%. The risk of CNS invasion varied according to pathological subtype. The incidence of CNS invasion in patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) was significantly higher than in patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (P <0.05). The median overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with CNS invasion than in those without CNS involvement, with a median survival time of 2.4(0.6-127) months after diagnosis of CNS invasion. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis showed that more than 1 extranodal involvement (HR=4.486, 95%CI : 1.166-17.264, P =0.029), ALCL subtype (HR=9.022, 95%CI : 2.289-35.557, P =0.002) and ECOG PS >1 (HR=15.890, 95%CI : 4.409-57.262, P <0.001) were independent risk factors for CNS invasion in PTCL patients. Each of these risk factors was assigned a value of 1 point and a new prediction model was constructed. It could stratify the patients into three distinct groups: low-risk group (0-1 point), intermediate-risk group (2 points) and high-risk group (3 points). The 1-year cumulative incidence of CNS invasion in the high-risk group was as high as 50.0%. Further evaluation of the model showed good discrimination and accuracy, and the consistency index was 0.913 (95%CI : 0.843-0.984). CONCLUSION The new model shows a precise risk assessment for CNS invasion prediction, while its specificity and sensitivity need further data validation.
Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/pathology* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Male ; Female ; Central Nervous System/pathology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanism of weak D phenotype in a Chinese family. METHODS: Routine Rh typing tests were performed first, and RHD exons 1-10 of the proband and his family members were sequenced by first-generation sequencing. RHD zygosity was also determined. Third-generation sequencing was used to analyze the haplotypes of the RHD gene. RESULTS: The proband showed a weak D serological phenotype. First-generation sequencing revealed a c.787G>A point mutation in exon 5. The family pedigree investigation showed that the proband and his younger sister had the same serological phenotype and molecular mechanism. His father carried this gene mutation, while his mother and younger brother were normal. Hybrid box was not detected, suggesting that all the family members did not have a haplotype with a complete deletion of the RHD gene. The results of third-generation sequencing showed that the proband and his sister inherited the weak D allele from their father and the non-functional allele RHD -CE(3-9)-D from their mother, respectively. CONCLUSION Third-generation sequencing technology enables haplotype analysis of the RHD gene and can detect complex genotypes such as genetic exchanges between RHD and RHCE combined with other mutations.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Alleles ; Exons ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Rh-Hr Blood-Group System/genetics* ; East Asian People/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the improvement effect of rehabilitation nursing based on information-knowledge-belief-behavior (IKAP) theory on urinary incontinence patients after radical prostatectomy. METHODS Sixty-six patients with urinary incontinence who received robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected and divided into control group (n=33) and observation group (n=33) according to random number table method. The patients in the control group were treated with rehabilitation nursing. The patients in the observation group were treated with rehabilitation nursing guided by IKAP theory. The recovery of urinary incontinence, duration of urinary incontinence, subjective well-being, quality of life, psychological and emotional indexes of patients in the two groups were compared. Results： The total effective rate of urinary incontinence recovery in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (90.91% vs 60.61%，P<0.05). The duration of urinary incontinence in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (［3.36±1.54］d vs ［4.15±1.36］d，P<0.05). And the subjective well-being score in observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (［19.36±2.69］points vs ［11.65±2.65］points， P<0.05). There was no significant difference in preoperative physical function, social function，and mental health scores between the two groups (P>0.05). And all scores in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group after surgery (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the preoperative SAS and SDS scores between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). And the scores of SAS and SDS in observation group were lower than those of the control group after the operation (P<0.05). Conclusion： Rehabilitation nursing based on IKAP theory can significantly improve urinary incontinence in patients with prostate cancer after surgery, which promotes the recovery of urinary incontinence, shortens the time of urinary incontinence, and improves the subjective well-being and quality of life, as well as reduces the negative impact of negative emotions. Therefore, it can be widely promoted and implemented in clinical practice.
Humans ; Prostatectomy/adverse effects* ; Urinary Incontinence/etiology* ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Rehabilitation Nursing ; Middle Aged ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of stir-fried Semen Armeniacae Amarum (SAA) against aristolochic acid I (AAI)-induced nephrotoxicity and DNA adducts and elucidate the underlying mechanism involved for ensuring the safe use of Asari Radix et Rhizoma. METHODS: In vitro, HEK293T cells overexpressing Flag-tagged multidrug resistance-associated protein 3 (MRP3) were constructed by Lentiviral transduction, and inhibitory effect of top 10 common pairs of medicinal herbs with Asari Radix et Rhizoma in clinic on MRP3 activity was verified using a self-constructed fluorescence screening system. The mRNA, protein expressions, and enzyme activity levels of NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) and cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) were measured in differentiated HepaRG cells. Hepatocyte toxicity after inhibition of AAI metabolite transport was detected using cell counting kit-8 assay. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 5 groups according to a random number table, including: control (1% sodium bicarbonate), AAI (10 mg/kg), stir-fried SAA (1.75 g/kg) and AAI + stir-fried SAA (1.75 and 8.75 g/kg) groups, 6 mice in each group. After 7 days of continuous gavage administration, liver and kidney damages were assessed, and the protein expressions and enzyme activity of liver metabolic enzymes NQO1 and CYP1A2 were determined simultaneously. RESULTS: In vivo, combination of 1.75 g/kg SAA and 10 mg/kg AAI suppressed AAI-induced nephrotoxicity and reduced dA-ALI formation by 26.7%, and these detoxification effects in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). Mechanistically, SAA inhibited MRP3 transport in vitro, downregulated NQO1 expression in vivo, increased CYP1A2 expression and enzymatic activity in vitro and in vivo, respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Notably, SAA also reduced AAI-induced hepatotoxicity throughout the detoxification process, as indicated by a 41.3% reduction in the number of liver adducts (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Stir-fried SAA is a novel drug candidate for the suppression of AAI-induced liver and kidney damages. The protective mechanism may be closely related to the regulation of transporters and metabolic enzymes.
Aristolochic Acids/toxicity* ; Animals ; Humans ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)/genetics* ; HEK293 Cells ; Kidney/pathology* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; DNA Adducts/drug effects* ; Male ; Kidney Diseases/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Mice ; Prunus armeniaca ; Plant Extracts