Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders,of which diarrhea-predominant IBS(IBS-D)accounts for the largest proportion.The pathogenesis of IBS-D is complicated and diverse,and there is currently a lack of clinically effective drugs.The establishment of animal models is an essential tool for further studies of the disease mechanisms,evaluation of clinical efficacy,and drug development,and the preparation and evaluation standards of models are important factors affecting the quality of the research.Based on the currently accepted pathogenesis of IBS-D and the previous modeling experience of our research group,this review systematically summarizes the evaluation method used in animal models of IBS-D in terms of diarrhea observation,visceral sensitivity tests,and intestinal motility tests,to provide a reference for future studies.

ObjectiveTo explore the suitability of four qualitative research methods in the development of TCM scale. MethodsTaking the development of "Seven Emotions Scale" as an example， we conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 patients of emotional disorders and 10 healthy people by objective sampling， and collected psychological feelings and emotional cognition data related to seven emotions according to the interview outline. Two qualitative methods， descriptive qualitative research and descriptive phenomenology， were used to analyze the data and construct the item library of the scale. The conceptual framework of the scale was constructed by using commonly used grounded theory and frame analysis. ResultsDuring data analysis， it is found that the themes extracted from descriptive phenomenology were not easily understood by the interviewees， and it is difficult for the researchers to truly achieve the "suspension" required by phenomenology. Considering the feasibility and convenience of the researchers' actual operation， as well as whether the initial purpose of the scale research can be intuitively included in the interviewees' views and feelings， descriptive phenomenology is not suitable for the formation of scale items. Using descriptive qualitative research method to analyze the interview data of healthy people and patients with emotional disorders， 306 and 476 scale items were obtained respectively. Through grounded theory， five selective codes were obtained： physical symptoms， external manifestations， psychological feelings， behaviors and emotional control. Using frame analysis， four themes including physical symptoms， psychological feelings， behavior and emotional cognition were constructed. Both methods can be used to construct the conceptual frame of scale， but the framework analysis is more convenient and can better ensure the transparency of the research. ConclusionDescriptive qualitative research methods can be used to form the item library of TCM scales. Framework analysis is more suitable for the construction of the conceptual framework of the scale than grounded theory， while descriptive phenomenology is not suitable for the development of TCM scales.

Objective:To explore the medication law of wind drugs in Pi Wei Lun; To provide reference for the clinical application of wind drugs in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Methods:Through searching the prescriptions with wind drugs in Pi Wei Lun, wind drugs and the dosages were extracted. SPSS 25.0 software was used for descriptive statistics of wind drugs data. Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Calculation Platform V3.0 was used for frequency statistics, dosage statistics and association rule analysis of Chinese materia medica. Results:Totally 40 prescriptions were included (40/61, 65.57%), involving 14 kinds of Chinese materia medica, mainly including Cimicifugae Rhizoma, Bupleuri Radix, Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix, Saposhnikoviae Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens and so on. The ancient dosage of wind drugs was 0.68 g to 4.00 g, and the maximum was 8 g and the minimum was 0.09 g. However,the modern dosage was 3-10 g. The dosage ratio of commonly used of wind drugs was 3%-60%, and its efficacy varied. Through the analysis of association rules algorithm, the study gained 25 medicinal pairs, and the group Cimicifugae Rhizoma-Bupleuri Radix acquired the highest supporting degree. Under the conditions of a confidence level of 75% and support levels of 10%, 15%, and 20%, there were 14, 7, and 3 drug association rules, respectively. The efficacy of commonly used wind drugs varied depending on their ratio.Conclusion:Li Dongyuan attached great importance to develop and ascend the yang of spleen so that he used wind drugs more often for ascending yang, supplementing the original qi, dispelling wind, dispelling dampness, dissipating heat, resolving depression, purging the liver, relaxing the bowels, unblock the orifices and directing meridians.

Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has become an increasingly important health challenge, with a substantial rise linked to changing lifestyles and global obesity. Ursolic acid, a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, has been explored for its potential therapeutic effects. Given its multifunctional bioactive properties, this research further revealed the pharmacological mechanisms of ursolic acid on MASLD. Methods: Drug target chips and bioinformatics analysis were combined in this study to explore the potential therapeutic effects of ursolic acid on MASLD. Molecular docking simulations, surface plasmon resonance analyses, pull-down experiments, and co-immunoprecipitation assays were used to verify the direct interactions. Gene knockdown mice were generated, and high-fat diets were used to validate drug efficacy. Furthermore, initial CD4+ T cells were isolated and stimulated to demonstrate our findings. Results: In this study, the multifunctional extracellular matrix phosphorylated glycoprotein secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) was investigated, highlighting its capability to induce Th17 cell differentiation, amplifying inflammatory cascades, and subsequently promoting the evolution of MASLD. In addition, this study revealed that in addition to the canonical TGF-β/IL-6 cytokine pathway, SPP1 can directly interact with ITGB1 and CD44, orchestrating Th17 cell differentiation via their joint downstream ERK signaling pathway. Remarkably, ursolic acid intervention notably suppressed the protein activity of SPP1, suggesting a promising avenue for ameliorating the immunoinflammatory trajectory in MASLD progression. Conclusions Ursolic acid could improve immune inflammation in MASLD by modulating SPP1-mediated Th17 cell differentiation via the ERK signaling pathway, which is orchestrated jointly by ITGB1 and CD44, emerging as a linchpin in this molecular cascade.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of ultrapulse fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with stromal vascular fraction gel (SVF-Gel) transplantation in the treatment of scars.Methods:Retrospective analysis of the clinical data of patients with scars treated at the General Hospital of Jilin Chemical Industry Group from January 2018 to January 2022. Application of ultrapulse fractional carbon dioxide laser for treatment: Scaar FX mode treatment for hypertrophic scars, micro FX energy: 80-150 mJ, frequency: 250 Hz, density: 3%. Deep FX mode treatment for superficial scars and atrophic scars, micro FX energy: 30-50 mJ, frequency: 300 Hz, density: 5%. Manual fractional technology(MFT) mode treatment for hyperplastic scars, atrophic scars with scar contracture site, energy: 150-175 mJ, frequency: 40 Hz, distance between holes: 4-5 mm, treatment time 2-3 s. Superficial scar and atrophic scar were treated 2 times, hypertrophic scar was treated 3 times, and the time interval was 2 months. Transplantation of SVF-Gel for scar treatment around 30 days after the first laser treatment. Thigh fatty tissue was extracted to prepare SVF-Gel. The SVF-Gel was injected into the basal layer and deep layer of inside the scar by multi-point and multi-tunnel injection. All patients were followed up for 6 months to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Assess the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) score and the difference of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) between scar skin and adjacent normal skin was measured after treatment, compared with before treatment. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0, data in Mean±SD represents. Paired t-test was used to compare the difference between the VSS score and TEWL before and after treatment. P<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. Results:A total of 30 patients were enrolled, including 17 males and 13 females, aged (32.7 ± 11.2) years old. Among the 30 patients, 10 patients were superficial scars, 10 patients were hypertrophic scars, 10 patients were atrophic scars. The scars’ formation time was (17.5 ± 4.5) months. (1) The VSS score of superficial scars after treatment was 1.8±0.7, which was lower than 4.7±0.8 before treatment( t=9.26, P=0.001). The difference in TEWL after treatment was (2.48±0.61) g·m -2·h -1, which was lower than (6.85±1.17) g·m -2·h -1 before treatment( t=13.28, P<0.001). (2) The VSS score of hyperplastic scars after treatment was 3.9±1.1, which was lower than 10.6±1.7 before treatment( t=9.37, P=0.001). The difference in TEWL after treatment was (4.91±0.87) g·m -2·h -1, which was lower than (9.92±0.75) g·m -2·h -1 before treatment( t=18.22, P<0.001). (3) The VSS score of atrophic scars after treatment was 3.5±1.2, lower than 7.7±2.3 before treatment ( t=5.81, P=0.005). The difference in TEWL after treatment was (3.73±1.22) g·m -2·h -1, lower than (6.52±1.51) g·m -2·h -1 before treatment ( t=9.52, P=0.001). Conclusion:Ultrapulse fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with SVF-Gel transplantation is effective in the treatment of scars. It can improve the color, thickness, vascular distribution, softness, and skin barrier function of scars.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of ultrapulse fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with stromal vascular fraction gel (SVF-Gel) transplantation in the treatment of scars.Methods:Retrospective analysis of the clinical data of patients with scars treated at the General Hospital of Jilin Chemical Industry Group from January 2018 to January 2022. Application of ultrapulse fractional carbon dioxide laser for treatment: Scaar FX mode treatment for hypertrophic scars, micro FX energy: 80-150 mJ, frequency: 250 Hz, density: 3%. Deep FX mode treatment for superficial scars and atrophic scars, micro FX energy: 30-50 mJ, frequency: 300 Hz, density: 5%. Manual fractional technology(MFT) mode treatment for hyperplastic scars, atrophic scars with scar contracture site, energy: 150-175 mJ, frequency: 40 Hz, distance between holes: 4-5 mm, treatment time 2-3 s. Superficial scar and atrophic scar were treated 2 times, hypertrophic scar was treated 3 times, and the time interval was 2 months. Transplantation of SVF-Gel for scar treatment around 30 days after the first laser treatment. Thigh fatty tissue was extracted to prepare SVF-Gel. The SVF-Gel was injected into the basal layer and deep layer of inside the scar by multi-point and multi-tunnel injection. All patients were followed up for 6 months to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Assess the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) score and the difference of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) between scar skin and adjacent normal skin was measured after treatment, compared with before treatment. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0, data in Mean±SD represents. Paired t-test was used to compare the difference between the VSS score and TEWL before and after treatment. P<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. Results:A total of 30 patients were enrolled, including 17 males and 13 females, aged (32.7 ± 11.2) years old. Among the 30 patients, 10 patients were superficial scars, 10 patients were hypertrophic scars, 10 patients were atrophic scars. The scars’ formation time was (17.5 ± 4.5) months. (1) The VSS score of superficial scars after treatment was 1.8±0.7, which was lower than 4.7±0.8 before treatment( t=9.26, P=0.001). The difference in TEWL after treatment was (2.48±0.61) g·m -2·h -1, which was lower than (6.85±1.17) g·m -2·h -1 before treatment( t=13.28, P<0.001). (2) The VSS score of hyperplastic scars after treatment was 3.9±1.1, which was lower than 10.6±1.7 before treatment( t=9.37, P=0.001). The difference in TEWL after treatment was (4.91±0.87) g·m -2·h -1, which was lower than (9.92±0.75) g·m -2·h -1 before treatment( t=18.22, P<0.001). (3) The VSS score of atrophic scars after treatment was 3.5±1.2, lower than 7.7±2.3 before treatment ( t=5.81, P=0.005). The difference in TEWL after treatment was (3.73±1.22) g·m -2·h -1, lower than (6.52±1.51) g·m -2·h -1 before treatment ( t=9.52, P=0.001). Conclusion:Ultrapulse fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with SVF-Gel transplantation is effective in the treatment of scars. It can improve the color, thickness, vascular distribution, softness, and skin barrier function of scars.

Objective:To study the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of scar skin in patients with superficial scars, hypertrophic scars, and atrophic scars, and to explore the correlation between TEWL and scar severity.Methods:A retrospective observational study was conducted. From February 2017 to February 2019, 120 scar patients who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the General Hospital of Jilin Chemical Industry Group, including 78 males and 42 females, aged (35±14) years. According to the diagnosis on admission, there were 40 cases of superficial scar patients, 40 cases of hypertrophic scar patients, and 40 cases of atrophic scar patients. On admission, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used to score the scar of each patient; the TEWL of scar skin and normal skin 1 cm from the edge of scar or the same site of the healthy side (hereinafter referred to as normal skin) of each patient was measured by water loss tester, and the difference value of TEWL between scar skin and normal skin (hereinafter referred to as the TEWL difference) was calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, paired sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, and Dunnett- t test for comparison, and the correlation between the difference value of TEWL and scar VSS score was analyzed with univariate linear regression analysis. Results:On admission, the scar VSS score of superficial scar patients was significantly lower than that of hypertrophic scar or atrophic scar patients ( t=4.403, 4.768, P<0.01), and the scar VSS score of atrophic scar patients was significantly lower than that of hypertrophic scar patients ( t=4.185, P<0.01). On admission, the TEWL of scar skin of superficial scar, hypertrophic scar, and atrophic scar patients were (18±4), (20±4), and (20±5) g·m -2·h -1 respectively, significantly higher than (12±3), (12±3), and (14±4) g·m -2·h -1 of normal skin ( t=6.889, 10.221, 5.870, P<0.01). The difference values of TEWL of superficial scar, hypertrophic scar, and atrophic scar patients were (5.9±1.7), (8.1±1.7), and (6.4±2.1) g·m -2·h -1 respectively. In comparison among different types of scar patients, only the TEWL difference of hypertrophic scar patients was significantly higher than that of superficial scar patients ( t=6.975, P<0.05). The TEWL difference and the scar VSS score in patients with superficial scars, hypertrophic scars, and atrophic scars were significantly positively correlated ( r=0.805, 0.872, 0.826, P<0.01). Conclusions:The TEWL of scar skin in patients with superficial scars, hypertrophic scars, and atrophic scars is increased compared with normal skin, and the degree of increase was positively correlated with the severity of scars.

OBJECTIVE： To analyze the formulation regularity of Chinese patent medicines containing Paeonia lactiflora， and to provide evidence for modern clinical application and R&D of P. lactiflora. METHODS： The formulations of Chinese patent medicine containing P. lactiflora were collected from Chinese Materia Medica Preparation and 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopeia. Statistical analysis was performed on the frequency of medicinal material， channel tropism， distribution of attending syndromes and attending diseases， core medicine combination （support degrees were set as 10％， 20％， 30％ and confidence degree was 0.9） by using data mining methods such as descriptive statistics and association rule analysis in TCM Inheritance System V 2.5； the formulation regularity of common attending syndromes and attending diseases （support degrees were set as 20％， 30％， 40％ and confidence degree was 0.9） was analyzed. RESULTS： A total of 600 Chinese patent medicine formulations contained P. lactiflora， involving 673 ingredients. The main medicinal properties in Chinese patent medicines containing P. lactiflora were warm， followed by cold and neutral. The main medicinal flavor was sweet， followed by bitter and pungent. The main channel tropism was spleen， liver and heart channel. There were 165 kinds of main treatment diseases （menstrual disorder， dysmenorrhea， dizziness） and 159 main treatment syndromes （insufficiency of qi and blood， qi stagnation and blood stasis， liver and kidney deficiency）. Under the condition of 30％ support degree and 0.9 confidence degree， there were 20 core combination of Chinese patent medicine formulations containing P. lactiflora （Glycyrrhiza uralensis-P. lactiflora， Angelica sinensis-P. lactiflora， P. lactiflora-Poria cocos） and 19 association rules among drugs. Under the condition of 40％ support degree and 0.9 confidence degree， there were 8 core medicines in Chinese patent medicines containing P. lactiflora for menstrual disorders （such as P. lactiflora， Cyperus rotundus， A. sinensis）， 9 core medicines for dizziness （such as P. lactiflora， Rehmannia glutinosa， A. sinensis）， 9 core medicines for qi and blood deficiency （such as P. lactiflora， Atractylodes macrocephala， P. cocos）， and 10 core medicines for qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome （such as P. lactiflora， Aucklandia lappa， G. uralensis）. CONCLUSIONS： In this study， data mining was used to analysis the main symptoms， compatibility characteristics and formulation rules of Chinese patent medicines containing P. lactiflora， which can provide a basis for the modern clinical application and new drug development of P. lactiflora.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were reported to be responsible for intestinal permeability in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats in our previous study. However, whether and how miRNAs regulate visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D remains largely unknown. METHODS: We established the IBS-D rat model and evaluated it using the nociceptive visceral hypersensitivity test, myeloperoxidase activity assay, restraint stress-induced defecation, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. The distal colon was subjected to miRNA microarray analysis followed by isolation and culture of colonic epithelial cells (CECs). Bioinformatic analysis and further experiments, including dual luciferase assays, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were used to detect the expression of miRNAs and how it regulates visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats. RESULTS: The IBS-D rat model was successfully established. A total of 24 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the distal colon of IBS-D rats; 9 were upregulated and 15 were downregulated. Among them, the most significant upregulation was miR-200a, accompanied by downregulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) and serotonin transporter (SERT). MiR-200a mimic markedly inhibited the expression of CNR1/SERT. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay confirmed that CNR1/SERT are direct targets of miR-200a. Rescue experiments that overexpressed CNR1/SERT significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of miR-200a on the IBS-D rats CECs. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that miR-200a could induce visceral hyperalgesia by targeting the downregulation of CNR1 and SERT, aggravating or leading to the development and progression of IBS-D. MiR-200a may be a regulator of visceral hypersensitivity, which provides potential targets for the treatment of IBS-D.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Colon ; Computational Biology ; Defecation ; Diarrhea ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells ; Hyperalgesia ; Hypersensitivity ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Luciferases ; Microarray Analysis ; MicroRNAs ; Models, Animal ; Permeability ; Peroxidase ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Cannabinoid ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Serotonin ; Up-Regulation