AIM: To investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of the main active components of Dalitong extract in SD rats after oral administration using UPLC-MS / MS. METHODS: An UPLC-MS / MS method was established to simultaneously detect tetrahydropalmatine, nobiletin and costunolide in the plasma and tissues of SD rats. The method was applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics and tissue distribution. RESULTS: After a single oral administration, the three active components were rapidly absorbed into the body, with a peak concentration (Cmax) of (13.73 ± 7.50), (27.01 ± 17.69) and (6.73 ± 29.94) ng / mL for tetrahydropalmatine, nobiletin, and costunolide, respectively. The time to reach the peak concentration (Tmax) was (1.40 ± 0.93), (0.63 ± 0.28) and (2.38 ± 8.81) h, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was (80.43±40.03), (41.30±28.69) and (303.90 ± 136.69) ng · h · mL

Artificial vascular graft(AVG)fistula is widely used for hemodialysis treatment in patients with renal failure.However,it has poor elasticity and compliance,leading to stenosis and thrombosis.The ideal artificial blood vessel for dialysis should replicate the structure and components of a real artery,which is primarily maintained by collagen in the extracellular matrix(ECM)of arterial cells.Studies have revealed that in hepatitis B virus(HBV)-induced liver fibrosis,hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)become hyperactive and produce excessive ECM fibers.Furthermore,mechanical stimulation can encourage ECM secretion and remodeling of a fiber structure.Based on the above factors,we transfected HSCs with the hepatitis B viral X(HBX)gene for simulating the process of HBV infection.Subsequently,these HBX-HSCs were implanted into a polycaprolactone-polyurethane(PCL-PU)bilayer scaffold in which the inner layer is dense and the outer layer consists of pores,which was mechanically stimulated to promote the secretion of collagen nanofiber from the HBX-HSCs and to facilitate crosslinking with the scaffold.We obtained an ECM-PCL-PU composite bionic blood vessel that could act as access for dialysis after decellularization.Then,the vessel scaffold was implanted into a rabbit's neck arteriovenous fistula model.It exhibited strong tensile strength and smooth blood flow and formed autologous blood vessels in the rabbit's body.Our study demonstrates the use of human cells to create biomimetic dialysis blood vessels,providing a novel approach for creating clinical vascular access for dialysis.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious nervous system disease that usually leads to the impairment of the motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous functions of the spinal cord, and it places a heavy burden on families and healthcare systems every year. Due to the complex pathophysiological mechanism of SCI and the poor ability of neurons to regenerate, the current treatment scheme has very limited effects on the recovery of spinal cord function. In addition, due to their unique advantages, exosomes can be used as carriers for cargo transport. In recent years, some studies have confirmed that treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can promote the recovery of SCI nerve function. The therapeutic effect of MSCs is mainly related to exosomes secreted by MSCs, and exosomes may have great potential in SCI therapy. In this review, we summarized the repair mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (MSCs-Exos) in SCI treatment and discussed the microRNAs related to SCI treatment based on MSCs-Exos and their mechanism of action, which is helpful to further understand the role of exosomes in SCI.

Radiation-induced lung injury （RILI）， one of the common complications caused by radiotherapy， encompasses two phases： an early phase known as radiation pneumonitis （RP） and a late phase called radiation fibrosis （RF）， threatening the life and life quality of patients， with poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence has shown that the occurrence of RILI is related to a variety of cytokines and signaling pathways. This paper summarized the research on the effects of Chinese medicine on RILI from the perspective of cytokines and signaling pathways. Cytokines include transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁）， interleukins （ILs）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， platelet-derived growth factor （PDGF）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， and high mobility group box-1 （HMGB1）. Related signaling pathways are phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B（PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway， Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， Notch1/Jagged1 signaling pathway， and nuclear factor-E₂-related factor2/antioxidant response element （Nrf2/ARE） signaling pathway. Cytokines may interfere with RILI progression by initiating various downstream signaling pathways， such as TGF-β₁/Smads signaling pathway， TGF-β₁/VEGF signaling pathway， TNF-α/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， and HMGB1/Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） signaling pathway. In recent years， many scholars have attempted to delay RILI progression by down-regulating the expression of cytokines， antagonizing the effect of cytokines or regulating signaling pathways. It has been verified that many Chinese medicines， Chinese medicine monomers， and compound Chinese medicine prescriptions can inhibit the release of some cytokines or regulate some signaling pathways to reduce the incidence/severity of RILI， with satisfactory therapeutic effects， which have attracted the interest of scholars.

Objective:To observe the efficacy the application of endoscope assisted temporoparietal fascia flap harvest for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique for microtia.Method:In this retrospective study, the clinical data were collected from the patients who received microtia reconstruction with autologous rib cartilage at the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from January 2015 to January 2022. According to the surgical procedure, patients were divided into endoscopic group and open surgery group. In endoscopic group, endoscope-assisted temporoparietal fascia harvest were performed for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique. In open surgery group, temporoparietal fascia flaps were harvested in open surgery for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique. Regular follow-up was conducted to observe the survival of the fascia flaps, complications, patient satisfaction, and surgical scars. The patient satisfaction questionnaire for auricular reconstruction was used to assess patient satisfaction, and the patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) was used to evaluate scar formation in the surgical area. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software. The measurement data were expressed by Mean ± SD, and the counting data were expressed as cases (%). The T-test was used to compare the age difference, length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, scar length, patient satisfaction, and POSAS scores between the two groups. Chi-square test was used to compare the gender composition and incidence of complications between the two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 51 patients were included, with 26 in the endoscopic group (14 men and 12 women) and 25 in the open surgery group (12 men and 13 women). The age of the patients in the endoscopic group was (9.8±2.9) years (ranging from 7 to 17 years), while in the open surgery group was (10.3±3.8) years (ranging from 7 to 17 years). The postoperative follow-up period was (15.4±3.4) months (1 to 2 years), and all fascia flaps survived without any severe complications. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of age difference, length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative satisfaction, sex composition ratio, and postoperative complications ( P>0.05). The scar quality in the endoscopy group was superior to that in the open surgery group, and POSAS scores of endoscopic group were lower than those in the open surgery group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Endoscope assisted temporoparietal fascia flap harvest for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique for microtia can minimize scarring, improve the postoperative appearance and is not statistically associated with the appearance of reconstructed auricles or complications.

Objective:To observe the efficacy the application of endoscope assisted temporoparietal fascia flap harvest for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique for microtia.Method:In this retrospective study, the clinical data were collected from the patients who received microtia reconstruction with autologous rib cartilage at the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from January 2015 to January 2022. According to the surgical procedure, patients were divided into endoscopic group and open surgery group. In endoscopic group, endoscope-assisted temporoparietal fascia harvest were performed for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique. In open surgery group, temporoparietal fascia flaps were harvested in open surgery for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique. Regular follow-up was conducted to observe the survival of the fascia flaps, complications, patient satisfaction, and surgical scars. The patient satisfaction questionnaire for auricular reconstruction was used to assess patient satisfaction, and the patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) was used to evaluate scar formation in the surgical area. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software. The measurement data were expressed by Mean ± SD, and the counting data were expressed as cases (%). The T-test was used to compare the age difference, length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, scar length, patient satisfaction, and POSAS scores between the two groups. Chi-square test was used to compare the gender composition and incidence of complications between the two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 51 patients were included, with 26 in the endoscopic group (14 men and 12 women) and 25 in the open surgery group (12 men and 13 women). The age of the patients in the endoscopic group was (9.8±2.9) years (ranging from 7 to 17 years), while in the open surgery group was (10.3±3.8) years (ranging from 7 to 17 years). The postoperative follow-up period was (15.4±3.4) months (1 to 2 years), and all fascia flaps survived without any severe complications. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of age difference, length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative satisfaction, sex composition ratio, and postoperative complications ( P>0.05). The scar quality in the endoscopy group was superior to that in the open surgery group, and POSAS scores of endoscopic group were lower than those in the open surgery group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Endoscope assisted temporoparietal fascia flap harvest for the second-stage operation in auricular reconstruction of Nagata’s technique for microtia can minimize scarring, improve the postoperative appearance and is not statistically associated with the appearance of reconstructed auricles or complications.

Many people affected by fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism spectrum disorders have sensory processing deficits, such as hypersensitivity to auditory, tactile, and visual stimuli. Like FXS in humans, loss of Fmr1 in rodents also cause sensory, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. However, the neural mechanisms underlying sensory impairment, especially vision impairment, remain unclear. It remains elusive whether the visual processing deficits originate from corrupted inputs, impaired perception in the primary sensory cortex, or altered integration in the higher cortex, and there is no effective treatment. In this study, we used a genetic knockout mouse model (Fmr1^KO), in vivo imaging, and behavioral measurements to show that the loss of Fmr1 impaired signal processing in the primary visual cortex (V1). Specifically, Fmr1^KO mice showed enhanced responses to low-intensity stimuli but normal responses to high-intensity stimuli. This abnormality was accompanied by enhancements in local network connectivity in V1 microcircuits and increased dendritic complexity of V1 neurons. These effects were ameliorated by the acute application of GABA_A receptor activators, which enhanced the activity of inhibitory neurons, or by reintroducing Fmr1 gene expression in knockout V1 neurons in both juvenile and young-adult mice. Overall, V1 plays an important role in the visual abnormalities of Fmr1^KO mice and it could be possible to rescue the sensory disturbances in developed FXS and autism patients.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein/metabolism* ; Fragile X Syndrome/metabolism* ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Neurons/metabolism*

Rabdosia serra(R.serra),an important component of Chinese herbal tea,has traditionally been used to treat hepatitis,jaundice,cholecystitis,and colitis.However,the chemical composition of R.serra and its effect against colitis remain unclear.In this study,the chemical composition of the water extract of R.serra was analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with a hybrid linear ion trap quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometer(UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS).A total of 46 compounds,comprising ent-kaurane diterpenoids,flavonoids,phenolic acids,and steroids,were identified in the water extract of R.serra,and the extract could significantly alleviate dextran sulfate sodium salt-induced colitis by improving colon length,upregulating anti-inflammatory factors,downregulating proinflammatory fac-tors,and restoring the balance of T helper 17/T regulatory cells.R.serra also preserved intestinal barrier function by increasing the level of tight junction proteins(zonula occludens 1 and occludin)in mouse colonic tissue.In addition,R.serra modulated the gut microbiota composition by increasing bacterial richness and diversity,increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria(Muribaculaceae,Bacteroides,Lactobacillus,and Prevotellaceae_UCG-O01),and decreasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria(Turi-cibacter,Eubacterium_fissicatena_group,and Eubacterium_xylanophilum_group).Gut microbiota depletion by antibiotics further confirmed that R.serra alleviated colitis in a microbiota-dependent manner.Overall,our findings provide chemical and biological evidence for the potential application of R.serra in the management of colitis.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with acute glyphosate herbicide poisoning and the differences in the severity of poisoning.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with acute glyphosate herbicide poisoning admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to December 2020. The general information, exposure time, poisoning dose, poisoning cause, poisoning route, clinical manifestations, laboratory examination results during hospitalization, treatment measures, hospital stays and prognosis of the patients were collected. The patients were graded according to the poisoning severity scoring standard of Chinese Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Poisoning in 2016. The highest severity score during hospitalization was used as the final grade. According to the final grade, asymptomatic and mild patients were included in the mild group, and moderate, severe and death patients were included in the severe group. The independent sample T test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for measurement data, and χ2 test or Fisher's exact test was used for counting data. The differences of general data and clinical data between the two groups were compared. Results:According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 83 patients with acute glyphosate herbicide poisoning were selected as the study subjects. All patients survived, mainly mild poisoning (56.6%), with a male to female ratio of 33∶50, and an average age of 39 years. The number of poisoning cases increased yearly (the highest in 2019), and most cases occurred in spring and summer. The main cause of poisoning was suicide (71.1%), direct oral administration (83.1%) was the primary route of poisoning, and the dominating clinical manifestations were digestive symptoms (71.1%). Laboratory tests showed increased white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil percentage (NEUT %) and D-dimer, and decreased hemoglobin and potassium. Compared with the mild group, patients in the severe group were older [(51±17) years vs. (35±19) years], had a higher proportion of suicide and direct oral administration, a longer hospital stay [8.0 (4.8, 12.0) d vs. 3.0 (2.0, 5.5) d], a higher dose of poisoning [200.0 (50.0, 200.0) mL vs. 30.0 (11.3, 57.5) mL], and higher NEUT % within 24 h of admission [(83.4±10.4) vs. (73.2±12.8)]. The increase of WBC, NEUT %, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time, D-dimer and the decrease of serum potassium were more common in the severe group than the mild group, with statistical significance (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The number of patients with acute glyphosate herbicide poisoning is increasing yearly. Generally, the condition is mild and the prognosis is satisfying. The severity is more serious in the middle-aged and elderly patients andthose with direct oral administration, high toxic dose, and high NEUT % within 24 h of admission. Severe poisoning is more likely to cause changes in laboratory indicators.

The clinical data of patients with chlamydia psitsiti pneumonia confirmed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) who were admitted to the Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital from January 2020 to November 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among 21 patients, the serum creatine kinase (CK) was elevated in 10 cases, and 5 cases was complicated with rhabdomyolysis (RM). The symptoms of patients with Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia-induced RM were severe, including high fever, dyspnoea, headache and myalgia; 2 case were complicated by acute kidney injury (AKI) and neurological symptoms. Laboratory testing showed a marked increase in CK, myoglobin (Mb), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and D-dimer levels in all 5 patients. The chest CT revealed large areas of pulmonary consolidation, ground-glass opacity in 1 case and a small amount of pleural effusion in 2 cases. One patient died from multiple organ failure, and the other 4 patients were discharged with considerable improvement. Patients with psittacosis pneumonia are prone to developing rhabdomyolysis, early detection and early treatment can effectively improve the prognosis of patients.