AIM:To observe the changes of Th17 related cytokines in tears of conjunctivochalasis(CCH)patients with liver-kidney yin deficiency treated with traditional Chinese medicine Qi Jing Mingmu decoction combined with artificial tears.METHODS:A total of 56 CCH patients(56 eyes)with liver-kidney yin deficiency of grade Ⅱ to Ⅲ were collected and randomly divided into treatment group(treated with Qi Jing Mingmu decoction combined with artificial tears)of 26 cases(26 eyes)and control group(treated with pure artificial tears)of 30 cases(30 eyes). The treatment course was 1 mo, and international ocular surface disease index(OSDI), tear film break-up time(BUT), tear meniscus height(TMH)and conjunctival congestion index of the patients were observed before and after treatment. The patients' tears were collected before and after treatment, and Th17 related cytokines in tears were detected using flow cytometry immunofluorescence luminescence method.RESULTS:After treatment, the OSDI, BUT and conjunctival congestion index of CCH patients in the treatment group and control group were significantly improved(all P<0.01). After treatment, the TMH of CCH patients in the treatment group was significantly reduced(P<0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference in TMH of the control group before and after treatment(P=0.41). After treatment, the levels of Th17 related cytokines IL-17A, IL-22, IFN-γ, IL-17F, and IL-1β in tears of CCH patients in the treatment group were significantly reduced after treatment(all P<0.01), and the changes in the treatment group were more significant(all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the control group before and after treatment(all P>0.05). After treatment, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the tears of both groups of CCH patients decreased compared to those before treatment(both P<0.05), but the changes in the treatment group were more significant(both P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Qi Jing Mingmu decoction combined with artificial tears can effectively improve the ocular surface microenvironment, enhance tear film stability, and inhibit ocular surface inflammation in CCH patients with liver-kidney yin deficiency. This may be related to its reduction in the secretion of Th17 related cytokines in tears.

ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the clinical effect of Danggui Liuhuang Tang （DGLHT） on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） complicated by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease （ASCVD） at high risk， focus on evaluating the influence of DGLHT on cardiovascular risk indicators such as flow-mediated dilation （FMD）， atherogenic index of plasma （AIP）， and triglyceride-glucose index （TyG）， and explore the regulatory effect of DGLHT on the myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-kappa B （MyD88/NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsThe clinical study was a single-center， double-blind， and randomized controlled trial. A total of 68 patients with T2DM-ASCVD at high risk for cardiovascular events with Yin deficiency and fire excess syndrome were enrolled and randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group was given atorvastatin calcium tablets and DGLHT， while the control group was given atorvastatin calcium tablets and placebos. The treatment course was 12 weeks， with a final study completion of 30 patients in the treatment group and 29 in the control group. Changes in cardiovascular risk indicators such as FMD， AIP， TyG， and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （sdLDL-C） index were compared. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） were used to establish a vascular endothelial injury and inflammation model. The protective effect of DGLHT on endothelial injury was verified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot . ResultsAfter 12 weeks of treatment， the AIP in the treatment group significantly decreased compared with that before the treatment （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the treatment group showed significant improvements in FMD and TyG （P<0.05）. Additionally， the treatment group demonstrated significant reductions in two-hour postprandial glucose （2 hPG）， glycated albumin （GA）， triglycerides （TG）， apolipoprotein E （Apo E）， and sdLDL-C （P<0.05）. Analysis of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome efficacy indicated that in the treatment group， Yin deficiency and fire excess syndromes， including dry throat and mouth （P<0.05）， excessive thirst （P<0.01）， tidal fever and night sweats （P<0.05）， and dry stools （P<0.05）， improved. Compared with the control group， the treatment group showed significant improvements in symptoms of dry throat and mouth （P<0.05） and excessive thirst （P<0.01）. TCM syndrome scores significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the overall efficacy rate was 56.67%， significantly higher than the 10.34% observed in the control group （P<0.01）. At the cellular level， increasing concentrations of DGLHT led to decreased messenger ribonucleic acid （mRNA） levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， and interleukin-1-beta （IL-1β） in lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-stimulated HUVECs （P<0.01）， with significant reductions in the high-concentration group （P<0.01）. DGLHT may inhibit the expressions of MyD88 and phosphorylated （p）-NF-κB p65 proteins in a concentration-dependent manner. ConclusionDGLHT shows significant effects in reducing cardiovascular risks and may exert an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. This finding provides a new perspective for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in high-risk individuals with T2DM-ASCVD.

ObjectiveTo investigate the bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere soil and phyllosphere of Angelica sinensis and examine the effects of foliar applications of a composite bacterial agent，salicylic acid，and coronatine on the bacterial diversity，disease incidence，and plant yield，thus providing a theoretical basis and guidance for the artificial construction of functional minimal communities and the regulation of rhizosphere through foliar treatments. MethodsUnder continuous cropping conditions in the field，foliar applications of a composite bacterial agent，salicylic acid，coronatine，and sterile water were conducted. The 100-plant weight was measured via the conventional method，and the incidence of diseases was recorded. The microbial community composition，diversity，and inter-group differences in the phyllosphere and rhizosphere soil of A. sinensis were analyzed by 16S high-throughput sequencing，and the potential microbial functions were predicted. ResultsCompared with the blank control，foliar applications of salicylic acid and coronatine both significantly reduced the yield and root rot incidence of A. sinensis. The foliar application of salicylic acid decreased the content of ferulic acid and increased that of ligustilide. The foliar application of coronatine increased the content of both ferulic acid and ligustilide. The microbial communities and functions in the phyllosphere and rhizosphere soil were significantly different. The phyllosphere had lower microbial diversity，with all bacteria being Gram-negative，mainly Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria with limited functions. The rhizosphere soil had higher microbial diversity，harboring dominant phyla including Proteobacteria，Actinobacteria，Acidobacteria，and Bacteroidetes with rich functions. All foliar treatments regulated the microbial community in the rhizosphere soil，with a more significant effect on the microbial community in the rhizosphere soil than that in the phyllosphere. The coronatine treatment significantly reduced the abundance of Proteobacteria and nitrate-reducing and aromatic compound-degrading microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil，thus affecting nutrient cycling and autotoxic substance degradation and leading to a yield reduction. Compared with the salicylic acid treatment，the coronatine treatment significantly increased the abundance of Bacillus and Streptomyces in the rhizosphere soil，demonstrating enhanced disease control efficacy. ConclusionFoliar application of coronatine and salicylic acid can significantly regulate the composition and function of bacterial communities in the rhizosphere soil，thereby reducing the disease incidence and the plant yield.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for cystic fibrosis (CF). Methods A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed databases up to August 7, 2024. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for data extraction and quality assessment. The quality of included studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and the risk of bias and applicability of included prediction model studies were assessed by the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST). Results A total of 10 studies were included, among which 5 studies only identified specific exhaled VOCs in CF patients, and another 5 developed 7 CF risk prediction models based on the identification of VOCs in CF. The included studies reported a total of 75 exhaled VOCs, most of which belonged to the categories of acylcarnitines, aldehydes, acids, and esters. Most models (n=6, 85.7%) only included exhaled VOCs as predictive factors, and only one model included factors other than VOCs, including forced expiratory flow at 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF75) and modified Medical Research Council scale for the assessment of dyspnea (mMRC). The accuracy of the models ranged from 77% to 100%, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranged from 0.771 to 0.988. None of the included studies provided information on the calibration of the models. The results of the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) showed that the overall bias risk of all predictive model studies was high, and the overall applicability was unclear. Conclusion The exhaled VOCs reported in the included studies showed significant heterogeneity, and more research is needed to explore specific compounds for CF. In addition, risk prediction models based on exhaled VOCs have certain value in the diagnosis of CF, but the overall bias risk is relatively high and needs further optimization from aspects such as model construction and validation.

Objective: To investigate the effect of targeted silencing of DNA methyltransferase 3A(DNMT3A) on collagen deposition, proliferation and migration activity of mouse lung fibroblasts(PFs). Methods: In order to ensure the proliferation and migration activity of primary fibroblasts, the lung tissues of neonatal C57 suckling mice were taken, PFs were extracted after being sheared, and the morphology was observed and identified under the microscope. PFs cells were activated by 5 ng/ml TGF-β1for 24 h after cell attachment, and DNMT3A silencing model was constructed by small interfering RNA; The experiment was divided into control group, TGF-β1group, TGF-β1+ siRNA-NC group and TGF-β1+ siRNA-DNMT3A group. The protein expressions of DNMT3A, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) and Collagen Ⅰ were detected by Western blot; Real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression changes ofDNMT3A,α-SMAandCollagenⅠ. The proliferation ability of PFs was detected by CCK-8 and EdU staining; the migration ability of PFs was detected by scratch test and Transwell migration test. Results: Compared with the control group, TGF-β1induced the increase of DNMT3A in the activated PFs cell group(P<0.01), the protein and mRNA levels of fibrosis and proliferation related indicators α-SMA and Collagen Ⅰ also increased(allP<0.05), and the proliferation and migration ability of PFs increased(allP<0.000 1). Compared with the siRNA-NC group, the protein expression levels of DNMT3A(P<0.000 1) and related indicators α-SMA(P<0.01) and Collagen Ⅰ(P<0.01) significantly decreased in the DNMT3A silencing group by Western blot, and the mRNA levels ofDNMT3A,α-SMAandCollagenⅠby RT-qPCR also decreased(allP<0.001), and the proliferation(P<0.01) and migration ability(P<0.05) of PFs cells decreased compared with the control group. Conclusion Silencing DNMT3A can inhibit the deposition of collagen and the proliferation of PFs. DNMT3A can promote the proliferation and migration of PFs, and then promote the activation of PFs and the development of pulmonary fibrosis. This process may be regulated by DNA methylation modification.

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effects of different sizes of seedlings and melatonin treatment on physiological and biochemical indicators and bolting-related gene expression in Angelica sinensis， find substances related to early bolting， and elucidate the inhibitory mechanism of melatonin on bolting. MethodsSpectrophotometry was used to detect the related enzyme activities of A. sinensis leaves. The contents of endogenous hormones and polyamines were detected using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the expression levels of bolting-related genes. Inter-group differential indicator analysis， orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis， and principal component analysis were comprehensively applied to identify factors related to early bolting. ResultsEndogenous jasmonic acid and melatonin were identified as the most important factors affecting early bolting. Secondly， the activity of antioxidant enzymes， abscisic acid content， gibberellin content， and the expression levels of CO3， HD3A， and FD genes had important effects on the bolting process. Compared with small seedlings， exogenous melatonin treatment mainly inhibited early bolting by increasing endogenous melatonin content， reducing gibberellin content， and decreasing the expression levels of SOC1 and FD genes. ConclusionExogenous melatonin can inhibit early bolting in A. sinensis by regulating its physiological， biochemical， and gene expression levels.

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effects of different sizes of seedlings and melatonin treatment on physiological and biochemical indicators and bolting-related gene expression in Angelica sinensis， find substances related to early bolting， and elucidate the inhibitory mechanism of melatonin on bolting. MethodsSpectrophotometry was used to detect the related enzyme activities of A. sinensis leaves. The contents of endogenous hormones and polyamines were detected using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the expression levels of bolting-related genes. Inter-group differential indicator analysis， orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis， and principal component analysis were comprehensively applied to identify factors related to early bolting. ResultsEndogenous jasmonic acid and melatonin were identified as the most important factors affecting early bolting. Secondly， the activity of antioxidant enzymes， abscisic acid content， gibberellin content， and the expression levels of CO3， HD3A， and FD genes had important effects on the bolting process. Compared with small seedlings， exogenous melatonin treatment mainly inhibited early bolting by increasing endogenous melatonin content， reducing gibberellin content， and decreasing the expression levels of SOC1 and FD genes. ConclusionExogenous melatonin can inhibit early bolting in A. sinensis by regulating its physiological， biochemical， and gene expression levels.

Pyroptosis is the programmed death of cells accompanied by an inflammatory response and is widely involved in the development of a variety of diseases, such as infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration. It has been shown that cellular scorching is involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH) in cardiovascular diseases. Patients with PAH have perivascular inflammatory infiltrates in lungs, pulmonary vasculopathy exists in an extremely inflam-matory microenvironment, and pro-inflammatory factors in cellular scorching drive pulmonary vascular remodelling in PAH patients. This article reviews the role of cellular scorch in the pathogenesis of PAH and the related research on drugs for the treatment of PAH, with the aim of providing new ideas for clinical treatment of PAH.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect and mechanism of Sishenjian on synovial lesions induced by monosodium iodoacetate （MIA） in rats with knee osteoarthritis （KOA）. MethodSixty female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into the following six groups： normal group， model group， celecoxib group， and high-， medium-， and low-dose Sishenjian group. The KOA rat model was established by intra-articular injection of MIA. Celecoxib （18 mg·kg^-1） and Sishenjian （14.4， 7.2， 3.6 g·kg^-1） were administered by gavage according to the groups. All rats were euthanized after four weeks of continuous administration. The transverse diameter of the bilateral knee joints of rats was measured， and gross observation of the knee joint was performed. Pathological changes in knee joint synovial tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and picrosirius red staining. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） in synovial tissue. The levels of inflammatory cytokines in the joint synovial fluid were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to detect the expression of mRNA and proteins related to the transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁）/Smad2/3 pathway in knee joint synovium. ResultCompared with the normal group， the transverse diameter of the knee joint in the model group significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the transverse diameter of the knee joint in rats of each Sishenjian group significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the expression levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in the knee joint synovial fluid of model group significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the knee joint synovial fluid of rats in each Sishenjian group significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the expression levels of TGF-β₁， Smad2/3， phosphorylation（p）-Smad2/3， type Ⅰ collagen α1 （ColⅠ_α1）， type Ⅲ collagen α1 （ColⅢ_α1）， VEGFA proteins and TGF-β₁， Smad2/3， ColⅠ_α1， ColⅢ_α1 mRNA in knee joint synovium of model group significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression levels of TGF-β₁， Smad2/3， phosphorylation （p）-Smad2/3， ColⅠ_α1， ColⅢ_α1， VEGFA proteins and TGF-β₁， Smad2/3， ColⅠ_α1， ColⅢ_α1 mRNA in knee joint synovium of rats in each Sishenjian group significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionSishenjian can inhibit synovial inflammation and angiogenesis， and may become a potential drug for treating synovial lesions in KOA by regulating the TGF-β₁/Smad2/3 pathway.

AIM To explore the laws in accumulation of dry matter and medicinal ingredients of Isatis indigotica Fort.in Longdong area,and determine the best harvest time to obtain the high-quality and high-yield medicinal plant.METHODS The I.indigotica had its agronomic traits investigated regularly;the accumulation laws of its uridine,guanosine,(R,S)-geichan and adenosine measured by HPLC;and its comprehensive utilization value in different periods evaluated by grey correlation method.RESULTS There existed significant variations among the plant height,plant width,leaf length,leaf width,number of leaves,leaf weight,root length,root diameter,root weight,and the yields of uridine,guanosine,(R,S)-goitrin and adenosine at different growth stages,whose peak values appeared in different period.Additionally,there were also obvious differences in the aforementioned indexes levels among different strains.The highest weighted correlation degree of the comprehensive utilization value of Longde and 2008-6-2 on October 9,and of 2008-11 and 2016-2 on October 24.On the whole,the 2008-6-2 and 2016-2 were superior to 2008-11 and Longde.CONCLUSION It is suggested that the best harvest time of I.indigotica in Longdong area is in mid to late October.