Renal interstitial fibrosis（RIF） is the main pathological manifestation of chronic kidney disease. Due to the complexity of the mechanism， there is no specific treatment for RIF in clinical practice. The abnormal activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） signaling pathway and the activation of downstream target genes are key drivers of RIF induction and progression. Traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristics of precise efficacy and minimal toxic side effects， and the occurrence and development of RIF can be regulated by multiple targets and mutual coordination. This review focuses on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and summarizes the potential targets and regulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of RIF. It is found that various effective ingredients （such as sinomenine， mangiferin， coumarin derivates from Hydrangea paniculata， etc.） and formulas （such as Fushengong decoction， Qi-Bang-Yi-Shen formula， etc.） of traditional Chinese medicine can inhibit fibroblast proliferation， improve inflammation and oxidative stress， maintain mitochondrial stability， and slow down ferroptosis through this pathway， thereby delaying the occurrence and progression of RIF.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of N-acetylcysteine （NAC） in the treatment of severe alcoholic hepatitis （SAH）， and to provide a basis for clinical medication for SAH. MethodsA prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted among 172 SAH patients with a Maddrey discriminant function score of >32 points who were recruited by The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from June 2015 to June 2018， and these patients were divided into NAC group with 84 patients and control group with 86 patients. NAC （8 g/day， 28 days） was assessed in terms of its safety in SAH patients， its impact on 28-day biochemical parameters， and its role in improving 28- and 180-day survival rates. A further analysis was performed to investigate the effect of NAC on the 28- and 180-day survival rates of SAH patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF-SAH patients） and those without acute-on-chronic liver failure （non-ACLF-SAH patients）. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves， and the Log-rank test was used for comparison of survival curves. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analyses were used to investigate independent influencing factors. ResultsNo serious adverse events were observed during NAC treatment， suggesting that NAC had a good safety profile. Compared with the control group， NAC did not significantly improve the 28-day biochemical parameters （all P>0.05） and survival rate of SAH patients （P=0.081）， but it could improve the 180-day survival rate of SAH patients （67.4% vs 81.0%， χ²=4.280， P=0.039）. NAC did not improve the 28- and 180-day survival rates of ACLF-SAH patients （both P>0.05）； NAC did not improve the 28-day survival rate of non-ACLF-SAH patients （P>0.05）， but it could improve the 180-day survival rate of these patients （68.4% vs 88.9%， χ²=4.883， P=0.027）. The multivariate Cox regression survival analysis showed that NAC treatment （hazard ratio ［HR］=2.530， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.334‍ ‍— 4.796， P=0.004，）， Maddrey discriminant function score （HR=3.852， 95%CI： 2.032 — 7.304， P<0.001）， and serum sodium level （HR=1.948， 95%CI： 1.079‍ ‍—‍ ‍3.517， P=0.027） were independent influencing factors for 180-day survival rate in SAH patients. ConclusionNAC has a good safety profile in the treatment of SAH and can improve the 180-day survival rate of SAH patients， and in particular， non-ACLF-SAH patients can benefit from NAC treatment in terms of middle- and long-term survival rates.

Objective This study aims to investigate the primary target and potential mechanism of mangiferin(MF)in treating oral submucous fibrosis(OSF)through Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database chip mining,network pharmacology,and molecular docking techniques.Methods Potential therapeutic targets for OSF were identified using GEO chip data.The potential targets of MF were predicted,and disease-related targets for OSF were col-lected from databases.A Venn diagram was created using the EVenn platform to identify overlapping targets.The protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed using the STRING database.Gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclope-dia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses were performed using the DAVID platform.Cytoscape 3.10.1 software was used to visualize a drug-target-pathway-disease network,while AutoDocktools 1.5.6 software was employed for molecular docking analysis.Results A total of 356 potential targets for MF and 360 disease-related targets for OSF were obtained from multiple databases.The top 15 key target proteins in the PPI network were selected as significant candi-dates.GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses revealed that MF treatment primarily involved advanced gly-cation end products-receptor(AGE-RAGE),epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR),and other signaling pathways associ-ated with OSF pathogenesis.Molecular docking analysis demonstrated that MF exhibited a strong binding activity toward AKT serine kinase 1(AKT1),tumor necrosis factor(TNF),and other core targets.Conclusion These findings suggest that MF may exert its therapeutic effects on OSF through a multitarget approach involving various signaling pathways.

Objective:To compare results of four glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) detection methods and to evaluate the uncertainty of HbA1C results in clinical laboratory, and to provide method for clinical laboratory on the evaluation of uncertainty.Methods:According to the four uncertainty evaluation methods, which were recommended by "CNAS-TRL-001, the evaluation and expression of measurement uncertainty in medical laboratory", the relative and absolute uncertainty of low, medium and high HbA1c in 33 clinical laboratories measured in 2019 and 35 clinical laboratories measured in 2020 was evaluated by more than 6 months of internal quality control (IQC) data, trueness verification and external quality assessment (EQA) data. The four uncertainty evaluation methods were: IQC data and trueness verification data (method 1), only trueness verification data (method 2), IQC and EQA data (method 3) and only EQA data (method 4). The related statistical methods used in this analysis were Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank test.Results:For method 1, the median range of relative and absolute uncertainty of low, medium and high HbA1c detection in 2019 and 2020 ranged from 4.21% to 9.24% and from 0.27% to 0.64%, respectively. Compared to method 1, the relative and absolute uncertainties obtained by method 2 were smaller, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.016 7, P<0.05). Compared to method 1, the relative uncertainties obtained by method 3 and method 4 were smaller, except for the high concentration of HbA1c level in 2020. Among the 6 pairs of comparisons (low, medium and high HbA1c in 2019 and 2020), there were 3 pairs (high HbA1c in 2019, low and medium HbA1c in 2020) and 2 pairs (low and high HbA1c in 2020) of differences with statistical significance (all P<0.016 7). Conclusion:The uncertainty evaluation of HbA1c detection in clinical laboratory should be evaluated based on IQC and trueness verification data.

Objective:To investigate the function of gasdermin D (GSDMD) in intestinal damage of mice with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods:The healthy C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups randomly, including normal saline (NS) group, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-NS group, SAP model group and siRNA-SAP group, with 6 mice in each group. The SAP mouse model was reproduced by intraperitoneal injection of caerulein 50 μg/kg combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 10 mg/kg; the NS group was given the same amount of NS; in the siRNA-SAP group and siRNA-NS group, siRNA 50 mg/kg was injected through the tail vein three times before modeling or injection of NS. The blood of mice eyeball in each group was taken 12 hours after modeling, and serum interleukins (IL-1β, IL-18) levels were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mice were sacrificed to observe the general changes in abdominal cavity, the pancreas and ileum tissues were taken to observe the pathological changes under a light microscope. The expression of long-chain non-coding RNA uc.173 (lnc uc.173) was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of tight junction proteins zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin in intestinal mucosal epithelial cells. Western blotting was used to detect the GSDMD protein expression level in the intestinal tissue.Results:The serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the SAP model group were significantly higher than those in the NS group and the siRNA-NS group [IL-1β (ng/L): 146.66±1.40 vs. 44.48±5.76, 81.49±10.75, IL-18 (ng/L): 950.47±177.09 vs. 115.43±16.40, 84.84±21.90, all P < 0.05]; and the levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the siRNA-SAP group were significantly lower than those in the SAP model group [IL-1β (ng/L): 116.26±15.54 vs. 146.66±1.40, IL-18 (ng/L): 689.96±126.08 vs. 950.47±177.09, both P < 0.05]. General observation showed that there were no obvious abnormalities in the abdominal cavity of the mice in the NS and siRNA-NS groups; the mice in the SAP model group and the siRNA-SAP group had different degrees of edema and congestion in the intestine; compared with the SAP model group, the abnormalities in the siRNA-SAP group was significantly reduced. Under light microscope, there were no obvious changes in the pancreas and intestinal mucosa in the NS group and the siRNA-NS group; the pancreatic tissue of the SAP model group and the siRNA-SAP group had different degrees of edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, and lobular structure damage, and the intestinal mucosa was damaged to a certain degree, and the villi were broken to varying degrees, but the damage in the siRNA-SAP group was lighter. The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of lnc uc.173 in the intestinal tissues of the model SAP group was significantly lower than that of the NS group and the siRNA-NS group (2 -ΔΔCt: 0.26±0.12 vs. 1.01±0.37, 0.67±0.32, both P < 0.05), while the expression of lnc uc.173 in the siRNA-SAP group was significantly higher than that in the SAP model group (2 -ΔΔCt: 0.60±0.39 vs. 0.26±0.12, P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed that ZO-1 and Occludin proteins in the NS group were distributed along the epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa, showing a strong expression; ZO-1 and Occludin expressions were significantly reduced in the SAP model group and siRNA-SAP group, but the expressions in the siRNA-SAP group was higher than that in the SAP model group. Western blotting showed that the expression level of GSDMD protein in the intestinal tissues of the SAP model group was significantly higher than that of the NS group and the siRNA-NS group [GSDMD protein (GSDMD-N/β-actin): 1.99±0.46 vs. 1, 1.00±0.78, both P < 0.05]. Compared with the SAP model group, the expression of GSDMD protein in the siRNA-SAP group was significantly decreased [GSDMD protein (GSDMD-N/β-actin): 1.42±0.42 vs. 1.99±0.46, P < 0.05]. Conclusions:The systemic inflammatory response and intestinal mucosal barrier damage of SAP mice may be related to the increase of GSDMD expression in intestinal tissues. GSDMD mediates cell pyrolysis to promote the release of inflammatory factors, cause intestinal injury, and down-regulate the expression of intestinal epithelial cell tight junction proteins such as ZO-1 and Occludin, resulting in intestinal mucosal damage.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a series of syndromes caused by stroke, involving impairment of one or more cognitive functions, such as attention, language function, executive function, visuospatial cognition, episodic memory and working memory, etc. The traditional treatment methods of PSCI include drug therapy and cognitive training. The treatment modalities are limited and the maintenance effect is not good. Therefore, an auxiliary treatment method is urgently needed to improve its therapeutic effect. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe and mature non-invasive brain stimulation technique, which generates weak direct current (1-2 mA) through electrodes placed on the scalp to change the resting membrane potential of neurons, regulate the excitability of the cerebral cortex, so as to achieve the purpose of treatment. This article reviews the effect of tDCS on PSCI, and hopes to provide reference and guidance for its rehabilitation treatment.

OBJECTIVE：To study the improvement eff ects and p otential mechanism of chelidonine on CCl 4-induced hepatic fibrosis model rats. METHODS ：According to the random number table method ，a total of 48 rats were randomly divided into normal control group ，model group ，chelidonine low-dose ，middle-dose and high-dose groups （0.125，0.25，0.50 mg/kg），positive control group （Liver-protecting tablet ，0.42 g/kg），with 8 rats in each group. Except for normal control group ，other groups were given CCl 4-olive oil solution intraperitoneally for 8 weeks to induce hepatic fibrosis model. From the fifth week of modeling ， normal control group and model group were given water intragastrically ；administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically，once a day ，for consecutive 10 weeks. After last intragastric administration ，hepatic index of rats was calculated. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase （AST），alanine aminotransferase （ALT）and hyaluronic acid （HA）in serum and the level of hydroxyproline （Hyp）in liver tissue were determined. The staining of collagen fibrin in rat liver was observed. The protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA），microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3（LC3）and p 62 as well as the phosphorylation level of phosphoinositide 3 kinase（PI3K），protein kinase B （Akt）and mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）in liver tissue were determined ；mRNA expression corresponding to above protein were also determined. RESULTS ：Compared with normal control group ，the hepatic index ，the serum levels of AST ，ALT，HA and Hyp ，the percentage of positive staining area for collagen fibrin ，the mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA and LC 3- Ⅱ were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Protein expression of p 62，phosphorylation levels of PI 3K，Akt and mTOR as well as mRNA expression of p 62，PI3K，Akt and mTOR were significantly down-regulated （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group ，phosphorylation levels of PI 3K and mTOR were decreased significantly in chelidonine low-dose group （P＜0.05）. The changes of above indexes in chelidonine middle-dose and high-dose groups （except for liver index ， HA level in middle-dose group ） were reversed significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS：Chelidonine can attenuate CCl 4-induced liver fibrosis in rats ；the mechanism of it may be associated with activating PI 3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and inhibiting autophagy.

Objective:To study the genomic sequence of Coxsackievirus A8 (CV-A8) associated with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) from 2013 to 2018 in China and to analyze the genetic evolution of each coding region of the full-length genome.Methods:The genome sequences of 11 CV-A8 strains isolated from patients with HFMD in different regions of China from 2013 to 2018 were determined. Sequence alignment and genetic evolution analysis were performed by Sequencher 5.0 and MEGA 7.0 software, etc.Results:Sequence alignment showed that the genome length of 11 CV-A8 strains ranged from 7 393 bp to 7 400 bp. There was no base insertion or deletion in the coding region compared with the prototype strain, but there were individual base insertion or deletion in the non-coding region. The nucleotide and amino acid similarities in the VP1 region of 11 CV-A8 strains were 78.3%-98.6% and 92.6%-99.7%, respectively, and the nucleotide and amino acid sequences identities with the CV-A8 prototype strain were 78.3%-98.2% and 92.6%-99.7%, respectively. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of VP1 region sequences, the CV-A8 can be divided into five genotypes: A, B, C, D and E. The 11 CV-A8 strains in this study belonged to genotypes C (1 strain), D (2 strains) and E (8 strains). The nucleotide and amino acid similarities of 11 CV-A8 full-length genomes were 81.3%-98.8% and 95.9%-99.5%, respectively. The phylogenetic tree of the P2 region showed that the eight E genotypes CV-A8 had the closest evolutionary distance with CV-A4, CV-A14, and CV-A16. The phylogenetic tree of the P3 region showed that the eight E genotypes CV-A8 had a close evolutionary distance with CV-A5, CV-A16, CV-A14 and CV-A4.Conclusions:The 11 CV-A8 stains in this study showed significant intra-genotype diversity in capsid region and recombinant diversity in non-capsid region which indicated that CV-A8 quasispecies were still undergoing dynamics variation. CV-A8 may become an important pathogen of HFMD and the monitoring of CV-A8 needs to be further strengthened.

Objective: The research was to investigate the intermediary effect of school adjustment between famale college students’ life meaning and mobile phone addiction and to provide reference for mobile phone addiction prevention. Methods: Totally 1 355 female college students in Jinan City were investigated with Life Meaning Scale, School Adjustment Scale and Mobile Phone Addiction Scale. Results: Score of freshmen’ mobile phone addiction (34.02±7.87) was significantly lower than that of sophomores’ and junior’(36.67±8.03, 37.19±10.40)(F=4.58, P<0.05). Female college students’ life meaning and school adjustment were negatively correlated with mobile phone addiction(r=-0.50, -0.58, P<0.01). Female college students’ life meaning was positively correlated with school adjustment(r=0.51, P<0.01). Having a sense of life meaning and seeking a sense of life meaning could jointly explain 24% of the variation in mobile phone addiction. School adjustment played a complete mediating role between life meaning and mobile phone addiction in female college students. Conclusion Female college students’ life meaning can affect mobile phone addiction through school adjustment.

Objective:To investigate the effects of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1(PARP-1) in intestinal mucosal barrier injury in rat model with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods:Twenty healthy male Wistar rats were divided into four groups ( n=5 each group) using a random table method: control, SAP, 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB), and 3-AB control groups. The SAP model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cerulean with lipopolysaccharide. At 30 min, the rats were treated with the PARP-1 inhibitor, 3-AB, or normal saline,separately. After 12 h, all rats were sacrificed to harvest pancreas tissues, intestines tissues, and blood from the hearts for index detection. Serum amylase (AMY) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were measured using an automatic biochemical instrument and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.The protein expression of PARP-1 and nuclear factor (NF-κB) were measured using Western blot and that of occludin was measured using an immunohistochemical test. One-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of multiple groups of variables. Non-parametric tests of rank conversion were used when variances were not uniform. A P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:Compared to the control group, the following indexes in the SAP group were significantly increased: ascites (with serious hemorrhage and necrosis in the pancreas and disordered intestinal villi),serum AMY and IL-6 levels, and the expression of PARP-1 and NF-κB. However, Occludin expression was significantly decreased. There was no significant difference between 3-AB group and 3-AB control group. Compared to the SAP group, the severity of SAP and pancreatitis-associated intestinal injury was significantly attenuated with the administration of 3-AB. Serum AMY and IL-6 levels were significantly decreased (serum AMY: 1 879.25 ± 736.6 U/L vs 5 569.33 ± 1993.48 U/L; IL-6: 77.98 ± 20.65 pg/mL vs 209.14 ± 79.08 pg/mL, both P<0.05), but the expression of PARP-1 and NF-κB were significantly increased (PARP-1: 1.44 ± 0.09 vs 1.49 ± 0.13; NF-κB: 0.63 ± 0.09 vs 0.96±0.08, both P<0.05). Similarly, Occludin expression was significantly decreased (6.7±1.5 vs 3.2±1.1, P<0.05). Conclusions:Inhibition of PARP-1 has protective effects on SAP associated intestinal mucosal barrier damage. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway and increase intestinal mucosal Occludin protein expression.