Aim To investigate the therapeutic effect of the MW-9 on ulcerative colitis(UC)and reveal the underlying mechanism, so as to provide a scientific guidance for the MW-9 treatment of UC. Methods The model of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells was established. The effect of MW-9 on RAW264.7 cells viability was detected by MTT assay. The levels of nitric oxide(NO)in RAW264.7 macrophages were measured by Griess assay. Cell supernatants and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines containing IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β were determined by ELISA kits. Dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced UC model in mice was established and body weight of mice in each group was measured. The histopathological damage degree of colonic tissue was assessed by HE staining. The protein expression of p-p38, p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK was detected by Western blot. Results MW-9 intervention significantly inhibited NO release in RAW264.7 macrophages with IC50 of 20.47 mg·L-1 and decreased the overproduction of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α(P<0.05). MW-9 had no cytotoxicity at the concentrations below 6 mg·L-1. After MW-9 treatment, mouse body weight was gradually reduced, and the serum IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were significantly down-regulated. Compared with the model group, MW-9 significantly decreased the expression of p-p38 and p-ERK1/2 protein. Conclusions MW-9 has significant anti-inflammatory activities both in vitro and in vivo, and its underlying mechanism for the treatment of UC may be associated with the inhibition of MAPK signaling pathway.

This study aims to investigate the effect of salvianolic acid B (Sal B), the active ingredient of Salvia miltiorrhiza, on H9C2 cardiomyocytes injured by oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) through regulating mitochondrial fission and fusion. The process of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury was simulated by establishing OGD/R model. The cell proliferation and cytotoxicity detection kit (cell counting kit-8, CCK-8) was used to detect cell viability; the kit method was used to detect intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), total glutathione (t-GSH), nitric oxide (NO) content, protein expression levels of mitochondrial fission and fusion, apoptosis-related detection by Western blot. Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) detection kit and Hoechst 33342 fluorescence was used to observe the opening level of MPTP, and molecular docking technology was used to determine the molecular target of Sal B. The results showed that relative to control group, OGD/R injury reduced cell viability, increased the content of ROS, decreased the content of t-GSH and NO. Furthermore, OGD/R injury increased the protein expression levels of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), mitofusions 2 (Mfn2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (caspase 3), and decreased the protein expression levels of Mfn1, increased MPTP opening level. Compared with the OGD/R group, it was observed that Sal B had a protective effect at concentrations ranging from 6.25 to 100 μmol·L^-1. Sal B decreased the content of ROS, increased the content of t-GSH and NO, and Western blot showed that Sal B decreased the protein expression levels of Drp1, Mfn2, Bax and caspase 3, increased the protein expression level of Mfn1, and decreased the opening level of MPTP. In summary, Sal B may inhibit the opening of MPTP, reduce cell apoptosis and reduce OGD/R damage in H9C2 cells by regulating the balance of oxidation and anti-oxidation, mitochondrial fission and fusion, thereby providing a scientific basis for the use of Sal B in the treatment of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury.

Objective To develop a time-resolved fluorescent immunoassay kit for the rapid,accurate and quantitative detection of S100B protein in serum and to evaluate its performance.Methods The test strip was prepared using time-resolved fluorescent microsphere-labeled anti-S100B polyclonal antibody and rabbit IgG antibody,labeling pads,sample pads,S100B nitrocellulose films and absorbent paper,and an S100B time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay kit was obtained by assembling the cartridge.The performance of the kit developed was evaluated by standard curve,accuracy,minimum detection limit,linear interval,specificity,reproducibility and stability.The reference intervals of 199 pieces of healthy human serum and plasma samples from a certain region were detected with the kit,and the clinical performance of the kit and Roche Elecsys S100 kit was tested by synchronous blind method to assess the consistency of the results of the two kits for 142 samples.Results The S100B time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay kit had the standard curve beingy=(1.133 02+1.752 24)/[1+(x/1.082 20)×(-0.603 52)]-1.752 24,R2=0.999 08 and the linear range being[0.05,30]ng/mL,which met the requirements of the relative deviation of the accuracy within±15％,the minimum detection limit not hgier than 0.05 ng/mL,the relative deviation of specificity within±15％and the coefficient of variation of intra-and inter-batch difference less than 15％.The stability test results indicated that the kit was valid for 12 months at 2-30 ℃ conditions.The reference intervals of serum and plasma samples measured by the kit were both lower than 0.3 ng/mL.Clinical trials showed that the results by the kit and Roche Elecsys S100 Assay Kit were in high agreement(Kappa=0.906 1＞0.80)and met the requirements.Conclusion The kit developed detects the concentration of S100B protein in serum quickly,accurately and quantitatively,and provides references for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases,autoimmune diseases,cerebrovascular diseases and etc.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(1):47-55]

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at"Ciliao","Zhongji","Sanyinjiao"and"Dazhui"on urodynamics and expression of ERK/CREB/Bcl-2 pathway in spinal cord tissue of neurogenic bladder rats after suprasacral spinal cord injury.Methods Sixty female SD rats randomly selected 24 and divided into blank group and sham-operation group(12 rats in each group),the remaining 36 rats were subjected to surgical modeling.After modeling,rats were randomly divided into the model group and the electroacupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.The electroacupuncture group received unilateral electroacupuncture stimulation at acupoints"Ciliao","Zhongji","Sanyinjiao",and"Dazhui"for 30 minutes each time,once a day,for 7 consecutive days.After administration,urodynamic testing was performed,HE staining was used to observe the morphology of bladder detrusor tissue,TUNEL method was used to detected apoptosis in spinal cord tissue,Western blot was used to detected expressions of p-ERK1/2,p-CREB,p-p90Rsk,CRE,Bcl-2,and Bax proteins in spinal cord tissue.Results Compared with the sham-operation group,the basal pressure,maximum pressure,and leakage point pressure of the bladder in the model group increased significantly(P<0.01),while the maximum capacity and compliance of the bladder decreased significantly(P<0.01);the structure of bladder smooth muscle cells was severely damaged and disorderly arranged,accompanied by a large amount of inflammatory cell infiltration;the apoptosis rate of spinal cord tissue cells significantly increased(P<0.01),and the expressions of p-ERK1/2,p-p90Rsk,p-CREB,CRE,and Bcl-2 proteins in spinal cord tissue were significantly decreased,while the expression of Bax protein significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the basal pressure,maximum pressure,and leakage point pressure of the bladder in the electroacupuncture group decreased significantly(P<0.05),while the maximum capacity and compliance of the bladder increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01);the integrity of bladder smooth muscle cells was enhanced,the degree of cell edema was reduced,and inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced;the apoptosis rate of spinal cord tissue cells was significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the expressions of p-ERK1/2,p-p90Rsk,p-CREB,CRE,and Bcl-2 proteins in spinal cord tissue significantly increased,while the expression of Bax protein was significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can promote the repair of bladder detrusor tissue in rats with neurogenic bladder model after suprasacral spinal cord injury,increase the maximum capacity and compliance of the bladder,alleviate the high pressure state in the bladder,and its mechanism is related to activating the ERK/CREB/Bcl-2 pathway,reducing secondary apoptosis of damaged neurons,effectively improving bladder innervation,and protecting bladder function.

BACKGROUND:Numerous clinical and basic studies have shown that electroacupuncture can improve the function of neurogenic bladder after suprasacral spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on bladder function and connective tissue growth factor expression in rats with suprasacral spinal cord injury. METHODS:Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=12 per group):the blank group did not receive any treatment;the sham-operated group only exposed the T8 subvertebral spinal cord;in the model group established,a T8 subvertebral spinal cord transection injury model was established;in the electroacupuncture group,the T8 subvertebral spinal cord transection injury model was established,and electroacupuncture intervention at Ciliao(BL32),Zhongji(RN03)and Sanyinjiao(SP06)was given at 19 days after modeling,20 minutes once a day,for 10 continuous days.After the intervention,the relevant indicators were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Urodynamics:Compared with the blank group,the leakage point pressure,maximum bladder capacity and maximum bladder pressure of rats in the model group increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the leakage point pressure,maximum bladder capacity and maximum bladder pressure of rats in the electroacupuncture group decreased(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining:Compared with the blank group,the bladder epithelial cells in the model group were arranged in a disordered manner,the lamina propria was destroyed,the detrusor muscle bundles were hypertrophied,the muscle fibers were arranged in a disordered manner,and the tissue edema was obvious.Compared with the model group,the bladder epithelial cells in the electroacupuncture group were arranged in a regular and orderly manner,and the degree of bladder fibrosis and tissue edema was relatively reduced.Masson staining:The degree of bladder detrusor muscle fibrosis was severe in the model group and it was lighter in the electroacupuncture group than in the model group.Transmission electron microscopy:Mitochondria in the bladder tissue in the model group were swollen and vacuolated,the morphology of the detrusor muscle was twisted and distorted,and the muscle gap was widened.Compared with the model group,mitochondria in the electroacupuncture group had a slightly clearer contour and were less vacuolated,and the muscle gap was narrowed.Western blot detection:The protein expression of connective tissue growth factor in the detrusor muscle of the bladder was elevated in the model group compared with the blank group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the protein expression of connective tissue growth factor in the bladder detrusor muscle was decreased in the electroacupuncture group(P<0.05).To conclude,electroacupuncture at Ciliao(BL32),Zhongji(RN03)and Sanyinjiao(SP06)acupoints can improve the morphology,structure and function of the bladder in rats with suprasacral spinal cord injury,and the mechanism of action may be related to the down-regulation of connective tissue growth factor protein expression in the detrusor muscle.

Eighteen compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of the fruits of Litsea cubeba by silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, semi-preparative RP-HPLC, chiral HPLC and recrystallization. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and by comparison with reported spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties, and the absolute configurations of the enantiomers were established by experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. These compounds were identified as (+)-(R)-4-hydroxypiperitenone (1a), (-)-(S)-4-hydroxypiperitenone (1b), (3S,4S,6R)-3,6-dihydroxy-1-menthene (2), (4S,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-isopropyl-2-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (3), (R)-6-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-6-methylcyclohex-2-enone (4), (4S,6R)-4-hydroxy-6-isopropyl-3-methylcyclohex-2-enone (5), (1R,3S,4R)-3-hydroxy isopulegol (6), subamone (7), (6S)-3,7-dimethyl-7-hydroxy-2(Z)-octen-6-olide (8), (6S)-6,7-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyloct-2(Z)-enoate (9), holostylactone (10), sesamin (11), dimethylmatairesinol (12), p-hydroxybenzoylcarbinol (13), syringaldehyde (14), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (15), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (16), 5,4ʹ-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (17). Among them, compounds 1a and 1b were a pair of new monoterpenoid enantiomers, 8 and 9 were new natural products, 2-7, 10, 11 and 17 were isolated from Litsea genus for the first time. The in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of compounds 1-17 were evaluated using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, the results showed that compound 14 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity with NO inhibitory rate of 66.27% at a concentration of 40 μmol·L^-1.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of lupatadine tablets combined with azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray in the treatment of allergic rhinitis patients.Methods Patients with allergic rhinitis were randomly divided into control group and treatment group.Both groups received general treatment.On this basis,the control group was given azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray 0.14 mg per nostril each time,bid;on the basis of control group,the treatment group received lupatadine tablets 10 mg each time,orally,qd.Two groups were treated for 4 weeks.The clinical efficacy,rhinoconjunctivitis related quality of life questionnaire(RQLQ),serum indexes[interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-1 β,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),immunoglobulin E(IgE)]and safety were compared between the two groups.Results Treatment group were enrolled 53 cases,4 cases dropped out,and 49 cases were finally included in the statistical analysis.Control group were enrolled 53 cases,4 cases dropped out,and 49 cases were finally included in the statistical analysis.After treatment,the total effective rates of the treatment and control groups were 95.92％(47 cases/49 cases)and 81.63％(40 cases/49 cases)with significant difference(P＜0.05).After treatment,the RQLQ scores of treatment and control groups were(49.57±6.97)and(58.18±7.78)points,IL-6 levels were(5.12±1.25)and(7.34±1.46)ng·L-1,IL-1 β levels were(12.25±5.64)and(20.05±6.32)pg·mL-1,TNF-α levels were(3.25±0.62)and(4.45±0.49)pg·mL-1,the IgE levels were(114.28±19.63)and(136.84±30.14)μg·L-1,respectively,the differences were statistically significant difference(all P＜0.05).The adverse drug reactions of two groups were dry mouth,fatigue,dizziness and drowsiness.The total incidences of adverse drug reactions in the treatment and control groups were 16.33％and 10.20％without significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion Lupatadine tablets combined with azostine hydrochloride nasal spray have a definitive clinical efficacy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis patients,which can effectively reduce the inflammatory reaction,reduce the IgE levels,improve the quality of life,without increasing the incidence of adverse drug reactions.

Objective To investigate the expression of Nanog and its regulatory relationship with MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods We detected Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 protein expressions in 127 ESCC tissues and 82 adjacent normal tissues using immunohistochemistry and explored their correlations with the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of the patients.GEO database was utilized to analyze the pathways enriched with the stemness-related molecules including Nanog,and TIMER online tool was used to analyze the correlations among TβR1,MMP-2,and MMP-9 in esophageal cancer.Results Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins were significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues and positively intercorrelated.Their expression levels were closely correlated with infiltration depth and lymph node metastasis of ESCC but not with age,gender,or tumor differentiation.The patients with high expressions of Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 had significantly shorter survival time.Bioinformatics analysis showed enrichment of stemness-associated molecules in the TGF-β signaling pathway,and the expressions of MMP-2/MMP-9 and TβR1 were positively correlated.In cultured ESCC cells,Nanog knockdown significantly decreased the expression of TβR1,p-Smad2/3,MMP-2,and MMP-9 and strongly inhibited cell migration.Conclusion The high expressions of Nanog,MMP-2,and MMP-9,which are positively correlated,are closely related with invasion depth,lymph node metastasis,and prognosis of ESCC.Nanog regulates the expressions of MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins through the TGF-β signaling pathway,and its high expression promotes migration of ESCC cells.

Human-animal interaction has a long-standing tradition dating back to ancient times. With the rapid advancements in intelligent chips, wearable devices, and machine algorithms, the intelligent interaction between animals and electronic technology, facilitated by electronic devices and systems for communication, perception, and control, has become a reality. These electronic devices aim to implement an animal-centric working mode to enhance human understanding of animals and promote the development of animal intelligence and creativity. This article takes medium-sized and large animals as research objects, with the goal of developing their ability enhancement, and introduces the concept of “intelligent animal augmentation system (IAAS)”. This concept is used to describe the characteristics of such devices and provides a comprehensive overview of existing animal and computer interface solutions. In general, IAAS can be divided into implantable and non-implantable types, each composed of interface platforms, perception and interpretation, control and instruction components. Through various levels of enhancement systems and architectural patterns, intelligent interaction between humans and animals can be realized. Although existing IAAS still lack a complete independent interaction system architecture, they hold great promise and development space in the future. Not only can they be applied as substitutes for cutting-edge devices and transportation equipment, but they are also expected to achieve cross-species information interaction through intelligent interconnection. Additionally, IAAS can promote bidirectional interaction between humans and animals, playing a significant role in advancing animal ethics and ecological protection. Furthermore, the development of interaction models based on animal subjects can provide insightful research experiences for the design of human-computer interaction systems, thereby contributing to the more efficient realization of the ambitious goal of human-machine integration.

Objective To explore characteristics of clinical parameters and cytokines in patients with drug-induced liver injury(DILI)caused by different drugs and their correlation with clinical indicators. Method The study was conducted on patients who were up to Review of Uncertainties in Confidence Assessment for Medical Tests(RUCAM)scoring criteria and clinically diagnosed with DILI.Based on Chinese herbal medicine,cardiovascular drugs,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs),anti-infective drugs,and other drugs,patients were divided into five groups.Cytokines were measured by Luminex technology.Baseline characteristics of clinical biochemical indicators and cytokines in DILI patients and their correlation were analyzed. Results 73 patients were enrolled.Age among five groups was statistically different(P=0.032).Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P=0.033)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)(P=0.007)in NSAIDs group were higher than those in chinese herbal medicine group.Interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)in patients with Chinese herbal medicine(IL-6:P<0.001;TNF-α:P<0.001)and cardiovascular medicine(IL-6:P=0.020;TNF-α:P=0.001)were lower than those in NSAIDs group.There was a positive correlation between ALT(r=0.697,P=0.025),AST(r=0.721,P=0.019),and IL-6 in NSAIDs group. Conclusion Older age may be more prone to DILI.Patients with NSAIDs have more severe liver damage in early stages of DILI,TNF-α and IL-6 may partake the inflammatory process of DILI.