Based on the holistic view of "spleen-vessels-heart-spirit" system， this article explores the pathogenesis and progression of atrial fibrillation. It is proposed that the onset of atrial fibrillation is due to failure of the spleen to transport and disharmony of blood vessels； phlegm and blood stasis obstructing the collaterals and damage to the heart structure are the basis of its pathogenesis； the unclear mind and disorder of body and spirit are the causes of its progression. Based on the characteristics of pathological changes in different stages of the disease， it is proposed that early treatment should focus on restoring the middle jiao， clearing and promoting blood vessels， using modified Yigong Powder （异功散）； during the progression of the disease， treatment should remove blood stasis and phlegm， nourish heart and protect the pulse， using self-prescribed modified Mengshi Tongmai Decoction （礞石通脉汤）； meanwhile， calming mind and stabilizing palpitations， and regulating spirit should be sequentially incorporated， with self-prescribed Jiazao Ningmai Decoction （甲枣宁脉汤） or Shenying Dingji Decoction （参英定悸汤） and modified as appropriate. Clinical treatment should focus on the whole disease course of atrial fibrillation， implementing stage-based treatments to enable early intervention and holistic regulation.

The Medical Cases of WU Jutong （《吴鞠通医案》） proposes the principle of "treating all Bi （痹） diseases through taiyin"， which forms the basis for analyzing WU Jutong's understanding of the causes， mechanisms， and treatments of Bi （痹） diseases， providing a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Through an interpretation of the phrase "treating all Bi （痹） diseases through taiyin"， it is suggested that Bi （痹） diseases is primarily caused by dampness， necessitating a focus on spleen and lung in treatment. WU emphasized four main causes of Bi （痹） diseases （wind， cold， dampness， and heat）， with dampness being the predominant factor. The disease location is initially in lung， for which external dampness invades lung first， and internal dampness obstructs the source of water metabolism， impeding lung qi and qi failing to disperse， then dampness further accumulates in the joints， leading to Bi （痹） diseases. WU Jutong proposed the modified Mufangji Decoction （木防己汤） as the foundational prescription for treating Bi （痹） diseases. By comparing the similarities and differences between the modified and original Mufangji Decoction， and analyzing the adjustments in herbal prescriptions， the clinical characteristic of "treating all Bi （痹） diseases through taiyin" is further substantiated.

ObjectiveMicrotube associated protein-2 （MAP-2）， alpha-tubulin （α-tubulin）， and synaptophysin （SYP） are important proteins in neuronal signal communication. This paper observed the effects of modified Zhigancao Tang on the expression of serum α-Synuclein （α-Syn） and its oligomers， MAP-2， α-tubulin， and SYP of patients with liver and kidney deficiency of Parkinson's disease （PD）， analyzed their correlation， and evaluated the therapeutic effect of modified Zhigancao Tang in patients with liver and kidney deficiency of PD based on α-Syn transmission pathway mediated by neuronal communication in vivo. MethodsA total of 60 patients with PD who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a treatment group （30 cases） and a control group （30 cases）. Both groups were treated on the basis of PD medicine， and the treatment group was treated with modified Zhigancao Tang. Both groups were treated for 12 weeks. The changes in UPDRS score， TCM syndrome score， and expression of serum α-Syn and its oligomers， MAP-2， α-tubulin， and SYP were observed before and after 12 weeks of treatment in each group. The correlation between the above-mentioned serum biological indexes and the levels of serum α-Syn and its oligomers was analyzed. ResultsAfter treatment， the TCM syndrome score， UPDRS score， UPDRS-Ⅱ score， and UPDRS-Ⅲ score of the treatment group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The UPDRS score， UPDRS-Ⅱ score， and UPDRS-Ⅲ scores in the treatment group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， the total effective rate of the control group was 63.3% （19/30）， and that of the treatment group was 86.7% （26/30）. The clinical effect of the observation group was better than the control group （Z=-2.03， P<0.05）. The total effective rate of the observation group was better than that of the control group， and the difference was statistically significant （χ²=5.136， P<0.05）. After treatment， the oligomer level of serum α-Syn and MAP-2 level in the treatment group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The levels of serum α-Syn and its oligomers， as well as α-tubulin in the treatment group， were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Serum α-Syn was correlated with serum MAP-2 and α-Syn oligomer in patients with PD （P<0.05， P<0.01） but not correlated with serum SYP . Serum α-Syn oligomers of patients with PD were correlated with serum MAP-2 and α-tubulin （P<0.05， P<0.01） but not correlated with serum SYP level. Serum SYP of patients with PD was correlated with serum MAP-2 （P<0.05）. ConclusionModified Zhigancao Tang has a therapeutic effect on patients with liver and kidney deficiency of PD by inhibiting the production of α-Syn oligomers and intervening α-Syn microtubule transport pathway in vivo.

ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity. Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), MEG based on optically pump magnetometer (OPM) has the advantages of higher sensitivity, better spatial resolution and lower cost. However, most of the current studies are clinical studies, and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology. Pain, a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon, induces intricate alterations in brain activity, exhibiting notable sex differences. Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG, specific properties remain elusive, and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain (induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)) on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique, to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception, and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling. MethodsThis study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA (100 μl, 50% in saline) in the left hind paw, with control groups receiving saline. Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection. For MEG recording, anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield, undergoing two 15-minute sessions: a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase. Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms, generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range. ResultsMEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared, before and after saline/CFA injections. Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre- and post-saline/CFA injections. Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states. Remarkably, female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states. Furthermore, despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment, female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection. ConclusionThese results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts. Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection, highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state. Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals. In addition, the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.

Osteoporosis is a common senile bone metabolism disease， clinically characterized by decreased bone mass， destruction of bone microstructure， increased bone fragility， and easy fracture. It tends to occur in the elderly and postmenopausal women， seriously threatening the quality of life and physical and mental health of the elderly. At present， the treatment of osteoporosis is mainly based on oral western medicines， such as calcium， Vitamin D， and bisphosphonates. Still， there are drawbacks such as a long medication cycle and many adverse reactions. In recent years， due to the advantages of multi-component， multi-pathway， and multi-target， some traditional Chinese medicines and effective ingredients can regulate the osteogenic and osteoclastic differentiation process in both directions and are widely used in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Hippophae rhamnoides is a commonly used herbal medicine， and its fruits are rich in flavonoids， polyphenols， fatty acids， vitamins， and trace elements， which have been proven to have a good anti-osteoporosis effect. Isorhamnetin is the main effective ingredient of Hippophae rhamnoides fruits， which has many pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation， anti-oxidative stress， anti-aging， and anti-tumor. Studies have shown that isorhamnetin can participate in the regulation of bone metabolism and has a good anti-osteoporosis effect. However， the pharmacological effects and related mechanisms of isorhamnetin against osteoporosis have not been systematically summarized. Therefore， this paper reviewed the pharmacological effects and related mechanisms of isorhamnetin against osteoporosis by referring to relevant literature to provide more basis for the development and application of isorhamnetin.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.

BACKGROUND:The stemness index may be associated with the prognosis and immune infiltration of sarcoma,but the specific regulatory mechanism and characteristic genes have yet to be fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the correlation between stem cells and prognosis as well as immune infiltration in sarcoma employing the gene stemness index model and to identify the ferroptosis signature genes associated with sarcoma stem cells. METHODS:The sarcoma RNA sequencing data and related clinical information were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA).The sarcoma RNA sequencing data were grouped using the sarcoma stemness index.Survival data were used to analyze prognosis between groups.Differentially expressed genes were obtained for pathway enrichment and immune infiltration analysis.Ferroptosis-related differential genes were used to construct a protein interaction network and analyze prognostic correlation.Rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines were cultured and divided into adherent cell group and stem cell group.The adherent cell group received no intervention,while the stem cell group was treated with serum-free culture to enrich stem cells in rhabdomyosarcoma cells.qRT-PCR was used to evaluate stemness markers,ferroptosis-related genes,and mRNA expression of ferroptosis-related markers in the cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Patients were divided into high and low stemness index groups based on the median stemness index.The progression-free survival of patients in the high stemness index group was lower than that in the low stemness index group by disease risk prediction,suggesting poor prognosis.(2)According to GO and KEGG analysis,the groups with high and low stemness indices differed from one another.There were differences in immune infiltration between the high and low stemness index groups.Nine of the 23 ferroptosis-related genes in the differential genes have the potential to establish a highly correlated network of protein interactions.Patients with high expression of IDO1,IFNG,and AQP5 have a better prognosis,while those with high expression of CA9 have a poor prognosis.(3)The qRT-PCR results demonstrated a significant upregulation of stem cell-related markers NANOG,SOX2,and OCT4 mRNA expressions in the stem cell group compared to the adherent cell group(P<0.05).Compared to the adherent cell group,the stem cell group exhibited decreased mRNA expression level of ferroptosis-related marker SLC7A11(P<0.05)while showing increased levels of ACSL4,GPX4,FTH1,and COX2(P<0.05).Compared to the adherent cell group,the stem cell group displayed decreased mRNA expression level of differentially expressed gene CA9 alongside elevated levels of IDO1,IFNG,and AQP5(P<0.05).Stem cells were strongly associated with sarcoma survival and ferroptosis by bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification.Sarcoma stem cells have aberrant expression of CA9,IDO1,IFNG,and AQP5,which may serve as new targets for sarcoma therapy as well as diagnostic indicators.

Inflammatory diseases (IDs) are a general term of diseases characterized by chronic inflammation as the primary pathogenetic mechanism, which seriously affect the quality of patient′s life and cause significant social and medical burden. Current drugs for IDs include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, biologics, and antioxidants, but these drugs may cause gastrointestinal side effects, induce or worsen infections, and cause non-response or intolerance. Given the outstanding performance of metal polyphenol network (MPN) in the fields of drug delivery, biomedical imaging, and catalytic therapy, its application in the diagnosis and treatment of IDs has attracted much attention and significant progress has been made. In this paper, we first provide an overview of the types of IDs and their generating mechanisms, then sort out and summarize the different forms of MPN in recent years, and finally discuss in detail the characteristics of MPN and their latest research progress in the diagnosis and treatment of IDs. This research may provide useful references for scientific research and clinical practice in the related fields.

Taxifolin (Tax) has been proved to be a medicinal edible substance with protective effects against alcoholic liver injury, however, its poor hydrophilicity and permeability have hindered the clinical application of Tax. In this study, we prepared taxifolin-phosphatidylcholine/sodium deoxycholate/PVP-K30 micells (Tax-MLs). Box-Behnken test was used to obtain the optimal preparation process, and Tax-MLs were characterised by transmission electron microscopy and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Physicochemical parameters such as proximate micelle concentration, equilibrium solubility and oil-water partition coefficient were determined, and the release pattern of Tax-MLs was investigated by in vitro digestion simulation. Alcoholic liver injury model to explore the in vivo efficacy of Tax-MLs. The results showed that the average particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential of Tax-MLs were 36.90 ± 4.57 nm, 0.194 ± 0.01 and -32.6 ± 0.35 mV, respectively, and the uniform size and distribution of Tax-MLs were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The formation of Tax-MLs was proved by differential scanning calorimetry and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In terms of physicochemical properties, the solubility of Tax-MLs in water increased by 92.02 times compared with Tax, and its oil-water partition coefficient in water increased from 0.43 to 1.14, which proved that Tax-MLs could improve its solubility and permeability. The in vivo pharmacodynamic results showed that compared with the Tax group, Tax-MLs low, medium and high dose groups showed a significant reduction in liver indices and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P < 0.05), and enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), and lowered the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) more significantly in the hepatic tissues. Tax-MLs effectively improved drug solubility and permeability, and enhanced the protective effect against alcoholic liver injury. Animal experiments were conducted with approval from the Animal Ethics Committee of Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval number: 2023601).

The chemical constituents in dried roots of Atractylodes macrocephala were investigated in this study. Through utilizing normal-phase silica gel and ODS column chromatography, TLC, and semi-preparative HPLC, 4 new sesquiterpenoids were purified from the ethyl acetate extract of A. macrocephala. By various spectroscopic techniques, such as 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, IR, UV, and CD, their structures were identified as atractylmacron A (1), 9β-hydroxyasterolide (2), atractylenolide H (3), atractylenolide J (4). Compound 1 possesses a rare 6/7 bicyclic skeleton.