Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a non-invasive, high temporal-resolution technique for monitoring brain activity. However, affected by the volume conduction effect, EEG has a low spatial resolution and is difficult to locate brain neuronal activity precisely. The surface Laplacian (SL) technique obtains the Laplacian EEG (LEEG) by estimating the second-order spatial derivative of the scalp potential. LEEG can reflect the radial current activity under the scalp, with positive values indicating current flow from the brain to the scalp (“source”) and negative values indicating current flow from the scalp to the brain (“sink”). It attenuates signals from volume conduction, effectively improving the spatial resolution of EEG, and is expected to contribute to breakthroughs in neural engineering. This paper provides a systematic overview of the principles and development of SL technology. Currently, there are two implementation paths for SL technology: current source density algorithms (CSD) and concentric ring electrodes (CRE). CSD performs the Laplace transform of the EEG signals acquired by conventional disc electrodes to indirectly estimate the LEEG. It can be mainly classified into local methods, global methods, and realistic Laplacian methods. The global method is the most commonly used approach in CSD, which can achieve more accurate estimation compared with the local method, and it does not require additional imaging equipment compared with the realistic Laplacian method. CRE employs new concentric ring electrodes instead of the traditional disc electrodes, and measures the LEEG directly by differential acquisition of the multi-ring signals. Depending on the structure, it can be divided into bipolar CRE, quasi-bipolar CRE, tripolar CRE, and multi-pole CRE. The tripolar CRE is widely used due to its optimal detection performance. While ensuring the quality of signal acquisition, the complexity of its preamplifier is relatively acceptable. Here, this paper introduces the study of the SL technique in resting rhythms, visual-related potentials, movement-related potentials, and sensorimotor rhythms. These studies demonstrate that SL technology can improve signal quality and enhance signal characteristics, confirming its potential applications in neuroscientific research, disease diagnosis, visual pathway detection, and brain-computer interfaces. CSD is frequently utilized in applications such as neuroscientific research and disease detection, where high-precision estimation of LEEG is required. And CRE tends to be used in brain-computer interfaces, that have stringent requirements for real-time data processing. Finally, this paper summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of SL technology and envisages its future development. SL technology boasts advantages such as reference independence, high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, enhanced source connectivity analysis, and noise suppression. However, it also has shortcomings that can be further improved. Theoretically, simulation experiments should be conducted to investigate the theoretical characteristics of SL technology. For CSD methods, the algorithm needs to be optimized to improve the precision of LEEG estimation, reduce dependence on the number of channels, and decrease computational complexity and time consumption. For CRE methods, the electrodes need to be designed with appropriate structures and sizes, and the low-noise, high common-mode rejection ratio preamplifier should be developed. We hope that this paper can promote the in-depth research and wide application of SL technology.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of aristolochic acid (AA)-associated cancer in patients with AA nephropathy (AAN). METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with AAN at Peking University First Hospital from January 1997 to December 2014. Long-term surveillance and follow-up data were analyzed to investigate the influence of different factors on the prevalence of cancer. The primary endpoint was the incidence of liver cancer, and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of urinary cancer during 1 year after taking AA-containing medication to 2014. RESULTS: A total of 337 patients diagnosed with AAN were included in this study. From the initiation of taking AA to the termination of follow-up, 39 patients were diagnosed with cancer. No cases of liver cancer were observed throughout the entire follow-up period, with urinary cancer being the predominant type (34/39, 87.17%). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, follow-up period, and diabetes were potential risk factors, however, the dosage of the drug was not significantly associated with urinary cancer. CONCLUSIONS No cases of liver cancer were observed at the end of follow-up. However, a high prevalence of urinary cancer was observed in AAN patients. Establishing a direct causality between AA and HCC is challenging.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Incidence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Liver Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Kidney Diseases/chemically induced* ; Aristolochic Acids/adverse effects*

Aim To discover the potential active compounds and possible mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment with Zhi-Huang-Zhi-Tong powder (ZHZTP) by using network pharmacology and in vitro study. Methods The active ingredient targets and disease targets of Zhihuang Zhitong Powder were searched and screened by database; they intersected to get a common target; and the "drug-component-target" relationship network diagram was constructed for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the overlapping genes; then the core components were docked with the core targets. Finally, based on the inflammation model of HUVECs in vitro, the efficacy and mechanism of Zhihuang Zhitong powder were verified by MTT method, plate scratch test and Western blot. Results Active compounds involved in RA treatment were screened in the present study, and the top two were ursolic acid and emodin, all playing crucial roles in RA treatment with ZHZTP. Additionally, the key target was AKTA, TNF and IL-6. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that ZHZTP regulated BP, MF and CC, and also focused on regulating AKTA, TNF and IL-6 signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that interactions between key active compounds and key targets were stable. In vitro ZHZTP significantly inhibited cell viability and migration of TNF-a-stimulated HUVECs, and the involved mechanism may be associated with PI3K/AKT/m-TOR signaling. Conclusions The present study reveals that the potential active compounds of ZHZTP are ursolic acid and emodin, and moreover, the involved mechanisms of ZHZTP for RA treatment are associated with PI3 K/AKT/m-TOR signaling.

Aim To investigate the molecular mechanism by which quercetin inhibits the malignant behavior of breast cancer cells. Methods Breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MB231 were used as the research models. Lentiviral transfection was employed to establish tumor cells with high expression of ERa and MAL-AT-1. The expression of MALAT-1 was assessed using RT-qPCR,and ERa expression was determined through Western blot. Subsequently, CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay were conducted to evaluate cell proliferation. PI staining and adenovirus transfection were performed to observe the inhibitory effects of quercetin on breast cancer cell proliferation. Results 17|3-es-tradiol ( E2 ) promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells, while 5 jjunol L quercetin reversed the promoting effect of E2 on proliferation ( P 0. 05 ) . Quercetin had no effect on MB231 breast cancer cells. Overexpression of ERa significantly inhibited the pro-proliferative effect of E2 on MB231-ERa cells, and quercetin further suppressed this effect. Additionally , quercetin inhibited the expression of MALAT-1. However,this inhibitory effect was reversed by overexpression of MALAT-1, leading to enhanced cell proliferation , cell cycle progression, and clonal formation a-bility. Conclusions Quercetin exerts its anti-tumor effects on breast cancer cells by regulating MALAT-1, dependent on the presence of estrogen receptor. Quercetin shows potential as a therapeutic drug for breast cancer targeting the estrogen receptor.

This study investigated the effect of different carrier materials on the in vitro properties of progesterone solid dispersions. The solid dispersions of the insoluble drug progesterone were prepared by hot melt extrusion technique using rheological properties as the index of investigation, and the in vitro properties of the solid dispersions were characterized. Scanning electron microscope revealed solid dispersions with rough surfaces and agglomerated microstructures into irregular lumpy particles. Differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction showed the change of progesterone crystalline form in solid dispersions from crystalline to amorphous state. In vitro dissolution studies showed that solid dispersions prepared with different carrier materials can effectively improve the dissolution rate of drugs. The results of the study showed that the type of carrier material had a significant effect on the in vitro properties of solid dispersions, providing a reference for the study of solid dispersions in the controlled release of insoluble drugs.

In this study, fluvoxamine maleate sustained-release pellet system tablets were prepared and were used to evaluate their release behaviors in vitro. Fluvoxamine maleate pellets were prepared using centrifugal-spherization method and coated by fluidized bed as bottom-spray. The multi-unit sustained-release pellets and appropriate excipients for prescription volumes were mixed uniformly and then compressed to tablets. Screening and determining the optimal formulation of drug loaded pellets through L8 (2⁴) Taguchi experiment. Using Minitab software to design a DOE experiment with 2⁴ partial factors, including material temperature, fan speed, atomization pressure, and spray rate to optimize the bottom spray coating process. Taking monostearate glycerol ester with a particle size of 24-40 mesh as the main diluent for tableting to relieve the delamination phenomenon between pellets and excipients during tablet pressing and reduce mechanical damage to the coating film. By examining the powder fluidity indexes such as angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, and Hausner ratio of mixed particles, it was found that the flowability and compressibility are good and suitable for direct compression. Evaluate the basic properties of the sustained-release tablets, investigate the in vitro release behavior and study the release mechanism. The results of in vitro release test showed that the self-made sustained-release tablets could disintegrate into independent pellet units in phosphate buffer at pH 6.8 and release slowly within 24 h, which conformed to the first-order drug release model. The fluvoxamine maleate sustained-release pellet system tablets meet the requirements of preparation design and has a great commercial prospect.

Schizophrenia has various obstacles in cognition， thinking， emotion， behavior and other aspects； it belongs to the category of “madness” in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. Once schizophrenia occurs， multiple factors are often intertwined， and a single therapy is difficult to be effective. At present， TCM compounds and active ingredients have significant effects in the clinical treatment of schizophrenia， which is an important direction for the development of new drugs for schizophrenia. This article summarizes the molecular mechanism of TCM compounds and active ingredients in the treatment of schizophrenia. It is found that Wendan decoction and Yudian decoction can inhibit the apoptosis of hippocampal cells by activating BDNF/TrKB/CREB signaling pathway； quercetin and icariin can promote neural development and regeneration by activating NMDA/ERK signaling pathway； Wendan decoction and icariin can maintain neural cell homeostasis by activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway； Bushen zhuangyang capsule can enhance learning and memory abilities by activating CaMKⅡ signaling pathway； formulas such as Huatan huoxue tongzhi formula can enhance intercellular information transmission by inhibiting PKC signaling pathway； α-humulene and others can restore nerve cell function by inhibiting NRG1/ErbB4 signaling pathway. TCM compounds and active ingredients can improve schizophrenia by intervening in the above-mentioned signaling pathways.

Objective:To explore the impact of treatment duration with human urinary kallidinogenase (HUK) on the efficacy and safety of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods:In this subgroup analysis of RESK study, a total of 990 AIS patients recruited from 65 centers in China between August 2015 and June 2020 were included and divided into short medication group (HUK for 8 days, n=185) or long medication group (HUK for 15 days or 21 days, n=805). The proportions of patients with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0, 0-1, 0-2 at 90 days, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score change from baseline to 22 days, the proportions of patients with Barthel index (BI)≥95 at 90 days, and the incidences of adverse events were analyzed. Comparisons between groups were conducted using chi-square test, single factor and multivariate Logistic regression analysis, etc. Results:Multivariate regression analysis showed that the proportions of patients with 90-day mRS score of 0-2 [74.1% (137/185) vs 75.0% (604/805); OR=1.047, 95% CI 0.676-1.620, P=0.838] and 22-day NIHSS score change from baseline (4.60±2.00 vs 4.26±2.80; OR=-0.390, 95% CI -1.125-0.344, P=0.297) showed no statistically significant difference between the short medication and long medication groups; the proportions of patients with 90-day mRS score of 0-1 [48.1% (89/185) vs 59.1% (476/805); OR=0.674, 95%CI 0.463-0.983, P=0.041] and 90-day BI≥95 [43.6% (79/181) vs 55.1% (442/802); OR=0.614, 95%CI 0.420-0.897, P=0.012] were significantly lower in the short medication group than in the long medication group. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidences of adverse events between these 2 groups. Conclusions:In AIS patients, consecutive 8-day dosing of HUK improved immediate (22-day NIHSS score) and long-term outcome (90-day mRS score 0-2) and was safely tolerated. When applicable, extended duration of HUK could improve long-term disability-free rate (90-day mRS score 0-1) and quality of life (90-day BI) without increasing the risk of adverse events.

As one of the most difficult-to-cure neuropsychiatric disorders in clinical practice， schizophrenia is mainly manifested by behavioral abnormalities and multidimensional cognitive dysfunction， and the recurrence rate and disability rate of the disease are increasing year by year， which seriously affects patients' social functioning and quality of life， and even threatens the physical and mental health of the surrounding population. At present， the treatment of schizophrenia is mainly based on antipsychotic drugs combined with psychotherapeutic techniques， which have limited long-term therapeutic effects and a high relapse rate. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） boasts the advantages of multi-targets， multi-pathways， multi-links， and multi-levels， and plays a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia and its prognosis. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K） is widely present in cells and is involved in the regulation of protein synthesis and apoptosis， and the different isoforms of protein kinase B （Akt） are of great significance in cell growth， oxidative stress， neuronal development and other processes. In recent years， a large number of studies have found that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is closely related to schizophrenia. Through regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， TCM monomers and TCM compounds mainly affect key signaling molecules such as mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， glycogen synthase kinase （GSK）， glucose transporter （GLUT） for glucose uptake and transport， and nuclear factor E₂-associated factor 2 （Nrf2）， which organize the intracellular network of centers and regulate the formation and plasticity of neuronal synapse， and they play an important role in mitigating schizophrenia by regulating the processes of cell proliferation， migration and apoptosis of neurons， and has the advantages of multi-targets， all-encompassing and low toxicity. This article analyzes and explains the mechanism of TCM intervention in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway against schizophrenia， in order to provide a theoretical basis and reference for the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia by TCM.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Yiqi Tongxin formula （YQTM） on liver inflammation in apolipoprotein E^-∕- （ApoE^-∕-） mice by regulating the nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB）/NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） signaling pathway. MethodForty ApoE^-∕- mice were randomly divided into a model group， an atorvastatin group （positive drug group）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose YQTM groups （0.39， 0.78， 1.56 g·kg^-1）. Each drug administration group was given the corresponding concentration of the drug by gavage on the basis of high-fat feeding for 12 consecutive weeks. Eight C57BL/6J mice were used as a blank group and fed with normal chow. After 12 weeks， oil red O staining and Masson staining were used to observe the aortic lesions in mice and to determine whether the modeling was successful. Oil red O staining was used to observe the lipidosis in the livers of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the tissue lesions in the livers of mice. Masson staining was used to observe the distribution of collagen fibers in the livers of mice. Enzyme markers were used to detect the total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein （LDL-C）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） in mouse serum， as well as total cholesterol （TC） and triglyceride （TG） in the liver. Interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and IL-18 were detected in mouse liver by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was utilized to observe the expression regions of NF-κB and NLRP3 in the livers of mice. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression levels of NF-κB， NF-κB inhibitory protein （IκB）， IκB kinase β （IKKβ）， phosphorylated NF-κB （p-NF-κB）， phosphorylated IκB （p-IκB）， phosphorylated IKK β （p-IKKβ）， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 in the livers of mice. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed severe aortic lipidosis， and the intracellular fat droplets in the livers aggregated in large quantities. The cytoplasm was filled with fat vacuoles（P<0.01）. The serum levels of TG， TC， LDL-C， AST， and ALT were significantly elevated in the mice（P<0.01）. TG and TC levels were elevated in the liver（P<0.01）. The levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in liver tissue， as well as the protein expression levels of NF-κB， IκB， IKKβ， p-NF-κB， p-IκB， p-IKKβ， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 in the liver were significantly elevated（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the aortic arch plaques of mice in each YQTM group were attenuated， and the fat aggregation in the liver was reduced. The inflammatory cell infiltration was alleviated（P<0.05，P<0.01）. The serum levels of TG， TC， LDL-C， AST， and ALT were significantly reduced（P<0.05，P<0.01）. TG and TC levels in the liver were reduced. The IL-1β and IL-18 levels in liver tissue， as well as protein expression levels of NF-κB， IκB， IKKβ， p-NF-κB， p-IκB， p-IKKβ， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 in the liver were significantly reduced（P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionThe intervention mechanism of YQTM on liver inflammation in ApoE^-∕- mice may be related to the down-regulation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.