Chemical detection and analysis of Astragalus-Cassia twig drug pair using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS and HPLC-UV methods.

The classic Astragalus-Cassia twig drug pair has a long history of proven efficacy. However, a fewer studies on material basis of the Astragalus and Cassia twig decoction (ACD) was researched at present. The method of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS for classifying and identifying the main chemical components of ACD was established and the differences in composition between single decoction and co-decoction were compared by using HPLC-UV. The therapeutic role of ACD on type 2 diabetes (T2D) rats was investigated. Thirty-five compounds were resolved from the ACD. Fifteen compounds were deduced from the decoction of Astragalus, whereas nine compounds were identified from Cassia twig. Pairing of herbs make a significant effect on the chemical composition of herbal decoction. ACD can play a more obvious role in alleviating the symptoms of T2D rats, compared to the application of single herb.

Advancements in Antiviral Drug Development: Comprehensive Insights into Design Strategies and Mechanisms Targeting Key Viral Proteins.

Viral infectious diseases have always been a threat to human survival and quality of life, impeding the stability and progress of human society. As such, researchers have persistently focused on developing highly efficient, low-toxicity antiviral drugs, whether for acute or chronic infectious diseases. This article presents a comprehensive review of the design concepts behind virus-targeted drugs, examined through the lens of antiviral drug mechanisms. The intention is to provide a reference for the development of new, virus-targeted antiviral drugs and guide their clinical usage.

Optimized new Shengmai powder inhibits myocardial fibrosis in heart failure by regulating the rat sarcoma/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular regulated protein kinases signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Exploring the effect of Optimized New Shengmai powder (, ONSMP) on myocardial fibrosis in heart failure (HF) based on rat sarcoma (RAS)/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF)/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway. METHODS: Randomized 70 Sprague-Dawley rats into sham (n = 10) and operation (n = 60) groups, then established the HF rat by ligating the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery. We randomly divided the operation group rats into the model, ONSMP [including low (L), medium (M), and high (H) dose], and enalapril groups. After the 4-week drug intervention, echocardiography examines the cardiac function and calculates the ratios of the whole/left heart to the rat's body weight. Finally, we observed the degree of myocardial fibrosis by pathological sections, determined myocardium collagen (COL) I and COL Ⅲ content by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, detected the mRNA levels of COL I, COL Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and c-Fos proto-oncogene (c-Fos) by universal real-time, and detected the protein expression of p-RAS, p-RAF, p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2, p-ETS-like-1 transcription factor (p-ELK1), p-c-Fos, α-SMA, COL I, and COL Ⅲ by Western blot. RESULTS: ONSMP can effectively improve HF rat's cardiac function, decrease cardiac organ coefficient, COL volume fraction, and COL I/Ⅲ content, down-regulate the mRNA of COL I/Ⅲ, α-SMA and c-Fos, and the protein of p-RAS, p-RAF, p-MEK1/ 2, p-ERK1/2, p-ELK1, c-Fos, COL Ⅰ/Ⅲ, and α-SMA. CONCLUSIONS: ONSMP can effectively reduce myocardial fibrosis in HF rats, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

Transarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with lipiodol chemoembolization for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To discuss the clinical safety,feasibility and efficacy of transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy(TAI)combined with lipiodol chemoembolization in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer(CRC).Methods The clinical data of 37 patients with advanced CRC,who received TAI combined with lipiodol chemoembolization at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University of China between June 2016 and December 2022,were retrospectively analyzed.The clinical efficacy was evaluated,the progression-free survival(PFS)and the serious complications were recorded.Results A total of 55 times of TAI combined with lipiodol chemoembolization procedures were successfully accomplished in the 37 patients.The mean used amount of lipiodol emulsion was 2.9 mL(0.8-10 mL).No serious complications such as bleeding and intestinal perforation occurred.The median follow-up time was 24 months(range of 3-48 months).The postoperative one-month,3-month,6-month and 12-month objective remission rates(ORR)were 67.6%(25/37),67.6%(25/37),64.9%(24/37)and 56.8%(21/37)respectively,and the postoperative one-month,3-month,6-month and 12-month disease control rates(DCR)were 91.9%(34/37),91.9%(34/37),89.2%(33/37)and 81.1%(30/37)respectively.The median PFS was 16 months(range of 2-47 months).As of the last follow-up,22 patients survived and 15 patients died of terminal stage of tumor.Conclusion Preliminary results of this study indicate that TAI combined with lipiodol chemoembolization is clinically safe and effective for advanced CRC,and it provide a new therapeutic method for patients with advanced CRC.

Exploration on ethical pathways for organ donation:a new perspective of comprehensive incentive model: / 中国医学伦理学

Conducting an in-depth analysis and research in the field of global organ donation by reviewing and integrating the recently published work Incentives and Obstacles in Organ Donation:A Multicultural Study among Beijing,Chicago,Tehran,and Hong Kong.This book provided an in-depth analysis of challenges and opportunities in the ethical,cultural,social,and legal of organ donation around the world.Through meticulous analysis and comparison of incentive models in different cultural contexts,the aim was to provide a more comprehensive understanding framework.By examining cases from Beijing,Chicago,Tehran,and Hong Kong,it explored incentive models for organ donation in various regions,such as honor incentives,compensatory incentives,and family incentives,revealing their effectiveness and limitations.This book particularly emphasized the uniqueness and challenges faced by the incentive models for organ donation in various cultural and social contexts,and advocated the adoption of comprehensive incentive strategies and customized policies based on different cultural backgrounds.Additionally,it also proposed recommendations for future research and policy formulation.This work not only provided profound insights into the field of medical ethics,but also provided important theoretical support for the improvement of organ donation policies worldwide.

Acupoint Compatibility Law and Application Characteristics of Acupuncture Moxibustion Treatment of Depression Based on Complex Network Analysis / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To analyze the acupoint compatibility law and the application characteristics of acupuncture moxibustion treatment for depression based on complex network technology;To provide a basis and ideas for formulating prescriptions of acupuncture antidepressant therapy.Methods Related clinical literature about acupuncture for the treatment of depression was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,and Web of Science from the establishment of the databases to 21st,Sep.2022.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,the literature was screened,and the clinical literature database of acupuncture in anti-depression was established.Excel 2010 was used for frequency analysis of acupoints.SPSS Modeler 18.0 was used for association rule analysis,and Gephi 0.9.5 was used for complex network analysis.Results Totally 579 articles were included,involving 172 acupoints,with a total frequency of 3 222.The results of descriptive analysis showed that the main meridians of acupoints were Governor Vessel,bladder meridian and liver meridian,and the specific acupoints such as Yuan-primary point,Shu-stream point,Back-shu point,Luo-connecting point,Eight confluence points,Front-mu point,He-sea point were frequently used.Association rules analysis showed that the combination of the highest correlation acupoints were"Yintang(GV29)-Baihui(GV20)".Through the complex network k-core analytic hierarchy process and community analysis,two core acupoint groups were finally obtained.The acupuncture angle,depth and direction were based on safety and meridian circulation direction,the tonifying and reducing method was based on syndrome differentiation,and the prescription was based on syndrome differentiation and symptomatic selection.Conclusion Acupuncture for depression has the following characteristics:the principle of acupoint selection is based on meridian selection and specific acupoints,the selection of core acupoints focuses on the treatment of spirit and the regulation of viscera,channels and functions,and the emphasis on syndrome differentiation and symptomatic acupoint selection in clinical treatment.While,it was important to pay more attention to the specificity of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Study on HPLC Fingerprint of Rosae Rugosae Flos / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To establish the HPLC fingerprint of Rosae Rugosae Flos;To provide references for the quality evaluation of Rosae Rugosae Flos.Methods The HPLC analysis was carried on a COSMOSIL 5C18-MS-Ⅱ column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm);the mobile phase was 2.5 % acetonitrile + 0.1 % formic acid aqueous solution(A)-acetonitrile + 0.1 % formic acid(B)with gradient elution at the flow rate of 0.5 Ml/min;the column temperature was 40℃;the detection wavelength was 350 nm.The similarity of 13 batches of samples was evaluated by Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM(2012 edition).Qualitative analysis was carried out by LC-MS technology.The overall quality evaluation of Rosae Rugosae Flos was carried out by combining clustering analysis,principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least square discrimination.Results The common mode of HPLC fingerprints of Rosae Rugosae Flos was established,and the similarity of 13 samples was good.9 compounds were identified preliminary.13 batches of samples were aggregated into 3 categories by chemical pattern recognition.Conclusion The fingerprints of Rosae Rugosae Flos established in this study combines with chemical pattern recognition method,which has high sensitivity and strong specificity,can provide a basis for the quality evaluation of Rosae Rugosae Flos.

Trends in Oncomelania hupensis distribution in Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 based on the Joinpoint regression model / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To analyze the trends in Oncomelania hupensis distribution in Wuhan City, Hubei Province from 2003 to 2022, so as to provide insights into precision schistosomiasis control. Methods Data pertaining to O. hupensis snail survey in Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 were collected. The trends in the proportion of areas with snail habitats, actual area with snail habitats, mean density of living snails and prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infection in snails were evaluated in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 with the slope of trend curve (β), annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) using a Joinpoint regression model. Results During the period from 2003 through 2022, there were two turning points for the proportion of areas with snail habitats in Wuhan City in 2005 and 2015, with a rise during the period from 2003 to 2005 (β1 = 5.93, t = 1.280, P > 0.05), a decline from 2005 to 2015 (β2 = −0.88, t = −2.074, P > 0.05) and a rise from 2015 to 2022 (β3 = 1.46, t = −2.356, P < 0.05). During the period from 2003 through 2022, there were two turning points for the proportion of areas with snail habitats in islet endemic areas of Wuhan City in 2006 and 2015, with no significant differences in the trends from 2003 to 2006 (β1 = 4.64, t = 1.888, P > 0.05) or from 2006 to 2015 (β2 = −1.45, t = −2.143, P > 0.05), and with a tendency towards a rise from 2015 to 2022 (β3 = 2.04, t = −3.100, P < 0.05). During the period from 2003 through 2022, there were two turning points for the proportion of areas with snail habitats in inner embankment endemic areas of Wuhan City in 2012 and 2020, with a tendency towards a decline from 2003 to 2012 (β1 = −0.39, t = −4.608, P < 0.05) and with no significant differences in the trends from 2012 to 2020 (β2 = 0.03, t = 0.245, P > 0.05) and from 2020 to 2022 (β3 = 1.38, t = 1.479, P > 0.05). During the period from 2003 to 2022, the actual area with snail habitats all appeared a tendency towards a decline in Wuhan City, and in islet and inner embankment endemic areas of Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 (AAPC = −2.39%, −5.75% and −2.35%, all P values < 0.05). The mean density of living snails reduced from 0.087 snails/0.1 m2 in 2003 to 0.027 snails/0.1 m2 in 2022 in Wuhan City, with a significant difference in the tendency towards the decline (APC = AAPC = −11.47%, P < 0.05). The annual mean decline rate of the mean density of living snails was 17.36% in outside embankment endemic areas of Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 (APC = AAPC = −17.36%, P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in the trends in the mean density of living snails in islet endemic areas of Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 (APC = AAPC = −0.97%, P > 0.05). In addition, the prevalence of S. japonicum infection in snails appeared a tendency towards a decline in Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022 (APC = AAPC = −12.45%, P < 0.05). Conclusions The proportion of areas with snail habitats, actual area with snail habitats, mean density of living snails and prevalence of S. japonicum infection in snails all appeared a tendency towards a decline in Wuhan City from 2003 to 2022. Intensified snail control, modification of snail habitats, shrinking of areas with snails and implementation of grazing prohibition in snail-infested settings are required, in order to facilitate the progress towards schistosomiasis elimination in Wuhan City.

The Effect of Yangyin Xifeng Tongluo Formula （养阴熄风通络方） and Its Core Herb-Pairs on Prevention of Aconitine-Induced Ventricular Precontraction in Rats / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Yangyin Xifeng Tongluo Formula （养阴熄风通络方） and its core herbs combination on prevention of ventricular precontraction （PVC）. MethodsExperiment 1： Forty SD rats were randomly divided into model group， formula group， core herb-pairs medium-dose group and amiodarone group， with 10 rats in each group. Rats in the model group were given 10 ml/（kg·d） of pure water by gavage， rats in the formula group were given 1.125 g/（kg·d） of Yangyin Xifeng Tongluo Granules （养阴熄风通络方颗粒） by gavage， rats in the core herb-pairs medium-dose group were given 0.585 g/（kg·d） of granules of core herb-pairs by gavage， and rats in the amiodarone group were given 18 mg/（kg·d） of amiodarone hydrochloride tablets by gavage. The rats in each group were gavaged once a day for 14 consecutive days， and then a PVC model was established using rat tail vein injection of aconitine 25 μg/kg to compare the mortality and incidence of PVC， ventricular tachycardia （VT） and ventricular fibrillation （VF）， the time of the appearance of PVC， and the duration of PVC in the rats in each group. Experiment 2： Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into model group， the amiodarone group， and the core herb-pairs of low， medium and high dose groups， 12 rats in each group. Rats in the model group were gavaged with 10 ml/（kg·d） of purified water， rats in the low， medium， and high dose groups were gavaged with 0.2925， 0.585， and 1.17 g/（kg·d） of the core herb-pairs granules respectively， and rats in the amiodarone group were gavaged with 18 mg/（kg·d） of amiodarone hydrochloride tablets. All of them were gavaged once a day. After 14 days， rats in each group were injected intravenously into the tail vein with aconitine 25 μg/kg， and then the rats in each group were observed to show the mortality and incidence of PVC， VT and VF， and the time of appearance and duration of PVC. ResultsExperiment 1： Compared with the model group， The difference in the incidence of PVC in rats of all groups was not statistically signi-ficant （P＞0.05）， and the mortality and incidence of VT and VF in rats in the formula group， the core herb-pairs medium-dose group， and the amiodarone group significantly reduced， with delayed time of the occurrence of PVC and shorter duration of the PVC （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01） as compared with the model group， whereas the difference between each group with medication intervention was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. Experiment 2： There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of PVC in all groups （P＞0.05）， and the mortality and incidence of VT and VF reduced in the core herb-pairs of low-， medium-， and high-dose groups and in the amiodarone group， and the appearance of PVC delayed and its duration shortened （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01） as compared with the control group， whereas the differences were not statistically significant in the comparison among groups with medication （P＞0.05）. ConclusionBoth Yangyin Xifeng Tongluo Formula and its core herb-pairs could delay the time of occurrence and shorten the duration of PVC.

Structure-activity Omics of Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Case Study of Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effect of Qizhi Weitong Granules / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The complex chemical composition and limited research ideas of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） have led to the unclear material basis and mechanism of the medicinal effects， which is a common problem hindering the modernization of TCM in China. The introduction of computer virtual technology has provided a new perspective for TCM research. In this study， we established the research method of structure-activity omics to study the relationships between the structures and effects of different compounds in TCM based on the chemical structures of TCM components and to analyze and predict the material basis and multitarget synergistic mechanism of TCM. Furthermore， a structure-activity omics study was carried out with the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Qizhi Weitong granules as an example. This study provides support for screening the pharmacodynamic components and analyzing the active ingredients of TCM and gives insights into the research on the material basis and mechanism of compound efficacy and the development of lead compounds of TCM， thus promoting the modern research and the innovative development of TCM.

Structure-activity Omics of Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effect of Corydalis Rhizoma in Qizhi Weitong Granules / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explain the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Corydalis Rhizoma by the means of structure-activity omics. MethodOn the basis of the previous in vitro screening study， we studied the in vivo efficacy of the alkaloids in Corydalis Rhizoma. With the targets as a bridge， the structures of chemical components in Corydalis Rhizoma were connected with the efficacy. The molecular docking of the alkaloids in Corydalis Rhizoma with the targets of inflammation and pain was carried out. According to the docking scores and the differences in the structural nucleus of Corydalis Rhizoma alkaloids， a study of structure-activity omics was carried out to summarize the rules of their connection. ResultThe alkaloids in Corydalis Rhizoma had good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in vivo， involving 53 chemical components and 73 targets. There were 3 074 targets associated with inflammation and pain， and 42 targets of direct action were shared by the chemical components and the disease. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） and molecular docking analysis predicted that the main active components of Corydalis Rhizoma were tetrahydropalmatine and palmatine， and the core targets were prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 （PTGS2）， glutamate receptor metabotropic 5 （GRM5）， estrogen receptor 1 （ESR1）， solute carrier family 6 member 4 （SLC6A4）， and fusion oncoproteins （FOS）. According to the differences of mother nucleus， the 53 alkaloid components of Corydalis Rhizoma were classified into 8 categories， including protoberberine， berberine， and aporphine， which had high binding affinities with PTGS2， GRM5 and other targets. The relationship between the structures of Corydalis Rhizoma alkaloids and docking scores in each group showed the same law. In protoberberine， appropriate substituents with hydroxyl， alkoxy or methyl groups on the A and D rings of the parent ring were conducive to enhancing the binding activities with the two targets. In berberine， the structure containing a methyl group on position 13 had strong binding affinities with the two targets. It is hypothesized that the methyl fragment changes the binding mode between the component structure and amino acid residues， which greatly improves the binding affinity. ConclusionThis study employs the method of structure-activity omics to analyze the material basis for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of alkaloids in Corydalis Rhizoma， and the structure-activity omics provides new ideas for revealing the pharmacodynamic substances of traditional Chinese medicine.

Structure-activity Omics on Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effect of Bupleuri Radix in Qizhi Weitong Granules / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo identify the pharmacodynamic substances for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Bupleuri Radix by structure-activity omics. MethodA mouse model of pain was established with formaldehyde to examine the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of saikosaponins in vivo. The core targets of the active components in Bupleurum Radix for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects were screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， and Search Tool for Recurring Instances of Neighbouring Genes （STRING）. The key core targets with high binding affinity were screened based on the comprehensive score in the molecular docking between different types of saikosaponins and core targets. The structure-activity relationship was discussed and analyzed based on the binding of compounds to pharmacodynamic targets. ResultSaikosaponins alleviated the foot swelling induced by formaldehyde and reduced the content of prostaglandin E2 （PGE2） in the mouse model， showcasing a significant inhibitory effect on the inflammatory pain caused by PGE2. Nine components and 39 targets of saikosaponins， as well as 3 074 targets of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects were screened out， and 22 common targets shared by saikosaponins and the effects were obtained as the direct targets. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） analysis showed that the main active components of Bupleurum Radix were saikosaponins a， b1， b2， b3， c， d， e， f， and v， and the key targets were fms-related receptor tyrosine kinase 1 （FLT1）， kinase insert domain receptor （KDR）， fibroblast growth factor 2 （FGF2）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）. Molecular docking between saikosaponins and the top 5 targets with high degrees in PPI network analysis revealed 25 highly active docks， including 6 docks with scores of 5-6 and 18 docks with scores above 6. ConclusionThis study adopted structural-activity omics to analyze the material basis for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Bupleuri Radix in vivo， providing new ideas and methods for identifying the pharmacodynamic substances in traditional Chinese medicine.

Structure-activity Omics on Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effect of Aurantii Fructus in Qizhi Weitong Granules / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explain the pharmacodynamic substances of Aurantii Fructus flavonoids that exert anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects using a structure-activity omics approach. MethodOn the basis of the previous in vitro pharmacological screening conducted by the research team， an in vivo pharmacological study of Aurantii Fructus flavonoids was carried out. Core targets of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic active components of flavonoids of Aurantii Fructus were identified using various network databases， including the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， and the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins （STRING）. Computer-aided virtual screening technology was used to dock different types of Aurantii Fructus flavonoids with core targets. The key core targets with high binding activity were selected based on the comprehensive scores of each target and the active structures. Using these targets as bridges， the structures of one or more types of chemical components in Aurantii Fructus were closely linked to pharmacological effects. The structure-activity relationship between the clear pharmacodynamic compounds and their effects was explored through the binding patterns of various structures with pharmacodynamic targets. ResultAurantii Fructus flavonoids demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced colitis in mice， which could improve symptoms and significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-6 （IL-6） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）（P<0.05）. Twelve active components of Aurantii Fructus flavonoids were identified and categorized into nine dihydroflavonoids and three flavonoids based on their structures of the parent nuclei. Through Venn analysis， 167 anti-inflammatory and analgesic targets for Aurantii Fructus were identified. Based on degree value and molecular docking comprehensive scores， prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2（PTGS2） and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3（MAPK3） were selected for further structural analysis. Structural analysis revealed that components containing glycoside structures exhibited higher binding activity with anti-inflammatory and analgesic targets. ConclusionThis study utilized a structure-activity omics approach based on in vivo pharmacodynamic experiments to analyze the material basis of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Aurantii Fructus flavonoids. The structure-activity omics approach provides new ideas and methods for elucidating the pharmacodynamic substances of Chinese medicine.

Research Progress on Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 肿瘤防治研究

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the cancers with the highest incidence and mortality rates in China and often presents with insidious early clinical manifestations. This frequency results in the majority of patients being diagnosed at middle and advanced stage of the disease, thereby missing the opportunity for potentially curative surgical interventions. For patients who are ineligible for radical surgical resection, a variety of therapeutic approaches, including systemic antitumor therapy, local radiotherapy, interventional treatment, and liver transplantation, have been employed. Moreover, neoadjuvant therapies have transformed a subset of initially unresectable HCC cases into operable ones. Nevertheless, many patients fail to benefit from these treatments, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic targets. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a principal component of the solid tumor microenvironment, play a pivotal role in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and treatment resistance of cancer cells. This review delineates the origins of CAFs and their mechanisms of action in the pathogenesis and progression of HCC and discusses potential therapeutic strategies targeting CAFs.

Improved unilateral puncture PVP based on 3D printing technology for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical effect of unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) combined with 3D printing technology for the treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture.@*METHODS@#A total of 77 patients with thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fractures from October 2020 to April 2022 were included in the study, all of which were vertebral body compression fractures caused by trauma. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into experimental group and control group. Thirty-two patients used 3D printing technology to improve unilateral transpedicle puncture vertebroplasty in the experimental group, there were 5 males and 27 females, aged from 63 to 91 years old with an average of (77.59±8.75) years old. Forty-five patients were treated with traditional bilateral pedicle puncture vertebroplasty, including 7 males and 38 females, aged from 60 to 88 years old with an average of(74.89±7.37) years old. Operation time, intraoperative C-arm X-ray times, anesthetic dosage, bone cement injection amount, bone cement diffusion good and good rate, complications, vertebral height, kyphotic angle (Cobb angle), visual analogue scale(VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and other indicators were recorded before and after surgery, and statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#All patients were followed up for 6 to 23 months, with preoperative imaging studies, confirmed for thoracolumbar osteoporosis compression fractures, two groups of patients with postoperative complications, no special two groups of patients' age, gender, body mass index (BMI), time were injured, the injured vertebral distribution had no statistical difference(P>0.05), comparable data. Two groups of patients with bone cement injection, bone cement dispersion rate, preoperative and postoperative vertebral body height, protruding after spine angle(Cobb angle), VAS, ODI had no statistical difference(P>0.05). The operative time, intraoperative fluoroscopy times and anesthetic dosage were statistically different between the two groups(P<0.05). Compared with the traditional bilateral puncture group, the modified unilateral puncture group combined with 3D printing technology had shorter operation time, fewer intraoperative fluoroscopy times and less anesthetic dosage. The height of anterior vertebral edge, kyphosis angle (Cobb angle), VAS score and ODI of the affected vertebrae were statistically different between two groups at each time point after surgery(P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#In the treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fractures, 3D printing technology is used to improve unilateral puncture PVP, which is convenient and simple, less trauma, short operation time, fewer fluoroscopy times, satisfactory distribution of bone cement, vertebral height recovery and kyphotic Angle correction, and good functional improvement.

Ischemia-free liver transplantation improves the prognosis of recipients using functionally marginal liver grafts

Background/Aims@#The shortage of donor liver hinders the development of liver transplantation. This study aimed to clarify the poor outcomes of functionally marginal liver grafts (FMLs) and provide evidence for the improvement of ischemia-free liver transplantation (IFLT) after FML transplantation. @*Methods@#Propensity score matching was used to control for confounding factors. The outcomes of the control group and FML group were compared to demonstrate the negative impact of FMLs on liver transplantation patients. We compared the clinical improvements of the different surgical types. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we conducted bioinformatic analysis based on transcriptome and single-cell profiles. @*Results@#FMLs had a significantly greater hazard ratio (HR: 1.969, P=0.018) than did other marginal livers. A worse 90-day survival (Mortality: 12.3% vs. 5.0%, P=0.007) was observed in patients who underwent FML transplantation. Patients who received FMLs had a significant improvement in overall survival after IFLT (Mortality: 10.4% vs 31.3%, P=0.006). Pyroptosis and inflammation were inhibited in patients who underwent IFLT. The infiltration of natural killer cells was lower in liver grafts from these patients. Bulk transcriptome profiles revealed a positive relationship between IL-32 and Caspase 1 (R=0.73, P=0.01) and between IL-32 and Gasdermin D (R=0.84, P=0.0012). @*Conclusions@#FML is a more important negative prognostic parameter than other marginal liver parameters. IFLT might ameliorate liver injury in FMLs by inhibiting the infiltration of NK cells, consequently leading to the abortion of IL-32, which drives pyroptosis in monocytes and macrophages.

Effect of menthol on hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in mice and its mechanism / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the effect of menthol on hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension and explore the underlying mechanism in mice. Methods 10 to 12 weeks old wild type (WT) mice and TRPM8 gene knockout (TRPM8

Effects of metabolites of eicosapentaenoic acid on promoting transdifferentiation of pancreatic OL cells into pancreatic β cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the role of metabolites of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in promoting the transdifferentiation of pancreatic α cells to β cells. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were injected intraperitoneally with 60 mg/kg streptozocin (STZ) for five consecutive days to establish a type 1 diabetes (T1DM) mouse model. After two weeks, they were randomly divided into model groups and 97% EPA diet intervention group, 75% fish oil (50% EPA +25% DHA) diet intervention group, and random blood glucose was detected every week; after the model expired, the regeneration of pancreatic β cells in mouse pancreas was observed by immunofluorescence staining. The islets of mice (obtained by crossing GCG

Bioinformatics analysis of the RNA binding protein DDX39 of Toxoplasma gondii / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the RNA binding protein of Toxoplasma gondii (TgDDX39) using bioinformatics technology, and to evaluate the immunogenicity of TgDDX39, so as to provide insights into development of toxoplasmosis vaccines.@*METHODS@#The amino acid sequences of TgDDX39 were retrieved from the ToxoDB database, and the physicochemical properties, transmembrane structure domain, signal peptide sites, post-translational modification sites, coils, secondary and tertiary structures, hydrophobicity, and antigenic epitopes of the TgDDX39 protein were predicted using online bioinformatics tools, incluiding ProtParam, TMHMM 2.0, SignalP 5.0, NetPhos 3.1, COILS, SOPMA, Phyre2, ProtScale, ABCpred, SYFPEITHI and DNA-STAR.@*RESULTS@#TgDDX39 protein was predicted to be an unstable hydrophilic protein with the molecular formula of C2173H3458N598O661S18, which contained 434 amino acids and had an estimated molecular weight of 49.1 kDa and a theoretical isoelectric point of 5.55. The protein was predicted to have an extremely low possibility of signal peptides, without transmembrane regions, and contain 27 phosphorylation sites. The β turn and random coils accounted for 39.63% of the secondary structure of the TgDDX39 protein, and a coiled helix tended to produce in one site. In addition, the TgDDX39 protein contained multiple B and T cell antigenic epitopes.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Bioinformatics analyses predict that TgDDX39 protein has high immunogenicity and contains multiple antigenic epitopes. TgDDX39 protein is a potential candidate antigen for vaccine development.

Construction of a schistosomiasis transmission risk assessment system in Wuhan City based on analytic hierarchy process / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To construct a schistosomiasis transmission risk assessment system in Wuhan City and preliminary evaluate its application effect, so as to promote the rational allocation of schistosomiasis control resources and accelerate the progress towards schistosomiasis elimination.@*METHODS@#The schistosomiasis risk assessment indicators were collected through referring schistosomiasis surveillance data of Wuhan City from 2014 to 2020, literature review and expert interviews. Indicators within each criterion and sub-criterion were screened using the Delphi method, and a hierarchical structure model was created based on analytic hierarchy process. Quantitative assignment of each indicator was conducted according to relative importance, and the weight and combination weight of each criterion were calculated in each analytic hierarchy framework to create a schistosomiasis transmission risk assessment system, which was used for the schistosomiasis transmission risk assessment in 12 national schistosomiasis surveillance sites in Wuhan City.@*RESULTS@#A three-level schistosomiasis transmission risk assessment system was preliminarily constructed, which included a target layer, 5 criterion layers and 21 sub-criterion layers. Of all indicators in the criterion layer, transmission route had the highest weight (0.433), followed by source of Schistosoma japonicum infection (0.294); and among all indicators in the sub-criterion layer, S. japonicum infection in Oncomelania hupensis and sentinel mice had the highest combination weight (0.125), followed by prevalence of S. japonicum infection in humans (0.091) and bovines (0.053), snail control by chemical treatment (0.049), positive rate of inquiry examinations (0.048), allocation of schistosomiasis control professionals (0.045), and areas of submerged snail-infested settings (0.041). Of the 12 national schistosomiasis surveillance sites in Wuhan City, there were 5 sites with weights of > 0.8, 4 sites with weights of 0.6 to 0.8, and 3 sites with weights of < 0.6 in 2020.@*CONCLUSIONS@#A schistosomiasis transmission risk assessment system has been constructed based on analytic hierarchy process in Wuhan City, which may provide a evidence-based basis for health resource allocation and decision-making for schistosomiasis control.