This article systematically analyzed the historical evolution of the origin， scientific name， producing area， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing， and other aspects of Quisqualis Fructus by consulting the ancient materia medica， medical books， prescription books， local literature and combining with the modern literature and standards， summarized and explored the development rules of its medicinal properties and efficacy along with their underlying causes， in order to provide support for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. According to the textual research， Shijunzi was first recorded as Liuqiuzi in Nanfang Caomuzhuang of the Jin dynasty， and the name of Shijunzi was first used in Kaibao Bencao of the Song dynasty， which has been consistently used throughout subsequent dynasties， and there were also aliases such as Junziren， Sijunzi， and Dujilizi. The mainstream source of Quisqualis Fructus used in the past dynasties has been the dried mature fruits of Quisqualis indica， a plant belonging to the family Combretaceae. In modern times， its variety Q. indica var. villosa has also been recorded as the medicinal material of Quisqualis Fructus. In 2007， the Flora of China（English edition） designated Q. indica var. villosa as a synonym of Q. indica. Today， the accepted name of Shijunzi is updated to Combretum indicum. According to ancient herbal records， the producing areas of Quisqualis Fructus were Guangdong， Hong Kong， Macao， Guangxi， Hainan， Sichuan and Fujian， and then gradually expanded to Yunnan， Taiwan， Jiangxi and Guizhou. Since the Song dynasty， two major production regions have gradually emerged in Sichuan， Chongqing and Fujian. Currently， it is primarily cultivated in Chongqing， Guangxi and other areas， with Chongqing yielding the highest output. Since modern times， superior quality has been defined by large size， a purple-black surface， plump grains， and a yellowish-white kernel. According to ancient herbal records， the harvesting period of Quisqualis Fructus was the July and August of the lunar calendar， mostly used raw after shelling or with the shell intact， it underwent processing methods such as cleaning， slicing， mixing， steaming， roasting， stewing， and frying. Currently， the harvesting period is autumn， followed by sun-drying or low-heat drying， with processing methods including cleaning， stir-frying， and stewing. In ancient and modern literature， the records of the properties， functions and indications of Quisqualis Fructus are basically the same， that is， sweet in taste， warm in nature， predominantly non-toxic， belonging to the spleen and stomach meridians. It possesses effects of insecticide， decontamination and invigorating spleen for ascariasis， enterobiasis， abdominal pain due to worm accumulation and infantile malnutrition.The contraindications for use primarily include avoiding consumption by individuals without parasitic infestations， limiting use for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold， refraining from drinking hot tea during medication， and avoiding excessive intake. Based on the textual research， it is suggested that the dried mature fruits of Q. indica should be used as the medicinal material for the development of famous classical formulas containing Quisqualis Fructus. Processing methods may be chosen according to prescription requirements， and the raw products is recommended for medicinal use if not specified.

OBJECTIVE To provide references for ensuring the safety of prescription preparation， dispensing， and use of parenteral nutrition solution， as well as for expanding the scope of pharmaceutical services provided by pharmacists in the Pharmacy Intravenous Admixture Services （PIVAS）. METHODS Under the guidance of PIVAS pharmacists， the rules for reviewing medical orders of parenteral nutrition in the PIVAS system and the information displayed on the infusion labels of finished parenteral nutrition solutions were refined. The process management of dispensing parenteral nutrition solution was strengthened， and detailed quality control and inspection rules were formulated. Additionally， Clinical Safety Monitoring Form for Finished Parenteral Nutrition Infusions was designed to conduct clinical monitoring and inspections for abnormalities in the finished infusions， infusion operations， and complications that may arise during the use of finished parenteral nutrition infusions. The implementation effects of the aforementioned optimization/inspection measures were evaluated by comparing data on the efficiency of medical order review for parenteral nutrition， the rate of irrational medical orders， the compliance rate of vascular access selection and infusion rate standardization， the rate of dispensing error， as well as the abnormalities occurring during clinical use， before and after the optimization/inspection initiatives were put into place. RESULTS The optimized prescription review system achieved automatic review of medical orders for parenteral nutrition， enhancing the efficiency of order review. The average time taken to review one parenteral nutrition medical order was reduced from approximately 1 minute to 10 seconds. The irrational rate of parenteral nutrition orders decreased by 31.87%. The dispensing error rate of parenteral nutrition decreased by 56.55%. The standard rate of vascular access selection and standard rate of infusion speed were increased by 13.29% and 3.54%， respectively. The PIVAS pharmacists identified and intervened in 5 abnormal cases out of 298 cases examined for use of parenteral nutrition solutions. CONCLUSIONS By optimizing the prescription review system， improving labeling information， and strengthening quality control inspections during both preparation and administration processes， PIVAS pharmacists have enhanced the safety of compounded parenteral nutrition solutions. This initiative has expanded the scope and depth of pharmaceutical care provided by dispensing pharmacists.

Emodin is a hydroxyanthraquinone compound that is widely distributed and has multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective effects. Research indicates that emodin may be one of the main components responsible for inducing hepatotoxicity. However, studies on the mechanisms of liver injury are relatively limited, particularly those related to bile acids(BAs) metabolism. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of different dosages of emodin on BAs metabolism, providing a basis for the safe clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)containing emodin. First, this study evaluated the safety of repeated administration of different dosages of emodin over a 5-week period, with a particular focus on its impact on the liver. Next, the composition and content of BAs in serum and liver were analyzed. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear receptors and transporters related to BAs metabolism. The results showed that 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin induced hepatic damage, with bile duct hyperplasia as the primary pathological manifestation. It significantly increased the levels of various BAs in the serum and primary BAs(including taurine-conjugated and free BAs) in the liver. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR), retinoid X receptor(RXR), and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(NTCP), and upregulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) in the liver. Although 0.01 g·kg~(-1) and 0.03 g·kg~(-1) emodin did not induce obvious liver injury, they significantly increased the level of taurine-conjugated BAs in the liver, suggesting a potential interference with BAs homeostasis. In conclusion, 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin may promote the production of primary BAs in the liver by affecting the FXR-RXR-CYP7A1 pathway, inhibit NTCP expression, and reduce BA reabsorption in the liver, resulting in BA accumulation in the peripheral blood. This disruption of BA homeostasis leads to liver injury. Even doses of emodin close to the clinical dose can also have a certain effect on the homeostasis of BAs. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine or formulas containing emodin in clinical practice, it is necessary to regularly monitor liver function indicators and closely monitor the risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Emodin/administration & dosage* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Male ; Liver/injuries* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mice ; Rats

Based on the interleukin-17(IL-17) signaling pathway, this study explores the effect and mechanism of Bufei Decoction on Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia in rats. SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, model group, Bufei Decoction low-dose group(6.68 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), Bufei Decoction high-dose group(13.36 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and dexamethasone group(1.04 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with 10 rats in each group. A pneumonia model was established by tracheal drip injection of K. pneumoniae. After successful model establishment, the improvement in lung tissue damage was observed following drug administration. Core targets and signaling pathways were screened using transcriptomics techniques. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA expression of core targets interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and chemokine CXC ligand 6(CXCL6). Western blot was used to assess key proteins in the IL-17 signaling pathway, including interleukin-17A(IL-17A), nuclear transcription factor-κB activator 1(Act1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), and downstream phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-p38 MAPK), and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65). Apoptosis of lung tissue cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling(TUNEL). The results showed that, compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, as well as the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly increased, and the number of apoptotic cells was notably higher, indicating successful model establishment. Compared with the model group, both low-and high-dose groups of Bufei Decoction showed reduced pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, and the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly decreased, with a significant reduction in apoptotic cells in the high-dose group. In conclusion, Bufei Decoction can effectively improve lung tissue damage and reduce inflammation in rats with K. pneumoniae. The mechanism may involve the regulation of the IL-17 signaling pathway and the reduction of apoptosis.
Animals ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/physiology* ; Klebsiella Infections/immunology* ; Humans ; Lung/drug effects*

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive hematologic malignancy with a poor prognosis, despite advancements in treatment. Many patients struggle with relapse or refractory disease. Investigating the role of the super-enhancer (SE) regulated gene ubiquitin-specific protease 20 (USP20) in T-ALL could enhance targeted therapies and improve clinical outcomes. Analysis of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data from six T-ALL cell lines and seven pediatric samples identified USP20 as an SE-regulated driver gene. Utilizing the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and BloodSpot databases, it was found that USP20 is specifically highly expressed in T-ALL. Knocking down USP20 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increased apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in T-ALL cells. In vivo studies showed that USP20 knockdown reduced tumor growth and improved survival. The USP20 inhibitor GSK2643943A demonstrated similar anti-tumor effects. Mass spectrometry, RNA-Seq, and immunoprecipitation revealed that USP20 interacted with hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) and stabilized it by deubiquitination. Cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) results indicated that USP20 co-localized with HIF1A, jointly modulating target genes in T-ALL. This study identifies USP20 as a therapeutic target in T-ALL and suggests GSK2643943A as a potential treatment strategy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) combined with doxorubicin (DOX) on proliferation and apoptosis of triple-negative breast cancer cells and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. METHODS: MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with 50, 100 or 150 μmol/L DHA, 0.5 μmol/L DOX, or with 50 μmol/L DHA combined with 0.5 μmol/L DOX. The changes in proliferation and survival of the treated cells were examined with MTT assay and colony-forming assay, and cell apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometry. Western blotting was performed to detect the changes in protein expression levels of PCNA, cleaved PARP, Bcl-2, Bax, STAT3, p-STAT3, HIF-1α and survivin. RESULTS: The IC₅₀ of DHA was 131.37±29.87 μmol/L in MDA-MB-231 cells. The cells with the combined treatment with DHA and DOX showed significant suppression of cell proliferation. Treatment with DHA alone induced apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner, but the combined treatment produced a much stronger apoptosis-inducing effect than both DHA and DOX alone. DHA at 150 μmol/L significantly inhibited clone formation of MDA-MB-231 cells, markedly reduced cellular expression levels of PCNA, p-STAT3, HIF-1α and survivin proteins, and obviously increased the expression level of cleaved PARP protein and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and the combined treatment further reduced the expression level of p-STAT3 protein and increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. CONCLUSIONS DHA combined with DOX produces significantly enhanced effects for inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells possibly as result of DHA-mediated negative regulation of the STAT3/HIF-1α pathway.
Humans ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Doxorubicin/pharmacology* ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Artemisinins/pharmacology* ; Female ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Survivin

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of neonatal Ureaplasma parvum (Up) infection.Methods:From June 2021 to July 2023, a total of 2 890 neonates were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Children's Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics. Metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed on 373 specimens from 157 infants, detecting Up sequences in 12 specimens from ten infants, with no detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum sequences. All ten infants with detected Up were included in a retrospective analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to summarize the clinical characteristics of Up-infected neonates.Results:All ten Up-infected neonates were preterm infants with a gestational age of (28.3±2.6) weeks (25 +3-33 +1 weeks). Seven were delivered vaginally; eight had mothers with premature rupture of membranes; seven had mothers with elevated white blood cell counts and/or C-reactive protein levels prenatally; one had a mother with Ureaplasma Urealyticum vaginitis. All ten infants experienced clinical deterioration after initial stabilization of their underlying conditions, primarily presenting with respiratory symptoms, including decreased blood oxygen saturation, diffuse reticular changes on chest X-rays by the second day of life, pneumonia, and atelectasis. Some also had fever, decreased heart rate, poor skin perfusion, and scattered bruises, with two cases of heart failure. Despite empirical antibiotic treatment, nine infants continued to have significantly elevated white blood cell counts, with only mildly elevated or normal C-reactive protein levels. Seven developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia, including four moderate to severe cases. After mNGS confirmed Up infection, all infants received macrolide antibiotics and symptomatic treatment, with individualized treatment courses. All were discharged after recovery with a median hospital stay of 58.5 d (range 26-100 d), though three had respiratory sequelae on follow-up. Conclusions:In preterm infants, clinical deterioration after initial stabilization, primarily with respiratory symptoms and persistent leukocytosis despite routine antibiotic treatment, should raise suspicion for Up infection. And mNGS aids in definitive diagnosis, and early initiation of macrolide antibiotics can improve clinical outcomes and long-term prognosis.

Objective:To explore the risk factors of postoperative depression in patients with esophageal cancer, and to develop a risk prediction model which providing a theoretical basis for the early detection of depression in high-risk groups by clinical staff.Methods:From September 2022 to March 2023, at the South Campus of Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 269 hospitalized patients with esophageal cancer (191 in depression group, 78 in non-depression group) were selected as the model construction set. From March to May 2023, at the South Campus of Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 78 hospitalized patients with esophageal cancer were selected as the external validation set. The patients with Beck depression inventory-Ⅱ score ≥5 and depression diagnosed by two experts (chief psychiatrists of the Department of Psychiatry of Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University) were considered as depression and included in the depression group, and the other patients were enrolled in the non-depression group. The general data, blood routine examination, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), blood electrolytes, blood lipids, clinical symptoms (gastroesophageal reflux, sleep disturbance, appetite, etc.) and depression score were compared between the depression group and the non-depression group. Independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Multiple logistic regression model was performed to analyze the independent risk factors of postoperative depression in patients with esophageal cancer, and a risk warning model was constructed. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were used to evaluate the fitting degree and predictive efficiency of the model, and the cross-validation method was used to verify the effectiveness of the model. Results:The incidence of postoperative depression in patients with esophageal cancer was 71.0% (191/269). The total white blood cell count, hs-CRP, blood phosphorus β 2 microglobulin and the proportion of sleep disorders of the depression group were higher than those of the non-depression group (1.3 (1.1, 5.4) ×10 9/L vs. 0.9 (0.3, 1.1) ×10 9/L, 75.8 (54.8, 102.1) mg/L vs. 60.8 (3.6, 61.5) mg/L, (1.33±0.32) mmol/L vs. (1.02±0.19) mmol/L, (2.17±0.72) mg/L vs.(2.12±0.49) mg/L, 84.3% (161/191) vs. 33.3% (26/78), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=9.24, 7.88, t=9.24, χ2=67.87 t=1.98; all P<0.001); hemoglobin, total platelet count, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the proportion of poor appetite were lower than those of the non-depression group ((119.91±24.51) g/L vs. (122.09±22.97) g/L, (203.43±58.45)×10 9/L vs. (311.55±83.54)×10 9/L, (1.04±0.30) mmol/L vs. (1.43±0.23) mmol/L, 73.3% (140/191) vs. 84.6% (66/78)), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=-2.00, -8.42 and -8.48, χ2=3.96; P=0.047, <0.001, <0.001, =0.047). The results of multifactorial logistic regression model analysis showed that sleep disorder ( OR=3.976, 95% confidence interval (95% CI 1.601 to 9.872)), loss of appetite ( OR=0.271, 95% CI 0.092 to 0.791), white blood cell count ( OR=31.808, 95% CI 2.879 to 351.401), hs-CRP ( OR=1.031, 95% CI 1.017 to 1.044), platelet count ( OR=0.990, 95% CI 0.982 to 0.997), and HDL ( OR=0.017, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.242) were independent influencing factors of postoperative depression in patients with esophageal cancer. The formula of risk warning model was probability of depression=1-1/{1+ exp[1.544+ 1.380×sleep disturbance (yes=1, no=0)-1.307×loss of appetite (yes=1, no=0)-0.010×platelet count (×10 9/L)-4.063×HDL (mmol/L)+ 0.030×hs-CRP (mg/L)+ 3.460×white blood cell count (×10 9/L)]}. The results of Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model has a good fit ( χ2=2.01, P=0.981), with an area under the ROC of 0.949, a sensitivity of 0.874, and a specificity of 0.872. The cross-validation of the external validation set showed that the accuracy of the risk warning model was 67.9%. Conclusion:This study is a preliminary study on the risk warning model of postoperative depression in patients with esophageal cancer, which provides a novel approach for screening depression in patients with esophageal cancer after surgery.

Objective·To evaluate the changes in cognitive function in overweight and obese adolescents,and explore the association between cognitive function and fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21).Methods·A total of 175 adolescents from a senior high school in Shanghai were divided into normal weight group(n=50),overweight group(n=50)and obese group(n=75)based on their body mass index(BMI).General information,anthropometric data and laboratory testing indicators of the adolescents were collected and compared.The cognitive function of the three groups of adolescents was assessed by using the accuracy(ACC)and reaction time of Flanker task and n-back task.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the serum FGF21 level of the three groups of adolescents.Partial correlation analysis and multiple linear regression model were used to evaluate the correlation between cognitive task performance and anthropometric data and laboratory testing indicators.Results·Compared with the normal weight group,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,and the levels of fasting plasma glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin and triacylglycerol in the obese group were higher(all P<0.05).Under congruent or incongruent stimulus conditions in the Flanker task,there was no significant difference in ACC between any two groups;compared with the normal weight and overweight groups,the reaction time of the adolescents in the obese group was prolonged(all P<0.05).In the n-back task,there were no significant differences in ACC between any two groups,while the obese group had longer reaction time in the 1-back and 2-back tasks compared to the normal weight and overweight groups(all P<0.05).Compared with the normal weight group,serum FGF21 levels of the adolescents in the obese group were higher(P=0.000).Partial correlation analysis showed that the reaction time of the adolescents in Flanker and n-back tasks was correlated with their BMI,body fat mass,waist circumference,waist-to-hip ratio and FGF21 level(all P<0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis further confirmed that BMI was associated with prolonged reaction time in cognitive-related behavioral tasks in the adolescents(all P<0.05),and FGF21 level was associated with ACC in the 2-back task(P=0.000)and reaction time in the incongruent stimulus condition(P=0.048).Conclusion·Overweight and obese adolescents have cognitive impairments,and BMI and serum FGF21 levels are associated with changes in their cognitive function.

Cocaine,as a widely abused and highly addictive drug,has a serious impact on the physical and mental health of individuals and carries a certain degree of social harm and economic burden.Acupuncture can assist in the treatment of cocaine addiction with fewer side effects.However,a well-defined mode of stimulation is an important factor in elucidating the various mechanisms by which acupuncture treats disease.This paper summarizes the problems in the mechanism of cocaine addiction,such as different parameters of stimulation,unstable depth of acupuncture,different acupoint selection,and different lengths of acupuncture time.To standardize the intervention measures of acupuncture experiments,it is suggested that in future research,the stimulation method should explore the best parameters,the selection of acupoints should be based on clinical practice,the timing of acupuncture should be objective,and the treatment course should consider the effects of acupuncture.