Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, joint destruction, and functional impairment. Angiogenesis plays a key role in the pathological progression of RA with dysfunction of endothelial cells to promote synovial inflammation, sustain pannus formation, subsequently leading to joint damage. Colquhounia Root Tablets (CRT), a Chinese patent drug, has shown a satisfying clinical efficacy in treating RA, while the underlying mechanism by which CRT inhibits RA-associated angiogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we applied a research approach combining transcriptomic data analysis, bio-network mapping, and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanisms of CRT in suppressing angiogenesis in RA. Animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (ratification number: IBTCMCACMS21-2307-06). Network analysis identified that key genes such as nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2), SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) significantly enriched in pathways related to NOD-like receptor signaling and VEGF signaling, indicating that CRT may inhibit angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial cell function with modulating angiogenesis-related pathways. In vivo data showed that CRT significantly reduced the positive expression of CD31 and VEGF in the ankle joint of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats. In vitro data further confirmed that CRT effectively inhibited VEGF-induced migration, invasion, and tube formation in HUVECs, while significantly reduced the expression of angiogenesis-related factors VEGF/CD31/Ang-1, as well as the positive expression of VEGF and CD31 in HUVECs. Furthermore, CRT markedly decreased the protein expression of NOD2, VEGFA, and SMAD3. In conclusion, these findings indicate that CRT may inhibit the RA-related angiogenesis by targeting the NOD2/SMAD3/VEGF signaling axis to improve endothelial cell function, enriching the scientific connotation of CRT in inhibiting pathological angiogenesis in RA and also offer new insights for clinical prevention and treatment of RA.

OBJECTIVE: To screen factors affecting the prognosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, and construct a nomogram model for event-free survival (EFS). METHODS: To screen out meaningful variables by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis in CML patients, and construct a nomogram model using R software. The nomogram was validated using consistency index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the ROC curve (AUC), calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and risk stratification analysis. RESULTS: This study analyzed data from 116 CML patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that age, peripheral blood basophil percentage, BCR-ABL1 ^IS at 3 months, and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) were independent prognostic factors of EFS. Subsequently, a nomogram was constructed based on the above predictors. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.733(95%CI : 0.676-0.790). The AUC values for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year EFS rate were 0.765, 0.855, and 0.827, respectively. The results of the calibration curve and DCA curve showed that the predictive model had good consistency, as well as strong clinical utility. The patients were stratified into high-risk group and low-risk group based on the total score of the model, there was a significant difference in EFS between the two groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Age, peripheral blood basophil percentage, BCR-ABL1 ^IS at 3 months, and RDW were associated with the prognosis of CML patients. The nomogram model constructed in this study can accurately predict the prognostic status of CML patients, but its widespread application still requires external and prospective validation.
Nomograms ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/mortality* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl/genetics* ; Basophils ; Leukocyte Count ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult

Aim To explore the effects of Lycium berry seed oil on Nrf2/ARE pathway and oxidative damage in testis of subacute aging rats. Methods Fifty out of 60 male SD rats, aged 8 weeks, were subcutaneously injected with 125 mg • kg"D-galactosidase in the neck for 8 weeks to establish a subacute senescent rat model. The presence of senescent cells was observed using P-galactosidase ((3-gal), while testicular morphology was examined using HE staining. Serum levels of testosterone (testosterone, T), follicle-stimulating hormone ( follicle stimulating hormone, FSH ) , luteinizing hormone ( luteinizing hormone, LH ) , superoxide dis-mutase ( superoxide dismutase, SOD ) , glutathione ( glutathione, GSH) and malondialdehyde ( malondial-dehyde, MDA) were measured through ELISA, and the expressions of factors related to aging, oxidative damage, and the Nrf2/ARE pathway were assessed via immunohistochemical analysis and Western blotting. Results After successfully identifying the model, the morphology of the testis was improved and the intervention of Lycium seed oil led to a down-regulation in the expression of [3-gal and -yH2AX. The serum levels of SOD, GSH, T, and FSH increased while MDA and LH decreased (P 0. 05) . Additionally, there was an up-regulated expression of Nrf2, GCLC, NQOl, and SOD2 proteins in testicular tissue ( P 0. 05 ) and nuclear expression of Nrf2 in sertoli cells. Conclusion Lycium barbarum seed oil may reduce oxidative damage in testes of subacute senescent rats by activating the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo systematically and objectively characterize the pharmacological effects of Fufang Biejia Ruangan pills （FBRP） in the intervention of alcoholic liver disease （ALD） using acute and chronic ALD mouse models and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms. MethodFifty SPF-grade male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the normal group， model group， and FBRP low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （9.6， 19.2， 38.4 mg·kg^-1）. Except for the normal group， the remaining groups were given 56° white wine by gavage to establish the acute ALD model， with samples collected after 4 weeks. Thirty SPF-grade male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into the normal group， model group， and FBRP medium-dose group （19.2 mg·kg^-1）. The chronic ALD mouse model was established using the Lieber-DeCarli method over a 10-week period. Inflammatory markers in liver tissues were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Sirius Red， oil red O staining， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Intoxication behaviors of each group were objectively evaluated through sobering-up time， net-catching， and pole-climbing tests. Further bioinformatics analyses based on clinical transcriptomic data were conducted to identify key targets and molecular mechanisms of FBRP in alleviating ALD through liver-brain dialogue， with experimental validation by ELISA， Western blot， and immunohistochemical staining. ResultCompared with the normal group, the levels of aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） in liver tissues of mice in the acute and chronic ALD model groups were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the levels of AST and ALT in liver tissue of mice in FBRP groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the normal group， the time of grasping the net and climbing the pole in the acute ALD model group was significantly decreased within 4 weeks （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the grasping and climbing time of FBRP high dose groups increased significantly within 4 weeks （P<0.05）. Compared with the normal group， the expression of high mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1） protein in liver tissue and prefrontal lobe tissue of mice in the chronic ALD model group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression of HMGB1 protein in FBRP medium dose group was significantly decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） protein and the release of γ-aminobutyric acid （GABA） in the prefrontal cortex of the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group, the expression of BDNF protein and the release of GABA in the FBRP medium dose group were significantly increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionThis study revealed that FBRP improved key pathological changes in ALD by modulating liver-brain dialogue mediated by the HMGB1-BDNF axis. These findings provide experimental evidence for the clinical use of FBRP in treating ALD and offer new insights for the development of ALD therapeutic agents.

ObjectiveTo identify the chemical constituents of Ruyi Zhenbaowan in vitro and in vivo. MethodThe chemical constituents of Ruyi Zhenbaowan were identified based on UHPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap HRMS. A total of 12 male SD rats were randomized into two groups： control （pure water） and Ruyi Zhenbaowan （1.8 g·kg^-1）. The rats were administrated with the suspension of Ruyi Zhenbaowan or pure water by gavage. After 1.5 h， the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid were collected. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C₁₈ column （2.1 mm × 150 mm， 1.7 μm） with a mixture of 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution （A） and acetonitrile （B） as the mobile phase. Gradient elution was carried out according to the procedure of 0~15 min，97%~80%A；15~30 min ，80%~60%A；30~40 min，60%~30%A；40~45 min，30%~5%A. The ion source was electrospray ionization， and scan range was m/z 100-1 500. The prototype components and the components in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid were analyzed qualitatively by scanning in positive and negative ion modes and identified by comparison with the data in published literature and the information of standard substances. ResultA total of 126 chemical constituents were identified from the 80% methanol solution of Ruyi Zhenbaowan， and 14 and 7 prototype constituents were detected in the plasma and the cerebrospinal fluid， respectively. In addition， the fragmentation rules of apigenin， apigenin-7-O-glucuronide， galangin， liquiritin， piperine， glycyrrhizic acid， eugenol， gallic acid， and cholic acid were deduced. ConclusionThis study achieved rapid multicomponent characterization and identification of Ruyi Zhenbaowan in vitro and in vivo， providing theoretical support for exploring active substances and performing quality control.l.

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 40, as one of GPRs family, plays a potential role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. To study the effect of GPR40 novel agonist SZZ15-11 on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and its potential mechanism, spontaneous type 2 diabetic KKA^y mice, human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and murine mature adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells were used. KKA^y mice were divided into four groups, vehicle group, TAK group, SZZ (50 mg·kg^-1) group and SZZ (100 mg·kg^-1) group, with oral gavage of 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), 50 mg·kg^-1 TAK875, 50 and 100 mg·kg^-1 SZZ15-11 respectively for 45 days. Fasting blood glucose, blood triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), non-fasting blood glucose were tested. Oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were executed. Blood insulin and glucagon were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After mice′s execution, liver tissue was harvested to test TG and TC content. Then pathological morphology of liver was observed through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the lipid metabolism relative signal pathway was analyzed by Western blot and RT-PCR. The experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College. At the same time, Akt phosphorylation level in HepG2 cells and adiponectin in 3T3-L1 cells treated with TNFα were measured with Western blot. The results show that SZZ15-11 not only decreased blood glucose and lipid, improved insulin sensitivity, but also increased fasting blood glucagon and promoted insulin secretion after glucose loading in KKA^y mice. Additionally, SZZ15-11 alleviated hepatic steatosis and liver dysfunction in KKA^y mice. In liver tissue, SZZ15-11 increased AMPKα phosphorylation level and cholesterol metabolism relative gene Abcg8 transcription. In HepG2 cells, SZZ15-11 increased Akt phosphorylation level. In adipocyte 3T3-L1, SZZ15-11 recovered the decreased adiponectin expression by TNFα. This study proved that GPR40 agonist SZZ15-11 could be a candidate compound for regulating glucolipid metabolic disorder.

Background N-hexane has been a widely used solvent in industrial production, but it is volatile at room temperature and can be accumulated in the body, and its prolonged occupational exposure may lead to serious chronic diseases in workers. Objective To use four risk assessment models to evaluate the health risk levels of n-hexane-exposed workers, discuss the applicability of the four models in the health risk assessment of n-hexane exposure, and make an important supplement to the health risk assessment of n-hexane in China. Methods In 2022, a total of 167 jobs (1724 workers) exposed to n-hexane in 85 manufacturing enterprises in Jiangsu Province were selected, and a cross-sectional study was conducted and included questionnaire surveys and evaluation of on-site air n-hexane of each job. Subsequently, the China’s classification standards of occupational hazards at workplaces (China model), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) model, Singapore semi-quantitative risk assessment model (Singapore model), and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) model were applied to the quantitative, semi-quantitative, and qualitative assessments of the occupational health risk level of n-hexane-exposed workers. Results All job’s 8-h time-weighted average concentrations (C_TWA) of n-hexane were within the national occupational exposure limits (OELs). The results of the China model graded all jobs as relatively harmless. The Singapore model graded all jobs as low risk, except that two monitoring sites of adhesive jobs were assessed as medium risk. The ICMM quantitative model evaluated all jobs as intolerable for n-hexane airborne exposure, while the matrix method evaluated all jobs as low risk. The U.S. EPA model identified five sites involving painting, printing, and adhesive jobs as high risk and the other jobs as low risk. Conclusion Inconsistent grading results are observed by using the four models for the occupational health risk assessment of n-hexane exposure, that is, harmless for all jobs by China model, while medium and high risks by Singapore model and U.S. EPA model. Therefore, we recommend to combine the Singapore model and the U.S. EPA model with the China model to assess the occupational risk of n-hexane-exposed workers by considering actual concentrations of exposure.

With the development of information technology and the increasing demand for vaccination services among the people, it is a definite trend to enhance the quality of vaccination services through digitization. This article starts with a clear concept of digital services for vaccination, introduces the current development status in China and abroad, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of existing models in leading regions, takes a glean from the summation, and proposes targeted solutions. This study suggests establishing a departmental coordination mechanism for data interconnection and sharing, formulating data standards and functional specifications, enhancing the functionalities of the immunization planning information system, strengthening data collection and analytical usage, and intensifying appointment management and science and health education to provide expert guidance for the construction of digital vaccination services across the country in the future.

Objective:To discuss the effect of curcumin on ameliorating doxorubicin(DOX)-induced cytotoxicity in the H9c2 cardiomyocytes,and to clarify its mechanism.Methods:The H9c2 cardiomyocytes were treated with DOX to establish the cardiotoxicity model.The H9c2 cells were divided into normal group,DOX group,DOX+curcumin group,and DOX+curcumin+silent information regulator 3(SIRT3)inhibitor-3(3-TYP)group.After 24 h,the morphology of the cells in various groups were observed;CCK-8 method was used to detect the viabilities of the cells in various groups;TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptotic rates of the cells in various groups;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method was used to detect the activities of catalase(CAT)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)and the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)in the cells in various groups;2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)staining was used to detect the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax),nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH)oxidase 2(NOX2),NADPH oxidase 4(NOX4),SIRT3,acetylated superoxide dismutase 2(Ac-SOD2),and superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2)proteins in the cells in various groups.Results:Compared with normal group,the H9c2 cells in DOX group exhibited swelling,the activity of the cells was decreased(P＜0.05),the CAT and SOD activities were decreased(P＜0.05),the MDA and ROS levels were increased(P＜0.05),the expression levels of NOX2,and NOX4 proteins were increased(P＜0.05),the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and the expression level of SIRT3 protein were decreased(P＜0.05),and the expression levels of SOD2 and Ac-SOD2 proteins were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with DOX group,the H9c2 cells in DOX+curcumin group showed improved morphology,the activity of the cells was increased(P＜0.05),the CAT and SOD activities were increased(P＜0.05),the MDA and ROS levels were decreased(P＜0.05),the expression levels of NOX2,and NOX4 proteins were decreased(P＜0.05),the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and the expression level of SIRT3 protein were increased(P＜0.05),and the expression levels of SOD2 and Ac-SOD2 proteins were decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with DOX+curcumin group,the cells in DOX+curcumin+3-TYP group exhibited swelling,the activity of the cells was decreased(P＜0.05),the apoptotic rate of the cells was significantly increased(P＜0.05),the CAT and SOD activities were decreased(P＜0.05),the MDA and ROS levels were significantly increased(P＜0.05),the expression levels of NOX2 and NOX4 proteins were increased(P＜0.05),the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and the expression level of SIRT3 protein were decreased(P＜0.05),and the expression levels of SOD2 and Ac-SOD2 proteins were increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Curcumin suppresses the oxidative stress and apoptosis by activating the SIRT3/SOD2 signaling pathway,improving the cell activity and alleviating the DOX-induced cytotoxicity in the H9c2 cells.