OBJECTIVE To preliminarily investigate the antiasthmatic effect and mechanism of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair on the respiratory center. METHODS Male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， dexamethasone group （positive control）， and Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum 2∶1， 1∶1 and 1∶2 groups. Rats in each group were administered different ratios of the herb pair decoction [all at 18 g （crude drug）/kg]， dexamethasone suspension （0.5 mg/kg）， or normal saline intragastrically twice daily for seven consecutive days. Forty minutes after the last administration， medicated cerebrospinal fluid was collected to determine the content of effective components entering the brain. One and a half hours after the last administration， the nucleus tractus solitarius （NTS） was located using a stereotaxic apparatus. Histamine phosphate （1 μL） was injected into the NTS region at a constant rate of 1 μL/min using a 10 μL microsyringe to induce excitation of the respiratory center in rats； the blank group was injected with normal saline. The contents of neurotransmitters [nerve growth factor （NGF）， substance P （SP）， norepinephrine （NA）， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） and acetylcholine （Ach）] in the medulla oblongata brain tissue were detected. The mRNA expressions of neurokinin-1 receptor （NK-1R）， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and c-fos in the medulla oblongata， as well as the protein expressions of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos in the NTS region， were determined. RESULTS The main active components of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair entering the brain were ephedrine， pseudoephedrine， and methylephedrine. Compared with blank group， the contents of NGF， SP， NA， 5-HT and Ach， and the relative expression levels of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos mRNA and protein were significantly increased in the model group （ P ＜0.01）. Compared with model group， Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair groups with different ratios significantly reduced the neurotransmitter contents and the relative expression levels of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos mRNA and protein （ P ＜0.01）， with the 2∶1 Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair and 1∶1 mass ratios showing relatively better effects. CONCLUSIONS Ephedrae Herba alkaloids are the main active components in affecting the function of the respiratory center. The herb pair groups with a larger proportion of Ephedrae Herba exhibit stronger effects. Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair can reduce the excitability of the respiratory center by down-regulating the expression of the NK-1R/MAPK/c-fos pathway in the NTS and decreasing the abnormal release of neurotransmitters such as NGF and SP.

Background Meteorological factors are among the key extrinsic triggers for the onset and exacerbation of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). Against the backdrop of sustained global warming, elucidating the impact of ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure on CVD, especially on pre-hospital CVD emergent events, has become imperative for evidence-based prevention and emergency preparedness. Objective To quantify the temporal trends of daily mean temperature and atmospheric pressure and their associations with pre-hospital CVD emergent events in Yantai, and to explore effect modification by demographic subgroups and geographic areas, thereby providing an empirical basis for the rational allocation of emergency medical resources. Methods Pre-hospital CVD emergency data from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022 were selected from the Yantai 120 Emergency Medical Command System. Synchronous meteorological factors and environmental pollutant data were obtained from the websites of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Centers for Environmental Information of the United States. Time-series analysis combined with distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the association between daily temperature, atmospheric pressure, and pre-hospital CVD emergencies. Average annual percentage changes (AAPC) were calculated using Joinpoint (version 5.2.0.0) to reflect temporal trends. Spearman correlation analysis was employed to screen variables with low collinearity for inclusion in the multi-pollutant adjusted models. Results From 2016 to 2022, a total of 268275 pre-hospital CVD emergency cases were recorded in Yantai City, showing an increasing annual trend (AAPC=7.16%, P=0.002). Emergency volume, daily temperature, atmospheric pressure, and PM₁₀ displayed marked seasonal patterns, with summer bottoms and winter peaks for emergencies, daily temperature higher in summer and lower in winter, and the inverse for atmospheric pressure. Correlation analysis showed that both daily temperature and atmospheric pressure were positively correlated with O₃, with correlation coefficients of 0.745 and 0.723, respectively; negatively correlated with PM_2.5, with correlation coefficients of −0.246 and −0.235, respectively; and negatively correlated with PM₁₀, with correlation coefficients of −0.241 and −0.229, respectively (P < 0.05). A U-shaped correlation was revealed between daily temperature and pre-hospital CVD emergency risk. Using 24 °C as the reference, risk was elevated at both low and high daily temperatures, with the strongest cold effect at –11 ℃ (RR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.35, 1.73) and strongest heat effect at 30 ℃ (RR=1.06, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.11); cold effects were prolonged (lag0–14d) compared to heat effects. Atmospheric pressure exhibited a positive association with emergencies; using a median of 1012.2 hPa as the reference, the maximum risk occurred at 1037 hPa (RR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.52), with a 0–5 d lag. In the subgroup analysis, the impact of low temperature was more pronounced among females (RR_{−9 ℃}=1.66), people over 60 years (RR_{−9 ℃}=1.91), and rural residents (RR_{−9 ℃}=1.76). High atmospheric pressure significantly increased the risk of pre-hospital CVD emergency among females (RR_{1035 hPa}=1.54), people under 18 years (RR_{1035 hPa}=3.62), and rural residents (RR_{1035 hPa}=1.46). The sensitivity analysis results indicated that, after excluding the impact of pandemic and the degrees of freedom for time variations, the effects of daily average temperature and atmospheric pressure on pre-hospital CVD emergency volume were consistent with the primary analysis findings. Conclusion Both non-optimal temperature and atmospheric pressure significantly increase the pre-hospital CVD emergency volume; therefore, emergency medical services should develop targeted response protocols, optimize resource allocation, and intensify public health education to mitigate the pre-hospital burden attributable to temperature and pressure fluctuations.

OBJECTIVE To construct a predictive model for evaluating the efficacy of a triple antiemetic regimen （neurokinin- 1 receptor antagonist+5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonist+dexamethasone） for preventing nausea and vomiting induced by highly emetogenic chemotherapy （HEC） based on interpretable deep learning algorithms. METHODS Clinical data of cancer patients who received HEC and were treated with the standard triple antiemetic regimen in the oncology department of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were collected retrospectively. Demographic， clinical and metabolism-related variables were integrated. After data pre-processing， two deep learning algorithms （deep random forest and dense neural network） and four machine learning algorithms （support vector machine， categorical boosting， random forest and decision tree） were used to build predictive models. Subsequently， model performance evaluation and model interpretability analysis were conducted. RESULTS Among the six candidate models， the deep random forest model demonstrated the best predictive performance on the test set， with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.850， an accuracy of 0.911， a precision of 0.805， a recall of 0.783， an F1 score of 0.793， and a Brier score of 0.075. Interpretability analysis revealed that creatinine clearance rate （Ccr） was the key predictive factor， and low Ccr levels， female gender， younger age， highly emetogenic drugs （particularly cisplatin-containing chemotherapy regimens）， and anticipatory nausea and vomiting were positively correlated with the risk of HEC-related nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSIONS The deep random forest model exhibits the best performance in predicting the efficacy of triple antiemetic regimen for preventing HEC-related nausea and vomiting. The key predictors in this model primarily include Ccr，anticipatory nausea and vomiting， gender， age， and highly emetogenic drugs.

ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of Yinchenhao Tang on the improvement of cholestatic liver injury （CLI） by inhibiting toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB） pathway via regulating farnesol X receptor （FXR）. MethodsA total of 40 Wistar male rats were randomly selected， with 10 as a blank group，and the remaining rats were subjected to the CLI model induced by alpha-naphthalene isothiocyanate （ANIT）. After modeling，they were randomly divided into the model group， the ursodeoxycholic acid （0.1 g·kg^-1） group and the Yinchenhao Tang （9.23 g·kg^-1） group，with 10 animals in each group. Each administration group was given the corresponding drug by intragastric administration for three consecutive days. Alanine aminotransferase （ALT），aspartate aminotransferase （AST），alkaline phosphatase （ALP），γ-glutamyl transpeptidase （γ-GT），total bile acid （TBA），total bilirubin （TBil） and direct bilirubin （DBil） levels in serum were detected. Tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α），interleukin-1β （IL-1β），and interleukin-6 （IL-6） levels in liver tissue were detected. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of FXR，TLR4，MyD88，NF-κB，F4/80，TNF-α，IL-1β and IL-6 in liver tissue. Western blot was used to detect protein expression of FXR，TLR4，MyD88 and NF-κB in liver tissue. The histopathological changes of the liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. ResultsCompared with those in the blank group，ALT，AST，ALP，γ-GT，TBA，TBil and DBil levels in serum of rats in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The levels and mRNA expression of TNF-α，IL-1β and IL-6 in liver tissue were significantly increased （P<0.01），and the mRNA and protein expressions of FXR in liver tissue were decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4，MyD88 and NF-κB and the mRNA expression of F4/80 were obviously increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Hepatic histopathology showed inflammatory cell infiltration and proliferative changes of bile duct epithelial cells. Compared with those in the model group，ALT，ALP，γ-GT，TBA，TBil and DBil levels in serum of rats in the ursodeoxycholic acid group were obviously decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01），and the levels and mRNA expression of TNF-α，IL-1β and IL-6 in liver tissue were obviously decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4，MyD88 and NF-κB and the mRNA expression of F4/80 in liver tissue were obviously decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ALT，AST，ALP，γ-GT，TBA，TBil and DBil levels in the serum of rats in the Yinchenhao Tang group were obviously decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01），and the levels and mRNA expression of TNF-α，IL-1β and IL-6 in liver tissue were obviously decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expressions of FXR in liver tissue were significantly increased，and the mRNA expressions of TLR4，MyD88，NF-κB，and F4/80， as well as the protein expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB were obviously decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The inflammatory cell infiltration of liver tissue and the proliferation of bile duct epithelial cells decreased. ConclusionYinchenhao Tang has an obvious protective effect on CLI，and its mechanism may be related to regulating FXR to inhibit TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway-mediated inflammatory response.

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

Objective: To analyze the status of outdoor activities on weekends among children and adolescents of different educational stages in Shanghai and their impact on myopia, so as to provide a basis for formulating more specific prevention and control protocol of myopia. Methods: From September to October 2022, a stratified cluster random sampling method was employed to select 84 schools (27 kindergartens, 21 primary schools, 15 junior high schools and 21 high schools) across Shanghai, enrolling a total of 28 654 children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 for the study. Ophthalmic examinations were conducted to ascertain the prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was administered to collect data on outdoor activity duration and associated factors. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was utilized to investigate the associated factors of outdoor activity levels on weekends. Results: The overall myopia detection rate among children and adolescents was 58.4%, with a higher rate observed in girls (59.2%) compared to boys (57.6%). The myopia detection rates for children and adolescents with an average daily outdoor activity duration of ≥2 h and <2 h on weekends were 54.6% and 68.8%, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ 2=8.12,460.89, P <0.01). Multivariable Logistic regression analysis revealed that girls ( OR =0.80), those with a myopic parent ( OR =0.68), schools from urban districts ( OR =0.72), higher education stages (primary school: OR =0.65, junior high school: OR =0.24, high school: OR =0.14) and spending≥2 h/d on homework during weekends ( OR =0.57) among children and adolescents were less likely to engage in outdoor activities for ≥2 h on weekends ( P <0.01). After incorporating gender, parental myopia status, educational stage, school location, average daily duration on weekends for spending on homework, electronic product usage and outdoor activities as dependent variables in a multivariate Logistic regression analysis, the results showed that children and adolescents with an average outdoor activity duration for ≥2 h on weekends had a lower risk of myopia ( OR =0.86, P < 0.01). Conclusions The level of outdoor activity among children and adolescents on weekends needs to be improved. Outdoor activities on weekends is an associated factor for myopia among children and adolescents. Particularly, girls, those with myopic parents, schools from urban districts, and spending long hours on homework during weekends among children and adolescents require increased attention.

Objective: To investigate the visual acuity and correction conditions of children and adolescents in Shanghai, so as to provide a scientific basis for developing intervention measures to prevent myopia and protect vision among children and adolescents. Methods: From October to December 2022, a stratified cluster random sampling survey was conducted, involving 47 034 students from 16 municipal districts in Shanghai, covering kindergartens (≥5 years), primary schools, middle schools, general high schools and vocational high schools. According to the Guidelines for Screening Refractive Errors in Primary and Secondary School Students, the Standard Logarithmic Visual acuity Chart was used to examine naked vision and corrected vision of students, and general information was collected. The distribution and severity of visual impairment in different age groups were analyzed, and χ 2 tests and multivariate Logistic regression were used to explore factors associated with visual impairment. Results: The detection rate of visual impairment among children and adolescents was 76.2%, with a higher rate among females (78.8%) than males ( 73.8 %), higher among Han ethic students ( 76.2 %) than minority students (71.2%), and higher among urban students (76.7%) than suburban students (75.8%), all with statistically significant differences ( χ 2=162.6, 10.4, 5.5, P <0.05). The rate of visual impairment initially decreased and then increased with age, reaching its lowest at age 7 (53.8%) and peaking at age 17 (89.6%) ( χ 2 trend = 3 467.0 , P <0.05). Severe visual impairment accounted for the majority, at 56.6%, and there was a positive correlation between the severity of visual impairment and age among children and adolescents ( r =0.45, P <0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression showed that age, BMI, gender, ethnicity and urban suburban status were associated with visual impairment ( OR =1.18, 1.01, 1.38 , 0.79, 0.88, P <0.05). Among those with moderate to severe visual impairment, the rate of spectacle lens usage was 62.8%, yet only 44.8 % of those who used spectacle lens had fully corrected visual acuity. Females (64.9%) had higher spectacle lens usage rates than males (60.6%), and general high school students had the highest spectacle lens usage (83.9%), and there were statistically significant differences in gender and academic stages ( χ 2=57.7, 4 592.8, P <0.05). Conclusions The rate of spectacle lens usage among students with moderate to severe visual impairment is relatively low, and even after using spectacle lens, some students still do not achieve adequate corrected visual acuity. Efforts should focus on enhancing public awareness of eye health and refractive correction and improving the accessibility of related health services.

Objective: To assess the nutritional supply status of school meals for primary and secondary school students in Henan Province, so as to provide a basis for scientific guidance of school meals. Methods: During 2021-2023, 115 lunch and dinner samples were collected from 25 primary and secondary schools in Zhoukou, Anyang and Luoyang of Henan Province by a direct selection method, and 13 nutrients were determined for each sample. The nutrient supply was evaluated based on Nutrition Guidelines of School Meals and Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents (2023 Edition). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences of nutritional supply between urban and rural schools. Results: The median values for energy (709.77 kcal,1 kcal=4.18 kJ), fat energy supply ratio (0.27) and carbohydrate energy supply ratio (0.55) in the 66 lunches and dinners from primary school were within the recommended range. The supply of protein (28.39 g) and sodium (1 464.59 mg) was excessive. The median values of zinc (2.62 mg) and dietary fiber (5.19 g) were lower than the reference values. No statistically significant differences were observed in the supply of 13 nutrients between urban and rural primary schools( U = 427.00 -633.00, P > 0.05 ). Among 49 samples from secondary schools, the median value of energy supply (930.02 kcal), carbohydrate energy ratio ( 0.54 ) and fat energy supply ratio(0.25) were within the recommended range; and the median values of protein (38.82 g) and sodium (2 556.80 mg) were higher than the standard; and the median values of calcium (250.32 mg) and vitamin B1 (0.16 mg) were lower than the standard. Additionally, the differences in the level of vitamin B2 ( U =372.00) and zinc ( U =375.00) between the urban and rural secondary schools were statistically significant ( P <0.05). Conclusion Nutrient supply of primary and secondary school meals in three cities of Henan Province is inadequate and imbalanced, and the recipe need to be further optimized and improved.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the targets and mechanisms of 7-hydroxyethyl chrysin (7-HEC) in prevention and treatment of high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) in rats. METHODS: Fifty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, HACE model group, and 7-HEC-treated group (18 rats in each group). Except for the normal control group, rats in the two other groups were exposed to a hypobaric hypoxic chamber simulating a 7000 m altitude for 72 h to establish the HACE model. The 7-HEC-treated group was intraperitoneally injected with 7-HEC (150 mg·kg^－¹·d^－¹) for 3 consecutive days before modeling, while the model group received equivalent isotonic sodium chloride solution. Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) proteomics technology was used to detect differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) with screening criteria set at a fold change >1.2 and P<0.05. Western blotting was used to verify the expression levels of target proteins. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were performed. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, 256 DEPs were identified in the HACE model group. Compared with the HACE model group, 87 DEPs were identified in the 7-HEC-treated group. Among them, 19 DEPs that were dysregulated in the HACE model group were restored after 7-HEC intervention, of which seven (HSPA4, Arhgap20, SERT, HACL1, CCDC43, POLR3A, and PCBD1) were confirmed by Western blotting. GO enrichment analysis of the DEPs between the HACE model and 7-HEC-treated groups revealed their involvement in 13 biological processes, five cellular components, and two molecular functions. KEGG pathway analysis indicated associations with the mRNA surveillance pathway, Th17 cell differentiation, serotonergic synapse, RNA polymerase, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, peroxisome, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, folate biosynthesis. PPI network analysis demonstrated that HSPA4, POLR3A, and HACL1, which were validated by Western blotting, interacted with multiple signaling pathways and ranked among the top 20 hub proteins by degree value, suggesting their potential role as core regulatory factors. Arhgap20, SERT and PCBD1 also exhibited interactions with several proteins, suggesting their potential as key regulatory proteins, whereas no interactions for CCDC43 were identified. CONCLUSIONS This study applied TMT proteomics to identify seven potential therapeutic targets of 7-HEC for the prevention and treatment of HACE. These targets may be involved in the pathogenesis of HACE through multiple pathways, including maintaining cellular homeostasis, ameliorating oxidative stress, regulating energy metabolism, and reducing vascular permeability.
Animals ; Male ; Proteomics/methods* ; Rats, Wistar ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Rats ; Brain Edema/etiology* ; Altitude Sickness/metabolism* ; Protein Interaction Maps

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) acts as an oncogene in liver cancer, yet its roles and in-depth molecular mechanisms within the liver cancer immune microenvironment remain mostly undefined. Here, we demonstrated that disruption of tumor-intrinsic PRMT5 enhances CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity both in vivo and in vitro. Further experiments verified that this effect is achieved through downregulation of the inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule, fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1). Mechanistically, PRMT5 catalyzed symmetric dimethylation of transcription factor 12 (TCF12) at arginine 554 (R554), prompting the binding of TCF12 to FGL1 promoter region, which transcriptionally activated FGL1 in tumor cells. Methylation deficiency at TCF12-R554 residue downregulated FGL1 expression, which promoted CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Notably, combining the PRMT5 methyltransferase inhibitor GSK591 with PD-L1 blockade efficiently inhibited liver cancer growth and improved overall survival in mice. Collectively, our findings reveal the immunosuppressive role and mechanism of PRMT5 in liver cancer and highlight that targeting PRMT5 could boost checkpoint immunotherapy efficacy.