Objective To establish mild cognitive dysfunction (MCI) models in elderly rats,and to investigate the pathophysiological features.Methods Totally 40 SD rats (14 to 18-month-old) were randomly divided into 2 groups:the model group (n=20) and the sham operation group (n=20).Bilateral carotid artery stenosis was prepared in the model group while bilateral carotid artery was seperated with no bilateral narrowing in the sham operation group.30 days after the operation,Morris water maze test was performed,pathomorphological and electron microscopic observations of the cerebral tissue were examined and the expression of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2(GRK2) in hippocampus tissue w detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blottin.Results The mortality in model group was only 10％.Pathological morphology and ultrastructure showed that hippocampal tissue structure was almost normal in sham operated group,but in model group group,hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells were in ischemic demyelination,arranged loose,and part of the cells showed nucleus pyknosis,deeply stained; there was no obvious infarct in white matter,part of the white matter fiher hecame thinner and disorder,nucleolus became smaller and steped aside,cytoplasmic electron density increased,lipofuscin appeared occasionally.Rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi were expanded,cytosolic free ribosomes increased,part of mitochondria became swelled,vacuolated.Morris water maze test results showed that the average escape latency in model group was longer than in sham group (P＜0.05).In spatial probe test,the average time of crossing the first original platform in model rats was significantly longer than the sham operated group [(36.80±7.68) s vs.(20.87±6.16)s,P＜0.05].The average number of crossing the original platform in 60 seconds in model group was significantly less than in sham group(1.43±0.51 vs.3.10±1.45,P＜0.05).The expressiones of GRK2 mRNA and protein in the hippocampus were significantly increased in model group rats than in sham group (P＜0.05).Conclusions The model of severe CCA stenosis in elderly rats can be applied for MCI animal models with good stability and repeatability.Compared with sham group,the cells morphology and ultrastructure in model group appeare more obvious pathological changes and mild impairments in cognitive function.GRK2 may play an important role in the development of MCI.

Objective To explore the impact of hypocholesterolemia on pneumonia in pulmonary tubercu-losis.Methods Data of 600 patients who were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in Guangzhou chest hospital were collected.Of these patients,300 were combined with pneumonia(experimental group)and the other subjects were pulmonary tuberculosis only(control group). Parameters including age,gender,sputum tubercle bacilli state,alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),serum creatinine(Scr),blood urea ni-trogen(BUN),hemameba(WBC),c-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),serum albumin(ALB),hemo-globin(HB),total of blood lymphocytes(TLC),and plasma total cholesterol(TC)between the 2 groups were com-pared. The correlation between hypocholesterolemia and the severity of pneumonia estimated with CURB-65 score was analyzed. Results hypoproteinemia,low lymphocyte and(all P < 0.05)were identified as risk factors for pneumonia with univariate logistic regression(all P<0.05).Moreover,hypocholesterolemia was confirmed as inde-pendent risk factor in mulitvariate logistic model(P < 0.05). The TC concentration was negatively correlated with CURB-65 score and significantly different among low-risk(CURB-65 score of 0-1),moderate(CURB-65 score of 2)and high risk(CURB-65 score of 3-5)pneumonia groups(all P < 0.05). Conclusions Hypocholesterolemia was an independent risk factor for pneumonia in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The decreased level of TC was parallel with the severity of pneumonia.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important healthcare problem worldwide. Often, glucocorticoid (GC) resistance develops during COPD treatment. As a classic hypoglycemic drug, metformin (MET) can be used as a treatment strategy for COPD due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but its specific mechanism of action is not known. We aimed to clarify the role of MET on COPD and cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced GC resistance. Through establishment of a COPD model in rats, we found that MET could improve lung function, reduce pathological injury, as well as reduce the level of inflammation and oxidative stress in COPD, and upregulate expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), and histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2). By establishing a model of GC resistance in human bronchial epithelial cells stimulated by CSE, we found that MET reduced secretion of interleukin-8, and could upregulate expression of Nrf2, HO-1, MRP1, and HDAC2. MET could also increase the inhibition of MRP1 efflux by MK571 significantly, and increase expression of HDAC2 mRNA and protein. In conclusion, MET may upregulate MRP1 expression by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, and then regulate expression of HDAC2 protein to reduce GC resistance.

Qi-Yu-San-Long decoction(QYSLD)is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been clinically used in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)for more than 20 years.However,to date,metabolic-related studies on QYSLD have not been performed.In this study,a post-targeted screening strategy based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight full infor-mation tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTOF-MSE)was developed to identify QYSLD-related xeno-biotics in rat urine.The chemical compound database of QYSLD constituents was established from previous research,and metabolites related to these compounds were predicted in combination with their possible metabolic pathways.The metabolites were identified by extracted ion chromatograms using predicted m/z values as well as retention time,excimer ions,and fragmentation behavior.Overall,85 QYSLD-related xenobiotics(20 prototype compounds and 65 metabolites)were characterized from rat urine.The main metabolic reactions and elimination features of QYSLD included oxidation,reduction,decarboxylation,hydrolysis,demethylation,glucuronidation,sulfation,methylation,deglycosylation,acetylation,and associated combination reactions.Of the identified molecules,14 prototype compounds and 58 metabolites were slowly eliminated,thus accumulating in vivo over an extended period,while five prototypes and two metabolites were present in vivo for a short duration.Furthermore,one pro-totype and five metabolites underwent the process of"appearing-disappearing-reappearing"in vivo.Overall,the metabolic profile and characteristics of QYSLD in rat urine were determined,which is useful in elucidating the active components of the decoction in vivo,thus providing the basis for studying its mechanism of action.

Objective:To investigate the expression level of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in podocytes of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and its role in podocyte injury and proteinuria.Methods:(1) Sixty-five patients who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (with or without albuminuria) were enrolled in this study and 25 age-and sex-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled. According to the ratio of urinary excretion of albumin/creatinine (ACR), the type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were classified into without proteinuria group (ACR<30 mg/g, n=24), microalbuminuria group (ACR 30-300 mg/g, n=18) and clinical proteinuria group (ACR>300 mg/g, n=23). Another 25 patients with DKD confirmed by renal biopsy were selected as the DKD group. Normal kidney tissue samples were taken from the same period of urinary surgical department for 10 cases of renal tumors in patients with renal resection. The test indicators in each group were compared. The VDR expression in blood, urine samples and kidney tissues of patients was detected by real-time quantitative PCR, ELISA and immunohistochemistry, and then were compared among different groups. The correlation between VDR and ACR was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. (2) Male db/db mice with genetic background of C57BLKs/J and db/m mice born in littermates were randomly divided into normal control group (group A), DKD control group (group B), DKD treated with dimethyl sulfoxide group (group C), DKD treated with paricalcitol (VDR agonist) group (group D). The C and D groups were treated by continuous intraperitoneal injection for 8 weeks, and the group A and B were not treated. The mice were started to intervene continuously for 8 weeks at the age of 10 weeks. At 22 weeks of age (12 weeks after starting intervention), the biochemical indexes of the mice's body weight, blood and urine were compared. The changes of β-catenin and VDR were detected by Western blotting. The expressions of podocyte marker protein podocin and podocyte injury protein α-SMA were observed by immunofluorescence. Results:(1) Compared with the normal healthy control group, the plasma levels of VDR mRNA and protein in diabetic patients without proteinuria, microalbuminuria and clinical proteinuria were lower (all P<0.05). Compared with the diabetic patients without proteinuria, the plasma levels of VDR mRNA and protein in diabetic patients with microalbuminuria and clinical proteinuria were lower (all P<0.05). (2) Compared with the normal healthy control group, the plasma levels of VDR mRNA and protein in diabetic patients without proteinuria and DKD patients were lower (all P<0.05). Compared with diabetic patients without proteinuria, the plasma levels of VDR mRNA and protein in the DKD group were also lower (both P<0.05). (3) Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of VDR in kidney tissue of DKD group was significantly lower than that of normal control group. (4) The relative level of VDR mRNA in plasma of patients with DKD was negatively correlated with ACR ( r=-0.342, P<0.05). (5) The levels of VDR in urine supernatant of each group showed opposite trends with the plasma levels. (6) Western blotting results showed that the expression of β-catenin protein in groups B and C was higher than that in group D (both P<0.05), and the expression of VDR protein was lower than that in group D (both P<0.05). Immunofluorescence results showed that the expression of podocin in groups B and C was lower than that in group D (both P<0.05), and the expression of α-SMA was higher than that in group D (both P<0.05). Conclusion:VDR overexpression relieves podocyte injury and proteinuria in DKD.

OBJECTIVE To provide references for the safe use of lorlatinib in clinical practice. METHODS The reporting odds ratio （ROR） method， Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency comprehensive standard method （referred to as “MHRA method”） and the Bayesian confidence propagation neural network （BCPNN） method were used to detect adverse drug events （ADEs） signals of lorlatinib in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System from the first quarter of 2019 to the fourth quarter of 2022. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Totally 114 overlapping ADEs signals of lorlatinib were detected by the three methods， among which there were 73 new suspicious ADEs signals which were not covered in the instruction of lorlatinib. When using loratinib in clinical practice， special attention should be paid to ADEs with a high number of cases and signals， such as various neurological diseases， psychiatric diseases， respiratory system， thoracic and mediastinal diseases； clinical manifestations included cerebral edema， cerebral infarction， pulmonary hypertension， mutism， decreased sexual desire， pleural effusion. The signals of mobile thrombophlebitis， radiation necrosis， mutism， vesicoureteral reflux not mentioned in the instructions were all strong in BCPNN detection with high specificity， to which we should pay attention in clinical application.

OBJECTIVE To mine and analyze severe cutaneous adverse reaction signals of 5 commonly used immune checkpoint inhibitors （ICIs）， and to provide reference for clinically safe use of drugs. METHODS Based on the FDA adverse events reporting system （FAERS） database，adverse drug events （ADEs） reports about severe cutaneous adverse reactions related to ipilimumab， nivolumab， pembrolizumab， atezolizumab and durvalumab were collected from listing in the United States to the fourth quarter of 2022. The ADE signals were mined and analyzed with reporting odds ratio （ROR） and Bayesian confidence propagation neural network （BCPNN）. RESULTS A total of 5 726 reports of severe cutaneous adverse reactions were collected， including 3 037 reports for nivolumab，1 465 reports for pembrolizumab， 130 reports for durvalumab， 429 reports for atezolizumab and 665 reports for ipilimumab. All 5 kinds of ICIs caused positive signals， the correlation degree of which was as follows： pembrolizumab＞atezolizumab＞nivolumab＞ipilimumab＞durvalumab. Stevens-Johnson syndrome（SJS） and toxic epidermal necrolysis （TEN） have been reported for all 5 ICIs， and the association was the strongest with pembrolizumab. CONCLUSIONS All 5 kinds of ICIs are associated with the risk of severe skin adverse reactions， and close attention should be paid to their clinical use， especially being cautious when using pembrolizumab. The combination of ICIs should be avoided as much as possible.

Background Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide that is widely used in agricultural production, with a high detection rate in human biological samples. Previous studies have shown a high correlation between imidacloprid exposure and liver injury, but the specific mechanism is still unknown. Objective To observe potential toxic effects of HepG2 cells and its perturbation of non-targeted metabolic profile after imidacloprid exposure, and to explore possible molecular mechanisms of hepatotoxicity of imidacloprid by analyzing invovlved biological processes and signaling pathways. Methods HepG2 cell suspension was prepared and seeded in a 96-well plate, which was divided into blank control group, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent control group and imidacloprid exposure groups with multiple concentrations. Each group was set with 5 parallel samples. The viability of HepG2 cells viability were determined after 8 h of exposure to different concentrationsof imidacloprid (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 mmol·L⁻¹), and the dose-effect relationship was analyzed. A proper concentration (3 mmol·L⁻¹ with 80% viability) was chosen for imidacloprid exposure, non-targeted metabolomic analysis was applied to the cultivated HepG2 cells using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology, the differential metabolites between groups were screened, and the bioprocess and related signaling pathways of their enrichment were annotated using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Results Compared to the other two groups, the survival rates of HepG2 cells in the imidacloprid exposure groups decreased. A survival rate of about 86% of HepG2 cells was found in HepG2 cells exposed to 2.5 mmol·L⁻¹ imidacloprid exposure. The non-targeted metabolomics studies showed that 61 metabolites were significantly affected in HepG2 cells after 3 mmol·L⁻¹ imidacloprid exposure, including creatine (variable importance in projection VIP=1.11, P<0.001), arginine (VIP=1.47, P=0.048), taurine (VIP=4.28, P=0.001), and α-D-glucose (VIP=1.90, P=0.006). The differential metabolites enriched in bioprocess and related signaling pathways were mainly directed to mTOR signaling pathways (P<0.001), arginine and proline metabolism (P=0.002), and galactose metabolism (P=0.015). Conclusion Imidacloprid exposure can significantly inhibit the survival rate of HepG2 cells, and interfere with the mTOR signaling pathway, arginine and proline metabolism, galactose metabolism, and so on.