Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and osteoporosis (OP) are two very common metabolic diseases. A growing body of experimental evidence supports a pathophysiological link between MAFLD and OP. MAFLD is often associated with the development of OP. Rutaecarpine (RUT) is one of the main active components of Chinese medicine Euodiae Fructus. Our previous studies have demonstrated that RUT has lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and can improve the OP of rats. However, whether RUT can improve both fatty liver and OP symptoms of MAFLD mice at the same time remains to be investigated. In this study, we used C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 months to construct a MAFLD model, and gave the mice a low dose (5 mg·kg^-1) and a high dose (15 mg·kg^-1) of RUT by gavage for 4 weeks. The effects of RUT on liver steatosis and bone metabolism were then evaluated at the end of the experiment [this experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval number: IMB-20190124D₃03)]. The results showed that RUT treatment significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation, and significantly reduced bone loss and promoted bone formation. In summary, this study shows that RUT has an effect of improving fatty liver and OP in MAFLD mice.

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is crucial for regulating blood pressure and maintaining fluid balance, while clock genes are essential for sustaining biological rhythms and regulating metabolism. There exists a complex interplay between RAAS and clock genes that may significantly contribute to the development of various cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Although current literature has identified correlations between these two systems, the specific mechanisms of their interaction remain unclear. Moreover, the interaction patterns under different physiological and pathological conditions need further investigation. This review summarizes the synergistic roles of the RAAS and clock genes in cardiovascular diseases, explores their molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological connections, discusses the application of chronotherapy, and highlights potential future research directions, aiming to provide novel insights for the prevention and treatment of related diseases.
Humans ; Renin-Angiotensin System/genetics* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/genetics* ; CLOCK Proteins/physiology* ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance of HALP score as a prognostic indicator for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: Clinical data of 62 newly diagnosed MM patients in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The difference in age, sex, DS stage, R-ISS stage, M protein type, serum creatinine (Scr), β₂-microglobulin (β₂-MG), blood calcium, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), hemoglobin (Hb), albumin (ALB), platelet count (PLT), and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) between patients with low and high HALP scores were analyzed. The prognostic value of the above indexes in newly diagnosed MM patients was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The optimal cut-off value of HALP score was 41 determined by X-tile software. Based on this, 62 patients were divided into a high HALP group (HALP>41, n=25) and a low HALP group (HALP≤41, n=37). The proportion of patients with Hb≥100 g/L in the high HALP group was significantly higher than that in the low HALP group (P <0.05). The median overall survival (OS) time of patients in the high HALP group and low HALP group were 29 (9-39) months and 20 (4-29) months, respectively, with statistically significant difference between the two groups (P <0.01). Univariate analysis showed that R-ISS stage, ALB, Hb, ALC and HALP were closely related to the prognosis of patients (P <0.05). COX regression multivariate analysis showed that R-ISS stage Ⅲ (HR=4.443, 95%CI : 1.480-13.343，P =0.008) and HALP≤41(HR=8.823, 95%CI : 1.858-41.910，P =0.006) were independent risk factors for shortened OS in newly diagnosed MM patients. The median OS of patients with high HALP at R-ISS stage Ⅲ was significantly higher than that of patients with low HALP at the same stage, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). CONCLUSION HALP score can be used as a prognostic indicator for newly diagnosed MM patients.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; Lymphocyte Count

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic causal relationship of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with prostatitis, orchitis and epididymitis by two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: Using LTL as the exposure factor and prostatitis, orchitis and epididymitis as outcome factors, we mined the Database of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Then, we analyzed the causal relationship of LTL with prostatitis, orchitis and epididymitis by Mendelian randomization using inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the main method and weighted median and MR-Egger regression as auxiliary methods, determined the horizontal multiplicity by MR-Egger intercept test, and conducted sensitivity analysis using the leaving-one-out method. RESULTS: A total of 121 related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in this study. IVW showed LTL to be a risk factor for prostatitis (OR = 1.383, 95% CI: 1.044－1.832, P = 0.024), and for orchitis and epididymitis as well (OR = 1.770, 95% CI: 1.275－2.456, P = 0.000 6). CONCLUSION Genetic evidence from Mendelian randomized analysis indicates that shortening of LTL reduces the risk of prostatitis, orchitis and epididymitis.
Humans ; Male ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Epididymitis/genetics* ; Prostatitis/genetics* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Leukocytes ; Orchitis/genetics* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Telomere ; Risk Factors

Patent foramen ovale(PFO)is a congenital heart disease with a relatively high prevalence in the population.Past studies have clarified its association with strokes and recognized the significance of PFO closure for PFO-related strokes.In recent years,research on diseases related to PFO has gradually increased and deepened our understanding.Meanwhile,the number of closure treatments for PFO in China has also significantly increased.This article reviews the latest research progress in the PFO field for the year 2023,mainly including the expansion of the spectrum of PFO-related diseases(such as epilepsy,unexplained syncope,etc.),exploration of the mechanisms of disease,and means of risk assessment.Regarding PFO closure treatment,this article introduces the latest research results concerning the effects of closure and prognosis,as well as the relationship between closure treatment and atrial fibrillation.China has always been in a leading position in the development of new devices for PFO closure,and this article also introduces the latest achievements in this area.

Objective:To investigate the changes of left ventricular systolic function in patients after pacing in differ-ent sites of right ventricle.Methods:The clinical data of 95 patients requiring right ventricular pacing who were ad-mitted to our hospital from February 2018 to May 2020 were collected.According to pacing site,they were divided into right ventricular apex pacing(RVAP)group(n=47)and right ventricular outflow tract septal pacing(RVSP)group(n=48).The pacing threshold,perception threshold,electrode impedance,left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV),stroke volume(SV),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)were compared between the two groups.According to incidence of cardiac insufficiency on one year after pacing,patients were divided into cardiac insufficiency group(n=18)and normal cardiac function group(n=77).Influencing factors of cardiac insufficiency in patients requiring right ventricular pacing were analyzed.Results:Compared with one week after pacing,on one year after pacing,perception threshold[(11.51±1.21)mV vs.(12.11±0.81)mV]significantly increased in RVAP group,P=0.004.Compared with RVAP group on one year after pacing,there were significant rise in LVESV[(25.32±7.63)ml vs.(29.77±12.36)ml],LVEDV[(58.30±15.71)ml vs.(68.33±25.31)ml],SV[(31.36±10.73)ml vs.(41.29±16.15)ml],and significant reductions in LVEF[(60.55±8.76)％vs.(54.10±6.44)％]and proportion of cardiac insufficiency(27.66％vs.10.42％)in RVSP group,P＜0.05 or＜0.01.Non-conditional multivariate Logistic regression model analysis indicated that LVEF was inde-pendent protective factor for cardiac insufficiency in patients requiring right ventricular pacing(OR=0.854,P=0.003),while RVAP and age ≥60 years were its independent risk factors(OR=9.041,4.145,P=0.003,0.024).Conclusion:Compared with right ventricular apex pacing,right ventricular outflow tract septal pacing can significantly improve stroke volume,and incidence rate of cardiac insufficiency significantly reduces.

Hemophilic arthritis(HA),caused by recurrent bleeding,can seriously affect patient quality of life and consumes extensive social and medical resources.There is thus a need to establish an animal model of HA for research;however,this is limited by ethical requirements.Here we review the recent literature and summarize research progress into animal models of HA at home and abroad,from the aspects of species selection,modeling method,histopathology,and imaging evaluation method.Species selection includes rodents such as mice,New Zealand rabbits,beagles,miniature pigs,and crab-eating macaques.Modeling method comprise gene knockout trauma models,gene knockout spontaneous models,and injection models.Among these,the gene knockout spontaneous model closely mimics the pathological process of spontaneous bleeding and concurrent arthritis in human HA,making it more relevant to human HA.However,due to high modeling costs,phenotypic instability,and low survival rates,this model is not the preferred choice for animal experimental studies.In contrast,gene knockout trauma models exhibit characteristics such as short modeling time,strong stability,and high success rates,thus being widely utilized in animal experimental research.Evaluation of HA models involves various imaging method including MRI,micro-CT,MSKUS/PD,in addition to various gross scoring method.By reviewing the progress of HA model research,more experimental evidence is provided for investigating the pathogenesis and validating the efficacy of HA treatments,thereby compensating for the lack of clinical data,particularly in the field of traditional Chinese medicine therapy.

Objective To investigate the nutritional status of children with cystic fibrosis(CF)and understand the correlation between malnutrition and clinical characteristics as well as lung function.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data of CF children admitted from January 2016 to June 2023.Clinical characteristics of CF children with different nutritional statuses were compared,and the correlation between malnutrition and lung function was analyzed.Results A total of 52 CF children were included,comprising 25 boys(48％)and 27 girls(52％),aged between 7 months and 17 years.Respiratory symptoms were the predominant clinical manifestations(96％,50/52).The prevalence of malnutrition was 65％(34/52),with moderate/severe malnutrition being the most common(65％,22/34).The malnutrition group had a longer duration of illness,higher proportion of digestive system symptoms,and lower levels of serum albumin(P＜0.05).Pulmonary function parameters,including forced expiratory volume in one second as a percentage of the predicted value,ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity,forced expiratory flow at 25％of forced vital capacity exhaled,forced expiratory flow at 50％of forced vital capacity exhaled,forced expiratory flow at 75％of forced vital capacity exhaled,and maximum mid-expiratory flow as a percentage of the predicted value,were lower in the malnutrition group compared to the normal nutrition group(P＜0.05).Correlation analysis showed body mass index Z-score was positively correlated with the above six pulmonary function parameters(P＜0.05).Conclusions The prevalence of malnutrition is high in CF children and is associated with decreased lung function.CF children with higher body mass index have better lung function.Therefore,screening and evaluation of nutritional status as well as appropriate nutritional intervention should be emphasized in CF children.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(3):275-281]