This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds. Among them, 102 compounds were reported in R. tomentosum for the first time, and 36 compounds were identified by comparing them with reference compounds. The chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum leaves and stems showed slight differences, with 84 common chemical components accounting for 71.2% of the total 118 compounds. This study systematically characterized and identified the non-volatile chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum for the first time. The findings provide a reference for active ingredient research, quality control, and product development of R. tomentosum.
Rhododendron/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

Objective To explore the toxicity of Polygonum multiflorum alcohol extract on 3D hepatospheres.Methods Variations in culture conditions and cell ratios were implemented,followed by the assessment of cell sphere diameter,density,and roundness,aiming to explore the optimal culture conditions.The 3D hepatocyte spheres were divided into control group and experimental-L,-M,-H groups.The experimental-L,-M,-H groups were treated with 0.25,1.00 and 2.50 mg·mL-1 Polygounm multiforum alcohol extract,and the control group was given the same amount of culture medium.The cell viability of the cell spheroids was tested by CellTiter-Glo reagent,the expression level of liver function related genes was detected by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qRCR).The toxicity of cell spheres was detected by double fluorescent staining of living and dead cells.Results The ideal culture condition of cell sphere was 500 cells per micropore,and the cell ratio was HepG2-Huvec-LX-2=8∶1∶1.It displayed the values of 0.91±0.07 for circularity,0.91±0.02 for firmness,1.12±0.14 for aspect ratio,and(170.97±14.79)μm for diameter.On the 3rd,7th,10th and 14th days,the expression levels of albumin(ALB)mRNA were 1.00±0.02,0.96±0.02,0.54±0.07,0.52±0.07,and the expression levels of cytochrome P450 1A2(CYP1A2)mRNA were 1.00±0.10,2.15±0.16,2.45±0.33,1.30±0.03,respectively.The expression levels of multidrug resistance protein 2(MPR2)in the control group and the experimental-L,-M,-H groups were 1.00±0.31,1.38±0.24,1.48±0.06 and 1.90±0.08,respectively;spheroid viability were(98.19±0.49)％,(88.53±0.90)％,(71.60±2.91)％and(56.65±5.41)％.There were statistically significant differences in the above indexes between the experimental-L,-M,-H groups and the control group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The established hepatocyte sphere co-culture model showed varying degrees of expression of phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ drug metabolism enzymes,transporters,and liver cell specific marker molecule albumin and can be used to evaluate the toxicity of multiflorum multiflorum,which provides further reference for the clinical application of multiflorum multiflorum.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on intestinal flora and serum inflammatory factors in rabbit model with rheumatoid arthritis(RA);To explore the mechanism of its therapeutic effect on RA.Methods RA model rabbits were established by ovalbumin induction combined with Freund's complete adjuvant,and the rabbits after successful modeling were randomly divided into model group,probiotic group and electroacupuncture group,with 6 rabbits in each group.Another 6 rabbits were set as the normal group.The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at the bilateral"Zusanli"and"Dubi"for 30 minutes,the probiotic group was given probiotic capsules solution(14.5 mg/kg)by gavage,once a day,for two consecutive weeks.The knee joint circumference and pain threshold of rabbits were measured,histopathological morphological changes of colonic tissue and synovial tissue ws observed by HE staining,16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze structural changes of intestinal flora,the contents of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in serum were detected by ELISA.Results Compared with the normal group,the circumference of knee joint of rabbits in the model group increased significantly,the pain threshold was significantly decreased(P<0.01);the colonic mucosal damage was serious,the goblet cells were missing,a large number of inflammatory cells were infiltrate;the joint capsule synovial surface was rough,the synovial cell layer was hyperplasia and thickening,the synovial tissue inflammatory cell infiltration was obvious;the number and evenness of gut microbiota species decreased,while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria,Firmicutes,and Bacteroidetes decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the relative abundance of Desulfobacteria increased(P<0.01),while the relative abundance of Campylobacter,Lawsonella,and Pseudomonas increased(P<0.01),while the relative abundance of Heshanomonas and Herbaspirillum decreased(P<0.01);the contents of serum TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the knee joint circumference of the probiotic group and the electroacupuncture group decreased,the pain threshold increased(P<0.01,P<0.05);the degree of intestinal mucosal damage was reduced,the goblet cells were basically arranged neatly,the inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced;synovial cells proliferation and thickening decreased,with a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration;the number and evenness of gut microbiota species increased,while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria,Firmicutes,and Bacteroidetes increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the relative abundance of Desulfobacteria decreased(P<0.01),while the relative abundance of Campylobacter,Lawsonella and Pseudomonas decreased(P<0.01),the relative abundance of Heshanomonas and Herbaspirillum increased(P<0.05,P<0.01);the contents of serum TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can significantly improve the symptoms of RA rabbits and reduce the inflammatory reaction in synovial tissue of joint,and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora structure.

Wnt/β-catenin is a signaling pathway associated with embryonic development, organ formation, cancer, and fibrosis. Its activation can repair kidney damage during acute kidney injury (AKI) and accelerate the occurrence of renal fibrosis after chronic kidney disease (CKD). Interestingly, p53 has also been found as a key modulator in AKI and CKD in recent years. Meantime, some studies have found crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways and p53, but more evidence is required on whether they have synergistic effects in renal disease progression. This article reviews the role and therapeutic targets of Wnt/β-catenin and p53 in AKI and CKD and proposes for the first time that Wnt/β-catenin and p53 have a synergistic effect in the treatment of renal injury.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Objective:To determine the differential expressions of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)and messenger RNA(mRNA)in normal and asthenospermia(AS)men and analyze their biological significance in AS.Methods:We isolated and ex-tracted total RNAs from 9 normal and 9 AS sperm samples,determined the expressions of RNAs in the sperm using the DNBSEQ se-quencing platform,and analyzed their relevant functions by gene ontology enrichment(GO)and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and ge-nomes pathway(KEGG)analyses.Results:An average of 10.64G data was generated per group,with 282 185 RNAs detected,in-cluding 107 009 lncRNAs.Among the total number of lncRNAs,15 157 were differentially expressed,2 190 upregulated and 12 967 downregulated;and among the 19 514 mRNAs,13 736 were differentially expressed,4 995 upregulated and 8 741 downregulated.Differentially expressed genes were enriched mainly in the sperm cell membrane and the pathways related to the ion channel functions,sperm development and fertilization.Conclusion:Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs can be identified by sequencing a-nalysis of AS and normal sperm.Regulation of sperm function through membrane ion channels may contribute to the development of AS,which provides a molecular basis for further research on AS.

Wnt/β-catenin is a signaling pathway associated with embryonic development, organ formation, cancer, and fibrosis. Its activation can repair kidney damage during acute kidney injury (AKI) and accelerate the occurrence of renal fibrosis after chronic kidney disease (CKD). Interestingly, p53 has also been found as a key modulator in AKI and CKD in recent years. Meantime, some studies have found crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways and p53, but more evidence is required on whether they have synergistic effects in renal disease progression. This article reviews the role and therapeutic targets of Wnt/β-catenin and p53 in AKI and CKD and proposes for the first time that Wnt/β-catenin and p53 have a synergistic effect in the treatment of renal injury.

Wnt/β-catenin is a signaling pathway associated with embryonic development, organ formation, cancer, and fibrosis. Its activation can repair kidney damage during acute kidney injury (AKI) and accelerate the occurrence of renal fibrosis after chronic kidney disease (CKD). Interestingly, p53 has also been found as a key modulator in AKI and CKD in recent years. Meantime, some studies have found crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways and p53, but more evidence is required on whether they have synergistic effects in renal disease progression. This article reviews the role and therapeutic targets of Wnt/β-catenin and p53 in AKI and CKD and proposes for the first time that Wnt/β-catenin and p53 have a synergistic effect in the treatment of renal injury.

Wnt/β-catenin is a signaling pathway associated with embryonic development, organ formation, cancer, and fibrosis. Its activation can repair kidney damage during acute kidney injury (AKI) and accelerate the occurrence of renal fibrosis after chronic kidney disease (CKD). Interestingly, p53 has also been found as a key modulator in AKI and CKD in recent years. Meantime, some studies have found crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways and p53, but more evidence is required on whether they have synergistic effects in renal disease progression. This article reviews the role and therapeutic targets of Wnt/β-catenin and p53 in AKI and CKD and proposes for the first time that Wnt/β-catenin and p53 have a synergistic effect in the treatment of renal injury.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiology and hospitalization costs of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Shanghai. Methods: A retrospective case summary was conducted on 63 614 hospitalized children with CAP in 59 public hospitals in Shanghai from January 2018 to December 2020. These children's medical records, including their basic information, diagnosis, procedures, and costs, were extracted. According to the medical institutions they were admitted, the patients were divided into the children's hospital group, the tertiary general hospital group and the secondary hospital group; according to the age, they were divided into <1 year old group, 1-<3 years old group, 3-<6 years old group, 6-<12 years old group and 12-18 years old group; according to the CAP severity, they were divided into severe pneumonia group and non-severe pneumonia group; according to whether an operation was conducted, the patients were divided into the operation group and the non-operation group. The epidemiological characteristics and hospitalization costs were compared among the groups. The χ² test or Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for the comparisons between two groups as appropriate, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was conducted for comparisons among multiple groups. Results: A total of 63 614 hospitalized children with CAP were enrolled, including 34 243 males and 29 371 females. Their visiting age was 4 (2, 6) years. The length of stay was 6 (5, 8) days. There were 17 974 cases(28.3%) in the secondary hospital group, 35 331 cases (55.5%) in the tertiary general hospital group and 10 309 cases (16.2%) in the children's hospital group. Compared with the hospitalizations cases in 2018 (27 943), the cases in 2019 (29 009) increased by 3.8% (1 066/27 943), while sharply declined by 76.2% (21 281/27 943) in 2020 (6 662). There were significant differences in the proportion of patients from other provinces and severe pneumonia cases, and the hospitalization costs among the children's hospital, secondary hospital and tertiary general hospital (7 146 cases(69.3%) vs. 2 202 cases (12.3%) vs. 9 598 cases (27.2%), 6 929 cases (67.2%) vs. 2 270 cases (12.6%) vs. 9 397 cases (26.6%), 8 304 (6 261, 11 219) vs. 1 882 (1 304, 2 796) vs. 3 195 (2 364, 4 352) CNY, χ²=10 462.50, 9 702.26, 28 037.23, all P<0.001). The annual total hospitalization costs of pediatric CAP from 2018 to 2020 were 110 million CNY, 130 million CNY and 40 million CNY, respectively. And the cost for each hospitalization increased year by year, which was 2 940 (1 939, 4 438), 3 215 (2 126, 5 011) and 3 673 (2 274, 6 975) CNY, respectively. There were also significant differences in the hospitalization expenses in the different age groups of <1 year old, 1-<3 years old, 3-<6 years old, 6-<12 years old and 12-18 years old (5 941 (2 787, 9 247) vs. 2 793 (1 803, 4 336) vs. 3 013 (2 070, 4 329) vs. 3 473 (2 400, 5 097) vs. 4 290 (2 837, 7 314) CNY, χ²=3 462.39, P<0.001). The hospitalization cost of severe pneumonia was significantly higher than that of non-severe cases (5 076 (3 250, 8 364) vs. 2 685 (1 780, 3 843) CNY, Z=109.77, P<0.001). The cost of patients who received operation was significantly higher than that of whom did not (10 040 (4 583, 14 308) vs. 3 083 (2 025, 4 747) CNY, Z=44.46, P<0.001). Conclusions: The number of children hospitalized with CAP in Shanghai decreased significantly in 2020 was significantly lower than that in 2018 and 2019.The proportion of patients from other provinces and with severe pneumonia are mainly admitted in children's hospitals. Hospitalization costs are higher in children's hospitals, and also for children younger than 1 year old, severe cases and patients undergoing operations.
Infant ; Female ; Male ; Humans ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; China/epidemiology* ; Hospitalization ; Community-Acquired Infections/therapy* ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; Pneumonia/therapy*