Objective:To study the role of cadherin 1 (CDH1) gene DNA methylation in autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) in population from different water-iodine regions.Methods:From May to June 2019, the information of AIT cases and healthy individuals in Shandong Province were collected in three types of water-iodine regions: iodine-fortification (IF) region, iodine-adequate (IA) region and iodine-excess (IE) region. A case-control study design was applied to match 176 AIT cases (case group) with age, gender, body mass index, and place of residence in a 1 ∶ 1 ratio to 176 healthy individuals (control group). Fasting urine and whole blood samples were collected to test the contents of urinary iodine, thyroid function indicators [serum free triiodothyronine (FT 3), free thyroxine (FT 4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)], and serum iodine. The DNA methylation levels of the target region of the CDH1 gene and its four CpG sites in whole blood were determined using methylation sequencing technology for target regions (MethylTarget TM). Results:The DNA methylation level of the target region of CDH1 gene in the case group was 0.832 ± 0.044, and that in the control group was 0.828 ± 0.049, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups ( t = 0.76, P = 0.448). There was no statistically significant difference in DNA methylation levels of the four CpG sites in the target region of CDH1 gene between the case group and the control group ( P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the DNA methylation level of the CDH1 gene target region between the case group and the control group in IF, IA and IE regions ( P > 0.05). The detection results of DNA methylation levels at CpG sites in the target region of CDH1 gene in different water iodine regions showed that the DNA methylation level at site 83 in case group in IF region was higher than that in the control group ( t = 2.30, P = 0.023). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the DNA methylation levels of the four CpG sites between the case group and the control group in IA and IE regions ( P > 0.05). The DNA methylation level of CDH1 gene target region in AIT patients was not significantly correlated with urinary iodine, serum iodine, and serum FT 3, FT 4, and TSH contents ( P > 0.05), but was significantly negatively correlated with age ( r =-0.19, P = 0.014). Conclusions:The DNA methylation level at CpG site 83 of CDH1 gene in AIT patients in IF region is significantly higher than that in control population, indicating that DNA methylation at this locus may be involved in the occurrence and development of AIT after iodine fortification. The DNA methylation level of CDH1 gene is negatively correlated with age.

Objective:To study the role of cadherin 1 (CDH1) gene DNA methylation in autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) in population from different water-iodine regions.Methods:From May to June 2019, the information of AIT cases and healthy individuals in Shandong Province were collected in three types of water-iodine regions: iodine-fortification (IF) region, iodine-adequate (IA) region and iodine-excess (IE) region. A case-control study design was applied to match 176 AIT cases (case group) with age, gender, body mass index, and place of residence in a 1 ∶ 1 ratio to 176 healthy individuals (control group). Fasting urine and whole blood samples were collected to test the contents of urinary iodine, thyroid function indicators [serum free triiodothyronine (FT 3), free thyroxine (FT 4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)], and serum iodine. The DNA methylation levels of the target region of the CDH1 gene and its four CpG sites in whole blood were determined using methylation sequencing technology for target regions (MethylTarget TM). Results:The DNA methylation level of the target region of CDH1 gene in the case group was 0.832 ± 0.044, and that in the control group was 0.828 ± 0.049, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups ( t = 0.76, P = 0.448). There was no statistically significant difference in DNA methylation levels of the four CpG sites in the target region of CDH1 gene between the case group and the control group ( P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the DNA methylation level of the CDH1 gene target region between the case group and the control group in IF, IA and IE regions ( P > 0.05). The detection results of DNA methylation levels at CpG sites in the target region of CDH1 gene in different water iodine regions showed that the DNA methylation level at site 83 in case group in IF region was higher than that in the control group ( t = 2.30, P = 0.023). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the DNA methylation levels of the four CpG sites between the case group and the control group in IA and IE regions ( P > 0.05). The DNA methylation level of CDH1 gene target region in AIT patients was not significantly correlated with urinary iodine, serum iodine, and serum FT 3, FT 4, and TSH contents ( P > 0.05), but was significantly negatively correlated with age ( r =-0.19, P = 0.014). Conclusions:The DNA methylation level at CpG site 83 of CDH1 gene in AIT patients in IF region is significantly higher than that in control population, indicating that DNA methylation at this locus may be involved in the occurrence and development of AIT after iodine fortification. The DNA methylation level of CDH1 gene is negatively correlated with age.

Background At present, China's Public places health management regulations list 7 categories and 28 sub-categories of public places, but infant and young child swimming places are not in the list yet. Objective To understand the microbial pollution status in commercial infant and young child swimming places in Shijiazhuang City, compare with the microbial pollution in other five types of public places, and find the potential safety hazards in infant and young child swimming places. Methods A total of 3438 microbial samples were collected from the environment of infant and young child swimming places and 5 types of public places (hotels, barber stores, waiting rooms, shopping malls and supermarkets, and conventional swimming places) in Shijiazhuang City from 2021 to 2022. Sampling and monitoring were carried out according to the requirements of Examination methods for public places—Part 6: Technical specifications of health monitoring (GB/T 18204.6-2013). Chi-square test was used to compare hygiene qualification by microbial indicators, and Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare overall distributions of total bacterial counts on the surface of public articles. Results From 2021 to 2022, the highest qualified rate of microbial indicators on the surface of public articles was Staphylococcus aureus (100%) for all tested public places in Shijiazhuang City, followed by coliforms (99.44%), and that of total bacterial count was relative low (92.83%). The qualified rate of total bacterial count on the surface of public articles in the swimming places for infants and young children was 87.76%, and the qualified rates in hotels, barber stores, waiting rooms, shopping malls and supermarkets were all above 92%, and the difference among the 5 types of places was statistically significant (P<0.001). The highest value of total bacterial count on the surface of public articles in the swimming places for infants and young children was 80000 CFU·(25 cm²)⁻¹ [100 CFU·(25 cm²)⁻¹=4 CFU·cm⁻²]; that in 4 types of public places such as hotels (except mouthwash cups), barber stores, waiting rooms, and shopping malls or supermarkets was 2500 CFU·(25 cm²)⁻¹. The difference of total bacteria count on the surface of public articles was statistically significant in comparing infant and young child swimming places with hotels (except mouthwash cups) or barber stores (H=5.432, H=2.997, both Ps<0.05); but the difference was not significant in comparing with waiting rooms and shopping malls or supermarkets (P>0.05). The qualified rates of total bacteria count and coliforms in pool water of infant and young child swimming places were 45.99% and 74.69% respectively, and the two indicators in pool water of conventional swimming places were 94.57% and 98.91% respectively; both showed significant differences between the two types of public places (χ²=162.532, χ²=71.910, both Ps<0.001). Conclusion Compared to conventional swimming places, hotels, barber stores, waiting rooms, and shopping malls or supermarkets, the infant and young child swimming places are not optimistic in hygiene condition; therefore, there is an urgent need to formulate national health standards for infants and young child swimming places, and include them in standard management to further improve their hygiene condition.

Chang-Kang-Fang (CKF) formula, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription, has been widely used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, its potential material basis and underlying mechanism remain elusive. Therefore, this study employed an integrated approach that combined ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) with network pharmacology to systematically characterize the phytochemical components and metabolites of CKF, as well as elucidating its underlying mechanism. Through this comprehensive analysis, a total of 150 components were identified or tentatively characterized within the CKF formula. Notably, six N-acetyldopamine oligomers from CicadaePeriostracum and eight resin glycosides from Cuscutae Semen were characterized in this formula for the first time. Meanwhile, 149 xenobiotics (58 prototypes and 91 metabolites) were detected in plasma, urine, feces, brain, and intestinal contents, and the in vivo metabolic pathways of resin glycosides were elaborated for the first time. Furthermore, network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses revealed that alkaloids, flavonoids, chromones, monoterpenes, N-acetyldopamine dimers, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, and Cus-3/isomer might be responsible for the beneficial effects of CKF in treating IBS, and CASP8, MARK14, PIK3C, PIK3R1, TLR4, and TNF may be its potential targets. These discoveries offer a comprehensive understanding of the potential material basis and clarify the underlying mechanism of the CKF formula in treating IBS, facilitating the broader application of CKF in the field of medicine.
Humans ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Glycosides ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods*

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of Shenshaoruangan Decoction on liver fibrosis in rats.Methods Seventy-two male Wistar rats were selected and normally fed for 1 week.Then they divided into the control group(n=12) and model constructing group(n=60).The model constructing group was subcutaneously and intraperitoneally injected by 40％ CCl4 olive oil for constructing fibrosis rat model.After successfully constructing model,which was divided into the model group(equivalent normal saline gavage),positive control group(colchicines 0.154 mg · kg-1 · d-1),low-dose group(2 mL per 100 g body mass,containing Shenshaoruangan Decoction crude drug 0.23 g/mL),medium-dose group(2 mL per 100 g body mass,containing Shenshaoruangan Decoction crude drug 0.46 g/mL) and high-dose group(100 g/2 mL,containing Shenshaoruangan Decoction crude drug 0.69 g/mL),12 cases in each group.The differences of related indicators rat hepatic fibrosis after 8-weeks treatment were observed.Results The control group was the stage 0 standard,the liver fibrosis degree in the positive control group was significantly better than that in the model group(P＜0.05);the liver fibrosis degree in the low-dose group,medium-dose group and high-dose group was gradually alleviated;the liver fibrosis degree in the high-dose group was significantly slighter than that in the model group and-dose group(P＜0.05).The detection values of PC-Ⅲ,LN,Ⅳ-C and HA in the model group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05),and the detection values of PC-Ⅲ,LN,Ⅳ-C and HA in the positive control group,lowdose group,medium-dose group and high-dose group were significantly lower than those in the model group(P＜0.05).Serum SOD detection value of the model group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05),the serum MDA level in the model group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05);serum SOD level in the positive control group,low dose group,medium-dose group and high-dose group was significantly higher than that in the model group(P＜0.05),while serum MDA level in those group was significantly lower than that in the model group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Shenshaoruangan Decoction can effectively alleviate the liver fibrosis degree,and its mechanism is to reduce the levels of liver fibrosis indicators,inhibit the prodmotion of peroxides and alleviate the damage of free radicals on liver cells.

Objective:To explore the influence of metabolic syndrome (MS) on coronary artery disease in patients with hypertension .Methods :A total of 220 patients with hypertension were enrolled .According to complicated with MS or not ,they were divided into MS group (n=90) and pure hypertension group (control group ,n=130) . Coronary angiography was used to measure distribution and number of diseased coronary vessels ,Gensini scoring was also performed to compare and analyze severity of coronary disease between two groups .Results:Detection rate of CHD in MS group was significantly higher than that of control group (84.44% vs .71.54% ) ,χ2 = 4.974 , P=0.026. Compared with control group ,there were significant rise in percentages of left circumflex coronary artery (29.23% vs .44.44% ) and right coronary artery lesions (23.08% vs .38.89% ) , P<0.05 both ;significant rise in Gensini score [(32.69 ± 20.64) scores vs .(40.71 ± 25.79) scores ,P=0.011] and percentage of three -vessel coro‐nary artery disease (26.15% vs .40.00% ,χ2 = 4.700 , P= 0.03) in MS group .Conclusion:Metabolic syndrome significantly elevates severity of coronary artery disease in patients with hypertension .

Objective: To observe the effect of vitamin A and iron supplementation on iron status during pregnancy. Methods: 167 pregnant women aged 21～33 years in the second trimester were recruited and randomly allocated to four groups: placebo; vitamin A (1.1 mg/d); iron(60 mg elemental iron); vitamin A and iron, for 10 weeks. Results:The incidences of vitamin A deficiency, anemia and iron depletion were 0.6%,7.8% and 6.2% in the second trimester respectively. Serum VA level was not changed in three supplemented groups but decreased in placebo group. Hemoglobin in all groups before and after supplementation was in normal range, with no significant differences. The improvement in serum ferritin, free erythrocyte proporphyrin and transferrin saturation was better in the group supplemented with VA+Fe than VA or Fe alone. Conclusion: The simultaneous supplementation of vitamin A and iron is better in improvement of iron status than supplementation of vitamin A or iron alone during pregnancy. Improvement of iron status by simultaneous supplementation of pregnant women with vitamin A and iron was better than supplementation with iron or vitamin A alone.