Dipsaci Radix is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in China, with triterpenoid saponins as the main active components. β-Amyrin synthase, a member of the oxidosqualene cyclase superfamily, plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins. Asperosaponin Ⅵ is an oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin. To explore the β-amyrin synthase genes involved in the biosynthesis of asperosaponin Ⅵ in Dipsacus asper, this study screened the candidate genes from the transcriptome data of D. asper. Two β-amyrin synthase genes, Da OSC1 and Da OSC2, were identified by phylogenetic analysis and correlation analysis. The coding sequences of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 were 2 286 bp and 2 295 bp in length, encoding 761 and 764 amino acids,respectively. Multiple sequence alignments showed that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 had three conserved motifs( DCTAE, QW, and MWCYCR) unique to the oxidosqualene cyclase family. Real-time quantitative PCR results showed that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 had the highest expression levels in the roots. Compared with normal growth conditions, the low-temperature treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 in Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in the production of β-amyrin, which suggested that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 were able to catalyze the synthesis of β-amyrin. This study clarified the catalytic functions of two β-amyrin synthases in D. asper, analyzed their expression patterns in different tissue and at low temperatures. The findings provide a foundation for further studying the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanism of asperosaponin Ⅵ in D. asper.
Intramolecular Transferases/chemistry* ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Dipsacaceae/classification* ; Saponins/metabolism* ; Oleanolic Acid/metabolism*

This study aims to investigate the potential effect of the water extract of fresh Rehmanniae Radix on hypercholesterolemia in mice that was induced by a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet and explore its possible mechanism from bile acid reabsorption. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into the following groups: control, model, low-and high-dose(4 and 8 g·kg~(-1), respectively) fresh Rehmanniae Radix, and positive drug(simvastatin, 0.05 g·kg~(-1)). Other groups except the control group were fed with a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet for 6 consecutive weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia. From the 6th week, mice were administrated with corresponding drugs daily via gavage for additional 6 weeks, while continuing to be fed with a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet. Serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-c), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-c), and total bile acid(TBA), as well as liver TC and TG levels and fecal TBA level, were determined by commercial assay kits. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, oil red O staining, and transmission electron microscopy were performed to observe the pathological changes in the liver. Three livers samples were randomly selected from each of the control, model, and high-dose fresh Rehmanniae Radix groups for high-throughput transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed genes were mined and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to predict the key pathways and target genes of the water extract of fresh Rehmanniae Radix in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. RT-qPCR was employed to measure the mRNA levels of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) and cholesterol 27α-hydroxylase(CYP27A1) in the liver. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of CYP7A1 and CYP27A1 in the liver as well as farnesoid X receptor(FXR), apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter(ASBT), and ileum bile acid-binding protein(I-BABP) in the ileum. The results showed that the water extract of fresh Rehmanniae Radix significantly lowered the levels of TC and TG in the serum and liver, as well as the level of LDL-c in the serum. Conversely, it elevated the level of HDL-c in the serum and TBA in feces. No significant difference was observed in the level of TBA in the serum among groups. HE staining, oil red O staining, and transmission electron microscopy showed that the water extract reduced the accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver. Further mechanism studies revealed that the water extract of fresh Rehmanniae Radix significantly down-regulated the protein levels of FXR and bile acid reabsorption-related proteins ASBT and I-BABP. Additionally, it enhanced CYP7A1 and CYP27A1, the key enzymes involved in bile acid synthesis. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the water extract of fresh Rehmanniae Radix may exert an anti-hypercholesterolemic effect by regulating FXR/ASBT/I-BABP signaling, inhibiting bile acid reabsorption, and increasing bile acid excretion, thus facilitating the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids.
Animals ; Male ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Cholesterol/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Hypercholesterolemia/genetics* ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics* ; Rehmannia/chemistry* ; Liver/drug effects* ; Humans ; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase/genetics* ; Plant Extracts

PURPOSE: Bone cement-reinforced fenestrated pedicle screws (FPSs) have been widely used in the internal fixation and repair of the spine with osteoporosis in recent years and show significant improvement in fixation strength and stability. However, compared with conventional reinforcement methods, the advantages of bone cement-reinforced FPSs remain undetermined. This article compares the effects of fenestrated and conventional pedicle screws (CPSs) combined with bone cement in the treatment of osteoporosis. METHODS: A clinical control study of FPSs and CPSs combined with bone cement reinforcement in osteoporotic vertebral internal fixation was performed using the database PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, the Wanfang, and the China Biomedical Literature Service System. Two evaluators screened the relevant literature in strict accordance with the inclusion criteria (diagnosis of participants, type of clinical study, treatment with FPS and CPS, and outcome indicators) and exclusion criteria (duplicate literature and missing or incorrect data) and independently conducted data extraction and quality evaluation. Clinical control studies of direct comparison between FPS and CPS combined with bone cement reinforcement in patients who were definitively diagnosed with thoracolumbar fractures or spinal degenerative diseases were included. Quality evaluation was conducted using the Cochrane risk bias evaluation tool for randomized controlled studies and using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for retrospective case-control studies. RevMan software (version 5.3) was used for the meta-analysis to compare the clinical efficacy, radiological results, and related complications of the 2 methods. RESULTS: A total of 13 articles were included, including 7 randomized controlled studies and 6 retrospective case-control studies. There were 909 patients in these studies, 451 in the FPS and polymethyl methacrylate (FPS & PMMA) group and 458 in the CPS and polymethyl methacrylate (CPS & PMMA) group. The results of the meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in operation time, hospital stay, visual analogue score, Japanese orthopaedic association score, Oswestry disability index score, Cobb angle, vertebral body deformation index and fusion rate (p > 0.05). The mean difference of intraoperative bleeding volume was -10.45, (95% confidence intervals (CI) (-16.92, -3.98), p = 0.002), the mean difference of loss height of the anterior edge of the vertebral body after surgery was -0.69 (95% CI (-0.93, -0.44), p < 0.001), and the relative risk (RR) of overall complication rate was 0.43 (95% CI (0.27, 0.68), p < 0.001), including the RR of bone cement leakage rate was 0.57 (95% CI (0.39, 0.85), p = 0.005). The screw loosening rate (RR = 0.26, 95% CI (0.13, 0.54), p < 0.001) of the FPS group was significantly lower than that of the CPS group. CONCLUSION The existing clinical evidence shows that compared with the CPS combined with bone cement, the use of FPS repair in the internal fixation of an osteoporotic vertebral body can reduce the amount of intraoperative bleeding, be more conducive to maintaining the height of the vertebral body, and significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative complications such as bone cement leakage and screw loosening.
Humans ; Pedicle Screws ; Bone Cements ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation*

Adolescence is a critical period for the development of the reward circuit, and reward positivity (RewP) is one of the electrophysiological indicators reflecting reward processing. Many studies have shown that abnormalities in RewP is closely associated with internalizing and externalizing problems in children and adolescents. In addition, factors such as stressful life events and sleep disorders can affect reward-related brain activity and increase the risk of various psychopathological problems in this population. The article reviews the characteristics of changes in RewP among children and adolescents with various internalizing and externalizing problems in recent years, aiming to provide a reference for the basic research on the pathogenesis of these issues and to identify new targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Adolescent ; Child ; Humans ; Reward ; Psychology, Child ; Psychology, Adolescent

As representatives of the third generation of biomedical materials, hydrogels exhibit revolutionary potential in tissue engineering, precision drug delivery, and smart medical devices due to their ability to construct bionic microenvironments. However, the clinical translation of hydrogels is still limited by multidimensional challenges, including biocompatibility, scalable production, and regulatory complexity. This paper systematically reviews the design innovations, functionalization strategies, and translational bottlenecks of hydrogel materials, integrates the latest technological trends, such as 4D printing and AI-driven design, and proposes a collaborative optimization pathway encompassing materials, technology, clinical applications, and policy. By introducing local Chinese innovation cases and monitoring scientific advancements, this study offers solutions that possess both academic significance and practical guidance for the clinical translation of hydrogels.
Hydrogels ; Tissue Engineering ; Translational Research, Biomedical ; Biocompatible Materials ; Humans ; Drug Delivery Systems

Objective:To investigate interleukin-37 (IL-37) expression in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and to assess the regulation of exogenous IL-37 on CD8 + T cell function in DKD patients. Methods:A cross-section study was carried out. Twenty healthy controls, thirty-six patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM), and forty-seven DKD patients were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood was collected. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated. IL-37 and soluble IL-1 receptor 8 (IL-1R8) levels in the plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-18 receptor α chain (IL-18Rα), IL-1R8 and immune checkpoint molecules levels in CD8 + T cells were measured by flow cytometry. CD8 + T cells were purified, and were stimulated with recombinant IL-37. CD8 + T cells were co-cultured with HEK293 cells in either direct contact or indirect contact manner. Levels of perforin, granzyme B, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA. The proportion of target cell death was assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase level. Results:Plasma IL-37 levels in DKD patients [(63.42±23.30) ng/L] were significant lower than those in healthy controls [(143.02±50.67) ng/L] and T2DM patients [(87.88±40.62) ng/L] ( t=8.848, P<0.001; t=3.456, P<0.001). Plasma IL-37 level had good predictive values for T2DM in health individuals and for DKD in T2DM patients [the area under the curve was 0.797 (95% CI 0.676-0.917, P<0.001) and 0.691 (95% CI 0.576-0.807, P=0.003), respectively]. Plasma IL-37 level was negatively correlated with urea nitrogen ( r=-0.313, P=0.032) and creatinine ( r=-0.477, P<0.001), and positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ( r s=0.478, P<0.001) in DKD patients. IL-1R8 + CD8 + cell proportion in DKD patients (33.60%±9.47%) was significantly higher compared to healthy controls (16.29%±5.97%) and T2DM patients (17.13%±4.85%) ( t=7.545, 9.516, both P<0.001), but did not correlate with fast blood glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine, or eGFR (all P>0.05). There were no statistical differences of IL-18Rα + CD8 + cell proportion, soluble IL-1R8 level, or immune checkpoint molecule proportion in CD8 + T cells among healthy controls, T2DM patients, and DKD patients (all P>0.05). Perforin and granzyme B secretions by CD8 + T cells were significantly elevated in DKD patients compared with healthy controls [(108.78±12.42) ng/L vs. (94.60±10.07) ng/L, t=3.096, P=0.005; (261.34±48.79) ng/L vs. (166.28±30.80) ng/L, t=3.387, P=0.002] and T2DM patients [(108.78±12.42) ng/L vs. (92.58±14.71) ng/L, t=3.263, P=0.003; (261.34±48.79) ng/L vs. (170.66±39.24) ng/L, t=2.627, P=0.014]. There were no significant differences of either IFN-γ or TNF-α secretions by CD8 + T cells among healthy controls, T2DM patients, and DKD patients (all P>0.05). In direct contact co-culture manner, CD8 + T cell-induced HEK293 cell death was down- regulated (13.03%±4.97% vs. 17.88%±5.19%, t=2.235, P=0.037). The levels of perforin [(222.02±25.79) ng/L vs. (294.30±25.58) ng/L, t=6.603, P<0.001], granzyme B [(416.27±90.24) ng/L vs. (524.71±115.53) ng/L, t=2.454, P=0.023], IFN-γ [(23.66±4.20) ng/L vs. (35.18±8.51) ng/L, t=4.026, P<0.001] and TNF-α [(1.62±0.29) μg/L vs. (2.09±0.57) μg/L, t=2.302, P=0.034] were also reduced as well. In indirect contact co-culture manner, there were no significant differences of CD8 + T cell-induced HEK293 cell death, perforin, or granzyme B levels between no stimulation and IL-37 stimulation (all P>0.05). IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in the supernatants were reduced in response to IL-37 stimulation [(23.56±6.24) ng/L vs. (32.56±9.90) ng/L, t=2.550, P=0.019; (1.41±0.31) μg/L vs. (2.10±0.44) μg/L, t=4.011, P<0.001]. Conclusion:IL-37 level is reduced in DKD patients.Exogenous IL-37 suppresses the cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells in DKD patients.

Objective Through a multi-software visual analysis of the literature on the influence of T cells on rheumatoid arthritis(RA)in recent ten years,the research hotspot and frontier development in this field were summarized.Methods The Chinese and English literature on the influence of T cells on RA from 2012 to 2022 years was retrieved from CNKI and Web of Science database as the research object.CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to analyze the number of publications,authors and keywords.Results 519 articles in Chinese and 861 in English were retrieved.The results showed that the number of articles in Chinese increased slowly from 2020 to 2022 years,while the overall trend in English was stable.Keyword analysis shows that it is predicted that future research in this field will focus on the pathogenesis of T cells in RA,the mechanism of bone destruction in RA,disease activity,oxidative stress.Conclusion The influence of T cells on RA has attracted much attention in the past,present and future,and has great research value.However,due to the differences in research priorities at home and abroad,the teams should interact positively and communicate with each other to reveal the internal mechanism of RA and provide theoretical basis for targeted therapy.

Objective Bevacizumab has been clinically used in colorectal cancer,ovarian cancer,cervical cancer,non-small cell lung cancer and other tumor diseases.Common adverse reactions during bevacizumab treatment include albuminuria,thrombosis,bleeding,gastrointestinal perforation and hypertension,among which the incidence of hypertension is as high as 19％-47％.The occurrence of hypertension affects the quality of life of patients,hinds the normal development of tumor treatment,and even induces serious cardiovascular diseases and increases the risk of death,which requires clinical attention.In this paper,the mechanism,influencing factors,prognosis and related treatment of bevacizumab associated hypertension were reviewed,so as to provide reference for clinical rational drug use.

Aortic valve stenosis,as a common heart valve disease,progresses rapidly and has a poor clinical prognosis.In the case of combined acute heart failure,the pumping function of the heart is severely impaired,which may lead to a significant decrease in cardiac output,resulting in a state of shock.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)has become a first-line treatment for elderly patients with aortic valve stenosis since its first successful case in 2002.In China,with the advancement of technology and the strengthening of physician training,the capacity of grassroots hospitals in TAVR treatment is increasing.This case reports a patient with severe aortic valve stenosis accompanied by acute heart failure and shock status who received emergency TAVR treatment at a grassroots hospital.Due to limitations in conditions,TAVR was urgently implemented without extracorporeal circulation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.The patient's blood pressure immediately rose to 105/65 mmHg after valve dilation during surgery,and the postoperative symptoms were significantly relieved.Follow up color Doppler ultrasound showed that the stenosis was relieved and the heart function was significantly improved.The success of this surgery provides a reference for emergency TAVR treatment in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and heart failure in grassroots hospitals.

This study investigated the epidemiological and genotypic characteristics of group A rotavirus(RVA)in children under 5 years of age with diarrhea at a viral diarrhea surveillance sentinel hospital in Guangdong Province from 2021 to 2022,to provide a basis for RVA prevention and control.A total of 1 858 fecal samples from children under 5 years of age with diarrhea in 2021-2022 were collected.Rotavirus antigen was detected with ELISA,and positive samples were further sequenced and categorized.Among the 1 858 samples,156 were RVA positive.The positivity rates in boys and girls were 8.76％and 7.87％,respectively.Significant differences were observed in the detection rates of RVA infection among age groups.The rate of RVA infection increased gradually from December to April of the following year.In 2021,the main endemic strains of RVA in the Guangdong region were of the G9P[8]subtype,and the rare G8P[8]subtype increased in China.In 2022,the G8P[8]subtype surpassed the G9P[8]subtype for the first time.In cases of diarrhea in infants younger than 5 years in Guangdong Province from 2021 to 2022,the RVA genotypes were diverse,the G9P[8]genotype significantly decreased,and the G8P[8]subtype became a dominant genotype.Continuous RVA genotype monitoring remains necessary to assess the risk of RVA-related disea-ses.