Background Carbendazim (CBZ), a widely used benzimidazole fungicide, has raised increasing concerns regarding the health risks associated with its residues. However, the toxic effects and associated mechanisms of CBZ on the skeletal system have not been reported. Objective To elucidate the effects of carbendazim on osteogenic differentiation and its underlying mechanisms. Methods MC3T3-E1 mouse pre-osteoblastic cells were treated with 1, 10, and 100 μmol·L⁻¹ CBZ for 24 h to examine cell viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, bone nodule formation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. Transcriptomics was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in osteoblasts exposed to CBZ. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were employed to analyze the potential biological pathways of DEGs. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were used to validate changes in gene and protein expression. Results Exposure to 10 and 100 μmol·L⁻¹ CBZ significantly reduced osteoblast viability, ALP activity, bone nodule formation, and NOS activity, while increasing intracellular ROS levels. CBZ at 100 μmol·L⁻¹ concentration significantly elevated MDA level (P < 0.05). The transcriptomic analysis revealed that 1 μmol·L⁻¹ CBZ treatment resulted in 385 significantly DEGs. The KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that CBZ significantly affects hormone regulation pathways (including parathyroid hormone, growth hormone, dopamine, and oxytocin), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase G (cGMP-PKG) signaling pathways, focal adhesion and adherens junction, as well as the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and the mRNA surveillance (NMD) pathway. The results of GSEA showed that CBZ significantly inhibited the bile acid metabolism and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in osteoblasts. The validation results demonstrated that CBZ significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin, as well as the protein expression of Runx2 and Osterix in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conclusion CBZ exposure exhibits potential skeletal toxicity, and its mechanism is through promoting oxidative stress, interfering with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in osteogenic differentiation, thereby inhibiting the bone formation function of osteoblasts.

Objective To design and synthesize derivatives of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, and investigate their anti-hepatitis C virus （HCV） activity along with that of common triterpenoid acids. To explore the structure-activity relationship and provide a reference for the research of anti-HCV drugs derived from natural products through obtaining compounds with higher activity. Methods Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were directly reacted with corresponding amines using PyBOP as a condensing agent in the presence of DIEA. Alternatively, the target compounds were prepared through PCC oxidation followed by the Baeyer-Villiger reaction catalyzed by m-CPBA. In vitro anti-HCV activity was tested using the HCVcc infection model. Molecular docking was performed by Autodock software to investigate the interaction between the active compounds and HCV NS5B. Results Oleanolic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, ursolic acid, and asiatic acid all exhibited certain anti-HCV effects. Specifically, oleanolic acid derivatives OA2-OA4, OA6, and OA7, as well as ursolic acid derivatives UA1 and UA2, demonstrated superior anti-HCV activity compared to their parent compounds. Preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis revealed that introducing a bulky group to 28-COOH of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid enhanced their activity. Molecular docking results demonstrated that the active compounds could stably bind to HCV NS5B, thereby exhibiting antiviral activity. Conclusion Pentacyclic triterpenoids possessed anti-HCV effects, and their derivatives coud be synthesized to obtain more active compounds. The anti-HCV mechanism of these compounds may be associated with their inhibition of NS5B.

Objective To analyze the proteomic differences between mouse secondary oocytes,also known as metaphase Ⅱ oocytes(M Ⅱ),and the first polar bodies(PB1)using high-resolution single-cell proteomics,to identify key proteins regulating embryonic development,and to provide a molecular basis for optimizing in vitro oocyte maturation systems.Methods Paired samples of M Ⅱ(n=5)and PB1(n=5)were analyzed using high-resolution single-cell mass spectrometry(timsTOF HT).Quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics approaches were employed to conduct differential protein screening and functional enrichment.Results Using the timsTOF HT platform,we achieved the detection of over 3 000 proteins per single cell and identified 277 proteins specifically enriched in M Ⅱ.Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)revealed that these M Ⅱ-specific proteins were significantly enriched in gene regulation and DNA damage repair pathways associated with mitochondrial energy metabolism.Cross-species GSEA comparison between human and mouse homologs demonstrated elevated expression of heat shock proteins,including Hsp90b1,Hspa5,etc.,in the mTORC1 pathway in M Ⅱ(P＜0.05).In addition,key factors regulating cumulus complex development,such as Calr,Aldoa,etc.,were significantly upregulated.Conclusion M Ⅱ strategically retains proteins essential for embryonic development through asymmetric division.The timsTOF HT platform demonstrated superior sensitivity in analyzing and identifying these proteins.According to the protein analysis results,the distribution of mTORC1 pathway proteins indicates that they play a key role in embryonic metabolism regulation.In particular,heat shock proteins facilitate protein folding and maintain endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis,thereby ensuring oocyte maturation and the embryonic developmental potential.

Objective To analyze the incidence,colonization pathways,and predictive factors of bacterial colonization of epidural analgesia catheters in patients with chronic pain.Methods A total of 150 patients with chronic pain who underwent continuous epidural catheterization(catheter in-dwelling time of 7 to 10 days)were selected as study subjects.Samples from three sites were collect-ed for bacterial culture.Clinical data of the patients were collected,and the positive rate of bacterial culture,characteristics of bacterial species distribution,and bacterial colonization pathways were ana-lyzed.The efficacy of predictive factors was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The positive rates of bacterial culture in samples from the skin swabbing fluid around the puncture site,the subcutaneous segment of the catheter,and the catheter tip were 22.0％,7.3％,and 8.7％,respectively.Staphylococcus epidermidis was the predominant colonizing bacterial species.Spearman correlation coefficient analysis showed a significant correlation between the results of bacterial culture from the skin around the puncture site and catheter tip colonization(r=0.47,P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve of bacterial culture results from the skin around the puncture site in predicting catheter tip bacterial colonization was 0.843,with a sensitivity of 84.9％and a specificity of 84.6％.Conclusion Bacterial migra-tion along the catheter is the main pathway for catheter tip bacterial colonization,and the results of bacterial culture from the skin around the puncture site are an effective predictive factor for the risk of bacterial colonization.

ObjectiveTo explore the role of flurochloridone (FLC) on osteogenic differentiation and the potential mechanism of inhibiting bone formation, and to provide new insights into bone health risks associated with FLC pesticide exposure. MethodsNeonatal rat skull differentiation primary osteoblast model was used to investigate the effects of 1, 10 and 100 μmol·L^-1 FLC exposure on cell viability, osteogenic differentiation alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and bone mineralization nodule formation, respectively. The potential mechanism underlying the inhibition of FLC on osteoblast differentiation was analyzed using osteogenic differentiation gene chip technique, and the expression of key genes and proteins in the pathway was validated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and protein immunoblotting (Western blot) methods. ResultsExposure to FLC at a concentration of 100 μmol·L⁻¹ reduced cell proliferation, ALP activity, and the formation of mineralized nodules in primary osteoblasts. Gene chip analyses revealed that exposure to 10 μmol·L⁻¹ FLC induced 15 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, MMP9 and Tnf were up-regulated, while Nkx3⁃2, Tuft1, Bmp2, Col12a1, Pparg, Enam, Igf1, Bmp5, Bmp3, Calcr, Egf, Igfbp3, and Col14a1 were down-regulated. Results of protein-protein interaction analyses and gene ontology enrichment analyses indicated that FLC inhibited the BMP/SMAD pathway involved in osteogenic differentiation. FLC suppressed the protein expression of BMP2 and Osterix, as well as the expression of key genes critical for osteogenic differentiation and ossification, such as BMP2, Runx2, SMAD1, and SMAD5 in the BMP/SMAD pathway. ConclusionFLC affects osteogenic differentiation and bone formation potential by regulating the BMP/SMAD axis and the expression of osteogenic genes, suggesting its potential risk in bone metabolism.

Objective To investigate the relationship between interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and miR-185-5p in the process of joint injury in acute gouty arthritis (AGA). Methods The serum miR-185-5p levels of 89 AGA patients and 91 healthy volunteers were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The correlation between miR-185-5p expression level and VAS score or IL-1β expression level was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-185-5p in AGA. THP-1 cells were induced by sodium urate (MSU) to construct an in vitro acute gouty inflammatory cell model. After the expression level of miR-185-5p in THP-1 cells was upregulated or downregulated by transfection of miR-185-5p mimics or inhibitors in vitro, inflammatory cytokines of THP-1 cells, such as IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), were detected by ELISA. The luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the interaction between miR-185-5p and the 3'-UTR of IL-1β. Results Compared with the healthy control group, the expression level of serum miR-185-5p in AGA patients was significantly reduced. The level of serum miR-185-5p was negatively correlated with VAS score and IL-1β expression level. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.905, the sensitivity was 80.17% and the specificity was 83.52%. Down-regulation of miR-185-5p significantly promoted the expression of IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), while overexpression of miR-185-5p showed the opposite results. Luciferase reporter gene assay showed that IL-1β was the target gene of miR-185-5p, and miR-185-5p negatively regulated the expression of IL-1β. Conclusion miR-185-5p alleviates the inflammatory response in AGA by inhibiting IL-1β.
Humans ; 3' Untranslated Regions ; Arthritis, Gouty/genetics* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; Interleukin-8 ; Luciferases ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

ObjectiveTo improve the response capabilities to disasters and prevent major epidemics， it is of practical use to study the capability evaluation system of the national emergency medical rescue team that combines theoretical training and practical exercises， to enhance the overall quality of the teams. MethodsFirst， a capability assessment system for the national emergency medical rescue team was constructed based on the INSARAG External Classification （IEC） standards of the national emergency medical rescue team. Then， based on the outcome based education （OBE） concept， we conducted innovative research on the curriculum design and exercise programs for team building and member training. Finally， an empirical analysis was conducted on the effectiveness of the evaluation system and training exercises based on the statistical analysis of the comprehensive quality evaluation of the Shanghai national emergency medical rescue team from 2020 to 2023， as well as the empirical analysis of the rescue exercise on the Cruise of spectrum. ResultsBased on the linear regression analysis of each core competency indicators， the five core competencies in the evaluation system， including rescue skills， medical and health knowledge， disaster coping ability， team cooperation ability， and mental resilience training， were positively correlated with the cumulative number of trainings （r=0.71， r=0.76， r=0.81， r=0.84， r=0.96，all P<0.05）， indicating that the training was effective and the course design was reasonable. Empirical cases showed that the three-dimensional rescue drill model had remarkable results in the actual combat application and ability improvement of team members. ConclusionThe training courses and drills designed based on the three-level assessment system are effective in improving the comprehensive capabilities of the national emergency medical rescue team.

Objective By using the computational fluid mechanic(CFD)method the tandem carotid artery stenosis(TCAS)was simulated on the model,and to compare the postoperative hemodynamic changes of different surgical procedures.Methods One patient with tandem stenosis of internal carotid artery(ICA)and common carotid artery(CCA)was selected.CFD technique was used to establish four three-dimensional(3-D)models of the carotid bifurcations,including one model of a real patient and three models of presumptive surgery.The hemodynamic analysis was performed with these models so as to explore the development mechanism of TCAS and to discuss the selection of suitable surgical plan.Results In tandem stenosis,the stenosis was preferentially formed in CCA and subsequently led to ICA stenosis.The local hemodynamic situation in TCAS was more complex and more risky than in single carotid artery stenosis.In tandem stenosis,the treatment of one stenosis site would affect the blood flow at the next stenosis site and cause restenosis or plaque rupture.Conclusion In treating patients with TCAS,CFD simulation examination should be performed when the surgical plan is formulated,which can help clinicians to predict the postoperative changes in blood flow and to choose the appropriate surgical plan.