ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans on schizophrenia induced by dizocilpine maleate （MK-801） in mice and to clarify its mechanism. MethodsMale mice of 4-6 weeks old were randomized into blank， model， positive drug， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （40， 80， 160 mg·kg^-1， respectively） Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans groups. The blank group was administrated with distilled water， and the other groups were injected with 0.5 mg·kg^-1 MK-801 to induce schizophrenia symptoms. Meanwhile， risperidone was injected at 0.2 mg·kg^-1 in the positive drug group， and mice in the intervention groups were injected with corresponding drugs for 14 consecutive days. The behavioral changes of mice were observed by autonomous activity test， open field test， forced swimming test， and water maze test. The levels of dopamine （DA） and 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） in the brain and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） in peripheral blood were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The changes in the prefrontal lobe of mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining， and the changes of the hippocampal tissue were observed by Nissl staining. The protein levels of silencing information regulatory factor 1 （SIRT1） and forkhead box protein O3a （FoxO3a） in the hippocampus of mice were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， low， medium， and high doses of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans reduced the total number of autonomous activities， total distance in the open field test， immobile time in the forced swimming test， and levels of TNF-α and NF-κB in peripheral blood （P<0.05）， while increasing the number of platform crossings in the water maze test and DA and 5-HT levels in the brain tissue （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， risperidone and low， medium， and high doses of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans improve the neural cell morphology in the CA1 region， with full cells in neatly dense arrangement and exhibiting clear membrane boundary. Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans inhibited the expression of SIRT 1 and FoxO3a in the hippocampus （P<0.05）. ConclusionTo sum up， Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans may improve the behavior of schizophrenic mice by activating the SIRT1/FoxO3a signaling pathway to exert neuroprotective effects.

Objective: To investigate the association between body weight standardized vitamin B intakes and blood pressure among school aged children, so as to provide evidence for developing dietary guidance and intervention strategies of promoting healthy blood pressure in children. Methods: The data were derived from a pediatric health cohort established in both urban and rural areas of Chongqing. A total of 1 368 primary school students in grades one to three were recruited for the baseline survey between October and November 2014 by using a stratified cluster random sampling design. From February to March 2019, 1 283 participants completed the first follow up assessment. Dietary intake and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and a self administered questionnaire. Blood pressure, height, weight, and other anthropometric indicators were measured. Body weight standardized intakes of six B vitamins(B 1, B 2, B 3, B 6, B 9, and B 12 )were categorized into tertiles( T1-T 3). Linear mixed effects models were applied to examine the associations between body weight standardized vitamin B intakes and changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP). In addition, mixed effects Logistic regression models were used to assess the risk of elevated blood pressure. Results: Linear mixed effects model regression analyses showed that, after adjusting for potential confounders including age, sex, and family history of obesity, body weight standardized B vitamin intake was negatively associated with SBP, DBP, and MAP in school aged children ( β =-7.79 to -0.68, all P <0.05). Results from the mixed effects Logistic regression models showed that, compared with the T 1 group, children in the T 3 group had a lower risk of elevated blood pressure for vitamin B 1 ( OR=0.40, 95%CI =0.25-0.64), B 2 ( OR=0.36, 95%CI =0.23-0.58), B 3 ( OR=0.47, 95%CI =0.31-0.72, B 6 ( OR=0.37, 95%CI =0.22-0.60), B 9 ( OR=0.36, 95%CI =0.21-0.60), and B 12 ( OR= 0.56 , 95%CI =0.37-0.86)(all P <0.05). Conclusions Body weight standardized B vitamins were associated with changes in blood pressure levels and the risk of elevated blood pressure among school aged children. Ensuring sufficient dietary intakes of vitamin B may help prevent and control of abnormal blood pressure in children.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of liver-targeted fibroblast growth factor 21 （FGF21） overexpression against CCl₄-induced acute liver injury （ALI） and its association with silent information regulator 1/glutathione peroxidase 4 （SIRT1/GPX4） expression and ferroptosis-related markers. MethodsFemale ICR mice （8 weeks old） were randomly divided into Control， CCl₄， adeno-associated virus （AAV）-FGF21， and AAV-FGF21 + CCl₄ groups. Liver-targeted FGF21 overexpression was achieved via tail vein injection of AAV8-FGF21 virus with green fluorescent protein （GFP） labeling. ALI was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ （0.3 mL/kg）， with sample collection at 12 hours. Body weight and liver weight were recorded to calculate the liver weight/body weight. Alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） levels were measured using a biochemical analyzer. FGF21 expression in liver tissues was detected by immunofluorescence. Hepatic histopathology was evaluated by HE staining. RT-qPCR was performed to assess mRNA expression of ferroptosis and iron metabolism-related genes （ACSL4， PTGS2， HJV， FPN， GPX4）， FGF21， and SIRT1. Protein expression of FGF21， SIRT1， and GPX4 were determined by Western blot. Iron content， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity in liver homogenate were quantified using assay kits. ResultsCompared with the Control group， the FGF21 mRNA and protein expression elevated in CCl₄ group； serum ALT/AST levels and liver weight/body weigh increased. The HE staining results showed that the liver cell membranes were ruptured. The mRNA levels of ACSL4 and PTGS2， the iron content and MDA levels all increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA levels of SIRT1， GPX4， HJV， and FPN， the GSH level and SOD activity all decreased （P<0.05）， and the protein levels of SIRT1 and GPX4 both decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the CCl₄ group， the serum levels of ALT and AST in the AAV-FGF21 + CCl4 group were decreased （P<0.01）， and the liver/body ratio of mice decreased （P<0.01）. The results of HE staining showed that the degree of liver injury was alleviated. The mRNA levels of ACSL4 and PTGS2， iron content and MDA level all decreased （P<0.01）， while the mRNA levels of SIRT1， GPX4， HJV， FPN， GSH level and SOD activity all increased （P<0.05）. The protein levels of SIRT1 and GPX4 both increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionFGF21 overexpression is associated with enhanced SIRT1/GPX4 expression and suppression of ferroptosis features， thereby contributing to the alleviation of CCl₄-induced ALI.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode human infections in Hubei Province from 2016 to 2023, so as to provide insights into formulation of soil-transmitted nematodiasis control strategies and evaluation of soil-transmitted nematodiasis control effectiveness. Methods There were 10 surveillance points established in Hubei Province for soil-transmitted nematodiasis each year from 2016 to 2023. The surveillance points were divided into eastern, western, southern, northern and central regions according to geographical locations, and one administrative village was sampled from a township in each region as a surveillance point. Then, at least 200 permanent residents at ages of over 3 years were randomly sampled at each point, with at least 1 000 individuals sampled. Soil-transmitted nematode infection was detected using a modified Kato-Katz thick smear method (two slides for one stool sample), and Enterobius vermicularis infection was additionally detected with a cellophane tape test among children at ages of 3 to 9 years. The prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode human infections was descriptively analyzed. Results A total of 80 547 individuals underwent surveillance for soil-transmitted nematodiasis in Hubei Province from 2016 to 2023, and a total of 262 individuals were detected with soil-transmitted nematode infections, including two cases with mixed infections, yielding an overall prevalence rate of 0.33% (262/80 547). The prevalence rates of hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and E. vermicularis infections were 0.02% (20/80 547), 0.07% (55/80 547), 0.02% (15/80 547) and 0.22% (174/80 547), respectively, appearing a parasite species-specific prevalence rate (χ² = 250.235, P < 0.05), and the prevalence rates of soil-transmitted nematode infections were 0.50%(51/10271),0.37%(34/9120),0.39%(39/10099),0.40%(41/10168), 0.36% (37/10 234), 0.45% (46/10 211), 0.03% (3/10 238) and 0.11% (11/10 206) in Hubei Province from 2016 to 2023, respectively, showing a year-specific prevalence rate (χ² = 60.589, P < 0.05). Soil-transmitted nematode infections were detected across 36 surveillance points, and there was a significant difference in the prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections among surveillance points (0.02% to 3.30%, P < 0.001). In addition, the differences in prevalence rates of human soil-transmitted nematode infection among different age groups (χ² = 531.091, P < 0.05), occupations (P < 0.001), and education levels (P < 0.001) were all statistically significant. Among these, the children at ages of 3 to 9 years old (1.40%, 174/12 461), nursery-school children (1.69%, 90/5 312) and preschool-aged children (1.56%, 93/5 969) were relatively high. Conclusions The overall prevalence of soil-transmitted nematodiasis was low in Hubei Province from 2016 to 2023; however, the prevalence varied across regions and among populations, with E. vermicularis as the predominant species of soil-transmitted nematode. Soil-transmitted nematodiasis control should be given a high priority in key areas in Hubei Province, and preschool children, primary school students, and individuals with a low educational level are recommended as key target populations for health education and interventions.

ObjectiveTo explore the ameliorative effect of the endoplasmic reticulum stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid （4-PBA） on bile acid metabolism disorders induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide （LPS） in late-pregnant mice， and to clarify the regulatory mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS） in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy （ICP）. MethodsTwenty-four pregnant mice were divided into control group， LPS group， 4-PBA group， and LPS+4-PBA group. On the 16th day of pregnancy， the LPS group received intraperitoneal injection of LPS （200 μg/kg） and the 4-PBA group received injection of 4-PBA （150 mg/kg）. In the LPS+4-PBA group， 4-PBA was intraperitoneally injected first， followed by LPS administration 1 h later. Serum total bile acid （TBA）， liver injury markers， bile acid profiles， and the expression of key genes and proteins were detected 6 h after LPS treatment. ResultsLPS exposure increased serum TBA levels in pregnant mice（P<0.05）， activated ERS markers and inflammatory factors， and downregulated bile acid transporters and the expression of the rate limiting enzyme CYP7A1（all P<0.05）. 4-PBA intervention effectively inhibited ERS， reduced TBA levels（P<0.05）， and upregulated Ntcp， Bsep， Mdr3， and Mrp3 gene expression（all P<0.05）. ConclusionERS plays an important role in LPS interference with the homeostasis of bile acid metabolism during pregnancy. Inhibiting ERS can improve bile stasis by regulating bile acid transporters， providing a theoretical basis for targeted therapy of ICP.

Objective To systematically evaluate the radiation impact of radioactive sources used in online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises on the surrounding environment, and to provide a scientific basis for radiation monitoring and safety management at the application sites of this type of radioactive sources. Methods A statistical analysis was conducted on 15 cement enterprises in Guangxi Province using online elemental analyzers with ²⁵²Cf as the radioactive source. On-site investigation of radiation safety management and on-site monitoring of radiation environment were performed, followed by an evaluation based on the collected data. Results Although the gamma radiation ambient dose equivalent rate and neutron ambient dose equivalent rate increased around the sites using online elemental analyzers with ²⁵²Cf as the radioactive source, they all met the requirements of the Radiological Health Protection Requirements for Instruments with Sealed Sources (GBZ 125—2009). Conclusion Under the current usage and management conditions, the application of this type of radioactive sources has controllable radiation impact on the surrounding environment, and will not pose a threat to public health and environmental safety. However, continuous strengthening of radiation safety management measures and regular radiation monitoring work are still needed to ensure the safe use of radioactive sources, further reducing potential radiation risks and providing strong guarantees for the safe application of radioactive sources in online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises.

Post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a rare condition characterized by the rapid onset of extreme fatigue, flu-like symptoms, difficulty concentrating, depression, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, itchy eyes, and other physical and psychological discomforts following ejaculation. This report presents the outcomes of two patients with POIS who underwent a two-year course of autologous seminal plasma subcutaneous cluster immunotherapy. Treatment efficacy was assessed using methods such as the symptom Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Union Physio-Psycho-Social Assessment Questionnaire (UPPSAQ)-70, and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). The results suggest that autologous seminal plasma subcutaneous cluster immunother-apy may be a safe and effective therapeutic approach for POIS.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the influential factors of drug-induced cholestatic liver disease （DIC） related to tigecycline （TGC）， and establish a prediction model for the risk of this adverse reaction. METHODS Data of 707 hospitalized patients who received TGC treatment in our hospital from August 2022 to August 2024 were collected and randomly divided into training set （n＝566） and test set （n＝141） at a ratio of 8∶2. Prediction variables were screened using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent risk factors for TGC-related DIC， and a nomogram prediction model was drawn based on the above factors. The prediction performance of the model was evaluated by the receiver operator characteristic curve （ROC curve） and its area under the curve （AUC）. The accuracy of the model was assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test and calibration curves. The clinical net benefit of the prediction model were evaluated by decision curve analysis. RESULTS Among the 707 patients， 93 patients developed DIC， with an incidence rate of 13.15%. Gender， age， high-dose administration of TGC， intensive care unit （ICU） admission， duration of medication of TGC， and concurrent use of antifungal drug voriconazole were independent risk factors for the occurrence of TGC-related DIC （P＜0.05）. The AUC of the training set model was 0.745 （95%CI： 0.687-0.801）， with a sensitivity of 76.6% and a specificity of 60.3%. The AUC of ROC curve of the test set model was 0.762 （95%CI： 0.650-0.900）， with a sensitivity of 81.3% and a specificity of 72.0%. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test for the training set， the χ 2 value was 5.187 and P was 0.737； and for the test set， the χ 2 value was 9.980 and P was 0.266. The mean absolute error of the calibration curve for the training set was 0.012， and for the test set， it was 0.038. The risk threshold range for the training set was 4%-45%， and for the test set， it was 4%-28%. CONCLUSIONS Age， gender， high-dose administration of TGC， ICU admission， duration of medication of TGC， and concurrent use of antifungal drug voriconazole are independent risk factors for TGC-related DIC. The established TGC-related DIC risk prediction model has good prediction performance and accuracy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of lung zinc ions to pathogenesis of lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, lung I/R group (I/R group), lung I/R + low-dose zinc chloride group (LZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + high-dose ZnCl₂ group (HZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + medium-dose ZnCl₂ group (MZnCl₂+I/R group) and TPEN+MZnCl₂+I/R group (n = 8 in each group). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the concentration of zinc ions in lung tissue. The degree of lung tissue injury was analyzed by observing HE staining, alveolar damage index, lung wet/dry weight ratio and lung tissue gross changes. TUNEL staining was used to detect cellular apoptosis in lung tissue. Western blot and RT-qPCR were used to determine the protein expression levels of caspase-3 and ZIP8, as well as the mRNA expression levels of zinc transporters (ZIP, ZNT) in lung tissue. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of lung tissue was detected by JC-1 MMP detection kit. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the lung tissue damage, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index were significantly increased in the I/R group. And in the lung tissue, the concentration of Zn²⁺ was markedly decreased, while the cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio and apoptotic levels were significantly increased. The expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein were down-regulated significantly, while the mRNA expression of other zinc transporters remained unchanged. There was also a significant decrease in MMP. Compared with the I/R group, both MZnCl₂+I/R group and HZnCl₂+I/R group exhibited significantly reduced lung tissue injury, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index, increased Zn²⁺ concentration, decreased ratio of cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 and apoptosis, and up-regulated expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein. In addition, the MMP was significantly increased in the lung tissue. Zn²⁺ chelating agent TPEN reversed the above-mentioned protective effects of medium-dose ZnCl₂ on the lung tissue in the I/R group. The aforementioned results suggest that exogenous administration of ZnCl₂ can improve lung I/R injury in rats.
Animals ; Reperfusion Injury/pathology* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Chlorides/administration & dosage* ; Lung/pathology* ; Zinc Compounds/administration & dosage* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism*

The main active compound, 3,4-dihydroxyacetophenone(3,4-DHAP), in the leaves of Ilex pubescens var. glaber, exhibits various pharmacological activities, including vasodilation and heart protection. Currently, natural extraction and chemical synthesis are the primary methods for obtaining 3,4-DHAP, but both approaches have inherent challenges. To address these problems, this study explored the whole-cell bioconversion of 1-(4-hydroxyphenol)-ethanol to 3,4-DHAP using recombinant Escherichia coli, cultivated in a green, cost-effective medium at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Firstly, this study successfully constructed recombinant E. coli S1, which contained only the HpaBC gene, and recombinant E. coli S3, which contained both the Hped and HpaBC genes. The ability of S1 and S3 to synthesize 3,4-DHAP from their respective substrates was then evaluated through whole-cell bioconversion. Based on these results, the effects of four factors, i.e., substrate concentration, IPTG concentration, induction temperature, and transformation temperature, on the whole-cell bioconversion yield of S3 were investigated using an orthogonal experiment. The results showed that the factors influenced the yield in the following order: transformation temperature > induction temperature > IPTG concentration > substrate concentration. The optimal conditions were found to be a transformation temperature of 35 ℃, IPTG concentration of 0.1 mmol·L~(-1), induction temperature of 25 ℃, and substrate concentration of 10 mmol·L~(-1). Finally, the effect of transformation time on the yield of 3,4-DHAP was further examined under the optimal conditions. The results indicated that as the transformation time increased, the yield of 3,4-DHAP steadily increased. The highest yield of 260 mg·L~(-1) with a productivity of 17% was achieved after 72 hours of transformation. In conclusion, this study successfully achieved the whole-cell bioconversion of 1-(4-hydroxyphenol)-ethanol to 3,4-DHAP using recombinant E. coli for the first time, laying the groundwork for further optimization and development of the biosynthesis of 3,4-DHAP.
Escherichia coli/genetics* ; Acetophenones/chemistry* ; Ethanol/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Biotransformation