Environmental pollution is a significant public health challenge worldwide, and investigating the causal relationship between environmental exposure and population health outcomes is a key objective of environmental epidemiology research. In recent years, the complexity of environmental exposures has increasingly come to the forefront, making it challenging for observational studies that dominate environmental epidemiology to accurately estimate causal effects. Causal inference methods are particularly advantageous in controlling for confounding factors, thus holding great potential in environmental epidemiology research. Researchers can use appropriate causal inference methods to simulate the process of randomization, providing strong support for revealing the causal relationship between environmental exposure and health outcomes. However, there is a lack of reviews on the application of causal inference methods in environmental epidemiology studies in China. Therefore, this study introduced the basic principles of common causal inference statistical methods in environmental epidemiology, summarized the applicable conditions, advantages and disadvantages of various methods, and provided R software implementation codes for these methods, aiming to offer guidance for optimizing research design and practicing causal inference statistical methods.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder among the elderly, and BuChE has emerged as a potential therapeutic target. In this study, we reported the development of compound 8e, a selective reversible BuChE inhibitor (eqBuChE IC₅₀ = 0.049 μmol/L, huBuChE IC₅₀ = 0.066 μmol/L), identified through extensive virtual screening and lead optimization. Compound 8e demonstrated favorable blood-brain barrier permeability, good drug-likeness property and pronounced neuroprotective efficacy. Additionally, 8e exhibited significant therapeutic effects in zebrafish AD models and scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in mice. Further, 8e significantly improved cognitive function in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Proteomics analysis demonstrated that 8e markedly elevated the expression levels of very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), offering valuable insights into its potential modulation of the Reelin-mediated signaling pathway. Thus, compound 8e emerges as a novel and potent BuChE inhibitor for the treatment of AD, with significant implications for further exploration into its mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications.

Various therapeuti modailities have been engineered for lung cancer treatment, but their clinic application is severely impeded by the poor therapy efficiency and immunosuppressive microenvironment. Herein, we fabricated a library of small molecule redox-labile nanoparticles (NPs) (i.e., diPTX-2C NPs, diPTX-2S NPs, and diPTX-2Se NPs) by the self-assembly of dimer paclitaxel (PTX) prodrug, and then utilized these NPs with the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Qi-Yu-San-Long-Fang (Q) for effective chemoimmunotherapy on Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-bearing mice models. Under the high concentration of glutathione (GSH) and H₂O₂, diPTX-2Se NPs could specifically release PTX in cancer cells and exert a higher selectivity and toxicity than normal cells. In LLC tumor-bearing mice, oral administration of Q not only effectively downregulated programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression, but also remodeled the immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment via the increase of CD4⁺ T and CD8⁺ T cell proportion and the repolarization of M2 into M1 macrophages in tumor tissues, collectively achieving superior synergistic treatment outcomes in combination with intravenous PTX prodrug NPs. Besides, we found that the combination regimen also demonstrated excellent chemoimmunotherapeutic performances on low-dose small established tumor and high-dose large established tumor models. This study may shed light on the potent utilization of Chinese and Western-integrative strategy for efficient tumor chemoimmunotherapy.

Objective To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of schisandrin A(SA)on hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)-induced oxidative stress injury in renal tubular epithelial cells(HK-2).Methods HK-2 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into five groups:blank control group,model control group(treated with 600 μmol·L-1 H2O2 for 2 h),low-dose SA group(0.125 μmol·L-1 SA,24 h pretreatment+H2O2),medium-dose SA group(0.5 μmol·L-1 SA,24 h pretreatment+H2 O2),high-dose SA group(0.75 μmol·L-1 SA,24 h pretreatment+H2O2).The cell survival was assessed by CCK-8 assay;apoptosis level was tested by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining;cell cycle distribution was detected by propidium iodide staining;oxidative markers(ROS,SOD,MDA,GSH,LDH)was determined with commercial kits;and apoptosis-related proteins(Bax,Bcl-2,Caspase-3,Cytochrome C)was evaluated by Western blot.Results Compared with the blank control,the model group reduced in cell viability and increased in apoptosis(P＜0.01),elevated in the ratio of G0/G1-phase cells and decreased in S-phase cells(P＜0.05),decreased in SOD activity and GSH content(P＜0.01),and increased in the levels of ROS,LDH,and MDA levels(P＜0.01).In all SA dose,cell apoptosis reduced(P＜0.01).In medium/high dose groups,the G0/G1-phase arrest reduced(P＜0.05).In high dose group,the S-phase cells ratio increased(P＜0.05).And in medium/high dose groups,ROS(P＜0.01)decreased in a dose-dependent manner.The SOD activity increased non-significantly in all SA groups.In SA medium/high dose groups,the LDH activity decreased in a dose-dependent manner.In all SA groups,GSH increased(P＜0.01)and MDA decreased,both in a dose-dependent manner.The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio significantly decreased(P＜0.05)in all SA groups.The caspase-3 activity decreased in medium/high dose group(P＜0.05);and Cytochrome C reduced in all SA groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion SA protects HK-2 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative injury by modulating oxidative stress,inhibiting apoptosis,and ameliorating cell cycle arrest.

The aim of this study is to establish a rapid,efficient,and sensitive method for detecting the infectious laryngotracheitis virus(ILTV).The DNA of ILTV was extracted and used as a tem-plate to develop a recombinant enzyme-mediated isothermal amplification(RAA)fluorescence de-tection method for ILTV through optimization of conditions,sensitivity analysis,and repeatability assessment.Additionally,the nucleic acids of avian influenza virus(AIV),IBV,and Newcastle dis-ease virus(NDV)were detected to verify the specificity of this method.Finally,this method was applied to analyze 59 clinical samples collected from multiple large-scale chicken farms in Hebei Province,and the results were compared with those obtained from real-time fluorescence quantifi-cation(qPCR)and PCR methods according to national standards.The results showed that the RAA detection method established in this study had a reaction system of 25.0 μL buffer,2.1 μL primer,0.6 μL probe,5.0 μL magnesium acetate,and 5.0 μL template.The reaction temperature was 39 ℃ and the amplification time was within 20 minutes.The sensitivity of this method was 101 copies/μL,and the specificity detection was 100％.Testing of 59 clinical samples showed that 17 were detected positive by both RAA fluorescence and qPCR,and 12 were detected by PCR,and the detection rate of RAA(fluorescence)was consistent with real-time fluorescence quantification and qPCR,which was higher than that of the PCR assay.The research results indicate that the RAA fluorescence method has a short detection time,good specificity and sensitivity,and can be used for rapid detection of ILTV.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Luzhongjiangu Decoction in treating Osteonecrosis of the femoral head(ONFH).Methods Animal experiments were conducted to validate the therapeutic effect of Luzhongjiangu Decoction on ONFH.Network pharmacology was employed to screen potential targets,and molecular docking was used to verify the affinity between ligands and receptors.Fifty rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,high-dose Luzhongjiangu Decoction groups,medium-dose Luzhongjiangu Decoction groups and low-dose Luzhongjiangu Decoction groups.After treatment,the therapeutic effect was evaluated by bone histomorphometry,bone histopathology and the expression of osteogenic related proteins.The serum metabolic differences were detected by UHPLC-QE-MS non-targeted metabonomics technique,followed by metabolic pathway enrichment analysis.Network pharmacology and metabolomics were integrated,and molecular docking was employed to further investigate the underlying mechanisms..Results The experimental results showed that Luzhongjiangu Decoction can significantly increase the expression of OCN,OPN and other osteogenic related factors,increase bone mineral density,alleviate the destruction of bone trabeculae,compared with that in the model group(P<0.01).The metabolomics test showed that compared with model group,Luzhongjiangu Decoction could callback 34 kinds of serum metabolic differences,involving 21 metabolic pathways,the main metabolic pathways were arachidonic acid metabolism,steroid hormone biosynthesis,primary bile acid biosynthesis,lysine degradation and so on.Network pharmacological results suggested that 185 active components and 1040 targets,551 disease targets and 76 intersection targets were obtained.The key pathways of Luzhongjiangu Decoction in the treatment of ONFH,which were analyzed by KEGG,involved HIF-1 signaling pathway,thyroid hormone signaling pathway,Calcium signaling pathway and so on.Integrated analysis showed that Luzhongjiangu Decoction may treat ONFH through seven metabolic pathways including arginine and proline metabolism,arachidonic acid metabolism,and steroid hormone biosynthesis;the molecular docking results also revealed correlation between potential pharmacodynamic substances and core target genes.Conclusion Luzhongjiangu Decoction can regulate the balance between proliferation and apoptosis of bone cells in a hypoxic environment by affecting the metabolic pathways such as arachidonic acid metabolism and HIF-1 signaling pathway,thereby exerting a therapeutic effect on osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Objective: To analyze the change trends in the body shape indicators and proportions of students in Harbin from 2010 to 2024, and to investigate ergonomic compatibility of functional dimensions of school desks and chairs with current student shape indicators, so as to provide a reference for revising furniture standards of desks and chairs. Methods: Between September and November of both 2010 and 2024, a combination of convenience sampling and stratified cluster random sampling was conducted across three districts in Harbin, yielding samples of 6 590 and 6 252 students, respectively. Anthropometric shape indicators cluding height, sitting height, crus length, and thigh length-and their proportional changes were compared over the 15-year period. The 2024 data were compared with current standard functional dimensions of school furniture. The statistical analysis incorporated t-test and Mann-Whitney U- test. Results: From 2010 to 2024, average height increased by 1.8 cm for boys and 1.5 cm for girls; sitting height increased by 1.5 cm for both genders; crus length increased by 0.3 cm for boys and 0.4 cm for girls; and thigh length increased by 0.5 cm for both genders. The ratios of sitting height to height, and sitting height to leg length increased by less than 0.1 . The difference between desk chair height and 1/3 sitting height ranged from 0.4-0.8 cm. Among students matched with size 0 desks and chairs, 22.0% had a desk to chair height difference less than 0, indicating that the desk to chair height difference might be insufficient for taller students. The differences between seat height and fibular height ranged from -1.4 to 1.1 cm; and the differences between seat depth and buttock popliteal length ranged from -9.8 to 3.4 cm. Among obese students, the differences between seat width and 1/2 hip circumference ranged from -20.5 to -8.7 cm, while it ranged from -12.2 to -3.8 cm among non obese students. Conclusion Current furniture standards basically satisfy hygienic requirements; however, in the case of exceptionally tall and obese students, ergonomic accommodations such as adaptive seating allocation or personalized adjustments are recommended to meet hygienic requirements.

OBJECTIVE To establish management index system for rational drug use of key monitoring drugs， and provide reference for the management of key monitoring drugs in the hospitals. METHODS First， the management index system for rational drug use of key monitoring drugs was drafted by collecting the evidence from related medical literature. Next， using a modified Delphi method， twenty experienced experts from the fields of pharmacy， medical practice， healthcare insurance， and finance were selected to participate in two rounds of questionnaire consultations. Based on the expert enthusiasm coefficient， authority coefficient， degree of opinion concentration， and degree of coordination， the final indicators were determined to establish a management index system for rational drug use of key monitored drugs in medical institutions. RESULTS The expert enthusiasm coefficients reached 100% in both rounds of consultation. In first-level， second-level and third-level indicators， the authority coefficients of experts were 0.89， 0.86 and 0.87， and coordination coefficients of the experts in importance score were 0.300 （P＜ 0.05）， 0.125 （P＜0.05） and 0.139 （P＜0.05）， respectively. The average score for the importance of all indicators reached over 3.5， in which the full score ratio ranged from 35% to 100%. Except that the variation coefficient of a third-level indicator “number of specifications purchased for key monitored drugs” was 0.26， the variation coefficients of rest indicators were less than or equal to 0.25. Based on the results of expert consultation， final version of the management index system established in this study， including two first-level indicators （drug procurement and use， and rational drug use）， five second-level indicators （such as the accessibility， cost-effectiveness） and twenty third-level indicators （such as the number of specifications purchased for key monitored drugs， the increase in the cost of key monitored drugs）. CONCLUSIONS The management index system established in this study possesses high reliability and strong operability， and may provide a reference for the management of key monitoring drugs in the hospitals.

Objective To analyze the acupoint selection law of acupuncture and moxibustion for postherpetic neuralgia(PHN)with R language data mining technology.Methods The clinical research literature on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of PHN included in CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP and CBM from January 1,2010 to July 1,2023 was retrieved,and the database was established by Excel 2016.R language was used to statistically analyze the frequency of acupoint usage,meridians,locations,specific acupoints,etc.Through association rule analysis and clustering analysis,the characteristics and law of acupoint selection for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of PHN were obtained.Results A total of 198 articles were included,including 83 acupoints,with a total frequency of 714 times.The high-frequency acupoints include Ashi acupoint,Jiaji acupoint and Yanglingquan.The commonly used meridians were gallbladder meridian,spleen meridian and large intestine meridiam.The acupoints were mostly in the upper and lower limbs,with the Wushu acupoints,Yuan acupoints and Xiahe acupoints being the most common.The core acupoint was Ashi acupoint,Jiaji acupoint,Hegu,Quchi,and 9 sets of association rules and 5 effective clusters were obtained.Conclusion The most commonly used acupoints for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of PHN are Ashi acupoint,Jiaji acupoint,Hegu and Quchi,which mainly follow the principle of combining local acupoint selection with distal acupoint selection.

Objective:To analyze the expression of tumor-associated transmembrane protein 61 (TMEM61) in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and its influence on prognosis and immune infiltration, as well as the effect on the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells.Methods:In the cholangiocarcinoma gene chip dataset (TCGA-CHOL), differentially expressed genes between cholangiocarcinoma tissues and normal bile duct tissues were screened, and the upregulated TMEM61 gene was selected for further analysis. Based on the TMEM61 expression, cholangiocarcinoma patients higher than the median value were classified as the high-expression group ( n=17), and those lower than the median value were classified as the low-expression group ( n=18). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted on differentially expressed genes related to TMEM61, and the correlations between TMEM61 expression and immune cells and immune molecules were respectively analyzed. The expression level of TMEM61 in cholangiocarcinoma tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemistry; The effect of TMEM61 expression on the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells was detected by Western blotting, CCK-8, clone formation assay, etc. Results:Compared with normal tissues, the expression of TMEM61 mRNA in cholangiocarcinoma tissues was significantly upregulated ( t=18.31, P<0.001). The overall survival rate of patients in the high-expression group of TMEM61 was significantly lower than that in the low-expression group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=7.23, P=0.007). The differentially expressed genes related to TMEM61 were involved in cell proliferation, cell cycle and DNA replication, etc. Compared with normal tissues, regulatory T cells ( t=10.21, P<0.001) and M0-type macrophages ( t=5.89, P=0.008) were significantly increased in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. Plasma cells ( t=7.34, P=0.002), γδT cells ( t=9.87, P<0.001), and M2-type macrophages ( t=11.53, P<0.001) were significantly decreased in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. The expression of TMEM61 was correlated with neurociliary protein 1, tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 15 and B7 homologous protein 3 (all P<0.05). The proportion of positive staining area of TMEM61 protein in normal tissues was (10.15±2.27) %, and that in cholangiocarcinoma tissues was (69.43±11.66) %. The difference was statistically significant ( t=14.97, P<0.001). Inhibition of TMEM61 expression led to a decrease in the number of cholangiocarcinoma cell clones and proliferation activity, and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.01). Conclusion:The expression of TMEM61 is elevated in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and is associated with poor prognosis. The abnormally high expression of TMEM61 affects the infiltration of immune cells and promotes the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells. TMEM61 is expected to become a potential biomarker for the prognosis assessment of cholangiocarcinoma.