OBJECTIVE To explore the antidepressant mechanism of Wenyang jieyu granules （WYJYG） via the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 （NLRP3）/apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）/Caspase-1 pathway. METHODS A rat model of depression was established by chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with single-housing for 42 consecutive days.The experiment set up blank group， model group， MCC950 （NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor） group （10 mg/kg）， fluoxetine group （positive control，2.08 mg/kg），low-dose WYJYG（3.78 g/kg） and high-dose WYJYG group （7.56 g/kg），with 10 rats in each group. From the 22nd day of the experiment， rats in the fluoxetine group， low-dose and high-dose WYJYG groups were intragastrically administered with the corresponding drugs and intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline. Rats in the MCC950 group were intraperitoneally injected with MCC950 at the corresponding concentration and intragastrically administered with an equal volume of distilled water. Rats in the blank group and model group were given an equal volume of distilled water by gavage and an equal volume of normal saline by intraperitoneal injection. All interventions were performed once a day for 21 consecutive days. Behavioral tests were conducted once a week. After the last administration， the contents of ASC， ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 （Iba1）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and IL-18 in hippocampal tissues were detected. The protein expressions of NLRP3， cluster of differentiation 68 （CD68）， Caspase-1， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein were determined， and neuronal apoptosis was observed. RESULTS After the last administration， compared with the model group， the open-field activity time was significantly prolonged （ P ＜0.05）， and the latency to feed in a novel environment was significantly shortened （ P ＜0.05） in rats of the high-dose WYJYG group. In hippocampal tissue， the contents of ASC， Iba1， IL-1β， and IL-18， as well as the protein expression levels of NLRP3， Caspase-1， and CD68， and the positive rate of neuronal apoptosis were all significantly decreased/downregulated （ P ＜0.05）. Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly upregulated （ P ＜0.05）， and the density of neuronal apoptosis-positive cells was significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS WYJYG play on antidepressant role by inhibiting the NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 pathway， reducing microglia-mediated neuroinflammation， and inhibiting hippocampal neurons apoptosis.

Aromatic Chinese medicinal essential oils are volatile oils extracted from aromatic Chinese herbs， which can prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases through multiple synergistic mechanisms including pathogen inhibition， immune regulation， and inflammatory response regulation. Essential oils are primarily used externally on the body to prevent infections and alleviate symptoms through methods like inhalation， smearing， topical application， bathing， gargling or as a suppository. They can also be utilized in the environment for disinfection and air purification， through methods like diffusion， vaporization， or spraying. The external application of essential oils extracted from Chinese aromatic herbs has the advantages of convenience， quick absorption， and simultaneous influence on both the body and mind. However， there are still challenges and deficiencies in aspects such as the positioning of functions， indications， safety， and the research on the mechanism of action. It has been proposed to combine the theory of aromatic Chinese medicinals with the characteristics of essential oils， and formulate prescriptions of Chinese medicinal essential oils under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation， and prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases efficiently， accurately， and safely， thereby expanding the clinical application of aromatic Chinese medicinals and the preventive theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a medical condition characterized by cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in individuals with diabetes mellitus. Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overload in cardiomyocytes have been recognized as biological hallmarks in DCM; however, the specific factors underlying these abnormalities remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of a cardiac-specific long noncoding RNA, D830005E20Rik (Trdn-as), in DCM. Our results revealed the remarkably upregulation of Trdn-as in the hearts of the DCM mice and cardiomyocytes treated with high glucose (HG). Knocking down Trdn-as in cardiac tissues significantly improved cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in the DCM mice. Conversely, Trdn-as overexpression resulted in cardiac damage resembling that observed in the DCM mice. At the cellular level, Trdn-as induced Ca²⁺ overload in the SR and mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. RNA-seq and bioinformatics analyses identified calsequestrin 2 (Casq2), a primary calcium-binding protein in the junctional SR, as a potential target of Trdn-as. Further investigations revealed that Trdn-as facilitated the recruitment of METTL14 to the Casq2 mRNA, thereby enhancing the m⁶A modification of Casq2. This modification increased the stability of Casq2 mRNA and subsequently led to increased protein expression. When Casq2 was knocked down, the promoting effects of Trdn-as on Ca²⁺ overload and mitochondrial damage were mitigated. These findings provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of DCM and suggest Trdn-as as a potential therapeutic target for this condition.
Animals ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies/pathology* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Mice ; Calsequestrin/genetics* ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Male ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism* ; Methyltransferases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitochondria, Heart/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mitochondria/metabolism*

Objective:To study the distribution characteristics of current patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) in Molidawa Daur Autonomous Banner (referred to as Morin Banner), and provide suggestions for service management.Methods:Information of KBD current patients in Morin Banner was collected from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2024 using the "KBD Current Patient Survey System" provided by the Center for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A descriptive study method was used to analyze the basic information and clinical data of current patients.Results:As of June 30, 2024, a total of 6 223 KBD current patients were reported in Morin Banner, and the patients were distributed in 15 townships (towns). There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence rate of KBD among different townships (towns, χ 2 = 3 069.01, P < 0.001). The minimum age of the KBD current patients was 27 years old, and the maximum was 98 years old, mainly concentrated in the age range of 45 - 74 years old, accounting for 95.7% (5 954/6 223). There was a significant difference in the prevalence rate of KBD among different age groups (χ 2 = 5 912.76, P < 0.001). The male to female ratio was 1.00∶1.14 (2 910 ∶ 3 313), and there was a statistically significant difference in prevalence rate of KBD between genders(χ 2 = 44.38, P < 0.001). The KBD current patients mainly had a primary school education, married, and farmers, accounting for 59.2% (3 685/6 223), 89.8% (5 590/6 223), 93.2% (5 802/6 223), respectively; and the clinical grading of patients is mainly degree Ⅰ. There was a statistically significant difference in the rate of limb disability among patients with different clinical grades (χ 2 = 64.26, P < 0.001). The rate of limb disability in males was higher than that in females (χ 2 = 10.36, P = 0.001). Conclusions:The KBD current patients in Morin Banner are distributed in various township (town), with middle-aged and elderly famers being the main ones. It is necessary to strengthen monitoring of KBD, and pay attention to personalized treatment and management of KBD current patients.

Objective To investigate the expression levels of serum hemoglobin β(HBB)in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients and its correlation with topoisomeraseⅡα(TOP2A)gene.Methods A total of 48 HCC patients visited the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from August 2023 to September 2024 were selected as the HCC group,and 32 healthy individuals who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as the healthy control group.Their blood samples were collected,and the ex-pression levels of serum HBB and TOP2A genes were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).Then,the relationship between the expression of HBB gene and clinicopathological parameters of the patients was ana-lyzed.The Kaplan-Meier Plotter database was used to evaluate the relationship between the expression of HBB gene and the prognosis of HCC.The diagnostic value of the expressions of serum HBB and TOP2A genes for HCC was assessed by the receiver operating charac-teristic(ROC)curve.Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between the expressions of serum HBB and TOP2A genes in HCC patients.The regulatory effect of HBB gene on TOP2A gene was verified by the cell experiment.Results The expression levels of serum HBB gene in HCC patients(0.097[0.055,0.155])were significantly lower than that in healthy controls(1.029[0.625,1.434],U=19,P＜0.001).The expression levels of serum TOP2A gene in HCC patients(1.810[0.825,3.623])were significantly higher than that in healthy controls(1.047[0.604,1.364],U=495,P=0.007).The expression level of serum HBB gene in HCC patients was significantly negatively correlated with that of TOP2A gene(ρ=-0.384,P=0.007).The analysis results of clinicopathological parameters showed that the expression level of HBB gene was only related to tumor size(χ2=4.090,P＜0.05).The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the 5-year overall survival rate of the patients with low expression of HBB gene was signifi-cantly lower than that with high expression(HR=0.680,95%CI:0.470-0.970,P＜0.05).The analysis of the ROC curve showed that the area under the ROC curve(AUCROC)of HBB gene in diagnosing HCC was 0.987(95%CI:0.963-1.000).When the cut-off value was 0.228,its sensitivity was 100%and specificity was 97%.The AUCROC of TOP2A gene for the diagnosis of HCC was 0.677(95%CI:0.559-0.797).When the cut-off value was 1.285,its sensitivity was 65%and specificity was 75%.The combined detection of HBB and TOP2A genes for the diagnosis of HCC had an AUCROC of 0.988(95%CI:0.965-1.000).When the cut-off value was 0.657,its sensitivity was 100%and specificity was 97%.The cell experiment results showed that the overexpression of HBB gene could inhibit the expression of TOP2A gene,while the knockout of HBB gene had the opposite effect.Conclusion HBB gene is lowly expressed in the serum of HCC patients and is significantly negatively correlated with the expression of TOP2A gene.

Objective:To investigate the training needs of general practitioners in community health center in health care and management of older patients for developing a curriculum for the Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) project accordingly.Methods:This was a qualitative study. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 community health center general practitioners (GPs) using focus groups between March 2024 and April 2024. The interview data were collated using Nvivo12 software and coded using thematic analysis. The focus of the interviews was on the challenges GPs face in health care of older people in the community and relevant training needs.Results:Three male and 17 female GPs took part in the interviews. The interviews showed that GPs in comminity health service centers faced multiple challenges in the helth management of older patients, including implementation of holistic treatment plans, time-consuming comprehensive patient assessment, lack of standardized medication selection, unclear referral processes and difficulties in establishing a trusting doctor-patient relationship. The study suggested that the design and development of training programs should encompass eight core components: differentiated end-of-life care for patients, nutritional advice, positive psychological intervention, software data-based health assessment, systematic geriatric medicine, updated clinical research findings, medication selection and treatment guidelines, and insulin resistance management.Conclusion:Through qualitative investigation, this study explored the challenges faced by general practitioners in providing health care for older patients and relevant training needs, which provids evidence for designing and developing corresponding curricula for ECHO projects.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of multiplex polymerase chain reaction(mPCR),serum IgM and urinary Legionella pneumophila antigen detection in the diagnosis and treatment of adult community-acquired pneumonia(CAP)for Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP),Chlamydia pneumoniae(CP)and Legionella pneumophila(LP).Methods A total of 275 inpatients diagnosed with CAP from October 2018 to January 2022 in Beijing Tongren Hospital were selected as the study objects.275 lower respiratory tract samples,195 serum samples and 50 urine samples were collected for sanger sequencing,mPCR,serum IgM and urinary LP antigen test,respectively.With the result of sanger sequencing as the reference standard,the clinical application value of the three detection methods was evaluated.Results The infection rate of atypical pathogens in adult patients with CAP was 26.5%(73/275).The infection rates of MP,CP and LP were 21.8%(60/275),2.2%(6/275)and 2.5%(7/275),respectively.The sensitivity of mPCR,serum IgM and urinary LP antigen test were 100%(72/72),31.0%(18/58),100%(7/7),and the specificity were 99.5%(202/203),76.6%(105/137),100%(43/43),respectively.The sensitivity of serum IgM was significantly decreased in patients with time≤7 days compared to patients with time>7 days from onset to sampling(41.9%vs 14.3%),the difference was statistically significant(χ2=5.483,P<0.05).The proportion of false negative for serum IgM was the highest in 25～<41 years old(57.5%),and the difference was statistically significant among all age groups(χ2=25.069,P<0.001).The proportion of false positive for serum IgM was the highest among 41～<66 years old(37.5%),and there was no significant difference among all age groups(χ2=6.404,P=0.171).The IgM cross-reactivity rate of the three atypical pathogens was 33.3%(13/39).Conclusion Serum IgM is not suitable for the diagnosis of atypical pathogen infection in adults alone,mPCR and urinary LP antigen test have obvious advantages in the early diagnosis of CAP in adults.

Objective To investigate the effects of different cultivation method and harvest periods on chromatic characteristics and the primary bioactive components of Dendrobium officinale.Methods Fifteen batches of three-year-old Dendrobium officinale were categorized into five cultivation groups:DP-ZP,YB-ZP,HS-ZP,SP-ZP,and ZJ-ZP,with three batches per group.Thirty-six batches of Dendrobium officinale samples were categorized into twelve harvest groups according to different harvest periods and growth years:the T1 to T6 groups were three-year-old samples,and the F1 to F6 groups were four-year-old samples.Chromaticity values of Dendrobium officinale under different cultivation methods and harvest periods were measured using colorimetry.Polysaccharide content under different cultivation method and harvest periods was quantified via ultraviolet spectrophotometry.Mannose,glucose,flavonoids,and phenolic acids(rutin,quercetin,naringenin,and syringic acid)were analyzed in each group under different cultivation methods and harvest periods using HPLC.The total amount of mannose and glucose,the peak area ratio of mannose to glucose,and the total amount of flavonoids and phenolic acids were calculated.The entropy weight-TOPSIS method was applied to assign objective weights to indicators,followed by the calculation of relative closeness(C)for comprehensive quality assessment of medicinal materials.Results Under different cultivation methods,compared with the DP-ZP group,the b? value of the ZJ-ZP and YB-ZP groups decreased,whereas that of the SP-ZP group increased.The L? value and polysaccharide,syringic acid,naringenin,and quercetin contents decreased,whereas the a? value increased in the YB-ZP,SP-ZP,HS-ZP,and ZJ-ZP groups.The mannose contents decreased in the HS-ZP and SP-ZP groups and increased in the ZJ-ZP group(P<0.05).The glucose content in the ZJ-ZP and SP-ZP groups decreased,the peak area ratio of mannose to glucose increased(P<0.05).Compared with the SP-ZP group,the mannose and glucose contents and the total amount of mannose and glucose were significantly increased,and the peak area ratio of mannose to glucose was decreased in the DP-ZP,YB-ZP,HS-ZP,and ZJ-ZP groups(P<0.01).Compared with the ZJ-ZP group,the rutin contents and the total amount of flavonoids and phenolic acids were decreased in the SP-ZP,HS-ZP,DP-ZP,and YB-ZP groups(P<0.05).Compared with the T3 group,the L? value of the T1,T2,T5,and T6 groups decreased,whereas the b? value increased.The a? value and the peak area ratio of mannose to glucose increased in the T1,T2,and T4 to T6 groups,whereas the polysaccharide and glucose contents and the total amount of mannose and glucose decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the T5 group,the mannose content in the T1 to T4 and T6 groups decreased,whereas the rutin content increased in the T1 to T4 groups(P<0.05).Compared with the T6 group,the syringic acid and quercetin contents increased in the T1 to T5 groups,and the total amount of flavonoids and phenolic acids increased in the T1 to T4 group(P<0.05).Compared with the F1 group,the syringic acid content in the F2 to F6 group increased,the quercetin content decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the F2 group,the glucose and rutin content and the total amount of flavonoids and phenolic acids decreased in the F1 and F3 to F6 groups(P<0.01).Compared with the F3 group,the L? value decreased,the b? value increased,mannose content and the total amount of mannose and glucose decreased in the F1,F2,and F4 to F6 groups.Polysaccharide content in the F1 and F4 to F6 groups decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the F6 group,the peak area ratio of mannose to glucose was significantly decreased in the F1 to F4 groups(P<0.01).Entropy weight-TOPSIS analysis showed that the C of chromatic characteristics and primary bioactive components in DP-ZP(C=0.661 1)and F5(C=0.538 9)groups were the highest.Conclusion Dendrobium officinale cultivated under greenhouse conditions and four-year-old Dendrobium officinale harvested in February exhibit optimal overall quality.These findings provide an experimental basis for the selection of cultivation method and the optimal harvest period of high-quality Dendrobium officinale.

Abstract The mental health assessment work for students in the UK is based on mental health promotion theory, employing a multidimensional approach to evaluate emotional disorders, conduct disorders, hyperactivity disorders, and other aspects across the entire educational continuum from preschool to university. Utilizing international validated standardized scales and customized questionnaires, the system has demonstrated significant preventive efficacy against student mental health issues. China stands to gain valuable insights from the UKs experience, particularly in implementing the Special Action Plan for Comprehensively Strengthening and Improving Students Mental Health Work in the New Era (2023-2025). Strategic adaptation could involve expanding assessment populations, refining evaluation criteria, standardizing measurement tools, and strengthening implementation protocols to systematically enhance Chinas students mental health assessment framework.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, not only leads to severe yield losses but also poses a threat to food safety due to the mycotoxins produced by the pathogen. Since this disease is preventable but not curable, the current control mainly relies on chemical fungicides, the long-term use of which may lead to pathogen resistance and environmental pollution. To develop green control methods, we screened 13 biocontrol strains from the rhizosphere soil of wheat, among which strain No. 12 (identified as Pythium aphanidermatum) showed significant antifungal effects. In the plate confrontation test, this strain reduced the colony diameter of the pathogen by 69.2% (1.47 mm vs. 4.78 mm in the control group), with an inhibition rate of 77% (P < 0.01). Microscopic observation revealed obvious deformations in the pathogen hyphae, suggesting a lysing effect. The coleoptile experiment further confirmed that the pre-treatment with this strain reduced the incidence rate to 0. These findings provide new candidate strains for the biocontrol of FHB and offer a scientific basis for reducing the use of chemical fungicides and promoting sustainable agricultural development.
Triticum/growth & development* ; Fusarium/growth & development* ; Plant Diseases/prevention & control* ; Soil Microbiology ; Pest Control, Biological/methods* ; Pythium/physiology* ; Biological Control Agents ; Rhizosphere ; Fungicides, Industrial