In recent decades, the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout has increased dramatically due to lifestyle changes. The drugs currently recommended for hyperuricemia are associated with adverse reactions that limit their clinical use. In this study, we report that berberine (BBR) is an effective drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia, with its mechanism potentially involving the modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolite, succinic acid. BBR has demonstrated good therapeutic effects in both acute and chronic animal models of hyperuricemia. In a clinical trial, oral administration of BBR for 6 months reduced blood uric acid levels in 22 participants by modulating the gut microbiota, which led to an increase in the abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Clostridium sensu stricto_1. Furthermore, Bacteroides fragilis was transplanted into ICR mice, and the results showed that Bacteroides fragilis exerted a therapeutic effect on uric acid similar to that of BBR. Notably, succinic acid, a metabolite of Bacteroides, significantly reduced uric acid levels. Subsequent cell and animal experiments revealed that the intestinal metabolite, succinic acid, regulated the upstream uric acid synthesis pathway in the liver by inhibiting adenosine monophosphate deaminase 2 (AMPD2), an enzyme responsible for converting adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to inosine monophosphate (IMP). This inhibition resulted in a decrease in IMP levels and an increase in phosphate levels. The reduction in IMP led to a decreased downstream production of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid. BBR also demonstrated excellent renoprotective effects, improving nephropathy associated with hyperuricemia. In summary, BBR has the potential to be an effective treatment for hyperuricemia through the gut-liver axis.

BACKGROUND:Kinesio taping is often used for the treatment of various sports injuries.The methods of foot and ankle sports taping are complex and diverse.Among them,Fascia taping is applicable to a wider range of people and can be used for different foot posture types,but it still lacks of practical verification,and its specific biomechanical role is not clear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the changes in plantar pressure characteristics of subjects with different foot positions during walking and jogging after Fascia taping. METHODS:Thirty-seven young healthy subjects were recruited from the Yantai campus of Binzhou Medical University to conduct the test.They were scored according to the foot posture index-six items version,and were divided into the supination foot group,the neutral foot group,and the pronation foot group.The static foot morphological indexes(including navicular drop,arch height index,arch height flexibility-longitudinal arch,and arch height flexibility-transverse arch)and the pressure-time integral of each foot zone during walking and jogging were collected and calculated respectively before and after Kinesio taping.The specific biomechanical mechanism of Fascia taping was analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)General data:There was no statistical difference among the three groups of subjects in general data,such as gender,height,and body mass index(P>0.05).Before taping,there was a significant difference in the foot morphological indexes and the areas of the outer front foot,midfoot,and hindfoot between different foot posture groups(P<0.01).(2)Static foot morphological indexes:After taping,there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in navicular drop,arch height flexibility-longitudinal arch,and arch height flexibility-transverse arch(P>0.05),while there was still a significant difference between the groups in the arch height index(P<0.05).In the supination foot group,the arch height index increased slightly,but there was no significant difference before and after taping(P>0.05).In the pronation foot group,the navicular drop and arch height flexibility-longitudinal arch was significantly reduced,and the arch height index was increased.There was a significant difference before and after taping(P<0.05).(3)The index of plantar pressure during walking:After taping,there was no significant difference between the three groups in the area of lateral forefoot and medial midfoot(P>0.05).In the pronation foot group,the lateral load of the forefoot increased after taping(P<0.05).In the supination position group,the load of the lateral forefoot and midfoot regions increased significantly(P<0.05),while the difference in the rear foot region was not significant(P>0.05).(4)The index of plantar pressure during jogging:After taping,there was no statistically significant difference between groups in the lateral forefoot(P>0.05).In the pronation foot group,the load of the medial forefoot increased significantly(P<0.05).In the supination position group,the load of the lateral forefoot,the middle foot and the rear foot region increased significantly(P<0.05).(5)The results showed that the Fascia taping was suitable for different foot postures.It could not only correct the static foot structure of subjects with different foot postures,but also regulate the abnormal plantar pressure distribution during the dynamic activities of walking and jogging,and the load of the midfoot,forefoot,and hindfoot in the supination and pronation posture tended to normal foot posture load level.

Objective:To explore the drug resistance of pathogens in puerperal infection of pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (GDM), and analyze the influence of puerperal infection on the expression of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) inflammatory pathway in peripheral blood monocytes.Methods:A retrospective selection was conducted on 120 GDM postpartum women who underwent regular prenatal check ups and delivery at the 903th Hospital of the PLA (People′s Liberation Army) Joint Logistic Support Force from January 2020 to October 2022. The postpartum infection status, pathogenic characteristics of the infected pathogens, and drug resistance of the mothers were analyzed; According to the postpartum infection situation, the parturients were divided into an infected group and an uninfected group. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relevant factors affecting postpartum infection, and the TLR4 protein and mRNA expression levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the two groups were compared.Results:Among 120 GDM pregnant women, 21 cases (17.50%) developed post infection, including 8 cases (38.10%) of incision infection, 6 cases (28.57%) of uterine cavity infection, 4 cases (19.05%) of urinary system infection, and 3 cases (14.28%) of blood infection; A total of 43 pathogenic bacteria were detected, including 26 Gram negative bacteria (60.46%), 14 Gram positive bacteria (32.56%), and 3 fungi (6.98%). Among the main Gram negative bacteria, escherichia coli had the highest resistance rate to ceftazidime and tetracycline, and had not developed resistance to meropenem; Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest resistance rate to ceftazidime and gentamicin. Among the main Gram positive bacteria, staphylococcus aureus had the highest resistance rate to penicillin G and ceftazidime, and had not developed resistance to vancomycin; Enterococcus faecalis had the highest resistance rate to clindamycin. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that postpartum hemorrhage, premature rupture of membranes, and poor control of prenatal blood sugar were independent risk factors for postpartum infection in GDM mothers (all P<0.05). The expression rate of TLR4 protein, relative expression level of TLR4 mRNA, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-10 in the infected group were significantly higher than those in the non infected group (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The distribution and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria in postpartum infections of GDM mothers have certain characteristics. Postpartum hemorrhage, premature rupture of membranes, and poor control of prenatal blood sugar are independent risk factors affecting postpartum infections in GDM mothers; The TLR4 inflammatory pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells may be involved in the occurrence and development of postpartum infection in GDM mothers.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children in Tianjin, and provide reference for the prevention and treatment of RSV infection in children.Methods:Clinical data of 2 743 children with acute respiratory infections treated at the Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital from January 2022 to January 2024 were collected. Multiplex fluorescent PCR was used to detect the nucleic acid fragments of six respiratory pathogens including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, human rhinovirus, adenovirus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus and RSV in the throat swabs of the patients. A retrospective analysis was performed on the epidemiological and clinical data of RSV-RNA positive cases. Results:The positive rate of RSV-RNA in the 2 743 children was 15.09% (414/2 743). The positive rate of RSV-RNA was 9.29% (73/786) in 2022 and 16.53% (302/1 827) in 2023, with a statistically significant difference between the two years (χ 2=23.45, P<0.05). The incidence of RSV infection in winter and spring was significantly different from that in summer and autumn (χ 2=19.46, P<0.05). The highest and the lowest infection rates of RSV were found in winter (19.32%, 193/999) and autumn (9.43%, 45/477), respectively. There was a significant difference in RSV infection rate among different age groups (χ 2=71.38, P<0.05), with the highest infection rate in the age group of 0-2 years (21.18%, 230/1 086), and the lowest infection rate in the age group of 6-8 years (6.29%, 27/429). Among the 414 children with RSV infection, 359 cases (84.97%) were infected with RSV alone, while the other 55 cases (13.29%) were infected with mixed pathogens. Fifty-two cases had co-infection of RSV and one other pathogen. The most common pathogens in co-infection cases were human rhinovirus (4.83%, 20/414) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (6.04%, 25/414). Conclusions:The RSV infection rate among children with acute respiratory tract infection in Tianjin from 2022 to 2024 was 15.09%, with the highest infection rate in spring and the lowest infection rate in autumn. RSV infection can occur in children of all ages, with the highest infection rate in children aged 0-2 years and the lowest infection rate in children aged 6-8 years. RSV infection is often complicated by other respiratory pathogens, and the most common pathogens are human rhinovirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Objective To analyze the current state of medication literacy among elderly patients with chronic diseases in urban areas of Beijing,identify its key influencing factors,and propose targeted improvement measures.Methods From February 1 to June 30,2023,a questionnaire survey was conducted among elderly chronic disease patients in 193 communities across 15 districts of Beijing using a convenience sampling method.Data was collected through face-to-face interviews,with a total of 787 questionnaires distributed and 755 valid responses received.The logistic regression analysis model was employed to systematically identify and evaluate the factors affecting patients'medication literacy.Results Among the 755 valid questionnaires collected,53.25%(402 cases)of patients met the medication literacy criteria.Regression analysis results showed that multiple factors significantly influenced medication literacy among elderly patients with chronic diseases,including using rural cooperative medical care or self-payment methods(OR=1.669,P=0.039),retaining medication instructions(OR=0.519,P=0.038),checking medication instructions before use(OR=1.993,P<0.01),and possessing the ability to understand medication instructions(partial understanding OR=2.805,P=0.038;fully understanding OR=3.084,P=0.022)as positive influencing factors;whereas having 2 to 3 chronic diseases(OR=0.574,P=0.039),taking 3 to 5 medications(OR=1.845,P=0.015),and experiencing drug-related problems(OR=1.993,P<0.01)were identified as negative influencing factors.Conclusion Multiple factors influence medication literacy among elderly patients with chronic diseases.To ensure the safety and efficacy of their medication use,It is recommended to implement targeted measures.These include revising patient medication guidance leaflets tailored to age,enhancing patients'understanding of drug instructions,and strengthening medication guidance and social support systems.

Objective This study aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the effectiveness of blood pressure control and the influencing factors in elderly hypertensive patients in urban areas of Beijing,providing scientific support for developing more precise and effective home pharmaceutical intervention strategies.Methods Pharmacists conducted home visits and administered questionnaires to systematically investigate elderly hypertensive patients aged 60 and above in the urban areas of Beijing from February to June 2023.Binary logistic regression was used to identify key factors affecting blood pressure control.Results A total of 575 questionnaires were collected with 560 valid responses,achieving an effective recovery rate of 97.39%.Among the respondents,233 were male(41.61%)and 327 were female(58.39%),with a median age of 69.The proportion of patients with qualified blood pressure control was 33.39%(187 cases).Logistic regression analysis further revealed that smoking,the presence of comorbidities,and multiple comorbid conditions significantly impacted the control rate(P<0.05).Conclusion The blood pressure control rate among elderly hypertensive patients in urban areas of Beijing remains low.It is recommended to develop more targeted home pharmaceutical intervention measures for patients who smoke and have multiple comorbidities to enhance blood pressure control outcomes.

Specnuezhenide(SNZ)is among the main components of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi,which has anti-inflammation,anti-oxidation,and anti-tumor effect.The low bioavailability makes it difficult to explain the mechanism of pharmacological effect of SNZ.In this study,the role of the gut microbiota in the metabolism and pharmacokinetics characteristics of SNZ as well as the pharmacological meaning were explored.SNZ can be rapidly metabolized by the gut microbiome,and two intestinal bacterial metabolites of SNZ,salidroside and tyrosol,were discovered.In addition,carboxylesterase may be the main intestinal bacterial enzyme that mediates its metabolism.At the same time,no metabolism was found in the incubation system of SNZ with liver microsomes or liver homogenate,indicating that the gut microbiota is the main part involved in the metabolism of SNZ.In addition,pharmacokinetic studies showed that salidroside and tyrosol can be detected in plasma in the presence of gut microbiota.Interestingly,tumor development was inhibited in a colorectal tumor mice model administered orally with SNZ,which indicated that SNZ exhibited potential to inhibit tumor growth,and tissue distribution studies showed that salidroside and tyrosol could be distributed in tumor tissues.At the same time,SNZ modulated the structure of gut microbiota and fungal group,which may be the mechanism governing the antitumoral activity of SNZ.Furthermore,SNZ stimulates the secretion of short-chain fatty acids by intestinal flora in vitro and in vivo.In the future,targeting gut microbes and the interaction between natural products and gut microbes could lead to the discovery and development of new drugs.

Objective To explore the correlation between peripheral blood monocyte levels and postoperative cognitive dysfunction(POCD)in elderly patients.Methods A total of 96 elderly patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty under general anesthesia in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2021 to March 2022 were enrolled in the prospective observational stud-y,and the patients were divided into POCD group(26 cases)and Non-POCD group(70 cases)according to the mini-mental state ex-amination(MMSE)score.Peripheral blood monocyte levels and other relevant indicators were recorded.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve were applied to analyze the predictive value of peripheral blood monocyte levels for POCD with total hip arthroplasty in eld-erly patients.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate risk factors.Results The optimal cut-off value for preoperative monocyte levels predicting POCD in elderly patients with total hip arthroplasty was 0.55×109/L,and area under the curve value was 0.729.Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that lower education level,higher American Society of Anesthe-siologists(ASA)grade,and preoperative and postoperative elevated monocyte levels were the risk factors for POCD;multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative monocyte levels were independently associated with the occurrence of POCD.Conclusion Preoperative peripheral blood monocyte levels are associated with the occurrence of POCD,and preoperative elevated monocyte level is a risk factor for POCD,helping to predict the potential risk of POCD.

Objective:To evaluate the hemostatic effects of our self-designed pelvic band with inflatable balloon in a swine model of hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture.Methods:"Open-book like" fractures were created with the external iliac blood vessels exposed in 24 12-month-old female Bama miniature pigs which were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n=6). Group C (the control group) was subjected to no treatment other than exposure of the external iliac blood vessels, group D to no treatment following destruction of the external iliac blood vessels, group T1 to fixation with simple pelvic band after destruction of the external iliac blood vessels, and group T2 to fixation with our self-designed pelvic band with inflatable balloon after destruction of the external iliac blood vessels. The 4 groups were compared in terms of 40-min survival rate, bladder pressure, peak lactate value, total blood loss, bleeding rate, infusion rate, and angiographic images. Results:There was no significant difference in the baseline indexes among the 4 groups before experiment, showing comparability ( P>0.05). The 40-min survival rate in group T2 was 83.3% (5/6), significantly higher than that in groups D and T1 [0% (0/6) and 0% (0/6)] ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences among groups C, D, T1 and T2 in bladder pressure [(6.67±1.03) mmHg, (5.83±1.94) mmHg, (6.00±1.55) mmHg, and (6.00±1.10) mmHg] or in total blood loss among groups D, T1 and T2[(1,198.0±182.9) mL, (1,252.0±148.4) mL, and (1,150.0±125.7) mL] (all P>0.05). The peak lactate value in group T2 [(2.26±0.24) mmol/L] was significantly lower than that in group D [(5.00±0.60) mmol/L] and group T1 [(3.86±0.57) mmol/L], and the bleeding rate and infusion rate in group T2 [(25.83±5.49) mL/min and (26.00±4.69) mL/min] were also significantly lower than those in group D [(83.50±19.85) mL/min and (71.50±29.11) mL/min] and group T1 [(54.17±15.59) mL/min and (54.17±8.98) mL/min] (all P<0.05). Angiography showed contrast agent extravasation in group T2, especially from the artery, but the extravasation speed in group T2 was significantly slower than that in group D. Conclusion:In a swine model of hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture, our self-designed pelvic band with inflatable balloon has a definite hemostatic effect on vascular injury which is better than that of a simple pelvic band.