OBJECTIVE To explore the effect and mechanism of Zhiqiao gancao decoction （ZQGCD） on pathological angiogenesis of degenerative intervertebral disc. METHODS The rats were randomly divided into sham operation group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） inhibitor （YC-1） group [2 mg/（kg·d）， tail vein injection]， and ZQGCD low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups [3.06， 6.12， 12.24 g/（kg·d）]， with 8 rats in each group. Except for sham operation group， lumbar disc degeneration model of rat was constructed in all other groups. After modeling， they were given relevant medicine once a day， for consecutive 3 weeks. After the last medication， pathological changes and angiogenesis of the intervertebral disc tissue in rats were observed； the levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-6， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）] and the expressions of angiogenesis-related proteins [HIF-1α， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， VEGF receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， angiotensin 1（Ang 1）， Ang 2] in the com intervertebral disc tissue in rats were all determined. In cell experiment， the primary nucleus pulposus cells were isolated and cultured from rats， and cellular degeneration was induced using 50 ng/mL TNF-α. The cells were divided into blank control group （10% blank control serum）， TNF-α group （10% blank control serum）， YC-1 group （10% blank control serum+0.2 mmol/L YC-1）， and 5%， 10%， 15% drug-containing serum group （5%， 10%， 15% drug-containing serum）. After 24 hours of intervention， the nucleus pulposus cells were co-cultured with HUVEC. The expressions of Collagen Ⅱ， matrix metalloproteinase-3 （MMP-3） in nucleus pulposus cells were detected. HUVEC proliferation， migration and tube forming ability were detected， and the expression levels of the HIF-1α/VEGF/Ang signal axis and angiogenesis- related proteins （add MMP-2， MMP-9） in HUVEC were detected. RESULTS Animal experiments had shown that compared with model group， the positive expression of CD31 in the intervertebral disc tissues of rats in each drug group was down-regulated （P＜ 0.05）， the levels of inflammatory factors and angiogenesis-related proteins were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）， and the pathological changes in the intervertebral disc were alleviated. Cell experiments had shown that compared with TNF-α group， the expression of Collagen Ⅱ in nucleus pulposus cells of all drug groups was significantly up-regulated （P＜0.05）， and the expression of MMP-3 was significantly down-regulated （P＜0.05）； the proliferation， migration and tubulogenesis of HUVEC were significantly weakened （P＜0.05）. The mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α， VEGF， Ang 2 as well as the expression of angiogenesis-related proteins （except for the expression of Ang 2 mRNA and HIF-1α， VEGFR2， Ang 2 protein in 5% drug- containing serum group） were significantly down-regulated （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS ZQGCD may inhibit the HIF-1α/VEGF/ Ang signal axis to weaken the angiogenic ability of vascular endothelial cells， improve pathological angiogenesis in the intervertebral disc， and delay the degeneration of the intervertebral disc.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of gynecological and breast diseases among retired or economically disadvantaged women in part of Pudong New Area of Shanghai under the policy support of screening gynecological diseases and breast diseases for retired and women with economic difficulties in life in Shanghai, to analyze the characteristics of these diseases, so as to provide a scientific basis for the improvement of relevant prevention and treatment strategies. MethodsBased on the gynecological census data of 13 031 cases in five towns, including Xinchang Town, Xuanqiao Town, Laogang Town, Wanxiang Town and Shuyuan Town, conducted by Shanghai Pudong Hospital in 2023, descriptive analysis methods were used to explore the prevalence and age characteristics of common gynecological and breast diseases. ResultsThe total detection rate of gynecological and breast diseases among women in the screening area in this study was 68.29%, with uterine fibroid (22.35%), sarcoidosis of the breast (17.06%), cervicitis (15.37%), vaginitis (8.39%) and ovarian cyst (2.61%) ranking the top 5 in the detection rate among the screening population. The differences of the detection rates in the four major diseases [uterine fibroid (χ²=233.217, P<0.001), breast nodules(χ²=169.896, P<0.001), cervicitis (χ²=388.683, P<0.001), and ovarian cysts (χ²=72.298, P<0.001)] by different age groups were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Moreover, the results of pairwise comparison of different age groups showed that the detection rates in the age group under 45 years old and 45‒55 years old were higher than that in the age group of 55‒65 years old and over 65 years old. ConclusionThe detection rate of gynecological and breast diseases in the younger age group was higher, indicating a certain trend of younger onset of diseases. Uterine fibroid, sarcoidosis of the breast , and reproductive tract diseases such as cervicitis, vaginitis, and ovarian cyst are the main diseases affecting the research subjects. Therefore, medical institutions can combine routine work in screening diseases and carry out corresponding health education and health promotion activities for these key diseases to improve women’s health.

BackgroundMental health issues have become increasingly prominent amid rising societal pressure. Depressive disorders， characterized as chronic and recurrent conditions， adversely affect patients' physical and mental well-being while imposing a significant economic burden. Previous studies on depressive disorders in China have relied on cross-sectional surveys， capturing prevalence at specific time points， but lacking systematic analyses across age， period， and cohort dimensions. ObjectiveTo analyze long-term trends in the disease burden of depressive disorder in the Chinese population from 1990 to 2021， and to provide references to inform prevention and treatment strategies. MethodsData on the disease burden of depressive disorders in China were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 （GBD 2021） database. A joinpoint regression model was used to analyze trends in the disease burden. An age-period-cohort model， implemented in Stata 17.0， was applied to assess variations in incidence and disease burden attributable to age， period and cohort effects. ResultsFrom 1990 to 2021， the disability-adjusted life year （DALY） rate for depressive disorders in China decreased by an average of 0.27% annually， while the incidence rate decreased by an average of 0.24% annually. Females had higher incidence and DALY rates than those of males. The age-period-cohort model analysis revealed that age effects on incidence and disease burden steadily increased， period effects declined over time， and cohort effects initially increased and then declined. ConclusionFrom 1990 to 2021， both the incidence and DALY rates of depressive disorders in China showed a declining trend. Females experienced a higher burden compare to males. Additionally， incidence and DALY rates increased with age but declined over time.

This study aims to address the specificity of nuclear and radiation medical treatment and explore the way to integrate such emergency medical treatment in national emergency medical rescue teams. By analyzing the characteristics of nuclear and radiation medical treatment, as well as the foundation, roles, and development of national emergency medical rescue teams, the study proposes a series of practical and feasible strategies, including professional knowledge training, manpower and material resource assurance, emergency response coordination mechanisms, and psychological health support. These strategies help to compensate for the professional deficiencies of national emergency medical rescue teams in responding to nuclear incidents and enhance their overall comprehensive capabilities, enabling them to better fulfill their responsibilities in health emergency rescue.

Objective To establish the characteristic atlas of Shexiang Jiegu Capsule and determine the contents of seven active components （hydroxysafflor Yellow A, paeoniflorin, ferulic acid, naringin, ligustilide, catechin, epicatechin）. Methods Octadecyl silane bonded silica gel was used as the filling agent, the mobile phase was composed of methanol-0.05% phosphoric acid by gradient elution, the detection wavelength was 245 nm, flow rate was 1.0 ml/min, column temperature was 30℃. The similarity of the fifteen batches of sample was evaluated in line with the TCM Chromatographic Fingerprint （2012 edition）, and the contents of seven active components were determined. Results The HPLC fingerprint of Shexiang Jiegu Capsules was established. The similarity of fingerprint between fifteen batches of samples and control fingerprint was between 0.893 and 0.992. The results of methodological investigation for the determination of seven active components in fifteen batches of samples all met the requirements. Conclusion The established characteristic atlas of Shexiang Jiegu Capsules had high specificity and good repeatability, which could provide scientific basis for quality control of Shexiang Jiegu Capsules.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the tooth-supporting tissues, and it constitutes a major global public health concern. Methylation modifications, including DNA methylation, histone methylation, and RNA m6A modification, represent reversible processes coordinately regulated by methyltransferases, demethylases, and binding proteins. In periodontitis, aberrant methylation modifications suppress Toll-like receptor 2 expression, leading to oral microbial dysbiosis. These modifications further disrupt normal immune regulatory functions through C-C motif chemokine ligands, Fc-γ receptor-mediated phagocytosis, and NF-κB signaling pathways, resulting in localized immune-inflammatory imbalance in periodontal tissues. In addition, various methylation modifications regulate the expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteoblast-specific transcription factor Osterix (OSX), and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), thereby interfering with osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation, disrupting bone homeostasis, and ultimately driving alveolar bone resorption. Methylation-related biomarkers demonstrate promising potential for periodontitis screening and prognostic evaluation. While numerous abnormally methylated sites have been identified in periodontitis, the precise signaling pathways and comprehensive epigenetic regulatory networks remain to be fully elucidated. This review systematically summarizes the functional roles of DNA methylation modifications in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and explores their potential value in etiological studies, diagnostic biomarker discovery, and targeted therapeutic interventions, with the aim of providing novel perspectives for periodontitis prevention and treatment strategies.

Bone repair remains an important target in tissue engineering, making the development of bioactive scaffolds for effective bone defect repair a critical objective. In this study, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds incorporated with processed pyritum decoction (PPD) were fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing-assisted freeze-casting. The produced composite scaffolds were evaluated for their mechanical strength, physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, in vitro pro-angiogenic activity, and in vivo efficacy in repairing rabbit femoral defects. They not only demonstrated excellent physicochemical properties, enhanced mechanical strength, and good biosafety but also significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and aggregation of pro-angiogenic human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo studies revealed that all scaffold groups facilitated osteogenesis at the bone defect site, with the β-TCP scaffolds loaded with PPD markedly enhancing the expression of neurogenic locus Notch homolog protein 1 (Notch1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and osteopontin (OPN). Overall, the scaffolds developed in this study exhibited strong angiogenic and osteogenic capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. The incorporation of PPD notably promoted the angiogenic-osteogenic coupling, thereby accelerating bone repair, which suggests that PPD is a promising material for bone repair and that the PPD/β-TCP scaffolds hold great potential as a bone graft alternative.
Calcium Phosphates/chemistry* ; Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Rabbits ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Humans ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Osteogenesis ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Biomimetic Materials ; Cell Proliferation ; Angiogenesis

The disturbance of the human microbiota influences the occurrence and progression of many diseases. Live therapeutic bacteria, with their genetic manipulability, anaerobic tendencies, and immunomodulatory properties, are emerging as promising therapeutic agents. However, their clinical applications face challenges in maintaining activity and achieving precise spatiotemporal release, particularly in the harsh gastrointestinal environment. This review highlights the innovative bacterial functionalized encapsulation strategies developed through advances in physicochemical and biological techniques. We comprehensively review how bacterial encapsulation strategies can be used to provide physical barriers and enhanced adhesion properties to live microorganisms, while introducing superior material properties to live bacteria. In addition, this review outlines how bacterial surface coating can facilitate targeted delivery and precise spatiotemporal release of live bacteria. Furthermore, it elucidates their potential applications for treating different diseases, along with critical perspectives on challenges in clinical translation. This review comprehensively analyzes the connection between functionalized bacterial encapsulation and innovative biomedical applications, providing a theoretical reference for the development of next-generation bacterial therapies.

Polyethylene (PE) is widely used due to its excellent properties. However, the improper disposal of PE waste has led to serious environmental pollution. Microbial degradation of PE is a low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient method of homogeneous recycling. The use of microbial degradation technology to treat polyethylene waste has become one of the current research hotspots. As a result, employing microbial degradation technology to address polyethylene waste has become a key focus of current research. A PE-degrading strain ETX1 was screened from waste plastics in a landfill by the enrichment culture method. The strain was identified as Lysinibacillus sp.. After incubating PE powder with the strain for 20 days, a weight loss of 29.41% was observed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that special absorption peaks such as carbonyl and hydroxyl groups appeared, proving that ETX1 had the effect of degrading PE. The degradation effect of this strain was characterized by the weight loss of PE film, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle. The results showed that ETX1 reduced the PE film weight by up to 5.23% within 120 days. The film structure was damaged, with holes formed by erosion on the film surface, and the hydrophilicity was enhanced. Additionally, a stronger carbonyl absorption peak appeared. The discovery of the PE-degrading strain ETX1 not only enriches the resources of PE plastic-degrading strains but also lays a foundation for mining efficient PE-degrading elements, obtaining degrading enzymes, and deciphering related degradation pathways.
Polyethylene/chemistry* ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Bacillaceae/classification* ; Plastics/metabolism*