ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics and imaging features of effectively treated pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia （MPP） with pulmonary consolidation， follow up the volume changes of pulmonary consolidation on lung CT scans of the affected children， and investigate the resolution patterns of pulmonary consolidation， and predict the time required for complete resolution. MethodsWe enrolled children with MPP and pulmonary consolidation hospitalized in the Department of General Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2018 and May 2024. Data collected included demographics， clinical symptoms， laboratory indicators， treatment status， imaging data during hospitalization， as well as follow-up lung CT data and reexamination intervals after discharge. Consolidation volumes were measured before and after the treatment to calculate the resolution rate and resolution velocity. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on clinical characteristics， imaging features and consolidation resolution. ResultsAmong 238 children with MPP and lung consolidation， females slightly outnumbered males （the male to female ratio is 109 vs.129）， with a mean age of approximately 5 years. At admission， the median cough and fever durations were 7 （5-9） days and 6 （ 4-7） days， respectively. No significant increase was found in white blood cells count or lactate dehydrogenase（LDH）， and hypersensitive high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （CRP） slightly increased. Azithromycin was the first line of treatment in most cases， though second-line drugs increased in the recent two years due to the rising resistance. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 66.8% （159/238） of children， and 33.2% （79/238） did not receive lavage. Consolidation was predominantly unilateral （206 unilateral vs. 32 bilateral） and right-sided （117 right-sided vs. 89 left-sided）. The ratio of consolidation volume to total lung volume was 4.48 （2.61-7.35） %， the consolidation resolution rate at follow-up was 96.08 （ 88.02-98.95） %， the reexamination interval was 17 （ 15-21） days， the resolution velocity was 2.15 （1.23-4.01） cm³/d， and the time to complete resolution was 18.96 （16.14-23.33） days . ConclusionsPulmonary consolidation in pediatric MPP achieves substantial resolution on CT within 2-3 weeks after effective clinical treatment. Initial consolidation volume and resolution velocity can predict the time required for complete resolution， thereby clinically guiding optimal CT follow-up scheduling.

BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies have indicated that Angong Niuhuang Pills (ANP) reduce cerebral infarct and edema volumes. This study aimed to investigate whether ANP safely reduces cerebral infarct and edema volumes in patients with moderate to severe acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial included patients with acute ischemic stroke with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ranging from 10 to 20 in 17 centers in China between April 2021 and July 2022. Patients were allocated within 36 h after onset via block randomization to receive ANP or placebo (3 g/day for 5 days). The primary outcomes were changes in cerebral infarct and edema volumes after 14 days of treatment. The primary safety outcome was severe adverse events (SAEs) for 90 days. RESULTS: There were 57 and 60 patients finally included in the ANP and placebo groups, respectively for modified intention-to-treat analysis. The median age was 66.0 years, and the median NIHSS score at baseline was 12.0. The changes in cerebral infarct volume at day 14 were 0.3 mL and 0.4 mL in the ANP and placebo groups, respectively (median difference: -7.1 mL; interquartile range [IQR]: -18.3 to 2.3 mL, P = 0.30). The changes in cerebral edema volume of the ANP and placebo groups on day 14 were 11.4 mL and 4.0 mL, respectively ( median difference: 3.0 mL, IQR: -1.3 to 9.9 mL, P = 0.15). The rates of SAE within 90 days were similar in the ANP (3/57, 5%) and placebo (7/60, 12%) groups ( P = 0.36). Changes in serum mercury and arsenic concentrations were comparable. In patients with large artery atherosclerosis, ANP reduced the cerebral infarct volume at 14 days (median difference: -12.3 mL; IQR: -27.7 to -0.3 mL, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: ANP showed a similar safety profile to placebo and non-significant tendency to reduce cerebral infarct volume in patients with moderate-to-severe stroke. Further studies are warranted to assess the efficacy of ANP in reducing cerebral infarcts and improving clinical prognosis. TRAIL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov , No. NCT04475328.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Ischemic Stroke/drug therapy* ; Pilot Projects ; Stroke/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds. Among them, 102 compounds were reported in R. tomentosum for the first time, and 36 compounds were identified by comparing them with reference compounds. The chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum leaves and stems showed slight differences, with 84 common chemical components accounting for 71.2% of the total 118 compounds. This study systematically characterized and identified the non-volatile chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum for the first time. The findings provide a reference for active ingredient research, quality control, and product development of R. tomentosum.
Rhododendron/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

Neuropathic pain, a debilitating condition caused by dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system, remains difficult to treat due to limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis identified cerebellin 2 (CBLN2) as highly enriched in human and murine proprioceptive and nociceptive neurons. We found that CBLN2 expression is persistently upregulated in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in mice. In addition, transcription factor SOX11 binds to 12 cis-regulatory elements within the Cbln2 promoter to enhance its transcription. SNL also induced SOX11 upregulation, with SOX11 and CBLN2 co-localized in nociceptive neurons. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of Sox11 or Cbln2 attenuated SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. High-throughput sequencing of DRG following intrathecal injection of CBLN2 revealed widespread gene expression changes, including upregulation of numerous NF-κB downstream targets. Consistently, CBLN2 activated NF-κB signaling, and inhibition with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate reduced CBLN2-induced pain hypersensitivity, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production, and neuronal hyperexcitability. Together, these findings identified the SOX11/CBLN2/NF-κB axis as a critical mediator of neuropathic pain and a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Male ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Spinal Nerves

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs), as the oxides of the most abundant elements in rare earths, have been widely used in biomedical and industrial production and other fields that are closely related to human life. China is a large country in resources and production of rare earth, and the impact of CeO₂ NPs on human health has been increasingly concerned. In response to the possible health risks of CeO₂ NPs, researchers begin to focus on their toxic effects on living organisms, especially on the reproductive system. The male reproductive system is not only responsible for producing sperm and regulating the secretion of testosterone, but also plays a key role in maintaining male sexual characters and function. Any adverse effects on the male reproductive system may lead to reduced fertility and reproductive dysfunction. Some studies have shown that long-term exposure to CeO₂ NPs may lead to gonadal damage, sex hormone disorders, and other problems in male animals. Therefore, an in-depth study of the potential effects of CeO₂ NPs on the male reproductive system is of great scientific significance and practical value. In this study, we reviewed the male reproductive toxicity of CeO₂ NPs in terms of spermatogenic cells, spermatozoa structure, blood-testis barrier, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and functional changes in epididymis, and analyzed the effects of the size and shape of physicochemical parameters of CeO₂ NPs on the toxicity to male reproductive system. The findings will provide a theoretical basis and scientific evidence for the rational use of CeO₂ NPs.

Aim To investigate the possible mecha-nism of UNC5B-AS1 in regulating the malignant biolog-ical behavior of osteosarcoma cells.Methods RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of UNC5B-AS1 in osteosarcoma cells MG63,osteosarcoma cells U2OS and osteoblast cells hFOB1.19.After overexpression and knockdown of UNC5B-AS1 in osteosarcoma cells,the proliferation,migration and apoptosis of osteosarco-ma cells were detected by CCK-8 assay,Transwell as-say and flow cytometry,respectively.At the same time,RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the effects of UNC5B-AS1 overexpression and knock-down on the mRNA and protein expression of key fac-tors in the NF-κB signaling pathway.Results Com-pared with normal osteoblast hFOB1.19,UNC5B-AS1 expression was differentially increased in osteosarcoma cells MG63 and U2OS.Overexpression of UNC5B-AS1 significantly promoted the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells and significantly increased the migration ability of osteosarcoma cells,while the apoptosis rate markedly decreased,and NF-κB signaling pathway-related mR-NA and protein expressions apparently increased.Knockdown of UNC5B-AS1 evidently inhibited the pro-liferation of osteosarcoma cells and significantly re-duced the migration ability of osteosarcoma cells,while the apoptosis rate markedly increased,the NF-κB sig-naling pathway related mRNA and protein expression significantly reduced.Conclusions lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 is highly expressed in osteosarcoma cells,which may affect the malignant biological behavior of osteo-sarcoma cells by activating the NF-κB signaling path-way.

Objective:To explore the potential action mechanism of Huotu Jiji Pellets(HJP)in the treatment of erectile dys-function(ED)based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.Methods:We identified the main effective compounds and active molecular targets of HJP from the database of Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology(TCMSP)and Integrative Pharmacology-Based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCMIP)and the therapeutic target genes of ED from the data-bases of Genecards.Then we obtained the common targets of HJP and ED using the Venny software,constructed a protein-protein in-teraction(PPI)network of HJP acting on ED,and screened out the core targets with the Cytoscape software.Lastly we performed GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the core targets followed by molecular docking of HJP and the core targets using Chem3D and AutoDock Tools and QuickVina-W software.Results:A total of 64 effective compounds,822 drug-related targets,1 783 disease-related targets and 320 common targets were obtained in this study.PPI network analysis showed that the core targets of HJP for ED included ESR1,HSP90AA1,SRC,and STAT3.GO functional enrichment analysis indicated the involvement of the core targets in such biological processes as response to xenobiotic stimulus,positive regulation of kinase activity,and positive regu-lation of MAPK cascade.KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested that PI3K-Akt,apoptosis,MAPK,HIF-1,VEGF,autophagy and other signaling pathways may be related to the mechanism of HJP acting on ED.Molecular docking prediction exhibited a good doc-king activity of the key active molecules of HJP with the core targets.Conclusion:This study showed that HJP acted on ED through multi-components,multi-targets and multi-pathways,which has provided some evidence and reference for the clinical treatment and subsequent studies of the disease.

Objective:To explore the effect of Zhisanzhen acupuncture on cognition ability and apoptosis in the hippocampus using a murine model of cerebral ischemia.Methods:Thirty-two male C57 mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a sham acupuncture group and a Zhisanzhen group, each of 8. All except the control group received middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) surgery. Successful modeling was confirmed using Bederson scoring and 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Beginning 24 hours after successful modeling, the Zhisanzhen group was given 30 minutes of acupuncture at the Shenting and bilateral Benshen points with the injection 3mm deep daily for five days The sham acupuncture group was given acupuncture at 5 mm next to the Shenting and bilateral Benshen points 3mm deep. Twenty-four hours after the last session of acupuncture, the rats′ cognition was tested using a water maze. After the experiment the hippocampus was sampled on the affected side and any apoptosis of hippocampal neurons was detected using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays. Changes in caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 protein and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) protein in the hippocampal tissue were evaluated using western blotting. The total serine phosphorylation level of caspase-3 protein was detected using immunoprecipitation.Results:Compared to the model and the sham groups, the average escape latency in the Zhisanzhen group was significantly shorter and the times crossing the platform was significantly greater. There were significantly fewer TUNEL-positive cells in the Zhisanzhen group on average, and less caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3, but significantly more p38-MAPK and greater serine phosphorylation of its substrate caspase-3.Conclusion:Zhisanzhen acupuncture can ameliorate recognition difficulties after cerebral ischemia. It promotes phosphorylation of caspase-3, limiting its cleavage and activation, and decreasing neuron apoptosis in the hippocampus.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the level of N-terminal pro-Brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)and cardiorespiratory fitness following acute exposure to high altitude.Methods Forty-six subjects were recruited from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University in June 2022,including 19 males and 27 females.After completing cardiopulmonary exercise test(CPET),serological detection of myocardial cell-related markers,and multiple metabolites at a plain altitude(300 meters above sea level),all subjects flew to a high-altitude location(3900 meters above sea level).Biomarker testing and CPET were repeated on the second and third days after arrival at high altitude.Changes in serum biomarker and key CPET indicators before and after rapid ascent to high altitude were compared,and the correlation between serum levels of various myocardial cell-related markers and metabolites and high altitude cardiorespiratory fitness was analyzed.Results Compared with the plain altitude,there was a significant decrease in maximal oxygen uptake after rapid ascent to high altitude[(25.41±6.20)ml/(kg.min)vs.(30.17±5.01)ml/(kg.min),P<0.001].Serum levels of NT-proBNP,Epinephrine(E),plasma renin activity(PRA),angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ),angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)and leptin(LEP)significantly increased,with all differences being statistically significant(P<0.05)after acute high altitude exposure.In contrast,no statistically significant differences were observed for creatine kinase MB(CK-MB),cardiac troponin I(cTnI),myoglobin(Myo)and norepinephrine(NE)(P>0.05).Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between NT-proBNP at plain altitude(r=-0.768,P<0.001)and at high altitude(r=-0.791,P<0.001)with maximal oxygen uptake at high altitude.Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that maximal oxygen uptake at plain altitude(t=2.069,P=0.045),NT-proBNP at plain altitude(t=-2.436,P=0.020)and at high altitude(t=-3.578,P=0.001)were independent influencing factors of cardiorespiratory fitness at high altitude.Conclusion Cardiorespiratory fitness significantly decreases after rapid ascent to high altitude,and the baseline NT-proBNP level at plain altitude is closely related to cardiorespiratory fitness at high altitude,making it a potential predictor indicator for high altitude cardiorespiratory fitness.

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.