ObjectiveTo investigate the urate-lowering effect of Shenling Qushi prescription in the mouse model of hyperuricaemia. MethodsSixty-three C57BL/6N mice were randomly assigned to the following groups （n=9）： Control， model， low-dose （6 g·kg^-1） Shenling Qushi prescription， medium-dose （12 g·kg^-1） Shenling Qushi prescription， high-dose （24 g·kg^-1） Shenling Qushi prescription， medium-dose Shenling Qushi prescription plus febuxostat （12+0.003 g·kg^-1）， and febuxostat （3 mg·kg^-1）. A mouse model of persistent hyperuricaemia was established via intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxazolamide （250 mg·kg^-1） combined with oral administration of allopurinol （300 mg·kg^-1） over a 28-day period. Concurrently， the prescription was administered orally at the specified doses once daily for 21 consecutive days. Throughout the experiment， mouse body weight， food intake， water consumption， and urine output were measured and recorded. Kidney and liver indices were calculated. Renal histopathological changes were observed by haematoxylin and eosin staining. Serum uric acid （SUA） and urinary uric acid （UUA） levels， along with xanthine oxidase （XOD） and adenosine deaminase （ADA）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） activities， were determined. Real-time PCR was employed to assess the mRNA levels of urate anion transporter 1 （URAT1） and glucose transporter 9 （GLUT9） in the renal tissue， alongside those of XOD and ADA in the liver tissue. The protein levels of URAT1 and GLUT9 in the renal tissue were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group， model mice exhibited reduced food intake and body weight （P<0.01）， decreased water consumption yet increased urine output， no significant change in the liver index but increased kidney index （P<0.01）. Pathological findings revealed renal tissue damage including glomerular atrophy， epithelial cell detachment， and inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore， the model group exhibited elevated UUA and SUA levels （P<0.01）， enhanced activities of ALT， AST， XOD， and ADA in the liver tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， upregulated mRNA and protein levels of URAT1 and GLUT9 in the renal tissue （P<0.05）， alongside markedly elevated mRNA levels of XOD and ADA in the liver （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Shenling Qushi prescription groups showed no significant changes in body weight or food intake， with water consumption and urine output remaining within normal ranges， alleviated glomerular atrophy， with reduced pathological damage such as inflammatory infiltration， declined UUA and SUA levels （P<0.01）， and increased activities of ALT， AST， XOD， and ADA in the serum （P<0.01）. Real-time PCR results demonstrated that Shenling Qushi prescription downregulated the mRNA levels of URAT1 and GLUT9 in the renal tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01） and XOD and ADA in the hepatic tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot results demonstrated Shenling Qushi prescription reduced the protein levels of URAT1 and GLUT9 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionShenling Qushi prescription modulates fluid balance and reduces uric acid levels， thereby alleviating renal injury in hyperuricaemic mice. This effect is highly likely mediated through inhibition of uric acid synthesis and reabsorption.

Objective To investigate the association of spleen volume with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)as well as their causal relationship.Methods We included 90 NAFLD cases and 47 healthy controls who had received contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)scan of the abdomen at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from November 2022 to November 2023.We conducted three-dimensional reconstruction of the spleen through a deep learning network model using a two-stage coarse-to-fine segmentation approach.We compared the two groups using the two-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous data and using the chi-square test for categorical data;evaluated the correlation between spleen volume and liver function indicators through Pearson correlation or Spearman rank correlation analyses;determined the factors influencing the development of NAFLD through multivariable Logistic regression analysis;and further assessed the casual relationship between spleen volume and NAFLD using the inverse variance-weighted two-sample Mendelian randomization(IVW-MR)method.Results Spleen volume was significantly larger in NAFLD cases than in controls(272.93±104.16 vs 204.37±81.20 cm3,P<0.001).The Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that spleen volume was positively correlated with the hepatic steatosis index(rs=0.422,P<0.001)and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels(rs=0.211,P=0.047)in patients with NAFLD.The multivariable Logistic regression analysis indicated that spleen volume was an independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD(odds ratio[OR]=1.01,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.00-1.02,P=0.049).The IVW-MR analysis detected a causal relationship between spleen volume and NAFLD(OR=1.16,95%CI:1.05-1.28,P=0.005).Conclusion Increased spleen volume may be a risk factor for the development and progression of NAFLD.Further studies are still needed to investigate the specific mechanism.

Objective To investigate the association of spleen volume with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)as well as their causal relationship.Methods We included 90 NAFLD cases and 47 healthy controls who had received contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)scan of the abdomen at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from November 2022 to November 2023.We conducted three-dimensional reconstruction of the spleen through a deep learning network model using a two-stage coarse-to-fine segmentation approach.We compared the two groups using the two-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous data and using the chi-square test for categorical data;evaluated the correlation between spleen volume and liver function indicators through Pearson correlation or Spearman rank correlation analyses;determined the factors influencing the development of NAFLD through multivariable Logistic regression analysis;and further assessed the casual relationship between spleen volume and NAFLD using the inverse variance-weighted two-sample Mendelian randomization(IVW-MR)method.Results Spleen volume was significantly larger in NAFLD cases than in controls(272.93±104.16 vs 204.37±81.20 cm3,P<0.001).The Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that spleen volume was positively correlated with the hepatic steatosis index(rs=0.422,P<0.001)and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels(rs=0.211,P=0.047)in patients with NAFLD.The multivariable Logistic regression analysis indicated that spleen volume was an independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD(odds ratio[OR]=1.01,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.00-1.02,P=0.049).The IVW-MR analysis detected a causal relationship between spleen volume and NAFLD(OR=1.16,95%CI:1.05-1.28,P=0.005).Conclusion Increased spleen volume may be a risk factor for the development and progression of NAFLD.Further studies are still needed to investigate the specific mechanism.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and the severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs).Methods:Medical examinees in the Department of Neurology, Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from February 2021 to October 2022 were selected as the research subjects. Head MRI was performed and the severity of WMHs was assessed by Fazekas scale. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum sICAM-1 expression level. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of the severity of WMHs. Results:A total of 171 subjects were enrolled, including 112 males (65.5%), aged 65.50±9.07 years. There were 92 patients (53.8%) with no WMH or mild WMHs and 79 patients (46.2%) with moderate to severe WMHs. The serum sICAM-1 levels in the moderate to severe WMH group were significantly higher than those in the no or milds WMH group ( t=5.679, P<0.001). Ordinal multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, higher sICAM-1 level was independently correlated with the severity of WMHs (compared to the 1 st quartile group, the 3 rd quartile group: odds ratio 3.149, 95% confidence interval 1.147-8.645, P=0.026; the 4 th quartile group: odds ratio 6.087, 95% confidence interval 2.051-18.061; P=0.001). Conclusion:Elevated serum sICAM-1 level is an independent influencing factor of WMHs.

Microglial pyroptosis and neuroinflammation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation is involved in neurodevelopment and injury. However, its regulatory function in microglial pyroptosis and involvement in SAE remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that OGT deficiency augmented microglial pyroptosis and exacerbated secondary neuronal injury. Furthermore, OGT inhibition impaired cognitive function in healthy mice and accelerated the progression in SAE mice. Mechanistically, OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation of ATF2 at Ser44 inhibited its phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, thereby amplifying NLRP3 inflammasome activation and promoting inflammatory cytokine production in microglia in response to LPS/Nigericin stimulation. In conclusion, this study uncovers the critical role of OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation in modulating microglial activity through the regulation of ATF2 and thus protects against SAE progression.
Animals ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Pyroptosis/physiology* ; Mice ; Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy/prevention & control* ; Activating Transcription Factor 2/metabolism* ; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Mice, Knockout

Objective:To analyze the clinical value of nutritional risk index (NRI) in assessing the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).Methods:The clinical data from 120 patients with MM who received treatment at Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital between October 2019 and November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a high NRI group (NRI ≥ 83.5, n = 76) and a low NRI group (NRI < 83.5, n = 44) based on their NRI values. The survival outcomes of the two groups were compared, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of NRI in patients with MM. Results:Compared with the high NRI group, the low NRI group had a later stage according to the International Staging System, with lower proportions of patients having serum C-reactive protein (≤ 10 mg/L), hemoglobin (≤ 120 g/L), and albumin (≤ 35 g/L) [24 (54.55%) vs. 56 (73.68%), 38 (86.36%) vs. 45 (59.21%), 43 (97.73%) vs. 46 (60.53%), χ2 = 4.59, 7.21, 20.13, all P < 0.05]. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates in the low NRI group were significantly lower than those in the high NRI group (χ2 = 4.22, 37.51, 20.38, all P < 0.05), and the median overall survival was also significantly lower in the low NRI group (χ2 = 68.04, P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve for NRI predicting 3-year survival in MM patients was 0.796. The predictive value was highest when NRI > 82.35, with a sensitivity of 92.98% and specificity of 53.97%. Conclusion:The NRI score can effectively assess the nutritional status of newly diagnosed MM patients and has significant clinical value for the early prediction of death within 3 years.

ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic effect of Huangliansan on atopic dermatitis （AD） model mice induced by 2， 4-dinitrochlorobenzene （DNCB）. MethodA total of 42 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， hydrocortisone group， low， medium， and high-dose groups （0.3， 0.6， 1.2 g·kg^-1） of Huangliansan oil， and water extract group （0.6 g·kg^-1） of Huangliansan. In addition to the normal group， DNCB was applied on the back of mice in other groups to establish the AD model. On the 15^th day after DNCB stimulation， each group was given the corresponding drug or solvent， and the changes in skin lesions， dermatitis score， and frequency of scratching were observed and recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the skin and spleen. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mRNA levels of filaggrin （FLG）， lorophane （LOR）， and involucrin （IVL） in skin， as well as immunoglobulin E （lgE）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and interferon-γ （IFN-γ） in spleen. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed symptoms of skin swelling and scab， and the score of dermatitis， the frequency of scratching， and the spleen index were increased （P<0.05）. The expression levels of FLG， LOR， and IVL in skin tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the mRNA expressions of IgE， IL-4， IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α in the spleen were significantly increased， while the expression level of IFN-γ was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the symptoms of skin erythema， scaly， and scab of mice in each drug group were alleviated to varying degrees， and the score of dermatitis， the frequency of scratching， and the spleen index were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， the expression levels of FLG， LOR， and IVL in the skin of mice in the drug group were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the mRNA expression of IgE， IL-4， IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α in spleen were decreased. IFN-γ was increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the lesions of the skin and spleen were improved to varying degrees. The medium-dose group of Huangliansan oil and hydrocortisone group had the most obvious manifestations （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The indexes in the medium-dose group of Huangliansan oil were better than those in the water extract group of Huangliansan. ConclusionHuangliansan may improve the expression level of skin barrier protein， inhibit the expression of helper T cell 2 （Th2）-related inflammatory factors， increase the expression of helper T cell 1 （Th1） inflammatory factors， restore the skin barrier function and Th1/Th2 balance in the spleen， regulate the inflammatory response in the spleen of AD mice， and thus relieve AD. Huangliansan oil is more effective than water extract.

Exposure to occupational noise and heavy metals are common occupational hazards in workplaces. Occupational noise exposure not only leads to noise-induced hearing loss but also cognitive dysfunction. Exposure to common heavy metals such as lead, manganese, and cadmium during work is closely related to cognitive dysfunction in workers. Combined exposure to noise and heavy metals is common in workplaces. However, current research on the combined effects of exposure to occupational noise with lead or manganese on workers' cognitive function is not comprehensive or systematic. The method for cognitive dysfunction identification varies, leading to a lack of comparability. And the causality between occupational exposure and cognitive dysfunction in workers has not been clarified. Therefore, studying the cognitive dysfunction due to combined exposure to noise and common heavy metals is of great significance for workers' occupational health. In the future, it is necessary to unify the method for cognitive dysfunction identification and conduct systematic and comprehensive research on the effects, mechanisms, and combined effects of exposure to occupational noise with lead, manganese, cadmium, and other heavy metals on workers' cognitive dysfunction, to ensure the occupational health rights and interests of workers.

Objective:To analyze the clinical value of nutritional risk index (NRI) in assessing the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).Methods:The clinical data from 120 patients with MM who received treatment at Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital between October 2019 and November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a high NRI group (NRI ≥ 83.5, n = 76) and a low NRI group (NRI < 83.5, n = 44) based on their NRI values. The survival outcomes of the two groups were compared, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of NRI in patients with MM. Results:Compared with the high NRI group, the low NRI group had a later stage according to the International Staging System, with lower proportions of patients having serum C-reactive protein (≤ 10 mg/L), hemoglobin (≤ 120 g/L), and albumin (≤ 35 g/L) [24 (54.55%) vs. 56 (73.68%), 38 (86.36%) vs. 45 (59.21%), 43 (97.73%) vs. 46 (60.53%), χ2 = 4.59, 7.21, 20.13, all P < 0.05]. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates in the low NRI group were significantly lower than those in the high NRI group (χ2 = 4.22, 37.51, 20.38, all P < 0.05), and the median overall survival was also significantly lower in the low NRI group (χ2 = 68.04, P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve for NRI predicting 3-year survival in MM patients was 0.796. The predictive value was highest when NRI > 82.35, with a sensitivity of 92.98% and specificity of 53.97%. Conclusion:The NRI score can effectively assess the nutritional status of newly diagnosed MM patients and has significant clinical value for the early prediction of death within 3 years.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a spectrum of chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic lipid metabolism disorder. Recent reports emphasized the contribution of triglyceride and diglyceride accumulation to NASH, while the other lipids associated with the NASH pathogenesis remained unexplored. The specific purpose of our study was to explore a novel pathogenesis and treatment strategy of NASH via profiling the metabolic characteristics of lipids. Herein, multi-omics techniques based on LC-Q-TOF/MS, LC-MS/MS and MS imaging were developed and used to screen the action targets related to NASH progress and treatment. A methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet-induced mouse model of NASH was then constructed, and Schisandra lignans extract (SLE) was applied to alleviate hepatic damage by regulating the lipid metabolism-related enzymes CES2A and CYP4A14. Hepatic lipidomics indicated that MCD-diet led to aberrant accumulation of phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and SLE could significantly reduce the accumulation of intrahepatic PEs. Notably, exogenous PE (18:0/18:1) was proved to significantly aggravate the mitochondrial damage and hepatocyte apoptosis. Supplementing PE (18:0/18:1) also deteriorated the NASH progress by up regulating intrahepatic proinflammatory and fibrotic factors, while PE synthase inhibitor exerted a prominent hepatoprotective role. The current work provides new insights into the relationship between PE metabolism and the pathogenesis of NASH.