OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism by which the extract of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract promotes bone growth in mice by modulation of the expression of miR-34a-5p in brain tissue. METHODS: Mice were assigned to four experimental groups:a normal control group, a drug administration group (receiving 0.320 mg·g^-1 body weight of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract via intragastric administration), a positive control group (receiving 0.013 mg·g^-1 body weight of jujube seed saponin via intragastric administration), and a combination group administration with Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract plus a 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonist (intragastric administration of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract combined with intracerebroventricular injection of 8 μg P-MPPF per mice for the final three days of the experiment). Following a 20-day administration period, the effects of the interventions on bone growth, serum growth hormone (GH) levels, and 5-HT2AR expression in brain tissue were evaluated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) that were differentially expressed in the brain tissues of mice exhibiting bone growth induced by Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract, as compared to those in normal mice, were identified using a gene chip approach. The interaction between miR-34a-5p and 5-HT2AR was subsequently validated through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chainreaction (RT-qPCR) and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. Subsequently, by utilizing the miR-34a-5p inhibitor group and mimics group, along with the normal control group, the drug administration group, the positive control group, and the drug administration combined with miR-34a-5p inhibitor group, the variations in 5-HT2AR expression in mouse brain tissue across all groups were examined, and the binding activity of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) to the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor (5-HT1AR) in mice was assessed. RESULTS: The body lengths of the normal control group and the drug administration group were(8.9±0.3) and(10.4±0.4) cm;femur lengths were (8.5±0.3) and (9.1±0.5) mm;tibia lengths were (10.7±0.3) and (11.2±0.4) mm, respectively. The contents of GH levels were (58.6±8.2) and (72.9±6.1) ng·ml-1;and the contents of 5-HT2AR were (32.0±5.0) and (21.9± 5.5) ng·ml-1, respectively. Compared with the normal control group, the drug administration group promoted the growth of body length, femur, and tibia in mice, and increased GH secretion, showing statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Additionally, it significantly reduced the content of 5-HT2AR in brain tissue, with statistical significance (P<0.01). The gene chip analysis identified a total of 16 differentially expressed miRNAs, of which 13 were up-regulated and 3 were down-regulated. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that the up-regulated miR-34a-5p could regulate the expression of 5-HT2AR, a prediction that was confirmed through a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, demonstrating a direct regulatory interaction between the two. Furthermore, in vivo experiments in mice revealed that overexpression and silencing of miR-34a-5p resulted in corresponding changes in the expression levels of 5-HT2AR in brain tissues/cells, as well as in the binding activity between 5-HT and 5-HT1AR. CONCLUSION The Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract promotes animal bone growth by enhancing miR-34a-5p expression in brain tissue, downregulating the expression level of 5-HT2AR, improving the binding activity between 5-HT and 5-HT1AR, and extending slow-wave sleep duration, thereby stimulating GH secretion.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Brain/metabolism* ; Ziziphus/chemistry* ; Bone Development/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: Several epidemiological observational studies have related particulate matter (PM) exposure to Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but many confounding factors make it difficult to draw causal links from observational studies. The objective of this study was to explore the causal association between PM _2.5 exposure, its absorbance, and IBD. METHODS: We assessed the association of PM _2.5 and PM _2.5 absorbance with the two primary forms of IBD (Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]) using Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the causal relationship. We conducted two-sample MR analyses with aggregated data from the UK Biobank genome-wide association study. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms linked with PM _2.5 concentrations or their absorbance were used as instrumental variables (IVs). We used inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the primary analytical approach and four other standard methods as supplementary analyses for quality control. RESULTS: The results of MR demonstrated that PM _2.5 had an adverse influence on UC risk (odds ratio [ OR] = 1.010; 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 1.001-1.019, P = 0.020). Meanwhile, the results of IVW showed that PM _2.5 absorbance was also causally associated with UC ( OR = 1.012; 95% CI = 1.004-1.019, P = 0.002). We observed no causal relationship between PM _2.5, PM _2.5 absorbance, and CD. The results of sensitivity analysis indicated the absence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy, ensuring the reliability of MR results. CONCLUSION Based on two-sample MR analyses, there are potential positive causal relationships between PM _2.5, PM _2.5 absorbance, and UC.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/genetics* ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Crohn Disease/genetics* ; Colitis, Ulcerative/genetics* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Risk Factors ; Environmental Exposure

Fe/Mn/Gd polymetallic nanooxide(FMGN)were prepared by one-step solvent thermal reaction by using Fe(acac)3,Mn(acac)2 and Gd(acac)3 as reaction precursors.Next,hyaluronic acid(HA)was used to modify FMGN to fabricate tumor-targeting T 1-T 2 dual-mode magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)contrast agent(HA-FMGN)for accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.The structure and morphology of FMGN were observed by transmission electron microscope(TEM).It was found that FMGN exhibited a uniform nanocluster spherical structure when the feeding ratio of iron acetylacetonate,manganese acetylacetonate,and gadolinium acetylacetonate was 3:2:1.X-ray diffraction(XRD)analysis showed that FMGN had a typical inverse spinel structure of Mn doped Fe 3O 4,with Gd existing in the form of amorphous gadolinium oxide.The longitudinal relaxivity(r 1)and transverse relaxivity(r 2)of FMGN were 13.395 and 428.535 L/(mmol·s),respectively,measured by 0.5 T MRI analyzer,which proved that FMGN had excellent T 1-T 2 dual-mode MRI contrast capability.The cytotoxicity and hemolysis test found that HA-FMGN didn't damage red cells and induce toxicity for normal cells,indicating that HA-FMGN had excellent cell biocompatibility.The internalization efficacy of HA-FMGN was observed by CLSM,and the results showed that HA-FMGN possessed excellent prostate tumor-targeting ability.In vivo MRI experiment showed that HA-FMGN significantly enhanced T 1 and T 2 weighted MRI signal to noise ratio(SNR)of prostate tumor,which promoted the accurate diagnosis of orthotopic prostate cancer.

Objective To design a tabletop exercise teaching toolkit for emergency rescue training for mass wounded at sea.Methods Guided by the competency-based education(CBE)theory,a preliminary tabletop exercise teaching toolkit was constructed by combining field research and literature analysis.The toolkit was tested and modified through expert meetings.Results A set of tabletop exercise teaching toolkit including tabletop exercise scheme,casualty pool,teaching aids and teaching evaluation tools was formed.Conclusion The tabletop exercise teaching toolkit developed in this study can be used for the training of medical personnels on large surface warships,and it provides new ideas for our military medical training.

This study explored the growth-promoting effect and mechanism of the endophytic bacterium Kocuria rosea on Rehmannia glutinosa, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the development of green bacterial fertilizer. R. glutinosa 'Jinjiu' was treated with K. rosea, and the shoot parameters including leaf length, leaf width, plant width, and stem diameter were measured every 15 days. After 120 days, the shoots and roots were harvested. The root indicators(root number, root length, root diameter, root fresh weight, root dry weight, root volume, and root vitality) and secondary metabolites(catalpol, rehmannioside A, rehmannioside D, verbascoside, and leonuride) were determined. The R. glutinosa growth-promoting mechanism of K. rosea was discussed from the effect of K. rosea on the nutrient element content in R. glutinosa and rhizosphere soil and the genome information of this plant. After application of K. rosea, the maximum increases in leaf length, leaf width, plant width, and stem diameter were 35.67%(60 d), 25.39%(45 d), 40.17%(60 d), and 113.85%(45 d), respectively. The root number, root length, root diameter, root volume, root fresh weight, root dry weight, and root viability increased by 41.71%, 45.10%, 48.61%, 94.34%, 101.55%, 147.61%, and 42.08%, respectively. In addition, the content of rehmannioside A and verbascoside in the root of R. glutinosa increased by 76.67% and 69.54%, respectively. K. rosea promoted the transformation of nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), and potassium(K) in the rhizosphere soil into the available state. Compared with that in the control, the content of available N(54.60 mg·kg~(-1)), available P(1.83 μmol·g~(-1)), and available K(83.75 mg·kg~(-1)) in the treatment with K. rosea increased by 138.78%, 44.89%, and 14.34%, respectively. The content of N, P, and K in the treatment group increased by 293.22%, 202.63%, and 23.80% in the roots and by 23.60%, 107.23%, and 134.53% in the leaves of R. glutinosa, respectively. K. rosea carried the genes related to colonization(rbsB, efp, bcsA, and gmhC), N, P, and K metabolism(narG, narH, narI, nasA, nasB, GDH2, pyk, aceB, ackA, CS, ppa, ppk, ppk2, pstS, pstA, pstB, and pstC), and indole-3-acetic acid and zeatin synthesis(iaaH and miaA). Further studies showed that K. rosea could colonize the roots of R. glutinosa and secrete indole-3-acetic acid(3.85 μg·mL~(-1)) and zeatin(0.10 μg·mL~(-1)). In summary, K. rosea promotes the growth of R.ehmannia glutinosa by enhancing the nutrient uptake, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of plant growth-promoting microbial products.
Rehmannia/metabolism* ; Endophytes/metabolism* ; Plant Roots/growth & development* ; Micrococcaceae/genetics* ; Data Mining ; Plant Leaves/metabolism* ; Genomics ; Rhizosphere

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xiaozheng Granules(XZG)combined with Jingqiankang Bacterio-static Gelatin(JBG)on chronic prostatitis of the damp-heat and blood-stasis type based on infrared thermography(IRT).Methods:This study included 120 cases of chronic prostatitis with damp-heat and blood stasis treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan U-niversity of Chinese Medicine with oral XZG(the control group,n=60)or oral XZG combined with anal administration of JBG(the trial group,n=60),both for 4 weeks.We obtained the NIH-CPSI and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores of the patients,measured the temperatures in the belt-vessel,lower focal and inguinal regions by IRT before and after treatment,recorded the adverse reactions during the treatment,and compared them between the two groups of patients.Results:Compared with the base-line,the NIH-CPSI and TCM syndrome scores were significantly decreased in the two groups of patients after treatment(P<0.05),even more significantly in the trial than in the control group(P<0.05),and after 1 hour of treatment,the temperatures in the Xia-jiao([34.09±0.34]vs[33.60±0.40]℃,P<0.05)and the groin region([34.49±0.28]vs[33.78±0.30]℃,P<0.05)were remarkably reduced in the trial group,but showed no significant change in the control group(Xiajiao region:[34.02±0.29]vs[34.05±0.26]℃,P>0.05;groin region:[34.54±0.25]vs[34.51±0.22]℃,P>0.05).After 4 weeks of treatment,the temperatures in the Xiajiao and groin regions were even lower in the trial([33.13±0.41]℃ and[33.21±0.29]℃ )and the control group([33.42±0.25]℃ and[33.86±0.29]℃ )than the baseline and those after 1 hour of treatment(P<0.05),and still more significantly in the former than in the latter group(P<0.05).The total effectiveness rate was markedly higher in the trial group than in the control(88.14％ vs 77.19％,P<0.05),and no obvious adverse reactions were observed in neither group.Conclusion:XZG combined with JBG is a safe and effective treatment of chronic prostatitis with damp-heat and blood-stasis,which can significantly reduce the NIH-CPSI and TCM syndrome scores and IRT temperatures in the lower focal and in-guinal regions of the patients.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD)in twin preterm infants with a gestational age of<34 weeks,and to provide a basis for early identification of BPD in twin preterm infants in clinical practice.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the twin preterm infants with a gestational age of<34 weeks who were admitted to 22 hospitals nationwide from January 2018 to December 2020.According to their conditions,they were divided into group A(both twins had BPD),group B(only one twin had BPD),and group C(neither twin had BPD).The risk factors for BPD in twin preterm infants were analyzed.Further analysis was conducted on group B to investigate the postnatal risk factors for BPD within twins.Results A total of 904 pairs of twins with a gestational age of<34 weeks were included in this study.The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with group C,birth weight discordance of>25%between the twins was an independent risk factor for BPD in one of the twins(OR=3.370,95%CI:1.500-7.568,P<0.05),and high gestational age at birth was a protective factor against BPD(P<0.05).The conditional logistic regression analysis of group B showed that small-for-gestational-age(SGA)birth was an independent risk factor for BPD in individual twins(OR=5.017,95%CI:1.040-24.190,P<0.05).Conclusions The development of BPD in twin preterm infants is associated with gestational age,birth weight discordance between the twins,and SGA birth.

The purpose of this study was to identify the tick species native to Xindi Township,Yumin County,Xinjiang,China.Preliminary morphological identification of parasitic ticks collected from animals in the area was conducted with an ultra-depth of field three-dimensional VHX 600 digital stereo microscope.Total DNA of the ticks was extracted,amplified by PCR based on the COI and ITS2 gene loci,and the posi-tive PCR products were sequenced.The sequence were a-ligned with reference sequences from the NCBI database were aligned with the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool.A genet-ic phylogenetic tree was generated with the neighbor-joining method of MEGA 7.0 software to determine the evolutionary biological characteristics of ticks.Morphological identification showed that the ticks collected from Xindi Township of Yu-min County were consistent with the characteristics of Hya-lomma asiaticum.An evolutionary tree based on the COI and ITS2 gene sequences showed that the ticks collected in this study were clustered with known H.asiaticum sequences.The PCR products of COI and ITS2 were sequenced and compared,which confirmed that the collected tick species were H.asiaticum,in agreement with the morphological and molecular biological results.These findings help to clarify the distribution of ticks in Xindi Township of Xinjiang,and provide basic data for the analysis of tick genetic and evolutionary characteristics,as reference for surveillance and control of ticks in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Objective To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)in the eNOS gene and genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)in Hainan.Methods Blood samples were collected from SLE patients(SLE group,n=214)and healthy controls(control group,n=214)from January 2020 to December 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College and Hainan Provincial People's Hospital.The bases of eNOS gene rs3918188,rs1799983 and rs1007311 loci in each group were detected by SNaPshot sequencing technology.Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between genotypes,alleles and gene models(dominant model,recessive model,and overdominant model)of the above 3 target loci of the eNOS gene and genetic susceptibility to SLE.Haplotype analysis was conducted using HaploView 4.2 software to investigate the relationship between haploid and genetic susceptibility to SLE at each site.Results The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the CC genotype and the C allele at rs3918188 locus were risk factors for genetic susceptibility to SLE(CC vs.AA:OR=2.449,P<0.05;C vs.A:OR=2.133,P<0.001).In recessive model at rs3918188 locus,CC genotype carriers had an increased risk of SLE development compared with AA+AC genotype carriers(OR=2.774,P<0.001).In contrast,in overdominant model at this locus,AC genotype carriers had a decreased risk of SLE occurrence compared with AA+CC genotype carriers(OR=0.385,P<0.001).In addition,polymorphisms of rs1799983 and rs1007311 were not associated with susceptibility to SLE in genotype,allele type and the 3 genetic models(P>0.05).Haplotype analysis revealed a strong linkage disequilibrium between the rs1007311 and rs1799983 loci of the eNOS gene,but no significant correlation was found between haplotype and genetic susceptibility to SLE(P>0.05).Conclusion The CC genotype and C allele at rs3918188 locus of eNOS gene may be risk factors for SLE in Hainan,while the risk of SLE occurrence is reduced in carriers of AC genotype under the overdominant model.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of drug resistance in patients with disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis,and provide references for the clinical development of individualized treatment plans.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 71 hospitalized patients with disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis treated at the Beijing Chest Hospital,Capital Medical University from January 2015 to January 2024.The susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from these patients to 16 anti-tuberculosis drugs was detected using the microplate method for mycobacterial drug susceptibility testing.The study analyzed the culture results of Mycobacterium tuberculosis,drug susceptibility test results,initial treatment or re-treatment status,drug resistance,and differences in drug resistance types between initial and re-treated patients.Results Among the 71 patients with disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis,there were 51 males(71.8%),and 58 cases(81.7%)of acute disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis,with an overall drug resistance rate to 16 anti-tuberculosis drugs of 38.0%.There was no statistically significant difference in the total drug resistance rate between re-treated patients and those undergoing initial treatment[52.2%(12/23)vs.31.3%(15/48),P=0.089].The top 7 drugs to which patients were resistant were streptomycin(Sm)and isoniazid(INH)with 13 cases each(18.3%),rifapentine(Rft)and isoniazid aminosalicylate(Pa)with 10 cases each(14.1%),rifampicin(RFP),rifabutin(Rfb),and capreomycin(Cm)with 9 cases each(12.7%).The top 6 drugs to which initially treated patients were resistant were Cm with 6 cases(12.5%),Sm with 5 cases(10.4%),Pa with 4 cases(8.3%),INH,clarithromycin(Clr),and p-aminosalicylic acid(PAS)with 3 cases each(6.3%).The top 7 drugs to which re-treated patients were resistant were INH with 10 cases(43.5%),Sm,RFP,and Rft with 8 cases each(34.8%),Rfb with 7 cases(30.4%),Pa and levofloxacin(Lfx)with 6 cases each(26.1%).The overall mono-resistance rate,poly-drug resistance rate,and multidrug-resistant rate to 16 anti-tuberculosis drugs were 9.9%,7.0%,and 11.3%,respectively;all mono-resistance patients were initially treated;there was no statistically significant difference in the poly-drug resistance rate between re-treated and initially treated patients(13.0%vs.4.2%,P=0.591),but the multidrug-resistant rate was significantly higher in re-treated patients(30.4%vs.2.1%,P=0.002).Conclusion Drug resistance in disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis is severe.Clinical physicians can develop personalized anti-tuberculosis treatment plans based on drug susceptibility test results.