BACKGROUND:Osteoporotic fracture is the most serious complication of osteoporosis.Previous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota has a regulatory effect on skeletal tissue and that gut microbiota has an important relationship with osteoporotic fracture,but the causal relationship between the two is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fractures using Mendelian randomization method. METHODS:The genome-wide association study(GWAS)datasets of gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS database and the Finnish database R9,respectively.Using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and osteoporotic fracture as the outcome variable,Mendelian randomization analyses with random-effects inverse variance weighted,MR-Egger regression,weighted median,simple model,and weighted model methods were performed to assess whether there is a causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture.Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the reliability and robustness of the results.Reverse Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to further validate the causal relationship identified in the forward Mendelian randomization analyses. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of this Mendelian randomization analysis indicated a causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture.Elevated abundance of Actinomycetales[odds ratio(OR)=1.562,95%confidence interval(CI):1.027-2.375,P=0.037),Actinomycetaceae(OR=1.561,95%CI:1.027-2.374,P=0.037),Actinomyces(OR=1.544,95%CI:1.130-2.110,P=0.006),Butyricicoccus(OR=1.781,95%CI:1.194-2.657,P=0.005),Coprococcus 2(OR=1.550,95%CI:1.068-2.251,P=0.021),Family ⅩⅢ UCG-001(OR=1.473,95%CI:1.001-2.168,P=0.049),Methanobrevibacter(OR=1.274,95%CI:1.001-1.621,P=0.049),and Roseburia(OR=1.429,95%CI:1.015-2.013,P=0.041)would increase the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients.Elevated abundance of Bacteroidia(OR=0.660,95%CI:0.455-0.959,P=0.029),Bacteroidales(OR=0.660,95%CI:0.455-0.959,P=0.029),Christensenellacea(OR=0.725,95%CI:0.529-0.995,P=0.047),Ruminococcaceae(OR=0.643,95%CI:0.443-0.933,P=0.020),Enterorhabdus(OR=0.558,95%CI:0.395-0.788,P=0.001),Eubacterium rectale group(OR=0.631,95%CI:0.435-0.916,P=0.016),Lachnospiraceae UCG008(OR=0.738,95%CI:0.546-0.998,P=0.048),and Ruminiclostridium 9(OR=0.492,95%CI:0.324-0.746,P=0.001)would reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients.We identified 16 gut microbiota associated with osteoporotic fracture by the Mendelian randomization method.That is,using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and osteoporotic fracture as the outcome variable,eight gut microbiota showed positive causal associations with osteoporotic fracture and another eight gut microbiota showed negative causal associations with osteoporotic fracture.The results of this study not only identify new biomarkers for the early prediction of osteoporotic fracture and potential therapeutic targets in clinical practice,but also provide an experimental basis and theoretical basis for the study of improving the occurrence and prognosis of osteoporotic fracture through gut microbiota in bone tissue engineering.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and incidence trends of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in children aged 0-14 years in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2024, so as to provide a reference for optimizing child TB prevention and control strategies. Methods: Data on pulmonary TB cases in children aged 0-14 years and demographic information in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2024 were collected from Surveillance and Reporting Management System with Disease Prevention and Control Information Management System under the National Health Security Informatization Project Disease Prevention and Control Information System. A Joinpoint regression model was established to analyze the temporal, spatial, and population distribution trends of child pulmonary TB incidence. Results: A total of 2 954 cases of pulmonary TB in children aged 0-14 years were reported in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2024, accounting for 0.97% of all TB cases in the general population. The average annual reported incidence rate in children was 3.32 per 100 000. Among these cases, 804 were pathogenetically positive, showing a increasing trend ( χ 2 trend =420.94, P < 0.01 ). The overall reported incidence rate of pulmonary TB in children aged 0-14 years in Shaanxi Province showed a decreasing trend, dropping from 5.35 per 100 000 in 2010 to 2.41 per 100 000 in 2024. Joinpoint regression analysis identified three distinct phases for the reported incidence rate of TB:a rapid decline from 2010 to 2013 (APC=-20.02%, 95% CI = -33.64% to -10.42%), a slight increase from 2013 to 2017 (APC=11.18%, 95% CI =3.07%-24.17%) and a slight decline again from 2017 to 2024 (APC= -7.27 %, 95% CI =-12.73% to -4.30%) (all P <0.01). Among children aged 0-14 years, the age group with the highest average annual reported incidence rate was 10-14 years (8.02 per 100 000), followed by 5-9 years (1.44 per 100 000), and 0-4 years had the lowest rate (0.95 per 100 000). The difference in reported incidence rates among the three age groups was statistically significant ( χ 2= 51.91, P <0.01). The average annual reported incidence rate of TB was 3.25 per 100 000 in boys and 3.39 per 100 000 in girls, with no statistically significant difference ( χ 2=2.01, P >0.05). There was no obvious periodic variation in the annual case reporting. Among all cities in Shaanxi Province, Ankang City had the highest average annual reported incidence rate (5.16 per 100 000). Conclusions From 2010 to 2024, the reported incidence rate of pulmonary TB in children aged 0-14 years in Shaanxi Province showed an overall decreasing trend. However, it is still necessary to strengthen active surveillance, implement targeted measures in high incidence areas such as Ankang City, and maintain continuous attention to child TB prevention and control.

Radiochemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) is a common oral complication in patients with tumors following head and neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Erosion and ulcers are the main features of OM that seriously affect the quality of life of patients and even the progress of tumor treatment. To date, differences in clinical prevention and treatment plans for OM have been noted among doctors of various specialties, which has increased the uncertainty of treatment effects. On the basis of current research evidence, this expert consensus outlines risk factors, clinical manifestations, clinical grading, ancillary examinations, diagnostic basis, prevention and treatment strategies and efficacy indicators for OM. In addition to strategies such as basic oral care, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, anti-infective agents, pro-healing agents, and photobiotherapy recommended in previous guidelines, we also emphasize the role of traditional Chinese medicine in OM prevention and treatment. This expert consensus aims to provide references and guidance for dental physicians and oncologists in formulating strategies for OM prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, standardizing clinical practice, reducing OM occurrence, promoting healing, and improving the quality of life of patients.
Humans ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Risk Factors ; Stomatitis/etiology*

Liver fibrosis is a vital cause of morbidity in patients with liver diseases and developing novel anti-fibrotic drugs is imperative. Isovalerylspiramycin I (ISP I) as a major component of carrimycin applied to upper respiratory infections, was first found to possess anti-fibrotic potential. The present study aims to evaluate the functions and mechanisms of ISP I in protecting against liver fibrosis. According to our results, ISP I not only reduced the expressions of fibrogenic markers in LX-2 cells but also appeared great protective effects on liver injury and liver fibrosis in bile duct ligation (BDL) rats and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) mice. We proved that nucleotide-binding protein 2 (NUBP2) was the direct target of ISP I. ISP I through targeting NUBP2, increased the amount of vascular non-inflammatory molecule-1 (VNN1) on the cell membrane, which will inhibit oxidative stress and fibrosis. Simultaneously, the original carrimycin's protective effect on liver damage and fibrosis was verified. Therefore, our study provides potential agents for patients with liver fibrosis-related diseases, and the clear mechanism supports wide application in the clinic.

The bioactivity-guided isolation of potentially active natural products has been widely utilized in pharmaceutical discovery. In this study, by screening fungal extracts against coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), three new aspochalasins, templichalasins A‒C (1‒3), along with six known aspochalasins (4‒9) were isolated from an active extract derived from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus templicola LHWf045. Compound 1 features a unique 5/6/5/7/5 pentacyclic ring system, while compounds 2 and 3 possess unusual 5/6/6/7 tetracyclic skeletons. Their structures were characterized through extensive spectroscopic analyses, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Additionally, we demonstrated that compound 4 can be readily converted into compounds 1‒3 under mild acidic conditions and proposed a plausible mechanism for this conversion. Bioactivity evaluation of compounds 1‒9 against CVB3 revealed the inhibitory effects of all compounds against the virus. Notably, compound 9 exhibited superior antiviral activity, surpassing the commercial drug ribavirin in selectivity index (SI) value.
Antiviral Agents/isolation & purification* ; Aspergillus/chemistry* ; Molecular Structure ; Enterovirus B, Human/drug effects* ; Endophytes/chemistry* ; Cytochalasins/isolation & purification* ; Drug Discovery ; Humans

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe disease caused by viral infection that triggers an uncontrolled inflammatory response. This study investigated the capacity of jasurolignoside (JO), a natural compound, to bind to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and treat ALI. The anti-inflammatory properties of JO were evaluated in vitro through Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence staining, and co-immunoprecipitation. The investigation utilized a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI animal model to examine the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of JO in vivo. JO attenuated inflammatory symptoms in infected cells and tissues by modulating the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Molecular docking simulations revealed JO binding to TLR4 active sites, confirmed by cellular thermal shift assay. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) demonstrated direct interaction between JO and TLR4 with a Kd value of 35.1 μmol·L^-1. Moreover, JO inhibited tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 secretion and reduced leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and macrophage infiltration in ALI-affected mice. JO also enhanced lung function and reduced ALI-related mortality. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated JO's ability to suppress TLR4 expression in ALI-affected mouse lung tissue. This study establishes that JO can bind to TLR4 and effectively treat ALI, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for clinical applications.
Toll-Like Receptor 4/chemistry* ; Animals ; Acute Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Mice ; Humans ; Ilex/chemistry* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Male ; NF-kappa B/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/immunology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Disease Models, Animal

Osteosarcoma (OS), chondrosarcoma (CS), and Ewing sarcoma (ES) represent primary malignant bone tumors and pose significant challenges in oncology research and clinical management. Conventional research methods, such as two-dimensional (2D) cultured tumor cells and animal models, have limitations in recapitulating the complex tumor microenvironment (TME) and often fail to translate into effective clinical treatments. The advancement of three-dimensional (3D) culture technology has revolutionized the field by enabling the development of in vitro constructed bone tumor models that closely mimic the in vivo TME. These models provide powerful tools for investigating tumor biology, assessing therapeutic responses, and advancing personalized medicine. This comprehensive review summarizes the recent advancements in research on 3D tumor models constructed in vitro for OS, CS, and ES. We discuss the various techniques employed in model construction, their applications, and the challenges and future directions in this field. The integration of advanced technologies and the incorporation of additional cell types hold promise for the development of more sophisticated and physiologically relevant models. As research in this field continues to evolve, we anticipate that these models will play an increasingly crucial role in unraveling the complexities of malignant bone tumors and accelerating the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Bone Neoplasms/pathology* ; Humans ; Osteosarcoma/pathology* ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Sarcoma, Ewing/pathology* ; Chondrosarcoma/pathology* ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques/methods* ; Cell Culture Techniques, Three Dimensional/methods* ; Cell Line, Tumor

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of cinnamic acid (CA) for improving doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury (DIC) in mice. METHODS: Network pharmacology analysis was used to obtain the key targets of CA and DIC. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into Sham, DOX, CA (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg)+DOX, and CA+Ferrostatin-1+DOX groups, and their myocardial function and pathology were examined by echocardiography and HE staining. Serum levels of CK-MB, LDH, MDA, IL-6, TNF‑α and myocardial ROS level were detected, and the expression levels of TLR4 and ferroptosis pathway proteins in myocardial tissue were detected by Western blotting. Cultured murine cardiomyocytes (HL-1 cells) with or without transfection with a small interfering RNA targeting TLR4 (si-TLR4) were treated with DOX or Erastin, and the cellular ROS content was measured by DCFH-DA staining; the expression level of GPX4 was detected using immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Network pharmacology analysis suggested that CA may improve DIC through TLR4 signaling. DOX treatment caused obvious myocardial injury in mice, which showed significantly increased serum levels of CK-MB, LDH, MDA, IL-6, TNF-α and myocardial ROS level with decreased myocardial levels of SLC7A11 and GPX4 proteins and increased levels of TLR4 and PTGS2 proteins. All these changes in the mouse models were significantly alleviated by treatment with CA, and the mice receiving CA or ferrostatin-1 treatment exhibited increased myocardial expressions of SLC7A11 and GPX4 proteins and lowered expressions of TLR4 and PTGS2 proteins. In cultured HL-1 cells, treatment with DOX and Erastin both obviously increased intracellular ROS level and decreased cellular GPX4 expression level, and these changes were strongly attenuated by TLR4 interference. CONCLUSIONS CA, as a potent herbal monomer, can effectively alleviate DIC in mice by inhibiting TLR4-mediated ferroptosis.
Animals ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Male ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Cinnamates/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*

Objective:To understand the spatiotemporal distribution of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in Shaanxi Province from 2015 to 2023, and provide reference for the prevention and control of pulmonary TB in Shaanxi.Methods:The registration data of etiologically positive pulmonary TB cases in Shaanxi from 2015 to 2023 were collected from the tuberculosis subsystem of Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System. Descriptive method was used to analyze the basic characteristics of the etiologically positive pulmonary TB cases. Linear trend χ2 test was used to analyze trends in registration rate and pathogen positive rate. Software SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. Software ArcGIS 10.8 was used for global spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis to explore spatial clustering of the etiologically positive pulmonary TB cases. Software SaTScan 10.0 was used for spatiotemporal scan statistics, and software ArcGIS 10.8 was used to visualize the spatiotemporal clustering. Results:A total of 64 148 cases of etiologically positive pulmonary TB were registered in Shaanxi from 2015 to 2023, with an average annual registration rate of 18.33/100 000. The registration rate and pathgen positive rate all showed upward trends from 2015 to 2023, and the differences were significant (the trend χ2=4 555.18 and 19 330.43, both P<0.001). Global spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis showed that the registration rate of etiologically positive pulmonary TB in Shaanxi from 2017 to 2023 showed a spatial clustering. The hotspots were mainly in Zhenba and Xixiang counties of Hanzhong, six counties (districts) of Ankang, and Yanchuan and Yanchang counties of Yan'an. The coldspots were mainly in parts of the Guanzhong area, including Baoji, Xi'an, and Xianyang. A total of 4 spatiotemporal clustering areas were explored by spatiotemporal scanning analysis (all P<0.001), in which the first-level clustering areas covered 17 counties (districts), mainly Zhenping, Ziyang, Zhenba, in southern Shaanxi from 2019 to 2022, the second-level clustering areas covered 6 counties (districts), mainly Yanchuan, Yanchang, Qingjian, in northern Shaanxi from 2018 to 2021, the third-level clustering areas covered 14 counties (districts), mainly Yanta, Chang'an, Jingyang, in Guanzhong area from 2018 to 2019, and the fourth-level clustering areas covered 10 counties (districts) from 2019 to 2021. Conclusions:The registration rate of labortory confirmed pulmonary TB cases in Shaanxi showed an upward trend, with obvious differences in spatiotemporal clustering distribution. The clustering areas were mainly in southern Shaanxi, such as Zhenba, Zhenping, Hanbin, Langao, Pingli, Xunyang, Ziyang counties, and northern Shaanxi, such as Yanchuan and Yanchang counties, as well as in capital city, Xi'an and the adjacent Guanzhong area. It is necessary to develope targeted measures according to local conditions for the improvement of pulmonary TB prevention and control strategies in Shaanxi.

Objective:To analyze the treatment outcome and its related factors of rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) patients in Shaanxi Province from 2017 to 2022.Methods:Through the "Drug-resistant Cases" in the "Surveillance Report Management" subsystem of the "China Disease Control and Prevention System", the RR-PTB patients registered from January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2022 in Shaanxi Province were collected.A cross-sectional study was used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, history of anti-tuberculosis treatment, medication status, and treatment outcomes and prognosis of the patients was performed. The trend analysis was conducted by trend chi-square test. Chi-square test was used for statistical comparison. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze factors influencing the treatment outcome of RR-PTB patients.Results:From 2017 to 2022, a total of 2 582 cases of RR-PTB were registered in Shaanxi Province. Epidemiological characteristics showed that the male registration incidence (1.55/100 000) was higher than that of females (0.61/100 000), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=473.04, P<0.001). The population was mainly young and middle-aged (38.88%(1 004/2 582)) and farmers (66.50%(1 717/2 582)). The highest registered incidence was in Southern Shaanxi (1.71/100 000). A total of 1 567 cases were successfully treated, with a successful treatment rate of 60.69%. The successful treatment rate of RR-PTB patients increased from 58.17%(121/208) in 2017 to 66.41%(174/262) in 2022, which showed an overall upward trend with statistically significant (trend χ2=62.84, P<0.001). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that male (odds ratio ( OR)=1.838, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.392 to 2.427, P<0.001), 45 to 64 years old ( OR=2.119, 95% CI 1.361 to 3.300, P=0.001), ≥65 years old ( OR=5.070, 95% CI 3.016 to 8.521, P<0.001), living the Northern Shaanxi ( OR=1.639, 95% CI 1.087 to 2.471, P=0.018), retreatment ( OR=1.646, 95% CI 1.264 to 2.144, P<0.001), with cross-regional mobility ( OR=1.821, 95% CI 1.403 to 2.363, P<0.001), cumulative months of medication <6 months ( OR=55.310, 95% CI 40.267 to 75.974, P<0.001), family member or self-medication management ( OR=2.176, 95% CI 1.527 to 3.100, P<0.001) were risk factors for successful treatment of RR-PTB patients. Conclusions:The successful treatment rate of RR-PTB patients in Shaanxi Province has shown an upward trend.Male, age ≥45 years, living in the Northern Shaanxi, retreatment, cross-regional mobility, cumulative months of medication <6 months, family or self-medication management are risk factors for treatment outcome of RR-PTB patients.Treatment management, the supervision and propaganda education should be strengthened to further reduce the risk of adverse treatment outcomes.