Background Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the role of amino acids in PAH-induced MS remains unclear. Objective To explore the impact of PAHs exposure on the incidence of MS among coking workers, and to determine potential modifying effect of amino acid on this relationship. Methods Unmatched nested case-control design was adopted and the baseline surveys of coking workers were conducted in two plants in Taiyuan in 2017 and 2019, followed by a 4-year follow-up. The cohort comprised 667 coking workers. A total of 362 participants were included in the study, with 84 newly diagnosed cases of MS identified as the case group and 278 as the control group. Urinary levels of 11 PAH metabolites and plasma levels of 17 amino acids were measured by ultrasensitive performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between individual PAH metabolites and MS. Stratified by the median concentration of amino acids, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model was employed to assess the mixed effects of PAHs on MS. Due to the skewed data distribution, all PAH metabolites and amino acids in the analysis were converted by natural logarithm ln (expressed as lnv). Results The median age of the 362 participants was 37 years, and 83.2% were male. Compared to the control group, the case group exhibited higher concentrations of urinary 2-hydroxyphenanthrene (2-OHPhe), 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (9-OHPhe), and hydroxyphenanthrene (OHPhe) (P=0.005, P=0.049, and P=0.004, respectively), as well as elevated levels of plasma branched chain amino acid (BCAA) and aromatic amino acid (AAA) (P<0.05). After being adjusted for confounding factors, for every unit increase in lnv_2-OHPhe in urine, the OR (95%CI) of MS was 1.57 (1.11, 2.26), and for every unit increase in lnv_OHPhe, the OR (95%CI) of MS was 1.82 (1.16, 2.90). Tyrosine, leucine, and AAA all presented a significant nonlinear correlation with MS. At low levels, tyrosine, leucine, and AAA did not significantly increase the risk of MS, but at high levels, they increased the risk of MS. In the low amino acid concentration group, as well as in the low BCAA and low AAA concentration groups, it was found that compared to the PAH metabolite levels at the 50th percentile (P₅₀), the log-odds of MS when the PAH metabolite levels was at the 75th percentile (P₇₅) were 0.158 (95%CI: 0.150, 0.166), 0.218 (95%CI: 0.209, 0.227), and 0.262 (95% CI: 0.241, 0.282), respectively, However, no correlation between PAHs and MS was found in the high amino acid concentration group. Conclusion Amino acids modify the effect of PAHs exposure on the incidence of MS. In individuals with low plasma amino acid levels, the risk of developing MS increases with higher concentrations of mixed PAH exposure. This effect is partly due to the low concentrations of BCAA and AAA.

BACKGROUND: It is inaccurate to reflect the level of dust exposure through working years. Furthermore, identifying a predictive indicator for lung function decline is significant for coal miners. The study aimed to explored whether club cell secretory protein (CC16) levels can reflect early lung function changes. METHODS: The cumulative respiratory dust exposure (CDE) levels of 1,461 coal miners were retrospectively assessed by constructed a job-exposure matrix to replace working years. Important factors affecting lung function and CC16 were selected by establishing random forest models. Subsequently, the potential of CC16 to reflect lung injury was explored from multiple perspectives. First, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to compare the trends of changes in lung function indicators and plasma CC16 levels after dust exposure. Then mediating analysis was performed to investigate the role of CC16 in the association between dust exposure and lung function decline. Finally, the association between baseline CC16 levels and follow-up lung function was explored. RESULTS: The median CDE were 35.13 mg/m³-years. RCS models revealed a rapid decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), and their percentages of predicted values when CDE exceeded 25 mg/m³-years. The dust exposure level (<5 mg/m³-years) causing significant changes in CC16 was much lower than the level (25 mg/m³-years) that caused changes in lung function indicators. CC16 mediated 11.1% to 26.0% of dust-related lung function decline. Additionally, workers with low baseline CC16 levels experienced greater reductions in lung function in the future. CONCLUSIONS CC16 levels are more sensitive than lung indicators in reflecting early lung function injury and plays mediating role in lung function decline induced by dust exposure. Low baseline CC16 levels predict poor future lung function.
Uteroglobin/blood* ; Humans ; Dust/analysis* ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Coal Mining ; Biomarkers/blood* ; China/epidemiology* ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; Female

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Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is a common ocular chronic microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus and is the leading blinding fundus disease in people over 40 years of age.Current studies have shown that neuroglial vascular u-nit(NGVU)injury causes a variety of characteristic fundus changes in DR patients,including exudation,cotton wool spots,microangioma,bleeding,and neovascularization.Recent studies have confirmed that retinal NGVU injury in DR pa-tients occurs before retinal microangiopathy and is closely related to impaired visual function,so NGVU is expected to be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of early DR in the future.In this paper,the research progress on the relationship between NGVU and DR treatment is reviewed,intending to provide new research directions for the pre-vention and intervention of early DR progression.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons (MNs) with large unmet medical needs. Multiple pathological mechanisms are considered to contribute to the progression of ALS, including neuronal oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Honokiol (HNK) has been reported to exert therapeutic effects in several neurologic disease models including ischemia stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Here we found that honokiol also exhibited protective effects in ALS disease models both in vitro and in vivo. Honokiol improved the viability of NSC-34 motor neuron-like cells that expressed the mutant G93A SOD1 proteins (SOD1-G93A cells for short). Mechanistical studies revealed that honokiol alleviated cellular oxidative stress by enhancing glutathione (GSH) synthesis and activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway. Also, honokiol improved both mitochondrial function and morphology via fine-tuning mitochondrial dynamics in SOD1-G93A cells. Importantly, honokiol extended the lifespan of the SOD1-G93A transgenic mice and improved the motor function. The improvement of antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial function was further confirmed in the spinal cord and gastrocnemius muscle in mice. Overall, honokiol showed promising preclinical potential as a multiple target drug for ALS treatment.

Taking G University as an example, through empirical research, this study finds out that the motivation of teachers on medical education research is insufficient; the support and incentive for young and middle-aged teachers to participate in higher education research is insufficient; and universities lack of an efficient higher education research organization system; the social influence of medical research and education is not enough, etc. We call on independent medical universities to further improve the higher education research organization system, change the current situation and increase the support and incentives for young and middle-aged teachers to participate in higher education research, guide teachers to summarize the characteristics of medical education teaching, improve the quality of medical personnel training, and expand the influence of medical education research.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of porcine large intestine-processed Dahuang （Radix et Rhizoma Rhei） on defecation in constipation model mice and the possible mechanism. MethodsFifty Kunming mice were randomized to blank group （n=10） and model group （n=40）. Loperamide suspension at the dose of 8 mg/（kg·d） was given by gavage for four consecutive days to establish a model of constipation. The 24 successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model group， processed Dahuang group， lactulose group， raw Dahuang group， with six mice in each group. Moreover， six randomly selected mice were chosen as control group. Since the fifth day， 8 mg/（kg·d） of loperamide suspension by gavage was given to the model group， processed Dahuang group， raw Dahuang group， and lactulose group； two hours later， the processed and raw Dahuang groups were administered with 0.6 g/（kg·d） of processed and raw Dahuang suspension， respectively， while the lactulose group was given 0.6 g/（kg·d） of latulose suspension， and the blank group and the model group were given 0.2 ml/10 g of distilled water by gavage， all for four days. The general condition， body weight after the last gavage， number of fecal particles within six hours， fecal wet weight， fecal water content ratio， intestinal propulsion rate and colonic histology changes by HE staining of each group were detected. ResultsThe body weight of the mice in the raw Dahuang group was significantly lighter than that in the other groups （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The number of fecal particles， fecal wet weight and intestinal propulsion rate of mice significantly decreased in the model group than in the blank group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to those in the model group， the number of fecal particles and fecal wet weight in the processed Dahuang group， lactulose group and raw Dahuang group significantly increased， and the fecal water content ratio in the raw Dahuang group increased as well （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to those in the processed Dahuang group， the number of fecal particles and fecal wet weight in the raw Dahuang group decreased， while the fecal water content ratio increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the fecal water content ratio in the lactulose group increased significantly （P＜0.05）. The intestinal propulsion rate in the processed Dahuang group was higher than that in the model group， lactulose group and raw Dahuang group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Histopathological analysis showed that the colonic crypts and goblet cells in the blank group were normal and clear， and the colonic muscular layer was thicker. The colonic crypts of the mice in the model group were damaged， with reduced goblet cells to varying degrees and changed colonic muscularis. In the lactulose group and raw Dahuang group， part of the crypts were broken， and the goblet cells were damaged to varying degrees， while in the processed Dahuang group， still the colonic tissue structure of the mice was relatively clear， and the colonic crypts and goblet cells were relatively normal， with thickened muscular layer of the colon. ConclusionPorcine large intestine-processed Dahuang could improve defecation in constipation model mice， and reduce the drastic purgation function of raw Dahuang， for which the mechanism may be related to the protection of colon histopathological damage.

Ulta performance liqiuid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry ( UPLC-MS/MS) was used to monitor the relative levels of bufadienolides in toad venom in normal and bensulfuron-polluted groups. Methanol extract of toad venom was separated by UPLC ( ODS-C18 ) using a gradient elution of water contains 0. 1% formic acid and acetonitrile. Mass spectrometry was used in an ESI source operated in positive ion and MRM mode. The parameters in the source were set as follows: capillary voltage 3. 0 kV; sampling cone voltage 30 V; and desolvation temperature 500℃. In this method, external calibrations of 6 standards were typically constructed (R2=0. 9953-0. 9992). The LOD was 0. 42-4. 86 ng/mL. Intra- and inter-day precision was 3. 8%-6. 8% and 4. 0%-8. 8%, respectively. The recovery of standard was evaluated by spiking the standard compound into toad venom. Their average recoveries were 96. 9%-109. 6%, and RSDs were 2. 0%-8. 1%. This method was further employed into monitoring the levels of 36 bufadienolides. The levels of more than 20 bufadienolides were greatly different after bensulfuron pollution, suggesting that the bensulfuron pollution could change the chemical expression pattern of bufadienolides in toad venom.

The present study was performed to investigate competitive interaction between arenobufagin and verapamil hydrochloride with serum albumin.

In this paper, with B/S application and architecture, an integrated solution of PACS is designed, and the function and application of each part of PACS based on the architecture is introduced. The PACS based on this mode is safe, stable, easy to manage and upgrade and convenient for use in telemedicine.
Computer Systems ; Humans ; Radiology Information Systems ; Research ; Software ; Telemedicine