Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate potential causal relationships between nine cathepsins and female infertility using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. Methods: A bidirectional MR analysis was conducted utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables to investigate the potential causal effects between nine cathepsins and female infertility. Genetic data on female infertility were sourced from the FinnGen study, and cathepsin-related data were obtained from genome-wide association studies datasets of European ancestry. Results: Elevated levels of cathepsin E were significantly and inversely associated with the risk of female infertility, suggesting a potential protective role. This finding was further supported by multivariable MR analysis. However, no significant associations were observed between the other eight cathepsins and female infertility. Conclusion This study represents the first systematic MR analysis to identify a potential protective effect of cathepsin E on female infertility.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate potential causal relationships between nine cathepsins and female infertility using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. Methods: A bidirectional MR analysis was conducted utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables to investigate the potential causal effects between nine cathepsins and female infertility. Genetic data on female infertility were sourced from the FinnGen study, and cathepsin-related data were obtained from genome-wide association studies datasets of European ancestry. Results: Elevated levels of cathepsin E were significantly and inversely associated with the risk of female infertility, suggesting a potential protective role. This finding was further supported by multivariable MR analysis. However, no significant associations were observed between the other eight cathepsins and female infertility. Conclusion This study represents the first systematic MR analysis to identify a potential protective effect of cathepsin E on female infertility.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate potential causal relationships between nine cathepsins and female infertility using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. Methods: A bidirectional MR analysis was conducted utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables to investigate the potential causal effects between nine cathepsins and female infertility. Genetic data on female infertility were sourced from the FinnGen study, and cathepsin-related data were obtained from genome-wide association studies datasets of European ancestry. Results: Elevated levels of cathepsin E were significantly and inversely associated with the risk of female infertility, suggesting a potential protective role. This finding was further supported by multivariable MR analysis. However, no significant associations were observed between the other eight cathepsins and female infertility. Conclusion This study represents the first systematic MR analysis to identify a potential protective effect of cathepsin E on female infertility.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate potential causal relationships between nine cathepsins and female infertility using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. Methods: A bidirectional MR analysis was conducted utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables to investigate the potential causal effects between nine cathepsins and female infertility. Genetic data on female infertility were sourced from the FinnGen study, and cathepsin-related data were obtained from genome-wide association studies datasets of European ancestry. Results: Elevated levels of cathepsin E were significantly and inversely associated with the risk of female infertility, suggesting a potential protective role. This finding was further supported by multivariable MR analysis. However, no significant associations were observed between the other eight cathepsins and female infertility. Conclusion This study represents the first systematic MR analysis to identify a potential protective effect of cathepsin E on female infertility.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate potential causal relationships between nine cathepsins and female infertility using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. Methods: A bidirectional MR analysis was conducted utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables to investigate the potential causal effects between nine cathepsins and female infertility. Genetic data on female infertility were sourced from the FinnGen study, and cathepsin-related data were obtained from genome-wide association studies datasets of European ancestry. Results: Elevated levels of cathepsin E were significantly and inversely associated with the risk of female infertility, suggesting a potential protective role. This finding was further supported by multivariable MR analysis. However, no significant associations were observed between the other eight cathepsins and female infertility. Conclusion This study represents the first systematic MR analysis to identify a potential protective effect of cathepsin E on female infertility.

Objective To investigate the effect of proanthocyanidins(PC)on the neurite outgrowth of rat dorsal root ganglion(DRG)neurons.Methods In vitro,primary rat DRG neurons were cultured wtih a series of concenteation of PC to assess the effect of PC on the number and length of neurites as well as the morphology of growth cone.In vivo,the expression of growth associated protein 43(GAP43)in the early stage of injury was detected using the sciatic nerve crush model.Finally,the impact of PC on nerve growth factor(NGF)expression in DRG neurons was evaluated in vitro using immunofluorescence and ELISA.Results PC significantly increased the number and length of neurites and the number of pseudopodium in growth cones of DRG neurons.PC also promoted the expres-sion of GAP43 in the early stage of sciatic nerve injury in rats and enhanced the expression of NGF in DRG neurons.Conclusion PC may promote the neurite outgrowth by increasing the expression of NGF in DRG neurons.

ObjectiveTo explore the longitudinal measurement invariance of standardized Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire （CCMQ） among Chinese adult populations， and to provide evidence for the longitudinal effect analysis of this questionnaire. MethodsA total of 509 adults who voluntarily received 26 weeks of comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） constitution fitness intervention were included （3 time points： before intervention， 13 weeks intervention， and 26 weeks intervention）， evaluated by CCMQ with 9 subscales. A single-group confirmatory factor analysis was performed to establish a single-group baseline model with a well-fitting model， and then nested models， that is multiple groups of confirmatory factors analysis， are used to analyze the longitudinal measurement invariance， followed by configural invariance， metric invariance， scalar invariance， and strict invariance. Comparative Fit Index （CFI）， Root Mean Square Error of Approximation （RMSEA）， and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual （SRMR） were used as model fit indicators for the analysis. ResultsThe single-group confirmatory factors analysis proved that the 9 subscales of CCMQ fit well at the three time points （CFI： 0.933~0.992， RMSEA： 0.027~0.080， SRMR： 0.022~0.045）. The multiple-group confirmatory factors analysis showed that the configural， metric， scalar， and strict invariance across time of qi-stagnation and special diathesis constitution were established （ΔCFI＜0.01， ΔRMSEA＜0.01）； the configural， metric， scalar， and partial strict invariance across time of phlegm-dampness constitution subscale were established （ΔCFI＜0.01， ΔRMSEA＜0.01）； the configural， metric， partial scalar and partial strict invariance of 6 subscales， including gentleness， qi-deficiency， yang-deficiency， yin-deficiency， dampness-heat， and blood-stasis constitutions， were all established （ΔCFI＜0.01， ΔRMSEA＜0.01）. ConclusionThe CCMQ met at least metric invariance at 3 time points， which can be applied to the study of whether different time points have the same unit or meaning. The measurement invariance of the 3 subscales of phlegm-dampness， qi-stagnation and special diathesis， special diathesis have longitudinal measurement invariance， so the mean comparison over time could be made； while the 6 subscales of gentleness， qi-deficiency， yang-deficiency， yin-deficiency， dampness-heat， and blood-stasis constitutions meet partial scalar and partial strict invariance， which could be explained partially for the difference in the comparison of the mean over time.

【Objective】 To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in B cells in the peripheral blood of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), allergic asthma (AA), AR combined with AA (ARA) and the blood or lung tissue of sensitized mice, as well as the effect of allergens on its expression. 【Methods】 A total of 100 volunteers from The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University were recruited for outpatient and acute inpatient attacks, consisting of 19 healthy people (HC) with negative prick test result, 40 AR patients, 26 AA patients, and 15 ARA patients with positive prick test result. The expression of TLR9 in the peripheral blood B cells of the patients before and after stimulation by house dust mite allergen extract (HDME), Artemisia sieversiana wild allergen extract (ASWE), and Platanus pollen allergen extract (PPE) was detected by flow cytometry. AR and AA sensitization models were established in WT mice and FcεRI-KO mice to detect the effects of allergens and FcεRI on the expression of TLR9 in B cells. 【Results】 The expression and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of TLR9 in peripheral blood B cells of unstimulated AR, AA and ARA patients were higher than those of HC. After allergen stimulation, the expression of TLR9 and its MFI in blood B cells of AR and AA patients increased (P<0.05). In WT mice and FcεRI-KO mice, compared with NS control mice, MFI was increased in almost each group. Compared with the NS control group, there was no significant difference in the expression of TLR9⁺ in B cells in the lung tissues of AA mice with FcεRI-KO after allergen challenge, but their MFI increased. FcεRI-KO mice had lower TLR9⁺ MFI in B cells after allergen challenge compared with WT mice. 【Conclusion】 TLR9 in B cells may be involved in the occurrence of AR and AA, and detecting the expression of TLR9 in B cells may be a new direction for the diagnosis of AR and AA.

Pyroptosis is a programmed death of inflammatory cells triggered by pathogen invasion,dependent on caspase activation,through both classical and non-classical pyroptosis pathways.Cell pyroptosis is related to the occurrence and development of a variety of animal infectious diseases caused by microbial infection.After microorganisms invading,cells are stimulated by pathology-re-lated molecular patterns,causing strong immune response,stimulating inflammatory signaling pathways,and then activating inflammasome,leading to pyroptosis.The immune system has e-volved multiple mechanisms to fight microbial infections and regulate inflammatory responses.The innate immune system,by recognizing microbial molecules in pathogens and responding quickly by producing inflammasome and activating pyroptosis,helps clear pathogens to prevent infection and maintain the normal functioning of the body.A thorough study of the pathogenesis and immune es-cape mechanism of cell pyroptosis in animal infectious diseases will provide a new direction for the treatment of animal infectious diseases.

Objectives:To identify the two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI)-derived longitudinal strain indices that reflect the myocardial functional characteristics of patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM). Methods:This retrospective study included 30 patients with typical AHCM diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from January 2015 to May 2019 (AHCM group),35 patients with essential hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (HTLVH group),and 45 healthy volunteers (normal control group) were also included.Two-dimensional echocardiography was used to measure the cardiac chamber size and wall thickness,and 2D-STI was used to analyze the longitudinal strain during the left ventricular systolic phase,the global longitudinal strain (GLS) and the longitudinal strain of the apical,mid,and basal segments (LSA,LSM,LSB) were assessed.The ratios of the apical to the overall and other segmental longitudinal strains were used as the apical relative longitudinal strain indices,including the apical to basal longitudinal strain ratio (ABLR,LSA/LSB),the apical to global longitudinal strain ratio (AGLR,LSA/GLS),and the apical to basal-mid segment longitudinal strain ratio (ABMLR,LSA/[LSB+LSM]). Results:GLS was significantly lower in the AHCM group and HTLVH group than in the normal control group (both P<0.05),and was similar between the AHCM group and HTLVH group (P>0.05).The LSA,LSM,and LSB were also significantly lower in the AHCM group and HTLVH group than in the normal control group,LSA decrease was more significant in the AHCM group as compared to the HTLVH group,while the HTLVH group was mainly characterized by a decrease in LSB,which was significantly lower as compared to the AHCM group (all P<0.05).Compared with the normal control group,the ABLR,AGLR,and ABMLR were significantly reduced in the AHCM group,while significantly increased in the HTLVH group (all P<0.05).The ROC curve showed that the AUC of ABLR,AGLR,ABMLR,and LSA was 0.873 to 0.916,using<1.28 as the cutoff value of ABLR,the sensitivity was 90.0％ and specificity was 88.7％ for diagnosing AHCM. Conclusions:The apical relative longitudinal strain indices can reflect the myocardial functional characteristics of AHCM patients,which are better than single apical longitudinal strain value.As the most representative indice,ABLR may be useful in distinguishing AHCM from left ventricular hypertrophy caused by other diseases,and can be used as a parameter for the evaluation of myocardial function damage in AHCM.