ObjectiveTo study the pharmacological substances and mechanisms through which sesquiterpene ZH-13 from Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum improves neuroinflammation. MethodsBV-2 microglial cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide （LPS） to induce neuroinflammation. The cells were divided into the normal group， the model group， and the ZH-13 low- and high-dose treatment groups （10， 20 μmol·L^-1）. The model group was treated with 1 μmol·L^-1 LPS. Cell viability was assessed using the cell proliferation and activity assay （CCK-8 kit）. Nitric oxide （NO） release in the cell supernatant was measured using a nitric oxide kit （Griess method）. The mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） pathway proteins was assessed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， ZH-13 dose-dependently reduced NO release from BV-2 cells under LPS stimulation （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the 20 μmol·L^-1 ZH-13 treatment group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， iNOS， and IL-6 were significantly reduced compared to the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In both the low- and high-dose ZH-13 groups， the expression of the inflammatory factor TNF-α and the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK） in the upstream MAPK pathway were significantly reduced （P<0.05）. After stimulation with the JNK agonist anisomycin （Ani）， both low- and high-dose ZH-13 treatment groups showed reduced phosphorylation of JNK proteins compared to the Ani-treated group （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe sesquiterpene compound ZH-13 from Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum significantly ameliorates LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses in BV-2 cells by inhibiting excessive JNK phosphorylation and reducing TNF-α expression. These findings elucidate the pharmacological substances and mechanisms underlying the sedative and calming effects of Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum.

In recent years, the spread of clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection has seriously affected the yield and quality of Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.. The cascade of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), a highly conserved signaling pathway, plays an important role in plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stress conditions. To mine the MAPK genes related to clubroot disease resistance in B. juncea, we conducted a genome-wide analysis on this vegetable, and we analyzed the phylogenetic evolution and gene structure of the MAPK gene family in mustard. The 66 BjuMAPK genes identified by screening the whole genome sequence of B. juncea were unevenly distributed on 17 chromosomes. At the genomic scale, tandem repeats led to an increase in the number of MAPK genes in B. juncea. It was found that members of the same subfamily had similar gene structures, and there were great differences among different subfamilies. These predicted cis-acting elements were related to plant hormones, stress resistance, and plant growth and development. The expression of BjuMAPK02, BjuMAPK15, BjuMAPK17, and BjuMAPK19 were down-regulated or up-regulated in response to P. brassicae infection. The above results lay a theoretical foundation for further studying the functions of BjuMAPK genes in B. juncea in response to the biotic stress caused by clubroot disease.
Mustard Plant/parasitology* ; Plasmodiophorida/pathogenicity* ; Plant Diseases/genetics* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Disease Resistance/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genome, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Modified Zhigancao Granules （炙甘草汤加味颗粒） for preventing the early recurrence following radiofrequency ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation （AF） of qi-yin deficiency syndrome. MethodsA multi-center， randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled trial was designed. A total of 116 patients with atrial fibrillation of qi-yin deficiency syndrome who underwent radiofrequency ablation for the first time were enrolled from 3 centers， and they were randomly divided into a treatment group （59 cases） and a control group （57 cases）. Both groups received basic western medicine treatment after surgery. In addition， the treatment group was given oral Modified Zhigancao Granules， while the control group was given oral placebo granules. The dosage for both groups was 20 g each time， twice a day， with continuous treatment for 12 weeks. The recurrence of atrial fibrillation in both groups was recorded at 24 hours， 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after surgery. The serum levels of B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were detected before treatment and 12 weeks after treatment in both groups. The scores of Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life （AFEQT） Questionnaire （including scores of the daily life dimension， symptom dimension， treatment worry dimension， treatment satisfaction dimension， and total score） and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores were compared before treatment and at 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks between groups. Safety indicators such as blood routine， urine routine， liver function， and renal function were monitored before and after treatment. ResultsNine of the treatment group and seven of the control group dropped out. Finally， 50 patients in each group were included in the statistical analysis. At 24 hours， 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after surgery， the recurrence rates of AF in the treatment group were 2.0% （1/50）， 2.0% （1/50）， 4.0% （2/50）， and 10.0% （5/50）， respectively； while those in the control group were 2.0% （1/50）， 26.0% （13/50）， 28.0% （14/50）， and 34.0% （17/50）， respectively. Compared with the control group at the same time points， the early recurrence rates of AF in the treatment group were significantly lower at 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after surgery （P＜0.01）. Compared with the baseline within group， BNP， hs-CRP， IL-6， and TNF-α in the treatment group all decreased after 12 weeks of treatment （P＜0.05）； the difference in hs-CRP levels （before vs. after treatment） in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group （P＜0.01）. Compared with the baseline within group， both groups showed decreases in the total score of AFEQT Questionnaire， scores of the daily life dimension， treatment worry dimension， symptom dimension， and TCM syndrome scores at 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after treatment. Meanwhile， the score of the treatment satisfaction dimension of AFEQT increased in both groups （P＜0.01）， and the improvements in all the above scores in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group at all time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. All safety indicators of patients in both groups were within the normal range before treatment and at 12 weeks after treatment， and no adverse reactions or adverse events occurred in either group. ConclusionModified Zhigancao Granules can reduce the early recurrence rate following radiofrequency ablation in AF patients with qi-yin deficiency syndrome， improve clinical symptoms and quality of life， suppress inflammatory response， and show good safety.

Leukemia is a malignant proliferative tumor that seriously endangers the quality of life of patients. In recent years, new research achievements have been made on the pathogenesis of leukemia, and some progresses of various drugs targeting the hypoxic microenvironment of leukemia have been made. This article reviews the progress of drugs targeting hypoxia microenvironment to treat leukemia from the aspects such as reactive oxygen species associated with anoxic microenvironment, hypoxia inducible factor, CXC chemokine receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor.

Objective To investigate the early predictive value of combined detection of serum sodium,heparin-binding protein-to-albumin ratio(HBP/ALB)and interleukin-10(IL-10)in Ka-wasaki disease shock syndrome(KDSS)caused by Kawasaki disease in children.Methods A total of 105 children with KDSS caused by Kawasaki disease(KDSS group)and 105 children with Kawasa-ki disease(control group)were selected as study subjects.Clinical data,serum sodium levels,HBP/ALB and IL-10 levels were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression a-nalysis was used to screen the influencing factors of KDSS caused by Kawasaki disease in children a-mong serum sodium,HBP/ALB and IL-10.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the predictive value of traditional prediction schemes(coronary artery dam-age and IVIG resistance)and new prediction schemes(serum sodium and HBP/ALB,IL-10)for KDSS caused by Kawasaki disease in children.Results The proportion of patients with coronary ar-tery damage and IVIG resistance was significantly higher in the KDSS group than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Serum sodium levels were lower,while HBP/ALB and IL-10 levels were higher in the KDSS group compared to the control group(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum sodium,BP/ALB and IL-10 were influencing factors of KDSS caused by Kawasaki diseasein children(P＜0.05).For traditional prediction schemes,the areas under the curves(AUCs)for coronary artery damage,IVIG resistance and their combination in predicting KDSS caused by Kawasaki disease were 0.795,0.676 and 0.873,respectively(P＜0.05);for new prediction schemes,the AUCs for serum sodium,HBP/ALB,IL-10 and their combination in predicting KDSS were 0.767,0.824,0.760 and 0.945,respectively(P＜0.05).The AUC for the combination of serum sodium,HBP/ALB and IL-10 was greater than that for the combination of coronary artery dam-age and IVIG resistance(P＜0.05).Conclusion Decreased serum sodium,elevated HBP/ALB and elevated IL-10 are associated with KDSS caused by Kawasaki disease in children.Combined prediction using serum sodium,HBP/ALB and IL-10 has a high predictive value for KDSS caused by Kawasaki disease in children.

Background Grassroots medical and health personnel are an important component of China's public health system, and guaranteeing their physical and mental health will have a profound impact on the development of China's health service. Objective To identify potential influencing factors of occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia as well as their interactions. Methods In August 2021, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among all the staff (2675 medical and health personnel) at 7 secondary public hospitals and 8 health institutions in Xiong’an New Area of Hebei Province by cluster sampling. Occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia were evaluated by the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). The bnlearn and gmodels packages of R4.2.1 software were used to construct Bayesian networks on work and personal factors-occupational stress- health effects. The Bayesian network model was visualized by Netica32.0. Results Among the 3018 questionnaires distributed, a total of 2675 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 88.63%. The positive rates of occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia were 51.48%, 62.13%, 62.50%, and 56.37%, respectively in the grassroots medical and health personnel. The positive rate of occupational stress among the medical and health workers varied by age, educational level, and organization type (P<0.05); the positive rate of anxiety varied by age, marital status, and daily working hours (P<0.05); and the positive rates of depression and insomnia varied by gender, educational level, and overcommitment (P<0.05). The final Bayesian network contained 14 nodes and 18 directed edges, and its prediction accuracy was 85.4%. .Job title, daily working hours, overcommitment and exercise directly associated with occupational stress, and other work and personal factors associated with occupational stress indirectly. Occupational stress associated with insomnia directly or indirectly via anxiety. Anxiety and insomnia associated with reporting depression. Conclusion Grassroots medical and health personnel of Xiong'an New Area, Hebei Province report high levels of occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Occupational stress directly or indirectly associates with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Work and personal factors associate with occupational stress, and associate with anxiety, depression, and insomnia via occupational stress. Occupational stress may be an early warning factor of general work and personal factors affecting anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health problems. Attention should be paid to the assessment and intervention of occupational stress in medical and health personnel to prevent mental health problems.

This article presents a case of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a pregnant woman caused by coronary artery dissection. The 41-year-old patient had undergone cardiac valve surgery at the age of 1 and had no risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, or a family history of coronary artery disease. At 31 +1 weeks of gestation, she experienced sudden chest pain for 4 hours and was emergently referred to Peking University First Hospital on June 1, 2021. Electrocardiogram revealed ST-segment elevation in leads I, aVL, and V 2 to V 6. Biochemical assays showed elevated levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and creatine kinase-MB. Echocardiography indicated segmental ventricular wall motion abnormalities (apical) and reduced left ventricular function, confirming the diagnosis of acute anterior wall STEMI. The patient promptly underwent emergency coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention and confirmed coronary artery dissection. Postoperative care included antiplatelet, anticoagulation, and supportive treatment. At 34 +3 weeks of gestation, with the condition of acute anterior wall STEMI being relatively stable, a cesarean section was successfully performed. Regular cardiology follow-ups were scheduled postpartum, and cardiac function was normal in two years after discharge.

Objective:To explore the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of refractory hyponatremia caused by secondary adrenal cortical insufficiency (SACI) after chemotherapy in children with tumors of the lymphoid hematopoietic system.Methods:Clinical data including age, sex, serum sodium level, time of onset of hyponatremia, duration of hyponatremia, cortisol level, 24 h urinary sodium level, plasma/urine osmotic pressure, treatment and prognosis of 3 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) children and 1 lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) child with SACI-caused refractory hyponatremia treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to June 2023 were analyzed retrospectively.Results:The 4 patients were all boys, and they received Dexamethasone chemotherapy.The primary clinical manifestations were fatigue, moderate hyponatremia in 3 cases, and mild hyponatremia in 1 case.Hyponatremia occurred after 1 week of glucocorticoid therapy and persisted for 10-20 days (mean 14.25 days).The 24 h urinary sodium level increased, plasma osmotic pressure slightly decreased or was at the low limit of the normal range, and urine osmotic pressure was greater than plasma osmotic pressure.The serum cortisol level at 8∶00 AM.decreased in 1 LBL case, increased in 1 ALL case, and remained normal in 2 ALL cases.After treatment with Hydrocortisone [10 mg/(m 2·d), taken orally in 2 doses], hyponatremia was quickly corrected within 3-5 days. Conclusions:When receiving glucocorticoid therapy, children with tumors of the lymphoid hematopoietic system may have SACI, and the hyponatremia caused by it generally appears 1 week after glucocorticoid therapy and persists for a long time.Laboratory tests are similar to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, but the response to intravenous/oral supplementation of concentrated sodium and water restriction treatment is poor.The addition of Hydrocortisone can quickly correct hyponatremia, and the prognosis is excellent.

Objective:To analyze the factors affecting delayed chemotherapy in children with Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and their influence on prognosis.Methods:Retrospective cohort study. Clinical data of 591 children aged ≤18 years with BL from May 2017 to December 2022 in China Net Childhood Lymphoma (CNCL) was collected. The patients were treated according to the protocol CNCL-BL-2017. According to the clinical characteristics, therapeutic regimen was divided into group A, group B and group C .Based on whether the total chemotherapy time was delayed, patients were divided into two groups: the delayed chemotherapy group and the non-delayed chemotherapy group. Based on the total delayed time of chemotherapy, patients in group C were divided into non-delayed chemotherapy group, 1-7 days delayed group and more than 7 days delayed group. Relationships between delayed chemotherapy and gender, age, tumor lysis syndrome before chemotherapy, bone marrow involvement, disease group (B/C group), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > 4 times than normal, grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ myelosuppression after chemotherapy, minimal residual disease in the interim assessment, and severe infection (including severe pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, chickenpox, etc.) were analyzed. Logistic analysis was used to identify the relevant factors. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the patients' survival information. Log-Rank was used for comparison between groups.Results:Among 591 patients, 504 were males and 87 were females, the follow-up time was 34.8 (18.6,50.1) months. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was (92.5±1.1)%,and the 3-year event-free survival (EFS) rate was (90.5±1.2)%. Seventy-three (12.4%) patients were in delayed chemotherapy group and 518 (87.6%) patients were in non-delayed chemotherapy group. The reasons for chemotherapy delay included 72 cases (98.6%) of severe infection, 65 cases (89.0%) of bone marrow suppression, 35 cases (47.9%) of organ dysfunction, 22 cases (30.1%) of tumor lysis syndrome,etc. There were 7 cases of chemotherapy delay in group B, which were seen in COPADM (vincristine+cyclophosphamide+prednisone+daunorubicin+methotrexate+intrathecal injection,4 cases) and CYM (methotrexate+cytarabine+intrathecal injection,3 cases) stages. There were 66 cases of chemotherapy delay in group C, which were common in COPADM (28 cases) and CYVE 1 (low dose cytarabine+high dose cytarabine+etoposide+methotrexate, 12 cases) stages. Multinomial Logistic regression analysis showed that the age over 10 years old ( OR=0.54,95% CI 0.30-0.93), tumor lysis syndrome before chemotherapy ( OR=0.48,95% CI 0.27-0.84) and grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ myelosuppression after chemotherapy ( OR=0.55,95% CI 0.33-0.91)were independent risk factors for chemotherapy delay.The 3-year OS rate and the 3-year EFS rate of children with Burkitt lymphoma in the delayed chemotherapy group were lower than those in the non-delayed chemotherapy group ((79.4±4.9)% vs. (94.2±1.1)%, (80.2±4.8)% vs. (92.0±1.2)%,both P<0.05). The 3-year OS rate of the group C with chemotherapy delay >7 days (42 cases) was lower than that of the group with chemotherapy delay of 1-7 days (22 cases) and the non-delay group (399 cases) ((76.7±6.9)% vs. (81.8±8.2)% vs. (92.7±1.3)%, P=0.002).The 3-year OS rate of the chemotherapy delay group (9 cases) in the COP (vincristine+cyclophosphamide+prednisone) phase was lower than that of the non-chemotherapy delay group (454 cases) ((66.7±15.7)% vs. (91.3±1.4)%, P=0.005). Similarly, the 3-year OS rate of the chemotherapy delay group (11 cases) in the COPADM1 phase was lower than that of the non-chemotherapy delay group (452 cases) ((63.6±14.5)% vs. (91.5±1.3)%, P=0.001). Conclusions:The delayed chemotherapy was related to the age over 10 years old, tumor lysis syndrome before chemotherapy and grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ myelosuppression after chemotherapy in pediatric BL. There is a significant relationship between delayed chemotherapy and prognosis of BL in children.