The chemical constituents were systematically separated from the roots of Berberis polyantha by various chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, HP20 column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic techniques(1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, MS, and CD). Four phenylpropanoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of B. polyantha, and they were identified as(2R)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1), methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate(2),(+)-syringaresinol(3), and syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(4). Compound 1 was a new compound, and other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was evaluated based on the release of nitric oxide(NO) in the culture of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), all the four compounds inhibited the LPS-induced release of NO in RAW264.7 cells, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Berberis/chemistry* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Molecular Structure ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effect and safety of the combination of Compound Xuanju Capsules (CXC) and Western medicine (WM) in the treatment of type Ш prostatitis complicated by ED. METHODS: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) on the treatment of type Ш prostatitis complicated by ED with CXC+WM or WM in the Chinese and English databases CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Digital, Duxiu Academic Search and Chaoxing Electronic Book Information Retrieval, Fangzheng Apabi Electronic Book, Google Scholar Search, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and others from their establishment to April 2024. According to the Cochrane Handbook requirement, we subjected the identified RCTs to meta-analysis using the RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 16 eligible studies were identified, involving 742 cases treated by combination therapy of CXC+WM and another 742 with WM alone. The results of meta-analysis showed that the rate of clinical effectiveness was dramatically higher in the CXC+WM than in the WM group (P<0.01, MD = 6.19, 95% CI: 4.63－8.28), and so were the IIEF-5 scores (P < 0.004, MD = 2.90, 95% CI: 0.90－4.89), while the quality of life (QOL) scores were significantly lower in the former group than in the latter (P<0.01, MD = －1.94, 95% CI: －2.47－－1.40), and so were the NIH-CPSI scores (P<0.01, MD = －3.92, 95% CI: －4.94－－2.91). No statistically significant difference was reported in the adverse reactions between the two groups (P = 0.12, MD = 0.03, 95% CI: －0.01－0.08). Publication bias analysis on the effectiveness rate of the results revealed an incomplete symmetry between the two sides of the funnel plot, indicating the possibility of publication biases. CONCLUSION The combination therapy of CXC+WM is superior to WM alone in the treatment of type Ш prostatitis complicated by ED for its high safety and effect of improving the patients' erectile function, but inferior to the latter in improving the QOL and NIH-CPSI scores of the patients.
Male ; Humans ; Prostatitis/complications* ; Erectile Dysfunction/complications* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Capsules ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Treatment Outcome ; Quality of Life ; Phytotherapy

In this study,a sensitive lateral flow immunoassay(LFIA)platform based on carbon dots-mesoporous silica nanocomposite(CD-MSNs)fluorescent probes was constructed for high-performance detection of inflammatory marker interleukin-6(IL-6).Green fluorescent carbon dots(CDs)were prepared by hydrothermal method with 3,9-perylenic acid and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES)as raw materials,and highly fluorescent CD-MSNs composites were then constructed by encapsulating the prepared CDs in mesoporous silica nanoparticles(MSNs).Fluorescent probes were prepared by covalent coupling of CD-MSNs with IL-6 antibody.Fluorescent immunochromatographic test strips were constructed by spraying IL-6 capture antibody and goat anti-mouse IgG on nitrocellulose membrane as detection line(T-line)and quality control line(C-line),respectively.The fluorescence immunoassay analyzer was used to quantitatively detect the fluorescence intensity of T-line,and the experimental results showed that the LFIA platform based on this probe had a good linear relationship in IL-6 concentration range of 102-106 pg/mL,and the detection limit was 64 pg/mL,which was two orders of magnitude more sensitive than that of the traditional colloidal gold test strips.This method effectively solved the issue of insufficient sensitivity of traditional LFIA technique,and provided a rapid and highly sensitive detection method for early diagnosis of inflammatory diseases.

Objective To construct a database for molecular mass spectra of toxins and drugs in order to facilitate the management and retrieval of mass spectra for nerve agents,metabolites and other small molecules.Methods Requirement analysis and functional design were performed using software engineering methods.The Spec2Vec algorithm was used for vector representation of mass spectra,while SMILES molecular structures were vectorized using the extended connectivity fingerprint(ECFP).A data storage model integrating structured information and vector representations was established using the Milvus database.Similarity search of mass spectra and molecular structures was conducted via vector similarity comparison and the FlashEntropySearch algorithm.Results The constructed database of mass spectra encompassed over 400,000 entries from such sources as OCAD,NIST,MASSBANK,metabolic products,and natural products of TCM,which was capable of searching for similarities in mass spectra and molecular structures.On a standard server,similarity search of mass spectra took no more than 5 seconds,while that of molecular structures took no more than 1 second.Conclusion The system enables efficient management of complex mass spectra and provides rapid retrieval and comparison of mass spectra-related information through advanced vector indexing technology,offering robust data support and research tools for toxicology and pharmacology.

Objective:To understand the influence of unhealthy lifestyle on diabetic dyslipidemia and the key influencing factors in occupational population and provided scientific evidence for the prevention of diabetic dyslipidemia.Methods:Based on baseline data and follow-up data of Southwest Occupational Population Cohort from China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd. during 2021. Diabetic dyslipidemia was defined as diabetes plus one or more forms of dyslipidemia, and unhealthy lifestyle factors included smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy dietary patterns, low physical activity, and abnormal BMI. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle scores and diabetic dyslipidemia, network analysis was used to find and explore the key lifestyles influencing glycolipid metabolism.Results:A total of 25 631 subjects were included. People with unhealthy lifestyle score 2 and 3 were 1.93 (95% CI: 1.31-2.86) times and 2.37 (95% CI: 1.60-3.50) times more likely to have diabetes with ≥1 forms of dyslipidemia than those with scores of 0; People with unhealthy lifestyle score 1, 2 and 3 were 1.98 (95% CI: 1.08-3.61) times, 2.87 (95% CI: 1.60-5.14) times and 3.95 (95% CI: 2.22-7.06) times more likely to have diabetes with ≥2 forms of dyslipidemia than those with score 0. Network analysis found that abnormal BMI and HDL-C were the "bridge nodes" that link unhealthy lifestyles with diabetic dyslipidemia. Conclusion:The higher the score of unhealthy lifestyle, the higher the risk for diabetic dyslipidemia, abnormal BMI and HDL-C are key factors influencing the association between unhealthy lifestyle and diabetic dyslipidemia.

Objective:To analyze the effect of long-term care insurance on the incidence of falls in old people with disability, and the modification effect of different living arrangements.Methods:Based on the discharge diagnosis records of the hospitalization in urban residents who applied for long-term care insurance in Chengdu from July 2014 to June 2021, those who received long-term care insurance were selected as the intervention group and those who received no long-term care insurance were selected as the control group, the changes in the incidence of falls before and after the long-term care were analyzed using difference-in-differences method, and the modification effects of different living arrangements were explored using stratified analysis.Results:Long-term care insurance significantly reduced the risk for monthly incidence of falls in older adults [average treatment effects on treated (ATT) = -1.21% (95% CI: -1.82%--0.60%)], and the effect increased over time (ATT=-1.26%, 95% CI: -1.93%--0.59%). Long-term care insurance had a significant effect on reducing the incidence of falls in old people living with spouses/family members (ATT=-0.92%, 95% CI: -1.47%--0.37%) and in nursing facilities/hospitals (ATT=-2.10%, 95% CI: -3.81%--0.40%), but it had no significant effect in those living alone. Conclusions:Long-term care insurance can effectively reduce the incidence of falls in old people with disability, showing a positive effect. Living with family members or in nursing facilities/hospitals has a modification effect of the implementation of long-term care insurance policy. It is necessary to pay attention to key populations in the future and expand the coverage of long-term care insurance.

The changes in epigenetic modifications of histones are one of the important factors in cancer development and metastasis,and the development of epigenetic therapies for cancer treatment has led to epigenetic drug screening as a research focus. In this work,the common methylation and acetylation modifications at the N-terminal of cellular histones H3 were quantified by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method,and a throughput assay for screening and assessment of epigenetic drug was established. A total of 39 kinds of modification combinations containing common methylation and acetylation sites of H3 peptides were simultaneously monitored by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The developed method was applied to analyze HepG2 cells exposed for 24 h to 28 kinds of epigenetic drugs that could modulate the level of methylation or acetylation modifications. Results showed that 25 of these drugs,such as deacetylase inhibitors Abexinostat,Valproic acid and AGK7,induced histone H3 modification changes in the exposed cells that were consistent with those reported in the literature,while other modification changes were also detectable. Three of these drugs,including demethylase inhibitors IOX1,GSK-j1 and acetyltransferase inhibitor L002,however,induced modification changes different from those reported in the literature. An overall test match rate of 89.3％ was achieved. The established LC-MS/MS method could quantitatively analyze histone H3 modification sites and their changes in cells in a high-throughput and highly sensitive manner,and could be applied to the evaluation of epigenetic drugs with known activities,with good specificity and rich modification information,which was expected to provide a new technological tool for screening and evaluation of epigenetically active compounds and exploration of their mechanism of action.

Objective:To prepare hydroxyapatite(HA)coating on polyether ether ketone(PEEK)surface by magnetron sputtering technique and to study its biosafety.Methods:Sulfonated PEEK was used to increase the binding area and HA coating was constructed on it using magnetron sputtering technology.SEM and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDAX)were used to detect the construction effect.Cell adhesion assay,cytoskeletal fluorescence staining and SEM validation were used to assess cytologrcal safety.In vivo safety tests were conducted in SD rats and golden hamsters.Results:HA coating with gradient morphology was successfully constructed on the PEEK surface using above technique.The coating promoted cell adhesion,extension and proliferation.No systemic toxicity and no sig-nificant influence in HE staining of the main infernal organs samples were observed.The coating alleviated the oral mucosal irritation caused by simple sulfonation to a certain extent.Conclusion:HA coating can be prepared stably with magnetron sputtering technology and can meet the biosafety needs for clinical applications.

Background and purpose:Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K(hnRNPK)is an RNA special binding protein that participates in regulating the expression of related genes and protein translation.It has been linked to the malignant occurrence and development of various tumors,but its role in breast cancer remains unclear.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hnRNPK on ferroptosis in breast cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms.Methods:Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)databases,hnRNPK expression in breast cancer tissues and normal tissues and its relationship with clinical prognosis were analyzed by bioinformatics.We detected hnRNPK expression in breast cancer cells and tissues using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),Western blot,and immunohistochemistry staining diagnosis methods.MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were transfected with siRNA,and divided into control group(control),empty body group(NC),and interference vector group(si-hnRNPK).Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)and plate clone formation assays.RNA-seq analysis was applied to explore potential targeted biological functions and signaling pathways affected by hnRNPK.Additionally,we investigated the impact of hnRNPK on ferroptosis phenotype using Western blot and commercial kits for reactive oxygen species(ROS),malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathione(GSH),and Fe2+,ferroptosis inhibitor(ferrostatin-1,Fer-1)was used to detect the rescue effect of hnRNPK knockdown on ferroptosis.The impact of hnRNPK on the expressions of Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related proteins were determined by Western blot.Results:The bioinformatics analyses indicated hnRNPK was upregulated in breast cancer tissues(P＜0.01),and the overall survival of patients in the high expression group was poorer compared with those in the low expression group(P＜0.05).hnRNPK was highly expressed in breast cancer tissues and cells,and knocking down hnRNPK weakened the proliferation ability of breast cancer cells(P＜0.05).The RNA-seq analysis showed that hnRNPK was significantly enriched in ferroptosis,apoptosis,and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Knocking down hnRNPK promoted ferroptosis in breast cancer cells by inducing lipid ROS and MDA,as well as Fe2+accumulation(P＜0.05).Interestingly,the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)reversed the promotive effect of hnRNPK knockdown on ferroptosis(P＜0.05).Downregulation of hnRNPK led to a decrease in the expressions of β-catenin and c-Myc in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,while expressions of CK1α,APC and the GSK-3β complex were elevated(P＜0.05).Conclusion:hnRNPK is highly expressed in breast cancer,and knocking down hnRNPK promotes ferroptosis in breast cancer cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,thereby suppressing the malignant progression of breast cancer.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of infective endocarditis caused by Bartonella vinsonii subsp.berkhoffii(Bvb).Methods Clinical diagnosis and treatment of a 25-year-old male patient with infective endocarditis caused by Bvb in China was reported,combined with literatures about three similar cases reported abroad were summarized and analyzed.Results All 4 patients were young and middle-aged males with a history of close contact with canines in the past one year.The main symptoms were chest pain,fa-tigue,and dyspnea,accompanied by cerebrovascular accidents and severe anemia,as well as the formation of heart valve vegetations and valve function impairment.Multiple blood cultures were negative,2 and 3 cases were con-firmed to be infected with Bvb through metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)of pathogenic microorga-nisms and polymerase chain reaction respectively.All patients underwent surgical treatment due to heart failure,and all survived after surgery and targeted anti-infective treatment.Conclusion This case report is the first case of Bvb infective endocarditis in China.Patient's diagnosis is confirmed by serum indirect immunofluorescence assay and mNGS,combination of surgery and anti-infective treatment has achieved ideal effect.