This paper aims to study the effect of p-cymene on mice with deficiency-cold syndrome induced by hydrocortisone and deficiency-heat syndrome induced by dexamethasone and explore the medicinal properties and mechanism of p-cymene with mild and warm nature based on the dominant characteristics of the two-way applicable conditions of mild drugs. A total of 80 KM mice were randomly divided into blank group, deficiency-cold syndrome model group, deficiency-cold syndrome + ginseng group, and deficiency-cold syndrome + low-dose and high-dose p-cymene groups, as well as blank group, deficiency-heat syndrome model group, deficiency-heat syndrome + American ginseng group, and deficiency-heat syndrome + low-dose and high-dose p-cymene groups. Hydrocortisone and dexamethasone solution were intragastrically administered for 14 consecutive days to prepare deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome models. Except for the blank group and the model group intragastrically administered with normal saline, the other groups were intragastrically administrated with drugs for 14 days. The levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP), triiodothyronine(T3), thyroxine(T4), total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), immunoglobin G(IgG), and immunoglobin M(IgM) in serum, as well as the activity of Na~+-K~+-ATPase in liver tissue were detected. The expression of transient receptor potential melastatin 8(TRPM8), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1), and uncoupling protein 1(UCP1) in brown adipose tissue of deficiency-cold syndrome model after intervention with p-cymene was studied. The results showed that p-cymene could effectively improve the levels of cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, TC, IgM, and IgG in serum and the activity of Na~+-K~+-ATPase in liver tissue of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome and reduce the content of cGMP. The effects on T3, T4, and TG were not statistically significant. At the same time, p-cymene could reduce the levels of cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, and T4 in serum and the activity of Na~+-K~+-ATPase in liver tissue of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome and increase the levels of cGMP, IgM, and IgG, and it had no effect on T3, TC, and TG. In addition, p-cymene could up-regulate the expression of TRPV1 and UCP1 in brown fat of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome and down-regulate the expression of TRPM8. In summary, p-cymene could significantly regulate the syndrome indexes of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome, and some indexes of mice with deficiency-heat syndrome could be improved, but the effects on lipid metabolism and energy metabolism indexes were not obvious, indicating that the regulation effect of p-cymene on deficiency-cold syndrome model was more prominent and that the medicinal properties of p-cymene were mild and warm. The regulation of TRPV1/TRPM8/UCP1 channel expression may be the molecular biological mechanism of p-cymene with mild and warm nature affecting the energy metabolism of the body.
Animals ; Cymenes ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Cyclic AMP/metabolism* ; Monoterpenes/administration & dosage* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Cyclic GMP/metabolism* ; TRPV Cation Channels/genetics* ; Uncoupling Protein 1/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

As the brain's resident immune cells, microglia perform crucial functions such as phagocytosis, neuronal network maintenance, and injury restoration by adopting various phenotypes. Dynamic imaging of these phenotypes is essential for accessing brain diseases and therapeutic responses. Although numerous probes are available for imaging pro-inflammatory microglia, no PET tracers have been developed specifically to visualize anti-inflammatory microglia. In this study, we present an ¹⁸F-labeled PET tracer (QTFT) that targets the P2Y₁₂, a receptor highly expressed on anti-inflammatory microglia. [¹⁸F]QTFT exhibited high binding affinity to the P2Y₁₂ (14.43 nmol/L) and superior blood-brain barrier permeability compared to other candidates. Micro-PET imaging in IL-4-induced neuroinflammation models showed higher [¹⁸F]QTFT uptake in lesions compared to the contralateral normal brain tissues. Importantly, this specific uptake could be blocked by QTFT or a P2Y₁₂ antagonist. Furthermore, [¹⁸F]QTFT visualized brain lesions in mouse models of epilepsy, glioma, and aging by targeting the aberrantly expressed P2Y₁₂ in anti-inflammatory microglia. In a pilot clinical study, [¹⁸F]QTFT successfully located epileptic foci, showing enhanced radioactive signals in a patient with epilepsy. Collectively, these studies suggest that [¹⁸F]QTFT could serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for imaging various brain disorders by targeting P2Y₁₂ overexpressed in anti-inflammatory microglia.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.

Objective:To observe the changes in the nutritional status of pediatric patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT)for one year,and to analyze the risk factors.Methods:We collected data from 88 pediatric patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the Department of Hematology and Oncology in Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between May 2018 and November 2022.All pediatric patients underwent nutritional status analysis before transplantation,at enrollment,3 months,6 months and 1 year after allo-HSCT.Linear regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for growth rate.Results:The body mass index Z score(BMI-Z)before allo-HSCT was(0.096±1.349),and decreased to(-0.258±1.438)、(-0.715±1.432)、(-0.584±1.444)at enrollment,3 months,6 months after allo-HSCT,and(-0.130±1.317)at 1 year after allo-HSCT(P<0.001).There was no significant change in BMI-Z between pre-transplantation and 1 year after transplantation(P=1.000).Height for age Z score(HAZ)before transplantation was(0.137±1.305)and decreased to(-0.083±1.267)、(-0.221±1.299)、(-0.269±1.282)in 3 months,6 months and 1 year after allo-HSCT(P<0.001).Multivariate linear regression showed that age≥10 years old(P=0.015)and chronic graft-versus-host disease(cGVHD)(P=0.005)were independent risk factors for change in HAZ.Conclusion:The BMI-Z of pediatric patients treated with allo-HSCT returned to the pre-transplantation level after one year,while HAZ continued to decrease.Allo-HSCT may cause impaired growth rate in pediatric patients.Attention should be paid to HAZ changes in pediatric patients before and after allo-HSCT,especially in pediatric patients≥10 years old of age and those with cGVHD.Effective nutritional intervention should be provided in time.

Immunotherapy is an important breakthrough in canc-er treatment.Unfortunately,low drug concentration in tumor sites almost ineffectively initiates immune responses and thereby severely limits immune therapy applications in clinics.Nanoma-terials are well-recognized drug delivery system in cancer thera-py.Nanographene oxide(NGO)have shown immense perti-nence for anti-cancer drug delivery owing to their ultra-high sur-face area,chemical stability,good biocompatibility and excel-lent photosensitivity.In addition,functionalized modifications on the surface of NGO increase tumor targeting and minimize cy-totoxicity.This study focuses on reviewing the literature and up-dates on NGO in drug delivery and discussing the possibilities and challenges of NGO in cancer synergetic therapy.

Short stature in puberty significantly affects the physical and mental health of adolescents.The continuous acceleration of skeletal maturation,caused by sex hormones during puberty,limits the time available for growth and poses a considerable challenge for the treatment of short stature.To date,there is still no standardized treatment protocol for this disorder.However,puberty is the last period to improve the final adult height.Currently,commonly used pharmacological treatments in clinical settings include recombinant human growth hormone,gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs,and third-generation aromatase inhibitors.In recent years,personalized treatment aiming to improve the final adult height has become a key focus in clinical practice.This article provides a comprehensive summary of research on pharmacological therapies for height improvement in pubertal children with short stature,offering valuable insights for healthcare professionals.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):118-123]

This study was designed to evaluate the correlation between immune antibodies and pelvic inflammatory disease(PID)using retrospective analysis.Cases were selected from 171 patients who met the diagnosis of PID in Liuzhou People's Hospital of Guangxi Province from January 2022 to March 2023,and the PID patients were further divided into simple PID group(53 cases)and in PID combined with reproductive tract infection group(118 cases)according to the presence or absence of reproductive tract infections,while 83 cases of women who did not meet the specific diagnostic criteria of PID and did not have reproductive tract infections were selected as the control group during the same period.The positive rate of immune antibodies in the three groups were observed and compared to explore the relationship between immune antibodies and PID.Data showed that the positive rates of immune antibodies were significantly higher in the PID alone group and the PID combined with reproductive tract infection group than that in the control group.Furthermore,the positive rate of immune antibody TPOAb was significant difference in the PID combined with reproductive tract infection group and the PID alone group(P<0.05).In conclusion,TPOAb is closely associated with reproductive tract infections.

ObjectiveTranscription factor NFE2 was observed abnormal expression in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients. However, how NFE2 is transcriptionally regulated remains ambiguous. This study aims to explore the elements and molecular mechanisms involved in the transcriptional regulation of NFE2. MethodsActive enhancers were predicted by public NGS data and conformed experimentally via dual luciferase reporter assay. After that, PRO-seq and GRO-seq data was used to detect enhancer RNAs transcribed from these enhancers. RACE was utilized to clone the full length enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcripts, and RT-qPCR was used to measure their expression in different leukemia cell lines as well as the transcript levels during induced differentiation. Finally, to investigate the molecular function of the eRNA, overexpression and knockdown of the eRNA via lentivirus system was performed in K562 cells. ResultsWe identified three enhancers regulating NFE2 transcription, which located at -3.6k, -6.2k and +6.3k from NFE2 transcription start site (TSS) respectively. At the -3.6k enhancer, we cloned an eRNA transcript and characterized that as a lncRNA which was expressed and located in the nucleus in three types of leukemia cell lines. When this lncRNA was overexpressed, expression of NFE2 was upregulated and decreases of K562 cell proliferation and migration ability were observed. While knocking down of this lncRNA, the level of NFE2 decreases correspondingly and the proliferation ability of K562 cells increases accordingly. ConclusionWe identified an enhancer lncRNA that regulates NFE2 transcription positively and suppresses K562 cell proliferation.