Pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy has been associated with negative maternal and fetal outcomes over the past decades. With the emergence of novel treatment modalities, morbidity and mortality of women who have pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy have improved. In this review, we aim to explore the contemporary updates in the management of pre-capillary and post-capillary pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/physiopathology* ; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/diagnosis* ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use*

This study identified 8 members including NjBIN2 of the GSK3 family in Nardostachys jatamansi by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree revealed that the GKS3 family members of N. jatamansi had a close relationship with those of Arabidopsis. RT-qPCR results showed that NjBIN2 presented a tissue-specific expression pattern with the highest expression in roots, suggesting that NjBIN2 played a role in root growth and development. In addition, the application of epibrassinolide or the brassinosteroid(BR) synthesis inhibitor(brassinazole) altered the expression pattern of NjBIN2 and influenced the photomorphogenesis(cotyledon opening) and root development of N. jatamansi, which provided direct evidence about the functions of NjBIN2. In conclusion, this study highlights the roles of BIN2 in regulating the growth and development of N. jatamansi by analyzing the expression pattern and biological function of NjBIN2. It not only enriches the understanding about the regulatory mechanism of the growth and development of N. jatamansi but also provides a theoretical basis and potential gene targets for molecular breeding of N. jatamansi with improved quality in the future.
Brassinosteroids/metabolism* ; Steroids, Heterocyclic/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Nardostachys/metabolism* ; Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology* ; Plant Roots/drug effects*

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 explore clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy with a lateral approach and dual-channel method in treating highly free lumbar disc herniation(LDH). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 54 patients with highly free LDH who were treated with spinal endoscopic techniques from January 2021 to December 2022. Twenty-seven patients were treated with lateral approach dual-channel(lateral approach dual-channel group), including 16 males and 11 females, with an average age of (54.6±10.5) years old. Twenty-seven patients were treated with unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE group), including 17 males and 10 females, with an average age of (52.9±12.3) years old. The number of intraoperative fluoroscopy, operation time and hospital stay, as well as visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry diability index (ODI) of low back and leg pain between two patients before operation, 1 day, 1, 3, and 12 months after operation, and the efficacy was evaluated by the modified MacNab criteria at 12 mohths after operation. RESULTS: All patients were successfully completed surgical and were followed up, the time raged from 12 to 22 months with an average of (13.57±4.12) months. There was no statistically significant difference in operation time between two groups (P>0.05). The hospital stay of lateral approach dual-channel group was (3.9±1.1) days, which was shorter than that of UBE group (6.5±1.4) days, the number of intraoperative fluoroscopy in lateral approach dual-channel group was (12.7±2.1) times, which was more than that in UBE group (6.6±1.3) times, the differences were statistically significant (t=5.197, -7.532;P<0.05). VAS and ODI for low back pain at 1 day and 1 month after operation, and VAS for leg pain at 1 day after operation of lateral approach dual-channel group were superior to those of UBE group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in VAS and ODI for low back and leg pain between two groups before operation and 3 and 12 months after operation (P>0.05). VAS and ODI of low back and leg pain were significantly improved at each time point before and after operation in both groups, and the difference were statistically significant (P<0.05). At 12 months after operation, according to the modified MacNab criteria, the excellent and good rates of therapeutic effects between lateral approach dual-channel group and UBE group were 92.6% (25/27) and 88.9% (24/27), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ²=0.22, P>0.05). CONCLUSION For patients with highly free lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion, both of lateral approach dual-channel method and UBE endoscopic surgery are safe and effective. Endoscopic surgery with lateral approach and dual-channel method could be performed under local anesthesia, allowing for the removal of the nucleus pulposus under direct vision. It is simpler, more efficient.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous/methods* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged

Spermatogenesis is a fundamental process that requires a tightly controlled epigenetic event in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The mechanisms underlying the transition from SSCs to sperm are largely unknown. Most studies utilize gene knockout mice to explain the mechanisms. However, the production of genetically engineered mice is costly and time-consuming. In this study, we presented a convenient research strategy using an RNA interference (RNAi) and testicular transplantation approach. Histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation was dynamically regulated during spermatogenesis. As Jumonji domain-containing protein 1A (JMJD1A) and Jumonji domain-containing protein 2C (JMJD2C) demethylases catalyze histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2), we firstly analyzed the expression profile of the two demethylases and then investigated their function. Using the convenient research strategy, we showed that normal spermatogenesis is disrupted due to the downregulated expression of both demethylases. These results suggest that this strategy might be a simple and alternative approach for analyzing spermatogenesis relative to the gene knockout mice strategy.
Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; RNA Interference ; Testis/metabolism* ; Methylation ; Mice, Knockout ; Histone Demethylases

The rapid emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that evade immunity elicited by vaccination has posed a global challenge to the control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, developing countermeasures that broadly protect against SARS-CoV-2 and related sarbecoviruses is essential. Herein, we have developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) encoding the full-length Spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (termed RG001), which confers complete protection in a non-human primate model. Intramuscular immunization of two doses of RG001 in Rhesus monkey elicited robust neutralizing antibodies and cellular response against SARS-CoV-2 variants, resulting in significantly protected SARS-CoV-2-infected animals from acute lung lesions and complete inhibition of viral replication in all animals immunized with low or high doses of RG001. More importantly, the third dose of RG001 vaccination elicited effective neutralizing antibodies against current epidemic XBB and JN.1 strains and similar cellular response against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants (BA.1, XBB.1.16, and JN.1) were observed in immunized mice. All these results together strongly support the great potential of RG001 in preventing the infection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs).

OBJECTIVE: Pneumoconiosis, a lung disease caused by irreversible fibrosis, represents a significant public health burden. This study investigates the causal relationships between gut microbiota, gene methylation, gene expression, protein levels, and pneumoconiosis using a multi-omics approach and Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: We analyzed gut microbiota data from MiBioGen and Esteban et al. to assess their potential causal effects on pneumoconiosis subtypes (asbestosis, silicosis, and inorganic pneumoconiosis) using conventional and summary-data-based MR (SMR). Gene methylation and expression data from Genotype-Tissue Expression and eQTLGen, along with protein level data from deCODE and UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, were examined in relation to pneumoconiosis data from FinnGen. To validate our findings, we assessed self-measured gut flora from a pneumoconiosis cohort and performed fine mapping, drug prediction, molecular docking, and Phenome-Wide Association Studies to explore relevant phenotypes of key genes. RESULTS: Three core gut microorganisms were identified: Romboutsia ( OR = 0.249) as a protective factor against silicosis, Pasteurellaceae ( OR = 3.207) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae ( OR = 2.343) as risk factors for inorganic pneumoconiosis. Additionally, mapping and quantitative trait loci analyses revealed that the genes VIM, STX8, and MIF were significantly associated with pneumoconiosis risk. CONCLUSIONS This multi-omics study highlights the associations between gut microbiota and key genes ( VIM, STX8, MIF) with pneumoconiosis, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies.
Humans ; Male ; East Asian People/genetics* ; Europe ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Lung ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/metabolism* ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Multiomics ; Pneumoconiosis/microbiology* ; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Modified Tongxie Yaofang(Important Formula for Relieving Diarrhea with Pain)in the treatment of patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D)with liver-depression and spleen-deficiency syndrome.Methods Sixty patients with IBS-D of liver depression and spleen deficiency type were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,30 patients in each group.The patients in the treatment group were given modified Tongxie Yaofang,and the patients in the control group were given Pivacurium Bromide Tablets(Dicetel).Both groups were treated for a 4-week course of treatment.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,irritable bowel syndrome quality of life(IBS-QOL)scores,Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA)scores of the two groups were observed before and after the treatment.Moreover,the efficacy for overall symptomatic improvement in the two groups was evaluated according to the grading of irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity score(IBS-SSS),and the efficacy for improving single symptom such as abdominal pain and diarrhea as well as the relapse after 4 weeks of drug cessation in the two groups were compared.Results(1)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for overall symptomatic improvement in the treatment group was 83.33%(25/30),and that in the control group was 43.33%(13/30).The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy for overall symptomatic improvement in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(2)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for improving single symptom of abdominal pain and diarrhea in the treatment group was 80.00%(24/30),90.00%(27/30),and that in the control group was 43.33%(13/30),46.67%(14/30),respectively.The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy for improving single symptom of abdominal pain and diarrhea in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(3)After 4 weeks of treatment,the TCM syndrome scores,IBS-QOL scores,and HAMA scores of patients in both groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the decrease in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(4)After 4 weeks of drug withdrawal,the recurrence rate of the treatment group was 24.00%(6/25),which was significantly lower than that of the control group(61.54%,8/13),and the difference was statistically significant between the two groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Modified Tongxie Yaofang exerts certain effect in treating patients with IBS-D of liver depression and spleen deficiency type,and the decoction is effective on decreasing the scores of symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea as well as TCM syndrome scores,improving the quality of life of the patients,and alleviating the anxiety status of the patients.