OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic mechanism of compound Centella asiatica formula (CCA) for alleviating Schistosoma japonicum (Sj)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS: The active components and targets of CCA were identified using the TCMSP database with cross-analysis of Sj-related liver fibrosis targets. A "drug-component-target-pathway-disease" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Functional enrichment analysis (GO/KEGG) was performed using DAVID. Molecular docking study was carried out to validate interactions between the core targets and the key compounds. For experimental validation of the results, 36 mice were divided into control group, Sj-infected model group, and CCA-treated groups. In the latter two groups, liver fibrosis was induced via abdominal infection with Sj cercariae for 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of daily treatment with CCA decoction or saline. Hepatic pathology of the mice was assessedwith HE and Masson staining, and hepatic expressions of collagen-I and collagen-III were detected using immunohistochemistry; serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were determined with ELISA. Hepatic expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins were analyzed with Western blotting. RESULTS: We identified a total of 107 bioactive CCA components and 791 targets, including 37 intersection targets linked to Sj-induced fibrosis. The core targets included TNF, TP53, JUN, MMP9, and CXCL8, involving the IL-17 signaling, lipid metabolism, TLR4/MyD88 axis, and cancer pathways. Molecular docking study confirmed strong binding affinity between quercetin (a primary CCA component) and TNF/TP53/JUN/MMP9. In Sj-infected mouse models, CCA treatment significantly attenuated hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration, reduced collagen-I and collagen-III deposition, improved tissue architecture, reduced serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and downregulated TLR4 and MyD88 expressions in the liver. CONCLUSIONS CCA mitigates Sj-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TNF, TP53, JUN, and MMP9 to modulate the TLR4/MyD88 pathway, thereby suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine release, inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, reducing collagen deposition, and preventing granuloma formation in the liver.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Mice ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Schistosoma japonicum ; Liver Cirrhosis/parasitology* ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; Signal Transduction ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Inflammation ; Centella/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

Objective To analyze the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI)among relevant healthcare workers(HCWs)in designated tuberculosis medical institutions(MIs)in Yantai City,and explore its influencing factors.Methods The cluster random sampling method was adopted to select two county-and district-level desig-nated tuberculosis MIs.All HCWs underwent questionnaire survey and creation tuberculin skin test(C-TST)at the same time,and the influencing factors for LTBI were analyzed.Results A total of 215 HCWs from designated tu-berculosis MIs were included for analysis,37 were diagnosed with LTBI,with an infection rate of 17.21％(95％CI:12.42％-22.93％).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that clinicians(OR=3.19,95％CI:1.05-9.69),laboratory technician(OR=5.90,95％CI:1.21-28.77),working years≥10 years(OR=3.31,95％CI:1.39-7.90),and tuberculosis history of family members(OR=6.49,95％CI:1.01-41.46)were independent risk factors for LTBI.Conclusion The infection risk of clinicians and laboratory technicians who directly contact with tuberculosis patients or Mycobacterium tuberculosis is higher than that of other HCWs,and is related to the length of working years.It is suggested that healthcare-associated infection control measures should be streng-thened,and tuberculosis active screening should be carried out regularly for HCWs in key departments.

Objective To analyze the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI)among relevant healthcare workers(HCWs)in designated tuberculosis medical institutions(MIs)in Yantai City,and explore its influencing factors.Methods The cluster random sampling method was adopted to select two county-and district-level desig-nated tuberculosis MIs.All HCWs underwent questionnaire survey and creation tuberculin skin test(C-TST)at the same time,and the influencing factors for LTBI were analyzed.Results A total of 215 HCWs from designated tu-berculosis MIs were included for analysis,37 were diagnosed with LTBI,with an infection rate of 17.21％(95％CI:12.42％-22.93％).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that clinicians(OR=3.19,95％CI:1.05-9.69),laboratory technician(OR=5.90,95％CI:1.21-28.77),working years≥10 years(OR=3.31,95％CI:1.39-7.90),and tuberculosis history of family members(OR=6.49,95％CI:1.01-41.46)were independent risk factors for LTBI.Conclusion The infection risk of clinicians and laboratory technicians who directly contact with tuberculosis patients or Mycobacterium tuberculosis is higher than that of other HCWs,and is related to the length of working years.It is suggested that healthcare-associated infection control measures should be streng-thened,and tuberculosis active screening should be carried out regularly for HCWs in key departments.

Objective:To evaluate the value of B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) V600E mutation detection in the differentiating malignant from benign with Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology (BSRTC) categories Ⅰ and Ⅲ nodules. Methods:From January 2019 to December 2020, a total of 264 nodules from 263 patients (79 males, 184 females; median age 46 years) were retrospectively enrolled and all patients underwent BRAF V600E mutation detection, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and thyroid nodulectomy in the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School. Thirteen nodules of 12 patients had repeat aspirate samples and 51 nodules were examined with multiple genes assay in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues. Taken the postoperative histopathological results as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficiency of BRAF V600E mutation was analyzed by comparing the results of multiple genes assay and BRAF V600E mutation detection of repeated puncture samples. Results:Of 264 nodules, 230 were malignant (papillary thyroid cancer (PTC)) and 34 were benign, with BSRTC categories Ⅰ (nondiagnostic) and Ⅲ (follicular lesion) nodules of 58 and 206. The sensitivities of BRAF V600E mutation detection in BSRTC categories Ⅰ and Ⅲ nodules were 77.1%(37/48) and 78.0%(142/182), the specificities were 9/10 and 91.7%(22/24), the positive predictive values were 97.4%(37/38) and 98.6%(142/144), the negative predictive values were 45.0%(9/20) and 35.5%(22/62), and the accuracy rates were 79.3%(46/58) and 79.6%(164/206). The diagnostic concordance of BRAF V600E mutation detection was 90.2%(46/51) in the preoperative and postoperative samples of 51 nodules with preoperative BRAF V600E wild type but postoperative pathology confirmed as PTC and was 11/13 in repeat puncture samples. Conclusion:BRAF V600E mutation detection is an effective diagnostic method for BSRTC categories Ⅰ and Ⅲ nodules.

Objective This study used high-throughput sequencing technology to detect the regulation of JianPiHuaTan Prescription(JPHT)on the ApoE-/-mouse miRNA related to vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation and migration,verify the expression of related proteins,and explore the therapeutic effect of JPHT on atherosclerosis.Methods Ten of C57BL/6J mice were used as control group,and 30 ApoE-/-mice were randomly divided into model group,western medicine group and JPHT group.Sequencing technology was performed on aortic sample to select the differentially expressed miRNA.We screened out the tagetted miRNA related to VSMCs proliferation and migration.RT-qPCR and Western blot technology were used to test the differentially expressed miRNA and tagetted protein.Results Compared with model group,a total of 9 miRNAs were changed in JPHT group,among which 7 were up-regulated and 2 were down-regulated.The expression of miRNA-34a was up-regulated in JPHT group.The miRNA-34a and α-SMA protein expression in aorta of JPHT group were significantly different with model group by RT-qPCR and Western blot experiment(P<0.01).Conclusion Jianpi Huatan Prescription may improve ApoE-/-mice atherosclerosis through inhibitting the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells by regulating miRNA-34a.

To investigate the predictive value of [ 18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission computed tomography(PET)/CT for disease progression in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Sixty-seven DM patients who underwent [ 18F] FDG-PET/CT imaging were retrospectively analyzed from January 2012 to September 2017 at PLA General Hospital. Their clinical manifestations and imaging characteristics were recorded. Compared with those chronically progressed (C-ILD), patients with rapid progression (RP-ILD) had significantly higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and standardized uptake value (SUV) in lungs ( P<0.05). In patients with RP-ILD, SUV in lungs was positively correlated with age, disease course, and ESR. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis suggested that when lung SUV cut off value was 2.25, the sensitivity and specificity to predict disease progression was 77.8% and 72.8%, respectively. Old age, longer disease course, low creatine kinase level, higher ESR, and high SUV are prognostic factors for DM-associated ILD.

Objective To study the characteristics and differences of phonetic pronunciation between hearing-impaired and normal children in 4.5~5.5 years old groups. Methods Phonetic articulation of consonants and vowels were tested by three-grade assessors for 20 hearing- impaired children and 20 normal children in 4.5~5.5 years old group using Question Bank for Hearing-impaired Children's Rehabilitation Evaluation of Hearing and Speech. Results and Conclusion For hearing-impaired children, the consonants of /b. m. d. l. j/ were the most articulative, followed with /h. f. r. p. t. n. g. x/, and then /zh. z. k. c. sh. q. s. ch/; for normal children, the consonants of /b. p. f. g. m. d. h/ were the most articulative, followed with /k. j. x. t. r. l/, and then /q. zh. ch. sh. n. z. s. c/. For both groups, the single final was the most articulative, followed with the compound final, and then the nasal. The articulation of these 3 types of vowels were poorer in hearing-impaired children than in normal children (P<0.01)

Objective To explore the effects of intraventricular administration of insulin on the expressions of Bcl-2,Bax mRNA and neuronal hippocampus apoptosis in rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Methods This experiment was implemented in the animal Laboratory center of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University.Thirty male SD rats were randomly (random number)divided into three groups:control group (n=6),CPR group (n=12),insulin treated group ( n =12).CPR was performed at 6 minutes after ventricular fibrillation induced by transesophageal overdrive pacing.Resuscitation procedures lasted until restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).ROSC was defined as the recovery of the supraventricular heart rates and the increase of mean arterial pressure (MAP) ＞ 60mmHg for more than 10 minutes.Ten minutes after ROSC in rats,12.5 μL ( 1 U) regular insulin was injected into the left ventricle in the insulin group,and 12.5 μL isotonic saline was injected the control and CPR groups at least 10 minutes.Real-time PCR was used to observe the expressions of Bcl-2,Bax mRNA in hippocampus CAI after reperfusion 24 h and 72 h.TUNEL staining was used to observe the neuronal apoptosis in all groups after reperfusion 7 days.Blood glucose was monitored in rats before and after CPR.Results ① The Bcl-2mRNA in insulin groups were significantly higher than those in the CPR group after 24 h and 72 h (P ＜0.01 ).The expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in 24 h insulin group were significantly higher than those in 72 h insulin group ( P ＜ 0.01 ) ; There were no significantly different in the Bax mRNA between insulin groups and the CPR and the control group after 24 h and 72 h ( P ＞ 0.05 ) ; ②After CPR 7 d,the apoptotic neurons of hippocampal CA1 area in the CPR group ( 124.75 ± 17.35 ) were significantly higher than those in the control group (5.12 ± 3.26) ( P ＜ 0.01 ) and the insulin group (92.79 ± 7.35 )(P ＜0.01 ); the apoptotic neurons in the insulin group were higher than those in the control group (P ＜0.0l ),and the differences were statistically significant.③There were no significant difference in venous blood glucose in the CPR and insulin groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Insulin may regulate Bcl-2mRNA expression in hippocampus,inhibit neuronal apoptosis and protect neurons after CPR in rats.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological features of back pain, spondyloarthritis (SPA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Beijing Shougang district. Methods Set up Chinese version of questionnaire about incidence of spondyloarthro-pathy. Employees and retired ones were drawn out from subfactory units by non-randomized sampling. 15 357 subjects were investigated, of which 12 125 questionnaires were taken. Suspected cases were then screened with sacroiliac joint X ray and HLA-B27 testing. 2009 assessment in ankylosing spondylitis (ASAS) criteria were used for diagnosing SpA. Results Back pain is common with total incidence of 42.7%, and the most common pattern is mechanical pain. The incidence of SpA is 0.58% and that of AS is 0.36%, while only 28.9% AS patients had been diagnosed before and received treatment. Conclusion The AS incidence in Shougang district is similar with the epidemiological data got from other districts of China. And knowledge of SpA and AS is needed in China.