ObjectiveTo explore the changes in volatile components， total polysaccharides， enzyme activity， and chromaticity value of Myristicae Semen Koji（MSK） during the fermentation process， and conduct correlation analysis. MethodsBased on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（GC-MS）， the changes of volatile components in MSK at different fermentation times were identified. The phenol sulfuric acid method， dinitrosalicylic acid method（DNS）， and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt method（CMC-Na） were used to investigate the total polysaccharide content， amylase activity， and cellulase activity during the fermentation process. Visual analysis technology was used to explore the changes in chromaticity values， revealing the fermentation process of MSK and the dynamic changes of various measurement indicators， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） was used to explore the differential compounds of MSK at different fermentation degrees， and Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between volatile components of MSK and total polysaccharides， enzyme activity， and chromaticity values. ResultsA total of 60 volatile compounds were identified from MSK， the relative contents of components such as （+）-α-pinene， β-phellandrene， β-pinene， （+）-limonene， and p-cymene obviously increased， while the relative contents of components such as safrole， methyl isoeugenol， methyleugenol， myristicin， and elemicin significantly decreased. During the fermentation process， the total polysaccharide content showed an upward trend， while the activities of amylase and cellulase showed an initial increase followed by a decrease， and reached their maximum value at 40 h. the overall brightness（L^*） and total color difference（ΔE^*） gradually increased， while the changes in red-green value（a^*） and yellow-blue value（b^*） were not obvious. PLS-DA results showed that MSK could be clearly distinguished at different fermentation times， and 13 differential biomarkers were screened out. Pearson correlation analysis results showed that the contents of α-terpinene， β-phellandrene， methyleugenol， β-cubebene and myristic acid had an obvious correlation with chromaticity values. ConclusionAfter fermentation， the volatile components， total polysaccharides， amylase activity， and cellulase activity of MSK undergo significant changes， and there is a clear correlation between them and chromaticity values， which reveals the dynamic changes in the fermentation process and related indicators of MSK， laying a foundation for the quality control.

Network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to predict the mechanism of Zhizhu Decoction in regulating macrophage polarization to reduce adipose tissue inflammation in obese children, and animal experiments were then carried out to validate the prediction results. The active ingredients and targets of Zhizhu Decoction were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP). The inflammation related targets in the adipose tissue of obese children were searched against GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET, and a drug-disease-target network was established. STRING was used to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network and screen for core targets. R language was used to carry out Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. AutoDock was used for the molecular docking between core targets and active ingredients. 24 SPF grade 6-week C57B/6J male mice were adaptively fed for 1 week, and 8 mice were randomly selected as the blank group. The remaining 16 mice were fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks to onstruct a high-fat diet induced mouse obesity model. After successful modeling, the 16 mice were randomly divided into model group and Zhizhu Decoction group, with 8 mice in each group. Zhizhu Decoction group was intervened by gavage for 14 days, once a day. Blank group and model group were given an equal amount of sterile double distilled water(ddH_2O) by gavage daily. After the last gavage, serum and inguinal adipose tissue were collected from mice for testing. The morphology of inguinal adipose tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, the levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the protein expression of macrophage marker molecule nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and epidermal growth factor like hormone receptor 1(F4/80) was detected by immunofluorescence staining. Network pharmacology predicted luteolin, naringenin, and nobiletin as the main active ingredients in Zhizhu Decoction and 15 core targets. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed involvement in the key signaling pathway of nuclear factor κB(NF-κB). Molecular docking showed that the active ingredients of Zhizhu Decoction bound well to the core targets. Animal experiment showed that compared with the model group, Zhizhu Decoction reduced the distribution of inflammatory cytokines in the inguinal adipose tissue of mice, lowered the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum(P<0.05, P<0.01), and down-regulated the expression of iNOS and F4/80(P<0.05). The results showed that the active ingredients in Zhizhu Decoction, such as luteolin, naringenin, and nobiletin, inhibit the aggregation of macrophages in adipose tissue, downregulate their classic activated macrophage(M1) polarization, reduce the expression of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α, and thus improve adipose tissue inflammation in obese mice.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Adipose Tissue/immunology* ; Mice ; Male ; Humans ; Network Pharmacology ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Child ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Obesity/genetics* ; Inflammation/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term clinical efficacy of external fixation and internal fixation with steel plate in the treatment of unstable distal radius fractures (AO-23C type), based on the principles of Chinese osteosynthesis (CO). METHODS: Forty-eight patients with unstable distal radius fractures between January 2022 and February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed and divided into the CO external fixation group and internal fixation group. CO external fixation group consisted of 25 patients, including 7 males and 18 females, aged from 37 to 56 years old with an average of ( 52.6±11.3) years old. Among them, there were 7 patients of traffic accidents and 18 patients of falls, resulting in a total of 25 patients of closed fractures and no open fractures, the treatment was conducted using closed reduction and CO external fixation. The internal fixation group consisted of 23 patients, comprising 8 males and 15 females, age ranged from 41 to 59 years old, with an average age of(53.3±13.7) years old. Among them, 8 patients resulted from car accidents while the remaining 15 patients were caused by falls. All 23 patients were closed fractures without any open fractures observed. The technique of open reduction and internal fixation with steel plate was employed. The perioperative data, including injury-operation time, operation duration, blood loss, and length of hospital stay, were assessed in both groups. Additionally, the QuickDASH score and visual analogue scale (VAS) were evaluated. Range of motion and grip strength assessment, imaging findings such as palmar inclination angle, ulnar declination angle, radius length, articular surface step, intra-articular space measurements were also examined along with any complications. RESULTS: The follow-up duration ranged from 0 to 24 months, with an average duration of (16.0±3.8) months. The CO external fixation exhibited significantly shorter time from injury to operation (2.4±3.3) d vs (7.4±3.7) d, shorter operation duration (56.27±15.23) min vs (74.10±5.26) min, lower blood loss (14.52±6.54) ml vs (32.32±10.03) ml, and reduced hospitalization days (14.04±3.24 )d vs (16.45±3.05) d compared to the internal fixation group (P<0.05). The QuickDASH score at 12 months post-operation was (8.21±1.64) in the CO external fixation group, while no significant difference was observed in the internal fixation group (7.04±3.64), P>0.05. There were no statistically significant differences in VAS between two groups at 6 weeks, as well as 1 and 3 months post-surgery (P>0.05). Additionally, there were no significant disparities observed in terms of range of motion and grip strength between two groups at the 2-year follow-up after the operation (P>0.05). After 12 months of surgery, the CO external fixation group exhibited a significantly smaller palmar inclination angle (17.90±2.18) ° vs (19.87±3.21) °, reduced articular surface step (0.11±0.03) mm vs (0.17±0.02) mm, and shorter radius length (8.16±1.11) mm compared to the internal fixation group (9.59±1.02) mm, P<0.05. The ulnar deviation angle and intra-articular space did not show any significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). The reduced fell within the allowable range between the CO external fixation group (23 out of 25 cases) and the internal fixation group (21 out of 23 cases) was not statistically significant (P=0.29). There was no significant difference in complications between the two groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSION Both the CO external fixation and open reduction with plate internal fixation demonstrate clinical efficacy in managing unstable distal radius fractures. The CO external fixation offers advantages in shorter injury-to-operation times, reduced intraoperative blood loss, and decreased surgical durations, while radial shortening is more effectively controlled by internal fixation.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Radius Fractures/physiopathology* ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; External Fixators ; Retrospective Studies ; Fracture Fixation/methods* ; Wrist Fractures

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of minimally invasive technique in the treatment of moderate and severe gluteal muscle contracture. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 85 patients (170 sides) with bilateral gluteal muscle contracture admitted from January 2016 to December 2019. All patients were treated with minimally invasive release of tendon knife. There were 32 males and 53 females, ranging in age from 15 to 37 years old, with an average age of (22.3±6.3) years old. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, first postoperative ambulation time, complication rate, recurrence rate, and Harris hip score (HHS) were analyzed and evaluated. RESULTS: The average follow-up time was (16.2±4.6) months, ranging from 12 to 30 months. The operation time ranged from 7 to 15 min, with an average of (10.2±3.1) min. Intraoperative blood loss ranged from 2 to 20 ml, with an average of (8.4±2.2) ml. The incision length ranged from 0.6 to 2.0 cm, with an average of (0.8±0.3) cm. The time to postoperative ambulation ranged from 12 to 28 h, with an average of (20.0±3.2) h. All patients achieved primary wound healing without sciatic nerve injury or recurrence. HHS hip function scores ranged from 90 to 98, with an average score of (96.2±1.4). Complications included intraoperative tendon blade tip fracture in two cases (removed under fluoroscopic guidance) and subcutaneous hematoma in three cases-two resolved with compression and one with open evacuation.. Twenty-nine patients exhibited transient swaying gait postoperatively, of which 24 patients returned to normal after 4 weeks and 5 patients returned to normal after 6 weeks. CONCLUSION Minimally invasive tendon blade release is a safe and effective technique for treating gluteal muscle contracture, offering minimal trauma, rapid recovery, and excellent cosmetic and functional outcomes. However, it exhibits a low risk of blade tip fracture and sciatic nerve injury, warranting experienced surgical handling.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Adolescent ; Retrospective Studies ; Buttocks/surgery* ; Young Adult ; Contracture/surgery* ; Tendons/surgery* ; Muscle, Skeletal/surgery*

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) is a common disease often accompanied by pain, seriously affecting physical and mental health of patients. Abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction has been considered as a predominant origin of arthralgia, while the specific mechanism mediating pain remains unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanism of TMJ-OA pain, an abnormal joint loading model was used to induce TMJ-OA pain. We found that during the development of TMJ-OA, the increased innervation of sympathetic nerve of subchondral bone precedes that of sensory nerves. Furthermore, these two types of nerves are spatially closely associated. Additionally, it was discovered that activation of sympathetic neural signals promotes osteoarthritic pain in mice, whereas blocking these signals effectively alleviates pain. In vitro experiments also confirmed that norepinephrine released by sympathetic neurons promotes the activation and axonal growth of sensory neurons. Moreover, we also discovered that through releasing norepinephrine, regional sympathetic nerves of subchondral bone were found to regulate growth and activation of local sensory nerves synergistically with other pain regulators. This study identified the role of regional sympathetic nerves in mediating pain in TMJ-OA. It sheds light on a new mechanism of abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction and the regional crosstalk between peripheral nerves, providing a potential target for treating TMJ-OA pain.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Sympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology* ; Arthralgia ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Disease Models, Animal ; Norepinephrine ; Male ; Temporomandibular Joint/physiopathology* ; Pain Measurement

Hypoxemia is a common pathological state characterized by low oxygen saturation in the blood. This condition compromises mucosal barrier integrity particularly in the gut and oral cavity. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. This study used periodontitis as a model to investigate the role of platelet activation in oral mucosal immunopathology under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia upregulated methyltransferase-like protein 4 (METTL4) expression in platelets, resulting in N⁶-methyladenine modification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This modification impaired mitochondrial transcriptional factor A-dependent cytosolic mtDNA degradation, leading to cytosolic mtDNA accumulation. Excess cytosolic mt-DNA aberrantly activated the cGAS-STING pathway in platelets. This resulted in excessive platelet activation and neutrophil extracellular trap formation that ultimately exacerbated periodontitis. Targeting platelet METTL4 and its downstream pathways offers a potential strategy for managing oral mucosa immunopathology. Further research is needed to examine its broader implications for mucosal inflammation under hypoxic conditions.
DNA, Mitochondrial/metabolism* ; Mouth Mucosa/pathology* ; Hypoxia/immunology* ; Methyltransferases/metabolism* ; Blood Platelets/metabolism* ; Animals ; Periodontitis/immunology* ; Humans ; Platelet Activation ; Mice

Pseudorabies (PR) is an infectious disease caused by the pseudorabies virus (PRV), affecting various domesticated and wild animals. Since pigs are the only natural hosts of PRV, PR poses a serious threat to the pig farming industry. Currently, PR is primarily prevented through vaccination with inactivated vaccines or genetically modified attenuated live vaccines. Developing safe and effective genetically engineered vaccines would facilitate the eradication and control of PR. In this study, the PRV vaccine strain Bartha-K61 was used as the reference strain. The gB protein was expressed via the baculovirus-insect cell expression system. Non-denaturing gel electrophoresis confirmed that the gB protein could form a trimeric structure. The purified gB protein was used to immunize mice, and the immune effect was evaluated by a challenge test. The results showed that the gB antigen induced a strong immune response in mice, with the serum-neutralizing antibody titer above 1:70. The lymphocyte stimulation index reached more than 1.29, and the level of (interferon gamma, IFN-γ) release was higher than 100 pg/mL. After immunization, mice were challenged with the virus at a dose of 10⁴ TCID₅₀/mL, 200 μL per mouse, and the clinical protection rate was 100%. Immunohistochemistry, histopathological section, and tissue viral load results showed that the pathological damage and viral load in the gB-immunized group were significantly lower than those in the PBS group. In summary, the gB protein obtained in this study induced strong humoral and cellular immune responses in mice, laying a foundation for developing a recombinant gB protein subunit vaccine.
Animals ; Mice ; Baculoviridae/metabolism* ; Viral Envelope Proteins/biosynthesis* ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid/genetics* ; Pseudorabies/immunology* ; Swine ; Pseudorabies Vaccines/genetics* ; Antibodies, Viral/blood* ; Insecta/cytology* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Female ; Viral Vaccines/immunology*

An electrochemical sensor based on a chitosan-carbon nanotube(CS-CNT)composite-modified glassy carbon electrode(GCE)was developed in this work for highly sensitive detection of sunset yellow(SY)in food.The CS-CNT composite dispersion was prepared via an ultrasonic dispersion method.Combined with quantum chemical calculations,the adsorption mechanism of SY molecules onto the electrode surface,facilitated by π-π conjugation and electrostatic interactions,was elucidated.The optimized experimental conditions were determined as follows:12 μL of CS-CNT dispersion modification volume,accumulation time of 300 s,and a phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0 as supporting electrolyte solution.Experimental results demonstrated that CS significantly enhanced the dispersion of CNT,increasing the effective surface area of the modified electrode by 2.22 times(reaching 0.1587 cm2)compared to the bare GCE.The sensor exhibited a linear detection range of 3.0×10-7 mol/L to 1.0×10-5 mol/L,with a detection limit(S/N=3)of 5.0×10-10 mol/L.Satisfactory spiked recoveries ranging from 96.9%to 101.1%were achieved,along with good preparation reproducibility(relative standard deviation,RSD=4.96%).Interference tests indicated high selectivity of the sensor against citric acid,glucose,and common metal ions.The reliability of the sensor was validated through the detection of SY in actual beverage samples.This electrode design simplified operational procedures,avoiding cross-contamination between measurements,and provided an efficient solution for the on-site monitoring of food additives.

Objective To discuss the application value of comfort medical mode in patients with uterine fibroids receiving interventional embolization therapy during hospitalization.Methods A total of 27 patients with uterine fibroids,who received interventional embolization at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University of China,were enrolled in this study.The patient's basic data,including age,the sum of the maximum diameter of the measurable uterine fibroids and the hemoglobin level at admission,were collected.After admission and before discharge,the self-efficacy scale score,Becker anxiety scale score,and positive and negative emotions scale score were determined in all the patients.According to the different medical management mode adopted during the hospitalization,the patients were divided into study group(n=14)and control group(n=13).Comfort medical mode guided by quantitative evaluation strategy was employed for the patients of the study group,while conventional management mode was adopted for the patients of the control group.SPSS 26.0 software was used for data analysis.Measurement data within group were analyzed by independent sample t-test,and measurement data between groups were analyzed by paired sample t-test,and P＜0.05 was defined as a statistically significant difference.Results There were no statistically significant differences in the basic data between the two groups,and no statistically significant differences in the self-efficacy scale score,Becker anxiety scale score,and positive and negative emotions scale score at admission existed between the two groups.In the study group,the self-efficacy score and positive emotion score at discharge were strikingly higher than those at admission(P＜0.001),and the anxiety degree and negative emotion score at discharge were obviously lower than those at admission(P＜0.001).In the control group,the scores of the above-mentioned scales at discharge did not differ from those at admission.Conclusion The comfort medical mode guided by quantitative evaluation strategy has better clinical effect in patients with uterine fibroids receiving interventional embolization therapy,it can improve patient's comfortableness degree during hospitalization period.

Objective To explore the short-term and long-term curative effect of different polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)embolic agents combined with coaxial microcatheter embolization on massive hemoptysis.Methods According to different embolization agents,60 patients with massive hemoptysis were divided into polyvinyl alcohol embolization microsphere group(microsphere group,32 cases,polyvinyl alco-hol embolization microsphere+coaxial microcatheter embolization)and polyvinyl alcohol foam embolization microparticle group(micropar-ticle group,28 cases,polyvinyl alcohol foam embolization microparticle+coaxial microcatheter embolization).The curative effect,coagula-tion indexes,hemoptysis volume,incidence of complications and recurrence rate of hemoptysis were compared between the two groups.Results The difference in the response rates to treatment between the two groups was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Hemoptysis volume was significantly less in the microsphere group than that in the microparticle group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups(P＞0.05).The recurrence rate of hemoptysis was lower in the microsphere group than that in the microparticle group(3.03％vs 21.43％)(P＜0.05).Conclusion The curative effect of both polyvinyl alcohol embolization microsphere and foam embolization microparticle combined with coaxial microcatheter embolization is highly effective on massive hemoptysis.The long-term prognosis of polyvinyl alcohol embolization microsphere combined with coaxial microcatheter embolization is better.