The self-remodeling of scleral extracellular matrix(ECM)is a significant characteristic alterationin the development of myopia, and it also influences the progression of myopia. The mechanisms of scleral remodeling are intricate, with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)and its associated signaling pathways playing a pivotal role. This review systematically summarizes the major metabolic changes in scleral ECM, the molecular mechanisms of the TGF-β signaling pathway, and its regulatory effects on scleral remodeling during myopic development, aiming to provide new insights and potential strategies for the treatment and prevention of myopia.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanisms of Wenyang Huazhuo Formula （温阳化浊方， WHF） in improving reproductive aging from the perspective of the ovarian mechanical microenvironment. MethodsThe experiment included five groups， 3-month group （20 female mice at 3 months of age）， 6-month group （20 female mice at 6 months of age）， 6-month + WHF group （20 female mice at 5 months of age treated with WHF）， 9-month group （20 female mice at 9 months of age）， and 9-month + WHF group （20 female mice at 8 months of age treated with WHF）. The 6-month + WHF group and 9-month + WHF group were orally administered WHF 41.2 g/（kg·d） once daily for 4 consecutive weeks. The other three groups received no intervention. Reproductive hormone levels were measured by ELISA. HE staining was used to count the numbers of various stages of follicles. Ovarian hyaluronic acid （HA） content and collagen fiber content were measured to evaluate the ovarian mechanical microenvironment. Superovulation was performed to observe the number of eggs obtained， as well as the number of offspring and birth weight to assess fertility. The in vitro fertilization and blastocyst culture of oocytes from female offspring in each group were observed to evaluate the effect of WHF on offspring reproductive potential. ResultsCompared with the 3-month group， the 6-month group and 9-month group showed significantly decreased serum levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH）， follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， and luteinizing hormone （LH）， decreased ovarian collagen content， and reduced numbers of primordial and secondary follicles. In contrast， the numbers of primary follicles， antral follicles， and atretic follicles increased. The levels of anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）， ovarian HA content， and the fertilization rate， cleavage rate， and blastocyst formation rate of oocytes from offspring were significantly lower （P＜0.05）. Compared with the 6-month group， the 6-month + WHF group showed significantly reduced serum levels of GnRH， FSH， and LH， with a significant decrease in primary follicles， antral follicles， and atretic follicles as well as increase of AMH levels， ovarian HA content， number of primordial and secondary follicle， egg count， and offspring birth weight （P＜0.05）. Compared with the 9-month group， the 9-month + WHF group exhibited reduced GnRH， FSH， and collagen fiber content， as well as reduced number of primary follicles， antral follicles， and atretic follicles. However， AMH levels， ovarian HA content， number of primordial and secondary follicle， egg count， offspring numbers， birth weight， fertilization rate， cleavage rate， and blastocyst formation rate of oocytes from offspring all significantly increased （P＜0.05）. ConclusionWHF can significantly improve the ovarian reserve， fertility， and reproductive potential in offspring during reproductive mid-life and late-life stages. Its effect may be related to the remodeling of the mechanical microenvironment of aging ovaries. Moreover， the effect on the mechanical microenvironment remodeling of late-stage ovaries and the improvement of the offspring reproductive potential is more significant.

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of roxadustat versus recombinant human erythropoietin （rHuEPO）， each combined with intravenous iron supplementation， in the treatment of renal anemia （RA） in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis （MHD）. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 152 patients diagnosed with RA and receiving MHD at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between January 2022 and June 2024. According to the treatment regimen， patients were divided into observation group （n＝72） and control group （n＝80）. Both groups of patients received MHD and intravenous iron therapy， with the observation group additionally receiving roxadustat and the control group receiving rHuEPO， both for a treatment duration of 12 weeks. Changes in anemia indicators， iron metabolism parameters， inflammatory markers， cardiac function parameters， quality of life scores before and after therapy， and adverse events during treatment were compared between the two groups. RESULTS After 12 weeks of treatment， both groups showed significant increase in hemoglobin， red blood cell count， hematocrit， serum iron， transferrin， total iron binding capacity， transferrin saturation， left ventricular ejection fraction， E/A ratio， cardiac output， 36-Item Short Form Health Survey score， and Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form score compared to baseline （P＜0.05）. Conversely， the levels of ferritin， C-reactive protein， interleukin-6， tumor necrosis factor-α， brain natriuretic peptide， and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were significantly reduced （P＜0.05）. The improvements in the observation group were significantly greater than those in the control group （P＜ 0.05）. Moreover， the incidence of adverse events was significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Compared to rHuEPO combined with intravenous iron supplementation， roxadustat combined with intravenous iron supplementation is more effective in improving anemia， iron metabolism， inflammatory status， cardiac function， and quality of life in patients with RA undergoing MHD. Additionally， it demonstrates a better safety profile.

BACKGROUND: The effect of the interval between previous Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and rescue treatment on therapeutic outcomes remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between eradication rates and treatment interval durations in H. pylori infections. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted from December 2021 to February 2023 at six tertiary hospitals in Shandong, China. We recruited patients who were positive for H. pylori infection and required rescue treatment. Demographic information, previous times of eradication therapy, last eradication therapy date, and history of antibiotic use data were collected. The patients were divided into four groups based on the rescue treatment interval length: Group A, ≥4 weeks and ≤3 months; Group B, >3 and ≤6 months; Group C, >6 and ≤12 months; and Group D, >12 months. The primary outcome was the eradication rate of H. pylori . Drug compliance and adverse events (AEs) were also assessed. Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare eradication rates between groups. RESULTS: A total of 670 patients were enrolled in this study. The intention-to-treat (ITT) eradication rates were 88.3% (158/179) in Group A, 89.6% (120/134) in Group B, 89.1% (123/138) in Group C, and 87.7% (192/219) in Group D. The per-protocol (PP) eradication rates were 92.9% (156/168) in Group A, 94.5% (120/127) in Group B, 94.5% (121/128) in Group C, and 93.6% (190/203) in Group D. There was no statistically significant difference in the eradication rates between groups in either the ITT ( P = 0.949) or PP analysis ( P = 0.921). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of AEs ( P = 0.934) or drug compliance ( P = 0.849) between groups. CONCLUSION: The interval duration of rescue treatment had no significant effect on H. pylori eradication rates or the incidence of AEs. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT05173493.
Humans ; Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy* ; Helicobacter pylori/pathogenicity* ; Male ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects* ; Adult ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

Understory planting of medicinal plants is a new planting mode that connects Chinese herbal medicine(CHM) with forest resources.The complex and variable understory environmental factors will inevitably affect the yield and quality of understory CHM.This research summarized the research progress on understory planting of medicinal plants based on forest types and environmental factors within the forest from the perspectives of understory light, air temperature and humidity, soil characteristics, and the interaction between crops within the forest.The results showed that the complex and variable light, temperature and humidity, and soil factors(such as fertility, acidity and alkalinity, and microorganisms) under the forest could affect the yield and quality of medicinal plants to varying degrees through physiological activities such as photosynthesis and respiration, resulting in a significant increase or decrease in yield and quality compared to open field cultivation.In addition, the competition or mutual benefit between different crops within the forest could lead to differences in the yield and quality of understory medicinal plants compared to open field cultivation.A reasonable combination of planting could achieve resource sharing and complementary advantages.Therefore, conducting systematic research on the effects of understory environmental factors on the yield and content of medicinal plants with different growth and development characteristics can provide theoretical guidance and technical references for formulating comprehensive strategies for understory planting of medicinal plants, such as selecting suitable medicinal plant varieties, optimizing planting density, and conducting reasonable forest management, thus contributing to the sustainable development and ecological protection of CHM.
Plants, Medicinal/growth & development* ; Forests ; Soil/chemistry* ; Environment ; Ecosystem ; Temperature

Given the increasing concern regarding antibacterial resistance, the antimicrobial properties of naphthoquinones have recently attracted significant attention. While 1,4-naphthoquinone and its derivatives have been extensively studied, the antibacterial properties of 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives remain relatively unexplored. This study presents a comprehensive in vitro and in vivo analysis of the antibacterial activity of 35 naturally sourced and chemically synthesized derivatives of 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone. Kirby-Bauer antibiotic testing identified three compounds with activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with one compound (PNP-02) demonstrating activity comparable to vancomycin in minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-kill assays. Microscopic and biochemical analyses revealed that PNP-02 adversely affects the cell wall and cell membrane of MRSA. Mechanistic investigations, including proteomic sequencing analyses, Western blotting, and RT-qPCR assays, indicated that PNP-02 compromises cell membrane integrity by inhibiting arginine biosynthesis and pyrimidine metabolism pathways, thereby increasing membrane permeability and inducing bacterial death. In an in vivo mouse model of skin wound healing, PNP-02 exhibited antibacterial efficacy similar to vancomycin. The compound demonstrated low toxicity to cultured human cells and in hemolysis assays and remained stable during serum incubation. These findings suggest that PNP-02 possesses promising bioactivity against MRSA and represents a potential novel antibacterial agent.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/genetics* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry* ; Naphthoquinones/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mice ; Humans ; Staphylococcal Infections/microbiology* ; Molecular Structure

Objective To identify the reasons why the monitored personal doses of radiation worker A in an institution exceeded the investigation level in 2023 and 2024, and remind workers to wear personal dosimeters in a standardized manner in scenarios such as work and business trips to ensure the authenticity and reliability of the monitoring data. Methods A thermoluminescence measurement system was used to read the personal dosimeters worn by radiation workers. Investigations were carried out on personnel whose doses exceeded the investigation level described in the “Specifications for individual monitoring of occupational external exposure” (GBZ 128—2019). The reasons for doses exceeding the investigation level were analyzed using additional dosimeters and conducting on-site experiments. Results In 2023 and 2024, radiation worker A recorded a total of 5 personal dose equivalents exceeding the investigation level (1.23 mSv) over a total of 8 monitoring cycles (each lasting 90 days). Following one cycle where the dose exceeded the investigation level, two additional dosimeters (each for a 30-day cycle) were issued to worker A, revealing readings below the investigation level for the 30-day monitoring cycle (0.41 mSv). The reading for the dosimeter was 2-3 μSv per time when passing through an X-ray security scanner, and approximately 2.10 mSv per time when passing through a computed tomography security scanner. Conclusion Within a 90-day monitoring cycle, a single exposure of a personal dosimeter to a computed tomography security scanner can result in a dose exceeding the investigation level. Radiation workers should avoid placing dosimeters in backpacks or suitcases that pass through computed tomography security scanners during business trips, so as to reduce the impact of security scanner irradiation on personal dose monitoring.

Laccase is a type of polyphenol oxidase that can catalyze the oxidation of various substances,including phenols,aromatic amines,and catecholamines.It has been widely utilized in pollutant degradation and analytical applications.However,the high cost of preparation of natural laccase and its susceptibility to environmental factors,which can lead to denaturation and inactivation,limit its practical applications.Nanozymes,which are nanomaterials that exhibit enzyme-like properties,offer advantages such as easy preparation,adjustable activity,and exceptional stability.Currently,many types of nanozymes have been developed.Inspired by the coordination of Cu2+with amino acids in the active site of natural laccase,researchers have employed coordination synthetic strategies to prepare laccase-like nanozymes.The metal nodes in these laccase-like nanozymes include copper,manganese,and cerium,while the ligands involve a variety of chemicals like nucleotides,amino acids,polypeptides,and aromatic acids.By manipulating factors such as the metal-to-ligand ratio,reducing capacity of ligands,buffer solutions,chloride ions,bromine ions,the catalytic activity of laccase-like nanozymes can be finely tuned.In this paper,laccase-like nanozymes developed through coordination strategies were categorized and summarized,along with review of their analytical applications in detection of phenolic compounds,disease biomarkers,antibiotics,pesticides,sulfur-containing pollutants,and time-temperature indicators.Furthermore,the challenges currently faced in the research of laccase-like nanozymes and future research directions were discussed.

Lentiviral vectors(LVs)are key gene delivery tools for integrating target genes into the host genome,but they may also pose risks of insertional mutagenesis.The vector copy number(VCN)in cells is critical for determining the safety of gene modification.However,the reliability and accuracy of its quantification process are influenced by multiple factors.Developing cell reference materials with specific vector copy numbers represents a viable approach to enhance the reliability and consistency of measurement results,enabling quality control of the quantification process and traceability of outcomes.However,the preparation of such reference materials faces challenges in cell sample design,preparation protocols,and advanced quantification techniques.In this study,T lymphocyte cell line Jurkat-based reference materials with LV gene copy numbers of 1 and 2 copy/cell were developed.A high-precision duplex digital polymerase chain reaction(dPCR)method was established to quantify the LV gene and endogenous genes simultaneously.Additionally,the results of dPCR were cross-validated through next-generation sequencing and flow cytometric analysis.Ultimately,confocal microscopy characterization results showed that the developed cell reference materials had intact morphology.The quantification result of VCN-1 was(1.07±0.11)copy/cell,and that of VCN-2 was(2.09±0.21)copy/cell.These cell reference materials demonstrated compliance with stability and homogeneity requirements,and could be applied for quality control throughout the VCN measurement workflow and metrological traceability,improving the accuracy,comparability,and validity of copy number measurements.

Objective To explore the correlation between the actual age and the pulp chamber volume(PCV)and pulp dentinal index(PDI)of the right first molars based on cone beam computed tomog-raphy(CBCT)technology,and to construct an accurate and convenient model for age estimation.Methods CBCT image data of 1 857 Han adults(883 males and 974 females)from the Department of Stomatology,Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College were collected.The data were di-vided into training and validation sets at a ratio of 8∶2.A total of 1 485 training samples were used to construct the age estimation model,and 372 samples were used to validate the accuracy of the model.The Mimics 21.0 software was used to measure the PCV and calculate the PDI of the right first molars.Their correlations with age and the differences between different sexes and tooth positions were analyzed.Results Both the PCV and the PDI of the first molars showed strong negative correla-tions with the actual age(r values ranged from 0.82 to 0.89).The differences in PCV and PDI be-tween different sexes and tooth positions were statistically significant(P<0.05).The age estimation model based on PDI was superior to that based on PCV.The model based on the PDI values of the two right first molars(y=73.72-44.15 x3-28.27 x4,where x3 and x4 are the PDI values of the right maxil-lary and mandibular first molars,respectively)was the best,with the R2 of 0.79 and the mean abso-lute error of 4.90 years.Conclusion Both PCV and PDI of the first molars are effective indicators for age estimation.The age estimation model based on the PDI is more convenient and accurate than that based on the PCV,providing a more effective method for age estimation in forensic practice.