ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and cognitive dysfunction, and its mediating role between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cognitive dysfunction. MethodsA case-control study was conducted from May 2019 to April 2021 at the Shanghai Yangpu District Central Hospital, China. A total of 193 subjects were recruited and divided into two groups based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): normal control (NC) group (n=95) and cognitive impairment group (n=98). The prevalence of T2DM was determined on the basis of medical history, while mtDNAcn in peripheral blood samples was quantified using realtime fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. ResultsUnivariate analyses revealed that the mean mtDNAcn in the cognitive impairment group was 0.76±0.37, significantly lower than that in the NC group (1.06±0.45) (P<0.05). Logistic regression analyses showed that higher mtDNAcn was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment (OR=0.315, 95%CI: 0.125‒0.795). Additionaly, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between mtDNAcn and the total MoCA score (r=0.381, P<0.01). Morever, T2DM history (OR=2.741, 95%CI: 1.002‒7.497) and elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (OR=1.796, 95%CI: 1.190‒2.711) were identified as risk factors for cognitive impairment. Mediation analyses indicated that mtDNAcn served as a mediator between T2DM/HbA1c and the risk of cognitive impairment, with proportions of mediating effect of 9.04% and 9.18%, respectively. ConclusionPatients with mild and moderate cognitive impairment have significantly lower mtDNAcn than those with normal cognitive function. Reduced mtDNAcn is an influencing factor for cognitive dysfunction and may play a mediating role in the association between T2DM and mild to moderate cognitive impairment.

ObjectiveTraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitutes a valuable cultural heritage and an important source of antitumor compounds. Poria (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), the dried sclerotium of a polyporaceae fungus, was first documented in Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica and has been used therapeutically and dietarily in China for millennia. Traditionally recognized for its diuretic, spleen-tonifying, and sedative properties, modern pharmacological studies confirm that Poria exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. Pachymic acid (PA; a triterpenoid with the chemical structure 3β-acetyloxy-16α-hydroxy-lanosta-8,24(31)-dien-21-oic acid), isolated from Poria, is a principal bioactive constituent. Emerging evidence indicates PA exerts antitumor effects through multiple mechanisms, though these remain incompletely characterized. Neuroblastoma (NB), a highly malignant pediatric extracranial solid tumor accounting for 15% of childhood cancer deaths, urgently requires safer therapeutics due to the limitations of current treatments. Although PA shows multi-mechanistic antitumor potential, its efficacy against NB remains uncharacterized. This study systematically investigated the potential molecular targets and mechanisms underlying the anti-NB effects of PA by integrating network pharmacology-based target prediction with experimental validation of multi-target interactions through molecular docking, dynamic simulations, and in vitro assays, aimed to establish a novel perspective on PA’s antitumor activity and explore its potential clinical implications for NB treatment by integrating computational predictions with biological assays. MethodsThis study employed network pharmacology to identify potential targets of PA in NB, followed by validation using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, MM/PBSA free energy analysis, RT-qPCR and Western blot experiments. Network pharmacology analysis included target screening via TCMSP, GeneCards, DisGeNET, SwissTargetPrediction, SuperPred, and PharmMapper. Subsequently, potential targets were predicted by intersecting the results from these databases via Venn analysis. Following target prediction, topological analysis was performed to identify key targets using Cytoscape software. Molecular docking was conducted using AutoDock Vina, with the binding pocket defined based on crystal structures. MD simulations were performed for 100 ns using GROMACS, and RMSD, RMSF, SASA, and hydrogen bonding dynamics were analyzed. MM/PBSA calculations were carried out to estimate the binding free energy of each protein-ligand complex. In vitro validation included RT-qPCR and Western blot, with GAPDH used as an internal control. ResultsThe CCK-8 assay demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of PA on NB cell viability. GO analysis suggested that the anti-NB activity of PA might involve cellular response to chemical stress, vesicle lumen, and protein tyrosine kinase activity. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested that the anti-NB activity of PA might involve the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and Ras signaling pathways. Molecular docking and MD simulations revealed stable binding interactions between PA and the core target proteins AKT1, EGFR, SRC, and HSP90AA1. RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses further confirmed that PA treatment significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression of AKT1, EGFR, and SRC while increasing the HSP90AA1 mRNA and protein levels. ConclusionIt was suggested that PA may exert its anti-NB effects by inhibiting AKT1, EGFR, and SRC expression, potentially modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. These findings provide crucial evidence supporting PA’s development as a therapeutic candidate for NB.

Asarum forbesii is a perennial herb born in a shaded and humid environment, which is warm in nature. With the efficacy of warming lung, resolving fluid retention, and relieving coughs, it can be used to treat the syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung. To investigate the effects of different shading conditions on the composition and efficacy of A. forbesii, this study planted A. forbesii under 20% natural light(NL20), 40% natural light(NL40), 60% natural light(NL60), and 80% natural light(NL80) and utilized ultra performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) and micro broth 2-fold dilution method to detect the volatile chemical compounds and the minimum inhibitory concentration. At the same time, the study investigated the effects of A. forbesii grown under different shading conditions on the signs, pathological changes of lung tissues, serum cytokine levels, activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes Ⅰ-Ⅴ in lung tissues, and relative expression of related genes of mice with syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung. The results indicated that with the increase of shading, the content of kakuol, methyl eugenol, and asarinin in A. forbesii and the antibacterial effect showed a tendency of increasing first and then decreasing, and the NL40 group was significantly better than the other groups. Under the conditions of NL20 and NL40, A. forbesii significantly alleviated the pathological damage to lung tissues, restored the homeostasis of the lung, and enhanced the energy metabolism level of mice with syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung. In addition, A. forbesii planted under the two conditions reduced the content of interleukin-8(IL-8), interleukin-13(IL-13), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and mucin 5AC(MUC5AC), increased the levels of interleukin-10(IL-10) and aquaporin 1(AQP1), lowered the expression of MMP9, VEGF, TGF-β, and MAPK3. In conclusion, the therapeutic effect of A. forbesii on the syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung was positively correlated with the degree of shading, and the chemical composition and efficacy of warming lung and resolving fluid retention were optimal under the conditions of NL20-NL40. This study can provide reference for the pharmacological research and cultivation of A. forbesii.
Animals ; Mice ; Lung/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Light ; Cytokines/genetics* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the genomic characteristics and prognostic factors of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) with RAS mutations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of JMML children with RAS mutations treated at the Hematology Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2008 to November 2022. RESULTS: A total of 34 children were included, with 17 cases (50%) having isolated NRAS mutations, 9 cases (27%) having isolated KRAS mutations, and 8 cases (24%) having compound mutations. Compared to children with isolated NRAS mutations, those with NRAS compound mutations showed statistically significant differences in age at onset, platelet count, and fetal hemoglobin proportion (P<0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis revealed that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and hepatomegaly (≥2 cm below the costal margin) were factors affecting the survival rate of JMML children with RAS mutations (P<0.05); hepatomegaly was a factor affecting survival in the non-HSCT group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Children with NRAS compound mutations have a later onset age compared to those with isolated NRAS mutations. At initial diagnosis, children with NRAS compound mutations have poorer peripheral platelet and fetal hemoglobin levels than those with isolated NRAS mutations. Liver size at initial diagnosis is related to the prognosis of JMML children with RAS mutations. HSCT can improve the prognosis of JMML children with RAS mutations.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile/therapy* ; Mutation ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Child ; Infant ; GTP Phosphohydrolases/genetics* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Adolescent ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between fish consumption and stroke is inconsistent, and it is uncertain whether this association varies across predicted stroke risks. METHODS: A cohort study comprising 95,800 participants from the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China project was conducted. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on fish consumption. Participants were stratified into low- and moderate-to-high-risk categories based on their 10-year stroke risk prediction scores. Hazard ratios ( HRs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models and additive interaction by relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP), and synergy index (SI). RESULTS: During 703,869 person-years of follow-up, 2,773 incident stroke events were identified. Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, particularly among moderate-to-high-risk individuals ( HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.47-0.60) than among low-risk individuals ( HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49-0.85). A significant additive interaction between fish consumption and predicted stroke risk was observed (RERI = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.80-5.36; SI = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.42-1.89; AP = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.28-0.43). CONCLUSION Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, and this beneficial association was more pronounced in individuals with moderate-to-high stroke risk.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Stroke/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Incidence ; Aged ; Animals ; Fishes ; Risk Factors ; Diet ; Seafood ; Adult ; Cohort Studies

Objective:To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults.Methods:A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test.Results:A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95% CI: 2.23-3.88) points ( P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95% CI: 4.03-5.37) points ( P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement ( P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions:This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

Objective Utilizing a specially engineered miR-144-GFP-H1 human embryonic stem cell(hESC)reporter line,this study leverages GFP fluorescence as an indicator of miR-144 expression to gauge the progression of erythropoiesis.The investigation is aimed at elucidating the potential roles of lncRNAs within the erythropoietic framework and conducting an initial assessment of their functional impact.Methods The miR-144/451-GFP-H1 cell line(hereafter referred to as 144-H1)was utilized for in vitro erythrocyte induction culture.The subpopulations of cells entering the erythropoiesis stage were characterized by the surface molecules CD71 and GPA.The GFP reporter gene of miR-144 served as a critical determi-nant to distinguish between GFP-positive cells(with a high propensity for erythropoiesis)and GFP-negative cells(with a low propensity for erythropoiesis).Transcriptome sequencing was performed on both groups to identify differentially ex-pressed long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs).LncRNA entries with potential for validation were selected for preliminary func-tional verification.The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique was employed to design functional interference strategies for the targeted lncRNAs,obtaining 144-H1 cell lines with knocked-out function of the specific lncRNAs.These knockout cell lines,along with non-knockout 144-H1 cell lines,were used for parallel erythrocyte induction culture to identify differential nodes.This approach preliminarily verified their impact on erythropoiesis in an in vitro development model.Results 1)The constructed 144-H1 cell line was capable of expressing GFP fluorescence upon entering the stage of in vitro erythrocyte in-duction,indicating the activation of miR-144/451.2)Within the CD71,GPA double-positive group,significant differences in lncRNA expression were observed between the GFP-positive and GFP-negative subpopulations.3)Gene editing strategies involving the deletion of sequence segments capable of effectively interfering with the function of multiple lncRNA entries were designed and verified for successful editing.In the knockout cell lines,parts of the lncRNA sequences were directly de-leted.4)In parallel validation experiments of erythrocyte induction culture,cell lines with LINC01569 knocked out exhibited significant differences in flow cytometric subpopulations and cell proliferation capabilities compared to the non-knockout cell lines:①The knockout cell lines showed sustained high expression of GFP fluorescence.②The proportion of the CD71-GPA double-positive group in the knockout cell lines continuously decreased during erythrocyte maturation.③No significant ex-pression of hemoglobin was observed in the knockout cell lines,lacking the characteristic red color.④The cell proliferation capability of the knockout cell lines was significantly lower than that of the non-knockout cell lines(P＜0.05).Conclusion The successful employment of the 144-H1 cell line facilitated an exploration into the potential functions of lncRNAs in e-rythropoiesis.This enables the design of more refined in vitro developmental experiments to enhance the precision in captu-ring lncRNA functions.Among the differentially expressed lncRNA entries,LINC01569 was preliminarily validated to play a regulatory role in erythropoiesis.The functional absence of LINC01569 severely impacts the normal differentiation and prolif-eration of erythrocytes.The specific regulatory mechanism of LINC01569 in erythropoiesis warrants further investigation and research.

【Objective】 To explore the feasibility of en-bloc resection of bladder tumors by flexible cystoscope combined with laparoscopic instruments through urethra and to provide reference for the clinical application of this technique. 【Methods】 Self-designed and processed transurethral single-hole PORT and Olympus electronic cystoscope were used as observation mirror; Φ1.8 mm soft grasper, tissue scissors, electric hook, and ultrasonic scalpel were used as instruments; the porcine bladder was used as a model.The PORT was placed through the urethra, and the cystoscope was inserted to observe the inner wall of the bladder and the condition of the mucosa.After the lesion site was identified in the bladder cavity, the soft grasper was inserted to pull the mucosa to be removed, which was then fixed with tension at the target position to maintain a satisfactory feild of view.The surgeon held the cystoscope in the left hand, and operated the laparoscopic instruments into the bladder cavity through the PORT with the right hand.Observing with the cystoscope and lifting and pulling the mucosa with the grasper, the surgeon simulated the cutting and pushing actions to realize the en-bloc resection of the lesioned mucosa. 【Results】 The mucosa at 4 different locations were successfully resected on 2 in vitro porcine bladder models. 【Conclusion】 The in vitro experiments show that the combination of flexible electronic cystoscope and laparoscopic instruments achieves synergistic effects in en-bloc resection of bladder tumor by transurethral single-hole laparoscope without additional iatrogenic bladder injury caused by percutaneous bladder incision.This method is feasible in the treatment of bladder tumors, and has the potential of clinical application after further optimization.

Objective To observe the correlations of pontine biological indicators on fetal brain median sagittal MRI with gestational week.Methods Data of head MRI of 226 normal fetuses without obvious abnormalities of central nervous system(normal group)and 17 fetuses with abnormalities(abnormal group)at gestational age of 23 to 38 weeks were retrospectively analyzed.Pontine biological indicators based on median sagittal MRI were obtained,including pons anteroposterior diameter(PAD),total pons area(TPA),pontine basal anteroposterior length(AP),pontine basal cranio-caudal length(CC),basis pontis area(BPA)and pontine angle of midbrain(MAP).According to the gestational week,the fetuses of normal group were divided into 8 subgroups.The distributing ranges of pontine biological indicators at different gestational weeks were analyzed,and the correlations of pontine biological indicators with gestational week in normal group were explored,and the developmental status of fetal pons in abnormal group were assessed.Results In normal group,PAD,TPA,AP,CC and BPA all showed linear positive correlation(r=0.887,0.914,0.787,0.866,0.865,all P＜0.001),while MAP was not significantly correlated with gestational week(P＞0.05).Among 17 fetuses in abnormal group,abnormal PAD or TPA was found each in 8 fetuses,abnormal AP was observed in 14,abnormal CC was noticed in 3 and abnormal BPA was found in 11 fetuses.Conclusion Fetal pontine biological indicators such as PAD,TPA,AP,CC and BPA on median sagittal MRI were positively correlated with gestational week,hence being able to be used for evaluating fetal pontine development.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.