Objective:To investigate the synergistic effect of astaxanthin and curcumin on assisted reproduc-tive technology(ART)outcomes in patients with poor ovarian response(POR).Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted,involving 123 POR patients enrolled at the Reproductive & Women-Children Hospital,Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between March 6,2023 to May 1,2024.According to patient preference,participants were divided into the treatment group(41 cases)and the control group(82 cases)at a ratio of 1∶2.The treatment group took astaxanthin and turmeric compound tablets orally for 60 to 90 days before ovulation induction treatment.The ovulation induction parameters and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups,and a self-controlled analysis was conducted within the treatment group.Results:During the observation period,5 and 10 participants withdrew from the treatment and control groups,respectively,resul-ting in 108 patients included in the final analysis.There were no statistically significant differences between the two group in terms of endometrial thickness on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin(HCG),number of oocytes retrieved,oocyte maturation rate,normal fertilization rate,high-quality embryo rate,or cycle cancellation rate(P＞0.05).However,the treatment group demonstrated significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate(61.54％vs.28.57％),fresh embryo implantation rate(40.91％vs.18.97％),and cumulative clinical pregnancy rate(65.38％vs.33.33％)(P＜0.05).The early miscarriage rate was observed with no significant difference between groups(12.5％vs.10.0％)(P＞0.05).Furthermore,after treatment,basal FSH(bFSH),basal E2(bE2),antral follicles count(AFC),anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH),and the number of oocytes retrieved within the treatment group were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusions:Pretreatment with astaxanthin and turmeric compound tablets in POR patients did not significantly improve the ovulation induction re-sponse,but was associated with increased fresh embryo clinical pregnancy rate,implantation rate,and cumulative pregnancy rate.The underlying mechanism may involve modulation of basal endocrine profiles and improvement of ovarian reserve function,though further investigation is required to elucidate precise pathways.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the differential expression and biological functions of circRNAs in the anterior lens capsules of high myopic patients with cataract and their pathogenic roles in the development of this condition. METHODS: Anterior lens capsule specimens were collected intraoperatively from 36 patients with age-related cataract (ARC) and 36 high myopic patients with cataract. Among these, 18 specimens from each group were selected for whole transcriptome sequencing and biological analysis, and the remaining 36 specimens were used for validation of circPDGFRA, circFOXJ3, hsa_circ_0004767, hsa_circ_0007528, ciCRIM1, circMAN1A2, circSLC5A3, and circPTK2 expressions using RT-qPCR. hsa_circ_0007528 was selected for cell experiments to examine its effects on proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of lens epithelial cells (LECs). RESULTS: A total of 16 192 circRNAs were detected in the specimens from both groups, among which 62 circRNAs were differentially expressed (29 upregulated and 33 downregulated). GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the differentially expressed circRNAs were primarily localized in the cytoplasm, nucleoplasm, and endoplasmic reticulum, and were involved in signaling pathways associated with Gap junction and the PI3K-Akt, NF-κB, Jak-STAT, HIF-1, and MAPK signaling pathways. The ceRNA network predicted multiple target genes. RT-qPCR validation results were consistent with the sequencing data. In the LECs, upregulation of hsa_circ_0007528 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration and obviously promoted cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS The expression profile of circRNAs in the anterior lens capsule of high myopic patients with cataract differs from that of ARC patients. Upregulation of hsa_circ_0007528 inhibits LEC proliferation and migration and promotes cell apoptosis.
Humans ; Cataract/complications* ; RNA, Circular ; Myopia/genetics* ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Epithelial Cells ; Cell Movement ; Anterior Capsule of the Lens/metabolism* ; Male ; Female

Objective:To investigate the synergistic effect of astaxanthin and curcumin on assisted reproduc-tive technology(ART)outcomes in patients with poor ovarian response(POR).Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted,involving 123 POR patients enrolled at the Reproductive & Women-Children Hospital,Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between March 6,2023 to May 1,2024.According to patient preference,participants were divided into the treatment group(41 cases)and the control group(82 cases)at a ratio of 1∶2.The treatment group took astaxanthin and turmeric compound tablets orally for 60 to 90 days before ovulation induction treatment.The ovulation induction parameters and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups,and a self-controlled analysis was conducted within the treatment group.Results:During the observation period,5 and 10 participants withdrew from the treatment and control groups,respectively,resul-ting in 108 patients included in the final analysis.There were no statistically significant differences between the two group in terms of endometrial thickness on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin(HCG),number of oocytes retrieved,oocyte maturation rate,normal fertilization rate,high-quality embryo rate,or cycle cancellation rate(P＞0.05).However,the treatment group demonstrated significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate(61.54％vs.28.57％),fresh embryo implantation rate(40.91％vs.18.97％),and cumulative clinical pregnancy rate(65.38％vs.33.33％)(P＜0.05).The early miscarriage rate was observed with no significant difference between groups(12.5％vs.10.0％)(P＞0.05).Furthermore,after treatment,basal FSH(bFSH),basal E2(bE2),antral follicles count(AFC),anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH),and the number of oocytes retrieved within the treatment group were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusions:Pretreatment with astaxanthin and turmeric compound tablets in POR patients did not significantly improve the ovulation induction re-sponse,but was associated with increased fresh embryo clinical pregnancy rate,implantation rate,and cumulative pregnancy rate.The underlying mechanism may involve modulation of basal endocrine profiles and improvement of ovarian reserve function,though further investigation is required to elucidate precise pathways.

Grooming,as an evolutionarily conserved repetitive behavior,is common in various animals,including humans,and serves essential functions including,but not limited to,hygiene maintenance,thermoregulation,de-arousal,stress reduction,and social behaviors.In rodents,grooming involves a patterned and sequenced structure,known as the syntactic chain with four phases that comprise repeated stereotyped movements happening in a cephalocaudal progression style,beginning from the nose to the face,to the head,and finally ending with body licking.The context-dependent occurrence of grooming behavior indicates its adaptive significance.This review briefly summarizes the neural substrates responsible for rodent grooming behavior and explores its relevance in rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases with aberrant grooming phenotypes.We further emphasize the utility of rodent grooming as a reliable measure of repetitive behavior in neuropsychiatric models,holding promise for translational psychiatry.Herein,we mainly focus on rodent self-grooming.Allogrooming(grooming being applied on one animal by its conspecifics via licking or carefully nibbling)and heterogrooming(a form of grooming behavior directing towards another animal,which occurs in other contexts,such as maternal,sexual,aggressive,or social behaviors)are not covered due to space constraints.

Background Heavy metal emissions from mining and smelting areas are a global problem, and health risks associated with heavy metal contamination of soils are of great concern. The long-term mining of the largest realgar mine in Asia has caused severe arsenic and other metal pollution to the surrounding rivers and soils. Objective To understand the levels of metal contamination and health risks in agricultural soils of villages surrounding the largest realgar mine in Asia, and to lay a good foundation for further necessary pollution control actions and decisions. Methods A field survey was conducted to collect soil samples according to the Technical rules for monitoring of environmental quality of farmland soil (NY/T 395-2012), and then inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the contents of 28 heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), beryllium (Be), selenium (Se), cobalt (Co), antimony (Sb), molybdenum (Mo), vanadium (V), barium (Ba), thallium (Tl), boron (B) , bismuth (Bi), lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), rubidium (Rb), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), kalium (K), and titanium (Ti)]. Geoaccumulation index, single factor pollution index, and Nemerow comprehensive index were used to evaluate the degree and characteristics of single metal pollution and combined pollution in soil, respectively. A health risk assessment model was used to evaluate the risks of metals in soil to human health. Results The results of geoaccumulation index calculation revealed that 22 heavy metals were enriched in the soil, and the indexes of target heavy metals from high to low were Cd > Se > Pb >Hg > As > Co> Ni > Cu > Zn > Bi > Sb > Mo > Be> Cr > Ba >V > Li > Sr> Mn> Rb > Ca> Tl . The single factor pollution indexes of 17 heavy metals from high to low were Be > Cd > B > Mo > V > As > Ni > Cu > Pb > Zn > Co > Se > Tl > Ba > Cr > Hg > Sb. The Nemerow comprehensive index indicated all sampling points were graded as severe pollution. The mean of total non-carcinogenic health risk values and the mean of carcinogenic health risk values for the target heavy metals in the area were higher than the threshold (1) and the maximum acceptable risk (1.0×10^–4), respectively. The total carcinogenic health risks for adults and children reached 1.1×10^–3 and 1.67×10^–3, respectively. The mean non-carcinogenic health risk values of As, Co, Cr, and Pb pollution were greater than 1, and the maximum non-cancer risk value of Sb for children was greater than 1. The mean carcinogenic risk values of Ni, As, and Cu exceeded 1.0×10^–4 for both adults and children, and the maximum carcinogenic risk values of Be and Cr for children were more than 1.0×10^–4. Conclusion The farmland soil around the hugest realgar mine in Asia is contaminated by multiple metals. The study soil is seriously polluted by Cd, Se, Pb, As, Hg, Be, B, Mo, V, Ni, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co, and Ba. The pollution of Ni, As, Cu, Cr, and Be is considered as carcinogenic hazards to health, while the pollution of As, Co, Cr, Pb, and Sb poses non-carcinogenic health risks. Our study findings show that the soil is polluted by Co and Group 1 carcinogen Be, which could cause health risks; although Cr and Sb have not reached severe pollution levels, there are certain health risks and also need attention.

OBJECTIVE To optimize the existing t hin layer chromatography （TLC）identification and content determination methods of Jizhi syrup. METHODS High performance thin-layer chromatography （HPTLC）was used to identify five medicinal materials in Jizhi syrup ，such as Ilex chinensis ，Houttuynia cordata ，Peucedanum praeruptorum ，Citrus aurantium ，Glycyrrhiza uralensis. High performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）was used to determine the contents of procatechuic acid ，ephedrine hydrochloride and naringin in Jizhi syrup. RESULTS HPTLC results showed that the identification spots of pedunculoside ， praeruptorin A ，naringin，and liquiritin were clearly displayed ，and the retention factors were in the range of 0.2 to 0.8. After validation，the method had been proved to be strongly specific ，robust and repeatable. HPLC results showed that the linear ranges of protocatechuic acid ，ephedrine hydrochloride and naringin were 4.32-431.67，1.14-114.17 and 7.02-702.33 μg/mL（all r＞ 0.996），respectively. The average recoveries were 100.61％，100.40％ and 99.22％，and RSDs were all less than 2.00％. RSDs of precision（n＝6），stability（24 h，n＝7）and repeatability （n＝6）were all less than 2.00％. The average contents of the three components in 10 batches were 623.3，152.1，1 213.9 μg/mL（RSD＜10.00％），respectively. CONCLUSIONS In this study ， HPTLC method of one-plate multi-drug is established for the identification of Jizhi syrup. One sample pretreatment method and two TLC conditions are used to realize the rapid identification of five kinds of medicinal materials. An HPLC method is established to determine the content of Jizhi syrup ，which realizes the fast quantification of three active components in Jizhi syrup ，and can be used to optimize the identification and content determination items in the existing legal quality standards of Jizhi syrup.

Objective: To investigate the analgesic substances in the aerial part of Urtica fissa (Urticae Fissae Herba), commonly used for rheumatoid and rheumatism arthritis. Methods: The analgesic constituents were isolated with the active guidance of hot plate and acetic acid writhing models, and identified by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis. Results: Thirteen alkaloids (1–13), two lignans (14, 15), and three amides (16–18) were isolated from the active fractions. Among them, compound 1 was a new alkaloid, and compound 6 was a new natural product. The activity evaluation in vivo indicated that various pyrrole alkaloids (1, 3, 6, and 12) possessed significant analgesic activities, they could significantly inhibit the mice pain response induced by acetic acid and hot plate at the dosage of 2 mg/kg BW. Conclusion: The study revealed that the pyrrole alkaloids played important roles in the analgesic activities of Urticae Fissae Herba.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an essential metabolic enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC). The high mutation frequency of the IDH gene plays a complicated role in gliomas. In addition to affecting gliomas directly, mutations in IDH can also alter their immune microenvironment and can change immune-cell function in direct and indirect ways. IDH mutations mediate immune-cell infiltration and function by modulating immune-checkpoint gene expression and chemokine secretion. In addition, IDH mutation-derived D2-hydroxyglutarate can be absorbed by surrounding immune cells, also affecting their functioning. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the effects of IDH mutations as well as other gene mutations on the immune microenvironment of gliomas. We also describe recent preclinical and clinical data related to IDH-mutant inhibitors for the treatment of gliomas. Finally, we discuss different types of immunotherapy and the immunotherapeutic potential of IDH mutations in gliomas.
Brain Neoplasms/therapy* ; Glioma/therapy* ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase/genetics* ; Mutation/genetics* ; Tumor Microenvironment

Objective: To explore the relationship between behavioral problems and accidental injuries among preschoolers, and to provide evidence for the targeted prevention of children s accidental injuries. Methods: During September to October 2019, parent of 2 062 children aged 3 to 6 selected from 8 kindergartens in Hefei through stratified clustering method were investigated. The prevalence of accidental injuries and behavioral problems among preschoolers was collected by questionnaire survey. Results: The prevalence of accidental injury during the past year was 14.55%(300), and behavioral problems 14.21%(293). Total rate of behavioral problems and rate of each dimensions in children with accidental injury were 32.67%, 2.33%, 19.67%, 15.00%, 2.00%, 1.00 % and 5.00%, compared to 11.07%, 0.45%, 6.41%, 4.88%, 0.40%, 0.17% and 0.79% in children without accidental injury ( χ 2=98.11, 12.54, 58.90, 44.12, 10.51, 6.08, 32.68, P <0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that psychosomatic problems( OR =3.13, 95% CI =2.11-4.66), learning problems( OR =2.73, 95% CI =1.86-3.99), abnormal hyperactivity index ( OR =3.16, 95% CI =1.40-7.14) and left behind children ( OR =1.53, 95% CI =1.13-2.07) were associated with higher risk of accidental injuries( P <0.05). Conclusion Behavioral problems are significantly associated with unintentional injuries among preschool children, which deserved further attention and intervention when formulating prevention and control measures for childhood accidental injury.