Objective: Establishment of a HPLC method for six chemical components in Saposhnikovia divaricata (prim-O-glucosylcimifugin, cimifugin, 5-O-methylvisamminoside, sec-O-glucosylhamaudol, psoralen, and imperatorin), comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the dual-standard linear calibration method and the relative retention time method, and investigation of the feasibility of the linear calibration using two reference substances for qualitative analysis of multiple components in Saposhnikovia divaricata.
Methods: A HPLC method was employed, using 21 different brands and models of C18 columns. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile (A) and 0.02% phosphoric acid aqueous solution (B), with gradient elution (0-20 min, 18%A; 20-45 min, 18%A-50%A; 45-60 min, 50%A). The column temperature was set at 30 ℃, the flow rate was 1 mL·min^-1, and the detection wavelength was 254 nm.
Results: The results predicted by the linear calibration using two reference substances were accurate and superior to those of the relative retention time method, and the six components exhibited good linear relationships within their respective ranges.
Conclusion: The established linear calibration using two reference substances accurately predicts the retention times of the target components. This method is stable and reliable, providing a reference for the establishment of digital standards in traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective Radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) is a common complication of radiotherapy for the head and neck tumors, and the current treatment methods are limited. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), as a non-invasive neural regulation technique, has shown great potential in neuroprotection. However, the parameter selection and biological safety of rTMS in the prevention and treatment of RIBI have not been reported. Methods Using a mouse model of RIBI, this study employed three rTMS frequencies (5, 10, and 25 Hz) for intervention. Biochemical and pathological assays were conducted to identify the optimal stimulation parameter. Subsequently, this parameter was used to evaluate the biological safety in normal mice. Results Under the conditions of this experiment, rTMS interventions with all three frequencies could reduce the levels of serum brain injury markers (NSE and S100B) and inflammatory factors in mice (P < 0.001), and alleviate the morphological and structural damage of hippocampal tissue. The 10 Hz rTMS could significantly promote hippocampal neurogenesis in RIBI mice (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 10 Hz rTMS showed no significant effects on the cognitive function and mood of normal mice. The intervention did not significantly change the morphology and structure of the main organs, blood biochemical indicators, and the level of hippocampal neurogenesis in mice. Conclusion The 10 Hz rTMS is optimal for the prevention and treatment of RIBI with high biological safety.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinically isolated Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021,and provide evidence for rational use of antimicrobial agents.Methods Data of H.influenzae and M.catarrhalis strains isolated from 2015 to 2021 in CHINET program were collected for analysis,and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion method or automated systems according to the uniform protocol of CHINET.The results were interpreted according to the CLSI breakpoints in 2022.Beta-lactamases was detected by using nitrocefin disk.Results From 2015 to 2021,a total of 43 642 strains of Haemophilus species were isolated,accounting for 2.91％of the total clinical isolates and 4.07％of Gram-negative bacteria in CHINET program.Among the 40 437 strains of H.influenzae,66.89％were isolated from children and 33.11％were isolated from adults.More than 90％of the H.influenzae strains were isolated from respiratory tract specimens.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 53.79％in H.influenzae strains.The H.influenzae strains isolated from children showed higher resistance rate than the strains isolated from adults.Overall,779 strains of H.influenzae did not produce β-lactamase but were resistant to ampicillin(BLNAR).Beta-lactamase-producing strains showed significantly higher resistance rates to these antimicrobial agents than the β-lactamase-nonproducing strains.Of the 16 191 M.catarrhalis strains,80.06％were isolated from children and 19.94％isolated from adults.M.catarrhalis strains were mostly susceptible to both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefuroxime,evidenced by resistance rate lower than 2.0％.Conclusions The emergence of antibiotic-resistant H.influenzae due to β-lactamase production poses a challenge for clinical anti-infective treatment.Therefore,it is very important to implement antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae and guide rational antibiotic use.All local clinical microbiology laboratories should actively improve antibiotic susceptibility testing and strengthen antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae.

Ferroptosis of chondrocytes is a significant contributor to osteoarthritis (OA), for which there is still a lack of safe and effective therapeutic drugs targeting ferroptosis. Here, we screen for anti-ferroptotic drugs in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library via a high-throughput manner in chondrocytes. We identified a group of FDA-approved anti-ferroptotic drugs, among which vitamin K showed the most powerful protective effect. Further study demonstrated that vitamin K effectively inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in chondrocytes. Intra-articular injection of vitamin K inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated OA phenotype in destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) mouse model. Mechanistically, transcriptome sequencing and knockdown experiments revealed that the anti-ferroptotic effects of vitamin K depended on growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6). Furthermore, exogenous expression of Gas6 was found to inhibit ferroptosis through the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) axis. Together, we demonstrate that vitamin K inhibits ferroptosis and alleviates OA progression via enhancing Gas6 expression and its downstream pathway of AXL/PI3K/AKT axis, indicating vitamin K as well as Gas6 to serve as a potential therapeutic target for OA and other ferroptosis-related diseases.

Objective To investigate the relationship between prolactin and mild cognitive impairment(MCI)in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A total of 319 postmenopausal women with T2DM who were hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology,Drum Tower Hospital,Affiliated Hospital of Medical School,Nanjing University were enrolled in this study from August 2016 to October 2023.All the patients were divided into two groups according whether they had MCI:T2DM group(n=161)and MCI group(n=158).Differences in clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups.Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between sex hormones and cognitive domains,and Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors for MCI development.Results Serum prolactin levels were significantly lower in the MCI group than in the T2DM group[(5.5±2.1)vs(7.2±2.9)μg/L,P<0.05].Serum prolactin level was positively correlated with mini-mental state examination score,Montreal cognitive assessment score,immediate memory score,visuopatial constructional score,attention score and hippocampal volume(P<0.05),and negatively correlated with processing speed test(time)and executive function test(time)(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that serum prolactin level was an influencing factor for the risk of MCI in postmenopausal women with T2DM(OR 0.715,95%CI 0.605～0.845,P<0.01).Conclusions The decrease of serum prolactin level is associated with an increased risk of MCI in postmenopausal women with T2DM.

Objective:To analysis the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic total hysterectomy in patients with obliterated rectouterine pouch.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 197 patients who underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy at Peking University First Hospital, from July 2022 to July 2024. According to intraoperative observations, 197 patients were categorized into two groups: 58 cases with completely obliterated rectouterine pouch (obliterated group) and 139 cases with non-obliterated pouch (control group). General clinical characteristics, perioperative outcomes and 3-month follow-up after surgery were compared between two groups.Results:(1) Baseline characteristics: the age of the obliterated group was (45.7±3.7) years, and the control group was (48.0±3.8) years ( P<0.001). Primary complaint: dysmenorrhea prevalence was 53.4% (31/58) in the obliterated group, and was 35.3% (49/139; P<0.05) in the control group. Surgical indications: the proportion of adenomyosis and ovarian endometrioma was 77.6% (45/58) in the obliterated group, and was 51.1% (71/139; P<0.001) in the control group. No significant differences in body mass index, pelvic surgical history, or preoperative medication between the two groups (all P>0.05). (2) Intraoperative outcomes: the obliterated group demonstrated significantly higher rates of surgical interventions compared to the control group. Superficial endometriosis resection was performed in 91.4% (53/58) of the obliterated group versus 33.8% (47/139) in the control group ( P<0.001). Deep infiltrating endometriosis excision was required in 82.8% (48/58) of the obliterated group, contrasting sharply with 10.1% (14/139) in the control group ( P<0.001). Ureterolysis procedures were similarly elevated in the obliterated group (77.6%, 45/58) compared to the control group (7.9%, 11/139; P<0.001). Operative metrics revealed substantial intergroup disparities: the obliterated group exhibited a median surgical duration of 149.0 minutes (interquartile range: 114.0, 180.0 minutes), significantly prolonged relative to the control group′s 91.0 minutes (77.0, 107.0 minutes; P<0.001). Estimated blood loss followed a parallel pattern, with median volumes of 50.0 ml (20.0, 100.0 ml) in the obliterated group versus 20.0 ml (10.0, 20.0 ml) in the control group ( P<0.001). (3) Postoperative outcomes: the uterine weight of the obliterated group was 200.0 g (132.5, 260.0 g), and the control group was 240.0 g (180.0, 336.0 g; P<0.05). Hospital stay was prolonged in the obliterated group compared with the control group [7.0 days (6.0, 8.3 days) vs 6.0 days (5.0, 7.0 days); P<0.001]. The incidences of postoperative fever in the obliterated group and the control group were 20.7% (12/58) vs 12.2% (17/139; P>0.05). The incidences of minor complications in the obliterated group and the control group were 3.4% (2/58) vs 0 (0/139; P>0.05). No major complications (intraoperative hemorrhage, transfusion, visceral injury, conversion to laparotomy, or thromboembolism) occurred. (4) Follow up at 3 months after surgery: three months postoperatively, all patients underwent outpatient follow-up visits, during which symptoms such as pain were alleviated. Gynecological ultrasound and pelvic examinations were performed, and the vaginal stump exhibited good healing. Conclusion:Laparoscopic total hysterectomy performed by experienced minimally invasive gynecological specialists is safe and feasible for patients with obliterated rectouterine pouch.

Objective:To discuss the prevalence of contraindications to progestogens in patients with endometriosis and adenomyosis.Methods:Women of childbearing age aged 15-49 years, except for menopausal and malignant tumors, were enrolled in Peking University First Hospital from April to August 2024 for laparoscopic or open surgery, regardless of whether they had used or would be using progestogen drugs. The patients were divided into two groups: the case group was patients with pathologically confirmed endometriosis and adenomyosis, and the control group was patients with other benign gynecological diseases. The patient′s medical history and clinical data were collected.Results:A total of 745 patients were enrolled, including 362 cases (48.6%, 362/745) in the case group, 383 cases (51.4%, 383/745) in the control group; 61 patients with contraindications to progestogens, including 32 cases (8.8%, 32/362) in the case group, and 29 cases (7.6%, 29/383) in the control group ( χ2=0.398, P>0.05). Among them, there were 33 cases of liver disease, all of which were liver tumor (hepatic hemangioma only), including 18 cases (5.0%, 18/362) in the case group and 15 cases (3.9%, 15/383) in the control group. There were 11 cases of sex hormone-dependent or related tumors (breast cancer only), including 4 cases (1.1%, 4/362) in the case group and 7 cases (1.8%, 7/383) in the control group. There were 10 cases of vascular disease, including 4 cases of diabetic vascular disease, including 2 cases (0.6%, 2/362) in the case group and 2 cases (0.5%, 2/383) in the control group. There were 3 cases of venous thrombosis, including 2 cases (0.6%, 2/362) in the case group and 1 case (0.3%, 1/383) in the control group. There were 3 cases of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, including 1 case in the case group (0.3%, 1/362) and 2 cases (0.5%, 2/383) in the control group. There were 7 cases of renal insufficiency, including 3 cases of chronic nephritis complicated with renal insufficiency [including 2 cases (0.6%, 2/362) in the case group and 1 case (0.3%, 1/383) in the control group]; two cases of membranous nephropathy complicated with renal insufficiency were in the case group (0.6%, 2/362); one case of diabetic nephropathy complicated with renal insufficiency was in the control group (0.3%, 1/383); one case of uremia was in the case group (0.3%, 1/362). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:There is no difference in the contraindications of progestogens in patients with endometriosis and adenomyosis compared with patients with other gynecological benign diseases. Liver tumors are more common in both two groups.

Objective:To investigate the application of the conjugate gradient (CG) algorithm to treatment plan optimization for intensity-modulated brachytherapy (IMBT).Methods:The general Monte Carlo software TOPAS was utilized to simulate the 192Ir source of IMBT, and the unit dose contribution matrix was calculated. An objective function was established using the weighted least squares method and was solved using the CG algorithm to achieve optimized IMBT treatment plans. The optimization was validated using five clinical cervical cancer cases under modulation width 60°. The dose distributions of IMBT treatment plans under 45°, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 180° modulation widths were compared using the Wilcoxon test to determine the optimal IMBT treatment plan for cervical cancer treatment. Results:The CG algorithm successfully optimized IMBT treatment plans under modulation width 60° for five cases within 22.2 s on average. On the premise of sufficient target dose coverage, the average D2 cm 3 values of the bladder and rectum in IMBT treatment plans were 3.66 and 1.97 Gy, respectively, representing reductions of 0.54 and 0.69 Gy compared to traditional brachytherapy plans. For the five modulation widths, the D90% values of all IMBT treatment plans reached 6 Gy, without statistically significant differences ( P > 0.05). The average D2 cm 3 values of the bladder in IMBT treatment plans were significantly lower than those in the traditional brachytherapy plans( P<0.05), with modulation width 60° associated with the greatest reduction of 0.61 Gy. In contrast, the average D2 cm 3 values of the rectum under 45°, 60°, and 90° modulation widths decreased by 0.63, 0.54, and 0.45 Gy, respectively, compared to traditional plans, with statistically significant differences( P<0.05). Conclusions:The CG method enables rapid achievement of optimized IMBT treatment plans that meet clinical requirements, and modulation width 60° contributes to valid dosimetric optimization. This study can serve as a guide for the clinical implementation of IMBT.

Objective:To analyze the factors associated with long-term survival after radical resection of hepatitis B virus(HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),and to construct random forest and Cox regression models,to evaluate the two models.Methods:A total of 368 patients with HBV-infected HCC who underwent radical resection were selected retrospectively.These patients were categorized as having a good prognosis(n=266)or a poor prognosis(n=102)based on their survival and mortality status.Univariate and Cox regression analysis were used to identify fac-tors that predict poor prognosis in HCC patients after surgery,and Cox regression and random forest prediction models were constructed and evaluated.Results:There were significant differences in smoking history,Child-Pugh classifica-tion,cirrhosis,microvascular invasion,TNM staging,tumor capsule integrity,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR),regular antiviral therapy,HBV-DNA load,alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),systemic immune in-flammatory index(SII),and albumin-to-globulin ratio(AGR)between the two groups(P<0.05);Cox regression showed that cirrhosis,microvascular invasion,regular antiviral treatment,HBV-DNA load,NLR,PLR,SII,and AGR were related factors that negatively affected the prognosis of patients with HBV-infected HCC after surgery(P<0.05),with an AUC of 0.870 for predicting prognosis;the importance ranking obtained by the random forest model was HBV-DNA load,cirrho-sis,regular antiviral therapy,microvascular invasion,NLR,PLR,AGR,and SII,with an AUC of 0.926 for predicting prog-nosis;the AUC predicted by the random forest model was greater than that predicted by the Cox regression model(Z=2.411,P=0.016).Conclusion:HBV-DNA load,cirrhosis,regular antiviral therapy,microvascular invasion,NLR,PLR,AGR,and SII are factors that affect the poor prognosis of patients with HBV-related HCC after surgery.The random for-est prediction model constructed based on these factors has high predictive value and is superior to the Cox regression prediction model.

Germplasm degeneration occurs during the long-term cultivation of root-and rhizome-derived traditional Chinese medicine(RR-TCM), which seriously restricts the high-quality development of their industry. Therefore, it is urgent to solve the problem of germplasm degeneration through variety breeding. In this paper, based on previously published research articles, monographs, and news reports, the research progresses on the number and origins, breeding methods, and selection of new varieties of RR-TCM listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Edition 2020) were summarized and analyzed. The results show that there are 169 kinds of RR-TCM listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Edition 2020), originated from 223 origins with three breeding methods(i.e., seed propagation, vegetative reproduction, and tissue culture), and there are 215 species derived from seed propagation, 177 species derived from vegetative reproduction, and 164 species derived from tissue culture. To date, there are 62 origins breeding new varieties through conventional breeding, cross breeding, mutation breeding, ploidy breeding, or modern biotechnology breeding methods, including 57 origins breeding 145 new varieties through conventional breeding, 10 origins breeding 43 new varieties through mutation breeding, and seven origins breeding 12 new varieties through cross breeding method. They are used mainly to improve yield, disease resistance, and active ingredient content, but only a few new varieties have been widely used. This review will provide useful references in variety breeding, quality breeding, and standardized planting of RR-TCM.
Plant Breeding/methods* ; Plant Roots/growth & development* ; Rhizome/growth & development* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Plants, Medicinal/classification* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional