ObjectiveTo elucidate the efficacy connotation of Shudi Qiangjin pills （SQP） against liver and kidney deficiency in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head （SONFH） from the perspective of the "disease-syndrome-formula" association and to clarify the underlying mechanisms based on in vivo and in vitro experiment validation. MethodsThe chemical components and the corresponding putative targets of SQP were collected from the Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCMIP） v2.0， the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine （ETCM） v2.0， and HERB databases. The SONFH-related genes were identified based on the differential expression profiles of peripheral blood of patients with SONFH compared to the healthy volunteers， and the disease phenotype-related targets were collected from the TCMIP v2.0 database. Then， the interaction network of "SONFH-related genes and candidate targets of SQP" was constructed based on "gene-gene interaction information"， and the major network targets were screened by calculating the topological characteristic values of the network followed by the functional mining according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） database and the SoFDA database. After that， the SONFH rat model was prepared by lipopolysaccharide combined with methylprednisolone injection， and 2.5， 5， 7.5 g·kg^-1 SQP （once per day， equivalent to 1， 2， and 3 times the clinical equivalent dose， respectively） or 7.3×10^-3 g·kg^-1 of alendronate sodium （ALS， once per week， equivalent to the clinical equivalent dose） was given for 8 weeks. The effect characteristics of SQP and ALS in the treatment of SONFH were evaluated by micro-computed tomography scanning， hematoxylin and eosin staining， alkaline phosphatase （ALP） staining， immunohistochemical staining， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay， and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling（TUNEL）staining， and a comparative efficacy analysis was conducted with ALS. In addition， SONFH cell models were prepared by dexamethasone stimulation of osteoblasts， and the intervention was carried out with the medicated serum of SQP at the aforementioned three doses. Cell counting kit-8， ALP staining， ALP activity assay， alizarin red staining， and flow cytometry were employed to investigate the regulatory effect of SQP on osteoblasts. The expression levels of osteogenesis-related proteins and key factors of the target signaling axis were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. ResultsThe network analysis results demonstrated that the candidate targets of SQP primarily exerted their therapeutic effects through key signaling pathways， including phosphoinositide 3-kinase（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt）， lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis， prolactin， chemokines， and neurotrophic factors pathways. These pathways were significantly involved in critical biological processes such as muscle and bone metabolism and the regulation of the "neuro-endocrine-immune" network， thereby addressing both modern medical symptoms （e.g.， delayed skeletal maturation and recurrent fractures） and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms （e.g.， fatigue， aversion to cold， cold limbs， and pain in the limbs and joints in patients with SONFH characterized by liver and kidney deficiency syndrome. Among these pathways， the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway exhibited the highest degree of enrichment. The in vivo experimental results demonstrated that starting from the 4^th week after modeling， the modeling group exhibited a significant reduction in body weight compared to the control group （P<0.05）. After six weeks of treatment， all dosage groups of SQP showed significantly higher body weights compared to the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significant decreases in bone mineral density （BMD）， bone volume fraction （BV/TV）， trabecular number （Tb.N）， osteocalcin （OCN）， alkaline phosphatase （ALP） levels in femoral head tissue， and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase （BALP） （P<0.01）， along with significant increases in trabecular separation （Tb.Sp）， empty lacunae rate in tissue， and apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. In comparison to the model group， the SQP intervention groups showed significant improvements in BMD， BV/TV and Tb.N （P<0.01）， significant reductions in Tb.Sp， empty lacunae rate and apoptosis rate （P<0.05）， and significant increases in protein levels of OCN and ALP as well as BALP content （P<0.05）. The in vitro experimental results revealed that all dosage groups of SQP medicated serum showed no toxic effects on osteoblast. Compared with the normal group， the model group displayed significant suppression of osteoblast proliferation activity， ALP activity， and calcified nodule formation rate （P<0.01）， significant decreases in mRNA transcription levels of OCN and Runt-related transcription factor 2 （RUNX2） （P<0.01）， significant reductions in protein content of osteopontin （OPN）， typeⅠ collagen （ColⅠ）A1， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， PI3K， and phosphorylated （p）-Akt （P<0.01）， and a significant increase in apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the SQP medicated serum intervention groups exhibited significant increases in proliferation activity， ALP activity， calcified nodule formation rate， mRNA transcription levels of OCN and RUNX2， and protein content of OPN， ColⅠA1， Bcl-2， PI3K， and p-Akt （P<0.05）， along with a significant decrease in apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. ConclusionSQP can effectively reduce the disease severity of SONFH with liver and kidney deficiency syndrome and improve bone microstructure， with the therapeutic effects exhibiting a dose-dependent manner. The mechanism may be related to its regulation of key processes such as muscle and bone metabolism and the correction of imbalances in the "neuro-endocrine-immune" network， thereby promoting osteoblast differentiation and inhibiting osteoblast apoptosis. The PI3K/Akt signaling axis is likely one of the key pathways through which this formula exerts its effects.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Sanren Runchang formula in treating constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-C） by regulating the brain-gut axis and the effects of the formula on serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and substance P （SP）. MethodsA randomized controlled design was adopted， and 72 IBS-C patients meeting Rome Ⅳ criteria were randomized into observation and control groups （36 cases）.The observation group received Sanren Runchang formula granules twice daily， and the control group received lactulose oral solution daily for 4 weeks. IBS Symptom Severity Scale （IBS-SSS）， IBS Quality of Life Scale （IBS-QOL）， and Bristol Stool Form Scale （BSFS） were used to assess clinical symptoms， and bowel movement frequency was recorded. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale （SAS） and Self-Rating Depression Scale （SDS） were employed to evaluate psychological status. ELISA was employed to measure the serum levels of 5-HT， VIP， and SP. ResultsThe total response rate in the observation group was 91.67% （33/36）， which was higher than that （77.78%， 28/36） in the control group （χ²=4.50， P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed increased defecation frequency and BSFS scores， decreased IBS-SSS total score， abdominal pain and bloating scores， IBS-QOL health anxiety， anxiety， food avoidance， and behavioral disorders scores， SAS and SDS scores， serum 5-HT and VIP levels， and increased SP levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the observation group showed more significant changes in the indicators above than the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The SP level showed no significant difference between the two groups. During the 4-week follow-up， the recurrence rate was 5.88% in the observation group and 31.25% in the control group. No adverse events occurred in observation group， and 2 cases of mild diarrhea occurred in the control group. ConclusionSanren Runchang formula demonstrated definitive efficacy in alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms and improving the psychological status and quality of life in IBS-C patients， with a low recurrence rate. The formula can regulate serum levels of neurotransmitters such as 5-HT and VIP， suggesting its potential regulatory effect on the brain-gut axis through modulating neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. However， its complete mechanism of action requires further investigation through detection of additional brain-gut axis-related biomarkers.

Adipose tissue is a critical energy reservoir in animals and humans, with multifaceted roles in endocrine regulation, immune response, and providing mechanical protection. Based on anatomical location and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be categorized into distinct types, including white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige adipose tissue, and pink adipose tissue. Traditionally, adipose tissue research has centered on its morphological and functional properties as a whole. However, with the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, a new level of complexity in adipose tissue has been unveiled, showing that even under identical conditions, cells of the same type may exhibit significant variation in morphology, structure, function, and gene expression——phenomena collectively referred to as cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptomics, including techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), enables in-depth analysis of the diversity and heterogeneity of adipocytes at the single-cell level. This high-resolution approach has not only deepened our understanding of adipocyte functionality but also facilitated the discovery of previously unidentified cell types and gene expression patterns that may play key roles in adipose tissue function. This review delves into the latest advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics in elucidating the heterogeneity and diversity within adipose tissue, highlighting how these findings have redefined the understanding of cell subpopulations within different adipose depots. Moreover, the review explores how single-cell transcriptomic technologies have enabled the study of cellular communication pathways and differentiation trajectories among adipose cell subgroups. By mapping these interactions and differentiation processes, researchers gain insights into how distinct cellular subpopulations coordinate within adipose tissues, which is crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential, as dysregulation in adipose cell interactions and differentiation underlies a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics holds promising implications for identifying therapeutic targets; by pinpointing specific cell types and gene pathways involved in adipose tissue dysfunction, these technologies pave the way for developing targeted interventions aimed at modulating specific adipose subpopulations. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of single-cell transcriptomic technologies in uncovering the heterogeneity and functional diversity of adipose tissues.

To identify and validate the clinical phenotypes of patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit(ICU).

Objective: To analyze the disease burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and changes in its risk factors among residents in Zhejiang Province from 1990 to 2021, so as to identify key priorities for COPD prevention and control. Methods: Data on COPD mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) for residents in Zhejiang Province from 1990 to 2021 were collected from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database. Standardized mortality and standardized DALY rate were calculated using the GBD 2021 world population standard structure. Premature mortality was computed via the life table method. The average annual percent change (AAPC) was applied to analyze trends in COPD mortality, DALY rate, and premature mortality. Changes in deaths of COPD risk factors were evaluated using population attributable fraction (PAF). Results: From 1990 to 2021, the standardized COPD mortality in Zhejiang Province decreased from 272.40/100 000 to 70.56/100 000 (AAPC=-4.395%), and the standardized DALY rate declined from 4 167.37/100 000 to 1 071.89/100 000 (AAPC=-4.396%). Similar downward trends were observed in both males (AAPC=-3.933%, -4.173%) and females (AAPC=-4.785%, -4.480%), all P<0.05. Crude mortality and DALY rates increased with age, and the crude mortality and DALY rates of various age groups in Zhejiang Province showed decreasing trends from 1990 to 2021 (all P<0.05). The premature mortality declined from 4.37% to 0.60% from 1990 to 2021 (AAPC=- 6.206%), with consistent trends across males and females (AAPC=- 6.144%, - 6.379%, all P<0.05). From 1990 to 2021, particulate matter pollution showed the largest reduction in PAF (- 56.76%), while ambient ozone pollution had the largest increase (103.07%) in Zhejiang Province. By 2021, smoking became the leading risk factor for deaths of COPD (PAF=43.32%). Conclusions The standardized mortality, standardized DALY rate, and premature mortality for COPD show consistent declining trends in Zhejiang Province from 1990 to 2021. However, risk factors such as smoking and ambient ozone pollution require intensified focus to further reduce disease burden of COPD.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most prevalent joint disease of late life, is closely linked to cellular senescence. Previously, we found that the senescence of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) played an essential role in the degradation of cartilage. In this work, single-cell sequencing data further demonstrated that cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1) is a critical secreted factor of senescent FLS, which suppresses mitophagy and induces mitochondrial dysfunction by regulating SIRT3 expression. In vivo, deletion of SIRT3 in chondrocytes accelerated cartilage degradation and aggravated the progression of OA. Oppositely, intra-articular injection of adeno-associated virus expressing SIRT3 effectively alleviated OA progression in mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that elevated CRTAC1 could bind with NRF2 in chondrocytes, which subsequently suppresses the transcription of SIRT3 in vitro. In addition, SIRT3 reduction could promote the acetylation of FOXO3a and result in mitochondrial dysfunction, which finally contributes to the degradation of chondrocytes. To conclude, this work revealed the critical role and underlying mechanism of senescent FLSs-derived CRTAC1 in OA progression, which provided a potential strategy for the OA therapy.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP), whose etiology is influenced by genetic and clinical risk factors, considerably impacts women's quality of life. However, the genetic underpinnings in non-European populations and comprehensive risk models integrating genetic and clinical factors remain underexplored. This study constructed the first polygenic risk score (PRS) for POP in the Chinese population by utilizing 20 disease-associated variants from the largest existing genome-wide association study. We analyzed a discovery cohort of 576 cases and 623 controls and a validation cohort of 264 cases and 200 controls. Results showed that the case group exhibited a significantly higher PRS than the control group. Moreover, the odds ratio of the top 10% risk group was 2.6 times higher than that of the bottom 10%. A high PRS was significantly correlated with POP occurrence in women older than 50 years old and in those with one or no childbirths. As far as we know, the integrated prediction model, which combined PRS and clinical risk factors, demonstrated better predictive accuracy than other existing PRS models. This combined risk assessment model serves as a robust tool for POP risk prediction and stratification, thereby offering insights into individualized preventive measures and treatment strategies in future clinical practice.
Humans ; Female ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; China/epidemiology* ; Multifactorial Inheritance ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Case-Control Studies ; Adult ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Genetic Risk Score ; East Asian People

Objective To investigate the effect of miR-185-5p-mediated targeted negative regulation of transmembrane 9 superfamily member 1(TM9SF1)on proliferation,migration and autophagy in lung adenocarcinoma cells.Methods The expression of miR-185-5p in lung adenocarcinoma tissues was analyzed using dataset GSE51853 downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.Potential target proteins of miR-185-5p were predicted using online databases(miRTargetLink,miRTarbase,and DIANA-microT-CD),and autophagy-related proteins were obtained from HADb.The intersected results from these four databases was identified,and survival curves of vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA)and TM9SF1 within the overlapping candidates were analyzed using the StarBase database.TM9SF1 3'UTR wild-type(WT)or TM9SF1 3'UTR mutant(MUT)reporter plasmids were separately co-transfected with miR-185-5p control plasmid(CON)or miR-185-5p overexpression plasmid(over-miR-185-5p)into HEK-293T cells.A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was employed to assess the binding interaction between miR-185-5p and TM9SF1 and quantify the subsequent luciferase activity.Western blotting was used to assess TM9SF1 protein expression levels in A549 cells transfected with over-miR-185-5p.A549 cells were divided into three groups:(1)CON+NC group,co-transfected with miR-185-5p control plasmid and TM9SF1 control plasmid;(2)over-miR-185-5p+NC group,co-transfected with over-miR-185-5p and TM9SF1 control plasmid;(3)over-miR-185-5p+over-TM9SF1 group,co-transfected with both miR-185-5p and TM9SF1 overexpression plasmids.EdU cell proliferation assay,wound healing assay,and Transwell migration assay were performed to validate the effects of miR-185-5p targeted binding to TM9SF1 on proliferation and migration capacities in lung adenocarcinoma.Changes in autophagic flux and mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)of lung adenocarcinoma cells were detected using stubRFP-sensGFP-LC3 lentivirus and JC-1 assays,respectively.Results In the GSE51853 dataset,miR-185-5p expression level was significantly lower in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared with normal lung tissues(P<0.01).qRT-PCR analysis revealed that miR-185-5p expression was downregulated in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines NCI-H1299 and A549 compared with normal lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B(P<0.01).Bioinformatics predictions using miRTargetLink,miRTarbase,DIANA-microT-CD,and HADb databases indicated that miR-185-5p could target and regulate the autophagy-related protein TM9SF1.Dual-luciferase reporter assays and Western blotting demonstrated that miR-185-5p directly bound to the 3'UTR region of TM9SF1 mRNA,and overexpression of miR-185-5p significantly reduced the expression of target protein TM9SF1(P<0.05).EdU cell proliferation,wound healing,and Transwell migration assays demonstrated that miR-185-5p overexpression inhibited proliferation and migration capacities of lung adenocarcinoma cells,whereas TM9SF1 overexpression could attenuate this inhibition effect(P<0.05).Results of stubRFP-sensGFP-LC3 for autophagic flux analysis demonstrated that overexpression of miR-185-5p enhanced autophagic flux in A549 cells,whereas co-overexpression of miR-185-5p and TM9SF1 suppressed autophagic flux.JC-1 assays showed a decreased MMP level in A549 cells after miR-185-5p overexpression,with higher MMP level observed when miR-185-5p and TM9SF1 were co-overexpressed.Conclusion miR-185-5p may suppress proliferation,migration,and autophagy capacities in lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting TM9SF1 through negative regulation.

Objective The aim of the study was to investigate how morphine(Mor)effects mitochondrial dynamics change of H9c2 induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R).Methods Myocardial H9c2 cells were divided into blank group(without treatment),model group(H/R treatment),control group(5 μmol·L-1 Mor treatment)and experimental group(H/R+5 μmol·L-1 Mor treatment).The content of reactive oxygen species(ROS),mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP),and complex of Ⅰ and Ⅲ activity were detected using ROS,tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester(TMRE),and mitochondrial complex of Ⅰ and Ⅲ activity detection kits,respectively.The morphology of mitochondria and lysosomes was observed by transmission electron microscope electron microscopy(TEM);Western blot was used to detect the expression of GTPase kinetic protein 1(Drp1),cytochrome c oxidase Ⅳ(COX Ⅳ)and transporters of the outer mitochondrial membrane(TOM20).Results The nuclear membrane was smooth and complete;the mitochondrial size was consistent;the crest arrangement was neat;vacuolization was reduced or even disappeared;the mitochondrial matrix electron density was increased;the number of autophagosomes was decreased in the experimental group.The contents of ROS in blank group,model group,control group and experimental group were 1.03±0.04,1.53±0.10,1.06±0.06 and 1.10±0.11;MMP were 1.00±0.15,0.80±0.16,1.06±0.19 and 1.00±0.19;the activities of complex of Ⅰ were 1.00±0.08,2.28±0.82,1.05±0.26 and 1.13±0.37;the activities of complex of Ⅲ were 1.00±0.09,2.13±0.38,0.83±0.22 and 0.96±0.11;the expression of Drp1 protein were 1.00±0.14,1.27±0.07,0.97±0.21 and 0.93±0.17;the expression of fission protein 1(Fis1)protein were 1.00±0.16,1.33±0.18,1.17±0.25 and 0.99±0.05;the expression of COX Ⅳ protein were 1.00±0.25,0.62±0.08,0.79±0.26 and 0.97±0.16;the expression of TOM20 protein were 1.00±0.13,0.67±0.15,0.75±0.13 and 0.89±0.05.The above indexes of model group were significantly different from those of blank group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01,P＜0.001,P＜0.000 1).The above indexes of experimental group were significantly different from those of model group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01,P＜0.001,P＜0.000 1).Conclusion Morphine may inhibit mitophagy and fission,and alleviated mitochondrial oxidative stress damage by decreasing the activity of respiratory chain complex of Ⅰ and Ⅲ,thus maintaining mitochondrial dynamic homeostasis and alleviating H/R-induced myocardial cell damage.

Objective:To summarize the imaging presentations of the fallopian canal cerebrospinal fluid leaking (FCCFL).Methods:The high resolution CT (HRCT)and MRI materials of 4 patients (4 ears) with FCCFL confirmed by surgery between August 2016 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Among these, there were 2 males and 2 females, their ages ranged from 6 to 69 years.Results:All of the FCCFL were unilateral, including 2 on the left and 2 on the right.Clinically, the patients with FCCFL suffered from clear nasal fluid flow, ear tightness, and hearing loss. On CT, all of the affected ears were depicted markedly dilatation of the proximal portion of fallopian canal(FC), the labyrinthine segment and geniculate fossa were involved in 4 cases, and involvement of tympanic segment in 1 case at the same time. The geniculate fossa in the affected side were significantly enlarged, protruding upwards into the tympanic cavity, with one case simultaneously involving the cochlea. On MRI, the hyposignal on T 1WI and hypersignal on T 2WI or water sequence like cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were shown in the enlargement FC, without diffusion restriction, and non-enhancing with administration Gadolinium contrast.CSF-like signal effusion was shown in all of the affected tympanum, of which, the CSF-like signal effusion was demonstrated in the area along the superficial petrosal nerve, the right pterygopalatine fossa and the parapharyngeal space. The adjacent intracranial meninges were presented thickening in 3 cases. Conclusion:The imaging appearances of FCCFL present some characteristics:on HRCT, the proximal portions of the affected FC depicts markedly enlargement,especially the geniculate fossa.While they present CSF-like signal, no diffusion restriction, and no enhancement administration, Gadolinium contrast on MRI, accompanying the CSF-like signal effusion in the affected tympanum.