Twelve compounds were isolated from the rice fermentation extracts of Penicillium expansum GY618 by silica column chromatography, Sephadex gel column chromatography, ODS column chromatography and semi preparative HPLC methods. They were determined as 11-hydroxyl-penicitrinone F (1), penicitrinone F (2), betulin (3), erythrodiol (4), ergosterol (5), ergost-5α,8α-epidioxy-6,22-dien-3β-ol (6), (5α,8α-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol) (7), 5α,8α-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-23-methylergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (8), 5α,8α-epidioxy- 23,24(R)-dimethylcholesta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol (9), dankasterone A (10), (17R)-4-hydroxy-17-methylincisterol (11) and ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (12), through mass spectrometer, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and comparison with the literature. Compound 1 was a new compound and compounds 2-4, 6-12 were isolated from Penicillium expansum fungus for the first time. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity experiment showed that compounds 1, 3 and 12 showed certain inhibitory activity against tyrosinase with IC₅₀ values of (75 ± 9), (69 ± 8) and (64 ± 2) μmol·L^-1, respectively. The IC₅₀ of other compounds were all greater than 100 μmol·L^-1, while IC₅₀ of the positive control kojic acid was (46 ± 4) μmol·L^-1.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Modified Guomin Decoction （加味过敏煎， MGD） in patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis （AD） of the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） pattern of heart fire and spleen deficiency， and to explore its possible mechanisms. MethodsIn this randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled study， 72 patients with mild to moderate AD and the TCM pattern of heart fire and spleen deficiency were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group， with 36 cases in each group. The treatment group received oral MGD granules combined with topical vitamin E emulsion， while the control group received oral placebo granules combined with topical vitamin E treatment. Both groups were treated twice daily for 4 weeks. Clinical efficacy， TCM syndrome scores， Visual Analogue Scale （VAS） for pruritus， Dermatology Life Quality Index （DLQI） scores， Scoring Atopic Dermatitis （SCORAD） and serum biomarkers， including interleukin-33 （IL-33）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， immunoglobulin E （IgE）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were compared before and after treatment. Safety indexes was also assessed. ResultsThe total clinical effective rates were 77.78% （28/36） in the treatment group and 38.89% （14/36） in the control group， with cure rates of 19.44% （7/36） and 2.78% （1/36）， respectively. The treatment group showed significantly better clinical outcomes compared to the control group （P＜0.05）. The treatment group exhibited significant reductions in total TCM syndrome scores， including erythema， edema， papules， scaling， lichenification， pruritus， irritability， insomnia， abdominal distension， and fatigue scores， as well as reductions in VAS， DLQI， SCORAD， and serum IgE and IL-33 levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the control group， the treatment group had significantly better improvements in all indicators except for insomnia （P＜0.05）. No adverse events occurred in either group. ConclusionMGD is effective and safe in treating mild to moderate AD patients with heart fire and spleen deficiency pattern. It significantly alleviates pruritus， improves TCM syndromes and quality of life， and enhances clinical efficacy， possibly through modulation of immune responses.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between balance function and core muscle activation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), compared to healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 24 AIS patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The limits of stability (LOS) test were conducted to assess balance function, while surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of core muscles, including the internal oblique, external oblique, and multifidus. Diaphragm thickness was measured using ultrasound during different postural tasks. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and trunk inclination distance were also recorded during the LOS test. Results: AIS patients showed significantly greater activation of superficial core muscles, such as the internal and external oblique muscles, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Diaphragm activation was lower in AIS patients during balance tasks (p < 0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in COP displacement between the groups, trunk inclination was significantly greater in the AIS group during certain tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest distinct postural control patterns in AIS patients, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to improve balance and core muscle function in this population.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between balance function and core muscle activation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), compared to healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 24 AIS patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The limits of stability (LOS) test were conducted to assess balance function, while surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of core muscles, including the internal oblique, external oblique, and multifidus. Diaphragm thickness was measured using ultrasound during different postural tasks. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and trunk inclination distance were also recorded during the LOS test. Results: AIS patients showed significantly greater activation of superficial core muscles, such as the internal and external oblique muscles, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Diaphragm activation was lower in AIS patients during balance tasks (p < 0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in COP displacement between the groups, trunk inclination was significantly greater in the AIS group during certain tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest distinct postural control patterns in AIS patients, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to improve balance and core muscle function in this population.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between balance function and core muscle activation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), compared to healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 24 AIS patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The limits of stability (LOS) test were conducted to assess balance function, while surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of core muscles, including the internal oblique, external oblique, and multifidus. Diaphragm thickness was measured using ultrasound during different postural tasks. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and trunk inclination distance were also recorded during the LOS test. Results: AIS patients showed significantly greater activation of superficial core muscles, such as the internal and external oblique muscles, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Diaphragm activation was lower in AIS patients during balance tasks (p < 0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in COP displacement between the groups, trunk inclination was significantly greater in the AIS group during certain tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest distinct postural control patterns in AIS patients, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to improve balance and core muscle function in this population.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between balance function and core muscle activation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), compared to healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 24 AIS patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The limits of stability (LOS) test were conducted to assess balance function, while surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of core muscles, including the internal oblique, external oblique, and multifidus. Diaphragm thickness was measured using ultrasound during different postural tasks. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and trunk inclination distance were also recorded during the LOS test. Results: AIS patients showed significantly greater activation of superficial core muscles, such as the internal and external oblique muscles, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Diaphragm activation was lower in AIS patients during balance tasks (p < 0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in COP displacement between the groups, trunk inclination was significantly greater in the AIS group during certain tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest distinct postural control patterns in AIS patients, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to improve balance and core muscle function in this population.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between balance function and core muscle activation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), compared to healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 24 AIS patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The limits of stability (LOS) test were conducted to assess balance function, while surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of core muscles, including the internal oblique, external oblique, and multifidus. Diaphragm thickness was measured using ultrasound during different postural tasks. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and trunk inclination distance were also recorded during the LOS test. Results: AIS patients showed significantly greater activation of superficial core muscles, such as the internal and external oblique muscles, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Diaphragm activation was lower in AIS patients during balance tasks (p < 0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in COP displacement between the groups, trunk inclination was significantly greater in the AIS group during certain tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest distinct postural control patterns in AIS patients, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to improve balance and core muscle function in this population.

ObjectiveTo investigate the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the level of serum homocysteine (Hcy) in association with the incidence of stroke in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. MethodsBased on the chronic disease risk factor surveillance cohort in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, excluding those with stroke in baseline survey, T2DM patients who joined the cohort from January 2016 to October 2020 were selected as the research subjects. During the follow-up period, a total of 318 new-onset ischemic stroke patients were selected as the case group, and a total of 318 individuals matched by gender without stroke were selected as the control group. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to adjust for confounding factors and explore the serum TyG index and the Hcy biochemical indicator in association with the risk of stroke. ResultsThe Cox proportional hazards regression results showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of stroke in T2DM patients with 10 μmol·L⁻¹-¹ and Hcy>15 μmol·L⁻¹ was 1.532 times (95%CI: 1.017‒2.309 times, P=0.041) and 1.738 times (95%CI: 1.119‒2.699 times, P=0.014) higher respectively, compared to T2DM patients with Hcy≤10 μmol·L⁻¹. T2DM patients with TyG>9.074 had 1.396 times higher risk of stroke (95%CI: 1.091‒1.787, P=0.008) compared to those with TyG≤9.074. The study found that urea and α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) were independent risk factors for the incidence of stroke in T2DM patients. For every unit increase in urea andα1-AT, the risk of stroke in T2DM patients increased by 233.6% (HR=3.336, 95%CI: 1.588‒7.009, P=0.001) and 11.3% (HR=1.113, 95%CI: 1.028‒1.205, P=0.008), respectively. Cumulative risk curves showed that Hcy>10 μmol·L⁻¹ and TyG>9.074 accelerated the time to stroke occurrence in T2DM patients. ConclusionElevated levels of Hcy>10 μmol·L⁻¹ and a higher TyG index are risk factors for stroke in T2DM patients. Effective interventions for Hcy and TyG should be conducted for diabetic patients to reduce the incidence of stroke.

BACKGROUND: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is indicated as a broad-spectrum medicine for a variety of diseases, including cancer and cardiac disease. While the role of ATO in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI) has not been reported. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the effects of ATO on HIRI. METHODS: In the present study, we established a 70% hepatic warm I/R injury and partial hepatectomy (30% resection) animal models in vivo and hepatocytes anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) models in vitro with ATO pretreatment and further assessed liver function by histopathologic changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell counting kit-8, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was transfected to evaluate the role of ERK1/2 pathway during HIRI, followed by ATO pretreatment. The dynamic process of autophagic flux and numbers of autophagosomes were detected by green fluorescent protein-monomeric red fluorescent protein-LC3 (GFP-mRFP-LC3) staining and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: A low dose of ATO (0.75 μmol/L in vitro and 1 mg/kg in vivo ) significantly reduced tissue necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and hepatocyte apoptosis during the process of hepatic I/R. Meanwhile, ATO obviously promoted the ability of cell proliferation and liver regeneration. Mechanistically, in vitro  studies have shown that nontoxic concentrations of ATO can activate both ERK and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-serine/threonine kinase (PI3K-AKT) pathways and further induce autophagy. The hepatoprotective mechanism of ATO, at least in part, relies on the effects of ATO on the activation of autophagy, which is ERK-dependent. CONCLUSION Low, non-toxic doses of ATO can activate ERK/PI3K-AKT pathways and induce ERK-dependent autophagy in hepatocytes, protecting liver against I/R injury and accelerating hepatocyte regeneration after partial hepatectomy.
Animals ; Arsenic Trioxide ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control* ; Mice ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/physiology* ; Arsenicals/therapeutic use* ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupuncture on dynamic changes in Ca²⁺, Na⁺, and H₂O₂ flux following eccentric exercise-induced muscle injury. The total of 324 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (C), eccentric exercise group (E), eccentric exercise with acupuncture group (EA), EA with TRP channel blocker group (EAT), EA with NOX2 blocker group (EAN) and EA with placebo group (EAP). Gastrocnemius muscles were subject to lengthening contractions with percutaneous electrical stimulation, followed by immediate pretreatment with blocking agents. After 30 min, acupuncture needling was administered to the gastrocnemius muscle, and real-time dynamic changes of Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and H₂O₂ flux were measured with non-invasive micro-test technique during the needle retention period, immediately, 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h post-extraction respectively. Results showed that compared with the E group, acupuncture significantly increased net Ca²⁺ efflux (P < 0.05), extended the period of net Na⁺ influx, and significantly decreased net H₂O₂ efflux (P < 0.05). However, these effects were significantly attenuated in the EAT and EAN groups, where excessive net H₂O₂ efflux was observed (P < 0.001). These findings indicate that acupuncture regulates the dynamic changes of Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and H₂O₂ flux by activating the TRP channels and interacting with NOX2 activity following eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury.
Animals ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; Rats, Wistar ; Rats ; Male ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism* ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Sodium/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; NADPH Oxidase 2