Fermented traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has a long history of medicinal use, such as Sojae Semen Praeparatum, Arisaema Cum Bile, Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata, red yeast rice, and Jianqu. Fermentation technology was recorded in the earliest TCM work, Shen Nong's Classic of the Materia Medica. Microorganisms are essential components of the fermentation process. However, the contamination of fermented TCM by toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins due to unstandardized fermentation processes seriously affects the quality of TCM and poses a threat to the life and health of consumers. In this paper, the characteristics, microbial composition, and mycotoxin profile of fermented TCM are systematically summarized to provide a theoretical basis for its quality and safety control.
Fermentation ; Mycotoxins/analysis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Fungi/classification* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Drug Contamination ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVE: To study the relevant factors affecting the occurrence of adjacent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures after conservative treatments. METHODS: A total of 98 elderly female patients diagnosed with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures and treated from January 2020 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The average age was (73.05±7.38) years old. Based on the follow-up results after two years of injury, the patients were divided into the adjacent vertebral fracture group (24 cases) and the non-adjacent vertebral fracture group (74 cases). The following factors were recorded for each patient:age, initial bone density, follow-up bone density, bone density changes, initial VAS score, degree of fracture compression, presence of old fractures, use of zoledronic acid, use of parathyroid hormone analogs, occurrence of complications, and further compression of the affected vertebrae. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the associated risk factors. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that in elderly women undergoing conservative treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, the degree of fracture compression, follow-up bone density, changes in bone density, use of zoledronic acid, and use of parathyroid hormone analogs were statistically significant(P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the degree of fracture compression 95%CI(0.040, 0.571), P=0.005, OR=0.151, changes in bone density 95%CI(1.264, 1 360.732), P=0.036, OR=41.477, and use of parathyroid hormone analogs 95%CI(1.638, 31.625), P=0.009, OR=7.196 were risk factors affecting the occurrence of adjacent vertebral fractures following vertebral compression fractures in elderly women with osteoporosis. CONCLUSION The degree of fracture compression, changes in bone density, and the use of parathyroid hormone analogs are factors influencing the occurrence of adjacent vertebral fractures following vertebral compression fractures in elderly women with osteoporosis. For patients with mild compression fractures (gradeⅠ), conservative treatment can be achieved by intensifying anti-osteoporosis therapy and using parathyroid hormone analogs.
Humans ; Female ; Aged ; Fractures, Compression/etiology* ; Spinal Fractures/therapy* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Conservative Treatment ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Density

OBJECTIVE: High-altitude hypoxia exposure often damages hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Nogo-A is an important axonal growth inhibitory factor. However, its function in high-altitude hypoxia and its mechanism of action remain unclear. METHODS: In an in vivo study, a low-pressure oxygen chamber was used to simulate high-altitude hypoxia, and genetic or pharmacological intervention was used to block the Nogo-A/NgR1 signaling pathway. Contextual fear conditioning and Morris water maze behavioral tests were used to assess learning and memory in rats, and synaptic damage in the hippocampus and changes in oxidative stress levels were observed. In vitro, SH-SY5Y cells were used to assess oxidative stress and mitochondrial function with or without Nogo-A knockdown in Oxygen Glucose-Deprivation/Reperfusion (OGD/R) models. RESULTS: Exposure to acute high-altitude hypoxia for 3 or 7 days impaired learning and memory in rats, triggered oxidative stress in the hippocampal tissue, and reduced the dendritic spine density of hippocampal neurons. Blocking the Nogo-A/NgR1 pathway ameliorated oxidative stress, synaptic damage, and the learning and memory impairment induced by high-altitude exposure. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the detrimental role of Nogo-A protein in mediating learning and memory impairment under high-altitude hypoxia and suggest the potential of the Nogo-A/NgR1 signaling pathway as a crucial therapeutic target for alleviating learning and memory dysfunction induced by high-altitude exposure. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT available in www.besjournal.com.
Animals ; Oxidative Stress ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Rats ; Nogo Proteins/genetics* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Hypoxia/metabolism* ; Altitude ; Synapses ; Humans ; Altitude Sickness/metabolism*

Objective To explore the integration value of mobile virtual reality devices in the classroom teaching of human anatomy,and to evaluate their potential impact on the in-depth construction of human anatomy knowledge,the cultivation of spatial cognitive ability,and the transformation of teaching paradigms from the perspectives of cognitive load theory and situated learning.Methods The undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine in Peking University were selected as the research objects.Among them,students in grade 2019 were the control group,and students in grade 2022 were the experimental group,introducing movable virtual anatomy equipment and other teaching auxiliary method in theory and practice courses.The final exam scores of the two groups of students were compared,and a questionnaire survey was conducted for the experimental group after the course,and the survey result were statistically analyzed.Results The final examination result showed that the average score of the experimental group was 82.47±10.19,and the average score of the control group was 74.82±16.56,which was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).The questionnaire survey result showed that compared with traditional classroom teaching,94.62％of students preferred the new auxiliary teaching mode such as VR,96.77％of students believed that VR assisted teaching could achieve the traditional teaching effect or better,95.7％of them think that it improved students' interest in learning human anatomy,and 98.92％thought that it improved students' knowledge of anatomy.Conclusion The application of mobile virtual reality devices in anatomy classroom teaching provides immersive and interactive 3D visualization teaching scenarios,effectively reducing students' cognitive load on abstract and complex anatomical structures,promoting spatial understanding and knowledge internalization,significantly improving teaching effectiveness and self-learning ability,thus changing the traditional anatomy teaching mode and laying a solid foundation for the development of future medical education and the cultivation of medical talents.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Zishen Jianpi Quyu Formula in treating patients with migraine without aura in the postmenstrual period of kidney deficiency and blood stasis type.Methods A total of 104 patients with migraine without aura of kidney deficiency and blood stasis type were randomly divided into the control group and the trial group,with 52 cases in each group.The control group was treated with Flunarizine Hydrochloride Capsules,and the trial group was treated with Zishen Jianpi Quyu Formula on the basis of treatment for the control group.One menstrual cycle constituted a course of treatment,and the treatment covered a total of two courses(eight weeks).The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome score,migraine attack frequency,duration of migraine headaches,visual analogue scale(VAS)score of migraine headache intensity,Headache Impact Test-6(HIT-6)score and hemorheology indexes in the two groups before and after treatment were observed.Moreover,the efficacy for TCM syndrome and clinical safety in the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)After two courses of treatment,the total effective rate of the trial group was 90.38%(47/52),and that of the control group was 69.23%(36/52),the intergroup comparison(by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy for TCM syndrome in the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores of the patients in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the reduction of TCM syndrome score in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the migraine attack frequency,duration of migraine headaches,VAS scores of migraine headache intensity in the two groups of patients were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the improvement of migraine headache parameters in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the HIT-6 score in the two groups was decreased significantly compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease of HIT-6 score in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,hemorheology indexes(including plasma viscosity,whole blood high-shear viscosity,whole blood low-shear viscosity,fibrinogen,and hematocrit)in the two groups were improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the improvement of each of hemorheology indexes in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(6)During treatment,no serious adverse events occurred in the two groups,which was of high safety.Conclusion Zishen Jianpi Quyu Formula exerts remarkable clinical efficacy in treating patients of migraine without aura in the postmenstrual period of kidney deficiency and blood stasis type.The formula is effective on improving the TCM syndromes and migraine attacks of the patients,achieving the efficacy of milder headache,lower attack frequency and shorter duration,more stability hemorheology indexes and higher safety.

AIM To investigate the effects of total Astragalus saponins on the improvement of sarcopenia in a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).METHODS The rats were divided into the normal group for a normal feeding and the model group for the feeding of high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of STZ to establish a T2DM model.The successful model rats were randomly divided into the model group,the metformin group(0.2 g/kg)and the total Astragalus saponins group(80 mg/kg),and given corresponding doses of drugs by gavage.After 12 weeks administration,the rats had their FBG,postprandial blood glucose(PG2h)and wet weight of skeletal muscle measured;their serum levels of INS,C-peptide(C-P),IGF-1,TNF-α and IL-1β detected by ELISA;their morphological changes of skeletal muscle observed by HE staining;their protein expressions of PI3K,p-Akt,mTOR,S6K1,FoxO1 and Murf1 in skeletal muscle detected by Western blot;and their mRNA expressions of Pi3k,Akt and mtor in skeletal muscle detected by RT-qPCR method.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the total Astragalus saponins group displayed decreased levels of FBG,PG2h,OGTT-AUC,HOMA-IR,TNF-α and IL-1β(P＜0.01);increased levels of INS,C-P,IGF-1 and wet weight of skeletal muscle(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);improved skeletal muscle atrophy and increased protein expressions of PI3K,p-Akt,mTOR and S6K1 in skeletal muscle(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);decreased protein expressions of FoxO1 and Murf1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);and increased mRNA expressions of Pi3k,Akt and mtor(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION The improvement effects of total Astragalus saponins on sarcopenia in T2DM rats may be associated with the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 pathways.

Objective:To investigate the effect of feeder layer cells expressing interleukin(IL)-21 on the amplification of NK cells in vitro.Methods:The K562 cell line with IL-21 expression on its membrane was constructed by electroporation,and co-cultured with NK cells after inactivation.The proliferation of NK cells was observed.The killing function of the amplified NK cells in vitro was evaluated by the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)and interferon-γ(IFN-y)release assay.A colorectal cancer xenograft model in NOD/SCID mice was established,and a blank control group,a NK cell group and an amplified NK cell group were set up to detect the tumor killing effect of amplified NK cells in vivo.Results:K562 cells expressing IL-21 on the membrane were successfully constructed by electroporation.After co-culturing with K562 cells expressing IL-21 on the membrane for 17 days,the NK cells increased to 700 times,which showed an enhanced amplification ability compared with control group(P＜0.001).In the tumor cell killing experiment in vitro,there was no significant difference in the killing activity on tumor cells between NK cells and amplified NK cells,and there was also no significant difference in mice in vivo.Conclusion:K562 cells expressing IL-21 on the membrane can significantly increase the amplification ability of NK cells in vitro,but do not affect the killing function of NK cells in vitro and in vivo.It can be used for the subsequent large-scale production of NK cells in vitro.

Aim To explore the potential genes and mechanism of alisol B in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods The proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells were detected by CCK-8 and Transwell.Genes of NSCLC and alisol B were col-lected through TCGA and compound gene prediction database,and their intersection genes were obtained.The network of protein-protein interaction(PPI)was constructed by using String database,and the top 20 key nodes were screened out,and the prognosis-related proteins related to the prognosis of NSCLC were screened out by using R language,and the intersection of them was obtained.The potential mechanism of ali-sol B on NSCLC was explored by KEGG and GO en-richment analysis and the relationship between related genes and immune cells,which was verified by cell-lev-el experiments.Results Alisol B inhibited the cell activity and migration ability of NSCLC cells.Five im-portant genes were identified by network pharmacologi-cal analysis:CCNE1,CDK1,COL1A1,COL1A2 and COL3A1.The results of cell experiment showed that al-isol B down-regulated the expression of Cyclin E1,CDK1 and COL1A2 in NSCLC cells.In addition,alisol B could inhibit the expression of COL1A2 and M2 macrophage marker CD206 in macrophages.Conclu-sions Alisol B may inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells by down-regulating CDK1 and Cyclin E1,and may affect the function of macrophages by inhibiting COL1A2,thus regulating the tumor immune microenvi-ronment and inhibiting NSCLC.

Objective A recombinant plasmid for CRISPR interference(CRISPRi)that incorporates dCas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes was constructed to investigate the function of Coxiella burnetii genes through a prompt,simple method.Methods A single guide RNA(sgRNA)sequence targeting C.burnetii dotB was integrated into a recombinant plasmid,which was then transformed into C.burnetii using electroporation.Next,dCas9 expression was induced with dehydrated tetracycline(aTC)to inhibit the transcription of dotB.Results The results demonstrated that dCas9 can be expressed normally in the CRISPRi system through aTC induction.Suppression of dotB was observed at the transcriptional and translational levels.In addition,the intracellular reproduction of C.burnetii significantly decreased after the suppression of dotB expression.Conclusion Silencing technology for the C.burnetii gene based on CRISPRi was established in this study,providing support for studying the biological functions of C.burnetii genes.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mental health of pediatricians in Guangzhou and its influencing factors， and to provide countermeasures for improving the mental health of pediatricians. MethodsA stratified random sampling method was used to randomly select 400 pediatricians in 11 districts of Guangzhou， and they were surveyed using the Symptom Check List（SCL-90） and the Job Stressor Scale. ResultsThe top three job stressors scored by pediatricians in Guangzhou were external environment （3.23±0.59）， workload （3.19±0.56）， and organizational management （2.74±0.55）. All factor scores were higher than those of the clinician group except for career interest， and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.01）. The number of pediatricians with mental health problems was 109， accounting for 27.25%. All factor scores were higher than the physician norm except for anxiety and paranoia. The correlations between each factor of work stressors and each factor of SCL-90 were positive and statistically significant （P<0.05）， except for two pairs of factors， workload and terror as well as external environment and terror. The results of univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in the mental health scores of pediatricians with different health status， years of work experience， job satisfaction， job stress， and career prospects （P<0.05）. The results of multiple linear regression showed that health status， years of work experience， professional interest， interpersonal relationship， and doctor-patient relationship were influential factors in the mental health of pediatricians （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe mental health of pediatricians in Guangzhou is unsatisfactory， and the factors affecting them are mainly external objective factors such as workload and organizational management.