Background/Aims: Obesity is associated with several gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and has been identified as a potential risk factor for various GI symptoms. Bowel frequency is an important indicator of bowel function. However, the causal link between obesity and gastrointestinal motility remains uncertain. This study aims to determine the causal effect of overall and central obesity on stool frequency. Methods: Four obesity-related anthropometric indicators–body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference (WC), and waist-tohip ratio (WHR)–were investigated. Individual-level baseline information from the UK Biobank was used to explore observational associations between obesity and stool frequency. Additionally, summary-level data from published genome-wide association studies were subjected to two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to examine causal associations. Results: For all 4 indicators of obesity, higher levels of obesity were associated with more frequent bowel movements after adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary factors. After rigorous screening, 482 body mass index single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 7 body fat percentage SNPs, 48 WC SNPs, and 287 WHR SNPs were identified as instrument variables for MR analysis. The MR results were generally consistent with observational findings, proving that the associations observed in the overall obesity indicators were causal. For central obesity, the association between WHR and stool frequency remained consistent in both analysis phases, whereas WC showed a multidirectional association. Conclusions Obesity-related anthropometric indicators were causally associated with increased stool frequency in the overall and central obesity groups. Weight loss could be a potential approach to improve gastrointestinal regularity in individuals with obesity.

Background/Aims: Obesity is associated with several gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and has been identified as a potential risk factor for various GI symptoms. Bowel frequency is an important indicator of bowel function. However, the causal link between obesity and gastrointestinal motility remains uncertain. This study aims to determine the causal effect of overall and central obesity on stool frequency. Methods: Four obesity-related anthropometric indicators–body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference (WC), and waist-tohip ratio (WHR)–were investigated. Individual-level baseline information from the UK Biobank was used to explore observational associations between obesity and stool frequency. Additionally, summary-level data from published genome-wide association studies were subjected to two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to examine causal associations. Results: For all 4 indicators of obesity, higher levels of obesity were associated with more frequent bowel movements after adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary factors. After rigorous screening, 482 body mass index single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 7 body fat percentage SNPs, 48 WC SNPs, and 287 WHR SNPs were identified as instrument variables for MR analysis. The MR results were generally consistent with observational findings, proving that the associations observed in the overall obesity indicators were causal. For central obesity, the association between WHR and stool frequency remained consistent in both analysis phases, whereas WC showed a multidirectional association. Conclusions Obesity-related anthropometric indicators were causally associated with increased stool frequency in the overall and central obesity groups. Weight loss could be a potential approach to improve gastrointestinal regularity in individuals with obesity.

Background/Aims: Obesity is associated with several gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and has been identified as a potential risk factor for various GI symptoms. Bowel frequency is an important indicator of bowel function. However, the causal link between obesity and gastrointestinal motility remains uncertain. This study aims to determine the causal effect of overall and central obesity on stool frequency. Methods: Four obesity-related anthropometric indicators–body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference (WC), and waist-tohip ratio (WHR)–were investigated. Individual-level baseline information from the UK Biobank was used to explore observational associations between obesity and stool frequency. Additionally, summary-level data from published genome-wide association studies were subjected to two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to examine causal associations. Results: For all 4 indicators of obesity, higher levels of obesity were associated with more frequent bowel movements after adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary factors. After rigorous screening, 482 body mass index single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 7 body fat percentage SNPs, 48 WC SNPs, and 287 WHR SNPs were identified as instrument variables for MR analysis. The MR results were generally consistent with observational findings, proving that the associations observed in the overall obesity indicators were causal. For central obesity, the association between WHR and stool frequency remained consistent in both analysis phases, whereas WC showed a multidirectional association. Conclusions Obesity-related anthropometric indicators were causally associated with increased stool frequency in the overall and central obesity groups. Weight loss could be a potential approach to improve gastrointestinal regularity in individuals with obesity.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data on chronic diarrhea in the Chinese population are lacking, and the association between obesity and chronic diarrhea in East Asian populations remains inconclusive. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronic diarrhea and its association with obesity in a representative community-dwelling Chinese population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on a multistage, randomized cluster sampling involving 3503 residents aged 20-69 years from representative urban and rural communities in Beijing. Chronic diarrhea was assessed using the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), and obesity was determined based on body mass index (BMI). Logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the relationship between obesity and chronic diarrhea. RESULTS: The standardized prevalence of chronic diarrhea in the study population was 12.88%. The average BMI was 24.67 kg/m 2 . Of all the participants, 35.17% (1232/3503) of participants were classified as overweight and 16.13% (565/3503) as obese. After adjustment for potential confounders, individuals with obesity had an increased risk of chronic diarrhea as compared to normal weight individuals (odds ratio = 1.58, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-2.06). A nonlinear association between BMI and the risk of chronic diarrhea was observed in community residents of males and the overall participant group ( P  = 0.026 and 0.017, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study presents initial findings on the prevalence of chronic diarrhea among residents of Chinese communities while offering substantiated evidence regarding the significant association between obesity and chronic diarrhea. These findings offer a novel perspective on gastrointestinal health management.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diarrhea/epidemiology* ; Obesity/complications* ; Prevalence ; East Asian People/statistics & numerical data*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

Eightly-four novel thioheterocyclic nucleoside derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Most of the compounds inhibited the growth of HCT116 and HeLa cancer cells in vitro, among them 33a and 36b exhibited potent activity against HCT116 cells (IC₅₀ = 0.27 and 0.49 μmol/L, respectively). Both compounds 33a and 36b inhibited cell metastasis, arrested the cell cycle in the G₂/M phase, and induced apoptosis in vitro. Mechanistic studies revealed that 33a and 36b increased ROS levels, led to DNA damage, ER stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and inhibited autophagy in HCT116 cells. Biological information analysis, RNA-sequencing, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) assay, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and SPR experiments identified that compounds 33a and 36b showed antitumor activity by suppressing the c-MYC pathway. c-MYC silencing assays indicated that c-MYC proteins participated in 33a-mediated anticancer activities in HCT116 cells. More importantly, compound 33a presented favorable pharmacokinetic properties in mice (T _1/2 = 6.8 h) and showed significant antitumor efficacy in vivo without obvious toxicity, showing promising potential for further clinical development.

The abuse of novel phenylcyclohexylpyridine drugs poses a significant threat to societal safety. The novel psychoactive substance 2-methyl-deschloroketamine (2-MDCK), belonging to the phenylcyclohexylpyridine class, has recently surfaced as a new compound. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding its metabolic pathways and the identification of suitable biomarkers. In this study, a human liver microsomal model was established, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) technology was applied to investigate the in vitro metabolism and products of 2-MDCK. The results indicate that 2-MDCK undergoes various metabolic reactions, including dehydrogenation, deamination, hydroxylation, and demethylation, leading to the formation of eight metabolites. By conducting actual testing on hair samples from 2-MDCK abusers, the existence of six metabolites was confirmed. Comparing the metabolic products in the liver microsomal in vitro model, M3.1 and M4.1 were identified as biomarkers for 2-MDCK consumption. Five samples of abusers of 2-methyl-dechloroketamine were provided by the Anti-Drug Brigade of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau. Negative hair samples were provided by laboratory volunteers, and all samples were obtained with the informed consent of the volunteers. These findings provide a scientific basis for the detection and identification of 2-MDCK and its metabolites, as well as crucial support for the study of the metabolic mechanisms of similar novel psychoactive substances in the phenylcyclohexylpyridine class. This research holds significant importance in addressing the issue of abuse of new psychoactive substances.

Objective To investigate whether curcumin is a potential drug for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GIST).Methods The differential genes of imatinib-resistant cells and non-resistant cells were analyzed by cell transcriptology.The antitumor activity of curcumin was verified by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)method,and the concentration of Curcumin ranged from 5 to 80 μg·mL-1for GIST-T1 and GIST-T1/IMR cells.20 μg·mL-1 Curcumin as the experimental group,phosphate buffered solution as the control group.The contents of interleukin-6(IL-6),reactive oxygen species(ROS)and nitric oxide(NO)were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The cell cycle changes were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results Using non-resistant cells as a contrast,the results showed that there were 1 300 up-regulated genes and 1 609 down-regulated genes in imatinib-resistant cells.The 50％inhibiting concentration values of Curcumin on GIST-T1 and GIST-T1/IMR cells were(15.33±1.36)and(10.49±2.12)μg·mL-1,respectively.In GIST-T1 cells,the IL-6 levels in experimental group and control group were(3.45±0.01)and(5.64±0.42)pg·mL-1;the ROS levels were(2 841.42±81.83)and(4 174.32±439.12)pg·mL-1;the iNOS levels were(7.02±0.08)and(8.08±0.03)μmol·L-1,respectively.In GIST-T1/IMR cells,the IL-6 levels in experimental group and control group were(2.47±0.30)and(6.30±0.01)pg·mL-1;the ROS levels were(4 706.40±146.71)and(8 254.34±342.35)pg·mL-1;the iNOS levels were(6.42±0.09)and(7.29±0.04)μmol·L-1,respectively.Among the 2 cells,the differences of above indicators were statistically significant between the experimental group and the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Curcumin blocked the cell cycle of GIST-T1 and GIST-T1/IMR in G1 phase,further shortens S phase and G2 phase.Conclusion Curcumin can inhibit the secretion of inflammation and regulate the proliferation of GIST.

Objective:To explore the outcomes and problems of the Beijing Nursing Association Emergency Specialist Nurse Training Course, so as to provide reference for improving the training of emergency specialist nurses.Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select 75 trainees from the 2023 Beijing Nursing Association Emergency Specialist Nurse Training Course as survey subjects. Beijing Nursing Association Emergency Specialist Nurse Training Scoring Criteria was used to score trainees from four aspects of theoretical knowledge, skill operation, case analysis, and review defense, and to summarize and analyze the existing problems.Results:A total of 75 questionnaires were distributed, and 75 valid questionnaires were collected, with a valid response rate of 100.0%. The theoretical knowledge score was (68.4±10.7), with a minimum of 38.0 and a maximum of 91.0, and the pass rate (number of passing trainees divided by the total number of trainees) was 81.3%. The score for the review defense was (78.8±5.7), with a minimum of 65.0 and a maximum of 94.0, and a pass rate of 100.0%. The skill operation score was (93.5±3.7), with a minimum of 85.0 and a maximum of 99.0, and a pass rate of 100.0%. The score for the case analysis was (90.2±5.6), with a minimum score of 80.0 and a maximum score of 100.0, and a pass rate of 100.0%. The main reasons for losing points in the theoretical knowledge were mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The main reasons for losing points in the review defense were topic selection and paper writing. The main reasons for losing points in skill operation were preparation before operation and key points after operation. The main reasons for losing points in the case analysis were the consultation ideas and treatment measures.Conclusions:The trainees of the emergency specialist nurse training course currently have a relatively good overall professional practical skills, but there are significant differences in theoretical knowledge, weak scientific research capabilities, and room for improvement in triage decision-making. It is suggested to give full play to the advantages of teachers and set up a variety of Internet courses for trainees to learn on their own to meet the personalized needs of trainees and improve teaching homogeneity.

Human brain banks use a standardized protocol to collect,process and store post-mortem human brains and related tissues,along with relevant clinical information,and to provide the tissue samples and data as a resource to foster neuroscience research according to a standardized operating protocols(SOP).Human brain bank serves as the foundation for neuroscience research and the diagnosis of neurological disorders,highlighting the crucial rule of ensuring the consistency of standardized quality for brain tissue samples.The first version of SOP in 2017 was published by the China Human Brain Bank Consortium.As members increases from different regions in China,a revised SOP was drafted by experts from the China Human Brain Bank Consortium to meet the growing demands for neuroscience research.The revised SOP places a strong emphasis on ethical standards,incorporates neuropathological evaluation of brain regions,and provides clarity on spinal cord sampling and pathological assessment.Notable enhancements in this updated version of the SOP include reinforced ethical guidelines,inclusion of matching controls in recruitment,and expansion of brain regions to be sampled for neuropathological evaluation.