Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease involving multiple inflammatory cells and cytokines. Its pathogenesis is complex, involving various cells and cytokines. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theory suggests that the pathogenesis of asthma is closely related to the dysfunction of internal organs such as the lungs, spleen, and kidneys. In contrast, modern immunological studies have revealed the central role of T helper 1(Th1)/T helper 2(Th2) and T helper 17(Th17)/regulatory T(Treg) cellular immune imbalance in the pathogenesis of asthma. Th1/Th2 imbalance is manifested as hyperfunction of Th2 cells, which promotes the synthesis of immunoglobulin E(IgE) and the activation of eosinophil granulocytes, leading to airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation.Meanwhile, Th17/Treg imbalance exacerbates the inflammatory response in the airways, further contributing to asthma pathology.Currently, therapeutic strategies for asthma are actively exploring potential targets for regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg immune responses. These targets include cytokines, transcription factors, key proteins, and non-coding RNAs. Precisely regulating the expression and function of these targets can effectively modulate the activation and differentiation of immune cells. In recent years,traditional Chinese medicine active ingredients have shown unique potential and prospects in the field of asthma treatment. Based on this, the present study systematically summarizes the efficacy and specific mechanisms of TCM active ingredients in treating asthma by regulating Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg immune balance through literature review and analysis. These active ingredients, including flavonoids, terpenoids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and phenolic acids, exert their effects through various mechanisms, such as inhibiting the activation of inflammatory cells, reducing the release of cytokines, and promoting the normal differentiation of immune cells. This study aims to provide a solid foundation for the widespread application and in-depth development of TCM in asthma treatment and to offer new ideas for clinical research and drug development of asthma.
Asthma/genetics* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Th2 Cells/drug effects* ; Th17 Cells/drug effects* ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/drug effects* ; Th1 Cells/drug effects* ; Animals ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Despite therapy with potent antiviral agents, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients remain at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While metabolites have been rediscovered as active drivers of biological processes including carcinogenesis, the specific metabolites modulating HCC risk in CHB patients are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that baseline plasma from CHB patients who later developed HCC during follow-up exhibits growth-promoting properties in a case-control design nested within a large-scale, prospective cohort. Metabolomics analysis reveals a reduction in long-chain acylcarnitines (LCACs) in the baseline plasma of patients with HCC development. LCACs preferentially inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro at a physiological concentration and prevent the occurrence of HCC in vivo without hepatorenal toxicity. Uptake and metabolism of circulating LCACs increase the intracellular level of acetyl coenzyme A, which upregulates histone H3 Lys14 acetylation at the promoter region of KLF6 gene and thereby activates KLF6/p21 pathway. Indeed, blocking LCAC metabolism attenuates the difference in KLF6/p21 expression induced by baseline plasma of HCC/non-HCC patients. The deficiency of circulating LCACs represents a driver of HCC in CHB patients with viral control. These insights provide a promising direction for developing therapeutic strategies to reduce HCC risk further in the antiviral era.

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

Six compounds were isolated from the roots of Ephedra sinica Stapf using various chromatographic techniques such as silica gel column chromatography, thin layer chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC. Their chemical structures were identified by analysis of physicochemical properties and spectral data, and determined as (Z)-docosanylferulate (1), (E)-docosanylferulate (2), bis (2-ethylheptyl) phythalate (3), 2,2′-oxybis (1,4-di-tert-butylbenzene) (4), diisobutyl phthalate (5), bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (6). Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, compounds 2-4 were first isolated from Ephedra. A corticosterone-induced PC-12 cell injury model was used for compound activity screening. The results showed that compounds 1 and 5 significantly improved corticosterone-induced PC-12 cell injury and significantly increased 5-HT₇ receptor protein expression in the cells, indicating potential antidepressant activity.

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes complicated clinical manifestations with variable multi-organ injuries, however, the underlying mechanism, in particular immune responses in different organs, remains elusive. In this study, comprehensive transcriptomic alterations of 14 tissues from rhesus macaque infected with SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. Compared to normal controls, SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in dysregulation of genes involving diverse functions in various examined tissues/organs, with drastic transcriptomic changes in cerebral cortex and right ventricle. Intriguingly, cerebral cortex exhibited a hyperinflammatory state evidenced by significant upregulation of inflammation response-related genes. Meanwhile, expressions of coagulation, angiogenesis and fibrosis factors were also up-regulated in cerebral cortex. Based on our findings, neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a receptor of SARS-CoV-2, was significantly elevated in cerebral cortex post infection, accompanied by active immune response releasing inflammatory factors and signal transmission among tissues, which enhanced infection of the central nervous system (CNS) in a positive feedback way, leading to viral encephalitis. Overall, our study depicts a multi-tissue/organ transcriptomic landscapes of rhesus macaque with early infection of SARS-CoV-2, and provides important insights into the mechanistic basis for COVID-19-associated clinical complications.
Animals ; COVID-19/genetics* ; Macaca mulatta ; SARS-CoV-2/genetics* ; Transcriptome

The infectious disease outpatient service as a frontier is an important fulcrum of public health service. Its standardized construction is an important support for ensuring medical safety, reducing nosocomial infections, and controlling the epidemic of infectious diseases. The sub-specialty outpatient service of infection diseases includes fever outpatient service, intestinal outpatient service, tuberculosis outpatient service, AIDS outpatient service, liver disease outpatient service, etc. According to the characteristics of each subspecialty outpatient service and combining with clinical practice, we elaborated the setting norms of subspecialty outpatient service for common infectious diseases from the perspective of planning and design, building layout, equipment and facilities configuration, staffing, daily management and demonstration.

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to this study to detect heavy metal contents in Coptidis Rhizoma from different habitats, for a comprehensive understanding of heavy metal residues in Coptidis Rhizoma. Decocting method and artificial gastrointestinal digestion model were used to determine transfer rates of heavy metals in assessment of health risk of heavy metals using the target hazard quotient (THQ) developed by the US EPA (1989). The results showed that excess rates of Cu, Pb, As, Cd and Hg of 17 batches of Coptidis Rhizoma were 0, 12%, 0, 0 and 0, respectively, under the ISO international standard of Chinese medicine-Chinese herbal medicine heavy metal. The transfer rates of Cu, Pb, As, Cd and Hg were 3.63%, 1.69%, 37.17%, 20.86% and 0 in decoction solution, respectively, and 59.15%, 29.98%, 67.55%, 104.59% and 0 in artificial gastrointestinal solution, respectively. The values of THQ under the two ways of administration in adults and children were 0.001 0, 0.005 3 and 0.000 7, 0.003 6, respectively, and the maximum residue limits (MRL) of heavy metals in Coptidis Rhizoma were higher than the contents of samples in this study. The research showed that the contents of heavy metals in Coptidis Rhizoma were in the safe ranges with no obvious risks to human body, indicating that the excessive of heavy metals in Coptidis Rhizoma might be attributed to the unduly strict standard. The contents of heavy metals in Coptidis Rhizoma of different habitats was estimated for health risks using international risk assessment model, which provides a reference for establishment of heavy metal standards in Coptidis Rhizoma.

OBJECTIVETo assess the larvicidal effects of recombinant Escherichia coli expressing scorpion neurotoxin AaIT or Bacillus thuringiensis subsp israelensis (B.t.i) toxin Cyt2Ba against the second instar larvae of Culex pipiensquinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus and compare different formulations for their larvicidal effects.

METHODSThe AaIT- or Cyt2Ba-coding sequences were cloned into pET28a(+) and the recombinant plasmids were transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3). After induction with IPTG, the recombinant proteins expressed by the recombinant E. coli were detected and identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, respectively. The larvicidal activity of the bacterial suspension was tested at different concentrations against mosquitoes. The effective engineered bacteria were prepared into dry powder with different formulations, and their larvicidal activity was tested.

RESULTSAaIT and Cyt2Ba proteins were successfully expressed in E. coli. The recombinant AaIT protein showed no virulence to the mosquito larvae. The suspension of the recombinant E. coli expressing Cyt2Ba protein exhibited a stronger killing effect on Aedes albopictus larvae than on Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus larvae at 48 h (P<0.001) with LCof 3.00×10cells/mL and 1.25×10cells/mL, respectively. The dry powder of the engineered bacteria formulated with yeast extract, wheat flour or white pepper powder at the mass ratio of 1:1 showed the strongest killing effect on mosquito larvae (P=0.044), and the formulation with white pepper powder produced a stronger killing effect than formulations with yeast extract or wheat flour (P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONThe B.t.i Cyt2Ba protein expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) shows a good larvicidal activity against mosquitoes, and appropriate formulations of the engineered bacteria can enhance its efficiency in mosquito control.

Basically, Dao-di hers are produced in specific area which has a long history, good quality, good medicine, curative effect. However genuine medicinal material area in history is not static, this makes the establishment of genuine medicinal material origin and the in-depth research be very difficult. This paper has profoundly analyzed the origin of different historical periods taking Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza as examples, and then summarized the reasons of herbal origin changes from the humanities, social and natural three aspects. This paper provides a basis for establishment and the further research of high-quality genuine producing area.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics of Wolman disease and diagnostic methods using enzymatic and molecular analysis.

METHODLysosomal acid lipase activity was measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl oleate in the leukocytes of an infant suspected of Wolman disease and LIPA gene mutational analysis was performed by PCR and direct sequencing in the proband and his parents. After the diagnosis was confirmed, the clinical, biochemical, radiological and histopathological findings in this case of Wolman disease were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTThe sixteen-day-old boy was failing to thrive with progressive vomiting, abdominal distention and hepatosplenomegaly. Abdominal X-ray revealed adrenal calcifications which were confirmed on abdominal CT scan. Xanthomatosis were observed on enlarged liver, spleen and lymph nodes during abdominal surgery. Liver and lymph node biopsy showed foamy histiocytes. The lysosomal acid lipase activity in leukocytes was 3.5 nmol/(mg·h) [control 35.5 - 105.8 nmol/(mg·h)]. Serum chitotriosidase activity was 315.8 nmol/(ml·h) [control 0 - 53 nmol/(ml·h)]. The patient was homozygote for a novel insert mutation allele c.318 ins T, p. Phe106fsX4 in exon 4 on LIPA gene. His both parents were carriers of the mutation.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical features of Wolman disease include early onset of vomiting, abdominal distention, growth failure, hepatosplenomegaly and bilateral adrenal calcification after birth. A plain abdominal X-ray film should be taken to check for the typical pattern of adrenal calcification in suspected cases of Wolman disease. The enzymatic and molecular analyses of lysosomal acid lipase can confirm the diagnosis of Wolman disease.

Adrenal Gland Diseases ; etiology ; pathology ; Exons ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukocytes ; enzymology ; Lipase ; blood ; genetics ; Liver ; pathology ; Lysosomes ; enzymology ; genetics ; Male ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Splenomegaly ; pathology ; Sterol Esterase ; genetics ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Wolman Disease ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology