Objective:To explore the association of blood and urinary cadmium levels with lipid profile levels and dyslipidemia in Chinese adults aged 18 to 79 years.Methods:Based on the China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) program, a cross-sectional survey was conducted from 2017 to 2018 using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method, including a total of 10 713 adults aged 18 to 79 years. Data was obtained through questionnaires, physical examinations, biological sample collection, and laboratory testing. Multiple linear mixed effect model (MLMM) and generalized linear mixed effect model (GLMM) were used to analyze the association of blood and creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium levels with lipid profile levels as well as dyslipidemia among adults.Results:The age of 10 713 participants was (47.23±0.24) years, with 5 372 males accounting for 61.3% of the national population. The weighted mean±standard error (SE) of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was (5.21±0.03), (1.86±0.03), (2.96±0.03), and (1.43±0.01) mmol/L, respectively. The prevalence rate of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, mixed hyperlipidemia, low HDL-C, and high LDL-C was 16.0%, 21.6%, 6.6%, 13.5%, and 10.0%, respectively. MLMM showed that, after adjusting for relevant confounders, log-transformed blood cadmium levels were positively associated with increased levels of TC, TG and LDL-C ( P<0.05). When blood cadmium levels were categorized into quartiles, compared to the lowest exposure group ( Q1), participants in the highest blood cadmium exposure group ( Q4) had increases of 0.19 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.32) mmol/L in TC and 0.25 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.43) mmol/L in TG. GLMM indicated that, after adjusting for confounders, higher blood cadmium exposure levels were associated with increased risks of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, mixed hyperlipidemia, and high LDL-C ( P<0.05). Further analysis by quartiles showed that, compared to the blood cadmium Q1 exposure group, the OR value (95% CI) for the Q4 group was 1.53 (1.12, 2.08) for hypercholesterolemia, 1.54 (1.09, 2.17) for hypertriglyceridemia, 2.24 (1.47, 3.40) for mixed hyperlipidemia, and 1.49 (1.07, 2.09) for high LDL-C. Conclusion:The cadmium internal exposure levels are associated with blood lipid profile levels as well as the incidence of dyslipidemia in Chinese adults aged 18 to 79.

Objective:This study aims to investigate the differences in hemostatic efficacy and patient comfort between an innovative domestically produced biodegradable nasal packing sponge and a traditional absorbent sponge following endoscopic nasal surgery. Methods:A prospective, randomized controlled trial design was utilized, including 30 patients who were divided into two groups according to random allocation, each receiving one of the two types of nasal packing. The study assessed the hemostatic efficacy, comfort, and safety of the materials by comparing the rates of no bleeding within 24 hours after packing, re-bleeding rates after 48 hours, pain ratings in the head and nasal areas, scores on a visual analog scale for nasal ocular symptoms, and safety indicators between the two groups. Results:The rates of no bleeding within 24 hours post-packing were 73.33% for both the experimental and control groups, with a no-bleeding rate of 100% after 48 hours in both groups. The pain rating in the head and nasal areas at various times post-packing was Grade Ⅰ（100%） in both groups, with no statistically significant difference（P=1.000）. The experimental groups sneezing score on the day of packing was（0.73±1.03）, lower than the control groups（2.27±1.67）, （P=0.007）; after 48 hours, the experimental groups sneezing score was（0.67±0.98）, also lower than the control groups（1.67±1.18）, （P=0.019）. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the Lund-Kennedy scoring during endoscopic examinations at the screening period, 7 days, 1 month, and 3 months post-packing（P>0.05）. Laboratory tests for other examination indicators were normal in both groups. Conclusion:The innovative domestically produced biodegradable nasal packing sponge not only provides hemostatic efficacy comparable to imported materials but also significantly improves patient comfort after surgery. It represents an economical and effective choice for nasal packing materials.
Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Surgical Sponges ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Epistaxis/prevention & control* ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Adult

Cold has been a long-term survival challenge in the evolutionary process of mammals. In response to cold stress, in addition to brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipating energy as heat through glucose and lipid oxidation to maintain body temperature, cold stimulation can strongly activate thermogenesis and energy expenditure in beige fat cells, which are widely distributed in the subcutaneous layer. However, the effects of cold stimulation on other tissues and systemic lipid metabolism remain unclear. Our previous research indicated that, under cold stress, BAT not only produces heat but also secretes numerous exosomes to mediate BAT-liver crosstalk. Whether subcutaneous fat has a similar mechanism is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the alterations in lipid metabolism across various tissues under cold exposure and to explore whether subcutaneous fat regulates systemic glucose and lipid metabolism via exosomes, thereby elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of lipid metabolism homeostasis under physiological stress. RT-qPCR, Western blot, and H&E staining methods were used to investigate the physiological changes in lipid metabolism in the serum, liver, epididymal white adipose tissue, and subcutaneous fat of mice under cold stimulation. The results revealed that cold exposure significantly enhanced the thermogenic activity of subcutaneous adipose tissue and markedly increased exosome secretion. These exosomes were efficiently taken up by hepatocytes, where they profoundly influenced hepatic lipid metabolism, as evidenced by alterations in the expression levels of key genes involved in lipid synthesis and catabolism pathways. This study has unveiled a novel mechanism by which subcutaneous fat regulates lipid metabolism through exosome secretion under cold stimulation, providing new insights into the systemic regulatory role of beige adipocytes under cold stress and offering a theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for obesity and metabolic diseases.
Animals ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology* ; Mice ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Cold Temperature ; Subcutaneous Fat/physiology* ; Thermogenesis/physiology* ; Adipose Tissue, Brown/metabolism* ; Male

Objective To study the chemical constituents of Fallopia aubertii L.Henry Holub. Methods The chemical constituents of Fallopia aubertii L.Henry Holub. were separated and purified by online two-dimensional preparative liquid chromatography and identified by physical and chemical constants and spectral analysis. The inhibitory activities on xanthine oxidase were determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Results Ten compounds were isolated from the extract of Fallopia aubertii L.Henry Holub, including isotachioside（1）, 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl-（6'-O-galloyl）-O-β-D-Glucopyranoside（2）, 1-hydroxy-,4,5-1-O-[6'-O-（4''-carboxy-1'',3'',5'trihydrotrimethoxyphenylxy）-phenyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside（3）, myricetrin（4）, myricetin（5）, rutin（6）, quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside（7）, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside（8）, lyciumideA（9）, and N-trans-Feruloyltyramine（10）. The inhibitory activity test results showed that the IC₅₀ of compound 5 was 15.92 μmol/L, and the IC₅₀ of compound 6 was 87.36 μmol/L. Conclusion Compounds 1,2,3,4 and 8 were isolated from Medicago polymorpha for the first time. Compounds 5 and 6 had xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

In order to clarify the effects of drought stress training on the quality and drought resistance of Codonopsis pilosula, this study used PEG to simulate drought stress and employed potting with water control for the drought stress training of C. pilosula plants. The polysaccharide content, secondary metabolites, antioxidant system, and photosynthetic pigment system of C. pilosula after drought stress training were analyzed. The results showed that the content of fructans in the root of C. pilosula increased after two rounds of drought stress treatment, and it was significantly higher than that of the control group. The accumulation of fructans in the root of C. pilosula showed an upward trend during the rehydration treatment. The content of lobetyolin and tangshenoside Ⅰ increased after drought stress treatment compared with that of the control group. The rehydration treatment caused first increasing and then decreasing in the content of lobetyolin, while it had no significant effect on the tangshenoside Ⅰcontent. The content of photosynthetic pigments decreased after drought stress treatment, and it gradually increased during the first round of rehydration and the second round of rehydration. Moreover, the increase was faster in the second round of rehydration than in the first round of rehydration. The content of the peroxidation product malondialdehyde(MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD), peroxidase(POD), and catalase(CAT) increased after drought stress treatment compared with those of the control group, and they showed a tendency of decreasing during rehydration. Moreover, the decrease was faster in the second round of rehydration than in the first round of rehydration. When the plants of C. pilosula after drought stress training were again subjected to severe drought stress, the wilting rate decreased significantly, and the biomass increases significantly. This study showed that the drought stress training could promote the accumulation of polysaccharides and secondary metabolites in the root of C. pilosula. When encountering drought stress again, C. pilosula plants could quickly regulate the antioxidant system and delay the decomposition of chlorophyll to respond to drought stress. The findings provide a theoretical basis for the ecological cultivation of C. pilosula in arid and semi-arid areas.
Codonopsis/growth & development* ; Droughts ; Polysaccharides/metabolism* ; Stress, Physiological ; Water/metabolism* ; Antioxidants/metabolism* ; Photosynthesis ; Drought Resistance

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of infants and young children with basal ganglia infarction after minor head trauma (BGIMHT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data and follow-up results of children aged 28 days to 3 years with BGIMHT who were hospitalized at Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 2011 to January 2022. RESULTS: A total of 45 cases of BGIMHT were included, with the most common symptom being limb movement disorders (96%, 43/45), followed by facioplegia (56%, 25/45). Cerebral imaging showed that 72% (31/43) had infarction accompanied by basal ganglia calcification. After conservative treatment, 42 children (93%) showed significant symptom improvement, while 3 children (7%) experienced recurrent strokes. The median follow-up time was 82 months (range: 17-141 months). At the last follow-up, 97% (29/30) had residual basal ganglia softening lesions. Among 29 cases participating in questionnaire follow-up, 66% (19/29) recovered normally, 17% (5/29) showed significant improvement in symptoms, and 17% (5/29) had poor improvement. According to the grading of the Global Burden of Disease Control Projects, only 1 child (3%) had severe sequelae. There were no significant differences in age at onset, gender, or presence of concomitant basal ganglia calcification between children with and without neurological sequelae (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The most common initial symptom of BGIMHT is limb movement disorder, and imaging results indicate that most children have concurrent intracranial calcifications. Most infarct lesions later transform into softening lesions, resulting in a generally good prognosis.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Craniocerebral Trauma/complications* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Basal Ganglia/pathology* ; Infant, Newborn

OBJECTIVE: To identify the underlying mechanism by which quercetin (Que) alleviates sepsis-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were assigned to sham, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and CLP+Que (50 mg/kg) groups (n=15 per group) by using a random number table. The sepsisrelated ARDS mouse model was established using the CLP method. In vitro, the murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) cells were classified into control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS+Que (10 μmol/L), and LPS+Que+acetylcysteine (NAC, 5 mmol/L) groups. The effect of Que on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in mice lungs and MH-S cells was determined, and the mechanism with reactive oxygen species (ROS)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was also explored both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Que alleviated lung injury in mice, as reflected by a reversal of pulmonary histopathologic changes as well as a reduction in lung wet/dry weight ratio and neutrophil infiltration (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additionally, Que improved the survival rate and relieved gas exchange impairment in mice (P<0.01). Que treatment also remarkedly reduced malondialdehyde formation, superoxide dismutase and catalase depletion, and cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, Que treatment diminished the release of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6 both in vivo and in vitro (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Mechanistic investigation clarifified that Que administration led to a decline in the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in addition to the suppression of ROS expression (P<0.01). Furthermore, in LPS-induced MH-S cells, ROS inhibitor NAC further inhibited ROS/p38 MAPK pathway, as well as oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell apoptosis on the basis of Que treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION Que was found to exert anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects by suppressing the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway, thereby conferring protection for mice against sepsis-related ARDS.
Animals ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Quercetin/therapeutic use* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/enzymology* ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Male ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects* ; Lung/drug effects* ; Mice ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Macrophages, Alveolar/pathology* ; Inflammation/pathology* ; Protective Agents/therapeutic use*

Objective:To explore the association of blood and urinary cadmium levels with lipid profile levels and dyslipidemia in Chinese adults aged 18 to 79 years.Methods:Based on the China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) program, a cross-sectional survey was conducted from 2017 to 2018 using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method, including a total of 10 713 adults aged 18 to 79 years. Data was obtained through questionnaires, physical examinations, biological sample collection, and laboratory testing. Multiple linear mixed effect model (MLMM) and generalized linear mixed effect model (GLMM) were used to analyze the association of blood and creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium levels with lipid profile levels as well as dyslipidemia among adults.Results:The age of 10 713 participants was (47.23±0.24) years, with 5 372 males accounting for 61.3% of the national population. The weighted mean±standard error (SE) of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was (5.21±0.03), (1.86±0.03), (2.96±0.03), and (1.43±0.01) mmol/L, respectively. The prevalence rate of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, mixed hyperlipidemia, low HDL-C, and high LDL-C was 16.0%, 21.6%, 6.6%, 13.5%, and 10.0%, respectively. MLMM showed that, after adjusting for relevant confounders, log-transformed blood cadmium levels were positively associated with increased levels of TC, TG and LDL-C ( P<0.05). When blood cadmium levels were categorized into quartiles, compared to the lowest exposure group ( Q1), participants in the highest blood cadmium exposure group ( Q4) had increases of 0.19 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.32) mmol/L in TC and 0.25 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.43) mmol/L in TG. GLMM indicated that, after adjusting for confounders, higher blood cadmium exposure levels were associated with increased risks of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, mixed hyperlipidemia, and high LDL-C ( P<0.05). Further analysis by quartiles showed that, compared to the blood cadmium Q1 exposure group, the OR value (95% CI) for the Q4 group was 1.53 (1.12, 2.08) for hypercholesterolemia, 1.54 (1.09, 2.17) for hypertriglyceridemia, 2.24 (1.47, 3.40) for mixed hyperlipidemia, and 1.49 (1.07, 2.09) for high LDL-C. Conclusion:The cadmium internal exposure levels are associated with blood lipid profile levels as well as the incidence of dyslipidemia in Chinese adults aged 18 to 79.

ObjectiveTo explore the regulatory effects and mechanisms of Astragali Radix polysaccharide （APS） on inhibitor of differentiation1 （ID1） and protein kinase B （Akt） in gastric cancer. MethodsImmunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of ID1 and Akt in 61 gastric cancer tissue samples and 20 adjacent normal gastric tissue samples. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the localization of ID1 and Akt. The effects of APS at the concentrations of 0.625， 1.25， 2.5， 5， 10， 20 mg·L^-1 on the proliferation of gastric cancer MGC-803 cells were examined by the cell counting kit-8（CCK-8） method and the colony formation assay. The target information of APS was retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and Analysis Platform and Swiss Target Prediction. Keywords such as gastric cancer， gastric tumor， and stomach cancer were searched against GeneCards， UniProt， DisGeNET， and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM） for the screening of gastric cancer-related targets. The online tool jvenn was used to create the Venn diagram to identify the common targets， and STRING and Cytoscape were used to construct the protein-protein interaction network. Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analyses were conducted via R 4.2.2 to predict the potential roles of APS in the development of gastric cancer. The cell scratch assay was employed to assess the effect of APS on the migration of MGC-803 cells. The protein and mRNA levels of ID1 and Akt in the cells treated with APS were determined by Western blot and Real-time PCR， respectively. ResultsCompared with the adjacent normal gastric tissue， the gastric adenocarcinoma tissue showed increased positive expression of ID1 （χ² =81.00， P<0.01）. Immunofluorescence detection showed that ID1 and Akt were mainly located in the cytoplasm of gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Bioinformatics analysis identified 14 common genes shared between APS and gastric cancer. The average degree of protein-protein interaction network nodes was 14.29. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment results showed that ID1 and Akt were significantly enriched in the Rap1 and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K） /Akt signaling pathways. Cell experiments demonstrated that 5-fluorouracil （0.1 mg·L^-1） and APS （10， 20 mg·L^-1） groups showed decreased cell proliferation， migration， and colony formation. Compared with the control group， 10， 20 mg·L^-1 APS inhibited the proliferation of MGC-803 cells （P<0.01）， with 10 mg·L^-1 APS demonstrating stronger inhibitory effect. In addition， APS at 10， 20 mg·L^-1 inhibited the migration （P<0.01） and colony formation （P<0.05， P<0.01） of MGC-803 cells. Compared with the control group， APS at 10， 20 mg·L^-1 down-regulated the protein levels of ID1 （P<0.01） and Akt （P<0.05） and the mRNA levels of ID1 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and Akt （P<0.05， P<0.01） in MGC-803 cells. ConclusionID1 and Akt are highly expressed in the gastric adenocarcinoma tissue， which may be related to the development of gastric cancer. APS can down-regulate the protein and mRNA levels of ID1 and Akt to exert anti-tumor effects， which is expected to provide new therapeutic targets for gastric cancer treatment.