The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of lung zinc ions to pathogenesis of lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, lung I/R group (I/R group), lung I/R + low-dose zinc chloride group (LZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + high-dose ZnCl₂ group (HZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + medium-dose ZnCl₂ group (MZnCl₂+I/R group) and TPEN+MZnCl₂+I/R group (n = 8 in each group). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the concentration of zinc ions in lung tissue. The degree of lung tissue injury was analyzed by observing HE staining, alveolar damage index, lung wet/dry weight ratio and lung tissue gross changes. TUNEL staining was used to detect cellular apoptosis in lung tissue. Western blot and RT-qPCR were used to determine the protein expression levels of caspase-3 and ZIP8, as well as the mRNA expression levels of zinc transporters (ZIP, ZNT) in lung tissue. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of lung tissue was detected by JC-1 MMP detection kit. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the lung tissue damage, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index were significantly increased in the I/R group. And in the lung tissue, the concentration of Zn²⁺ was markedly decreased, while the cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio and apoptotic levels were significantly increased. The expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein were down-regulated significantly, while the mRNA expression of other zinc transporters remained unchanged. There was also a significant decrease in MMP. Compared with the I/R group, both MZnCl₂+I/R group and HZnCl₂+I/R group exhibited significantly reduced lung tissue injury, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index, increased Zn²⁺ concentration, decreased ratio of cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 and apoptosis, and up-regulated expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein. In addition, the MMP was significantly increased in the lung tissue. Zn²⁺ chelating agent TPEN reversed the above-mentioned protective effects of medium-dose ZnCl₂ on the lung tissue in the I/R group. The aforementioned results suggest that exogenous administration of ZnCl₂ can improve lung I/R injury in rats.
Animals ; Reperfusion Injury/pathology* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Chlorides/administration & dosage* ; Lung/pathology* ; Zinc Compounds/administration & dosage* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism*

The triterpenoid saponins of Centella asiatica, including asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid, are pivotal bioactive compounds of the plant. These constituents exhibit a spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antitumor, and antidepressant effects, promotion of wound healing, and enhancement of microcirculation. Owing to these therapeutic properties, C. asiatica is widely employed in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. However, the escalating global demand for its extracts has led to potential supply shortages, prompting researchers to use multiple strategies such as multi-omics, molecular biology, and synthetic biology to conduct extensive studies. These studies encompass the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoid saponins in C. asiatica, metabolic regulation, the hormonal induction of secondary metabolite synthesis, and the application of biotechnological strategies for natural product production to increase the yield of secondary metabolites in C. asiatica, or to produce active components via microbial chassis, thus satisfying market demands and promoting the sustainable exploitation of wild C. asiatica resources. This article first introduced the triterpenoid saponins of C. asiatica and their biological activities, then summarized the latest research advancements in their biosynthetic pathways, metabolic regulation, and heterologous biosynthesis, and provided an outlook on future development directions, with the aim of providing reference for comprehensive resource development and biotechnological synthesis of active components from C. asiatica.
Centella/genetics* ; Triterpenes/chemistry* ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Zhiwei Fuwei Pills on mitochondrial apoptosis in the rat model of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC) based on the microRNA-21(miRNA-21)/B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2) signaling pathway. Eighty-five 5-week-old male SPF-grade SD rats were selected, of which 75 were fed with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) for multifactorial modeling, and the PLGC model was established after 26 weeks. The rats were randomly grouped as follows: model, folic acid(0.002 g·kg~(-1)), low-dose(0.42 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, medium-dose(0.84 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, and high-dose(1.67 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, with 15 rats in each group. Additionally, 10 rats were assigned to a blank group and administrated with an equivalent volume of normal saline by gavage. After four weeks of continuous drug administration, the gastric mucosal tissue was collected. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed to reveal the pathological changes in the gastric mucosa. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) was employed to detect apoptosis in gastric mucosal epithelial cells. RT-PCR was adopted to determine the mRNA levels of miRNA-21, phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN), Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 3(caspase-3). Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of PTEN, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was used to detect the positive expression of PTEN, Bcl-2, and Bax in the gastric mucosal tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was employed to observe the morphological and structural changes in mitochondria. The results showed that compared with model group, the drug administration groups showed alleviated pathological changes, with increased apoptotic cells, down-regulated mRNA levels of miRNA-21 and Bcl-2, up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTEN, Bax, and caspase-3, and down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2. In addition, the drug administration groups exhibited mitochondrial swelling and rupture and reduction of cristae, which indicated mitochondrial apoptosis. These findings suggest that Zhiwei Fuwei Pills can effectively improve mitochondrial apoptosis in PLGC cells by regulating the miRNA-21/Bcl-2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Male ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mitochondria/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Precancerous Conditions/drug therapy* ; Humans ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

OBJECTIVES: To characterize fine particulate matter (PM _2.5)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from different cooking fumes and their exposure routes and assess their health-associated impact to provide a reference for health risk prevention from PAH exposure across different age and sex groups. METHODS: Sixteen PM _2.5-bound PAHs emitted from 11 cooking styles were analyzed using GC-MS/MS. The health hazards of these PAHs in the Handan City population (stratified by age and sex) were predicted using the incremental lifetime cancer risk ( ILCR) model. The respiratory deposition doses ( RDDs) of the PAHs in children and adults were calculated using the PM _2.5 deposition rates in the upper airway, tracheobronchial, and alveolar regions. RESULTS: The total concentrations of PM _2.5-bound PAHs ranged from 61.10 to 403.80 ng/m ³. Regardless of cooking styles, the ILCR _total values for adults (1.23 × 10 ^-6 to 3.70 × 10 ^-6) and older adults (1.28 × 10 ^-6 to 3.88 × 10 ^-6) exceeded the acceptable limit of 1.00 × 10 ^-6. With increasing age, the ILCR _total value first declined and then increased, varying substantially among the population groups. Cancer risk exhibited particularly high sensitivity to short exposure to barbecue-derived PAHs under equivalent body weights. Furthermore, barbecue, Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese fast food were associated with higher RDDs for both adults and children. CONCLUSION ILCR _total values exceeded the acceptable limit for both females and males of adults, with all cooking styles showing a potentially high cancer risk. Our findings serve as an important reference for refining regulatory strategies related to catering emissions and mitigating health risks associated with cooking styles.
Humans ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis* ; Cooking/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Adult ; Child ; Middle Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Adolescent ; Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis* ; Young Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Aged ; China ; Inhalation Exposure ; Age Factors ; Sex Factors ; Cities ; Infant

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of children with hypodiploid B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia(BCP-ALL).Methods:The clinical data of 1 287 children with BCP-ALL admitted to five hospital in Fujian province from April 2011 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.According to the results of chromosome karyotype,all the patients were grouped into hypodiploid subgroup and non-hypodiploid subgroup.The clinical characteristics,early treatment response[minimal residual disease(MRD)on middle stage of induction chemotherapy and end of induction chemotherapy]and long-term efficacy[overall survival(OS)and event-free survival(EFS)]were compared.The prognostic factors of hypodiploid BCP-ALL were further explored.Results:Among 1 287 BCP-ALL patients,28 patients(2.2％)were hypodiploid BCP-ALL.The proportion of patients with white blood cell count(WBC)≥50 x 109/L in the hypodiploid subgroup was significantly higher than that in the non-hypodiploid subgroup(P=0.004),while there was no statistically significant difference in gender ratio,age group at initial diagnosis,and early treatment response between the two groups(all P＞0.05).The 5-year EFS and OS rate of the hypodiploid subgroup were 75.0％(95％CI:66.8％-83.2％)and 77.8％(95％CI:69.8％-85.8％),respectively,which were lower than those of non-hypodiploid subgroup[EFS:79.6％(95％CI:78.4％-80.8％);OS:86.4％(95％CI:85.4％-87.5％)],but the difference was not statistically significant(all P＞0.05).Further subgroup analysis by risk stratification showed that the 5-year EFS and OS rates of the hypodiploid subgroup were significantly lower than those in the low-risk(LR)group[LR group EFS:91.4％(95％CI:88.4％-93.6％),P＜0.001;OS:94.7％(95％CI:92.1％-96.4％),P＜0.001];it was similar to that of BCP-ALL children stratified into intermediate-risk(IR)excluding hypodiploid[IR group EFS:79.4％(95％CI:74.9％-83.2％),P=0.343;OS:87.3％(95％CI:83.6％-90.2％),P=0.111];while was higher than that of EFS in HR group,but the difference was not statistically significant[HR group EFS:58.7％(95％CI:52.6％-64.8％),P=0.178.OS:69.9％(95％CI:63.5％-75.4％),P=0.417].Univariate analysis showed that gender,age,white blood cell count,and MRD on middle stage of induction chemotherapy had no significant impact on OS and EFS;chromosome count＜40 was a risk factor for lower OS(P=0.026),but has no significant effect on EFS;MRD≥0.01％after induction therapy was a risk factor for lower OS and EFS(P=0.002,and 0.001,respectively).Conclusion:Children with hypodiploid BCP-ALL have an intermediate prognosis,and MRD ≥0.01％after induction chemotherapy may be a risk factors for poor prognosis.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic ocular complication that can lead to poor vision and blindness. This experiment aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect and its mechanism of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) eye drops on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in rats. All experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Animal welfare and the animal experimental protocols were strictly consistent with related ethics regulations of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. PZSHUTCM 211115004). Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ into rats. Two months later, PNS solution was dropped binocular twice per day at 6 h intervals at dose of 20, 40, and 80 mg·kg^-1 continuously for 1 month. The morphological structure and activation of microglia of the retina were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical assay. The disruption of the blood-retina barrier (BRB) was conducted by the Evans blue dye leakage assay. The number of acellular capillaries in the retina was assessed by digesting and hematoxylin-eosin staining assay. The number of retinal leukocyte adhesion was observed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-coupled concanavalin A lectin labeling assay. The serum expression of inflammatory factors was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot experiments were used to detect the expression of relevant proteins in retinal tissue and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). The results revealed that PNS eye drops significantly increased the thickness of the retina, decreased the number of acellular capillaries, and up-regulated the expression of the tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin, thereby alleviating BRB damage. In addition, PNS eye drops were also able to significantly reduce leukocyte adhesion and microglia activation, the expression of inflammatory factors in serum, and the nuclear translocation of retinal p65 proteins, effectively inhibiting the occurrence of retinal inflammation. The above results showed that PNS eye drops played a role in improving NPDR by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing inflammation.

Objective To analyze the atrioventricular synchronization rate after implantation of Micra AV leadless pacemaker,and the impact of postoperative programming optimization on atrioventricular synchronization rate.Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted to select patients with complete atrioventricular block who underwent Micra AV leadless pacemaker implantation at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from August 2022 to June 2023.Programming optimization were performed at 1 week,1 month,and 3 months postoperatively,and atrioventricular synchronization rate,electrical parameters,and echocardiography were recorded.Results A total of 68 patients with complete atrioventricular block implanted with Micra AV were selected,with an average age of(68.2±9.7)years,including 47 males(69.1％).All patients were successfully implanted with Micra AV,and there were no serious postoperative complications;The average threshold,sense,and impedance parameters were stable during 1 week,1 month,and 3 months after the procedure;There was no significant difference in the EF value of postoperative echocardiography(P=0.162);The average atrioventricular synchronization rates at 1 week,1 month,and 3 months postoperatively were(75.2％vs.83.8％vs.91.6％,P=0.001).Conclusions As an mechanical atrial sensing,Micra AV requires personalized adjustment of relevant parameters;Postoperative follow-up programming optimization plays an important role in the atrioventricular synchronization and comfort level in patients with complete atrioventricular block after implantation of Micra AV leadless pacemaker.

Objective To evaluate the effects of combining immune checkpoint inhibitors,trastuzumab,and chemotherapy on the left and right ventricular function in patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2).Methods 25 patients with advanced HER2-positive gastric adenocarcinoma who received HER2-ASTRUM therapy(sruili monoclonal antibody combined with trastuzumab and DOS regimen)underwent echocardiographic examinations at baseline(T1),after completion of 4 cycles(T2),and 6 cycles(T3)of chemotherapy.Left ventricular strain,left ventricular myocardial work,right ventricular strain,and ejection fraction were further analyzed.Results Compared with T1,both T2 and T3 showed a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),(T1,T2,and T3 were[67.3±2.7]％,[63.0±2.9]％and[61.3±3.2]％,P＜0.05).T3 showed a decrease in right ventricular ejection fraction(RVEF),([59.3±7.8]％vs[43.7±6.6]％,P＜0.05),while T2 showed no significant change in RVEF.Both right ventricular global longitudinal strain(RVGLS),(T1,T2,and T3 were[-25.7±5.7]％,[-22.4±5.3]％and[-19.1±3.6]％,respectively;P＜0.05)and right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain(RVFWLS),(T1,T2,and T3 were[-20.9±4.7]％,[-18.9±4.1]％and[-16.1±3.9]％,P＜0.05)decreased in all three time points.The global work index(GWI)was lower in T2 and T3 than in T1(P＜0.05),while the global constructive work(GCW),global wasted work(GWW),and global work efficiency(GWE)did not show significant changes.Conclusions Combination of trastuzumab,immune checkpoint inhibitors,and chemotherapy has an impact on left ventricular strain,LVEF,and right ventricular strain,as well as GWI,in HER2-positive patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.Left ventricular global longitudinal strain(LVGLS),RVFWLS,and RVGLS can more sensitively monitor cardiac function and detect cardiac dysfunction related to cancer treatment in a timely manner.

Objective To compare the effects of 20 mg qd and 10 mg bidadministration of iprrazole enteric-coated tablets on the control of gastric acid in healthy subjects.Methods A randomized,single-center,parallel controlled trial was designed to include 8 healthy subjects.Randomly divided into 2 groups,20 mg qd administration group:20 mg enteric-coated tablets of iprrazole in the morning;10 mg bid administration group:10 mg enteric-coated tablets of iprrazole in the morning and 10 mg in the evening.The pH values in the stomach of the subjects before and 24 h after administration were monitored by pH meter.The plasma concentration of iprazole after administration was determined by HPLC-MS/MS.The main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by Phoenix WinNonlin(V8.0)software.Results The PK parameters of iprrazole enteric-coated tablets and reference preparations in fasting group were as follows:The Cmax of 20 mg qd group and 10 mg bid group were(595.75±131.15)and(283.50±96.98)ng·mL-1;AUC0-t were(5 531.94±784.35)and(4 686.67±898.23)h·ng·mL-1;AUC0-∞ were(6 003.19±538.59)and(7 361.48±1 816.77)h·ng·mL-1,respectively.The mean time percentage of gastric pH＞3 after 20 mg qd and 10 mg bid were 82.64％and 61.92％,and the median gastric pH within 24 h were 6.25±1.49 and 3.53±2.05,respectively.The mean gastric pH values within 24 h were 5.71±1.36 and 4.23±1.45,respectively.The correlation analysis of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics showed that there was no significant correlation between the peak concentration of drug in plasma and the inhibitory effect of acid.Conclusion Compared with the 20 mg qd group and the 10 mg bid group,the acid inhibition effect is better,the administration times are less,and the safety of the two administration regimes is good.