1.Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Sleep Deprivation-induced Acceleration of Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
Si-Ru YAN ; Ming-Yang CAI ; Ya-Xuan SUN ; Qing HUO ; Xue-Ling DAI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2474-2485
Sleep deprivation (SD) has emerged as a significant modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with mounting evidence demonstrating its multifaceted role in accelerating AD pathogenesis through diverse molecular, cellular, and systemic mechanisms. SD is refined within the broader spectrum of sleep-wake and circadian disruption, emphasizing that both acute total sleep loss and chronic sleep restriction destabilize the homeostatic and circadian processes governing glymphatic clearance of neurotoxic proteins. During normal sleep, concentrations of interstitial Aβ and tau fall as cerebrospinal fluid oscillations flush extracellular waste; SD abolishes this rhythm, causing overnight rises in soluble Aβ and tau species in rodent hippocampus and human CSF. Orexinergic neurons sustain arousal, and become hyperactive under SD, further delaying sleep onset and amplifying Aβ production. At the molecular level, SD disrupts Aβ homeostasis through multiple converging pathways, including enhanced production via beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) upregulation, coupled with impaired clearance mechanisms involving the glymphatic system dysfunction and reduced Aβ-degrading enzymes (neprilysin and insulin-degrading enzyme). Cellular and histological analyses revealed that these proteinopathies are significantly exacerbated by SD-induced neuroinflammatory cascades characterized by microglial overactivation, astrocyte reactivity, and sustained elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) through NF‑κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of neurotoxicity. The synaptic and neuronal consequences of chronic SD are particularly profound and potentially irreversible, featuring reduced expression of critical synaptic markers (PSD95, synaptophysin), impaired long-term potentiation (LTP), dendritic spine loss, and diminished neurotrophic support, especially brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) depletion, which collectively contribute to progressive cognitive decline and memory deficits. Mechanistic investigations identify three core pathways through which SD exerts its neurodegenerative effects: circadian rhythm disruption via BMAL1 suppression, orexin system hyperactivity leading to sustained wakefulness and metabolic stress, and oxidative stress accumulation through mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species overproduction. The review critically evaluates promising therapeutic interventions including pharmacological approaches (melatonin, dual orexin receptor antagonists), metabolic strategies (ketogenic diets, and Mediterranean diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids), lifestyle modifications (targeted exercise regimens, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia), and emerging technologies (non-invasive photobiomodulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation). Current research limitations include insufficient understanding of dose-response relationships between SD duration/intensity and AD pathology progression, lack of long-term longitudinal clinical data in genetically vulnerable populations (particularly APOE ε4 carriers and those with familial AD mutations), the absence of standardized SD protocols across experimental models that accurately mimic human chronic sleep restriction patterns, and limited investigation of sex differences in SD-induced AD risk. The accumulated evidence underscores the importance of addressing sleep disturbances as part of multimodal AD prevention strategies and highlights the urgent need for clinical trials evaluating sleep-focused interventions in at-risk populations. The review proposes future directions focused on translating mechanistic insights into precision medicine approaches, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to identify SD-vulnerable individuals, chronotherapeutic strategies aligned with circadian biology, and multi-omics integration across sleep, proteostasis and immune profiles may delineate precision-medicine strategies for at-risk populations. By systematically examining these critical connections, this analysis positions sleep quality optimization as a viable strategy for AD prevention and early intervention while providing a comprehensive roadmap for future mechanistic and interventional research in this rapidly evolving field.
2.Verification of resveratrol ameliorating vascular endothelial damage in sepsis-associated encephalopathy through HIF-1α pathway based on network pharmacology and experiment.
Rong LI ; Yue WU ; Wen-Xuan ZHU ; Meng QIN ; Si-Yu SUN ; Li-Ya WANG ; Mei-Hui TIAN ; Ying YU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(4):1087-1097
This study aims to investigate the mechanism by which resveratrol(RES) alleviates cerebral vascular endothelial damage in sepsis-associated encephalopathy(SAE) through network pharmacology and animal experiments. By using network pharmacology, the study identified common targets and genes associated with RES and SAE and constructed a protein-protein interaction( PPI) network. Gene Ontology(GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed to pinpoint key signaling pathways, followed by molecular docking validation. In the animal experiments, a cecum ligation and puncture(CLP) method was employed to induce SAE in mice. The mice were randomly assigned to the sham group, CLP group, and medium-dose and high-dose groups of RES. The sham group underwent open surgery without CLP, and the CLP group received an intraperitoneal injection of 0. 9% sodium chloride solution after surgery. The medium-dose and high-dose groups of RES were injected intraperitoneally with 40 mg·kg-1 and 60 mg·kg~(-1) of RES after modeling, respectively, and samples were collected 12 hours later. Neurological function scores were assessed, and the wet-dry weight ratio of brain tissue was detected. Serum superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase( CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde( MDA) content were measured by oxidative stress kit. Histopathological changes in brain tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to evaluate tight cell junctions and mitochondrial ultrastructure changes in cerebral vascular endothelium. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of zonula occludens1( ZO-1), occludin, claudins-5, optic atrophy 1( OPA1), mitofusin 2(Mfn2), dynamin-related protein 1(Drp1), fission 1(Fis1), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α). Network pharmacology identified 76 intersecting targets for RES and SAE, with the top five core targets being EGFR, PTGS2, ESR1, HIF-1α, and APP. GO enrichment analysis showed that RES participated in the SAE mechanism through oxidative stress reaction. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that RES participated in SAE therapy through HIF-1α, Rap1, and other signaling pathways. Molecular docking results showed favorable docking activity between RES and key targets such as HIF-1α. Animal experiment results demonstrated that compared to the sham group, the CLP group exhibited reduced nervous reflexes, decreased water content in brain tissue, as well as serum SOD and CAT activity, and increased MDA content. In addition, the CLP group exhibited disrupted tight junctions in cerebral vascular endothelium and abnormal mitochondrial morphology. The protein expression levels of Drp1, Fis1, and HIF-1α in brain tissue were increased, while those of ZO-1, occludin, claudin-5, Mfn2, and OPA1 were decreased. In contrast, the medium-dose and high-dose groups of RES showed improved neurological function, increased water content in brain tissue and SOD and CAT activity, and decreased MDA content. Cell morphology in brain tissue, tight junctions between endothelial cells, and mitochondrial structure were improved. The protein expressions of Drp1, Fis1, and HIF-1α were decreased, while those of ZO-1, occludin, claudin-5, Mfn2, and OPA1 were increased. This study suggested that RES could ameliorate cerebrovascular endothelial barrier function and maintain mitochondrial homeostasis by inhibiting oxidative stress after SAE damage, potentially through modulation of the HIF-1α signaling pathway.
Animals
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Mice
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Network Pharmacology
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Resveratrol/administration & dosage*
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Male
;
Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy/genetics*
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/genetics*
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Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism*
;
Molecular Docking Simulation
;
Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*
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Humans
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Sepsis/complications*
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Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
3.Dorsal CA1 NECTIN3 Reduction Mediates Early-Life Stress-Induced Object Recognition Memory Deficits in Adolescent Female Mice.
Yu-Nu MA ; Chen-Chen ZHANG ; Ya-Xin SUN ; Xiao LIU ; Xue-Xin LI ; Han WANG ; Ting WANG ; Xiao-Dong WANG ; Yun-Ai SU ; Ji-Tao LI ; Tian-Mei SI
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(2):243-260
Early-life stress (ES) leads to cognitive dysfunction in female adolescents, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. Recent evidence suggests that the cell adhesion molecules NECTIN1 and NECTIN3 play a role in cognition and ES-related cognitive deficits in male rodents. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether and how nectins contribute to ES-induced cognitive dysfunction in female adolescents. Applying the well-established limited bedding and nesting material paradigm, we found that ES impairs recognition memory, suppresses prefrontal NECTIN1 and hippocampal NECTIN3 expression, and upregulates corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) and its receptor 1 (Crhr1) mRNA levels in the hippocampus of adolescent female mice. Genetic experiments revealed that the reduction of dorsal CA1 (dCA1) NECTIN3 mediates ES-induced object recognition memory deficits, as knocking down dCA1 NECTIN3 impaired animals' performance in the novel object recognition task, while overexpression of dCA1 NECTIN3 successfully reversed the ES-induced deficits. Notably, prefrontal NECTIN1 knockdown did not result in significant cognitive impairments. Furthermore, acute systemic administration of antalarmin, a CRHR1 antagonist, upregulated hippocampal NECTIN3 levels and rescued object and spatial memory deficits in stressed mice. Our findings underscore the critical role of dCA1 NECTIN3 in mediating ES-induced object recognition memory deficits in adolescent female mice, highlighting it as a potential therapeutic target for stress-related psychiatric disorders in women.
Animals
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Female
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Mice
;
CA1 Region, Hippocampal/metabolism*
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Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism*
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CRF Receptor, Type 1/metabolism*
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Memory Disorders/etiology*
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Nectins/genetics*
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Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/antagonists & inhibitors*
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Recognition, Psychology/physiology*
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Stress, Psychological/complications*
4.Efficacy analysis of a novel inguinal tourniquet for compression hemostasis
Peng-Fei LIU ; Hao SUN ; Meng-Jie DOU ; Ya-Hua LIU ; Shao-Bin CHAI ; Si-Yu CHEN ; Fa-Qin LYU ; Wei CHEN
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(6):688-694
Objective To assess the efficacy of a novel inguinal tourniquet in healthy individuals and to investigate the relationship between localized inguinal compression and femoral artery blood flow occlusion.Methods A self-controlled study was conducted.From November 9 to November 30,2024,11 volunteers were recruited at the Third Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital.Three compression methods--finger pressure,a novel groin tourniquet,and a SAM junction tourniquet(SJT)—were applied bilaterally to the inguinal region until distal blood flow signals disappeared.Each compression method was tested in 22 trials with a 5-minute interval between operations.Differences in hemostatic efficacy between bilateral inguinal regions and across compression methods were compared.Subsequently,the novel tourniquet was incrementally pressurized in 120 mmHg multiples using an integrated pressure device to analyze trends in popliteal artery blood flow velocity.Observational indicators included the internal pressure of the tourniquet pressurization device,peak systolic velocity(PSV)of popliteal artery,inguinal surface pressure magnitude,inguinal surface pressure distribution,and pain scores(assessed using a single-dimensional numerical rating scale).Results No statistically significant difference was observed in the minimum pressure required to occlude femoral artery blood flow bilaterally(P>0.05).The success rates of femoral artery blood flow occlusion at the inguinal region were 100%for the novel inguinal tourniquet,SJT,and finger pressure.The novel inguinal tourniquet induced the highest pain scores,ranging from 5 to 8.A significant reduction in PSV of popliteal artery was noted when the intra-tourniquet pressure reached 360 mmHg and 480 mmHg(P<0.05),with a 95%hemostasis efficacy observed within the range of 360-600 mmHg.No significant association was observed between the recovery of popliteal artery blood flow after limb movement and inguinal pressure distribution(P>0.05).The PSV of popliteal artery exhibited the strongest negative correlation with the average pressure within the inguinal compression area(r=-0.79,P<0.001),with a linear regression fitting line of y=69.69-0.13x(P<0.001,R2=0.58).Conclusions The novel inguinal tourniquet effectively occludes femoral artery blood flow within a pressure range of 360-600 mmHg,accompanied by moderate-to-severe pain.Its hemostatic mechanism mainly relies on increasing the mean pressure within the inguinal compression area.
5.Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Effects of Tripterygium wilfordii Multiglycoside in Mouse Models of Psoriasis Keratinocytes.
Shuo ZHANG ; Hong-Jin LI ; Chun-Mei YANG ; Liu LIU ; Xiao-Ying SUN ; Jiao WANG ; Si-Ting CHEN ; Yi LU ; Man-Qi HU ; Ge YAN ; Ya-Qiong ZHOU ; Xiao MIAO ; Xin LI ; Bin LI
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2024;30(3):222-229
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the role of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglycoside (TGW) in the treatment of psoriatic dermatitis from a cellular immunological perspective.
METHODS:
Mouse models of psoriatic dermatitis were established by imiquimod (IMQ). Twelve male BALB/c mice were assigned to IMQ or IMQ+TGW groups according to a random number table. Histopathological changes in vivo were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Ratios of immune cells and cytokines in mice, as well as PAM212 cell proliferation in vitro were assessed by flow cytometry. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression was determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS:
TGW significantly ameliorated the severity of IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse skin lesions and restrained the activation of CD45+ cells, neutrophils and T lymphocytes (all P<0.01). Moreover, TGW significantly attenuated keratinocytes (KCs) proliferation and downregulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor α, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Furthermore, it reduced the number of γ δ T17 cells in skin lesion of mice and draining lymph nodes (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
TGW improved psoriasis-like inflammation by inhibiting KCs proliferation, as well as the associated immune cells and cytokine expression. It inhibited IL-17 secretion from γ δ T cells, which improved the immune-inflammatory microenvironment of psoriasis.
Male
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Animals
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Mice
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Tripterygium
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Psoriasis/drug therapy*
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Keratinocytes
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Skin Diseases/metabolism*
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Cytokines/metabolism*
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Imiquimod/metabolism*
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Dermatitis/pathology*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Skin/metabolism*
6.Identification of a Novel Synthetic Cathinone CMMP
Si-Yang HE ; Qian-Ya DENG ; Shui-Qing ZHENG ; Chun-Fang NI ; Wen-Juan SUN ; Fang-Qi CAO ; Chen LIANG ; Fei-Jun GONG
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(6):550-556
Objective To establish a method to identify an unknown substance based on the combined use of gas chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(GC-QTOF-MS),ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS)and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)techniques.Methods The unknown substance was dissolved in methanol and was detected by GC-QTOF-MS and UPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS,and was dissolved in methanol-d4 to be detected by NMR.Results The main characteristics ion peaks of components with retention time of 9.67 min in GC-QTOF-MS measured were 84.080 8,110.999 7,128.107 0(base peak),138.994 7,etc.The protonated molecular ion peak m/z in UPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS was 268.109 3.It was inferred that the unknown substance was an analog of the syn-thetic cathinone substance 2-methyl-1-[4-(methylthio)phenyl]-2-morpholinopropan-1-one(MTMP)by comparing the mass spectrum information and molecular structure of MTMP.NMR analysis confirmed it as a novel N-morpholine substituted synthetic cathinone substance 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-2-morpholinopropan-1-one(CMMP).Conclusion The method established in this study can be used for structural confirmation of CMMP.
7.Rapid Screening of 60 Types of Natural Toxins in Whole Blood by UPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS
Zhu-Tao GUO ; Qian-Ya DENG ; Si-Yang HE ; Shui-Qing ZHENG ; Rong WANG ; Wen-Juan SUN ; Chen LIANG ; Chun-Fang NI
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(6):564-568
Objective To establish a rapid screening method for 60 types of natural toxins in whole blood by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high reso-lution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS).Methods The chromatographic and mass spectro-metric information of 60 standard samples of natural toxins were analyzed and recorded,and a screening database was built.Whole blood was pretreated by protein precipitation method combined with ultrasonic-assisted dispersion,and then a Hypersil GOLDTM C18 column was used with 5 mmol/L ammonium for-mate aqueous solution(containing 0.1%formic acid)and acetonitrile as mobile phase for gradient elu-tion.In the positive ion mode,the data were collected in full scan/data-dependent secondary scan(Full MS/dd-MS2)mode.Based on the established screening library,the rapid screening of 60 types of natural toxins in whole blood was realized by TraceFinder software.Results A UPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS method was developed for the screening of 60 types of natural toxins in whole blood.Except for the limit of detection(LOD)of oxymatrine(20 ng/mL)and strophanthidin(40 ng/mL),the LOD for the other 58 natural toxins was in the range of 0.05-5 ng/mL.Conclusion This method has a simple and efficient pretreatment process and can achieve rapid screening of 60 types of natural toxins in whole blood.
9.Treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in very preterm infants in China.
Ai Min QIAN ; Rui CHENG ; Xin Yue GU ; Rong YIN ; Rui Miao BAI ; Juan DU ; Meng Ya SUN ; Ping CHENG ; K L E E shoo K LEE ; Li Zhong DU ; Yun CAO ; Wen Hao ZHOU ; You Yan ZHAO ; Si Yan JIANG
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2023;61(10):896-901
Objective: To describe the current status and trends in the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) among very preterm infants (VPI) admitted to the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of the Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) from 2019 to 2021, and to compare the differences in PDA treatment among these units. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on the CHNN VPI cohort, all of 22 525 VPI (gestational age<32 weeks) admitted to 79 tertiary NICU within 3 days of age from 2019 to 2021 were included. The overall PDA treatment rates were calculated, as well as the rates of infants with different gestational ages (≤26, 27-28, 29-31 weeks), and pharmacological and surgical treatments were described. PDA was defined as those diagnosed by echocardiography during hospitalization. The PDA treatment rate was defined as the number of VPI who had received medication treatment and (or) surgical ligation of PDA divided by the number of all VPI. Logistic regression was used to investigate the changes in PDA treatment rates over the 3 years and the differences between gestational age groups. A multivariate Logistic regression model was constructed to compute the standardized ratio (SR) of PDA treatment across different units, to compare the rates after adjusting for population characteristics. Results: A total of 22 525 VPI were included in the study, with a gestational age of 30.0 (28.6, 31.0) weeks and birth weight of 1 310 (1 100, 1 540) g; 56.0% (12 615) of them were male. PDA was diagnosed by echocardiography in 49.7% (11 186/22 525) of all VPI, and the overall PDA treatment rate was 16.8% (3 795/22 525). Of 3 762 VPI who received medication treatment, the main first-line medication used was ibuprofen (93.4% (3 515/3 762)) and the postnatal day of first medication treatment was 6 (4, 10) days of age; 59.3% (2 231/3 762) of the VPI had been weaned from invasive respiratory support during the first medication treatment, and 82.2% (3 092/3 762) of the infants received only one course of medication treatment. A total of 143 VPI underwent surgery, which was conducted on 32 (22, 46) days of age. Over the 3 years from 2019 to 2021, there was no significant change in the PDA treatment rate in these VPI (P=0.650). The PDA treatment rate decreased with increasing gestational age (P<0.001). The PDA treatment rates for VPI with gestational age ≤26, 27-28, and 29-31 weeks were 39.6% (688/1 737), 25.9% (1 319/5 098), and 11.4% (1 788/15 690), respectively. There were 61 units having a total number of VPI≥100 cases, and their rates of PDA treatment were 0 (0/116)-47.4% (376/793). After adjusting for population characteristics, the range of standardized ratios for PDA treatment in the 61 units was 0 (95%CI 0-0.3) to 3.4 (95%CI 3.1-3.8). Conclusions: From 2019 to 2021, compared to the peers in developed countries, VPI in CHNN NICU had a different PDA treatment rate; specifically, the VPI with small birth gestational age had a lower treatment rate, while the VPI with large birth gestational age had a higher rate. There are significant differences in PDA treatment rates among different units.
Infant
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Infant, Newborn
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Male
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Humans
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Female
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Ductus Arteriosus, Patent/drug therapy*
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Infant, Premature
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Cross-Sectional Studies
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Ibuprofen/therapeutic use*
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Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
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Persistent Fetal Circulation Syndrome
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Infant, Premature, Diseases/therapy*
10.The Link between Exposure to Phthalates and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Study Based on NHANES Data and Bioinformatic Analysis.
Xue Kui LIU ; Shan Wen SI ; Yan YE ; Jia Yi LI ; He He LYU ; Ya Mei MA ; Cai Yan ZOU ; Hao Jie SUN ; Lei XUE ; Wei XU ; Hou Fa GENG ; Jun LIANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2023;36(9):892-896

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