ObjectiveThis study aimed to establish a monocrotaline （MCT）-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH） rat model to systematically evaluate the protective effect of Xiao Qinglongtang （XQLT） on right cardiac function in model rats and further elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanism. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly assigned to the normal group， model group， XQLT low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （XQLT-L/M/H）， and the beraprost sodium tablet group （BST）. Except for the normal group， rats in all other groups were given a single subcutaneous injection of MCT （60 mg·kg^-1） to induce PAH. Three weeks after injection， rats in the XQLT-L/M/H groups were administered XQLT intragastrically at 3.07， 6.14， 12.28 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively. Rats in the BST group received beraprost sodium at 12.6 μg·kg^-1·d^-1， and rats in the model group received an equal volume of saline. All treatments lasted for 3 weeks. Right ventricular systolic pressure （RVSP） was measured by right ventricular catheterization. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. The right ventricle was weighed to calculate the right ventricular hypertrophy index （RVHI）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe myocardial morphology. Serum metabolomic changes were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS）. Data-independent acquisition （DIA） proteomics was used to detect differentially expressed （DE） proteins in the right ventricle， and Western blot was used to measure the expression of uncoupling protein 3 （UCP3）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit p110α （PIK3CA）， L1 cell adhesion molecule （L1CAM）， and quinone oxidoreductase （CRYZ）. UPLC-MS/MS was used to analyze the chemical components of XQLT. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly increased RVSP and RVHI （P<0.05）， along with pathological changes in myocardial morphology. Compared with the model group， all XQLT-treated groups exhibited reductions in RVSP and RVHI as well as significant improvements in cardiac function and myocardial morphology. Among the XQLT groups， XQLT-M showed the most pronounced effects （P<0.05）， comparable to the BST group. Serum metabolomics revealed 105 differential metabolites in the XQLT groups versus the model group ［variable importance in projection （VIP） >1， P<0.05］， including 58 upregulated and 47 downregulated metabolites. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that XQLT intervention downregulated phenylalanine metabolism （P<0.01） and upregulated unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis （P<0.05）. Proteomics analysis showed that 982 DE proteins were identified in the MCT groups versus the normal group， including 455 upregulated and 527 downregulated proteins （|fold change （FC）| >1.3， P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， 237 DE proteins were identified in the XQLT groups， including 124 upregulated and 113 downregulated proteins （|FC| >1.3， P<0.05）， with 57 overlapping DE proteins. KEGG enrichment suggested that XQLT mainly modulated pathways related to mineral absorption， ribosomal biogenesis， peroxisomes， glycolysis/gluconeogenesis， spliceosomes， and thyroid hormone signaling. Western blot analysis showed that， compared with the model group， XQLT increased the expression of UCP3， PIK3CA， and L1CAM， while decreasing the expression of CRYZ （P<0.05）. ConclusionXQLT exerts a protective effect on right heart function in MCT-induced PAH rats， and its mechanism is associated with maintaining myocardial homeostasis and alleviating right ventricular remodeling.

Previous studies have found associations between color discrimination deficits and cognitive impairments besides aging. However, investigations into the microstructural pathology of brain white matter (WM) associated with these deficits remain limited. This study aimed to examine the microstructural characteristics of WM in the non-demented population with abnormal color discrimination, utilizing Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), and to explore their correlations with cognitive functions and cognition-related plasma biomarkers. The tract-based spatial statistic analysis revealed significant differences in specific brain regions between the abnormal color discrimination group and the healthy controls, characterized by increased isotropic volume fraction and decreased neurite density index and orientation dispersion index. Further analysis of region-of-interest parameters revealed that the isotropic volume fraction in the bilateral anterior thalamic radiation, superior longitudinal fasciculus, cingulum, and forceps minor was significantly correlated with poorer performance on neuropsychological assessments and to varying degrees various cognition-related plasma biomarkers. These findings provide neuroimaging evidence that WM microstructural abnormalities in non-demented individuals with abnormal color discrimination are associated with cognitive dysfunction, potentially serving as early markers for cognitive decline.
Humans ; White Matter/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Cognitive Dysfunction/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Color Perception/physiology* ; Brain/pathology* ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Objective:To study the effects of Tongmai Huazheng Decoction on the fibrosis of lesions in mice with adenomyosis (AM); To explore its mechanism.Methods:The ICR mouse model of adenomyosis was established by using tamoxifen modeling method. The 30 mice successfully modeled were divided into model group, Tongmai Huazheng Decoction group and progesterone group according to the random number table method with 10 mice in each group, and 10 female mice were set as the blank group. Tongmai Huazheng Decoction group was intragastrically administered with Tongmai Huazheng Decoction 30.47 g/kg, once/d; The gestrinone group was intragastrically administered with gestrinone suspension 0.32 mg/kg, twice a week; the blank group and model group were intragastrically administered with 0.1 ml/10 g normal saline, once a day. After 8 weeks of intervention, HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of uterine tissue; Masson staining was used to observe the degree of uterine tissue fibrosis; immunofluorescence method was used to detect the protein expressions of CollagenⅠ, CollagenⅢ and fibronectin in uterine tissue of each group; Western bolt method was used to detect the protein expressions of TGF-β1 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in each group.Results:Compared with the model group, the ratio of collagen fiber area in uterine tissue in Tongmai Huazheng Decoction group and progesterone group decreased ( P<0.05), the immunofluorescence intensity of CollagenⅠ, CollagenⅢ and Fibronectin decreased ( P<0.05), and the expressions of TGF-β1 and α-SMA proteins decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Tongmai Huazheng Decoction can reduce the ratio of collagen fiber area in the uterus of mice with adenomyosis model, downregulate the expression of CollagenⅠ, Collagen Ⅲ, Fibronectin, TGF-β1, and α-SMA proteins, alleviate the degree of fibrosis in adenomyosis lesions, and thus inhibit or slow down disease progression.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of severe and deceased cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Hebei province, so as to provide reference for prevention and control of the disease. Methods: Severe and deceased HFMD cases reported from the National Disease Surveillance Information Management System and the laboratory testing result in Hebei province from 2010 to 2016 were analyzed. Descriptive epidemiological method involving the distribution of population, area, time and pathogeny were used for the analysis. Results: From 2010 to 2016, 3 803 severe HFMD cases and 162 deceased cases were reported in Hebei province, and the ratio of severe cases among all HFMD patients was 0.75%. A chi-square test showed that the incidence of severe HFMD between males and females was significantly different (χ²=239.37, P<0.001), and scattered children were the main patient. Infants less than six months of age had the highest ratio of severe HFMD cases, the group of one-year-old and younger children had the highest proportion of severe HFMD cases. The severe ratio and severe incidence of Xingtai, Langfang and Hengshui were the top three prefectures having the highest proportions of severe cases. The number of severe cases fluctuated over the past 7years, but showed a downward trend. The constituent ratios of EV-A71 in severe cases and deaths were 79.25% and 92.66%, respectively. Conclusions Severe HFMD epidemics showed a declining trend in Hebei province. EV-A71 is still the main pathogen of both severe and fatal cases. It is necessary to strengthen the prophylactic and therapeutic measures for the young children (< 2 years).

Objectives To establish the cell model of fibroblast in tumor and explore its malignant bionomics for providing valuable cell model for studying their transforming mechanism and developing drugs targeting the tumor stroma in the future. Methods The murine normal fibroblast cells, L 929 , were cultured with the supernatant of murine hepatocellular carcinoma cells, H 22 , for three and a half months, and L 929 -H 22 cells were acquired with stable growth. Then the changes of their biological characteristics were determined by light microscopy, electron microscopy, karyotype analysis, and MTT assay. The expressions of PCNA, bcl-2, MMP-9, TN, and tolomerase activity were detected by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. The ability to synthesize proteins and the effects of their supernatant on H 22 growth were determined. Results Abnormal nuclei and multinuclei were observed in L 929 -H 22 cells, and their chromatosome modes increased slightly. As compared with the parental cells, the population doubling time of L 929 -H 22 cells shortened (t=2.654 1, P