OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep. METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to identify the active components of L. ruthenicum and their associated disease targets， followed by enrichment analysis. A caffeine‑induced zebrafish model of sleep deprivation was established ， and the zebrafish were treated with L. ruthenicum Murr. extract （LRME） at concentrations of 0.1， 0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL， respectively； 24 h later， behavioral changes of zebrafish and pathological alterations in brain neurons were subsequently observed. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-1β， IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）]， oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， catalase （CAT）]， and neurotransmitters [5- hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， γ-aminobutyric acid （GABA）， glutamic acid （Glu）， dopamine （DA）， and norepinephrine （NE）] were measured. The protein expression levels of protein kinase B1 （AKT1）， phosphorylated AKT1 （p-AKT1）， epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， sarcoma proto-oncogene，non-receptor tyrosine kinase （SRC）， and heat shock protein 90α family class A member 1 （HSP90AA1） in the zebrafish were also determined. RESULTS A total of 12 active components and 176 intersecting disease targets were identified through network pharmacology analysis. Among these， apigenin， naringenin and others were recognized as core active compounds， while AKT1， EGFR and others served as key targets； EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway was identified as the critical pathway. The sleep improvement rates in zebrafish of LRME low-， medium-， and high-dose groups were 54.60%， 69.03% and 77.97%， 开发。E-mail：hjp_yft@163.com respectively， while the inhibition ratios of locomotor distance were 0.57， 0.83 and 0.95， respectively. Compared with the model group， the number of resting counts， resting time and resting distance were significantly increased/extended in LRME medium- and high-dose groups （P＜0.05）. Neuronal damage in the brain was alleviated. Additionally， the levels of IL-6， IL-1β， TNF-α， MDA， Glu， DA and NE， as well as the protein expression levels of AKT1， p-AKT1， EGFR， SRC and HSP90AA1， were markedly reduced （P＜0.05）， while the levels of IL-10， SOD， GSH-Px， CAT， 5-HT and GABA， as well as Bcl-2 protein expression， were significantly elevated （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS L. ruthenicum Murr. demonstrates sleep-improving effects， and its specific mechanism may be related to the regulation of inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， neurotransmitter balance， and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationships of white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet (PLT) count, and PLT-to-WBC ratio (PWR) with muscle mass in Chinese older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis involved 4,033 Chinese older adults aged ≥ 65 years from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study. Muscle mass and total skeletal muscle mass index (TSMI) were measured by bioelectric impedance analysis. WBC, PLT, and PWR were measured using standard methods. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the associations of WBC count, PLT count, and PWR with TSMI. RESULTS: High WBC count, PLT count, and PWR were associated with low TSMI, with coefficients of -0.0091 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0142 to -0.0041), -0.0119 (95% CI: -0.0170 to -0.0068), and -0.0051 (95% CI: -0.0102 to -0.0001). The associations between the three inflammatory indices and TSMI were linear. Stratified analyses indicated that the relationship between inflammatory markers and TSMI was more evident in male participants and in individuals aged < 80 years than in their counterparts. CONCLUSION Elevated WBC count, PLT count, and PWR correlated with muscle mass loss. This study highlights the importance of regular monitoring of inflammatory markers as a potential strategy for the screening and management of sarcopenia in older adults.
Humans ; Aged ; Male ; Female ; China ; Leukocyte Count ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Platelet Count ; Aged, 80 and over ; Muscle, Skeletal/anatomy & histology* ; Independent Living ; Blood Platelets ; Leukocytes ; Sarcopenia

AIM To investigate the variations in mercury dissolution from HgS-containing traditional medicines in three kinds of simulated gastrointestinal dissolution media.METHODS 39 batches of 15 types of HgS-containing traditional medicines were collected,total mercury content and dissolved mercury concentrations in simulated gastric fluid,simulated intestinal fluid,and L-cysteine-containing simulated intestinal fluid were measured.The maximum daily intake of total mercury and soluble mercury was calculated based on the maximum daily clinical dosage.RESULTS Among the 15 types of medicines,the maximum daily intake of total mercury varied by 156 times,the daily intake of soluble mercury varied by 3 502 times in simulated gastric fluid,313 times in simulated intestinal fluid,and 10 663 times in L-cysteine-containing simulated intestinal fluid,approximately.CONCLUSION For the 15 types of HgS-containing traditional medicines,the daily maximum intake of soluble mercury showed greater variations than that of total mercury.Soluble mercury concentration is more closely correlated with intestinal absorption of mercury and thus represents a more rational quality control indicator for HgS-containing traditional medicines.

Objective:To evaluate the differential expression of RNA in blood monocytes in patients with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with TNF antagonists (TNFi), and to explore the effect and mechanism of gene expression on the efficacy of JIA.Methods:A total of 29 children with JIA treated with methotrexate (MTX) and TNFi in Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center of Guangzhou Medical University from April 2021 to November 2023 were enrolled. After 6 months, the children were divided into two groups according to the treatment effect, 13 cases in the ineffective group and 16 cases in the effective group, the peripheral blood of the children was collected, the blood mononuclear cells were isolated for transcriptome sequencing, the differentially expressed genes between the groups were analyzed, the signaling pathways and metabolic pathways related to the efficacy of TNFi were analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment, and the mechanism related to the efficacy of TNFi was explored. This study was approved by Medical Ethics Committee of the Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center of Guangzhou Medical University (Ethics No.: 2023-330B00).Results:There was a statistically significant difference in the gender and age distribution between the two groups of children ( P<0.05), while no statistically significant differences were observed in disease duration, rheumatoid antibody levels, or JIA subtypes ( P> 0.05). After sequencing data quality control and comparison of reference genomes, a total of 18 523 protein-coding genes were identified in all children′s samples. A total of 705 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the effective group and the invalid group through differential analysis, of which 579 were up-regulated in the effective group and 126 in the inactive group. GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEG was significantly enriched in 55 GO entries and 32 KEGG metabolic pathways, which were mainly related to IL-1β; production and regulation, cytokine production and regulation, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, immune response regulation, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Conclusion:DEG between the effective and ineffective groups of TNFi treatment may be involved in the biological processes such as cytokine production and regulation, cytokine-receptor interaction, and immune response regulation, which will be helpful to predict the efficacy and prognosis of TNFi treatment for JIA.

Objective In this preliminary survey,we sought to determine the composition of mosquito species inhabiting the Emeifeng Nature Reserve,Fujian Province,China.Methods Mosquito larvae were collected by straw and spoon trapping,and adult mosquitoes were collected by lamp trapping at selected breeding sites in the reserve.The specimens were initially identified based on morphology,with subsequent verification using molecular biology methods.Results A total of 34 mosquito species in 13 genera were collected,among which,there were 4 species of Anopheles(Genus Anopheles Meigen,1818),2 species of Lutzia(Genus Lutzia Theobald,1903),15 species of Culex(Genus Culex Linnaeus,1758),4 species of Stegomyia(Genus Stegomyia Theobald,1901),and single species of Hulecoeteomyia(Genus Hulecoeteomyia Theobald,1904),Luius(Genus Luius Reinert,Harbach et Kitching,2008),Aedes(Genus Aedes Meigen,1818),Downsiomyia(Genus Downsiomyia Vargas,1950),Collessius(Genus Collessius Reinert,Harbach et kitching,2006),Uranotaenia(Genus Uranotaenia Lynch 1891),Armigeres(Genus Armigeres Theobald,1901),Toxorhynchites(Genus Toxorhynchites Theobald,1901),and pestle mosquito(Genus Tripteroides Giles,1904).Conclusions The species composition of mosquitoes sampled in the Emeifeng Nature Reserve will provide a basis for further research on mosquito vectors and contribute to measures for local mosquito control.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differential expression of RNA in blood monocytes in patients with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with TNF antagonists (TNFi), and to explore the effect and mechanism of gene expression on the efficacy of JIA. METHODS: A total of 29 children with JIA treated with methotrexate (MTX) and TNFi in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center of Guangzhou Medical University from April 2021 to November 2023 were enrolled. After 6 months, the children were divided into two groups according to the treatment effect, i.e., 13 cases in the ineffective group and 16 cases in the effective group, the peripheral blood of the children was collected, the blood mononuclear cells were isolated for transcriptome sequencing, the differentially expressed genes between the groups were analyzed, the signaling pathways and metabolic pathways related to the efficacy of TNFi were analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment, and the mechanism related to the efficacy of TNFi was explored. This study was approved by Medical Ethics Committee of the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center of Guangzhou Medical University (Ethics No.: 2023-330B00). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the gender and age distribution between the two groups of children (P < 0.05), while no statistically significant differences were observed in disease duration, rheumatoid antibody levels, or JIA subtypes (P > 0.05). After sequencing data quality control and comparison of reference genomes, a total of 18 523 protein-coding genes were identified in all children's samples. A total of 705 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the effective group and the invalid group through differential analysis, of which 579 were up-regulated in the effective group and 126 in the inactive group. GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEG was significantly enriched in 55 GO entries and 32 KEGG metabolic pathways, which were mainly related to IL-1β production and regulation, cytokine production and regulation, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, immune response regulation, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. CONCLUSION DEG between the effective and ineffective groups of TNFi treatment may be involved in the biological processes such as cytokine production and regulation, cytokine-receptor interaction, and immune response regulation, which will be helpful to predict the efficacy and prognosis of TNFi treatment for JIA.
Humans ; Arthritis, Juvenile/blood* ; Female ; Male ; Child ; Methotrexate/therapeutic use* ; Child, Preschool ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Transcriptome ; Adolescent ; RNA/genetics* ; Signal Transduction ; Gene Expression Profiling

Degenerative cervical myelopathy(DCM)is a group of diseases caused by cervical spine degeneration that compresses the spinal cord.It is a major cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults,and its incidence is increasing globally.In the late stage,DCM could lead to paralysis due to spinal cord injury,which makes rapid,effective,and accurate medical diagnosis clinically significant.Deep learning(DL)technology can assist physicians in the rapid and accurate diagnosis of DCM by analyzing and processing a large amount of imaging data to extract features of the affected regions.In recent years,DL algorithm models have been leveraged for DCM-related research,which has become a focal point of intelligent medical development.In this review,domestic and international literature is surveyed,and the research progress and application of DL technology in the auxiliary diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of DCM are systematically summarized,aiming to provide a reference for intelligent diagnosis in clinical practice.

Objective To establish a chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for detecting chlorfenapyr and its metabolite tralopyril in blood,and to investigate the toxicokinetics in rats.Methods Chlorfenapyr(8 mg/kg)was administered orally to rats,and blood samples were collected from rats'canthus vein at 5 min,15 min,30 min,1 h,3 h,6 h,12 h,24 h and 48 h after administration.The blood samples were extracted using 100 μL of 5%formic acid solution and 400 μL of acetonitrile.Chlorfena-pyr was qualitatively and quantitatively detected by triple quadrupole gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(GC-MS/MS)and tralopyril was detected by triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS).The DAS 3.0 software was used to fit the toxicokinetic equa-tions and calculate the toxicokinetic parameters.Results Chlorfenapyr was detectable from 5 min to 24 h with a peak time of 1 h.Tralopyril was detectable from 15 min to 48 h with a peak time of 3 h.The toxicokinetic process of chlorfenapyr in rat blood conformed to a first-order absorption one-compartment open model,with the toxicokinetic equation described as C=e-0.265t-e-0.175t.Tralopyril con-formed to the first-order absorption three-compartment model,and the toxicokinetic equation was C=47 361.069e-2.209t-35 404.962e-1.486t+11 956.363e-0.512t.In the equations,C stands for the concentration of the target substance in the blood,e is the natural constant(≈2.718 28),and t stands for time.Conclu-sion This study optimized the detection method for chlorfenapyr and its metabolite tralopyril in blood.The toxicokinetic equations and parameters of chlorfenapyr and tralopyril can provide a reference for the estimation of oral intake time of chlorfenapyr.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*