ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of topical treatment of allergic contact dermatitis （ACD） mice with Portulacae Herba based on the nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 70 6-week-old specific pathogen free （SPF） female Kunming mice were adaptively fed for 1 week and randomly divided into blank group， model group， compound dexamethasone acetate cream group （2.075×10^-2 g·g^-1）， blank matrix cream group， low-dose Portulacae Herba cream group （0.1 g·g^-1）， high-dose Portulacae Herba cream group （0.2 g·g^-1）， and Portulacae Herba + inhibitor group （0.2 g·g^-1 + 30 mg·kg^-1 ML385）， with 10 mice in each group. One day before the experiment， the mice were shaved on the neck and back. Except for the blank group， the mice in the other groups were treated with 2，4-dinitrochlorobenzene （DNCB） to establish an ACD model. After respective administration， the skin lesion of the mice was scored， and the histopathological changes of the skin were stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity， and malondialdehyde （MDA） in serum of mice. The expression of Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins in mouse skin tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， Western blot， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the mice in the model group had an increased skin lesion score （P<0.01）， severe pathological damage to skin tissue， increased content of IL-1β， IL-6， ROS， and MDA in their serum （P<0.01）， and decreased content of SOD （P<0.01）. In addition， the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α （IκBα） in skin tissue were up-regulated （P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of phosphorylated （p）-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were down-regulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group and the blank matrix cream group， the mice treated with Portulacae Herba had a decreased skin lesion score （P<0.01）， reduced pathological damage to skin tissue， decreased content of IL-1β， IL-6， ROS， and MDA in their serum （P<0.01）， and increased content of SOD （P<0.01）. Additionally， the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and IκBα in skin tissue were down-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were up-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the Portulacae Herba + inhibitor group， the high-dose Portulacae Herba cream group had a decreased skin lesion score （P<0.01）， alleviated pathological damage to skin tissue， decreased content of IL-1β， IL-6， ROS， and MDA in the serum of mice （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and increased content of SOD （P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and IκBα and the mRNA expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in skin tissue were up-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were down-regulated （P<0.05）. ConclusionPortulacae Herba can improve DNCB-induced ACD skin damage in mice by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

G protein-coupled receptor 120(GPR120)is one of the membrane receptors for long chain free fatty acids and is distributed in alveolus macrophages and airway epithelial Club cells.GPR120 activation alleviates the inflammation of respiratory tract,improves airway hyper-responsiveness,stimulates proliferation of Club cells and promotes the repair of respiratory epithelium,which may attenuate asthma and acute lung injury.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a double stranded DNA virus that can be transmitted through animal-human or human-human routes. The experimental method for detecting MPXV infection include virus isolation and culture, electron microscopic observation, antigen and/or antibody detection, and molecular biologic testing. Among them, polymerase chain reaction is the preferred detection method for screening MPXV in blood donors. Blood may not be the main route of interpersonal transmission of MPXV, but there is a potential risk of transfusion transmission of MPXV during the viremia stage, and multiple factors affect the possibility of transfusion transmission of MPXV. Pathogen reduction techniques are a proactive strategy to reduce the risk of transfusion transmission of MPXV in virus-endemic areas. The development of molecular method for rapid and accurate diagnosis of MPXV and the study of the infectious dose required for transfusion transmission of MPXV are essential for the development of effective strategies to maintain transfusion safety.

Objective To compare ovulation recovery rate and metabolic indicators between ethinyl-estradiol/drospirenone(EE/DRSP)combined with orlistat and EE/DRSP alone in overweight/obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted based on the 2004 Rotterdam criteria.From October 2020 to December 2023,180 overweight/obese PCOS patients aged 20-40 were recruited from the Department of Department of Gynecological Endocrinology,Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital,Capital Medical University.The patients were randomly divided into two groups in a 1∶2 ratio.Among them,60 patients received treatment with EE/DRSP(EE20 μg,DRSP 3 mg),while 120 patients received a combination treatment of EE/DRSP and orlistat(360 mg/d).The height,weight,waist circumference,hip circumference,and blood pressure of the patients were measured before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment.Laboratory tests included measurements of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),fasting insulin(FINS),homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),free androgen index(FAI),alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartate transaminase(AST),gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)],sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG),total testosterone(T),and free testosterone(FT).After 12 weeks of treatment,the medication was discontinued,and natural ovulation was observed.Results After 12 weeks of treatment,the ovulation rate of the EE/DRSP combined with orlistat group reached 70.8%,while the natural ovulation rate of the EE/DRSP group alone was only 35%,indicating that the ovulation rate was significantly increased after EE/DRSP combined with orlistat treatment.After 12 weeks of treatment,both groups showed a significant decrease in total testosterone,free testosterone,and low-density lipoprotein levels(all P<0.05),and the decrease in BMI,waist circumference,fasting insulin,and HOMA-IR in the EE/DRSP combined with orlistat group was greater than that in the EE/DRSP group alone(P<0.05).After treatment,both groups showed a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels(all P<0.05),with no significant changes in total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose(all P>0.05).Conclusion After 12 weeks of treatment,EE/DRSP combined with orlistat can significantly improve the ovulation rate of PCOS patients.It is superior to EE/DRSP alone in reducing androgen levels,body weight,insulin resistance,and low-density lipoprotein levels.

Objective To investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of tetrahydrocurcumin(THC)on thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection(TAAD)in mice.Methods TAAD was induced in 3-week-old C57BL/6J mice by oral administration of β-aminopropionitrile(BAPN)(diluted in drinking water,1 g/(kg·d)).Eighty mice were divided randomly into Con,BAPN,BAPN+THC,and BAPN+THC+3-TYP(SIRT3 inhibitor)groups(n=20 mice per group).The survival rate of mice in each group was recorded after 4 weeks.The maximum diameter of the aorta was measured and the histomorphology and aortic wall elastin integrity were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and elastin van Gieson staining.Macrophage infiltration was detected by immunohistochemical staining and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and osteopontin(OPN)expression were detected by immunofluorescence staining.The production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)was measured by dihydroethidium staining and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels were determined using kits.Protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)2,MMP9,interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2),NADPH oxidase 2(NOX2),α-SMA,OPN,sirtuin 3(SIRT3),Ac-SOD2,and SOD2 were measured by Western Blot.Results Mice in the BAPN+THC group showed significantly higher survival and a lower incidence of TAAD compared with the BAPN group and the degree of aortic dilatation and morphology and structure were improved(P＜0.05).Infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages and MMP2,MMP9,IL-6,and TNF-α expression levels were lower(P＜0.05),ROS generation,MDA content,and NOX2 expression in aortic tissue were also significantly decreased,while SOD activity and NRF2 expression were increased(P＜0.05).α-SMA expression was also increased,while OPN expression was reduced(P＜0.05).SIRT3 expression was increased while the Ac-SOD2/SOD2 ratio was decreased(P＜0.01).Treatment with the SIRT3-specific inhibitor and silencing of SIRT3 counteracted the ability of THC to resist TAAD via the SIRT3 signaling pathway(all P＜0.05).Conclusions THC alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress in aortic tissues by activating the SIRT3 signaling pathway,thus inhibiting the phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells and resisting the formation of TAAD in mice.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of T cell subtype characteristics and peripheral blood inflammatory indicators in patients with liver cancer for myelosuppression after hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy.Methods:A total of 115 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma who received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment in the Department of Oncology of Taizhou Jiangyan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from May 2022 to May 2024 were enrolled as the research subjects. According to whether myelosuppression occurred after TACE treatment, the patients were divided into a non-myelosuppression group ( n=93) and a myelosuppression group ( n=22). The clinical data, the proportions of T cell subsets before TACE treatment, and the differences in the levels of peripheral blood inflammatory indexes were compared between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen out the influencing factors of myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the efficacy of each influencing factor in predicting the myelosuppression of patients. Results:There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, history of hypertension, body mass index, type of hepatitis virus infection, status of hypersplenism, Barcelona staging, Child-Pugh classification of liver function, number of TACE treatments, and the proportion of CD8 + T cells between the patients in the myelosuppression group and non-myelosuppression group (all P>0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in diabetes ( χ2=3.94, P=0.047), history of alcohol consumption ( χ2=5.47, P=0.019), the longest diameter of the tumor ( Z=2.31, P=0.021), the presence of ascites ( χ2=4.10, P=0.043), the proportion of CD4 + T cells ( t=4.66, P<0.001), the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( t=4.98, P<0.001), the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ( t=4.98, P<0.001), the monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) ( t=2.31, P=0.023), and the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) ( t=5.31, P<0.001). Spearman correlation analysis showed that diabetes ( r=0.19, P=0.048), history of alcohol consumption ( r=0.22, P=0.019), the presence of ascites ( r=0.19, P=0.043), the longest diameter of the tumor ( r=0.22, P=0.020), NLR ( r=0.39, P<0.001), MLR ( r=0.30, P=0.001), and SII ( r=0.36, P<0.001) were all positively correlated with myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, while the proportion of CD4 + T cells ( r=-0.37, P<0.001) and the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( r=-0.40, P<0.001) were negatively correlated with myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( OR=0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.11, P=0.002) was an independent protective factor for myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and NLR ( OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.31-5.60, P=0.013) and SII ( OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05, P=0.002) were both independent risk factors for myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve (AUCs) of the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 +, NLR, and SII for predicting myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma alone were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70-0.89), 0.78 (95% CI: 0.65-0.92), and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65-0.87), respectively. The AUC of the combined prediction of the three was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.83-0.99), which was higher than that of the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( Z=4.21, P<0.001), NLR ( Z=4.36, P<0.001), and SII ( Z=4.48, P<0.001) for prediction alone. Conclusions:The ratio of CD4 +/CD8 +, as well as NLR and SII levels before TACE treatment are independent factors influencing the occurrence of myelosuppression after treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and are expected to be important indicators for predicting myelosuppression after hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective To compare ovulation recovery rate and metabolic indicators between ethinyl-estradiol/drospirenone(EE/DRSP)combined with orlistat and EE/DRSP alone in overweight/obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted based on the 2004 Rotterdam criteria.From October 2020 to December 2023,180 overweight/obese PCOS patients aged 20-40 were recruited from the Department of Department of Gynecological Endocrinology,Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital,Capital Medical University.The patients were randomly divided into two groups in a 1∶2 ratio.Among them,60 patients received treatment with EE/DRSP(EE20 μg,DRSP 3 mg),while 120 patients received a combination treatment of EE/DRSP and orlistat(360 mg/d).The height,weight,waist circumference,hip circumference,and blood pressure of the patients were measured before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment.Laboratory tests included measurements of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),fasting insulin(FINS),homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),free androgen index(FAI),alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartate transaminase(AST),gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)],sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG),total testosterone(T),and free testosterone(FT).After 12 weeks of treatment,the medication was discontinued,and natural ovulation was observed.Results After 12 weeks of treatment,the ovulation rate of the EE/DRSP combined with orlistat group reached 70.8%,while the natural ovulation rate of the EE/DRSP group alone was only 35%,indicating that the ovulation rate was significantly increased after EE/DRSP combined with orlistat treatment.After 12 weeks of treatment,both groups showed a significant decrease in total testosterone,free testosterone,and low-density lipoprotein levels(all P<0.05),and the decrease in BMI,waist circumference,fasting insulin,and HOMA-IR in the EE/DRSP combined with orlistat group was greater than that in the EE/DRSP group alone(P<0.05).After treatment,both groups showed a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels(all P<0.05),with no significant changes in total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose(all P>0.05).Conclusion After 12 weeks of treatment,EE/DRSP combined with orlistat can significantly improve the ovulation rate of PCOS patients.It is superior to EE/DRSP alone in reducing androgen levels,body weight,insulin resistance,and low-density lipoprotein levels.

Objective To investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of tetrahydrocurcumin(THC)on thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection(TAAD)in mice.Methods TAAD was induced in 3-week-old C57BL/6J mice by oral administration of β-aminopropionitrile(BAPN)(diluted in drinking water,1 g/(kg·d)).Eighty mice were divided randomly into Con,BAPN,BAPN+THC,and BAPN+THC+3-TYP(SIRT3 inhibitor)groups(n=20 mice per group).The survival rate of mice in each group was recorded after 4 weeks.The maximum diameter of the aorta was measured and the histomorphology and aortic wall elastin integrity were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and elastin van Gieson staining.Macrophage infiltration was detected by immunohistochemical staining and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and osteopontin(OPN)expression were detected by immunofluorescence staining.The production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)was measured by dihydroethidium staining and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels were determined using kits.Protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)2,MMP9,interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2),NADPH oxidase 2(NOX2),α-SMA,OPN,sirtuin 3(SIRT3),Ac-SOD2,and SOD2 were measured by Western Blot.Results Mice in the BAPN+THC group showed significantly higher survival and a lower incidence of TAAD compared with the BAPN group and the degree of aortic dilatation and morphology and structure were improved(P＜0.05).Infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages and MMP2,MMP9,IL-6,and TNF-α expression levels were lower(P＜0.05),ROS generation,MDA content,and NOX2 expression in aortic tissue were also significantly decreased,while SOD activity and NRF2 expression were increased(P＜0.05).α-SMA expression was also increased,while OPN expression was reduced(P＜0.05).SIRT3 expression was increased while the Ac-SOD2/SOD2 ratio was decreased(P＜0.01).Treatment with the SIRT3-specific inhibitor and silencing of SIRT3 counteracted the ability of THC to resist TAAD via the SIRT3 signaling pathway(all P＜0.05).Conclusions THC alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress in aortic tissues by activating the SIRT3 signaling pathway,thus inhibiting the phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells and resisting the formation of TAAD in mice.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a double stranded DNA virus that can be transmitted through animal-human or human-human routes. The experimental method for detecting MPXV infection include virus isolation and culture, electron microscopic observation, antigen and/or antibody detection, and molecular biologic testing. Among them, polymerase chain reaction is the preferred detection method for screening MPXV in blood donors. Blood may not be the main route of interpersonal transmission of MPXV, but there is a potential risk of transfusion transmission of MPXV during the viremia stage, and multiple factors affect the possibility of transfusion transmission of MPXV. Pathogen reduction techniques are a proactive strategy to reduce the risk of transfusion transmission of MPXV in virus-endemic areas. The development of molecular method for rapid and accurate diagnosis of MPXV and the study of the infectious dose required for transfusion transmission of MPXV are essential for the development of effective strategies to maintain transfusion safety.