The effect of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction on the intestinal flora of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) was investigated using 16S rRNA sequencing technology. Sixty rats were randomly divided into a normal group(10 rats) and a modeling group(50 rats). After one week of adaptive feeding, a high-fat diet + streptozotocin was given for modeling, and fasting blood glucose >16.7 mmol·L~(-1) was considered a sign of successful modeling. The modeling group was randomly divided into the model group, high-, medium-, and low-dose groups of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction, and metformin group. After seven days of intragastric treatment, the feces, colon, and pancreatic tissue of each group of rats were collected, and the pathological changes of the colon and pancreatic tissue of each group were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The changes in the intestinal flora structure of each group were observed by the 16S rRNA sequencing method. The results showed that compared with the model group, the high-, medium-, and low-dose of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction reduced fasting blood glucose levels to different degrees and showed no significant changes in body weight. The number of islet cells increased, and intestinal mucosal damage attenuated. Alpha diversity analysis revealed that Huanglian Jiedu Decoction reduced the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora in rats with T2DM; at the phylum level, low-and mediam-dose of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction reduced the abundance of Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Desulfobacterota and increased the abundance of Firmicute and Bacteroidota/Firmicutes, while the high-dose of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota/Firmicutes ratio, and decreaseal the relative; abundance of Firmicute; at the genus level, Huanglian Jiedu Decoction increased the relative abundance of Allobaculum, Blautia, and Lactobacillus; LEfse analysis revealed that the biomarker of low-and medium-dose groups of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction was Lactobacillus, and the structure of the intestinal flora of the low-dose group of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction was highly similar to that of the metformin group. PICRUSt2 function prediction revealed that Huanglian Jiedu Decoction mainly affected carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways. It suggested that Huanglian Jiedu Decoction could reduce fasting blood glucose and increase the number of islet cells in rats with T2DM, and its mechanism of action may be related to increasing the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing strains and Lactobacillus and affecting carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Humans ; Bacteria/drug effects* ; Blood Glucose/metabolism*

In this study, potential quality markers(Q-markers) of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus for treating bronchial asthma were predicted based on analytic hierarchy process(AHP), entropy weight method(EWM), fingerprint, and network pharmacology. AHPEWM was employed to quantitatively identify the Q-markers of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus. AHP was used to weight the primary indicators(effectiveness, measurability, and specificity), while EWM was employed to analyze the secondary indicators of each primer indicator. Further, through fingerprint combined with network pharmacology, a ″component-target-pathway″ network was constructed to screen the components of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus for treating bronchial asthma. It was finally determined that schisandrol A,schisandrin A, and schisandrin B were potential Q-markers of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus in the treatment of bronchial asthma. This study is the first to comprehensively use AHP-EWM, fingerprint, and network pharmacology to screen the key Q-markers of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus in the treatment of bronchial asthma. This study provides a scientific basis for improving the quality standard of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus and lays a foundation for studying its material basis in treating bronchial asthma.
Schisandra/chemistry* ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Network Pharmacology ; Humans ; Entropy ; Lignans/analysis* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Cyclooctanes ; Polycyclic Compounds/analysis*

This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds. Among them, 102 compounds were reported in R. tomentosum for the first time, and 36 compounds were identified by comparing them with reference compounds. The chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum leaves and stems showed slight differences, with 84 common chemical components accounting for 71.2% of the total 118 compounds. This study systematically characterized and identified the non-volatile chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum for the first time. The findings provide a reference for active ingredient research, quality control, and product development of R. tomentosum.
Rhododendron/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

Icariin is a pure compound derived from Epimedium brevicornu Maxim, and it helps the regulation of male reproduction. Nevertheless, the role and underlying mechanisms of Icariin in mediating male germ cell development remain to be clarified. Here, we have demonstrated that Icariin promoted proliferation and DNA synthesis of mouse spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Furthermore, surface plasmon resonance iron (SPRi) and molecular docking (MOE) assays revealed that phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) was an important target of Icariin in mouse SSCs. Mechanically, Icariin decreased the expression level of PDE5A. Interestingly, hydrogen peroxides (H 2 O 2 ) enhanced the expression level of phosphorylation H2A.X (p-H2A.X), whereas Icariin diminished the expression level of p-H2A.X and DNA damage caused by H 2 O 2 in mouse SSCs. Finally, our in vivo animal study indicated that Icariin protected male reproduction. Collectively, these results implicate that Icariin targets PDE5A to regulate mouse SSC viability and DNA damage and improves male reproductive capacity. This study thus sheds new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the fate decisions of mammalian SSCs and offers a scientific basis for the clinical application of Icariin in male reproduction.
Male ; Animals ; Flavonoids/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5/drug effects* ; DNA Damage/drug effects* ; Cell Survival/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Spermatogonia/drug effects* ; Reproduction/drug effects* ; Adult Germline Stem Cells/metabolism* ; DNA Replication/drug effects*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the application value of thromboelastography (TEG) in assessing coagulation function in children with severe hemophilia A (HA) after emicizumab (EMI) therapy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and TEG testing results of 17 children with severe HA before and after EMI treatment at Shenzhen Children's Hospital from January 2023 to July 2024. Correlation analysis was conducted between coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) equivalent activity and reaction time (R value) measured by TEG. RESULTS: After EMI treatment, the mean bleeding rate for children with severe HA was 1.6 events per year, with 15 children (88%) without spontaneous bleeding or joint bleeding. The children with severe HA showed a significant reduction in APTT after EMI treatment (P<0.05), with a significantly shorter APTT than the normal control group (P<0.05). There was no correlation between APTT and FVIII equivalent activity after treatment (P>0.05). After EMI treatment, TEG parameters, including R value, kinetic time, alpha angle (α), maximum amplitude, clot strength, and coagulation index, shifted from a hypocoagulable state before treatment to a nearly normal state after treatment (P<0.05). The R value demonstrated a strong negative correlation with FVIII equivalent activity (r=-0.758, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The bleeding condition of children with severe HA can be effectively controlled after EMI treatment. Routine APTT testing cannot reflect true coagulation function, whereas TEG testing is clinically valuable in assessing the coagulation function of children with severe HA undergoing EMI treatment.
Humans ; Thrombelastography ; Hemophilia A/physiopathology* ; Male ; Child ; Antibodies, Bispecific/therapeutic use* ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use* ; Blood Coagulation/drug effects* ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Adolescent ; Infant

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of thiotepa (TT)-containing conditioning regimens for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in children with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). METHODS: Clinical data of 22 children with IEI who underwent HSCT were retrospectively reviewed. Survival after HSCT was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Nine patients received a traditional conditioning regimen (fludarabine + busulfan + cyclophosphamide/etoposide) and underwent peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Thirteen patients received a TT-containing modified conditioning regimen (TT + fludarabine + busulfan + cyclophosphamide), including seven PBSCT and six umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) cases. Successful engraftment with complete donor chimerism was achieved in all patients. Acute graft-versus-host disease occurred in 12 patients (one with grade III and the remaining with grade I-II). Chronic graft-versus-host disease occurred in one patient. The incidence of EB viremia in UCBT patients was lower than that in PBSCT patients (P<0.05). Over a median follow-up of 36.0 months, one death occurred. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 100% for the modified regimen and 88.9% ± 10.5% for the traditional regimen (P=0.229). When comparing transplantation types, the 3-year OS rates were 100% for UCBT and 93.8% ± 6.1% for PBSCT (P>0.05), and the 3-year event-free survival rates were 100% and 87.1% ± 8.6%, respectively (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS TT-containing conditioning for allogeneic HSCT in children with IEI is safe and effective. Both UCBT and PBSCT may achieve high success rates.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation Conditioning/methods* ; Thiotepa/therapeutic use* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Child ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can result in fatigue and post-exertional malaise; however, whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection exacerbates lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is unclear. This study investigated the association between prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and postpartum LUTS. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted at two tertiary hospitals in China from November 1, 2022, to November 1, 2023. Participants were classified into infected and uninfected groups based on SARS-CoV-2 antigen results. LUTS prevalence and severity were assessed using self-reported symptoms and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-Short Form (IIQ-7). Pelvic floor muscle activity was measured using electromyography following the Glazer protocol. Group comparisons were performed to evaluate the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with LUTS and electromyography parameters, with stratified analyses conducted using SPSS version 26.0. RESULTS: Among 3,652 participants (681 infected, 2,971 uninfected), no significant differences in LUTS prevalence or IIQ-7 scores were observed. However, SARS-CoV-2 infection was an independent factor influencing the electromyographic activity of the pelvic floor muscles (mean tonic contraction amplitudes), regardless of delivery mode ( P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection was not significantly associated with an increased risk of postpartum LUTS but independently altered pelvic floor muscle electromyographic activity, suggesting potential neuromuscular effects.
Humans ; Female ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Pregnancy ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms/virology* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Electromyography ; SARS-CoV-2/physiology* ; Pelvic Floor/physiopathology* ; Prevalence

Readiness for Hospital Discharge(RHD)refers to a multidimensional assessment of a patient's ability to transition safely from hospital to home,encompassing physiological stability,psychological preparedness,and social support adequacy.For patients requiring Home Nutrition Support(HNS),discharge readiness is particularly critical due to their heightened need for post-discharge specialized care,which significantly influences long-term recovery and quality of life.This paper reviews the concept,influencing factors,and unmet needs of RHD in patients with HNS and proposes targeted strategies to enhance discharge preparedness.By addressing gaps in current practices,we aim to optimize RHD in this vulnerable population and provide clinicians with evidence-based guidance for developing effective discharge plans.

Arsenic is a semi-metal,and lipid-soluble arsenic compounds are one of the widespread forms in the environment and food chain,but there is a lack of standards for lipid-soluble arsenic compounds,which is one of the bottlenecks in the current analytical detection and toxicological studies of organic arsenic.In this study,four saturated arsenic-containing hydrocarbons,AsHC 318,AsHC 332,AsHC 346,and AsHC 374(The number is relative molecular mass),were successfully synthesized in three steps by using dimethylarsinic acid,potassium iodide,sodium hydroxide,and four brominated alkanes(1-Bromotetradecane,1-bromopentadecane,1-bromohexadecane,and 1-bromooctadecane)as raw materials.The structures of these four saturated arsenic-containing hydrocarbons were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance(1H NMR)spectroscopy,13C nuclear magnetic resonance(13C NMR)spectroscopy,and high-resolution mass spectrometry(HR-MS).The yields of the method were 8%-10%,and the synthesized compounds could be used in subsequent toxicity evaluation experiments to assess the toxic effects and mechanisms of action of arsenic-containing hydrocarbons.This study provided an effective method for synthesis of arsenic-containing hydrocarbons,enriching the synthesis methods of arsenic-containing hydrocarbons,and provided raw materials for the subsequent toxicological studies of arsenic-containing hydrocarbons.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for severe illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 in Fuzhou city.Methods The data of 4081 confirmed cases with current address in Fuzhou was collected from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention from January 1 to June 30,2023.The epidemiological data of those cases was investigated such as the demographic characteristics,clinical manifestations and past medical history,etc.The risk factors of severe cases were analyzed by using the logistic regression.Results 4081 confirmed cases had been reported including 671 severe cases and 3410 non-severe cases.The demographic characteristics of severe cases,such as the proportion of male,age and current address in community were higher than that of non-severe cases,vaccination rate was lower than non-severe cases(59.02%vs.80.12%),the differences are statistically significant(P＜0.001).The clinical manifestations such as interval time between onset and visit(P=0.001),fever(P=0.002),difficulty in breathing/shortness of breath(P=0.001)were the factors related to severe illness.The past medical histories such as history of chronic lung disease,history of heart cerebrovascular disease of severe cases,were higher than that of non-severe cases(P＜0.001).Multivariate logistic regression showed that the male,the higher age,current address in community,no vaccination,the longer interval time between onset and visit,fever,difficulty in breathing/shortness of breath,the history of chronic lung disease,the history of heart cerebrovascular disease raised the risk of becoming severe cases.The healing time for severe cases was longer than that for non-severe cases(P＜0.001).Conclusion Sex,age,current address,vaccination,interval time between onset and visit,fever,difficulty in breathing/shortness of breath,history of chronic lung disease,and history of heart cerebrovascular disease are the influencing factors for severe illness.