Spermatogenesis is a fundamental process that requires a tightly controlled epigenetic event in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The mechanisms underlying the transition from SSCs to sperm are largely unknown. Most studies utilize gene knockout mice to explain the mechanisms. However, the production of genetically engineered mice is costly and time-consuming. In this study, we presented a convenient research strategy using an RNA interference (RNAi) and testicular transplantation approach. Histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation was dynamically regulated during spermatogenesis. As Jumonji domain-containing protein 1A (JMJD1A) and Jumonji domain-containing protein 2C (JMJD2C) demethylases catalyze histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2), we firstly analyzed the expression profile of the two demethylases and then investigated their function. Using the convenient research strategy, we showed that normal spermatogenesis is disrupted due to the downregulated expression of both demethylases. These results suggest that this strategy might be a simple and alternative approach for analyzing spermatogenesis relative to the gene knockout mice strategy.
Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; RNA Interference ; Testis/metabolism* ; Methylation ; Mice, Knockout ; Histone Demethylases

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical characteristics of pediatric Behçet syndrome (BS). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on the medical records of children hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University between December 2014 and December 2024 who met diagnostic criteria for BS. RESULTS: Among 45 children with BS, 26 (58%) were male. Oral aphthous ulcers were the most common manifestation (43/45, 96%), followed by genital ulcers (23/45, 51%) and gastrointestinal involvement (18/45, 40%). Genital ulcers were more frequent in girls, whereas ocular involvement was more common in boys (P<0.05). The pathergy test was positive in 10 (22%), and HLA-B51 was positive in 13 (29%). Fecal calprotectin (FC) was elevated in 16 (36%); gastrointestinal involvement was more frequent in children with elevated FC than in those with normal FC (P<0.05). According to the respective criteria, 17 (38%) patients met the International Study Group criteria (1990), 33 (73%) met the International Criteria for Behçet Disease (2014), and 13 (29%) met the Pediatric Behçet Disease criteria (2015). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric BS shows marked clinical heterogeneity. HLA-B51 is associated with disease susceptibility.
Humans ; Behcet Syndrome/genetics* ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Adolescent ; Child, Preschool ; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex/analysis* ; HLA-B51 Antigen

Depression is a prevalent mental and emotional disor-der that often results in significant emotional disturbances,cog-nitive dysfunction,and memory impairments.It is characterized by a high incidence rate,a substantial disability burden,and limited therapeutic efficacy.Currently,the long-term use of medications for the treatment of depression can result in a range of adverse reactions,highlighting the urgent need to explore no-vel approaches that can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms while minimizing side effects.Curcumin,a natural polyphenolic compound derived from the rhizome of turmeric,demonstrates considerable potential in the prevention and treatment of depres-sion,owing to its diverse array of biological activities.In recent years,numerous studies have investigated the use of curcumin for the treatment of depression.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of action underlying curcumin's efficacy in treating depression.Specifically,it focu-ses on its ability to improve neurotransmitter imbalances,restore neural plasticity,alleviate neural damage,mitigate dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,regulate in-flammatory factors and neuroinflammatory signaling pathways,and inhibit oxidative stress.This review is intended to offer in-sights and methodological references for basic research on curcu-min,as well as for the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Inula japonica Thunb.and their anti-asthmatic activity.METHODS Separation and purification were performed using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The effect of compounds on the release rate of β-Hex was evaluated by substrate coloration method.RESULTS Twenty-three compounds were isolated and identified as dehydrodontic acid(1),vitexin(2),alternariol(3),globuxanthone(4),1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone(5),hydroxyhydrolapachol(6),isoscopoletin(7),elephanmollen(8),benzoylcholine(9),hoconobiflavone(10),clovandiol(11),hydroxydihydrobovolide(12),5,7-dihydroxycoumarin(13),scopoletin(14),orlichenol glucoside(15),urolignoside(16),9-angeloyloxythymol(17),6,3′,4′-trihydroxyaurone(18),flufuran(19),sweroside(20),guajadial(21),5,7,4′-trimethoxy-4-phenylcoumarin(22),dibutylphthalate(23).After intervention with compounds 9 and 16,the release rates of β-Hex were(56.64±2.37)％and(58.07±2.29)％,respectively.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-23 are isolated from Ⅰ.japonica for the first time.Compounds 9 and 16 have anti-asthmatic activity.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Yifei Tongluo Decoction combined with azithromycin on patients with childern severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to Toxic Heat Blocking Lung.METHODS One hundred and fifty-six patients were randomly assigned into control group(78 cases)for 7-day administration of azithromycin,and observation group(78 cases)for 7-day administration of both Yifei Tongluo Decoction and azithromycin.The changes in clinical effects,disappearance time of local symptoms,mycoplasmas,pulmonary imaging score,Toxic Heat Blocking Lung score,pulmonary function indices(PEF,VPTEF,MMF,TPTEF),inflammatory factors(sB7-H3,Cgp-39,sICAM-1,CCL5),immune function indices(RBC-C3bR,RBC-ICR,CD3+,CD4+)and safety indices were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05),along with shorter disappearance time of local symptoms(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased mycoplasmas,pulmonary imaging score,Toxic Heat Blocking Lung score,inflammatory factors,RBC-ICR(P＜0.05),and increased pulmonary function indices,RBC-C3bR,CD3+,CD4+(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).No obvious difference in incidence of adverse reactions was found between the two groups(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with childern severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to Toxic Heat Blocking Lung,Yifei Tongluo Decoction combined with azithromycin can safely and effectively alleviate clinical symptoms,improve pulmonary functions,and reduce body inflammatory responses.

Depression is a prevalent mental and emotional disor-der that often results in significant emotional disturbances,cog-nitive dysfunction,and memory impairments.It is characterized by a high incidence rate,a substantial disability burden,and limited therapeutic efficacy.Currently,the long-term use of medications for the treatment of depression can result in a range of adverse reactions,highlighting the urgent need to explore no-vel approaches that can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms while minimizing side effects.Curcumin,a natural polyphenolic compound derived from the rhizome of turmeric,demonstrates considerable potential in the prevention and treatment of depres-sion,owing to its diverse array of biological activities.In recent years,numerous studies have investigated the use of curcumin for the treatment of depression.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of action underlying curcumin's efficacy in treating depression.Specifically,it focu-ses on its ability to improve neurotransmitter imbalances,restore neural plasticity,alleviate neural damage,mitigate dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,regulate in-flammatory factors and neuroinflammatory signaling pathways,and inhibit oxidative stress.This review is intended to offer in-sights and methodological references for basic research on curcu-min,as well as for the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Inula japonica Thunb.and their anti-asthmatic activity.METHODS Separation and purification were performed using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The effect of compounds on the release rate of β-Hex was evaluated by substrate coloration method.RESULTS Twenty-three compounds were isolated and identified as dehydrodontic acid(1),vitexin(2),alternariol(3),globuxanthone(4),1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone(5),hydroxyhydrolapachol(6),isoscopoletin(7),elephanmollen(8),benzoylcholine(9),hoconobiflavone(10),clovandiol(11),hydroxydihydrobovolide(12),5,7-dihydroxycoumarin(13),scopoletin(14),orlichenol glucoside(15),urolignoside(16),9-angeloyloxythymol(17),6,3′,4′-trihydroxyaurone(18),flufuran(19),sweroside(20),guajadial(21),5,7,4′-trimethoxy-4-phenylcoumarin(22),dibutylphthalate(23).After intervention with compounds 9 and 16,the release rates of β-Hex were(56.64±2.37)％and(58.07±2.29)％,respectively.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-23 are isolated from Ⅰ.japonica for the first time.Compounds 9 and 16 have anti-asthmatic activity.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Yifei Tongluo Decoction combined with azithromycin on patients with childern severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to Toxic Heat Blocking Lung.METHODS One hundred and fifty-six patients were randomly assigned into control group(78 cases)for 7-day administration of azithromycin,and observation group(78 cases)for 7-day administration of both Yifei Tongluo Decoction and azithromycin.The changes in clinical effects,disappearance time of local symptoms,mycoplasmas,pulmonary imaging score,Toxic Heat Blocking Lung score,pulmonary function indices(PEF,VPTEF,MMF,TPTEF),inflammatory factors(sB7-H3,Cgp-39,sICAM-1,CCL5),immune function indices(RBC-C3bR,RBC-ICR,CD3+,CD4+)and safety indices were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05),along with shorter disappearance time of local symptoms(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased mycoplasmas,pulmonary imaging score,Toxic Heat Blocking Lung score,inflammatory factors,RBC-ICR(P＜0.05),and increased pulmonary function indices,RBC-C3bR,CD3+,CD4+(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).No obvious difference in incidence of adverse reactions was found between the two groups(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with childern severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to Toxic Heat Blocking Lung,Yifei Tongluo Decoction combined with azithromycin can safely and effectively alleviate clinical symptoms,improve pulmonary functions,and reduce body inflammatory responses.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease and the most common type of arthritis. It involves almost any joint and can lead to chronic pain and disability. In the late 19th century, Roentgen discovered X-rays, and then began to use radiotherapy to treat tumors. In the 1980s, Luckey thought that low-level radiation (LDRT) might be beneficial to biology, and it was gradually applied to the treatment of some diseases. This paper introduces the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical manifestations and treatment methods of OA, points out that the cartilage injury and the important effect of synovial inflammation in the pathogenesis of OA, namely when the homeostasis of articular cartilage are destroyed, synthetic metabolism and catabolism imbalances, cartilage cells damaged their breakdown products consumed by synovial cells. Synovial cells and synovial macrophages secrete proinflammatory cytokines, metalloproteinases and proteolytic enzymes, leading to cartilage matrix degradation and chondrocyte damage, which aggravates synovial inflammation and cartilage damage, forming a vicious cycle. The possible mechanism and clinical research progress of LDRT in alleviating OA are discussed. LDRT can regulate inflammatory response, inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and promote the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby achieving anti-inflammatory effect. Studies have shown that after irradiation, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was decreased, the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the production of superoxide were inhibited, the anti-inflammatory phenotype of macrophages was differentiated from M1 to M2, the inflammatory CD8⁺ T cells were transformed into CD4⁺ T cells, and the number of dendritic cells (DC) was significantly reduced. LDRT inhibit the production of proinflammatory factors in leukocytes, reduce their recruitment and adhesion, and down-regulate the expression levels of cell adhesion molecules such as selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and vascular endothelial cell adhesion molecule (VCAM). LDRT can regulate endothelial cells, stimulate endothelial cells to produce a large amount of TGF-β1, reduce the adhesion of endothelial cells to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and contribute to the anti-inflammatory effect of LDRT. It also exerted anti-inflammatory effects by regulating mitochondrial growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15). After low-level radiation, the MMP-13 (matrix metalloproteinases-13) and the ADAMTS5 (recombinant a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin-5) decreased, the Col2a1 (collagen type 2) increased in chondrocytes. In the existing clinical studies, most patients can achieve relief of joint pain and recovery of joint mobility after irradiation, and the patients have good feedback on the efficacy. The adverse reactions (acute reactions and carcinogenic risks) caused by LDRT in the treatment of OA are also discussed. During the treatment of OA, a few patients have symptoms such as redness, dryness or itching at the joint skin, and the symptoms are mild and do not require further treatment. Patients are thus able to tolerate more frequent and longer doses of radiotherapy. In general, LDRT itself has the advantages of non-invasive, less adverse reactions, and shows the effect of pain relief and movement improvement in the treatment of OA. Therefore, LDRT has a broad application prospect in the treatment of OA.

Aim To analyze the anti-A549 and HI299 lung ade-nocarcinoma activities via using examples of baicalin, astragalo-side, hesperidin and cisplatin based on real time cellular analysis (RTCA) technology, and to build a new strategy for EC50 e-valuation reflecting the time-dimensional characteristic. Methods Using RTCA Software Pro for data analysis and GraphPad Prism and Origin Pro plotting, the in vitro anti-A549 and H1299 lung adenocarcinoma activities of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin, and cisplatin were characterized using the endpoint method and time dimension, respectively. Results (X) There were significant differences in EC50 values of A549 and H1299 cells at 24 h and 48 h endpoint methods. (2) The correlation coefficient of the curve fitted with the four-parameter equation was > 0. 9, and the dynamic change of EC50 remained relatively stable (the linear fitting of EC50 at adjacent 4 points I slope 1^1) used to calculate the EC50 value within this time dimension. The EC50 of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin and cisplatin on A549 cells was 52. 97 ±1.75 плпо! • L~1(16~48 h) , 62.88 ± 2.91 ijunol • L"1 (32.25 -48 h) , 78.84 ±0.33 плпо1 • L"1 (21.5 -29.75 h), 13.57 ±1.54 плпо1 • L_1(27.5 -48 h), respectively; the EC50 of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin and cisplatin on H1299 cells was 43. 71 ± 1. 26 |лто1 • L_1 ( 19. 5 -48 h), 47.23 ±1. 19 |лто1 • L_1(14 -48 h) , 39.45 ±0.24 плпо1 • L"1 (12.75 -46.25 h), 25.97 ±4.76 плпо1 • L"1 (10. 25 -48 h) , respectively. The results showed that the time window for the anti-tumor effect of the test solution/drug was different. Conclusions Based on RTCA technology, it is more accurate and reasonable to select EC50 data that exhibit better fitting, stable changes, and time-dimensional characteristics for the evaluation of anti-tumor activity. In addition, this method of distinguishing different effective time of antitumor drugs can provide a reference for the timing of clinical combination drugs, and this approach will also provide a reference for further related studies.