ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which Tangbikang granules improve diabetic peripheral neuropathy based on ferroptosis mediated by the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （AMPK/Nrf2） signaling pathway. MethodsA diabetes model was established using spontaneous male Zucker diabetic fatty （ZDF） rats. After successful modeling， the rats were divided into a normal group， a model group， high-， medium-， and low-dose Tangbikang granules groups， and a metformin hydrochloride group. The high-， medium-， and low-dose Tangbikang granules groups were administered by gavage at doses of 2.5， 1.25， 0.625 g·kg^-1， respectively. The metformin hydrochloride group received 0.135 g·kg^-1 by gavage， while the remaining groups received an equal volume of deionized water. Administration continued for 12 weeks. Blood glucose levels were measured after administration， and at 4， 8， 12 weeks. Following the 12-week intervention， the thermal pain threshold and the sciatic nerve conduction velocity （SNCV） were measured. The levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in the sciatic nerve were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Morphological changes in the sciatic nerve were observed using hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining， and the ultrastructural changes were examined using transmission electron microscopy. The levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPx4） were detected using immunofluorescence （IF） assay. The protein expression levels of p-AMPK， Nrf2， GPx4， and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 （ACSL4） were detected using Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group had significantly higher blood glucose levels after administration and at weeks 4， 8 and 12 （P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly prolonged （P<0.01）， and the SNCV was significantly slowed down （P<0.01）. The SOD and ATP levels significantly decreased （P<0.01）， while the MDA levels significantly increased （P<0.01）. Pathologically， the sciatic nerve fibers in the model group showed a dispersed structure， disordered and sparse arrangement， axonal atrophy， irregular myelin sheath halo， increased and swollen Schwann cell nuclei， obvious endoneurial fibrosis， and collagen hyperplasia. Immunofluorescence assay revealed fragmented red fluorescence and significantly reduced expression of GPx4 （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis showed significantly decreased protein expression levels of p-AMPK， Nrf2， and GPx4 （P<0.01）， and significantly increased expression of ACSL4 （P<0.01） in the model group. Compared with the model group， fasting blood glucose level decreased significantly in the high-dose Tangbikang granules group at weeks 4 and 12 （P<0.05）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly shortened in the high- and medium-dose Tangbikang granules groups （P<0.01）. The SNCV was significantly accelerated in the high- and medium-dose Tangbikang granules groups （P<0.01）. The SOD levels were significantly elevated in the high-dose Tangbikang granules group （P<0.01）. The MDA levels significantly decreased in all Tangbikang granules groups （P<0.01）. Both the metformin hydrochloride group and the high-dose Tangbikang granules group exhibited relatively orderly and densely arranged sciatic nerve fibers with more regular myelin sheath halos. The GPx4 expression significantly increased in both the metformin hydrochloride group and all Tangbikang granules groups （P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of p-AMPK， Nrf2， and GPx4 were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while ACSL4 protein expression significantly decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionTangbikang granules may improve peripheral neuropathy by suppressing ferroptosis through the regulation of the AMPK/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Trichinella spiralis zinc metalloproteinase NAS-36 gene(TsNas36)is a member of the zinc metalloproteinase family found in excretory secretory products(ESP)of T.spiralis.In this study,TsNas36 gene was cloned and expressed,and its biological characteristics and temporal and spatial characteristics were identified.These results provide a theoretical and material basis for ex-ploring the biological function of TsNas36 gene.Bioinformatics analysis showed that TsNas36 was 470 amino acids(AA)in length with a molecular weight of about 54.69 kDa,no transmembrane region,and contained a signal peptide(1-20 AA),an Astacins domain(116-320 AA)and a CUB domain(355-470 AA).There were five active site residues located at amino acids 216(His),217(Glu),220(His),226(His)and 275(Tyr).The expression plasmid pET-28a(+)/TsNas36 was constructed and induced to express in E.coli BL21(DE3)to obtain the recombinant protein rTs-Nas36.The recombinant protein was used to immunize rabbits to obtain anti-rTsNas36 polyclonal antibody serum.Indirect ELISA results showed that the antibody titer reached 1∶105.qRT-PCR and Western blot results showed that the transcription levels of TsNas36 were significantly higher in newborn larvae(NBL)than in adult worm(AW)and muscle larva(ML)stages.Immunofluo-rescence results showed that TsNas36 was only localized in the epidermis of NBL.In summary,this study characterized the biological characteristics of the TsNas36 gene and found that this gene is highly period-specific and may be involved in the unique developmental process of NBL.

Objective:To determine the weight coefficient of home care service quality indicators for the disabled elderly in Beijing.Methods:In the early stage, our research group has preliminarily constructed quality indicators of home care service for the disabled elderly in Beijing. The importance scores of all indicators were obtained through expert consultation from September to October 2021. Based on the game theory, the subjective and objective weighting methods were integrated to quantify the combinatorial optimization weight assignment of those indicators, in which the subjective weighting was calculated by proportional distribution method, and the objective weighting was obtained by entropy weight method.Results:The subjective weight assignments of the first-level indicators “service conditions”“service process” and “service outcome”were 0.332 2, 0.338 9, and 0.328 9, respectively; the objective weight assignments of the above indicators were 0.332 2, 0.338 9 and 0.328 9, respectively; the combinatorial optimization weight assignment of those indicators were 0.332 2, 0.338 9, and 0.328 9, respectively. Among the second-level indicators, the combination optimization weight coefficients of the top 3 important indicators “patient family evaluation”(1.3),“emergency configuration”(1.4), and“operation process”(2.2) were 0.198 4, 0.198 4 and 0.170 8, respectively. And among the third-level indicators, the combination optimization weight coefficients of the top 5 important indicators“emergency plan”(1.4.1), “humanistic care”(2.2.6), “first aid supplies”(1.4.2), “evaluation of potential resources”(1.3.4), and “means of home visit transportation”(1.2.1) were 0.124 7, 0.075 0, 0.073 8, 0.066 5 and 0.052 7, respectively.Conclusion:The study has successfully conducted the optimization weight assignment of home care service quality indicators for the disabled elderly in Beijing, which indicates that the service conditions and service process are crucial to the quality of service.

BACKGROUND:It is urgent to improve the study on the molecular mechanism of Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction improving oocyte quality in polycystic ovary syndrome.OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction on oocyte quality in a mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome and to explore the underlying mechanisms of its intervention in polycystic ovary syndrome.METHODS:Subcutaneous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was used to establish the polycystic ovary syndrome model in 21-day-old female Kunming mice,and the treatment was conducted for 21 consecutive days.The estrous cycle and pregnancy was recorded.ELISA was used to detect serum sex hormone levels.The rate of apoptosis in oocytes was detected using Annexin V staining.The level of reactive oxygen species in oocytes was detected using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate.The condition of spindle bodies and chromosomes in oocytes were detected using the immunofluorescence method.Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to verify the binding properties of Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction core active components and oocyte maturation-related factors(growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15).Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15 in oocytes,respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction core active components(quercetin,kaempferol,and β-sitosterol)showed good binding activities with growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15.(2)Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction ameliorated the estrous cycle,regulated serum hormone,increased the pregnancy,decreased the rate of apoptosis,declined the level of reactive oxygen species,diminished the rate of abnormal spindle assembly and chromosome loss(P<0.01,P<0.05);and promoted the mRNA and protein expression of growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15(P<0.05).Therefore,Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction may improve the oocyte quality and increase the fertility of polycystic ovary syndrome mice by regulating the gene expression of growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15.

Trichinella spiralis zinc metalloproteinase NAS-36 gene(TsNas36)is a member of the zinc metalloproteinase family found in excretory secretory products(ESP)of T.spiralis.In this study,TsNas36 gene was cloned and expressed,and its biological characteristics and temporal and spatial characteristics were identified.These results provide a theoretical and material basis for ex-ploring the biological function of TsNas36 gene.Bioinformatics analysis showed that TsNas36 was 470 amino acids(AA)in length with a molecular weight of about 54.69 kDa,no transmembrane region,and contained a signal peptide(1-20 AA),an Astacins domain(116-320 AA)and a CUB domain(355-470 AA).There were five active site residues located at amino acids 216(His),217(Glu),220(His),226(His)and 275(Tyr).The expression plasmid pET-28a(+)/TsNas36 was constructed and induced to express in E.coli BL21(DE3)to obtain the recombinant protein rTs-Nas36.The recombinant protein was used to immunize rabbits to obtain anti-rTsNas36 polyclonal antibody serum.Indirect ELISA results showed that the antibody titer reached 1∶105.qRT-PCR and Western blot results showed that the transcription levels of TsNas36 were significantly higher in newborn larvae(NBL)than in adult worm(AW)and muscle larva(ML)stages.Immunofluo-rescence results showed that TsNas36 was only localized in the epidermis of NBL.In summary,this study characterized the biological characteristics of the TsNas36 gene and found that this gene is highly period-specific and may be involved in the unique developmental process of NBL.

Objective:To determine the weight coefficient of home care service quality indicators for the disabled elderly in Beijing.Methods:In the early stage, our research group has preliminarily constructed quality indicators of home care service for the disabled elderly in Beijing. The importance scores of all indicators were obtained through expert consultation from September to October 2021. Based on the game theory, the subjective and objective weighting methods were integrated to quantify the combinatorial optimization weight assignment of those indicators, in which the subjective weighting was calculated by proportional distribution method, and the objective weighting was obtained by entropy weight method.Results:The subjective weight assignments of the first-level indicators “service conditions”“service process” and “service outcome”were 0.332 2, 0.338 9, and 0.328 9, respectively; the objective weight assignments of the above indicators were 0.332 2, 0.338 9 and 0.328 9, respectively; the combinatorial optimization weight assignment of those indicators were 0.332 2, 0.338 9, and 0.328 9, respectively. Among the second-level indicators, the combination optimization weight coefficients of the top 3 important indicators “patient family evaluation”(1.3),“emergency configuration”(1.4), and“operation process”(2.2) were 0.198 4, 0.198 4 and 0.170 8, respectively. And among the third-level indicators, the combination optimization weight coefficients of the top 5 important indicators“emergency plan”(1.4.1), “humanistic care”(2.2.6), “first aid supplies”(1.4.2), “evaluation of potential resources”(1.3.4), and “means of home visit transportation”(1.2.1) were 0.124 7, 0.075 0, 0.073 8, 0.066 5 and 0.052 7, respectively.Conclusion:The study has successfully conducted the optimization weight assignment of home care service quality indicators for the disabled elderly in Beijing, which indicates that the service conditions and service process are crucial to the quality of service.

BACKGROUND:It is urgent to improve the study on the molecular mechanism of Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction improving oocyte quality in polycystic ovary syndrome.OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction on oocyte quality in a mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome and to explore the underlying mechanisms of its intervention in polycystic ovary syndrome.METHODS:Subcutaneous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was used to establish the polycystic ovary syndrome model in 21-day-old female Kunming mice,and the treatment was conducted for 21 consecutive days.The estrous cycle and pregnancy was recorded.ELISA was used to detect serum sex hormone levels.The rate of apoptosis in oocytes was detected using Annexin V staining.The level of reactive oxygen species in oocytes was detected using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate.The condition of spindle bodies and chromosomes in oocytes were detected using the immunofluorescence method.Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to verify the binding properties of Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction core active components and oocyte maturation-related factors(growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15).Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15 in oocytes,respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction core active components(quercetin,kaempferol,and β-sitosterol)showed good binding activities with growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15.(2)Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction ameliorated the estrous cycle,regulated serum hormone,increased the pregnancy,decreased the rate of apoptosis,declined the level of reactive oxygen species,diminished the rate of abnormal spindle assembly and chromosome loss(P<0.01,P<0.05);and promoted the mRNA and protein expression of growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15(P<0.05).Therefore,Ban's Culuan Zhuyun Decoction may improve the oocyte quality and increase the fertility of polycystic ovary syndrome mice by regulating the gene expression of growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15.

Purpose To investigate the difference of cerebral blood flow between sleep deprivation and rest wakefulness.Materials and Methods Fifty subjects were recruited from universities in Xi'an from October 2020 to December 2021.The psychomotor vigilance test(PVT)task was used to measure sustained attention.Arterial spin labeling technique was used to analyze and compare the relative cerebral blood flow(rCBF)between sleep deprivation and rest wakefulness.The correlation between altered rCBF of specific brain regions and PVT task performance after sleep deprivation was analyzed.Results Compared with rest wakefulness,rCBF in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal lobe,bilateral parietal lobule,left orbital middle frontal gyrus,bilateral middle temporal gyrus,right posterior central gyrus,and bilateral angular gyrus was significantly decreased after sleep deprivation.The rCBF of bilateral thalamus,left precuneus,right medial prefrontal lobe,left posterior cingulate gyrus,and left inferior temporal gyrus was significantly increased(FDR corrected,P<0.05,cluster size≥20 voxels).The changes of rCBF in left dorsolateral prefrontal lobe and right parietal lobule were significantly negatively correlated with the PVT task performance(r=-0.56,P<0.001;r=-0.64,P<0.001),and the change of rCBF of left precuneus was significantly positively correlated with the PVT task performance(r=0.72,P<0.001).Conclusion The abnormal changes of CBF in default mode network,frontoparietal network-related brain regions and thalamic may be the important neural mechanism of sustained attentional decline after sleep deprivation.

Mitochondrial autophagy is a process to clear dysfunctional mitochondria in the cytoplasm to maintain the integrity of mitochondrial function and cell homeostasis. Mitochondrial autophagy is a complex physiological process， which can maintain the balance of mitochondrial quality and quantity， cell survival under starvation and harsh conditions， and the stability of the intracellular environment. Its molecular mechanism involves a variety of proteins. Many factors can induce mitochondrial autophagy， such as starvation， oxidative stress， hypoxia， depolarization， and other stresses. The accumulation of unfolded proteins can also induce mitochondrial autophagy. In recent years， as a research hotspot， the abnormality of mitochondrial morphology and function is closely related to the occurrence of a variety of diseases. The research on mitochondrial autophagy and the pathogenesis of clinical diseases has attracted more attention， such as tumors， cardiovascular diseases， liver diseases， nervous system diseases， and glucose metabolism disorders. It has been found that regulating mitochondrial autophagy may inspire the treatment of some diseases. Meanwhile， clinical researchers have paid more attention to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. As revealed by in-depth research， Chinese medicine has a certain value in regulating mitochondrial autophagy. The research on the pathogenesis of mitochondrial autophagy in related diseases and the intervention of Chinese medicine has found that there are many reports on the regulation of mitochondrial autophagy by Chinese medicine in tumors， cardiovascular diseases， and nervous system diseases. However， the mechanism of mitochondrial autophagy， the balance of mitochondrial autophagy， and the difference in the activation or inhibition of mitochondrial autophagy by Chinese medicine remain unclear. The regulation of mitochondrial autophagy has become a new research target strategy of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of diseases. This paper reviewed the available literature in recent years to provide reference materials for the regulation of mitochondrial autophagy by Chinese medicine and ideas for the follow-up research of Chinese medicine in mitochondrial autophagy.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects and pharmacological mechanisms of Yishen Xingyang capsule (YXC) in oligoasthenospermia (OA) rats.Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into eight groups of six rats each:normal control (NC);model control (MC);three different positive drug (PD);and low-, medium-, and high-dose YXC groups. A rat model of OA was established by administering glucosides of Triptery-gium wilfordii Hook. F (GTW). After YXC administration, penile erectile function was observed. The epididymis, blood, and testes of the rats were harvested for analysis of sperm quality, sex hormone levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad signaling pathway. Results: Compared with that in the MC group, penile erectile function in the YXC groups and three PD groups increased (all P<.01). Moreover, sperm quality in the YXC groups and three PD groups improved (all P < .001). The levels of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone in the three PD and YXC groups increased (all P<.05). The mitochondrial membrane potential in the three PD and YXC groups significantly improved (all P<.001). Furthermore, the YXC and three PD groups showed decreased TGF-β1 expression (all P< .05) compared with the MC group. The high-dose YXC group and three PD groups improved Smad2 and Smad4 expression (all P<.05). Conclusion: YXC improved penile erectile function and sperm quality in OA rats, and the underlying mechanism included increase in sex hormones, inhibition of sperm apoptosis, and regulation of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. Meanwhile, this study provides a new effective drug option for the treat-ment of OA, which is beneficial to male reproductive health and social harmony.