AIM To establish a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for analyzing the toxic material basis of 95％ethanol cold soaked ultrasonic extract(EC),95％ethanol heated reflux extract(EH)and water decoction extract(WD)from Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 25 ℃ thermostatic agilent ZORBAX RRHD StableBond C18 column(2.1 mm×150 mm,1.8 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-0.2％formic acid flowing at 0.30 mL/min,and heated electrospray ion source was adopted in positive and negative ion scanning.Compounds were identified by Compound Discover 3.3 software combined with the database and related literature,and the main differential components were screened by Heatmap cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis.RESULTS 72 compounds were identified(22 phloroglucinols,19 flavonoids,8 phenylpropanoids,6 terpenoids and 17 other components).The main toxic differential components were phloroglucinols such as flavaspidic acid AB,didemethylpseudoaspidin AA and filixic acid PBP,flavonoids such as(-)-epicatechin,(-)-epigallocatechin,cianidanol,and other compounds such as indole-3-carboxaldehyde.CONCLUSION This method can rapidly,effectively and comprehensively characterize the main chemical composition of D.crassirhizoma,and provide a reference for the study of its pharmacological mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection's effect on gestational liver function, pregnancy and delivery complications, and neonatal development. METHODS: A total of 157 HCV antibody-positive (anti-HCV[+]) and HCV RNA(+) patients (Group C) and 121 anti-HCV(+) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group B) were included as study participants, while 142 anti-HCV(-) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group A) were the control group. Data on biochemical indices during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, delivery-related information, and neonatal complications were also collected. RESULTS: Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) rates in Group C during early, middle, and late pregnancy were 59.87%, 43.95%, and 42.04%, respectively-significantly higher than Groups B (26.45%, 15.70%, 10.74%) and A (23.94%, 19.01%, 6.34%) ( P < 0.05). Median ALT levels in Group C were significantly higher than in Groups A and B at all pregnancy stages ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in neonatal malformation rates across groups ( P > 0.05). However, neonatal jaundice incidence was significantly greater in Group C (75.16%) compared to Groups A (42.25%) and B (57.02%) ( χ ² = 33.552, P < 0.001). HCV RNA positivity during pregnancy was an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice ( OR = 2.111, 95% CI 1.242-3.588, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Chronic HCV infection can affect the liver function of pregnant women, but does not increase the pregnancy or delivery complication risks. HCV RNA(+) is an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Infant, Newborn ; Viremia/virology* ; Hepatitis C ; Hepacivirus/physiology* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology* ; Young Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood*

AIM To establish a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for analyzing the toxic material basis of 95％ethanol cold soaked ultrasonic extract(EC),95％ethanol heated reflux extract(EH)and water decoction extract(WD)from Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 25 ℃ thermostatic agilent ZORBAX RRHD StableBond C18 column(2.1 mm×150 mm,1.8 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-0.2％formic acid flowing at 0.30 mL/min,and heated electrospray ion source was adopted in positive and negative ion scanning.Compounds were identified by Compound Discover 3.3 software combined with the database and related literature,and the main differential components were screened by Heatmap cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis.RESULTS 72 compounds were identified(22 phloroglucinols,19 flavonoids,8 phenylpropanoids,6 terpenoids and 17 other components).The main toxic differential components were phloroglucinols such as flavaspidic acid AB,didemethylpseudoaspidin AA and filixic acid PBP,flavonoids such as(-)-epicatechin,(-)-epigallocatechin,cianidanol,and other compounds such as indole-3-carboxaldehyde.CONCLUSION This method can rapidly,effectively and comprehensively characterize the main chemical composition of D.crassirhizoma,and provide a reference for the study of its pharmacological mechanism.

Objective To study the acupoint selection and medication rules of acupoint application as an advantageous therapy in treating stroke.Methods The clinical literature from CNKI,Wanfang,CBMdisc,and other databases were searched,and Excel 2013 was used to count the frequency of disease,acupoint selection,and medication,and to analyze the acupoint selection rules using SPSS 25.0 and SPSS Modeler.Results Finally,523 articles were included in the literature,among which,the literature on the treatment of post-stroke constipation with acupoint patch was the most,and the related literature was further screened to analyze the acupoint selection and medication rules,and it was concluded that the most frequently applied acupoints of acupoint application for the treatment of post-stroke constipation were Shenque(RN8),Tianshu(ST25),Zhongwan(RN12),Zusanli(ST36),and the acupoints were mainly taken from conception vessel,stomach meridian and gallbladder meridian,and the core prescriptions were Shenque,Tianshu,Zhongwan,Qihai(RN6),Guanyuan(RN4),Zusanli.For the treatment of post-stroke constipation,acupoint application is often used with Rhei Radix et Rhizoma,Aurantii Fructus Immaturus,Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis,Natrii Sulfas Exsiccatus and Borneolum Syntheticum,among which,warm and cold nature drugs are mainly used,and bitter drugs are most frequently used among five flavors,and most frequently enter to the spleen meridian;and the core prescription is Rhei Radix et Rhizoma,Aurantii Fructus Immaturus,Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis,Natrii Sulfas Exsiccatus and Borneolum Syntheticum.Conclusion Acupoint application is an advantageous treatment for treating post-stroke constipation.The selection of acupoints was based on the conception vessel and stomach meridian,and the medication used were mainly focusing on those with functions of unblocking the bowels and directing qi downward,supplemented by strengthening the spleen and benefiting qi,warming the meridians and nourishing the blood.

Objective:The incidence of infections in patients with malignant hematologic diseases is extremely high and significantly affects their prognosis.Identifying early and precise biomarkers for infection is crucial for guiding the treatment of infections in these patients.Previous studies have shown that procalcitonin(PCT)can serve as an early diagnostic marker for bloodstream infections in patients with malignant hematologic diseases.This study aims to compare serum PCT levels in these patients with different pathogens,disease types,infection sites,and severity levels. Methods:Clinical data and laboratory results of infected patients with malignant hematologic diseases treated at the Department of Hematology,the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2018 to August 2023 were collected.General patient information was retrospectively analyzed.Serum PCT levels were compared among patients with different pathogens,types of malignant hematologic diseases,infection sites,and infection severity;Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curves were used to determine the cut-off values and diagnostic value of serum PCT levels in diagnosing bloodstream infections versus local infections and severe infections versus non-severe infections.Mortality rates after 4-7 days of anti-infective treatment were compared among groups with rising,falling,and unchanged PCT levels. Results:A total of 526 patients with malignant hematologic diseases were included.The main pathogens were Gram-negative bacteria(272 cases,51.7%),followed by Gram-positive bacteria(120 cases,22.8%),fungi(65 cases,12.4%),viruses(23 cases,4.4%),and mixed pathogens(46 cases,8.7%).The main types of malignant hematologic diseases were acute myeloid leukemia(216 cases,41.1%),acute lymphoblastic leukemia(107 cases,20.3%),and lymphoma(93 cases,17.7%).Granulocyte deficiency was present in 68.3%(359 cases)of the patients during infection,with severe infection in 24.1%(127 cases).Significant differences in serum PCT levels were found among patients with different types of pathogens(P<0.001),with the highest levels in Gram-negative bacterial infections.Significant differences in serum PCT levels were also found among patients with different types of malignant hematologic diseases(P<0.05),with the highest levels in lymphoma patients.Serum PCT levels were significantly higher in systemic infections and severe infections compared to local infections and non-severe infections(both P<0.001).ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off values for diagnosing bloodstream infections and severe infections were 0.22 and 0.28 ng/mL,with areas under the curve of 0.670 and 0.673,respectively.After 4-7 days of anti-infective treatment,the mortality rates of the PCT declining,PCT unchanged,and PCT rising groups were 11.9%,21.2%,and 35.7%,respectively,and pairwise comparisons were statistically significant(all P<0.05). Conclusion:PCT can be used as an auxiliary indicator for early identification of different pathogens,infection sites,and severity levels in patients with malignant hematologic diseases combined with infections.Dynamic monitoring of PCT levels after empirical antibiotic treatment provides important guidance for assessing patient's prognosis.

Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death different from apoptosis and necrosis.Its mechanism involves iron overload,lipid peroxidation,and reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation caused by disordered iron metabolism.Ferroptosis is associated with primary osteoporosis as well as the secondary osteoporosis such as steroid-induced osteoporosis,diabetic osteoporosis and postmenopausal osteoporosis.The Chinese medicines for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis through the mechanism of ferroptosis mainly involve Chinese herbal compounds such as herbal pair of Eucommiae Cortex-Dipsaci Radix,Jintiange Capsules,and Bugu Shengsui Prescription,the single Chinese herbal medicine of Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix,and the active ingredients of herbal medicines such as icariin,gastrodin,quercetin,and artesunate.The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by Chinese medicine monomer and Chinese herbal compound can inhibit ferroptosis through multiple targets and multiple pathways.At present,Chinese medicine has advantages in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by regulating the mechanism of ferroptosis can provide a direction for the future research on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by Chinese medicine.

The interaction of several small-molecule alkaloids,namely coptisine,jateorhizine,epiberberine,berberrubine,columbamine,fangchinoline and tetrandrine,with guanine-guanine-adenine(GGA)triplex DNA was investigated by mass spectrometry(MS),ultraviolet-visible(UV-vis)spectroscopy,fluorescence spectroscopy,and circular dichroism(CD)spectroscopy.The effect of the 7 kinds of metal ions on the stability of GGA triplex DNA was investigated by direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS),and the binding degree was highest when Ni2+was employed.Among the 7 kinds of alkaloids,tetrandrine had the highest affinity to the GGA triplex.All the data unequivocally accommodated diverse mechanisms for interaction between the isoquinoline alkaloids and the GGA DNA triplexes.At least,electrostatic attraction and intercalative-binding modes were observed in the study.Interestingly,UV melting denaturation assay revealed that the two isoquinoline alkaloids including columbamine and berberrubine enhanced the stability of the GGA triplex structure.The UV-melting curve profile could not accurately determine the stabilizing effect of small molecules on the structure of GGA triplex DNA.Further detection by UV-vis spectroscopy showed that epiberberine could stabilize the structure of GGA triplex DNA,but other small molecules couldn't stabilize the structure of GGA triplex DNA.The mode of interaction was further investigated,and firstly,fluorescence spectroscopy was applied to construct the ethidium bromide(EB)-GGA triplex DNA system,and then the reactions of small molecule alkaloids at different concentrations with EB-GGA triplex DNA system were studied.And it was found that epiberberine,fangchinoline and tetrandrine small molecules could replace the EB and insert to bind GGA triplex DNA.Finally,the circular dichroism spectroscopy was used to investigate the binding mode,and the negative CD signal was found.The investigation provided new insights into the interaction of isoquinoline alkaloids with GGA triplex DNA.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Xiaopi Decoction on patients with chronic atrophic gastritis of Spleen-Stomach Weakness Pattern.METHODS Ninety-seven patients were randomly assigned into control group ( 48 cases ) for 4-week intervention of conventional treatment,Mosapride Citrate Tablets and Pancreatin Enteric-coated Tablets,and observation group ( 49 cases ) for 4-week intervention of both Xiaopi Decoction and conventional treatment.The changes in clinical effects,brain-intestinal peptide indices ( CGRP,5-HT,SP,NPY),Hp negative conversion rate,gastric juice components (free acid,pepsin,nitrite,total acid),gastrointestinal hormones ( GAS,MLT,SS),gastric mucosa pathological scores and incidence of adverse reactions were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group (P<0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed increased brain-intestinal peptide indices,NPY,SS,free acid,pepsin,total acid ( P<0.05 ),and decreased MLT,nitrite,.scores for mucosal inflammation and mucosal atrophy ( P<0.05),especially for the observation group ( P<0.05).No significant difference in incidence of adverse reactions was found between the two groups (P>0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with chronic atrophic gastritis of Spleen-Stomach Weakness Pattern,Xiaopi Decoction can safely and effectively reduce the inflammation and atrophy of gastric mucosa,and improve gastric juice components and gastrointestinal hormones,whose mechanism may contribute to the regulation of brain-intestinal axis.

AIM To investigate the effects of Xinyue Capsules on the expression of glycerophospholipid metabolizing enzymes in isoproterenol(ISO)-induced rat heart tissue and primary myocardial cells of neonatal rats.METHODS The SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group,the model group,the Xinyue Capsules intervention group and Xinyue Capsules control group,with 8 rats in each group.The rat model of cardiac hypertrophy was established by 14 days consecutive intraperitoneal injection of ISO(30 mg/kg).Prior to the modeling,once daily administration of 0.393 g/kg Xinyue Capsules was given by gavage from 3 days in advance to the end of the experiment.After the last administration,the procurement of blood from abdominal aorta,the left and right ventricles were processed.And the rats had their indices levels of the heart,the left ventricle and the right ventricle measured;their pathomorphological changes of myocardial tissue observed using HE staining;their expressions of cardiac hypertrophy-related myocardial embryonic genes ANP,β-MHC and α-SKA mRNA detected using RT-qPCR method;and their serum TC,TG,LDL-C and HDL-C levels detected by biochemical method.In in vitro experiment,the neonatal rat model of myocardial hypertrophy was induced by exposure to ISO 1 μmol/L for 24 h.The investigation of the effect of Xinyue Capsules 12.5 μg/mL on ISO-induced myocardial hypertrophy was conducted by detection of myocardial cell area,embryo genes related to cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial cells protein cuntent.The further anti-cardiac hypertrophy mechanism of Xinyue Capsules research was conducted using RT-qPCR and Western blot to detect the gene and protein expressions of phospholipase A2(PLA2G6),phospholipase A1 member A(PLA1A)and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase(LCAT)in left ventricle tissue and myocardial cells of each group.RESULTS The in vivo experimental result showed that compared with the normal group,the model group displayed increased indices levels of the heart,the left ventricle and the right ventricle and cross-sectional area of left ventricular myocytes(P＜0.05);and up-regulated expressions of ANP,β-MHC,α-SKA mRNA and PLA2G6,PLA1A and LCAT mRNA and proteins in the left ventricle(P＜0.05);and increased levels of serum TC,TG and LDL-C(P＜0.05);and decreased HDL-C level(P＜0.05).However,the intervention of Xinyue Capsules inhibited the changes of the aforementioned indices(P＜0.05).The in vitro experimental result revealed that Xinyue Capsules inhibited the ISO-induced increases of myocardial cell surface area and myocardial cell protein level,the up-regulation of ANP,β-MHC,α-SKA mRNA expressions and the PLA2G6,PLA1A,LCAT mRNA and protein expressions as well(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION Xinyue Capsules can improve the ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats,and its mechanism may be associated with its regulation upon the expressions of glycerophospholipid metabolism-related enzymes PLA2G6,PLA1A and LCAT.

Objective:To explore the levels of regulatory T cells(Tregs)and cytokines IL-35,TGF-β and IL-10 in peripheral blood of hemophilia A(HA)patients with F Ⅷ inhibitor and their clinical significance.Methods:43 HA patients admitted to the Hematology Department of the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology from October 2019 to December 2020 were selected,including 6 cases with F Ⅷ inhibitor and 37 cases without FⅧ inhibitor.In addition,20 healthy males who underwent physical examinations were selected as healthy controls.Flow cytometry was used to detect the levels of CD4+CD25+CD127-Tregs in peripheral blood of the HA patients and healthy controls,and ELISA assay was used to detect the expression levels of IL-35,TGF-β and IL-10 in serum,and their differences between different groups were compared.Results:Compared with the healthy control group,the level of Tregs in HA patients was decreased,and the level of Tregs in the FⅧ inhibitor positive group was the lowest,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the expression level of Tregs in HA patients of different severity levels.The serum IL-35,TGF-β,and IL-10 levels in both FⅧ inhibitor negative and positive groups were significantly lower than those in healthy control group,and those in FⅧ inhibitor positive group were significantly lower than those in FⅧ inhibitor negative group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion:The decrease of Tregs,IL-35,TGF-β,and IL-10 levels in HA patients may be related to the formation of FⅧ inhibitors.