ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of jatrorrhizine on endogenous metabolites and metabolic pathways in the mouse model of ulcerative colitis. MethodsThirty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the normal group， the model group， the low-dose and high-dose jatrorrhizine groups （0.04， 0.16 g·kg^-1）， and the mesalazine group （0.52 g·kg^-1）The mouse model of ulcerative colitis was established with 3% dextran sulfate sodium （DSS） and treated with different doses of jatrorrhizine by gavage. The changes in body weight， colon length， disease activity index （DAI）， and colonic histopathology were analyzed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of jatrorrhizine. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was employed to determine the serum and fecal levels of metabolites in mice. Metabolomics methods were used to screen the differential metabolites， on the basis of which the potential therapeutic mechanism of jatrorrhizine on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice was investigated. ResultsAfter intervention with jatrorrhizine， the model mice showed significantly decreased DAI（P<0.05，P<0.01）， recovered colon length，（P<0.05，P<0.01） and alleviated histopathology of the colon. The metabolomics study screened out 13 differential metabolites in the serum and 8 differential metabolites in the feces. The pathway enrichment analysis predicted three potential metabolic pathways： Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids， phenylalanine， tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis， and phenylalanine metabolism. ConclusionJatrorrhizine may treat ulcerative colitis by regulating the biosynthesis and metabolism of amino acids and the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids.

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex disease that is often accompanied by mental health disorders. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous clinical presentation of CP/CPPS remain uncertain. This study analyzed widely targeted metabolomic data of expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) and plasma to reveal the underlying pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS. A total of 24 CP/CPPS patients from The Second Nanning People's Hospital (Nanning, China), and 35 asymptomatic control individuals from First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Nanning, China) were enrolled. The indicators related to CP/CPPS and psychiatric symptoms were recorded. Differential analysis, coexpression network analysis, and correlation analysis were performed to identify metabolites that were specifically altered in patients and associated with various phenotypes of CP/CPPS. The crucial links between EPS and plasma were further investigated. The metabolomic data of EPS from CP/CPPS patients were significantly different from those from control individuals. Pathway analysis revealed dysregulation of amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the citrate cycle in EPS. The tryptophan metabolic pathway was found to be the most significantly altered pathway associated with distinct CP/CPPS phenotypes. Moreover, the dysregulation of tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism and elevation of oxidative stress-related metabolites in plasma were found to effectively elucidate the development of depression in CP/CPPS. Overall, metabolomic alterations in the EPS and plasma of patients were primarily associated with oxidative damage, energy metabolism abnormalities, neurological impairment, and immune dysregulation. These alterations may be associated with chronic pain, voiding symptoms, reduced fertility, and depression in CP/CPPS. This study provides a local-global perspective for understanding the pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS and offers potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis/blood* ; Adult ; Pelvic Pain/blood* ; Metabolomics ; Prostate/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Chronic Pain/blood* ; Metabolome ; Case-Control Studies ; Tryptophan/blood* ; Depression/blood* ; Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology*

BACKGROUND: Children's respiratory health demonstrates particular sensitivity to air pollution. Existing evidence investigating the association between short-term ozone (O₃) exposure and childhood pneumonia remains insufficient and inconsistent, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHOD: To provide more reliable and persuasive evidence, we implemented a multi-city, time-stratified case-crossover design with a large sample size, using data from seven representative children's hospitals across major geographical regions in China. To avoid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, individual-level medical records of inpatient children under 6 years of age diagnosed with pneumonia during 2016-2019 were collected. Conditional logistic regression models were fitted for each city, and city-specific estimates were pooled through a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. RESULTS: In total, the study included 137,470 pediatric pneumonia hospital admissions. The highest pooled estimate for O₃ occurred at lag0-1, with a 10 µg/m³ increase in O₃ associated with a 1.57% (95% CI: 0.67%-2.48%) higher risk of pediatric pneumonia hospital admissions. Stratified analyses indicated that the effects of O₃ were robust across different sexes, age groups, and admission seasons. We also observed a statistically significant increase in risk associated with O₃ concentrations exceeding the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines (WHO-AQGs). CONCLUSIONS This study revealed a significant positive association between O₃ and pediatric pneumonia hospital admissions. Our findings substantially strengthen the evidence base for the adverse health impacts of O₃, underscoring the importance of O₃ pollution control and management in reducing the public health burden of pediatric pneumonia.
Humans ; Ozone/analysis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Pneumonia/chemically induced* ; Child, Preschool ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Cross-Over Studies ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Child ; Cities/epidemiology* ; Air Pollution/adverse effects* ; Infant, Newborn ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects*

Objective To investigate the effects of artesunate(Art)on the proliferation,apoptosis,and autophagy of nephroblastoma cell line(SK-NEP-1).Methods SK-NEP-1 cells were intervened with different concentrations of Art(0,10,20,40 and 80 μmol/L),and MTT method was applied to calculate the cell proliferation inhibition rate to screen the optimal intervention concentration;SK-NEP-1 cells were separated into control group,Art group,3-MA group(Art+autophagy inhibitor,3-methyladenine),and Rapa group(Art+autophagy activator rapamycin).EdU and flow cytometry were applied to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis,respectively;MDC staining was applied to detect autophagy in cells;the level of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in cells was detected by DCFH-DA fluorescent probe;the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),anti apoptotic factor B cell lym-phomatoma-2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax),microtubule junction protein 1 light chain 3 Ⅱ/3 Ⅰ(LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ),selective autophagy junction protein 1(p62),and benzyl chloride 1(Beclin-1)proteins in cells were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with 0 μmol/L Art,the proliferation inhibition rate of SK-NEP-1 cells was gradually increased after 10,20,40 and 80 μmol/L Art treatment(P＜0.05),and the IC50 value was 46.881 μmol/L,so 40 μmol/L Art was selected for follow-up experiments.Compared with the control group,the apoptosis rate,relative autophagy fluorescence intensity,ROS level,Bax,LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,Beclin-1,PINK1,and Parkin protein expression levels of SK-NEP-1 cells in the Art group were obviously increased,the EdU positive cell rate,PCNA,Bcl-2,and P62 protein expression levels were obviously reduced(P＜0.05);The auto-phagy inhibitor 3-MA inhibited the promoting effect of Art on apoptosis and autophagy of nephroblastoma cells and inhibit proliferation(P＜0.05).Conclusions Art inhibits the proliferation of nephroblastoma cell line SK-NEP-1,and promotes autophagy and apoptosis.

To perform a comprehensive analysis of the pathogenic causes of a food poisoning case in a district of Wuhan Cit-y,we investigated the molecular epidemiological relationships among pathogenic bacteria,to aid in traceability analysis of food-borne disease outbreaks,as well as clinical diagnosis and treatment.The pathogenic bacteria in this food poisoning case were i-solated and identified according to GB789.4-2016.The isolated strains were subjected to genotyping with pulsed field gel elec-trophoresis(PFGE).Drug resistance gene analysis,multi-locus sequence typing(MLST),and genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis(wgSNP)were conducted via whole genome sequencing(WGS).The evolutionary tree for cluster analy-sis was constructed in fasttree software.Drug susceptibility testing was conducted with the broth microdilution method.A total of 12 strains of Salmonella were detected in seven anal swab samples and two fecal samples from the case,as well as three anal swab samples from unaffected individuals.The serotype of the strains was Salmonella typhimurium.The strain exhibited severe multiple drug resistance,including resistance to amikacin,ampi-cillin,cefazolin,gentamicin,piperacillin,and tetracycline,but susceptibility to other antibiotics.The coincidence rate between drug resistance genes and drug resistance phenotypes was high.PFGE revealed that nine strains from this food poisoning case were highly homologous.WGS revealed that the MLST type was ST19,and varying numbers of SNPs(1-6)were present a-mong strains.The phylogenetic tree revealed nine isolated strains forming a distinct cluster,differing from other Salmonella strains in the database and belonging to a novel clonal branch.The single nucleotide site in the strains was highly homologous to that of GCF in Jiangxi_020221795.1.The food poisoning case was caused by Salmonella typhimurium ST19,and all nine iso-lated strains originated from the same source.The chef is closely connected to this food poisoning case.This strain of Salmo-nella typhimurium belongs to a new clonal branch and exhibits multiple drug resistance.

Objective:To assess the value eosin-nigrosine(E-N)staining and hypo-osmotic swelling test(HOST)in the diag-nosis of necrospermia and investigate the correlation of the degree of sperm necrosis with sperm DNA fragmentation index(DFI)and high DNA stainability(HDS).Methods:Using computer-assisted sperm analysis(CASA),we examined the sperm motility of 7 333 males seeking medical care in Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hunan Province from May 2023 to July 2024,detected the sperm viability of those with asthenozoospermia by E-N staining and HOST,and measured the sperm DFI and HDS of those with necro-spermia by sperm chromatin structure assay(SCSA).Based on sperm progressive motility(PR％),we divided the asthenozoospermia patients into three groups(PR％20％-＜30％,PR％10％-＜20％and PR％＜10％),assessed the value of E-N staining and HOST in the diagnosis of necrospermia,and analyzed the correlation of the severity of sperm necrosis with sperm DFI and HDS.Results:Asthenozoospermia was diagnosed in 1 374(18.74％)of the 7 333 males.The incidence rates of necrospermia revealed by E-N staining in the mild,moderate and severe asthenozoospermia groups were 0.55％(5/913),3.80％(12/316)and 35.86％(52/145),respectively,with a total incidence of 0.94％(69/7333),while those detected by HOST were 0.99％(9/913),6.96％(22/316)and 46.21％(67/145),respectively,with a total incidence of 1.34％(98/7333).There were no statistically significant differences in the results of diagnosis between the two methods(x2=0.97,P＞0.05).Both E-N staining and HOST showed that sperm DFI in the necrospermia males was negatively correlated with sperm viability(r=-0.366,r=-0.333,P＜0.05),and so was sperm HDS,though with no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion:For males with PR％＜30％,sperm viability test should be conducted,with E-N staining as the choice of priority for the diagnosis of necrospermia.Sperm necrosis and sperm nuclear chromatin damage may be interactive risk factors.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

Fermented Chinese medicine has long been used. Amid the advance for preservation of experience, the connotation of fermented Chinese medicine has been enriched and improved. However, fermented Chinese medicine prescriptions generally contain a lot of medicinals. The fermentation process is complicated and the conventional fermentation conditions fail to be strictly controlled. In addition, the judgment of the fermentation end point is highly subjective. As a result, quality of fermented Chinese medicine is of great difference among regions and unstable. At the moment, the quality standards of fermented Chinese medicine are generally outdated and different among regions, with simple quality control methods and lacking objective safe fermentation-specific evaluation indictors. It is difficult to comprehensively evaluate and control the quality of fermented medicine. These problems have aroused concern in the industry and also affected the clinical application of fermented Chinese medicine. This article summarized and analyzed the application, quality standards, and the modernization of fermentation technology and quality control methods of fermented Chinese medicine and proposed suggestions for improving the quality standards of the medicine, with a view to improving the overall quality of it.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Reference Standards ; Quality Control ; Fermentation

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS) has been used to detect the metabolites of schaftoside in plasma, bile, urine and feces of mice after oral administration. The study was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee from Xuzhou Medical University (No. XZMULL201612024). Compounds were identified by analyzing their high-resolution mass spectrometry data, mass spectra, and comparison with reference substances and the literatures. The parent compound and 29 metabolites were detected in the plasma, bile, urine and feces samples of mice. The main metabolic pathways of schaftoside in mice include deglycosylation/glycosylation, hydroxylation/dehydroxylation, hydrogenation, methylation, acetylation, sulfation, and glucuronidation. This study provides references for the material basis of schaftoside in vivo.

BACKGROUND: The basis of individualized treatment should be individualized mortality risk predictive information. The present study aimed to develop an online individual mortality risk predictive tool for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients based on a random survival forest (RSF) algorithm. METHODS: The current study retrospectively enrolled ACLF patients from the Department of Infectious Diseases of The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University, and Jiangmen Central Hospital. Two hundred seventy-six consecutive ACLF patients were included in the present study as a model cohort (n = 276). Then the current study constructed a validation cohort by drawing patients from the model dataset based on the resampling method (n = 276). The RSF algorithm was used to develop an individual prognostic model for ACLF patients. The Brier score was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of prognostic models. The weighted mean rank estimation method was used to compare the differences between the areas under the time-dependent ROC curves (AUROCs) of prognostic models. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox regression identified hepatic encephalopathy (HE), age, serum sodium level, acute kidney injury (AKI), red cell distribution width (RDW), and international normalization index (INR) as independent risk factors for ACLF patients. A simplified RSF model was developed based on these previous risk factors. The AUROCs for predicting 3-, 6-, and 12-month mortality were 0.916, 0.916, and 0.905 for the RSF model and 0.872, 0.866, and 0.848 for the Cox model in the model cohort, respectively. The Brier scores were 0.119, 0.119, and 0.128 for the RSF model and 0.138, 0.146, and 0.156 for the Cox model, respectively. The nonparametric comparison suggested that the RSF model was superior to the Cox model for predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients. CONCLUSIONS The current study developed a novel online individual mortality risk predictive tool that could predict individual mortality risk predictive curves for individual patients. Additionally, the current online individual mortality risk predictive tool could further provide predicted mortality percentages and 95% confidence intervals at user-defined time points.
Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies