This study employs ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) to analyze the differences in alkaloid content of Commelina communis from various geographical origins, exploring its feasibility as a quality evaluation indicator. A total of 57 batches of C. communis samples from 23 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China were selected. The MicroPulite HSS T3(2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.8 μm)column was used with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution(20∶80), detection wavelength at 254 nm, and a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1) to measure the content of 1-deoxynojirimycin(DNJ) and deoxymannojirimycin(DMJ). The MicroPulite XP tC_(18)(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm)column was employed with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution(4∶96), detection wavelength at 254 nm, and a flow rate of 0.4 mL·min~(-1) to measure the content of norharmine(NHM) and harmanme(HM). Chemometric methods were applied to study the relationships and differences among the 57 batches of C. communis. Significant differences in alkaloid content were observed among C. communis from different regions, with the average total content decreasing in the order of North China, Northeast China, Northwest China, East China, Southwest China, Central China, and South China. Cluster analysis(CA) and principal component analysis(PCA) further revealed the quality differences of C. communis from various origins, and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) identified DNJ as a marker compound to distinguish the quality differences between different geographical sources of C. communis. It is recommended that the content limit of DNJ be set at no less than 0.055 9%, providing a reference for the quality evaluation and clinical application of C. communis medicinal materials.
Alkaloids/analysis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chemometrics/methods* ; Quality Control

Patients with Noonan syndrome (NS) are born with normal or slightly lower body length and weight compared to the normal ranges. However, their height gradually falls behind that of the general population, leading to growth retardation and delayed puberty. In China, the incidence of short stature in patients with NS is approximately 65%. Short stature in these patients arises from multiple causes, including feeding difficulties in infancy, comorbidities such as congenital heart disease, genetic heterogeneity, and disorders of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 axis. Growth hormone is commonly used to alleviate symptoms of short stature. This article reviews the growth and development patterns at different stages of NS, analyzes the causes of short stature, and summarizes the latest advances in treatment to provide new insights for the diagnosis and management of short stature in patients with NS.
Noonan Syndrome/complications* ; Humans ; Body Height ; Growth Disorders/therapy*

Objective To assess the effectiveness of the Gasdermin D C-terminal fragment(GSDMD-CT)as a novel plasma biomarker for the clinical diagnosis of sepsis.Methods Between July 2021 and November 2024,245 patients from Tangshan Gongren Hospital were enrolled in this study.In accordance with the diagnostic criteria for sepsis and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS),patient samples were classified into the sepsis group and the SIRS group.Meanwhile,healthy individuals were selected as the healthy control(HC)group.Sepsis patients were further categorized into the Gram-positive bacterial group,the Gram-negative bacterial group,and the fungal group based on the type of pathogen infection.The levels of GSDMD-CT,C-reactive protein(CRP),and procalcitonin(PCT)were measured in all subjects.Nonparametric tests were employed to compare the differences in various indices among different groups.The diagnostic value of GSDMD-CT in sepsis was evalu-ated by constructing the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Spearman's correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships among GSDMD-CT,CRP,and PCT.Results The plasma GSDMD-CT levels in the sepsis group 23.02(16.71,33.01)pg/mL and in the SIRS group 16.52(11.26,22.22)pg/mL were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group 7.02(4.42,11.43)pg/mL(U=-10.175,-7.890,P<0.001).Moreover,the plasma GSDMD-CT levels in the sepsis group were significantly higher than those in the SIRS group(U=-2.941,P<0.05).In the Gram-positive bacterial group,the Gram-negative bacterial group,and the fungal group,the GSDMD-CT levels were 23.01(17.16,27.51)pg/mL,23.41(16.78,35.50)pg/mL,and 16.29(14.53,56.27)pg/mL,respectively.When compared with the healthy control group,the GSDMD-CT levels in these three groups were all significantly higher(P<0.05).However,there were no significant differences in GSDMD-CT levels among these three groups(P>0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of plasma GSDMD-CT for diagnosing sepsis was 0.881(95%confidence interval:0.833～0.929),with a Youden index(YI)of 0.695,a sensitivity of 85.0%,and a specificity of 84.5%.Spearman correlation analysis indicated a weak correlation between GSDMD-CT and C-reactive protein(CRP)(r=0.32,P<0.001)and a positive correlation between GSDMD-CT and procalci-tonin(PCT)(r=0.65,P<0.001).Conclusion GSDMD-CT exhibits significant clinical value in the diagnosis of sepsis and holds great potential as a biomarker in the diagnostic process of sepsis.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of the Gasdermin D C-terminal fragment(GSDMD-CT)as a novel plasma biomarker for the clinical diagnosis of sepsis.Methods Between July 2021 and November 2024,245 patients from Tangshan Gongren Hospital were enrolled in this study.In accordance with the diagnostic criteria for sepsis and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS),patient samples were classified into the sepsis group and the SIRS group.Meanwhile,healthy individuals were selected as the healthy control(HC)group.Sepsis patients were further categorized into the Gram-positive bacterial group,the Gram-negative bacterial group,and the fungal group based on the type of pathogen infection.The levels of GSDMD-CT,C-reactive protein(CRP),and procalcitonin(PCT)were measured in all subjects.Nonparametric tests were employed to compare the differences in various indices among different groups.The diagnostic value of GSDMD-CT in sepsis was evalu-ated by constructing the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Spearman's correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships among GSDMD-CT,CRP,and PCT.Results The plasma GSDMD-CT levels in the sepsis group 23.02(16.71,33.01)pg/mL and in the SIRS group 16.52(11.26,22.22)pg/mL were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group 7.02(4.42,11.43)pg/mL(U=-10.175,-7.890,P<0.001).Moreover,the plasma GSDMD-CT levels in the sepsis group were significantly higher than those in the SIRS group(U=-2.941,P<0.05).In the Gram-positive bacterial group,the Gram-negative bacterial group,and the fungal group,the GSDMD-CT levels were 23.01(17.16,27.51)pg/mL,23.41(16.78,35.50)pg/mL,and 16.29(14.53,56.27)pg/mL,respectively.When compared with the healthy control group,the GSDMD-CT levels in these three groups were all significantly higher(P<0.05).However,there were no significant differences in GSDMD-CT levels among these three groups(P>0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of plasma GSDMD-CT for diagnosing sepsis was 0.881(95%confidence interval:0.833～0.929),with a Youden index(YI)of 0.695,a sensitivity of 85.0%,and a specificity of 84.5%.Spearman correlation analysis indicated a weak correlation between GSDMD-CT and C-reactive protein(CRP)(r=0.32,P<0.001)and a positive correlation between GSDMD-CT and procalci-tonin(PCT)(r=0.65,P<0.001).Conclusion GSDMD-CT exhibits significant clinical value in the diagnosis of sepsis and holds great potential as a biomarker in the diagnostic process of sepsis.

Objective:To investigate the genotype,mutation type,and ethnic distribution characteristics of thalassemia in the population of Hechi area,Guangxi,and to provide a reference basis for prevention and control of thalassemia and eugenic counseling in the region.Methods:Gap-polymerase chain reaction(gap-PCR)and reverse dot blot(RDB)were used for genetic testing on suspected thalassemia persons,and the results were analyzed.Results:Among 29 136 samples,a total of 17 016(58.40％)positive samples for thalassemia genes were detected,with a higher detection rate in males than in females(X2=49.917,P＜0.001).The detection rates of thalassemia genes were significant different among Zhuang,Han,Yao,Mulao,and Maonan ethnic groups(x2=546.121,P＜0.001).The α-thalassemia genotypes were mainly--SEA/αα(16.67％),-α3.7/αα(8.90％),αCSα/αα(6.00％).Additionally,four rare genotypes were detected,including--THAI/αα(47 cases),HKαα/αα(2 cases),--SEA/-α21.9(2 cases),and--THAI/αcsα(1 case).The β-thalassemia genotypes were mainly βCD17/βN(7.49％),βCD41-42/βN(6.70％),βCD71-72/βN(0.44％).108 cases of moderate and severeβ-thalassemia were detected,of which 81 cases had a history of blood transfusion,the transfusion frequency of 60 cases was more than 10 times/year,and 10 cases received bone marrow transplantation.Conclusion:Thalassemia in Hechi area is predominantly deletion type--SEA/αα,the detection rate of thalassemia in ethnic minorities is higher than that in Han population.In this area,moderate and severe β-thalassemia have certain incidence,these patients mostly need regular blood transfusion and iron removal treatment,and very few patients have received bone marrow transplantation.This study provides a certain reference basis for prevention and control of thalassemia and eugenic counseling in the region.

Glyceryl phenylbutyrate(GPB)serves as a long-term management medication for Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTCD),effectively controlling hyperammonemia,but there is a lack of experience in using this medicine in China.This article retrospectively analyzes the case of a child diagnosed with OTCD at Shanghai Children's Medical Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,including a review of related literature.After diagnosis,the patient was treated with GPB,followed by efficacy follow-up and pharmacological monitoring.The 6-year and 6-month-old male patient exhibited poor speech development,disobedience,temper tantrums,and aggressive behavior.Blood ammonia levels peaked at 327 μmol/L;urine organic acid analysis indicated elevated uracil levels;cranial MRI showed extensive abnormal signals in both cerebral hemispheres.Genetic testing revealed de novo mutation in the OTC gene(c.241T＞C,p.S81P).Blood ammonia levels were approximately 43,80,and 56 μmol/L at 1,2,and 3 months after starting GPB treatment,respectively.During treatment,blood ammonia was well-controlled without drug-related adverse effects.The patient showed improvement in developmental delays,obedience,temperament,and absence of aggressive behavior.

Disharmony between nutritive qi(ying)and defensive qi(wei)is the core pathogenesis of insomnia.The normal function of ying-wei in the generation,dispersion,divergence and aggregation is the precondition for the realization of the coordination between ying and wei.The disordered function of ying-wei in the generation,dispersion,divergence and aggregation will cause the disharmony between ying and wei,and then the insomnia occurs.For the treatment of insomnia caused by the disordered function of ying-wei in the generation,Guizhi Decoction associated prescriptions are used for strengthening middle energizer and nourishing ying and wei.For the treatment of insomnia caused by the disordered function of ying-wei in the dispersion,Mahuang Decoction associated prescriptions are used to relieve the exterior and eliminate the pathogen for insomnia patients with the manifestations of the attack of exopathogens,and Xiao Chaihu Decoction associated prescriptions are used to dredge the triple energizer for insomnia patients with the dysfunction of the triple energizer.For the treatment of insomnia caused by the disordered function of ying-wei in the divergence,Rhei Radix et Rhizoma associated bitter-cold prescriptions are used to purge the interior heat for insomnia patients with abundant interior heat syndrome,Gypsum Fibrosum associated pungent-cold prescriptions are used to release muscles and clear heat for insomnia patients with the interior heat complicated by exterior syndrome,Natrii Sulfas Exsiccatus associated salty-cold prescriptions are used to clear heat,moisten dryness and dissipate the masses for insomnia patients with interior heat complicated by dryness syndrome,sour-cold medicines are used to clear heat and remove retained water,supplement deficiency and relieve exterior for insomnia patients with interior heat complicated by water-retention syndrome,deficiency syndrome and exterior syndrome,and Ophiopogonis Radix associated prescriptions and Lillli Bulbus associated prescriptions are used to clear heat and nourish ying for insomnia patients with the consumption of ying and yin.For the treatment of insomnia caused by the disordered function of ying-wei in the aggregation,the compatibility of Poria and Cinnamomi Ramulus is used for warming yang and resolving fluid retention in patients with fluid retention,Taohong Siwu Decoction associated prescriptions are used to activate blood and remove stasis in patients with predominance of blood stasis syndrome,the compatibility of Poria and Paeoniae Radix Alba are used to treat retained water and blood stasis in patients with water-blood co-morbidity.Treating insomnia caused by disharmony between ying and wei from the perspective of the function of ying-wei in the generation,dispersion,divergence and aggregation is aimed at the core pathogenesis of insomnia,which makes the treatment easy to be carried out,and can provide reference for clinical differentiation and treatment of insomnia.

Objective The leptin receptor,encoded by the LEPR gene,is involved in tumorigenesis.A potential functional variant of LEPR,rs1137101(Gln223Arg),has been extensively investigated for its contribution to the risk of digestive system(DS)cancers,but results remain conflicting rather than conclusive.Here,we performed a case-control study and subsequent meta-analysis to examine the association between rs1137101 and DS cancer risk. Methods A total of 1,727 patients with cancer(gastric/liver/colorectal:460/480/787)and 800 healthy controls were recruited.Genotyping of rs1137101 was conducted using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)assay and confirmed using Sanger sequencing.Twenty-four eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results After Bonferroni correction,the case-control study revealed that rs1137101 was significantly associated with the risk of liver cancer in the Hubei Chinese population.The meta-analysis suggested that rs1137101 is significantly associated with the risk of overall DS,gastric,and liver cancer in the Chinese population. Conclusion The LEPR rs1137101 variant may be a genetic biomarker for susceptibility to DS cancers(especially liver and gastric cancer)in the Chinese population.

Acute liver injury (ALI) is one of the common severe diseases in clinic, which is characterized by redox imbalance and inflammatory storm. Untimely treatment can easily lead to liver failure and even death. Rosmarinic acid (RA) has been proved to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, but it is not clear how to protect ALI through antioxidation and inhibition of inflammation. Therefore, this study explored the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of RA on ALI through in vitro and in vivo experiments. In the mouse ALI model, the effects of RA on liver function and inflammatory indexes were studied, the pathological changes of liver were observed by HE, the effect of RA on reactive oxygen species in liver was detected by fluorescence method, and the level of F4/80 in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemical method. The levels of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (CASPASE-1) in liver tissue were measured by Western blot. All animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the rules of the Animal Ethics Committee of Southwest Minzu University. In vitro, human hepatoma cell line HepG2 was used to establish the model of oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂. The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 method. The level of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the supernatant was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the activity of lactatede hydrogenase (LDH) was detected by LDH kit, and the level of ROS was detected by fluorescence probe DCFH-DA labeling. The mRNA expression of Txnip, Nlrp3, Caspase 1, Il1β was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR), and the protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (NRF2), TXNIP, NLRP3 and CASPASE-1 were measured by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the model group, the degree of liver swelling, tissue injury, liver function index in RA group were significantly lower than those in model group. And RA significantly attenuated the increases of ROS in liver tissue. The expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3 and CASPASE-1 in liver tissue were significantly lower than those in model group. Additionally, RA inhibited the expressions of F4/80 and IL-1β. In vitro experiment, compared with model group, RA effectively inhibited the secretion of IL-1β and LDH. The level of ROS also decreased significantly. RA inhibited the mRNA expressions of Txnip, Caspase 1, Il1β. Furthermore, RA significantly increased the expression level of NRF2 protein in nucleus, and decreased the expression level of TXNIP and NLRP3 protein. Specifically, with the addition of ML385, the effect of RA on NRF2, TXNIP, NLRP3, CASPASE-1 protein expression was reversed. Collectively, these findings suggested that RA may inhibit the production of ROS by promoting NRF2 nuclear transfer, and then reduce the activation of NLRP3 inflammatory bodies by TXNIP, reduce cell death and inflammatory response to prevent the liver injury.

In the present study, the antibacterial spectrum of turmeric extract was analyzed by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the antibacterial mechanism of turmeric extract was elaborated by determining its effects on the permeability and integrity of the cytoplasmic membrane, energy metabolism, and the morphology of the tested bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) with the highest susceptibility to the extract. The results showed that turmeric extract possessed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, especially against Bacillus subtilis, with the MIC of 0.5 mg·mL^-1. Turmeric extract disrupted the liposome membrane and released calcein encapsulated within it. The permeability of the bacterial cell membrane was increased, leading to leakage of intracellular K⁺, Ca²⁺and cell wall proteins, and the integrity of the cell membrane was broken down, causing leakage of intracellular proteins and polysaccharides. Scanning electron microscope observation confirmed that the bacteria treated with turmeric extract was severely deformed. Simultaneously, cellular energy metabolism was affected, resulting in a significant reduction in the intracellular ATP content and ATPase activity in bacteria. In summary, the antibacterial mode of turmeric extract is closely related to its disruption of bacterial membrane structure.