ObjectiveTo establish a geographical origin identification model for Foeniculi Fructus from Haiyuan， providing a new technical reference for the protection of Haiyuan's geo-authentic medicinal materials and its designation as a national geographical indication agricultural product. MethodsSamples of Foeniculi Fructus were collected from eight producing areas， including Minqin （Gansu）， Bozhou （Anhui）， Qingdao （Shandong）， Dezhou （Shandong）， Urumqi （Xinjiang）， Nujiang （Yunnan）， Gutuo （Inner Mongolia）， and Haiyuan （Ningxia）. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry （GC-IMS） was used to detect the volatile organic compounds （VOCs） in samples from these geographic origins. VOCs were qualitatively analyzed through dual matching with the National Institute of Standards and Technology （NIST） mass spectral database and the IMS drift time database. Using the Reporter module and Gallery Plot visualization tools within the LAV analytical platform， VOC fingerprint profiles characterizing geographic origins were constructed. A non-targeted analytical strategy was adopted， and 97 VOCs detected via GC-IMS were subjected to principal component analysis （PCA） and partial least squares discriminant analysis （PLS-DA） based on their differential distribution patterns to construct an origin identification model for Foeniculi Fructus from Haiyuan region. Key discriminative markers were screened using variable importance in projection （VIP） values greater than 1. ResultsA total of 97 VOCs were identified， including alcohols， aldehydes， ketones， esters， organic acids， terpenoids， ethers， alkenes， and benzenes. The PLS-DA model， based on VOCs data obtained by GC-IMS， effectively distinguished Foeniculi Fructus in Haiyuan region from those of other origins. During cross-validation， the model achieved a prediction parameter （Q²） of 0.976 and a goodness-of-fit parameter （R²） of 0.936， with no overfitting observed in permutation testing. Twelve key flavor markers with VIP > 1 were identified as characteristic indicators of Haiyuan origin. ConclusionA stable and highly predictive origin identification model for Foeniculi Fructus from Haiyuan was successfully established using GC-IMS technology， PLS-DA， and VIP-based marker screening. This model provides a novel technical strategy for accurately distinguishing Foeniculi Fructus in Haiyuan region from other regional varieties and offers new technical support for its protection as a geo-authentic medicinal material and a nationally designated geographical indication agricultural product in China.

ObjectiveTo establish a geographical origin identification model for Foeniculi Fructus from Haiyuan， providing a new technical reference for the protection of Haiyuan's geo-authentic medicinal materials and its designation as a national geographical indication agricultural product. MethodsSamples of Foeniculi Fructus were collected from eight producing areas， including Minqin （Gansu）， Bozhou （Anhui）， Qingdao （Shandong）， Dezhou （Shandong）， Urumqi （Xinjiang）， Nujiang （Yunnan）， Gutuo （Inner Mongolia）， and Haiyuan （Ningxia）. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry （GC-IMS） was used to detect the volatile organic compounds （VOCs） in samples from these geographic origins. VOCs were qualitatively analyzed through dual matching with the National Institute of Standards and Technology （NIST） mass spectral database and the IMS drift time database. Using the Reporter module and Gallery Plot visualization tools within the LAV analytical platform， VOC fingerprint profiles characterizing geographic origins were constructed. A non-targeted analytical strategy was adopted， and 97 VOCs detected via GC-IMS were subjected to principal component analysis （PCA） and partial least squares discriminant analysis （PLS-DA） based on their differential distribution patterns to construct an origin identification model for Foeniculi Fructus from Haiyuan region. Key discriminative markers were screened using variable importance in projection （VIP） values greater than 1. ResultsA total of 97 VOCs were identified， including alcohols， aldehydes， ketones， esters， organic acids， terpenoids， ethers， alkenes， and benzenes. The PLS-DA model， based on VOCs data obtained by GC-IMS， effectively distinguished Foeniculi Fructus in Haiyuan region from those of other origins. During cross-validation， the model achieved a prediction parameter （Q²） of 0.976 and a goodness-of-fit parameter （R²） of 0.936， with no overfitting observed in permutation testing. Twelve key flavor markers with VIP > 1 were identified as characteristic indicators of Haiyuan origin. ConclusionA stable and highly predictive origin identification model for Foeniculi Fructus from Haiyuan was successfully established using GC-IMS technology， PLS-DA， and VIP-based marker screening. This model provides a novel technical strategy for accurately distinguishing Foeniculi Fructus in Haiyuan region from other regional varieties and offers new technical support for its protection as a geo-authentic medicinal material and a nationally designated geographical indication agricultural product in China.

Objective To analyze the evaluation value of basilar artery curvature based on compu-ted tomography angiography for the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with pontine infarc-tion.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 98 elderly patients with pontine infarc-tion admitted in Guangyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2020 to September 2023.According to the prognosis status,they were divided into good prognosis group(n=61)and poor prognosis group(n=37).The computed tomography angiography parameters of basilar artery curvature were compared between the two groups to analyze the correlation with long-term prognosis of patients.The predictive values of these parameters in predicting the prog-nosis was assessed.Results The poor prognosis group had significantly smaller diameter of basi-lar artery,longer length in basilar artery curvature,and larger curvature index than the good prog-nosis group(P＜0.01).The diameter of basilar artery was negatively correlated,and the length in basilar artery curvature and the curvature index were positively correlated with poor prognosis in the elderly patients with pontine infarction(P＜0.01).The length of the basilar artery curvature and the curvature index were risk factors for poor prognosis in elderly patients with pontine infarction(P＜0.01).The diameter of the basilar artery was a protective factor for poor prognosis in elderly patients with pontine infarction(P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis indicated that the area under curve value of combined above three computed tomography angiography parameters of bas-ilar artery curvature in predicting the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with pontine infarc-tion was 0.938(95％CI:0.870～0.977),with a sensitivity of 94.59％and a specificity of 75.41％.Conclusion computed tomography angiography can evaluate the degree of basilar artery curva-ture,intuitively reflect the morphological characteristics of basilar artery,and provide imaging ba-sis for predicting the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with pontine infarction.

Objective To precisely identify the para-Bombay blood types in cancer patients at our hospital, establish a robust system for the identification of challenging blood types in our laboratory, and provide a foundation for precise transfusion practices. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the blood type results of 91 874 cancer patients from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023. Conventional serological methods were used to screen for blood types, and suspected para-Bombay blood types were identified. Further analysis was performed using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) single-molecule real-time sequencing and Sanger sequencing was used to determine the genotypes of the ABO, FUT1, and FUT2 genes. Results Eight cases of para-Bombay blood type were confirmed through serological and molecular biological methods. The FUT1 genotypes identified were: 5 cases of h1h1 (homozygous mutation 551_552delAG) and 3 cases of h1h2 (compound heterozygous mutations of 551_552delAG and 880_882delTT). The FUT2 genotypes identified were: 2 cases of Se³⁵⁷/Se^{357, 716} and 4 cases of Se³⁵⁷/Se³⁵⁷. Additionally, one sample revealed a novel heterozygous mutation, 818C>T, in exon 7 of the ABO gene, which was confirmed by PacBio sequencing to be located on the O haplotype. Conclusion PacBio sequencing technology demonstrates significant advantages in analyzing the haplotypes of para-Bombay blood type genes. This approach supports the establishment of a robust system for the identification of challenging blood types and provides novel evidence for precise transfusion practices in cancer patients.
Humans ; Neoplasms/genetics* ; Fucosyltransferases/genetics* ; ABO Blood-Group System/genetics* ; Male ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods* ; Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Genotype ; Middle Aged ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching/methods* ; Adult ; Mutation ; Aged

Objective To investigate the value of serum α-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase(α-HBDH),cysteine-rich protein 61(CYR61)and gasdermin D(GSDMD)level testing in patients with sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy for clinical diagnosis and prognostic assessment.Methods A total of 244 sepsis patients who underwent consultation and treatment in Baotou Central Hospital from May 2020 to December 2023 were selected as the study subjects,and were separated into a study group(combined cardiomyopathy,n=106)and a control group(uncombined cardiomyopathy,n=138)according to whether they were combined cardiomyopathy or not.The levels of α-HBDH,CYR61 and GSDMD were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method.Pearson and Spearman methods were used to analyze the correlation of α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD with systolic and diastolic blood pressure,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHE II)score.Multifactorial Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy.Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curves were used to assess the diagnostic value of α-HBDH,CYR61 and GSDMD for sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy and their validity for prognostic prediction.Results Serum α-HBDH(278.35±18.89ng/ml vs 253.47±12.75ng/ml),CYR61(18.23±4.14mg/L vs 14.48±2.67mg/L)and GSDMD(12.39±3.28mg/L vs 9.46±2.17mg/L)levels were higher in the study group compared to the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(t=12.261,8.572,8.377,all P<0.05).The levels of α-HBDH(291.93±19.22ng/ml),CYR61(20.33±3.43mg/L)and GSDMD(14.01±3.09mg/L)were higher in the death patients compared to the survived patients(268.71±13.09ng/ml,16.74±2.88mg/L,11.24±2.55mg/L),and the differences were statistically significant(t=7.402,5.839,5.044,all P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD were negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and LVEF(r=-0.631～-0.422,all P<0.05),α-HBDH,CYR61,GSDMD were negatively correlated with APACHE II score(r=0.531,0.507,0.611,all P<0.05).Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,and LVEF were protective factors affecting sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Wald χ2=6.823,7.986,10.875,all P<0.05),and α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD were risk factors affecting sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Wald χ2=9.376,6.849,7.435,all P<0.05).From the ROC curve analysis,it was known that the combined application of α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD was more effective in the diagnosis of sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Z=2.369,2.454,2.573),the combined application of α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD were superior for prognostic prediction in sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Z=2.352,2.468,2.581),and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion Serum α-HBDH,CYR61 and GSDMD levels are increased in patients with sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy,and they are correlated with prognosis.The combination of these three tests has a higher diagnostic value and prognostic value in sepsis combined cardiomyopathy.

Objective To analyze the evaluation value of basilar artery curvature based on compu-ted tomography angiography for the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with pontine infarc-tion.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 98 elderly patients with pontine infarc-tion admitted in Guangyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2020 to September 2023.According to the prognosis status,they were divided into good prognosis group(n=61)and poor prognosis group(n=37).The computed tomography angiography parameters of basilar artery curvature were compared between the two groups to analyze the correlation with long-term prognosis of patients.The predictive values of these parameters in predicting the prog-nosis was assessed.Results The poor prognosis group had significantly smaller diameter of basi-lar artery,longer length in basilar artery curvature,and larger curvature index than the good prog-nosis group(P＜0.01).The diameter of basilar artery was negatively correlated,and the length in basilar artery curvature and the curvature index were positively correlated with poor prognosis in the elderly patients with pontine infarction(P＜0.01).The length of the basilar artery curvature and the curvature index were risk factors for poor prognosis in elderly patients with pontine infarction(P＜0.01).The diameter of the basilar artery was a protective factor for poor prognosis in elderly patients with pontine infarction(P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis indicated that the area under curve value of combined above three computed tomography angiography parameters of bas-ilar artery curvature in predicting the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with pontine infarc-tion was 0.938(95％CI:0.870～0.977),with a sensitivity of 94.59％and a specificity of 75.41％.Conclusion computed tomography angiography can evaluate the degree of basilar artery curva-ture,intuitively reflect the morphological characteristics of basilar artery,and provide imaging ba-sis for predicting the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with pontine infarction.

Objective To investigate the value of serum α-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase(α-HBDH),cysteine-rich protein 61(CYR61)and gasdermin D(GSDMD)level testing in patients with sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy for clinical diagnosis and prognostic assessment.Methods A total of 244 sepsis patients who underwent consultation and treatment in Baotou Central Hospital from May 2020 to December 2023 were selected as the study subjects,and were separated into a study group(combined cardiomyopathy,n=106)and a control group(uncombined cardiomyopathy,n=138)according to whether they were combined cardiomyopathy or not.The levels of α-HBDH,CYR61 and GSDMD were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method.Pearson and Spearman methods were used to analyze the correlation of α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD with systolic and diastolic blood pressure,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHE II)score.Multifactorial Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy.Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curves were used to assess the diagnostic value of α-HBDH,CYR61 and GSDMD for sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy and their validity for prognostic prediction.Results Serum α-HBDH(278.35±18.89ng/ml vs 253.47±12.75ng/ml),CYR61(18.23±4.14mg/L vs 14.48±2.67mg/L)and GSDMD(12.39±3.28mg/L vs 9.46±2.17mg/L)levels were higher in the study group compared to the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(t=12.261,8.572,8.377,all P<0.05).The levels of α-HBDH(291.93±19.22ng/ml),CYR61(20.33±3.43mg/L)and GSDMD(14.01±3.09mg/L)were higher in the death patients compared to the survived patients(268.71±13.09ng/ml,16.74±2.88mg/L,11.24±2.55mg/L),and the differences were statistically significant(t=7.402,5.839,5.044,all P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD were negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and LVEF(r=-0.631～-0.422,all P<0.05),α-HBDH,CYR61,GSDMD were negatively correlated with APACHE II score(r=0.531,0.507,0.611,all P<0.05).Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,and LVEF were protective factors affecting sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Wald χ2=6.823,7.986,10.875,all P<0.05),and α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD were risk factors affecting sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Wald χ2=9.376,6.849,7.435,all P<0.05).From the ROC curve analysis,it was known that the combined application of α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD was more effective in the diagnosis of sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Z=2.369,2.454,2.573),the combined application of α-HBDH,CYR61,and GSDMD were superior for prognostic prediction in sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy(Z=2.352,2.468,2.581),and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion Serum α-HBDH,CYR61 and GSDMD levels are increased in patients with sepsis-combined cardiomyopathy,and they are correlated with prognosis.The combination of these three tests has a higher diagnostic value and prognostic value in sepsis combined cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ameliorating effect and mechanism of the effective substance groups from Artemisia ordosica(Abbreviated as HSH)on rheumatoid arthritis(RA)based on cluster of differentiation 4/lymphocyte cell-specific protein-tyrosine kinase/zeta-chain-associated protein kinase of 70 kDa/interleukin-17(CD4/LCK/ZAP70/IL-17)signaling pathway.METHODS The rats were divided into normal group,model group,HSH low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups(2.7,10.8,21.6 mg/kg)and positive control group(Tripterygium glycosides tablet,6.3 mg/kg),with 10 rats in each group.Except for normal group,RA rat model was induced by complete Freund's adjuvant in other groups.After modeling,each group was given relevant medicine or normal saline intragastrically,once a day,for 28 consecutive days.The changes in ankle joint swelling and arthritis index in rats were determined;the pathological changes of ankle joint tissue were observed;the levels of inflammatory factors[IL-1β,IL-21,IL-17A,IL-2,interferon-γ(IFN-γ)and IL-6]in serum and joint fluid of rats were determined;the levels of Th1,Th17 and Treg cells in the whole blood and spleen of rats were detected;protein and mRNA expressions of LCK,proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn(Fyn),ZAP70,CD45,RAR-related orphan receptor γt(RORγt),and forkhead box protein 3(Foxp3)in ankle synovial tissue were determined.RESULTS Compared with normal group,the changes in ankle joint swelling,arthritis index,the levels of IL-1β,IL-21,IL-17A,IL-2,IFN-γ and IL-6 in serum and joint fluid,the levels of Th1,Th17 cells and Th17/Treg value in whole blood and spleen,and the protein and mRNA expression levels of LCK,Fyn,ZAP70,CD45,and RORγt in ankle joint synovium were all significantly increased/elevated(P＜0.05).The level of Treg cells in the spleen,as well as the protein and mRNA expression levels of Foxp3 in the ankle joint synovium were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with model group,most of the above-mentioned indicators were significantly reversed in the positive control group and all dose groups of HSH(P＜0.05).The degree of pathological changes in ankle joint tissues was markedly improved,and inflammation was alleviated.CONCLUSIONS HSH can regulate the cascade reactions in the CD4/LCK/ZAP70/IL-17 pathway within the T-cell receptor signaling pathway,thereby modulating the Th17/Treg balance.This leads to the suppression of inflammatory responses and the alleviation of synovial tissue damage in rats with RA.

Objective To explore the effects of HPV16 E6 on genes and signaling pathways in cervical epithelial cells and to screen genes associated with oncogenic transformation.Methods HUCEC models infected with HPV16 E6 were constructed,and transcriptome sequencing was performed to screen for differentially expressed genes(DEGs),which were subjected to Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment to analyze the differential signaling pathways.RT-qPCR was used to validate major differentially down-regulated expressed genes.After predicting the major differentially expressed proteins by molecular docking analysis,the expression of major differential genes in HUCEC cell model was verified by RT-qPCR and Western blotting.In addition,RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to further verify the expression of major differential genes in cervical cancer cell lines,SiHa and CaSki.Results A total of 55 genes with more than two-fold differential expression were screened.The results centering on down-regulated genes showed that the negatively regulated differential gene was mainly enriched in redox processes;KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that it was mainly associated with carbohydrate metabolism and cancer.RT-qPCR results showed that the down-regulated differential expression trends of the selected 10 genes were basically consistent with the sequencing results.Molecular docking analysis predicted an interaction between DHRS2 and HPV16 E6,and RT-qPCR and Western blotting confirmed that HPV16 E6 down-regulated DHRS2 mRNA(P＜0.01)and protein(P＜0.05)and ETV5 protein expression(P＜0.01).In SiHa and CaSki cells,compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein expression of DHRS2 was downregulated and positively correlated with the trend of P53 protein expression(P＜0.05).Conclusion HPV16 E6 can mediate oncogenic transformation of cervical cells and promote cervical carcinogenesis through downregulating DHRS2 expression.

BACKGROUND:Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint pain,swelling,and dysfunction.Acupuncture,as a traditional medical treatment,has proved its effectiveness and safety in many diseases.However,the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis remains controversial.Therefore,the purpose of this study is to evaluate and explore the effect of Tiaodu Tongmai acupuncture in the treatment of preclinical rheumatoid arthritis of different ages through the generalized estimating equation,and to provide a basis for the application of acupuncture in rheumatoid arthritis. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Tiaodu Tongmai acupuncture therapy on preclinical rheumatoid arthritis(pre-RA)patients at different ages based on generalized estimating equation. METHODS:A total of 123 patients with preclinical rheumatoid arthritis treated from January to September 2023 were selected as the study objects and divided into study group(n=64)and control group(n=59)according to different treatment methods.The study group was given Tiaodu Tongmai acupuncture treatment,and the control group was given acetaminophen tablets.The baseline balance was adjusted by propensity score matching method.The clinical efficacy and cytokine levels before and after treatment between the two groups were compared.The generalized estimating equation model was established to evaluate the efficacy of Tiaodu Tongmai acupuncture therapy on preclinical rheumatoid arthritis patients at different ages. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After 0 days of treatment,there were significant differences in joint pain and C-reactive protein expression between study and control groups(P＜0.05).After 4 weeks of treatment,there were significant differences in visual analogue scale scores,joint pain,C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate between the two groups(P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,there were significant differences in visual analogue scale scores,C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate between the two groups(P＜0.05).After 12 weeks of treatment,there were significant differences in visual analogue scale scores,C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate between the two groups(P＜0.05).(2)The total effective rate of the study group was 93.75%,while that of the control group was 79.17%.The clinical efficacy of the study group was significantly better than that of the control group(P＜0.05).(3)There were significant differences in interleukin-6,interferon-γ,macrophage migration inhibitory factor,rheumatoid factor IgA,rheumatoid factor IgM,metallomatrix proteinase 3,metallomatrix proteinase 9,and anti-cyclic citrulline antibody in the study group before and after treatment(P＜0.05).The levels of interleukin-6,interferon-γ,rheumatoid factor IgA,rheumatoid factor IgM,metallomatrix proteinase 3,metallomatrix proteinase 9,and anti-cyclic citrulline antibody in the control group after treatment were significantly different from those before treatment(P＜0.05).There were significant differences in interleukin-6,interferon-γ,macrophage migration inhibitory factor,rheumatoid factor IgA,rheumatoid factor IgM,metallomatrix proteinase 3,and anti-cyclic citrulline antibody between the two groups after treatment(P＜0.05).(4)After 12 weeks of treatment,the comprehensive efficacy of patients of all ages in the study group was better than that of the control group(P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the comprehensive efficacy of patients aged 23-35,36-50,and 51-60 years old in the study group was better than that of the control group(P＜0.05),and the comprehensive efficacy of patients aged 18-22 years old was comparable between the two groups.After 4 weeks of treatment,the comprehensive efficacy of patients aged 36-50 and 51-60 years old in the study group was better than that of the control group(P＜0.05),and the comprehensive efficacy was comparable between the two groups of patients aged 18-22 and 23-35 years.Overall,Tiaodu Tongmai acupuncture therapy has advantages in treating preclinical rheumatoid arthritis patients aged 36-50 and 51-60 years.