1.Prognostic significance of TRIM28 elevation in non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia
Siqi GONG ; Cong LI ; Mengmeng FAN ; Huiping WANG ; Wanqiu ZHANG ; Xue LIANG ; Qianshan TAO ; Qiang HONG ; Zhimin ZHAI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(2):301-308
ObjectiveTo clarify the expression of TRIM28 in non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its correlation with clinical indicators and prognosis, and to further explore the effect of TRIM28 expression levels on the proliferation and apoptosis of AML cells using small interfering RNA. MethodsThe GSE34577 dataset was analyzed using R software to compare TRIM28 expression between healthy controls and non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Clinical samples from non-M3 AML patients were collected, with TRIM28 expression levels measured using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The analysis focused on correlations between TRIM28 expression and various clinical indicators, treatment efficacy, and patient prognosis. Furthermore, small interfering RNA (siRNA) technology was employed to downregulate TRIM28 expression in human primary AML cells (HL60 cell line). The effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis were then assessed through CCK-8 assays and flow cytometry, respectively. ResultsThe results showed that TRIM28 was up-regulated in non-M3 AML of both online database GSE34577 and clinical samples (P<0.000 1), TRIM28 expression of new diagnosis group and relapsed refractory group was higher than iron deficiency anemia group (P<0.01), and there was no significance between different French-American-British classification systems subtype. TRIM28 expression was higher in non-M3 AML patients with a poor genetic prognosis stratified as moderate than in the good prognosis group, and TRIM28 expression was associated with NPM1 combined with the FLT3-ITD mutation, positively correlated with age, bone marrow blast, peripheral blood blast and white blood cell, negatively correlated with hemoglobin. In addition, interference TRIM28 greatly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. ConclusionThis study reveals that TRIM28 is highly expressed in non-M3 AML and associated with prognosis, and plays a key role in the proliferation and apoptosis of AML cells, suggesting that TRIM28 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for non-M3 AML.
2.Compact Fundus Imaging System Using Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensing for High-speed Auto-focus
Zhe-Kai LIN ; Long CHEN ; Geng-Yong ZHENG ; Jin-Tian HUANG ; Jia-Xin DONG ; Shang-Pan YANG ; Wen-Zheng DING ; Ding-An HAN ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Ya-Guang ZENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1076-1086
ObjectiveThe widespread adoption of portable fundus cameras for primary care and community screening is hindered by limitations in current autofocus(AF) technologies. Image-based methods relying on sharpness evaluation require iterative searches, resulting in slow convergence, while projection-based techniques are susceptible to optical artifacts and calibration errors. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel AF system based on direct wavefront sensing, designed to deliver simultaneous high speed, high precision, and operational robustness within the compact form factor essential for portable ophthalmic devices. MethodsOur approach fundamentally reimagines the AF process by directly measuring the ocular wavefront aberration. We developed a custom portable fundus camera integrating a miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) into the optical path. An 850 nm laser diode projects a point source onto the retina via oblique illumination to minimize corneal reflections. Light scattered from this spot carries the eye’s refractive error through the imaging optics and is directed to the SHWS, positioned at a plane optically conjugate to the primary color CMOS imaging sensor. A microlens array within the SHWS samples the incident wavefront, generating a pattern of focal spots on a CCD. Real-time centroid analysis of these spots provides a map of local wavefront slopes. These measurements are processed through a singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm to fit a Zernike polynomial basis set, enabling real-time reconstruction of the wavefront phase. The defocus component (S) is extracted from the second-order Zernike coefficients, providing a direct, quantitative measure of the refractive error in diopters. This value serves as a precise error signal in a closed-loop control system, which commands a voice-coil actuated focusing lens to its null position in a single, deterministic step, eliminating the need for iterative search algorithms. ResultsComprehensive evaluation demonstrated the system’s high performance. Testing on a calibrated model eye (OEMI-7) established a highly linear relationship between the computed defocus S and the focusing lens position across a ±20 Diopter (D) compensation range, achievable within a 5 mm mechanical travel. The system achieved a focusing precision of 0.08 D, corresponding to an 18-fold improvement over a conventional projection spot-size method tested under identical conditions. The total focus acquisition time, encompassing wavefront measurement, computation, and lens actuation, averaged under 0.5 s. Clinical validation with 25 human volunteers (50 eyes, refractive range -15 D to +10 D) confirmed practical efficacy. The wavefront-sensing AF succeeded in 92% of attempts with a mean time of 0.5 s, substantially outperforming a projection-based benchmark which achieved only a 32% success rate with an average time of 4.25 s. The system provided instantaneous directional guidance and maintained stability during minor ocular movements. Objective assessment of image quality, via amplitude contrast of retinal vasculature, showed consistent and significant enhancement following AF correction across the entire tested diopter range. ConclusionThis work successfully implements and validates a direct wavefront-sensing autofocus paradigm for portable fundus cameras. By directly quantifying and compensating for the optical defocus aberration, this method bypasses the fundamental limitations of image-processing and projection-based techniques, enabling rapid, precise, and deterministic diopter compensation. The developed system delivers an exceptional combination of a wide operational range (±20 D), high accuracy (0.08 D), fast convergence (0.5 s), and a compact physical footprint. This technology provides a practical and high-performance focusing solution capable of enhancing the reliability, throughput, and diagnostic utility of portable retinal imaging in large-scale screening applications. Future efforts will be directed towards system cost optimization and performance adaptation for diverse ocular conditions.
3.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
4.Association between prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and hormone levels in fetal umbilical cord blood
Kang'ao SUN ; Yanmei WU ; Hongbing FU ; Xia WANG ; Hong LIANG ; Jingchuan XUE
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(8):917-925
Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals characterized by environmental persistence and have been ubiquitously detected in pregnant women. Although existing evidence suggests that PFAS may exert endocrine-disrupting effects, evidence remains limited regarding the associations of individual legacy and emerging PFAS congeners, as well as PFAS mixtures, with fetal hormonal homeostasis. Objective Based on the Jiashan Birth Cohort in China, to investigate the associations between maternal plasma concentrations of legacy and emerging PFAS in the second trimester and levels of multiple hormones in fetal cord blood. Methods A total of 336 women in the second trimester from the Jiashan Birth Cohort were enrolled. Concentrations of 53 legacy and emerging PFAS were measured in maternal plasma, and levels of eight key hormones were determined in fetal cord blood. Multiple linear regression, restricted cubic spline, and Bayesian kernel machine regression models were used to examine the linear, nonlinear, and joint associations of individual PFAS and PFAS mixtures with fetal cord blood hormone levels. Results Maternal plasma concentrations of perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, and 8:2 chlorinated perfluoroether sulfonic acid were positively associated with cord blood levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), with β values of 0.040, 0.050, 0.040, and 0.030, respectively (all P<0.05). In contrast, perfluoroheptanoic acid was negatively associated with prolactin levels (β=−0.060, P<0.01). Restricted cubic spline models revealed a nonlinear dose–response relationship between perfluorobutane sulfonic acid and growth hormone (likelihood ratio test P=0.045), with a positive association in the intermediate concentration interval (β=0.261, P=0.010) that turned negative at higher concentrations (β=−0.425, P=0.048), as well as a nonlinear trend between 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid and prolactin (likelihood ratio test P=0.074). Bayesian kernel machine regression analysis indicated a negative trend between PFAS mixture exposure and cord blood prolactin levels. Conclusion Maternal PFAS exposure in the second trimester is associated with higher insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and lower prolactin levels in fetal cord blood. Prolactin appears to be consistently associated with both individual PFAS congeners and PFAS mixtures. These findings suggest that maternal PFAS exposure may affect fetal endocrine homeostasis by disrupting the hypothalamic-pituitary-prolactin regulatory axis.
5.CircHECTD1 Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Progression Through miR-375/CADM1 Axis
Yunju PU ; Jiunian LI ; Hong PAN ; Xue WANG
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2026;53(9):700-710
Objective To explore the molecular mechanism by which circular RNA circHECTD1 (hsa_circ_0002301) regulates the miR-375/CADM1 axis to inhibit proliferation and migration in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods The expression level of circHECTD1 in CRC cell lines was detected by quantitative real-time PCR, and the circular characteristics of circHECTD1 in CRC cell lines were verified. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and Transwell assay were performed to determine the effects of circHECTD1 on the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. A nude mouse subcutaneous xenograft tumor model was utilized to investigate the effect of circHECTD1 on tumor growth in vivo. For mechanistic studies, bioinformatic databases and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to predict and validate the target miRNAs and mRNAs interacting with circHECTD1 and investigate its competing endogenous RNA interaction network. Results The overexpression of circHECTD1 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of CRC cells, whereas knockdown of circHECTD1 produced the opposite effects. In vivo animal experiments demonstrated that the overexpression of circHECTD1 inhibited the growth of CRC cells. Mechanistically, circHECTD1 inhibited CRC cell proliferation and migration by regulating the miR-375/CADM1 axis, and miR-375 overexpression partially reversed the effects of circHECTD1 knockdown on CRC proliferation. Conclusion CircHECTD1 inhibits the progression of CRC by regulating the miR-375/CADM1 axis.
6.LIN Yi's Clinical Experience in Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Brain Metastases Using the Method of "Consolidating the Root and Cultivating the Origin,Resolving Phlegm and Dredging Collaterals"
Guibin WANG ; Shicui HONG ; Xue SONG ; Shengqi WANG ; Honglin SITU ; Li GUO ; Zhuobin WEN ;
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(19):2048-2052
This paper summarizes professor LIN Yi's clinical experience in treating brain metastases of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). It is believed that the pathogenesis of this disease is fundamentally based on spleen and lung qi deficiency, with the binding of phlegm, stasis, and toxins acting as the critical link for disease progression, and qi stagnation serving as a major factor in its protracted course. The core therapeutic principle of "consolidating the root and cultivating the origin, resolving phlegm and dredging collaterals" is proposed. Clinically, the disease is staged into active, stable, and convalescent phases. During the active phase, characterized by spleen and lung qi deficiency alongside hyperactivity of phlegm-toxin pathogens, the treatment focuses on supplementing qi, fortifying the spleen, resolving phlegm, and dredging collaterals, utilizing the Yiqi Jiangtan Tongluo Formula (益气降痰通络方). During the stable phase, marked by spleen deficiency, weak qi, and residual phlegm, stasis, and toxins lingering in the collaterals, the treatment aims to fortify spleen, cultivate the origin, expel pathogens, and dredge collaterals, using modified Baihua Qiling Formula (白花芪苓方). During the convalescent phase, characterized by depletion of healthy qi, dysfunction of zang-fu (脏腑) organs, and deep-seated residual phlegm, stasis, and toxins within the brain collaterals, the treatment focuses on regulating qi movement, protecting body fluids, and applying constitution-based treatments, mostly using mild and nourishing medicinals.
7.LIN Yi's Clinical Experience in Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Brain Metastases Using the Method of "Consolidating the Root and Cultivating the Origin,Resolving Phlegm and Dredging Collaterals"
Guibin WANG ; Shicui HONG ; Xue SONG ; Shengqi WANG ; Honglin SITU ; Li GUO ; Zhuobin WEN ;
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(19):2048-2052
This paper summarizes professor LIN Yi's clinical experience in treating brain metastases of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). It is believed that the pathogenesis of this disease is fundamentally based on spleen and lung qi deficiency, with the binding of phlegm, stasis, and toxins acting as the critical link for disease progression, and qi stagnation serving as a major factor in its protracted course. The core therapeutic principle of "consolidating the root and cultivating the origin, resolving phlegm and dredging collaterals" is proposed. Clinically, the disease is staged into active, stable, and convalescent phases. During the active phase, characterized by spleen and lung qi deficiency alongside hyperactivity of phlegm-toxin pathogens, the treatment focuses on supplementing qi, fortifying the spleen, resolving phlegm, and dredging collaterals, utilizing the Yiqi Jiangtan Tongluo Formula (益气降痰通络方). During the stable phase, marked by spleen deficiency, weak qi, and residual phlegm, stasis, and toxins lingering in the collaterals, the treatment aims to fortify spleen, cultivate the origin, expel pathogens, and dredge collaterals, using modified Baihua Qiling Formula (白花芪苓方). During the convalescent phase, characterized by depletion of healthy qi, dysfunction of zang-fu (脏腑) organs, and deep-seated residual phlegm, stasis, and toxins within the brain collaterals, the treatment focuses on regulating qi movement, protecting body fluids, and applying constitution-based treatments, mostly using mild and nourishing medicinals.
8.Comparison of the Risk Stratification Systems of CHIC and New CCCG in the Prognostic Evaluation of Hepatoblastoma
Zhen LI ; Hong JIANG ; Wenqing WANG ; Yuanqi WANG ; Libin HUANG ; Juncheng LIU ; Hongman XUE
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(2):346-353
ObjectiveTo compare the Children's Hepatic tumors International Collaboration (CHIC) and the new Chinese Children's Cancer Group (CCCG) hepatoblastoma (HB) risk stratification systems in terms of their prognostic prediction efficacy and chemotherapy guidance value for Chinese children with HB, aiming to identify the risk stratification system more suitable for Chinese HB patients. MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 403 pediatric patients with HB aged < 18 years who were initially diagnosed at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between February 2010 and September 2023. The prognostic predictive efficacy and chemotherapy-guided value of the CHIC and CCCG risk stratification systems was compared. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0. Results①Using the new CCCG risk stratification, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates for children who received versus did not receive risk-stratified chemotherapy according to the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol were 82.5% and 67.7% (P=0.002), respectively, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 91.5% and 85.1% (P=0.038). Using CHIC risk stratification, the corresponding 5-year EFS rates for children who received versus did not receive risk-stratified chemotherapy according to the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol were 80.3% and 68.5% (P=0.030), and the 5-year OS rates were 90.9% and 85.8% (P=0.151). ②Among children treated with the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol stratified by the new CCCG system, the 5-year EFS rates for the very low-risk (6 cases), low-risk (20 cases), intermediate-risk (61 cases), and high-risk (69 cases) groups were 100%, 94.1%, 94.7%, and 66.2% (P<0.001), respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 100%, 100%, 96.5%, and 82.0% (P=0.017). Among children treated with the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol stratified by the CHIC system, the 5-year EFS rates for the very low-risk (32 cases), low-risk (22 cases), intermediate-risk (37 cases), and high-risk (54 cases) groups were 93.8%, 95.2%, 76.1%, and 66.8% (P=0.003), respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 93.1%, 100%, 89.5%, and 85.6% (P=0.190). ③For patients receiving CCCG-HB-2016 risk-stratified chemotherapy, the P-values for EFS comparisons between the CHIC and new CCCG systems within the very low-risk, low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 0.537, 0.879, 0.023, and 0.934, respectively. Among patients who received stratified chemotherapy according to the CCCG-HB-2016 regimen, the intermediate-risk group in the new CCCG risk stratification system exhibited a significant advantage in 5-year event-free survival (EFS) compared with the intermediate-risk group in the CHIC risk stratification system (94.7% vs. 76.1%). ConclusionCompared to the CHIC risk stratification, the new CCCG stratification may offer better prognostic prediction and guidance value for chemotherapy in Chinese HB patients, with the intermediate-risk group showing superior outcomes.
9.Cold stimulation regulates lipid metabolism and the secretion of exosomes from subcutaneous adipose tissue in mice.
Shuo KE ; Li XU ; Rui-Xue SHI ; Jia-Qi WANG ; Le CUI ; Yuan JI ; Jing LI ; Xiao-Hong JIANG
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(2):231-240
Cold has been a long-term survival challenge in the evolutionary process of mammals. In response to cold stress, in addition to brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipating energy as heat through glucose and lipid oxidation to maintain body temperature, cold stimulation can strongly activate thermogenesis and energy expenditure in beige fat cells, which are widely distributed in the subcutaneous layer. However, the effects of cold stimulation on other tissues and systemic lipid metabolism remain unclear. Our previous research indicated that, under cold stress, BAT not only produces heat but also secretes numerous exosomes to mediate BAT-liver crosstalk. Whether subcutaneous fat has a similar mechanism is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the alterations in lipid metabolism across various tissues under cold exposure and to explore whether subcutaneous fat regulates systemic glucose and lipid metabolism via exosomes, thereby elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of lipid metabolism homeostasis under physiological stress. RT-qPCR, Western blot, and H&E staining methods were used to investigate the physiological changes in lipid metabolism in the serum, liver, epididymal white adipose tissue, and subcutaneous fat of mice under cold stimulation. The results revealed that cold exposure significantly enhanced the thermogenic activity of subcutaneous adipose tissue and markedly increased exosome secretion. These exosomes were efficiently taken up by hepatocytes, where they profoundly influenced hepatic lipid metabolism, as evidenced by alterations in the expression levels of key genes involved in lipid synthesis and catabolism pathways. This study has unveiled a novel mechanism by which subcutaneous fat regulates lipid metabolism through exosome secretion under cold stimulation, providing new insights into the systemic regulatory role of beige adipocytes under cold stress and offering a theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for obesity and metabolic diseases.
Animals
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Lipid Metabolism/physiology*
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Mice
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Exosomes/metabolism*
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Cold Temperature
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Subcutaneous Fat/physiology*
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Thermogenesis/physiology*
;
Adipose Tissue, Brown/metabolism*
;
Male
10.Ameliorative effects of Lycii Fructus-Chrysanthemi Flos at different ratios on retinal damage in mice.
Bing LI ; Sheng GUO ; Yue ZHU ; Xue-Sen WANG ; Dan-Dan WEI ; Hong-Jie KANG ; Wen-Hua ZHANG ; Jin-Ao DUAN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):732-740
This study aimed to compare the ameliorative effects of Lycii Fructus and Chrysanthemi Flos at different ratios on retinal damage in mice and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. A retinal injury model was established by intraperitoneal injection of sodium iodate(NaIO_3) solution. The mice were divided into the following groups: blank group, model group, positive drug(AREDS 2) group, low-and high-dose groups of Lycii Fructus and Chrysanthemi Flos at 1∶1, low-and high-dose groups at 3∶1, and low-and high-dose groups at 1∶3. Administration was carried out 15 days after modeling. The visual acuity of the mice was assessed using the black-and-white box test. The fundus was observed using an optical coherence tomography device, and retinal thickness was measured. HE staining was used to observe the morphology and pathological changes of the retina. The levels of oxidative factors in serum and ocular tissues were measured using assay kits. The levels of inflammatory factors in serum and ocular tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NF-κB proteins in ocular tissues was analyzed by Western blot. The results showed that after administration of Lycii Fructus and Chrysanthemi Flos at different ratios, the model group showed improved retinal thinning and disordered arrangement of retinal layers, elevated content of SOD and GSH in the serum and ocular tissues, and reduced levels of MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Lycii Fructus and Chrysanthemi Flos at 1∶1 and 1∶3 showed better improvement effects. The combination significantly upregulated the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 and downregulated the expression of NF-κB p65. These results indicate that Lycii Fructus and Chrysanthemi Flos at different ratios can improve retinal damage, reduce oxidative stress, and alleviate inflammation in both the body and ocular tissues of mice. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways in ocular tissues. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of Lycii Fructus and Chrysanthemi Flos in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration.
Animals
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Mice
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Retina/injuries*
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Male
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Lycium/chemistry*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Chrysanthemum/chemistry*
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NF-kappa B/genetics*
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Humans
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Retinal Diseases/metabolism*
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NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism*
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Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
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Flowers/chemistry*
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Heme Oxygenase-1/genetics*


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