ObjectiveTo establish an ultra-performance liquid fingerprint and multi-components determination method for Naomaili granules. To evaluate the quality of different batches by chemometrics， and the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of water extract and main components of Naomaili granules were tested in vitro. MethodsThe similarity and common peaks of 27 batches of Naomaili granules were evaluated by using Ultra performance liquid chromatography （UPLC） fingerprint detection. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS） technology was used to determine the content of the index components in Naomaili granules and to evaluate the quality of different batches of Naomaili granules by chemometrics. LPS-induced BV-2 cell inflammation model was used to investigate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of the water extract and main components of Naomaili granules. ResultsThe similarity of fingerprints of 27 batches of samples was > 0.90. A total of 32 common peaks were calibrated， and 23 of them were identified and assigned. In 27 batches of Naomaili granules， the mass fractions of 14 components that were stachydrine hydrochloride， leonurine hydrochloride， calycosin-7-O-glucoside， calycosin，tanshinoneⅠ， cryptotanshinone， tanshinoneⅡ_A， ginsenoside Rb₁， notoginsenoside R₁， ginsenoside Rg₁， paeoniflorin， albiflorin， lactiflorin， and salvianolic acid B were found to be 2.902-3.498， 0.233-0.343， 0.111-0.301， 0.07-0.152， 0.136-0.228， 0.195-0.390， 0.324-0.482， 1.056-1.435， 0.271-0.397， 1.318-1.649， 3.038-4.059， 2.263-3.455， 0.152-0.232， 2.931-3.991 mg∙g^-1， respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that paeoniflorin， ginsenoside Rg₁， ginsenoside Rb₁ and staphylline hydrochloride were quality difference markers to control the stability of the preparation. The results of bioactive experiment showed that the water extract of Naomaili granules and the eight main components with high content in the prescription had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the release of NO in the cell supernatant. Among them， salvianolic acid B and ginsenoside Rb₁ had strong anti-inflammatory activity， with IC₅₀ values of （36.11±0.15） mg∙L^-1 and （27.24±0.54） mg∙L^-1， respectively. ConclusionThe quality evaluation method of Naomaili granules established in this study was accurate and reproducible. Four quality difference markers were screened out， and eight key pharmacodynamic substances of Naomaili granules against neuroinflammation were screened out by in vitro cell experiments.

OBJECTIVE: Several epidemiological observational studies have related particulate matter (PM) exposure to Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but many confounding factors make it difficult to draw causal links from observational studies. The objective of this study was to explore the causal association between PM _2.5 exposure, its absorbance, and IBD. METHODS: We assessed the association of PM _2.5 and PM _2.5 absorbance with the two primary forms of IBD (Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]) using Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the causal relationship. We conducted two-sample MR analyses with aggregated data from the UK Biobank genome-wide association study. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms linked with PM _2.5 concentrations or their absorbance were used as instrumental variables (IVs). We used inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the primary analytical approach and four other standard methods as supplementary analyses for quality control. RESULTS: The results of MR demonstrated that PM _2.5 had an adverse influence on UC risk (odds ratio [ OR] = 1.010; 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 1.001-1.019, P = 0.020). Meanwhile, the results of IVW showed that PM _2.5 absorbance was also causally associated with UC ( OR = 1.012; 95% CI = 1.004-1.019, P = 0.002). We observed no causal relationship between PM _2.5, PM _2.5 absorbance, and CD. The results of sensitivity analysis indicated the absence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy, ensuring the reliability of MR results. CONCLUSION Based on two-sample MR analyses, there are potential positive causal relationships between PM _2.5, PM _2.5 absorbance, and UC.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/genetics* ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Crohn Disease/genetics* ; Colitis, Ulcerative/genetics* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Risk Factors ; Environmental Exposure

Yanchi Tan sheep,a specialty of Ningxia,China,is famous for its excellent meat quality,but the detailed mechanisms of its muscle development and meat quality formation are still unclear.In or-der to preliminarily investigate the unique molecular mechanisms in the muscle development of the sheep,the present study was carried out to collect the longest dorsal muscle(LDM)samples from 6-month-old and 12-month-old female Tan sheep,and we screened the genes and long non-coding RNA(lncRNAs)that may play important roles in regulating the muscle development and meat quality formation through transcriptome sequencing(RNA-seq).The results showed that a total of 504 mRNAs and 1,483 lncRNAs were detected between the two groups of LDMs,with significant differences(P＜0.05).And we also pre-dicted 103 potential lncRNA-mRNA cis-regulatory relationship pairs with significant differences(P＜0.05).Skeletal muscle development-related genes such as MSTN,CDKN1A,FHL1 and skeletal muscle metabolism-related genes such as LPL and SCD were subsequently screened based on the functional anal-ysis of differentially expressed mRNA.Based on the functional analysis of differentially expressed lncRNA target genes,13 lncRNAs potentially related to muscle development(LNC.17926.1,LNC.981.1,LNC.16284.1,etc.)and 8 lncRNAs potentially related to skeletal muscle metabolism(LNC.15496.1,LNC.18149.1,etc.)were identified.5 lncRNAs and 4 mRNAs expressed in both groups were randomly selected for qPCR validation experiments,and their results were consistent with RNA-seq,which corrob-orated with the reliability of the sequencing results.This study lays a solid foundation for future investiga-tions of muscle development,meat quality formation mechanism and molecular breeding in Tan sheep,and provides a scientific basis for improving the meat production performance of other domestic sheep breeds.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical distribution and dynamic change of drug resistance of K.pneu-moniae and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)isolated from a three-A hospital of Suzhou so as to provide scientific bases for prevention and control of hospital-associated infections and reasonable application of antibiotics.METHODS The K.pneumoniae and CRKP strains that were isolated from the submitted specimens were collected from the patients who treated in the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2019 to 2023.The clinical characteristics of the patients with infection and the trend of drug resistance were statis-tically analyzed.RESULTS Totally 5631 strains of K.pneumoniae were isolated,1205(21.40％)of which were CRKP,and the isolation rate of CRKP showed an upward trend in the five years(x2=236.352,P＜0.001).Among the K.pneumoniae isolates,51.59％were isolated from sputum,13.51％from urine;19.43％were isolated from intensive care unit(ICU),7.64％from emergency department,and 7.19％from respiratory department.There were significant differences in gender,age and season between the patients detected with CRKP and the patients detected with non-CRKP(P＜0.05).The drug resistance rates of the K.pneumoniae strains to cephalosporins,quinolones and carbapenems con-tinuously increased from 2019 to 2023(P＜0.001),the drug resistance rate to imipenem increased from 11.69％to 34.24％,meropenem from 10.92％to 34.24％.CONCLUSIONS The K.pneumoniae isolates show severe drug re-sistance from 2019 to 2023,and the isolation rate of CRKP strains rises increasingly.It is necessary for the hospi-tal to focus on the continuous monitoring of key populations and departments and optimize the management of an-tibiotics and infection control strategies so as to provide guidance for reasonable clinical use of antibiotics,effective control of transmission of drug-resistant strains and cope with the increasingly severe drug resistance.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical distribution and dynamic change of drug resistance of K.pneu-moniae and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)isolated from a three-A hospital of Suzhou so as to provide scientific bases for prevention and control of hospital-associated infections and reasonable application of antibiotics.METHODS The K.pneumoniae and CRKP strains that were isolated from the submitted specimens were collected from the patients who treated in the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2019 to 2023.The clinical characteristics of the patients with infection and the trend of drug resistance were statis-tically analyzed.RESULTS Totally 5631 strains of K.pneumoniae were isolated,1205(21.40％)of which were CRKP,and the isolation rate of CRKP showed an upward trend in the five years(x2=236.352,P＜0.001).Among the K.pneumoniae isolates,51.59％were isolated from sputum,13.51％from urine;19.43％were isolated from intensive care unit(ICU),7.64％from emergency department,and 7.19％from respiratory department.There were significant differences in gender,age and season between the patients detected with CRKP and the patients detected with non-CRKP(P＜0.05).The drug resistance rates of the K.pneumoniae strains to cephalosporins,quinolones and carbapenems con-tinuously increased from 2019 to 2023(P＜0.001),the drug resistance rate to imipenem increased from 11.69％to 34.24％,meropenem from 10.92％to 34.24％.CONCLUSIONS The K.pneumoniae isolates show severe drug re-sistance from 2019 to 2023,and the isolation rate of CRKP strains rises increasingly.It is necessary for the hospi-tal to focus on the continuous monitoring of key populations and departments and optimize the management of an-tibiotics and infection control strategies so as to provide guidance for reasonable clinical use of antibiotics,effective control of transmission of drug-resistant strains and cope with the increasingly severe drug resistance.

Yanchi Tan sheep,a specialty of Ningxia,China,is famous for its excellent meat quality,but the detailed mechanisms of its muscle development and meat quality formation are still unclear.In or-der to preliminarily investigate the unique molecular mechanisms in the muscle development of the sheep,the present study was carried out to collect the longest dorsal muscle(LDM)samples from 6-month-old and 12-month-old female Tan sheep,and we screened the genes and long non-coding RNA(lncRNAs)that may play important roles in regulating the muscle development and meat quality formation through transcriptome sequencing(RNA-seq).The results showed that a total of 504 mRNAs and 1,483 lncRNAs were detected between the two groups of LDMs,with significant differences(P＜0.05).And we also pre-dicted 103 potential lncRNA-mRNA cis-regulatory relationship pairs with significant differences(P＜0.05).Skeletal muscle development-related genes such as MSTN,CDKN1A,FHL1 and skeletal muscle metabolism-related genes such as LPL and SCD were subsequently screened based on the functional anal-ysis of differentially expressed mRNA.Based on the functional analysis of differentially expressed lncRNA target genes,13 lncRNAs potentially related to muscle development(LNC.17926.1,LNC.981.1,LNC.16284.1,etc.)and 8 lncRNAs potentially related to skeletal muscle metabolism(LNC.15496.1,LNC.18149.1,etc.)were identified.5 lncRNAs and 4 mRNAs expressed in both groups were randomly selected for qPCR validation experiments,and their results were consistent with RNA-seq,which corrob-orated with the reliability of the sequencing results.This study lays a solid foundation for future investiga-tions of muscle development,meat quality formation mechanism and molecular breeding in Tan sheep,and provides a scientific basis for improving the meat production performance of other domestic sheep breeds.

Objective To explore the regulatory role of transient receptor potential channel 6(TRPC6)on podocyte autophagy under the influence of homocysteine(Hcy)in mouse kidney.Methods Mouse renal podocytes were divided into control group and Hcy groups(stimulated by Hcy at 40,60,80 and 100 μmol/L for 48 h).The level of TRPC6 mRNA was assessed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)to identify the optimal Hcy concentration for subsequent experiments.Western blotting was employed to evaluate the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins LC3 Ⅱ and p62,as well as the expression levels of podocyte structural proteins Nephrin and Podocin.The expression levels of TRPC6 mRNA and protein in both groups were determined using qRT-PCR,Western blotting and immunofluorescence.Transfections of cells with TRPC6 overexpression or interference were set as follows:(1)control group(untreated),negative control group of TRPC6 overexpression,and TRPC6 overexpression group;(2)control group(untreated),negative control group of TRPC6 interference,and TRPC6 interference group(si-1,si-2,si-3).The expression level of TRPC6 was detected using qRT-PCR.The cells after overexpressing or interfering of TRPC6 were further set as follows:(1)control group(untreated),Hcy group(80 μmol/L Hcy added),TRPC6 overexpression control+Hcy group,TRPC6 overexpression+Hcy group;(2)control group(untreated),Hcy group,TRPC6 interference control+Hcy group,and TRPC6 interference+Hcy group.The expression levels of p62,LC3 Ⅱ,and TRPC6 proteins were detected using Western blotting.Results qRT-PCR detection results showed that compared with control group,the expression level of TRPC6 mRNA in Hcy group increased with the increase of Hcy concentration,with the highest expression level observed at 80 μmol/L Hcy.Therefore,80 μmol/L Hcy was selected as the optimal concentration for intervention.At this time,the expression level of autophagy-related protein LC3 Ⅱ increased,and the expression level of p62 decreased(P<0.05).Western blotting results showed that compared with control group,the expression levels of podocyte-related proteins Nephrin and Podocin in Hcy group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).qRT-PCR results showed that compared with control group,the expression level of TRPC6 mRNA in Hcy group was significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with negative control group for TRPC6 overexpression,both mRNA and protein expression levels of TRPC6 in TRPC6 overexpression group were significantly higher(P<0.05).Compared with negative control group for TRPC6 interference,both mRNA and protein expression levels of TRPC6 in TRPC6 interference group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Western blotting results showed that compared with negative control group for TRPC6 overexpression,the expression level of autophagy-related protein LC3 Ⅱ in TRPC6 overexpression+Hcy group was significantly increased,and the expression level of p62 was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with TRPC6 negative control+Hcy group for TRPC6 interference+Hcy,the expression level of autophagy-related protein LC3 Ⅱ in TRPC6 interference+Hcy group was significantly decreased,and the expression level of p62 was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Hcy can induce autophagy of renal podocytes.Inhibiting the expression of TRPC6 can significantly reduce the autophagy damage to podocytes.

Objective To investigate whether Heshouwuyin can delay the aging of Leydig cells in rat testis through DNA methyltransferase 1(DNMT1).Methods Totally 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,with 10 rats in each group.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression levels of DNMT1 in testis tissue of rats.Testosterone content in serum of rats in each group was detected by ELISA test.A rat Leydig cell aging model was established by free radical oxidative damage.DNMT1 was knocked down by lentivirus in Leydig cells,and the cell senescence status and the testosterone content and testosterone synthesis key enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase(3β-HSD),cytochrome P450 family member 11A1(CYP11A1)content secreted by cells were detected by β-galactosidase(β-GAL)staining,immunofluorescenct staining and ELISA.Results Compared with the young control group(YCG),the expression of P16 protein and the positive rate of β-GAL in the testis tissue of rats in the natural aging group(NAG)increased significantly,and the expression of DNMT1 and serum testosterone levels decreased(P＜0.05).However,after Heshouwuyin intervention,the expression of P16 protein and the positive rate of β-GAL in the testis of aging rats were reduced,and DNMT1 expression and the serum testosterone levels increased(P＜0.05).The same trend was observed in Leydig cells.Knockdown of DNMT1 in Leydig cells,β-GAL positivity and P16 protein expression increased significantly,and testosterone secretion and testosterone synthesis key enzymes 3β-HSD,CYP11A1 content from Leydig cells decreased significantly,compared with the normal control group(NCG)(P＜0.05).When Heshouwuyin was added,the above phenomenon was improved.Conclusion Heshouwuyin can delay the aging of rat Leydig cells through DNMT1.

OBJECTIVE: Ginsenoside Rh1 (G-Rh1) has been confirmed to inhibit the growth of breast cancer and colon cancer, but its therapeutic effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. This study investigates the therapeutic effect of G-Rh1 on HCC as well as the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression and the tumor microenvironment in HCC tissues from HCC patients. The effect of G-Rh1 on HCC cells was investigated in vitro using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. The therapeutic effect of G-Rh1 was investigated in vivo using subcutaneous transplantation models in C57BL/6J and nude mice. Additionally, the proportion of infiltrating immune cells in tumors was analyzed using flow cytometry, the GR and major histocompatibility complex class-I (MHC-I) expression of HCC cells after G-Rh1 treatment was analyzed using Western blotting, and G-Rh1-treated Hepa1-6 cells were cocultured with bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and B3Z T cells to further analyze the ability of G-Rh1 to induce dendritic cell (DC) maturation and CD8⁺ T cell activation. RESULTS: GR expression was upregulated in HCC tissues, and high GR expression was associated with a worsened immune microenvironment. In vitro studies showed that G-Rh1 had no significant effect on the proliferation of HCC cells, while in vivo studies showed that G-Rh1 exerted antitumor effects in C57BL/6J mice but not in nude mice. Further research revealed that G-Rh1 ameliorated the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, thereby enhancing the antitumor effects of lenvatinib by increasing the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells, mature DCs, and MHC-I-positive cells. MHC-I was upregulated by G-Rh1 via GR suppression. Moreover, overexpression of GR abolished the G-Rh1-mediated promotion of MHC-I expression in Huh7 cells, as well as the maturation of DCs and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells. CONCLUSION G-Rh1 can regulate the immune microenvironment of HCC by targeting GR, thus increasing the antitumor effect of lenvatinib. Please cite this article as: Wang XH, Fu YL, Xu YN, Zhang PC, Zheng TX, Ling CQ, Feng YL. Ginsenoside Rh1 regulates the immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma via the glucocorticoid receptor. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 710-720.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics* ; Ginsenosides/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics* ; Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects* ; Humans ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Male ; Dendritic Cells/drug effects*

Objective:To conduct a survey of the current status of education service offered to professional master's students in clinical medicine in a grade-A tertiary hospital in Chongqing, China based on the SERVQUAL model, and to discuss the problems with education service as well as measures for improvement.Methods:Based on the SERVQUAL model, a questionnaire consisting of 30 items in 5 dimensions was designed. Each item was rated for an expected score and a perceived score. Medical professional master's students in a Chongqing grade-A tertiary hospital in the first half year of 2022 were surveyed for the expected and perceived quality of education service to calculate service quality (SQ). SPSS 26.0 was used for reliability and validity analyses and descriptive statistical analyses. The results were analyzed using a two-dimensional quadrant graph.Results:A total of 263 valid questionnaires were returned, with an effective response rate of 97.77%. For both the expectation scale and the perception scale, the Cronbach's α values were >0.8, and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin values were >0.7, indicating good reliability and validity. The mean expected value of education service quality was 4.28, the mean perceived value was 3.96, and the mean gap value was -0.32. The SQ scores for all the items were negative, except for "provide neat suits for work". The two-dimensional quadrant analysis showed that 6 items were located in quadrant III (low-expectation and low-perception area), and 7 items were located in quadrant IV (high-expectation and low-perception area).Conclusions:The evaluation scale based on the SERVQUAL model can effectively reflect problems in postgraduate education for medical master's students, helping develop strategies to improve the quality of education service.