Background Pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) can cross the placental barrier to cause intrauterine fetal exposure, which may lead to developmental immunotoxicity (DIT). However, the specific effect of maternal PYR exposure during pregnancy on the cellular immune function of 1-year-old children remains unclear. Objective To explore the effect of PYRs exposure throughout the entire pregnancy on peripheral blood lymphocytes in 1-year-old children and potential sensitive window period of PYRs exposure. Methods A birth cohort was established by enrolling pregnant women in their first trimester and following them and their infants until one year of age. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect the levels of PYRs metabolites, including 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F3PBA), and cis-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2- dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (cis-DBCA), in the urine of pregnant women during the first trimester (gestational weeks 6-12), the second trimester (gestational weeks 21-24), and the third trimester (gestational weeks 33-36). Peripheral blood leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were measured in children at 12 months of age using the Coulter principle combined with flow cytometry. Exposure levels of PYRs metabolites in each trimester were divided into low, moderate, and high exposure groups based on the 25th (P₂₅) and 75th (P₇₅) percentiles. Meanwhile, participants were classified as having repeated high or low exposure if their metabolite levels were > P₇₅ or <P₂₅ in at least two trimesters, respectively, while all others were categorized as having repeated moderate exposure. Generalized linear models were used to analyze the associations between trimester-specific and repeated PYRs metabolite exposure levels and the peripheral blood white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocyte counts in children aged 1 year. Results A total of 336 mother-child pairs were included in this study. For the pregnant women, the total detection rates of maternal urinary 3PBA, 4F3PBA, and cis-DBCA across the three trimesters of pregnancy were 80.5%, 100.0%, and 81.3%, respectively; and median creatinine-corrected concentrations were 0.24, 0.36, and 0.42 μg·g⁻¹, respectively. In children aged 1 year, the mean WBC and lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood were (8.9±2.0)×10⁹·L⁻¹ and (5.7±1.6)×10⁹·L⁻¹, respectively. The results of the generalized linear model analysis indicated that compared to the low exposure group, the high cis-DBCA exposure group during the third trimester of pregnancy had significantly lower peripheral blood WBC count (β=−0.87, 95%CI: −1.51, −0.23) and lymphocyte count (β=−0.64, 95%CI: −1.15, −0.13); and the repeated high-exposure group of cis-DBCA had significantly lower peripheral blood WBC count (β=−1.34, 95%CI: −2.34, −0.34) and lymphocyte count (β=−0.80, 95%CI: −1.60, −0.01) than the repeated low exposure group. Similarly, the repeated moderate-exposure group of cis-DBCA had a significantly lower peripheral blood WBC count (β=−0.83, 95%CI: −1.59, −0.07) than the repeated low exposure group. Conclusion High maternal exposure to PYRs with cis-DBCA as the major metabolite exposure is associated with decreased peripheral leukocyte and lymphocyte counts in children aged 1 year, and repeated high-level exposure throughout gestation appears to exacerbate DIT in offspring. The third trimester of pregnancy maybe a sensitive window for children's DIT induced by exposure to PYRs during pregnancy.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of eccentric treadmill exercise on adaptive hypertrophy of skeletal muscle in rats. Thirty-two 3-month-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected and randomly assigned to one of the four groups based on their body weights: 2-week quiet control group (2C), 2-week downhill running exercise group (2E), 4-week quiet control group (4C), and 4-week downhill running exercise group (4E). The downhill running protocol for rats in the exercise groups involved slope of -16°, running speed of 16 m/min, training duration of 90 min, and 5 training sessions per week. Twenty-four hours after the final session of training, all the four groups of rats underwent an exhaustion treadmill exercise. After resting for 48 h, all the rats were euthanized and their gastrocnemius muscles were harvested for analysis. HE staining was used to measure the cross-sectional area (CSA) and diameter of muscle fibers. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe the ultrastructural changes in muscle fibers. Purithromycin surface labeling translation method was used to measure protein synthesis rate. Immunofluorescence double labeling was used to detect the colocalization levels of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (Lamp2)-leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LARS) and Lamp2-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of myosin heavy chain (MHC) IIb and LARS, as well as the phosphorylation levels of mTOR, p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). The results showed that, compared with the 2C group rats, the 2E group rats showed significant increases in wet weight of gastrocnemius muscle, wet weight/body weight ratio, running distance, running time, pre- and post-exercise blood lactate levels, myofibrillar protein content, colocalization levels of Lamp2-LARS and Lamp2-mTOR, and LARS protein expression. Besides these above changes, compared with the 4C group, the 4E group further exhibited significantly increased fiber CSA, fiber diameter, protein synthesis rate, and phosphorylation levels of mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1. Compared with the quiet control groups, the exercise groups exhibited ultrastructural damage of rat gastrocnemius muscle, which was more pronounced in the 4E group. These findings suggest that eccentric treadmill exercise may promote mTOR translocation to lysosomal membrane, activating mTOR signaling via up-regulating LARS expression. This, in turn, increases protein synthesis rate through the mTOR-p70S6K-4E-BP1 signaling pathway, promoting protein deposition and inducing adaptive skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Although the ultrastructural changes of skeletal muscle are more pronounced, the relatively long training cycles during short-term exercise periods have a more significant effect on promoting gastrocnemius muscle protein synthesis and adaptive hypertrophy.
Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Physical Conditioning, Animal/physiology* ; Rats ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Male ; Hypertrophy ; Adaptation, Physiological/physiology* ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism* ; Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa/metabolism* ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the research on NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The NLRP3 inflammasome is integral to the innate immune response, and its abnormal activation can lead to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokine, consequently facilitating the progression of various pathological conditions. Therefore, investigating the pharmacological inhibition pathway of the NLRP3 inflammasome represents a promising strategy for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has not approved drugs targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome for clinical use due to concerns regarding liver toxicity and gastrointestinal side effects associated with chemical small molecule inhibitors in clinical trials. Natural small molecule compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids are ubiquitously found in animals, plants, and other natural substances exhibiting pharmacological activities. Their abundant sources, intricate and diverse structures, high biocompatibility, minimal adverse reactions, and superior biochemical potency in comparison to synthetic compounds have attracted the attention of extensive scholars. Currently, certain natural small molecule compounds have been demonstrated to impede the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via various action mechanisms, so they are viewed as the innovative, feasible, and minimally toxic therapeutic agents for inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the treatment of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Hence, this study systematically examined the effects and potential mechanisms of natural small molecule compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes at their initiation, assembly, and activation stages. The objection is to furnish theoretical support and practical guidance for the effective clinical application of these natural small molecule inhibitors.
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Drug Discovery ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To assess the changes in body composition and nutritional risks faced by children with different stages of acute leukemia (AL). METHODS: Bioelectrical impedance analysis combined with anthropometric measurements was used to detect body composition. This prospective study was conducted from August 2023 to July 2024 at Shandong Provincial Hospital, examining the body composition and physical balance of children with various stages of AL and healthy children. RESULTS: The non-fat components of children with AL and healthy children both showed a linear increase with age. In the younger age group, there were no significant differences in body composition between children with AL and healthy children. However, in the older age group, the body composition of children undergoing chemotherapy for AL was significantly lower than that of healthy children (P<0.05), and muscle mass recovered first after the completion of AL chemotherapy. The proportion of children with increased trunk fat in AL children who completed chemotherapy was significantly lower than that in healthy children (P<0.05), while the incidence rate of severe left-right imbalance in body composition was significantly higher (P<0.05). Muscle distribution in children with AL primarily showed insufficient limb and overall muscle mass, whereas healthy children mainly exhibited insufficient upper limb muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS The body composition of children with AL varies at different treatment stages, indicating that nutritional status is affected by both the disease itself and the treatment. Early screening can provide a basis for reasonable nutritional intervention.
Humans ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Body Composition ; Prospective Studies ; Adolescent ; Leukemia/metabolism* ; Infant ; Nutritional Status ; Acute Disease ; Electric Impedance

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate urban-rural disparities in its prevalence and management in elderly Chinese. METHODS: Consecutive participants aged ≥ 65 years attending outpatient clinics were enrolled for AF screening using handheld single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from April 2017 to December 2022. Each ECG rhythm strip was reviewed from the research team. AF or uninterpretable single-lead ECGs were referred for 12-lead ECG. Primary study outcome comparison was between rural and urban areas for the prevalence of AF. The Student's t-test was used to compare mean values of clinical characteristics between rural and urban participants, while the Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare between-group proportions. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between AF and various patient characteristics. RESULTS: The 29,166 study participants included 13,253 men (45.4%) and had a mean age of 72.2 years. The 7073 rural participants differed significantly (P ≤ 0.02) from the 22,093 urban participants in several major characteristics, such as older age, greater body mass index, and so on. The overall prevalence of AF was 4.6% (n = 1347). AF was more prevalent in 7073 rural participants than 22,093 urban participants (5.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.01), before and after adjustment for age, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and prior medical history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified overweight/obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.54) in urban areas and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93) in rural areas as specific risk factors for prevalent AF. In patients with known AF in urban areas (n = 781) and rural areas (n = 338), 60.6% and 45.9%, respectively, received AF treatment (P < 0.01), and only 22.4% and 17.2%, respectively, received anticoagulation therapy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In China, there are urban-rural disparities in AF in the elderly, with a higher prevalence and worse management in rural areas than urban areas. Our study findings provide insight for health policymakers to consider urban-rural disparity in the prevention and treatment of AF.

Objective: To explore the association between CDKAL1 rs35261542, FAIM2 rs 3205718, and VGLL4 rs 2574704 polymorphisms with childhood obesity and related metabolic phenotypes to provide evidence for personalized prevention and management strategies. Methods: Based on the 2023 Long term Nutritional Health Effects of Early Childhood Nutrition Package Intervention project, the study enrolled 1 078 children aged 5-7 years from four counties in Henan (Songxian and Ruyang countries) and Guizhou (Guiding and Fuquan countries) provinces. Using BMI Z scores, 87 overweight and obese(OVOB) children were selected and matched by sex, age, and BMI Z score with 117 normal weight controls. Participants were further stratified into four metabolic phenotype groups: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW, n =51), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW, n =66), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO, n =31) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO, n =56) based on four conventional cardiometabolic risk factor (CR) criteria. Data were collected through questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, serum biochemical tests, and KASP genotyping. The distribution of three genetic polymorphisms ( CDKAL1 rs35261542, FAIM2 rs3205718, VGLL4 rs 2574704) across metabolic subgroups was analyzed. Multivariate Logistic regression models assessed associations between these polymorphisms and obesity/metabolic phenotypes. Results: Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that Homozygous mutant AA genotype of CDKAL1 rs 35261542 was positively associated with OVOB( OR =3.63), MHO ( OR =11.04), MUO ( OR = 4.88 ) ( P <0.05). Homozygous TT genotype of FAIM2 rs 3205718 increased OVOB risk ( OR =4.44, P <0.05) but showed no association with metabolic phenotypes ( P >0.05). Homozygous mutant TT of VGLL4 rs 2574704 reduced the risks of MHO and MUO ( OR = 0.30, 0.24， P <0.05). Cumulative genetic effects analysis demonstrated carriers of 1 or 2 risk genotypes of rs 35261542 and rs 3205718 had progressively higher OVOB risk ( OR =2.53, 20.79), and the combination of rs 35261542 and rs 2574704 increased risks for both MHO ( OR =8.50) and MUO ( OR =5.00) ( P <0.05). Conclusions The AA genotype of rs 35261542 ( CDKAL1 ) positively correlates with childhood obesity and metabolic abnormalities. The TT genotype of rs 3205718 ( FAIM 2) increases obesity risk but not metabolic phenotypes. The TT genotype of rs 2574704 ( VGLL 4) shows protective effects against metabolic dysfunction. Risk genotypes exhibit dosedependent cumulative effects on obesity and metabolic outcomes.

Mental state is an important part of the normal life activities of the human body, and it is also the most external expression and the most easily obtained information of the physical condition. The normal activities of the mind depend on the normal operation of the viscera, qi, and blood, and are a unified whole that prospers together and suffers together. The theory of the five-spirit-viscera in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic revealed that the normal mental activities of the human body were dominated by the five internal organs, that is, the five internal organs were the body and the five spirits were the function. And it highlighted the viewpoint that the five internal organs store the spirits and are actually one. The heart governs the spirit and belongs to the four internal organs. On this basis, Synopsis of Golden Chamber used the internal organs to diagnose and treat mental diseases, integrating the theory of the five spirits into it, forming a unique method of diagnosis and treatment with the heart as the leading factor and regulating the qi and blood of the four internal organs. It identified the pathogenesis of diseases such as pathogenic crying, lily disease, and hysteria from five levels: heart deficiency and weak qi, heart-lung disharmony, heart-liver disharmony, the heart of the loss of the spleen nourishment, and disharmony between heart and kidney. The treatment was mainly to replenish the deficiency of the viscera and eliminate the pathogens, reflecting the characteristics of regulating the mind and calming the four internal organs. This unique view on diagnosis and treatment has profoundly influenced the diagnosis and treatment theories of mental illnesses by later doctors, and is of great significance to the current clinical treatment of such illnesses.

The chemical constituents from the n-butanol fraction of ethanol extract of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) were isolated and purified using chromatographic process including MCI Gel CHP-20, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and semi-preparative HPLC method, and one alkyne and two phenylpropanoid derivants were obtained. Their structures were identified as (5R,E)-tetradecane-12-ene-8,10-diyne-1,5,14-triol (1), (E)-8-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl n-butyl cinnamate (2), and (7S,8S)-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzene)-7-butyl-8,9-diol (3) by modern spectroscopy methods (1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, IR and MS). 1-3 are all new compounds. Compounds 1-3 were screened for their anti-renal fibrosis activities in vitro, and none of them showed obvious effect.

Six compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus by using various column chromatographic methods, such as MCI Gel CHP-20, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, silica gel and semipreparative HPLC. Their structures were identified to be citrusin G (1), citrusin H (2), citrusin E (3), syringin (4), coniferin (5), methylconiferin (6) by NMR, HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR spectra. Compounds 1 and 2 were new secondary metabolism products and 3-6 were obtained from the titled material for the first time. Compound 1 showed anti-renal fibrosis activity in TGF-β1-induced kidney proximal tubular cells.

Objective:To observe the changes of growth parameters and glucose and lipid metabolism indexes in GHD children treated with rhGH for 2 years, and analyze the influence of sex and age on these indexes.Methods:Clinical data of children with 80 cases GHD admitted to the Endocrine and Nutrition Clinic of the Beijing Children's Hospital affiliated to the Capital Medical University from July 2016 to December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were treated with rhGH. The growth parameters, growth factors, glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism indexes were collected and calculated before treatment and at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after treatment, the influence of sex and age on these indexes and the correlations between these indicators and height growth rate were analyzed. Independent-sample t-test was used to compare two groups with normal distribution, one-way ANOVA was used to compare multiple groups, and repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the mean of each time point within groups. The nonparametric rank sum test was used for the comparison of non-normal distribution measurement data. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between HGV and each index.Results:A total of 80 children were enrolled, 39 boys and 41 girls. Grouped by age, there were 20 in the 3.00-5.99 age group, 41 in the 6.00-9.99 age group, and 19 in the ≥10.00 age group. All patients after 24 months of treatment had a higher height ((135.13±13.17) cm), HtSDS (-0.73 (-1.04, -0.41)), body weight (29.25 (23.13, 35.00) kg), weight standard deviation score (WtSDS) (-0.44 (-1.03, 0.03)), and body mass index (BMI) (15.99 (14.90,16.92) kg/m 2) compared to before treatment ((115.44±12.87) cm, -2.11 (-2.57, -2.03), 20.00 (16.00,25.00) kg, -1.48 (-2.12, -0.89) and 15.30 (14.45, 16.21) kg/m 2) all increased, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The increase in HtSDS in the group aged 3.00-5.99 (1.74±0.29) was higher than that in the group aged 6.00-9.99 (1.57±0.33) and ≥10.00 (1.39±0.45), and the difference was statistically significant ( F=4.84, P=0.010). All patients showed an increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (329.50 (268.00, 417.25) μg/L) and insulin-like growth factor binding globulin 3 (IGFBP-3) (6.27 (5.50,6.95) mg/L) after 24 months of treatment compared to before treatment (131.50 (96.48,177.25) μg/L, 4.07 (3.60,4.88) mg/L), with statistical significance (all P<0.05). After treatment for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months, children aged ≥ 10.00 years old with IGF-1 (353.00 (221.00, 493.00), (414.84±147.91), 441.00 (287.00, 578.00), (421.68±138.30), 376.00 (290.00, 581.00) μg/L) were higher than these in 3.00-5.99 years old group (181.00 (151.25, 237.75), (216.30±68.48), 239.50 (216.75, 325.00), (284.30±89.12), 293.00 (245.25, 343.75)) μg/L and 6.00-9.99 age group (253.00 (193.50, 345.50), (294.59±90.37), 284.00 (217.50, 377.50), (325.76±90.04), 345.00 (265.00, 431.00) μg/L, the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). At 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months of treatment, IGFBP-3 levels were observed in children aged ≥ 10.00 years old (6.15 (5.52, 6.46), (6.56±1.26), (6.78±1.33), (6.78±1.38) mg/L) higher than 3.00-5.99 years old group (4.69 (4.43,5.11), (5.18±0.63), (5.61±0.84), (6.08±1.00) mg/L) and 6.00-9.99 age group (5.51 (4.76, 6.35), (5.61±0.81), (5.72±0.78), (6.03±0.80) mg/L, the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). All children with HbA1C (5.40 (5.20, 5.58)%), fasting blood glucose (5.06 (4.76, 5.24) mmol/L), triglycerides (0.67 (0.53, 1.02) mmol/L), TyG index (2.24±0.48), and triglyceride/HDL-C ratio (1.05 (0.73, 1.50)) after 24 months of treatment compared to before treatment (5.10 (5.00, 5.28)%, 4.78 (4.51, 5.09) mmol/L, 0.57 (0.47, 0.72) mmol/L, (1.92±0.36), 0.86 (0.65, 1.08). The level of cholesterol increased, and the total cholesterol (3.74 (3.39, 4.31) mmol/L) decreased compared to before treatment (3.95(3.64, 4.54) mmol/L), with statistical significance (all P<0.05). Female patients had higher levels of triglycerides (0.79 (0.59, 1.09) mmol/L) and TyG index (2.31±0.49) than male patients (0.66 (0.53,0.89) mmol/L, (2.16±0.46)) after 18 months of treatment. The triglyceride/HDL-C at 12 months (1.10(0.67, 1.93)), 18 months (1.16(0.83, 1.68)), and 24 months (1.26 (0.79, 1.81)) of treatment ratio was also higher than male patients (0.76 (0.61, 1.09), 0.90 (0.72, 1.08), 0.98 (0.66, 1.30)). Female HDL-C levels at 18 months (1.52 (1.29,1.75) mmol/L) and 24 months (1.45(1.29,1.76) mmol/L) of treatment were significantly lower in males (1.72 (1.45, 1.84), 1.59 (1.43, 1.92) mmol/L) with statistical significance (all P<0.05). HGV was positively correlated with IGF-1 at 12 months ( r=0.243, P=0.030) , 18 months ( r=0.277, P=0.013) and 24 months ( r=0.289, P=0.009), and it was positively correlated with IGFBP-3 at 18 months ( r=0.242, P=0.030) and 24 months ( r=0.236, P=0.035), but it was negatively correlated with HDL-C at 18 months ( r=-0.331, P=0.003) and 24 months ( r=-0.281, P=0.012). Conclusions:RhGH can obviously improve HtSDS and WtSDS in GHD children. Growth factors, glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism should be monitored during the treatment. Especially for female patients (≥10.00 years old), we should closely monitor the indexes of glucose and lipid metabolism in order to avoid metabolic diseases.