Background: Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications. Methods: A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18–45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were established. Correlations with body-composition metrics, ethnicity, and the menstrual cycle were investigated. Results: The HPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high precision (intra- and inter-assay CVs < 15%), accuracy, and sensitivity. All eight hormones exhibited significant age-related declines (P < 0.001 for seven hormones; P = 0.001 for 11-OH A4). Notably, 11-OH A4 levels were significantly lower in the 35–45-yr (3.05 nmol/L) and 25–34-yr (3.09 nmol/L) age groups than in the 18–24-yr (3.57 nmol/L) age group, whereas no significant difference was observed between the 35–45-yr and 25–34-yr age groups. Weak negative correlations were observed between the body mass index and corticosterone and cortisone levels, whereas ethnicity and the menstrual cycle showed no significant associations with hormone levels. Conclusions We developed an HPLC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneously quantifying eight adrenocortical hormones, including 11-OH A4, and defined age-specific reference intervals for reproductive-aged Chinese women. These findings advance the clinical utility of adrenocortical hormones in diagnosing and managing reproductive disorders.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and mechanisms of Fangji Fulingtang （FFD） on mitochondrial function in the mouse model of myocardial fibrosis （MF）. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into six groups （n=10 per group）： control， model， low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose （3.315， 6.63， and 13.26 g·kg^-1， respectively） FFD， and captopril （20 mg·kg^-1）. MF was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol （10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） in other groups except the control group for 14 consecutive days， with simultaneous gavage of corresponding drugs. Left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and left ventricular fractional shortening （LVFS） were measured by echocardiography. Serum levels of creatine kinase-MB （CK-MB）， cardiac troponin I （cTnI）， N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-pro BNP）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and glutathione （GSH） levels were measured by biochemical assays. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected by dihydroethidium （DHE） fluorescence staining. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Masson's trichrome， and wheat germ agglutinin （WGA） staining were performed to evaluate myocardial structure and fibrosis. Mitochondrial ultrastructure and function were assessed by transmission electron microscopy， adenosine triphosphate （ATP） colorimetric assay， and JC-1 fluorescence staining. The protein levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α subunit （p-AMPKα）， AMPKα， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， mitofusin 2 （MFN2）， pyruvate kinase M2 isoform （PKM2）， lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA）， and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha （HIF-1α） were analyzed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited decreased LVEF and LVFS， increased heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.01）， elevated levels of myocardial injury markers （CK-MB， cTnI， and NT-pro BNP）， inflammatory cytokines （TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6）， and MDA， along with reduced SOD and GSH levels （P<0.01）. Enhanced interstitial collagen deposition and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were observed in the model group （P<0.01）. Transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining revealed mitochondrial swelling， crista disruption， decreased ATP content， and reduced red/green fluorescence ratio in the model group （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis demonstrated downregulation of p-AMPKα， PGC-1α， and MFN2 and upregulation of PKM2， LDHA， and HIF-1α in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， treatment with FFD or captopril improved LVEF and LVFS， reduced heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）， lowered the serum levels of CK-MB， cTnI， NT-pro BNP， TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and MDA， increased the SOD and GSH levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， attenuated the myocardial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy （P<0.01）， and restored the mitochondrial ultrastructure. The medium and high-dose FFD groups as well as the captopril group showed increased ATP production and red/green fluorescence ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， FFD upregulated the expression of p-AMPKα and PGC-1α while downregulating the expression of LDHA and HIF-1α （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionFFD activates the AMPK/PGC-1α/MFN2 signaling pathway and inhibits the PKM2/LDHA/HIF-1α axis to restore mitochondrial function and energy metabolic homeostasis， thereby attenuating isoproterenol-induced myocardial fibrosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and mechanisms of Fangji Fulingtang （FFD） on mitochondrial function in the mouse model of myocardial fibrosis （MF）. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into six groups （n=10 per group）： control， model， low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose （3.315， 6.63， and 13.26 g·kg^-1， respectively） FFD， and captopril （20 mg·kg^-1）. MF was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol （10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） in other groups except the control group for 14 consecutive days， with simultaneous gavage of corresponding drugs. Left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and left ventricular fractional shortening （LVFS） were measured by echocardiography. Serum levels of creatine kinase-MB （CK-MB）， cardiac troponin I （cTnI）， N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-pro BNP）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and glutathione （GSH） levels were measured by biochemical assays. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected by dihydroethidium （DHE） fluorescence staining. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Masson's trichrome， and wheat germ agglutinin （WGA） staining were performed to evaluate myocardial structure and fibrosis. Mitochondrial ultrastructure and function were assessed by transmission electron microscopy， adenosine triphosphate （ATP） colorimetric assay， and JC-1 fluorescence staining. The protein levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α subunit （p-AMPKα）， AMPKα， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， mitofusin 2 （MFN2）， pyruvate kinase M2 isoform （PKM2）， lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA）， and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha （HIF-1α） were analyzed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited decreased LVEF and LVFS， increased heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.01）， elevated levels of myocardial injury markers （CK-MB， cTnI， and NT-pro BNP）， inflammatory cytokines （TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6）， and MDA， along with reduced SOD and GSH levels （P<0.01）. Enhanced interstitial collagen deposition and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were observed in the model group （P<0.01）. Transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining revealed mitochondrial swelling， crista disruption， decreased ATP content， and reduced red/green fluorescence ratio in the model group （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis demonstrated downregulation of p-AMPKα， PGC-1α， and MFN2 and upregulation of PKM2， LDHA， and HIF-1α in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， treatment with FFD or captopril improved LVEF and LVFS， reduced heart weight index and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）， lowered the serum levels of CK-MB， cTnI， NT-pro BNP， TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and MDA， increased the SOD and GSH levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， attenuated the myocardial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy （P<0.01）， and restored the mitochondrial ultrastructure. The medium and high-dose FFD groups as well as the captopril group showed increased ATP production and red/green fluorescence ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， FFD upregulated the expression of p-AMPKα and PGC-1α while downregulating the expression of LDHA and HIF-1α （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionFFD activates the AMPK/PGC-1α/MFN2 signaling pathway and inhibits the PKM2/LDHA/HIF-1α axis to restore mitochondrial function and energy metabolic homeostasis， thereby attenuating isoproterenol-induced myocardial fibrosis.

The major histocompatibility complex plays a crucial role in the immune response process, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors and organ transplantation. Cellular immunity occupies an important position in tumor immunity and organ transplantation immunity, while humoral immunity also plays a significant role in organ transplantation immunity. Organ transplantation requires the induction and maintenance of immune tolerance, while tumors develop immune escape phenomena during their progression. In-depth exploration and comparison of the mechanisms of tumor immune escape and organ transplantation immune tolerance are of great significance for formulating reasonable immune tolerance induction strategies, improving the quality of life and prolonging the survival time of organ transplant patients.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the correlation between alterations in digestion and absorption functions and hepatic deficiency states in aging rats based on the R-spondin1/Wnt3a signaling pathway， and reveal the intervention mechanism of Bugansan. MethodsForty-eight SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly assigned to six groups： blank control， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （7.03， 14.06， 28.12 g·kg^-1， respectively） Bugansan， and vitamin E （suspension， 27 mg·kg^-1）， with 8 rats in each group. The rat model of aging was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose （400 mg·kg^-1）， while the blank control group was injected with normal saline. Since the day of modeling， rats in intervention groups received corresponding agents by gavage， and those in blank control and model groups received an equal volume of normal saline （10 mL·kg^-1）. General biological features such as fur color， activity， body mass， water intake， and food intake were observed. Meanwhile， the content of malondialdehyde （MDA） and the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the serum were measured to assess aging. Grip strength and the content of total bile acids （TBA） and the activity of α-amylase （AMY） in the serum were measured to evaluate hepatic deficiency states. The activity of β-galactosidase （β-gal） in the duodenum was measured to evaluate intestinal senescence. The levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and D-xylose in the serum were determined to assess digestion and absorption functions of the small intestine. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to observe pathological changes of the duodenum to assess the small intestine damage. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to visualize the expression of B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 （Bmi1） and leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 （Lgr5） in the duodenal tissue. Moreover， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was utilized to quantify the mRNA levels of Ki67， Bmi1， and Lgr5 to assess proliferation and regeneration of the small intestine. Additionally， the mRNA levels of R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） and the protein levels of R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and phosphorylated GSK-3β （p-GSK-3β） in the duodenum were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blot， respectively， to analyze the mechanisms of intestinal digestion and absorption dysfunction in aging rats and the regulatory characteristics of Bugansan. ResultsCompared with blank control group， the model group showed decreases in body mass， water intake， food intake， grip strength， activities of SOD， GSH-Px， and AMY in the serum and content of GLP-1， VIP and D-xylose in the serum （P<0.05）， increases in the content of MDA and TBA in the serum and β-gal activity in the duodenum （P<0.05）， reductions in villus length， villus width， crypt depth， and villi/crypt （V/C） value， down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of Ki67， Lgr5， Bmi1， R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and up-regulated level of GSK-3β， phosphorylation （p）-GSK-3β （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， Bugansan increased the body mass， water intake， food intake， grip strength， and activities of SOD， GSH-Px， and AMY and levels of GLP-1， VIP and D-xylose in the serum （P<0.05）， while decreasing the content of MDA and TBA in the serum and β-gal activity in the duodenum （P<0.05）. Furthermore， Bugansan increased the villus length， villus width， crypt depth， and V/C value， up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of Ki67， Lgr5， Bmi1， R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and down-regulated the level of GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β （P<0.05）. ConclusionAging rats exhibit obvious impairments in digestion and absorption functions， accompanied by a state of hepatic deficiency. The traditional Chinese medicine approach of tonifying liver Qi effectively ameliorates aging-related changes by modulating the R-spondin1/Wnt3a signaling pathway to mitigate intestinal senescence and enhance digestion and absorption functions， ultimately contributing to the delay of aging.

Objective:To investigate the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among underground coal mine workers, identify the risk factors for WMSDs, and provide a scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of WMSDs.Methods:In March 2024, through cluster sampling, the on-the-job workers who underwent questionnaire surveys and health examinations at a certain coal mine from July to August 2018 were selected as the research subjects. Basic information of employees, ergonomics-related characteristics, and the occurrence status of WMSDs in each part were collected, and multivariate logistic regression was used for analysis.Results:The incidence rate of WMSDs in at least one site among underground coal mine workers within the past year was 62.22% (219/352). The top three sites in sequence were the lower back (44.32%, 156/352), neck (26.14%, 92/352), and knee (26.14%, 92/352). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that frequently exerting great force with arms or hands during work ( OR=2.223, 95% CI: 1.022-4.836), prolonged static forward bending ( OR=1.544, 95% CI: 1.305-1.972), and frequently exerting great effort to operate tools or machines ( OR=2.206, 95% CI: 1.011-4.813), absence of external support systems ( OR=1.589, 95% CI: 1.349-1.996), and repetitive full-body twisting ( OR=1.523, 95% CI: 1.298-1.916) were all risk factors for the occurrence of WMSDs in the lower back ( P<0.05). Both night shift work ( OR=1.564, 95% CI: 1.339-1.939) and frequent forward neck flexion ( OR=1.532, 95% CI: 1.312-1.907) were all risk factors for the occurrence of WMSDs in the neck ( P<0.05). Lifting heavy objects above the shoulder ( OR=1.333, 95% CI: 1.142-1.782), uncomfortable posture and inability to exert force ( OR=1.873, 95% CI: 1.104-2.712), the use of vibration tools ( OR=2.958, 95% CI: 1.255-6.972), and length of service >10 years ( OR=1.525, 95% CI: 1.105-1.967) were all risk factors for the occurrence of WMSDs in the knee ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:The incidence of WMSDs among underground coal miners is relatively high, mainly concentrated in the lower back, neck and knee, and is related to factors such as poor working postures, and work organization. Coal mining enterprises should strengthen work organization, provide appropriate working equipment, and ensure reasonable distribution of workloads.

Objective:To identify risk factors influencing the incidence of hypertension among steelworkers (Homo sapiens) and establish an effective and easily implementable hypertension prediction model.Methods:In September 2023, 2214 steelworkers (Homo sapiens) were selected as study subjects. Basic demographic information, lifestyle, and occupational exposure data were collected, along with physiological measurements such as height, weight, and blood pressure. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis was employed based on relevant literature to determine influencing factors for hypertension among steelworkers (Homo sapiens). Python 3.9 software was used to construct and compare logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), random forest, extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBoost), and LGBM models. Model performance was evaluated using metrics such as receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, accuracy, calibration curves, and F1 scores. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) model was introduced for feature importance analysis to enhance the interpretability of the prediction model.Results:A total of 432 cases of hypertension were detected among 2214 study subjects, with a detection rate of 19.51%. Age, smoking status, salt intake, use of cooling equipment, carbon monoxide exposure, family history of hypertension, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and hemoglobin were identified as independent risk factors for hypertension ( P<0.05). A comparison of the five models revealed the following performance metrics: logistic regression achieved an accuracy of 0.853, F1 score of 0.680, Brier score of 0.108, and AUC of 0.907; SVM demonstrated an accuracy of 0.863, F1 score of 0.687, Brier score of 0.081, and AUC of 0.910; random forest showed an accuracy of 0.857, F1 score of 0.603, Brier score of 0.105, and AUC of 0.861; XGBoost yielded an accuracy of 0.850, F1 score of 0.684, Brier score of 0.117, and AUC of 0.899; and the LGBM model exhibited an accuracy of 0.838, F1 score of 0.625, Brier score of 0.112, and AUC of 0.870. Conclusion:The SVM model demonstrated strong predictive performance, effectively assessing the risk of hypertension among steelworkers (Homo sapiens) and facilitating targeted health management interventions.

Objective:To analyze the factors influencing the lung function of coal miners, identify the optimal combination of indicators for evaluating lung function, develop a risk assessment model using machine learning, and offer personalized risk assessment for workers.Methods:In June 2023, through cluster sampling, male underground workers who participated in occupational health examinations at a coal mine in North China from July to August 2018 were selected as the research subjects. Their health examination results and occupational environmental data were collected. A total of 3, 320 coal miners were included. Randomly divide the research subjects into a training set (2324 people) and a validation set (996 people) in a ratio of 7∶3, and the balance of the two sets was tested. Perform LASSO regression analysis using R 4.2.2 software to select relevant important variables, and determine the model's input variables by combining them with relevant literature. Utilize Python 3.8 to construct logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine, and XG Boost models, assess the models' discriminative ability using metrics like accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 score, ROC curve, and AUC, evaluate the models' calibration using Brier score, Log loss score, and calibration curve, and further analyze the clinical performance of the developed models through DCA decision curve analysis.Results:Among the 3 320 coal miners, 856 had abnormal lung function (25.78%). The XG Boost model was identified as the optimal model, achieving a training set accuracy of 87.39%, sensitivity of 86.60%, specificity of 87.67%, F1 score of 0.779, AUC of 0.945, Brier score of 0.071, Log loss of 0.267 and demonstrated good calibration curve consistency.Conclusion:The XG Boost model exhibits superior predictive performance compared to other models, and the model has high application value. The Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) method is employed for interpretation, making it a reliable basis for preventing abnormal lung function in coal miners.

Objective:To investigate the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among underground coal mine workers, identify the risk factors for WMSDs, and provide a scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of WMSDs.Methods:In March 2024, through cluster sampling, the on-the-job workers who underwent questionnaire surveys and health examinations at a certain coal mine from July to August 2018 were selected as the research subjects. Basic information of employees, ergonomics-related characteristics, and the occurrence status of WMSDs in each part were collected, and multivariate logistic regression was used for analysis.Results:The incidence rate of WMSDs in at least one site among underground coal mine workers within the past year was 62.22% (219/352). The top three sites in sequence were the lower back (44.32%, 156/352), neck (26.14%, 92/352), and knee (26.14%, 92/352). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that frequently exerting great force with arms or hands during work ( OR=2.223, 95% CI: 1.022-4.836), prolonged static forward bending ( OR=1.544, 95% CI: 1.305-1.972), and frequently exerting great effort to operate tools or machines ( OR=2.206, 95% CI: 1.011-4.813), absence of external support systems ( OR=1.589, 95% CI: 1.349-1.996), and repetitive full-body twisting ( OR=1.523, 95% CI: 1.298-1.916) were all risk factors for the occurrence of WMSDs in the lower back ( P<0.05). Both night shift work ( OR=1.564, 95% CI: 1.339-1.939) and frequent forward neck flexion ( OR=1.532, 95% CI: 1.312-1.907) were all risk factors for the occurrence of WMSDs in the neck ( P<0.05). Lifting heavy objects above the shoulder ( OR=1.333, 95% CI: 1.142-1.782), uncomfortable posture and inability to exert force ( OR=1.873, 95% CI: 1.104-2.712), the use of vibration tools ( OR=2.958, 95% CI: 1.255-6.972), and length of service >10 years ( OR=1.525, 95% CI: 1.105-1.967) were all risk factors for the occurrence of WMSDs in the knee ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:The incidence of WMSDs among underground coal miners is relatively high, mainly concentrated in the lower back, neck and knee, and is related to factors such as poor working postures, and work organization. Coal mining enterprises should strengthen work organization, provide appropriate working equipment, and ensure reasonable distribution of workloads.

Objective:To identify risk factors influencing the incidence of hypertension among steelworkers (Homo sapiens) and establish an effective and easily implementable hypertension prediction model.Methods:In September 2023, 2214 steelworkers (Homo sapiens) were selected as study subjects. Basic demographic information, lifestyle, and occupational exposure data were collected, along with physiological measurements such as height, weight, and blood pressure. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis was employed based on relevant literature to determine influencing factors for hypertension among steelworkers (Homo sapiens). Python 3.9 software was used to construct and compare logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), random forest, extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBoost), and LGBM models. Model performance was evaluated using metrics such as receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, accuracy, calibration curves, and F1 scores. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) model was introduced for feature importance analysis to enhance the interpretability of the prediction model.Results:A total of 432 cases of hypertension were detected among 2214 study subjects, with a detection rate of 19.51%. Age, smoking status, salt intake, use of cooling equipment, carbon monoxide exposure, family history of hypertension, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and hemoglobin were identified as independent risk factors for hypertension ( P<0.05). A comparison of the five models revealed the following performance metrics: logistic regression achieved an accuracy of 0.853, F1 score of 0.680, Brier score of 0.108, and AUC of 0.907; SVM demonstrated an accuracy of 0.863, F1 score of 0.687, Brier score of 0.081, and AUC of 0.910; random forest showed an accuracy of 0.857, F1 score of 0.603, Brier score of 0.105, and AUC of 0.861; XGBoost yielded an accuracy of 0.850, F1 score of 0.684, Brier score of 0.117, and AUC of 0.899; and the LGBM model exhibited an accuracy of 0.838, F1 score of 0.625, Brier score of 0.112, and AUC of 0.870. Conclusion:The SVM model demonstrated strong predictive performance, effectively assessing the risk of hypertension among steelworkers (Homo sapiens) and facilitating targeted health management interventions.