BACKGROUND:Carnosic acid,a bioactive compound found in rosemary,has been shown to reduce inflammation and reactive oxygen species(ROS).However,its mechanism of action in osteoclast differentiation remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of carnosic acid on osteoclast activation,ROS production,and mitochondrial function. METHODS:Primary bone marrow-derived macrophages from mice were extracted and cultured in vitro.Different concentrations of carnosic acid(0,10,15,20,25 and 30 μmol/L)were tested for their effects on bone marrow-derived macrophage proliferation and toxicity using the cell counting kit-8 cell viability assay to determine a safe concentration.Bone marrow-derived macrophages were cultured in graded concentrations and induced by receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand for osteoclast differentiation for 5-7 days.The effects of carnosic acid on osteoclast differentiation and function were then observed through tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining,F-actin staining,H2DCFDA probe and mitochondrial ROS,and Mito-Tracker fluorescence detection.Western blot and RT-PCR assays were subsequently conducted to examine the effects of carnosic acid on the upstream and downstream proteins of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand-induced MAPK signaling pathway. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining and F-actin staining showed that carnosic acid dose-dependently inhibited in vitro osteoclast differentiation and actin ring formation in the cell cytoskeleton,with the highest inhibitory effect observed in the high concentration group(30 μmol/L).Carnosic acid exhibited the most significant inhibitory effect during the early stages(days 1-3)of osteoclast differentiation compared to other intervention periods.Fluorescence imaging using the H2DCFDA probe,mitochondrial ROS,and Mito-Tracker demonstrated that carnosic acid inhibited cellular and mitochondrial ROS production while reducing mitochondrial membrane potential,thereby influencing mitochondrial function.The results of western blot and RT-PCR revealed that carnosic acid could suppress the expression of NFATc1,CTSK,MMP9,and C-fos proteins associated with osteoclast differentiation,and downregulate the expression of NFATc1,Atp6vod2,ACP5,CTSK,and C-fos genes related to osteoclast differentiation.Furthermore,carnosic acid enhanced the expression of antioxidant enzyme proteins and reduced the generation of ROS during the process of osteoclast differentiation.Overall,carnosic acid exerts its inhibitory effects on osteoclast differentiation by inhibiting the phosphorylation modification of the P38/ERK/JNK protein and activating the MAPK signaling pathway in bone marrow-derived macrophages.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ameliorative effects and potential mechanism of total secondary ginsenosides （TSG） on hypertrophic changes of primary cardiomyocytes stimulated by angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ）. METHODS Primary cardiomyocytes were isolated from the hearts of neonatal SD rats and divided into the following groups： control group， AngⅡ group （2 µmol/L）， TSG group （7.5 µg/mL）， PFK-015 group [6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2， 6-bisphosphatase 3 （PFKFB3） inhibitor， 10 nmol/L]， and TSG+PFK-015 group （TSG 7.5 µg/mL+PFK-015 10 nmol/L）. The surface area， protein synthesis， energy metabolism-related indicators [free fatty acid （FFA）， coenzyme A （CoA）， acetyl coenzyme A （acetyl-CoA）]， and the expressions of glycolysis-related factors [hypoxia-inducible factor 1α （HIF-1α）， glucose transporter protein 4 （GLUT-4）， lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA）， pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 （PDK1） and PFKFB3] in primary cardiomyocytes of each group were measured. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the surface area of primary cardiomyocytes and protein synthesis were significantly increased， the content of FFA， protein and mRNA expressions of HIF-1α， LDHA， PDK1 and PFKFB3 were significantly increased or up-regulated in the AngⅡ group， while the contents of CoA and acetyl-CoA， the protein and mRNA expressions of GLUT-4 were significantly decreased or down-regulated （P＜0.05）. Compared with the AngⅡ group， both TSG group and PFK-015 group showed significant improvements in these indexes， with the TSG+PFK-015 group generally demonstrating superior effects compared to either treatment alone （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS TSG can reduce the surface area of AngⅡ-induced primary cardiomyocytes， decrease protein synthesis， and inhibit their hypertrophic changes. These effects may be related to improving energy metabolism and the inhibition of glycolysis activity.

OBJECTIVE To systematically investigate the current status and effectiveness of the standardized on-the-job training program for community clinical pharmacists in Shanghai， and to provide a scientific basis for optimizing the training scheme. METHODS A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the data from trainees and mentor pharmacists who participated in the program between 2016 and 2024. The survey examined their basic information， evaluations of the training scheme， satisfaction with training outcomes， and suggestions for improvement. Statistical analyses were also conducted. RESULTS A total of 420 valid responses were collected， including 340 from trainees and 80 from mentor pharmacists. Before training， only 30.29% of trainees were engaged in clinical pharmacy-related work， whereas this proportion increased to 73.24% after training. Most mentor pharmacists had extensive experience in clinical pharmacy （76.25% with ≥5 years of experience） and mentoring （78.75% with ≥3 teaching sessions）. Totally 65.59% of trainees and 55.00% of mentor pharmacists believed that blended training yielded the best learning outcomes. Over 80.00% of both trainees and mentor pharmacists considered the overall training duration， theoretical study time， and practical training time to be reasonable. More than 95.00% of trainees and mentor pharmacists agreed that the homework and assessment schemes were appropriate. Trainees rated the relevance of training content to their actual work highly （with an average relevance score ＞4.5）， though they perceived the chronic disease medication therapy management module as significantly more challenging than the prescription review and evaluation module and the home-based pharmaceutical care module. The average satisfaction score of trainees and mentor pharmacists with the training effectiveness of each project was above 4 points， indicating a high overall satisfaction. Inadequate provision of teaching resources was unanimously recognized by trainees and mentor pharmacists as the key area requiring improvement. CONCLUSIONS The standardized on-the-job training program for community clinical pharmacists in Shanghai has contributed to improving pharmaceutical services in community healthcare settings. However， ongoing improvements must concentrate on content design， resource development， and faculty cultivation.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the medication needs of parents of pediatric children in our hospital regarding drug instructions， and explore improvement strategies， thereby providing a basis for clinically guiding the rational use of drugs in pediatric patients. METHODS A self-designed questionnaire was used to randomly select the parents of pediatric patients in the pediatric outpatient and emergency departments of our hospital from July 1st to September 30th， 2024. A randomized face-to-face survey was conducted regarding their willingness to read drug instructions， their current understanding status， and their needs. The survey results were then statistically analyzed. RESULTS A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed in this survey， and 299 valid questionnaires were recovered， with an effective recovery rate of 99.7%. Before medication， the parents who “always” and “often” read the drug instructions in detail accounted for 39.1% （117 respondents） and 35.1% （105 respondents）， respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed in the willingness to read drug instructions among respondents with varying educational levels and occupations （P＜0.05）. Among the 299 respondents， only 48 people （16.1%）“ fully understood” the drug instructions， and the average understanding score of all the respondents was （3.77±0.83） points. The stronger the respondents’ willingness to read drug instructions， the higher their understanding scores of drug instructions （P＜0.05）. A total of 256 respondents thought that drug instructions were of great help to themselves， and the average helpfulness rating score of all the respondents was （4.28±0.78） points. Under the conditions of varying ages， educational levels， occupations， and willingness to read drug instructions， statistically significant differences were observed in the scores representing the degree of helpfulness of drug instructions to the respondents （P＜0.05）. Respondents paid the most attention to content in drug instructions such as “dosage and administration method”，“ adverse reactions”， and “indications and therapeutic categories”. The most difficult sections for them to understand included “chemical structure and properties”， “pharmacological and toxicological effects” ， and “pharmacokinetics”， etc. The demographic characteristics of the respondents were not significantly associated with the content areas of drug instructions they most desired to see improved （P＞0.05）. Most respondents （86.0%） hoped to improve the instructions mainly by “simplifying professional terms to make them more accessible”. Others included “highlighting key information” （60.5%） and “providing more detailed medication guidance” （49.2%）， etc. CONCLUSIONS Parents of pediatric patients in our hospital have a high demand for drug instructions but low comprehension. The pharmacy department should make targeted improvements to drug instructions based on parents’ actual needs， helping them accurately obtain medication knowledge and reduce potential medication safety risks.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

OBJECTIVE: Pneumoconiosis, a lung disease caused by irreversible fibrosis, represents a significant public health burden. This study investigates the causal relationships between gut microbiota, gene methylation, gene expression, protein levels, and pneumoconiosis using a multi-omics approach and Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: We analyzed gut microbiota data from MiBioGen and Esteban et al. to assess their potential causal effects on pneumoconiosis subtypes (asbestosis, silicosis, and inorganic pneumoconiosis) using conventional and summary-data-based MR (SMR). Gene methylation and expression data from Genotype-Tissue Expression and eQTLGen, along with protein level data from deCODE and UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, were examined in relation to pneumoconiosis data from FinnGen. To validate our findings, we assessed self-measured gut flora from a pneumoconiosis cohort and performed fine mapping, drug prediction, molecular docking, and Phenome-Wide Association Studies to explore relevant phenotypes of key genes. RESULTS: Three core gut microorganisms were identified: Romboutsia ( OR = 0.249) as a protective factor against silicosis, Pasteurellaceae ( OR = 3.207) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae ( OR = 2.343) as risk factors for inorganic pneumoconiosis. Additionally, mapping and quantitative trait loci analyses revealed that the genes VIM, STX8, and MIF were significantly associated with pneumoconiosis risk. CONCLUSIONS This multi-omics study highlights the associations between gut microbiota and key genes ( VIM, STX8, MIF) with pneumoconiosis, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies.
Humans ; Male ; East Asian People/genetics* ; Europe ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Lung ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/metabolism* ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Multiomics ; Pneumoconiosis/microbiology* ; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases

Dental treatments for children and adolescents have unique clinical characteristics that differ from dental care for adults in terms of children's physiology, psychology, and behavior. These differences impose specific requirements on the application of local anesthesia in pediatric dental procedures. This article presents expert consensus on the principles of local anesthesia techniques in pediatric dental therapies, including the use of common anesthetic drugs and dosage control, safety and efficacy evaluation, and prevention and management of complications. The aim is to improve the safety and quality of pediatric dental treatments and offer guidance for clinical application by dentists.
Humans ; Child ; Anesthesia, Local/methods* ; Consensus ; Anesthesia, Dental/methods* ; Adolescent ; Anesthetics, Local/administration & dosage* ; Dental Care for Children

Bongkrekic acid(BA)is a toxin with stable properties and no distinctive smell.It exists in common foods such as fermented edible grain products,potato products,spoiled tremella fuciformis and auricularia polytricha,as well as auricularia polytricha that has been soaked too long.It can easily cause food poisoning.At present,there is still a lack of complete method to detect BA,and no spe-cific antidote of BA has been found.Therefore,BA poisoning is easy to be misdiagnosed or missed diagnosed,and its mortality rate remains high.In recent years,studies have revealed the toxic mecha-nism of BA and found that BA can inactivate some enzymes containing thiol groups(-SH)and in-hibit the synthesis and transport of adenosine triphosphate(ATP),causing damage to liver,kidney,brain and other parenchymal organs.This article reviews the autopsy cases and literature of deaths caused by BA poisoning at home and abroad,systematically summarizes the epidemiology,clinical manifestations,pathological changes,toxicological mechanisms,detection methods,forensic diagnostic key points and challenges of BA in forensic medicine,with the aim of providing a reference for foren-sic identification of related cases.