OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of triptolide （TP） exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the reproductive system development and function in male offspring of rats， providing a reference for medication safety during pregnancy and lactation. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly divided into control group （12 rats， normal saline） and T1-T4 groups [12， 13， 14， 17 rats that received TP at 200， 400， 600， and 800 μg/（kg·d） respectively]. They were given relevant medicine/normal saline intragastrically， once a day， until the offspring were born and naturally weaned， the intragastric administration volume of each rat was consistently 2 mL. After 60 days of feeding， reproductive organ weights and coefficients were measured in male offspring， testicular and epididymal histology and sperm morphology were observed. Sperm motility， sperm count， and serum levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH）， follicle stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， and testosterone （T） in the epididymides were analyzed. Protein expressions of glycogen synthase kinase 3α （GSK3α）， phosphorylated GSK3α （p-GSK3α）， and phosphatase 1γ2 （PP1γ2） in sperm were also determined. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the testicular and epididymal weights， serum levels of GnRH and T， the relative protein expression of PP1γ2 were significantly decreased in T1-T4 groups. Additionally， in the T2 to T4 groups， there were significant reductions in the weight and coefficient of the seminal vesicle， total number of sperm， sperm concentration， sperm motility as well as relative protein expressions of GSKα， p-GSK3α in the offspring rats. Furthermore， the epididymal coefficient in the T3 and T4 groups， the testicular coefficient， mean sperm track velocity and sperm curvature velocity in the T4 group were significantly decreased （P＜ 0.05）； the number of abnormal sperm， rate of sperm abnormality， and levels of FSH and LH in the offspring rats of the T1 to T4 groups were all significantly increased （P＜0.05）； in the offspring rats of the T1 to T4 groups， there was a decrease in the number of epithelial cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testes. Within the epididymal tissue， degenerative and necrotic changes in the epithelial cells were visible， accompanied by mild infiltration of inflammatory cells in the stroma. CONCLUSIONS TP exposure during pregnancy and lactation disrupts reproductive organ development， impairs spermatogenesis and sperm motility， as well as suppresses androgen synthesis in male offspring，thereby having a negative impact on the development of the reproductive system. These effects may be mechanistically linked to regulation of GSK3α， p-GSK3α and PP1γ2 protein expressions.

Objective:To investigate the potential characteristic manifestations and application value of the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test（DVAT） in vestibular migraine（VM）. Methods:A total of 50 VM patients（case group） and 50 healthy subjects（control group） diagnosed at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between November 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, were enrolled. The case group underwent DVAT, video head impulse test（vHIT）, caloric test, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory（DHI） assessment, whereas the control group only received DVAT. Group-based analyses were conducted to examine the effect of age on Dynamic Visual Acuity Loss（DVALoss）, as well as the correlations of DVALoss with vestibular function tests and DHI scores. Results:DVALoss in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group（P<0.001）. In both groups, age was significantly and positively correlated with DVALoss（P<0.001）. Within the case group, DVALoss was strongly and positively correlated with DHI scores（r=0.807, P<0.001）; it was negatively correlated with the vestibulo-ocular reflex（VOR） gain in vHIT, though without clinical significance, and showed no significant association with the caloric test. Age and DVALoss collectively accounted for 71.3% of the variance in DHI scores（R²=0.713）, with age exerting a relatively minor actual impact. Conclusion:DVAT can sensitively identify the core functional impairments of VM. DVALoss, as a direct functional reflection of the pathological mechanism of VM, is strongly correlated with DHI scores. Incorporating DVALoss into standardized assessments may provide an objective basis for the diagnosis and management of VM.
Humans ; Migraine Disorders/diagnosis* ; Visual Acuity ; Case-Control Studies ; Head Impulse Test ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Vestibular Diseases/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Caloric Tests

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

Osteoarthritis (OA) causes chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life, with current treatments often proving insufficient and accompanied by adverse effects. Recent research has identified the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and its resident macrophages as crucial mediators of chronic OA pain through neuroinflammation driven by macrophage polarization. We present a novel injectable thermo-sensitive hydrogel system, KAF@PLEL, designed to deliver an anti-inflammatory peptide (KAF) specifically to the DRG. This biodegradable hydrogel enables sustained KAF release, promoting the reprogramming of DRG macrophages from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies, we evaluated the hydrogel's biocompatibility, effects on macrophage polarization, and therapeutic efficacy in chronic OA pain management. The system demonstrated significant capabilities in preserving macrophage mitochondrial function, suppressing neuroinflammation, alleviating chronic OA pain, reducing cartilage degradation, and improving motor function in OA rat models. The sustained-release properties of KAF@PLEL enabled prolonged therapeutic effects while minimizing systemic exposure and side effects. These findings suggest that KAF@PLEL represents a promising therapeutic approach for improving outcomes in OA patients through targeted, sustained treatment.

Gene regulation relies on the precise binding of transcription factors (TFs) at regulatory elements, but simultaneously detecting hundreds of TFs on chromatin is challenging. We developed cFOOT-seq, a cytosine deaminase-based TF footprinting assay, for high-resolution, quantitative genome-wide assessment of TF binding in both open and closed chromatin regions, even with small cell numbers. By utilizing the dsDNA deaminase SsdAtox, cFOOT-seq converts accessible cytosines to uracil while preserving genomic integrity, making it compatible with techniques like ATAC-seq for sensitive and cost-effective detection of TF occupancy at the single-molecule and single-cell level. Our approach enables the delineation of TF footprints, quantification of occupancy, and examination of chromatin influences on TF binding. Notably, cFOOT-seq, combined with FootTrack analysis, enables de novo prediction of TF binding sites and tracking of TF occupancy dynamics. We demonstrate its application in capturing cell type-specific TFs, analyzing TF dynamics during reprogramming, and revealing TF dependencies on chromatin remodelers. Overall, cFOOT-seq represents a robust approach for investigating the genome-wide dynamics of TF occupancy and elucidating the cis-regulatory architecture underlying gene regulation.
Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Humans ; Chromatin/genetics* ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Mice ; DNA Footprinting/methods*

Objective To adopt the systematical evaluation method to compare the efficacies between endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) versus laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) for treating feca-lith incarceration appendicitis.Methods The databases of PubMed,WANGFANG,CNKI,Cochrane Library and Embase were retrieved by computer.The retrieval time was 2016-2021.The EART related clinical trials were collected,the literatures conforming to the inclusion standard conducted the Jadad scoring,the basic situ-ation of each study and various observation indications (abdominal pain relief,time in bed,hospitalization du-ration,hospitalization expenses,postoperative CRP,postoperative complications) in the ERAT group and LA group were extracted respectively.The RevMan 5.3 software was used for conducting the statistical analysis. Results A total of 33 trials with a total of 2630 patients were included.There were 1294 cases in the ERAT group and 1336 cases in the LA group.The meta analysis results showed that the remission rate of abdominal pain at postoperative 12 h (RR=1.23,95％CI:1.06-1.43),time in bed (with d or h as the unit,WMD=-3.00,95％CI:-3.93 to-2.07;WMD=-9.51,95％CI:-16.12 to-2.90),hospitalization duration (WMD=-2.44,95％CI:-2.90 to-1.98),treatment costs (WMD=-3.00,95％CI:-5.34 to-0.67),postoperative CRP (WMD=-4.94,95％CI:-7.43 to-2.45) and postoperative complications incidence rate (RR=0.24,95％CI:0.18-0.32) had statistical difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclu-sion ERAT has more advantages than LA in treating fecalith incarceration appendicitis.

Objective To investigate the effects of indirubatin derivative E804 on proliferation and migration of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)A549 cells,and to elucidate the possible mechanism of Nrf2-HO-1/GPX4 pathway.Methods Lung cancer A549 cells were used as the cell model.The proliferation and migration of differ-ent specific inhibitors(Nec-1,CQ,Z-VAD,DFO,Fer-1 and Lip-1)in 0,10 μmol/L E804 and 10 μmol/L E804+groups were observed by MTT and cell scratch assay.The contents of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were de-tected by DCFH-DA fluorescence probe method,the contents of Fe2+were detected by colorimetric method,the contents of reduced glutathione(GSH)were detected by spectrophotometry,and the contents of malondialdehyde(MDA)were detected by micromethod.The expression levels of SLC7A11,Transferrin,GPX4,SLC40A1,Nrf2 and HO-1 were detected by Western blot in cells of 0,2.5,5 and 10 μmol/L E804 groups.Results Compared with the control group(0 μmol/L E804),2.5,5 and 10 μmol/L E804 significantly increased intracellular ROS,Fe2+and MDA levels,and decreased intracellular GSH content(P＜0.01).Meanwhile,the expression levels of SLC7A11,GPX4,SLC40A1,Nrf2 and HO-1 significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and the expression level of Transferrin increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the 10 μmol/L E804 group alone,the apoptosis inhibitor(Z-VAD)group and the ferroptosis inhibitor(DFO,Fer-1 and Lip-1)group could significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation and migration of A549 cells by 10 μmol/L E804(P＜0.01).Conclution E804 can induce ferrop-tosis and inhibit the proliferation and migration of A549 cells,which may be related to the inhibition of Nrf2-HO-1/GPX4 pathway.

Objective:To observe the effects of Zhulian stimulant type Ⅰ acupuncture on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB and tissue homogenate cyclic adenosine phosphate (cAMP) in rats with diabetic bladder (DCP); To explore the mechanism of Zhulian stimulant type Ⅰacupuncture on DCP.Methods:Totally 50 SD rats were divided into control group, model group, Western medicine group, ordinary acupuncture group, Zhulian stimulant type Ⅰ acupuncture treatment group (acupuncture treatment group) according to random number table method, with 10 rats in each group. DCP rat model was prepared by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ), except for the control group. The Western medicine group was given mecobalamine for gavage; acupoints of "Zhongji", "Sanyinjiao", "Liechou" and "Taichong" were selected. The ordinary acupuncture group was treated with ordinary acupuncture technique, and the acupuncture treatment group was treated with Zhulian stimulant type Ⅰ acupuncture, 1 time/d, 30 minutes/time. Samples were taken after 4 weeks of treatment. The maximum bladder volume, residual urine volume and wet weight of the bladder were detected. The morphology of rat bladder was observed by HE staining. The expression level of BDNF was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of cAMP was detected by Western blot. The level of TrkB was determined by ELISA. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expressions of BDNF and cAMP.Results:Compared with model group, maximum bladder volume, residual urine volume and wet weight of bladder in Western medicine group, ordinary acupuncture group and acupuncture treatment group decreased ( P<0.01), and those in Western medicine group and acupuncture treatment group were lower than those in ordinary acupuncture group ( P<0.01). The expressions of BDNF mRNA and protein, cAMP mRNA and protein in Western medicine group, ordinary acupuncture group and acupuncture treatment group increased ( P<0.05), and the level of TrkB increased, and the Western medicine group and acupuncture treatment group were higher than that in ordinary acupuncture group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Zhuliping stimulant type Ⅰ acupuncture has a protective effect on the bladder function of diabetic rats. The mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of BDNF and mRNA, TrkB, cAMP and mRNA expressions.