Background Prolonged vibration exposure can lead to vascular endothelial cell dysfunction and cellular injury. However, research on the association between vibration and ferroptosis in vascular endothelial cells remains insufficient. Objective To explore whether occupational vibration exposure is associated with alterations in serum markers related to ferroptosis in patients with hand-arm vibration disease (HAVD), and to further investigate, through in vitro cell experiments, whether vibration exposure may induce ferroptosis in vascular endothelial cells. Methods ①A judgmental sampling method was employed to select 50 workers with HAVD (the HAVD group), 50 vibration-exposed workers without HAVD (the vibration exposure group), and 50 non–hand-transmitted vibration-exposed workers (the control group). Serum iron levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured using serum iron assay kits, MDA detection kits, and SOD detection kits, respectively. One-way analysis of variance and binary logistic regression analysis were performed to examine the relationships between these indicators and HAVD. ②Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were divided into a vibration group and a control group. The vibration group was subjected to vibration at 120 Hz with an acceleration of 6.5 m·s⁻² and further subdivided into four subgroups: 1 d 2 h, 1 d 4 h, 2 d 2 h, and 2 d 4 h. The control group was treated identically except for vibration exposure. Cellular iron (Fe²⁺) content and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in HUVEC were measured using ferrous iron colorimetric assay kits and GSH colorimetric assay kits, respectively, to assess the effects of different vibration exposure schedules. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect the mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes, including acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), tumor suppressor protein P53 (P53), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the protein expression levels of ferroptosis-related markers in HUVEC. Results ①Compared with the control group, the patients in the HAVD group showed increased serum iron and MDA levels, along with decreased SOD levels (P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis indicated that elevated serum iron levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of HAVD (OR=4.034; 95%CI: 2.063, 7.887), and elevated MDA levels were also associated with an increased risk of HAVD (OR=1.523; 95%CI: 1.026, 1.936). ②Compared with the control group, increased intracellular Fe²⁺ content and decreased GSH content were observed in HUVECs in the 1 d 4 h and 2 d 4 h vibration subgroups (P<0.05). The RT-qPCR results showed that, compared with the control group, vibration exposures of 1 d 4 h and 2 d 4 h significantly upregulated the expression of ACSL4 and P53 (P<0.05), whereas the mRNA expression levels of GPX4 and FTH1 were downregulated in all vibration-exposed endothelial cells (P<0.05). The Western blot results revealed that, compared with the control group, the vibration exposure schedules of 1 d 2 h and 1 d 4 h significantly upregulated the protein expression levels of ACSL4 and P53 (P<0.05), while the vibration exposure schedules of 1 d 4 h, 2 d 2 h, and 2 d 4 h significantly downregulated the protein expression levels of FTH1 and GPX4 (P<0.05). Conclusion Occupational vibration exposure is associated with alterations in iron metabolism and oxidative stress status in workers with HAVD. The in vitro experiments further demonstrates that vibration stimulation induces intracellular iron accumulation and reduces antioxidant capacity in vascular endothelial cells, accompanied by dysregulated expression of ferroptosis-related molecules. These findings suggest that ferroptosis may play a role in vibration-induced vascular injury and the pathogenesis of HAVD.

The chemical constituents of Commiphora myrrha was investigated by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, MS, NMR, as well as ECD calculation. Seven compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane-soluble fraction of C. myrrha and their structures were identified as(1S,2R,4S,5R,8S)-guaiane-2-hydroxy-7(11),10(15)-dien-6-oxo-12,8-olide(1), commipholide E(2), myrrhterpenoid H(3), myrrhterpenoid I(4), myrrhterpenoid E(5), 2α-methoxy-8α-hydroxy-6-oxogermacra-1(10),7(11)-dien-8,12-olide(6), 8,12-epoxy-1α,9α-hydroxy-eudesma-7,11-diene-6-dione(7). Compound 1 was a new compound and named myrrhterpenoid P. Compound 7 was isolated from Commiphora genus for the first time. Compounds 2, 5, and 6 significantly inhibited nitric oxide(NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, with IC_(50) values of(49.67±4.16),(40.80±1.27),(47.22±0.87) μmol·L~(-1), respectively [indomethacin as the positive control, with IC_(50) value of(63.92±2.60) μmol·L~(-1)].
Commiphora/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Resins, Plant/chemistry* ; Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Molecular Structure ; Nitric Oxide ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*

This study identified blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills and explored their anti-insomnia effects and mechanisms. The main blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were detected and identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The rationality of the formula was assessed by using enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms, and core targets of its active components were selected as the the potential anti-insomnia targets of Anshen Dropping Pills through network pharmacology analysis. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, Gene Ontology(GO) enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were performed on the core targets. An active component-core target network for Anshen Dropping Pills was constructed. Finally, the effects of low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of Anshen Dropping Pills on sleep episodes, sleep duration, and sleep latency in mice were measured by supraliminal and subliminal pentobarbital sodium experiments. Moreover, total scores of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale was used to evaluate the changes before and after the treatment with Anshen Dropping Pills in a clinical study. The enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms verified the rationality of the Anshen Dropping Pills formula, and nine blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The network proximity revealed a significant correlation between eight components and insomnia, including magnoflorine, liquiritin, spinosin, quercitrin, jujuboside A, ginsenoside Rb_3, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhetinic acid. Network pharmacology analysis indicated that the major anti-insomnia pathways of Anshen Dropping Pills involved substance and energy metabolism, neuroprotection, immune system regulation, and endocrine regulation. Seven core genes related to insomnia were identified: APOE, ALB, BDNF, PPARG, INS, TP53, and TNF. In summary, Anshen Dropping Pills could increase sleep episodes, prolong sleep duration, and reduce sleep latency in mice. Clinical study results demonstrated that Anshen Dropping Pills could decrease total scores of PSQI scale. This study reveals the pharmacodynamic basis and potential multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway effects of Anshen Dropping Pills, suggesting that its anti-insomnia mechanisms may be associated with the regulation of insomnia-related signaling pathways. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of Anshen Dropping Pills.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/metabolism* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Male ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Sleep/drug effects* ; Female ; Adult

"Prescriptions being modified according to the syndrome and processing following prescription" is one of the characteristics of clinical medication in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), and it is also an important sign that distinguishes TCM from other traditional medicine. The processing methods of TCM decoctions originate from the ingenious combination of medicinal materials, the mutual restraint of seven emotions, the harmony of four properties, and the pairing and combining of medicinal materials in prescriptions. They are the concrete embodiment of the essence and characteristics of "prescriptions being modified according to the syndrome and processing following prescription". However, due to insufficient inheritance and innovation, many characteristic varieties and pharmaceutical experience have been lost or forgotten. There is an urgent need to systematically explore and organize the processing theory and characteristic varieties of TCM decoctions, delve into the scientific connotation of the processing principles, and optimize the processing technology. Therefore, this article systematically organizes and summarizes the historical evolution and modern research progress of TCM decoction processing, conducts in-depth reflection on the current problems, and puts forward reasonable suggestions, with the aim of further inheriting, enriching, and developing the processing theory of TCM decoctions and providing support for ensuring the clinical efficacy of prescriptions.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*

The chemical components of Carthami Flos were investigated by using macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography, reversed-phase octadecylsilane(ODS) column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The planar structures of the compounds were established based on their physicochemical properties and ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis), infrared(IR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopic technology. The absolute configurations were determined by comparing the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism(ECD). Six flavonoid C-glycosides were isolated from the 30% ethanol elution fraction of macroporous resin obtained from the 95% ethanol extract of Carthami Flos, and identified as saffloquinoside F(1), 5-hydroxysaffloneoside(2), iso-5-hydroxysaffloneoside(3), isosafflomin C(4), safflomin C(5), and vicenin 2(6). Among these, the compounds 1 to 3 were new chalcone C-glycosides. The compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 could significantly increase the viability of H9c2 cardiomyocytes damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R) at a concentration of 50 μmol·L~(-1), showing their good cardioprotective activity.
Glycosides/pharmacology* ; Flowers/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Carthamus tinctorius/chemistry* ; Chalcones/pharmacology* ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate possible serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] cutoffs for the associations between 25(OH)D and Bone turnover markers (BTMs), and how GC gene variation influences such cutoffs in Chinese women of childbearing age. METHODS: In total, 1,505 non-pregnant or non-lactating women (18-45 years) were recruited from the 2015 Chinese Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance. Serum 25(OH)D, osteocalcin (OC), procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), β-CrossLaps of type 1 collagen containing cross-linked C-telopeptide (β-CTX), and single nucleotide polymorphisms were determined. Locally weighted regression and smoothing scatterplot and segmented regression were performed to estimate the 25(OH)D thresholds. RESULTS: The median serum 25(OH)D was 16.63 (11.96-22.55) ng/mL and the prevalence of low serum 25(OH)D (< 12 ng/mL) was 25.2%. Women with the lowest 25(OH)D had the highest β-CTX. After adjustment for the confounders, 25(OH)D cutoffs for OC [14.04 (12.84-15.23) ng/mL], β-CTX [13.94 (12.49-15.39) ng/mL], and P1NP [13.87 (12.37-15.37) ng/mL] in the whole population, cutoffs for OC [12.30 (10.68-13.91) ng/mL], β-CTX [12.23 (10.22-14.23) ng/mL], and P1NP [11.85 (10.40-13.31) ng/mL] in women with the GC rs2282679 G allele, and cutoffs for OC [12.75 (11.81-13.68) ng/mL], β-CTX [13.05 (11.78-14.32) ng/mL], and P1NP [12.81 (11.57-14.06) ng/mL] in women with the GC rs2282679 T allele, were observed. Below these cutoffs, BTMs were negatively associated with 25(OH)D, while above these cutoffs, BTMs plateaued. CONCLUSION In Chinese women of childbearing age, there were thresholds effect of serum 25(OH)D concentrations on BTMs. The results indicated that serum 25(OH)D concentrations < 13.87 ng/mL in this population had adverse influences on maintaining bone remodeling. BTMs were suppressed at a relatively lower serum 25(OH)D in women with the GC rs2282679 G allele compared with those with the T allele.
Humans ; Female ; Vitamin D/blood* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; China ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Bone Remodeling/genetics* ; Vitamin D-Binding Protein/genetics* ; Procollagen/blood* ; Osteocalcin/blood* ; Peptide Fragments/blood* ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM _2.5) and its constituents and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to examine the modification roles of overweight status. METHODS: This prospective study included 27,507 adults living in rural China. The annual mean residential exposure to PM _2.5 and its constituents was estimated using a satellite-based statistical model. Cox models were used to estimate the risk of T2DM associated with PM _2.5 and its constituents. Stratified analysis quantified the role of overweight status in the association between PM _2.5 constituents and T2DM. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 9.4 years, 3,001 new T2DM cases were identified. The hazard ratio ( HR) for a 10 μg/m ³ increase in ambient PM _2.5 was 1.30 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.17, 1.45). Among the constituents, the strongest association was observed with black carbon. Being overweight significantly modified the association between certain constituents and the risk of T2DM. Participants who were overweight and exposed to the highest quartile of PM _2.5 constituents had the highest risk of T2DM ( HR: 2.46, 95% CI: 2.04, 2.97). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that PM _2.5 was associated with an increased risk of T2DM, with black carbon potentially being the primary contributor. Being overweight appeared to enhance the association between PM _2.5 and T2DM. This suggests that controlling both PM _2.5 exposure and overweight status may reduce the burden of T2DM.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/chemically induced* ; China/epidemiology* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Overweight/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Adult ; Prospective Studies ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the application value of targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) in the etiological diagnosis of moderate to severe respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in neonates. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted, enrolling 81 term and late-preterm neonates with moderate to severe RDS admitted to Fujian Children's Hospital between December 2023 and December 2024. Patients were randomly assigned to the conventional microbiological test (CMT) group (n=42) or the tNGS group (n=39). For routine pathogen detection, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was obtained via bronchoscopy, and lower respiratory tract specimens were collected via the endotracheal tube; all specimens underwent culture, and some specimens additionally underwent polymerase chain reaction or antigen testing. In the tNGS group, tNGS was performed in addition to routine pathogen detection on the same specimen types. The detection rate of pathogens, the detection rate of co-infections, and the duration of antibiotic use were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The pathogen detection rate in the tNGS group (18/39, 46%) was significantly higher than that in the CMT group (8/42, 19%) (P=0.009). The co-infection detection rate was 13% (5/39) in the tNGS group, while no co-infections were identified in the CMT group (P=0.024). Regarding treatment, the duration of antibiotic use in the tNGS group was shorter than that in the CMT group [(12±4) days vs (15±5) days, P=0.003]. CONCLUSIONS tNGS significantly improves the pathogen detection rate in neonates with moderate to severe RDS and offers advantages in the rapid identification of co-infections and reduction of antibiotic treatment duration, suggesting it has clinical utility and potential for wider adoption.
Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/etiology* ; Male ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*