ObjectiveTo analyze the processing mechanism underlying the enhanced effect of invigorating spleen and stopping diarrhea of soil-fried Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma（AMR） by analyzing the changes of microstructure， chemical composition and anti-ulcerative colitis（UC） activity before and after soil stir-frying. MethodsThe microstructure and elemental composition of AMR before and after soil stir-frying were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy（SEM-EDS）， to investigate the differences in microstructure and the underlying causes. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） coupled with UNIFI 1.9.2 natural product analysis platform were used to analyze and identify the chemical constituents in raw and soil-fried products， and multivariate statistical methods including principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were used to explore the differences and sources of chemical constituents between them. A dextran sulfate sodium（DSS）-induced UC mouse model was established. The method of disease activity index（DAI） was used to evaluate the severity of intestinal inflammation. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon tissue， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to analyze the expressions of key genes and proteins involved in the intestinal mucosal barrier. The 16S rRNA sequencing was used to evaluate the diversity of intestinal flora， headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（HS-GC-MS） was used to explore the levels of short-chain fatty acids（SCFAs） in feces. Base on the above findings， this paper investigated the effects of raw and soil-fried AMR on the biological， chemical， mechanical and immune barriers of model animals， and the differences in pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms from the perspective of regulating the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. ResultsSEM observation revealed numerous hearth soil particles on the surface of soil-fried AMR， accompanied by bubble-like bulges. At the same time， there were many cracks and folds on the surface of the hearth soil. EDS analysis revealed that the contents of Si， Al， Mg and Ca in soil-fried AMR were significantly higher than those of raw products， and these elements constituted the primary components of hearth soil. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with database comparison was used to identify the chemical constituents of raw and soil-fried AMR. In positive ion mode， a total of 132 components were identified， primarily comprising three categories of terpenoids， polyphenols and amino acids. In negative ion mode， a total of 40 components were identified， primarily polyphenolic and glycoside compounds. Among them， the contents of sesquiterpenes and polyphenolic acids were changed significantly before and after processing. Soil-fried AMR could reduce the DAI score of UC mice， alleviate the shortening of colon length， reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as interleukin（IL）-17， IL-18， γ-interferon（IFN-γ） and tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α in serum， increase the levels of anti-inflammatory factors such as secretory immunoglobulin A（sIgA）， IL-10， IL-4 and transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β） in serum， increase the expressions of key genes and proteins of intestinal mucosal barrier such as tight junction protein-1（ZO-1）， Occludin， Claudin-1 and mucin 2（MUC2） in colonic mucosa， and improve the disorders of intestinal flora diversity and the levels of SCFAs（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The raw and stir-fried products of AMR also exhibited the aforementioned effects， but they were weaker than the soil-fried products. Additionally， the auxiliary material hearth soil also had a certain pharmacodynamic effect. ConclusionSoil-fried AMR can enhance the protective effect on intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. These changes or heating-induced alterations in the microscopic structure and chemical composition of AMR may be attributed to the dual effects of adsorption of hearth soil.

ObjectiveTo analyze the processing mechanism underlying the enhanced effect of invigorating spleen and stopping diarrhea of soil-fried Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma（AMR） by analyzing the changes of microstructure， chemical composition and anti-ulcerative colitis（UC） activity before and after soil stir-frying. MethodsThe microstructure and elemental composition of AMR before and after soil stir-frying were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy（SEM-EDS）， to investigate the differences in microstructure and the underlying causes. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） coupled with UNIFI 1.9.2 natural product analysis platform were used to analyze and identify the chemical constituents in raw and soil-fried products， and multivariate statistical methods including principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were used to explore the differences and sources of chemical constituents between them. A dextran sulfate sodium（DSS）-induced UC mouse model was established. The method of disease activity index（DAI） was used to evaluate the severity of intestinal inflammation. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon tissue， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to analyze the expressions of key genes and proteins involved in the intestinal mucosal barrier. The 16S rRNA sequencing was used to evaluate the diversity of intestinal flora， headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（HS-GC-MS） was used to explore the levels of short-chain fatty acids（SCFAs） in feces. Base on the above findings， this paper investigated the effects of raw and soil-fried AMR on the biological， chemical， mechanical and immune barriers of model animals， and the differences in pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms from the perspective of regulating the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. ResultsSEM observation revealed numerous hearth soil particles on the surface of soil-fried AMR， accompanied by bubble-like bulges. At the same time， there were many cracks and folds on the surface of the hearth soil. EDS analysis revealed that the contents of Si， Al， Mg and Ca in soil-fried AMR were significantly higher than those of raw products， and these elements constituted the primary components of hearth soil. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with database comparison was used to identify the chemical constituents of raw and soil-fried AMR. In positive ion mode， a total of 132 components were identified， primarily comprising three categories of terpenoids， polyphenols and amino acids. In negative ion mode， a total of 40 components were identified， primarily polyphenolic and glycoside compounds. Among them， the contents of sesquiterpenes and polyphenolic acids were changed significantly before and after processing. Soil-fried AMR could reduce the DAI score of UC mice， alleviate the shortening of colon length， reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as interleukin（IL）-17， IL-18， γ-interferon（IFN-γ） and tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α in serum， increase the levels of anti-inflammatory factors such as secretory immunoglobulin A（sIgA）， IL-10， IL-4 and transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β） in serum， increase the expressions of key genes and proteins of intestinal mucosal barrier such as tight junction protein-1（ZO-1）， Occludin， Claudin-1 and mucin 2（MUC2） in colonic mucosa， and improve the disorders of intestinal flora diversity and the levels of SCFAs（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The raw and stir-fried products of AMR also exhibited the aforementioned effects， but they were weaker than the soil-fried products. Additionally， the auxiliary material hearth soil also had a certain pharmacodynamic effect. ConclusionSoil-fried AMR can enhance the protective effect on intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. These changes or heating-induced alterations in the microscopic structure and chemical composition of AMR may be attributed to the dual effects of adsorption of hearth soil.

Successful cloning through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) faces significant challenges due to epigenetic obstacles. Recent studies have highlighted the roles of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 as potential contributors to these obstacles. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, we generated genome-wide maps of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 in mouse pre-implantation NT embryos. Our analysis revealed that aberrantly over-represented broad H3K4me3 domain and H3K27me3 signal lead to increased bivalent marks at gene promoters in NT embryos compared with naturally fertilized (NF) embryos at the 2-cell stage, which may link to relatively low levels of H3K36me3 in NT 2-cell embryos. Notably, the overexpression of Setd2, a H3K36me3 methyltransferase, successfully restored multiple epigenetic marks, including H3K36me3, H3K4me3, and H3K27me3. In addition, it reinstated the expression levels of ZGA-related genes by reestablishing H3K36me3 at gene body regions, which excluded H3K27me3 from bivalent promoters, ultimately improving cloning efficiency. These findings highlight the excessive bivalent state at gene promoters as a potent barrier and emphasize the removal of these barriers as a promising approach for achieving higher cloning efficiency.
Animals ; Mice ; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/biosynthesis* ; Histones/genetics* ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Embryo, Mammalian/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of critical care warning platform (CWP) on clinical outcomes of patients transferred from internal medical ward to intensive care unit (ICU) based on real-world data. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The patients transferred from internal medical ward to ICU of Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, between January 2022 and October 2024, were enrolled. They were divided into critical care warning group and conventional treatment group based on whether they were connected to the CWP. The patients in the critical care warning group were connected to the CWP, which collected real-time vital signs and treatment data. The platform automatically calculated severity scores, generated individualized risk assessments, and triggered warning alerts, allowing clinicians to adjust treatment plans accordingly. The patients in the conventional treatment group were not connected to the CWP and relied on conventional clinical judgment and nursing measures for treatment management. Baseline characteristics [gender, age, body mass index (BMI), admission type, severity score of illness, underlying diseases, and disease type at ICU admission], primary clinical outcome (in-hospital mortality), and secondary clinical outcomes [ICU mortality, length of ICU stay, total length of hospital stay, and mechanical ventilation and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) status] were collected. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of CWP on in-hospital death, and subgroup analyses were performed based on different patient characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 1 281 patients were enrolled, with 768 in the critical care warning group and 513 in the conventional treatment group. Compared with the conventional treatment group, the proportion of patients in the critical care warning group with underlying diseases of diabetes and malignancy and transferred to ICU due to sepsis was lowered, however, there were no statistically significant differences in other baseline characteristics between the two groups. Regarding the primary clinical outcome, the in-hospital mortality in the critical care warning group was significantly lower than that in the conventional treatment group [17.6% (135/768) vs. 25.7% (132/513), P < 0.01]. For secondary clinical outcomes, compared with the conventional treatment group, the patients in the critical care warning group had significantly fewer days of mechanical ventilation within 28 days [days: 2 (1, 6) vs. 2 (1, 8), P < 0.05], significantly shorter length of ICU stay [days: 3 (2, 8) vs. 4 (2, 10), P < 0.01], and significantly lower ICU mortality [15.1% (116/768) vs. 21.4% (110/513), P < 0.01]. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age and underlying diseases, the use of CWP was significantly associated with a reduction of in-hospital mortality among patients transferred from internal medical ward to ICU [odds ratio (OR) = 0.670, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.502-0.894, P = 0.006]. Further subgroup analysis revealed that, among patients transferred to ICU due to sepsis, the use of CWP significantly reduced in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.514, 95%CI was 0.367-0.722, P < 0.001). In patients aged ≥ 70 years old (OR = 0.587, 95%CI was 0.415-0.831, P = 0.003) and those with underlying diseases of malignancy (OR = 0.124, 95%CI was 0.046-0.330, P < 0.001), CWP also showed significant protective effects on in-hospital prognosis. CONCLUSION The use of CWP is significantly associated with a reduction in in-hospital mortality among patients transferred from internal medical ward to ICU, demonstrating its potential in assessing the deterioration of hospitalized patients.
Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Retrospective Studies ; Hospital Mortality ; Prognosis ; Critical Care ; Male ; Female ; Patient Transfer ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Cohort Studies

Objective This study aims to investigate the current status and potential profiles of emotional inhibition in stoma patients with colorectal cancer,to analyze the differences and influencing factors,and thereby provide a basis for the development of intervention strategies.Methods A convenience sample of 348 colorectal cancer patients with ostomies was recruited from colorectal surgery departments and ostomy outpatient clinics of a tertiary A hospital in Anhui Province.Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire,Emotional Inhibition Scale,Chinese Perceived Stress Scale,10 item Conner Davidson Resilience Scale,and Family Care Index Questionnaire.Latent profile analysis was performed using Mplus 8.3,while univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted using SPSS 26.0.Results Valid questionnaires were collected from 336 participants(response rate 96.6％).Colorectal cancer patients with ostomies demonstrated a mean emotional inhibition score of 30.84±10.49.Latent profile analysis identified 3 distinct emotional inhibition patterns:high inhibition-suppressive type(31.25％),moderate inhibition-adaptive type(39.88％),and low inhibition-excessive type(28.87％).Gender,residential location,household income per capita,ostomy self-care proficiency,perceived stress levels,psychological resilience scores and family functioning status emerged as significant determinants of emotional inhibition heterogeneity among colorectal cancer patients with ostomies across distinct latent profiles(P＜0.05).Conclusion Colorectal cancer patients with ostomies exhibit significant heterogeneity in emotional inhibition profiles.Clinicians should conduct early identification of these latent classes through standardized assessments and develop tailored interventions to improve emotional inhibition outcomes in this clinical population.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy versus multiport laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy in patients with ovarian cysts.Methods:Clinical data of 132 patients treated at Chengdu Third People's Hospital (January-December 2021) were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group ( n=70) and multiport laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group ( n=62). Surgical parameters (operative time, blood loss, bowel recovery time, ambulation time, hospital stay), ovarian reserve function (LH, estradiol, FSH, AMH, inhibin B) both preoperatively and postoperatively, stress response (norepinephrine, cortisol), inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α), VAS pain scores at 24 h postoperative, scar satisfaction at 1 month and complication rates were compared between both group. Continuous data were expressed as xˉ± s, independent t-test was used on comparison between groups, while paired t-test was used on comparison before and after treatment, categorical data were expressed as n(%), χ2 test was used on comparison between groups. Results:The transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group had a shorter time on bowel recovery [(16.3±2.2) h vs. (20.8±3.0) h, t=9.87, P<0.001], ambulation [(12.9±2.6) h vs. (15.1±2.9) h, t=4.59, P<0.001] and hospitalization [(3.6±0.8) days vs. (5.3±1.1) days, t=9.65, P<0.001]. Both groups showed postoperative increases in LH, FSH, inhibin B, AMH [single-incision group: (13.2±3.4) U/L vs. (10.7±2.5) U/L, (9.4±1.6) U/L vs. (7.4±2.0) U/L, (66±13) μg/L vs. (44±8) μg/L, (5.2±1.2) μg/L vs. (1.7±0.4) μg/L, t values were 7.00、9.30、17.53、36.60, respectively, all P<0.001, multiport group: (14.1±3.6) U/L vs. (11.4±2.2) U/L, (9.8±1.8) U/L vs. (7.8±2.2) U/L, (62±15) μg/L vs. (43±8) μg/L, (4.9±1.1) μg/L vs. (1.7±0.4) μg/L, t values were 6.60、7.87、13.01、35.70, respectively, all P<0.001] and decreased estradiol [single-incision group: (304±29) pmol/L vs. (327±36) pmol/L, multiport group: (295±30) pmol/L vs. (329±37) pmol/L, t values were 5.92 and 7.99, respectively, both P<0.001], with no intergroup differences ( P>0.05). On postoperative day 1, the levels of serum NE, cortisol, hsCRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in both groups of patients were higher than those before surgery [single-incision group: (315±25) μg/L vs. (261±38) μg/L, (373±31) μg/L vs. (285±41) μg/L, (17.5±3.0) mg/L vs. (5.9±1.4) mg/L, (131±14) ng/L vs. (84±9) ng/L, (69±6) ng/L vs. (48±4) ng/L, t=14.34,20.45,44.11,34.19,35.14, respectively, all P<0.001; multiport group: (348±28) μg/L vs. (264±36) μg/L, (401±35) μg/L vs. (281±43) μg/L, (26.8±3.4) mg/L vs. (6.0±1.4) mg/L, (151±17) ng/L vs. (82±10) ng/L, (84±8) ng/L vs. (47±4) ng/L, t values were 20.67,25.74,68.24,40.24,48.56, respectively, all P<0.001], and the multiport group was higher than the single-incision group( t values were 7.12、4.94、16.89、7.60、11.54, respectively, all P<0.001). At 24 h postoperative, VAS scores was lower in transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group compared to multiport laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group [(3.1±0.6) points vs. (4.3±0.9) points, t=4.41, P<0.001]. One month postoperative, scar satisfaction was higher in transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group compared to multiport laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy group [(21.0±1.5) points vs. (19.7±2.0) points, t=4.41, P<0.001].Difference on complications rate between groups was not statistically significant [14.3% (10/70) vs 21.0% (13/62), χ2=1.02, P=0.312]. Conclusion:Compared to multiport laparoscopy, transumbilical transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy accelerates recovery, reduces pain, improves cosmetic outcomes, and minimizes surgical stress/inflammatory responses without compromising ovarian reserve or increasing complications.

Objective:To establish a genomic nucleic acid mass spectrometry detection platform for allelic risk associated with Alzheimer's disease.Methods:Whole blood samples of 61 patients diagnosed as Alzheimer's disease in the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from December 28th, 2023 to 31st, March 2024 were collected and deoxynucleic acid (DNA) was extracted, including 22 males and 39 females, aged (67.36 ± 8.18) years old. After screening out 17 risk gene loci in Chinese population, multiplex polymerase chain reaction primers, single-base extension primers and Sanger sequencing primers were designed. Ten samples were used for primer optimization and debugging through Sanger sequencing and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to establish a detection system. The remaining samples were genotyped using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and verified by Sanger sequencing for accuracy evaluation. Five samples were selected for gradient dilution and then subjected to time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection to evaluate the detection limit. Three clinical samples, one case of Escherichia coli and one case of Staphylococcus aureus genomic DNA samples were selected for cross-reaction research. The anti-interference ability of the detection system was evaluated against hemolysis, chylous substances and conventional anticoagulants in the samples. Two samples, one wild and one homozygous mutation sample with representative peak shapes, were selected to evaluate the anti-interference ability. Four samples containing the common genotypes of all gene loci in the system were selected and repeated 10 times to evaluate the precision.Results:The minimum intensity of single-base extension primers on mass spectrometry is greater than half of the maximum intensity. All 17 risk gene loci screened were successfully typed. The time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection results of 1,037 loci from 61 samples showed that the genotyping detection rate was 100%. The genotypes of the 20 DNA samples were completely consistent with the results of Sanger sequencing, with an accuracy rate of 100%. The mass spectrometry detection results of five samples after gradient dilution indicated that the low detection limit was 5 ng of DNA. The reaction system has a strong anti-interference ability against hemolysis of samples, chylous substances, conventional anticoagulants and DNA cross-contamination. Homologous allele interference and no cross-reaction between the bacterial genome and 17 gene loci do not affect the risk genome detection results. The results of 10 repeated mass spectrometry tests on 4 samples showed that the precision was 100%.Conclusion:The genomic detection system of Alzheimer's disease risk has been successfully established to provide an auxiliary mean for disease diagnosis and risk assessment.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and prognosis of biliary drainage via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) before steroid therapy in treating autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) complicated with obstructive jaundice.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data of patients with AIP complicated with obstructive jaundice who received steroid therapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from 2010 to 2023. Patients were divided into a drainage group (receiving ERCP biliary drainage before steroid therapy) and a steroid group (receiving only steroid therapy). Short-term efficacy, long-term efficacy, hospitalization costs and postoperative complications of ERCP biliary drainage were compared between the two groups.Results:A total of 69 patients were included, with 32 in the drainage group, aged 62.78±11.21 years, which demonstrated significantly higher costs (34 816.57±11 688.85 yuan VS 16 518.50±6 544.37 yuan, t=7.0, P<0.001), with 25.00% (8/32) experiencing ERCP-related complications, compared with 37 patients in the steroid group, aged 55.41±2.15 years. There was no significant difference in hospitalization duration between the drainage group (10.38±4.56 days) and the steroid group (8.95±4.99 days, t=1.2, P=0.219). After 1 month of treatment, total bilirubin [118.5 (76.2, 309.3) μmol/L VS 48.7 (30.5, 148.4) μmol/L, U=1 728.5, P<0.001] and direct bilirubin [84.5 (47.7, 236.3) μmol/L VS 37.7 (18.3, 105.7) μmol/L, U=1 588.5, P=0.001] levels in the drainage group remained higher than those in the steroid group, while alanine aminotransferase levels were lower [74.0 (46.5,110.5) U/L VS 143.0 (51.0,253.5) U/L, U=769.0, P=0.006]. No significant differences were observed in these biochemical indices between the two groups at 4-month and 12-month follow-ups ( P>0.05). The recurrence rates were 28.1% (9/32) in the drainage group and 21.6% (8/37) in the steroid group, with no significant difference in recurrence rate between groups ( χ2=0.4, P=0.266). Conclusion:ERCP biliary drainage does not significantly improve long-term efficacy or reduce recurrence rates in AIP patients with obstructive jaundice. Instead, it increases the risk of postoperative complications and medical costs. Direct steroid therapy is safe and feasible for confirmed AIP with obstructive jaundice.

Background Manganese is an essential trace element for the human body and maintains normal development of many organs including the brain. However, long-term exposure to a high manganese environment or excessive manganese intake will lead to manganese poisoning and result in neurological diseases, and currently no effective treatment plan is available. Objective To develop an animal model for subchronic manganese exposure and assess the impact of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. alkaloids (DNLA) on manganese associated behavioral and hippocampal effects in rats. Methods Fifty male SPF SD rats were randomly allocated into a control group (0.9% normal saline by intraperitoneal injection), two experimental groups [7.5 mg·kg⁻¹ (low) or 15 mg·kg⁻¹ (high) of MnCl₂·4H₂O by intraperitoneal injection], and two DNLA antagonistic groups [15 mg·kg⁻¹ MnCl₂·4H₂O by intraperitoneal injection then either 20 mg·kg⁻¹ (low) or 40 mg·kg⁻¹ (high) DNLA by oral administration]. All groups of rats were adminaistered 5 d per wek, once a day, for consecutive 13 weeks. Following modeling, neurobehavioral assessments were conducted using open field, Morris water maze, and Y maze. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was utilized to measure manganese levels in the blood and brain tissues of the rats, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was employed to examine neuronal morphological changes in the hippocampal tissues of the rats. Results The neurobehavioral tests revealed that the manganese-exposed rats exhibited decreased total movement distance, prolonged central zone dwelling time, and reduced motor activity in the open field test, indicating tendencies toward depression and anxiety (P<0.05). In the Y-maze test, the mean exploration distance in the novel arm, the number of entries into the novel arm, and the time spent in the novel arm of the managanses-exposed rats were all reduced, while the latency period increased, suggesting impaired spatial exploration and learning-memory functions (P<0.05). In the Morris water maze navigation test, the escape latency was significantly longer in the manganese-exposed rats compared to the control group, and the number of platform crossings decreased in the spatial probe test, indicating a significant decline in spatial learning and memory (P<0.05). The ICP-MS analysis showed elevated manganese concentrations in the blood and hippocampus of the exposed rats (P<0.05), and the histopathological observation revealed hippocampal damage. Following the DNLA intervention, the manganese-exposed rats showed increased total movement distance and reduced central zone dwelling time in the open field test (P<0.05). In the Y-maze test, the mean exploration distance in the novel arm, the number of entries into the novel arm, and the time spent in the novel arm increased, while the latency period decreased, suggesting alleviation of anxiety and improved exploratory behavior (P<0.05). In the Morris water maze test, the escape latency gradually shortened, and both the number of platform crossings and the percentage of time spent in the target quadrant increased, indicating improved spatial learning and memory (P<0.05). Additionally, the manganese levels in the blood and hippocampus decreased (P<0.05), and the hippocampal pathological changes were partially restored. Conclusion DNLA demonstrates the ability to counteract multiple neurotoxic effects following the elevation of manganese levels in the blood and hippocampal tissues of rats induced by subchronic manganese exposure. Specifically, DNLA is shown to ameliorate the behavioral alterations observed in rats after manganese exposure, and mitigate the hippocampal damage in manganese-exposed rats.

AIM:To investigate the regulatory mechanism of silent information regulator 6(Sirt6)on nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)signaling pathway and ferroptosis in skeletal muscle aging in-duced by D-galactose(D-Gal)in mice.METHODS:A D-Gal-induced mouse aging model was established and randomly divided into control and D-Gal groups.In vitro,D-Gal-treated C2C12 mouse myoblasts were treated with ferroptosis ago-nist erastin(Era)and inhibitor ferrostatin-1(Fer-1),Sirt6 agonist MDL-800 and inhibitor OSS-128167,and Nrf2 siRNA.Mouse body weight and forelimb relative grip strength were monitored.RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression of Sirt6,Nrf2,HO-1,P53,P21,P16,muscle ring finger protein 1,muscle atrophy F-box,solute carrier family 7 member 11,and glutathione peroxidase 4 in gastrocnemius muscle and myoblasts.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to examine muscle fiber diameter.Levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),mitochondrial ROS,mitochon-drial membrane potential,senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity,glutathione,lipid peroxidation,and Fe2? con-centration were measured in myoblasts and myotubes.Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect myosin heavy chain(MyHC)expression in myotubes.RESULTS:Mice in the D-Gal group exhibited significant reductions in body weight and forelimb grip strength(P<0.01),upregulation of aging and muscle atrophy markers,and decreased mRNA and pro-tein levels of ferroptosis markers and Sirt6(P<0.01).Additionally,gastrocnemius muscle fiber diameter significantly de-creased(P<0.01).In D-Gal-treated myoblasts and myotubes,aging and muscle atrophy markers were elevated(P<0.01),MyHC expression was reduced,and protein levels of ferroptosis-related markers,Sirt6,Nrf2,and HO-1 were de-creased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Fer-1 pre-treatment alleviated these changes(P<0.05 or P<0.01).MDL-800 significantly improved D-Gal-induced aging and muscle atrophy in myoblasts and myotubes,while increasing the expression of ferropto-sis-related proteins(P<0.05 or P<0.01).However,the addition of Erastin abolished the beneficial effects of MDL-800(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Following Nrf2 siRNA transfection,the ability of MDL-800 to improve ferroptosis and the quality of myotube formation was significantly diminished(P<0.05 or P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Sirt6 inhibits ferroptosis in myo-blasts through the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,thereby alleviating age-related changes in myoblasts and the decline in myotube formation quality,which is beneficial for improving skeletal muscle aging.