The differences in chemical quality characteristics between Xinjiang Rehmannia glutinosa and R. glutinosa were analyzed to provide a theoretical basis for the introduction and quality control of R. glutinosa. In this study, the high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) fingerprints of 6 batches of Xinjiang R. glutinosa and 10 batches of R. glutinosa samples were established. The content of iridoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides in Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa was determined by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection(HPLC-DAD), high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection(HPLC-ELSD), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis). The determination results were analyzed with by chemical pattern recognition and entropy weight TOPSIS method. The results showed that there were 19 common peaks in the HPLC fingerprints of the 16 batches of R. glutinosa, and catalpol, aucubin, rehmannioside D, rehmannioside A, hydroxytyrosol, leonuride, salidroside, cistanoside A, and verbascoside were identified. Hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA) and principal component analysis(PCA) showed that Qinyang R. glutinosa, Mengzhou R. glutinosa, and Xinjiang R. glutinosa were grouped into three different categories, and eight common components causing the chemical quality difference between Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa in Mengzhou and Qinyang of Henan province were screened out by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). The results of content determination showed that there were glucose, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, polysaccharides, and nine glycosides in Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa samples, and the content of catalpol, rehmannioside A, leonuride, cistanoside A, verbascoside, sucrose, and glucose was significantly different between Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa. The analysis with entropy weight TOPSIS method showed that the comprehensive quality of R. glutinosa in Mengzhou and Qinyang of Henan province was better than that of Xinjiang R. glutinosa. In conclusion, the types of main chemical components of R. glutinosa and Xinjiang R. glutinosa were the same, but their content was different. The chemical quality of R. glutinosa was better than Xinjiang R. glutinosa, and other components in R. glutinosa from two producing areas and their effects need further study.
Rehmannia/classification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Quality Control

Objective To explore the prognostic value of glycolysis-related genes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and formulate a novel glycolysis-related prognostic risk model. Methods Single-cell and bulk transcriptomic data of CRC patients, along with clinical information, were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Glycolysis scores for each sample were calculated using single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to analyze the relationship between glycolysis scores and overall survival. Novel glycolysis-related subgroups were defined among the cell type with the highest glycolysis scores. Gene enrichment analysis, metabolic activity assessment, and univariate Cox regression were performed to explore the biological functions and prognostic impact of these subgroups. A prognostic risk model was built and validated based on genes significantly affecting the prognosis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted to explore differences in biological processes between high- and low-risk groups. Differences in immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity between these groups were assessed using R packages. Potential targeted agents for prognostic risk genes were predicted using the Enrichr database. Results Tumor tissues showed significantly higher glycolysis scores than normal tissues, which was associated with a poor prognosis in CRC patients. The highest glycolysis score was observed in epithelial cells, within which we defined eight novel glycolysis-related cell subpopulations. Specifically, the P4HA1⁺ epithelial cell subpopulation was associated with a poor prognosis. Based on signature genes of this subpopulation, a six-gene prognostic risk model was formulated. GSEA revealed significant biological differences between high- and low-risk groups. Immune microenvironment analysis demonstrated that the high-risk group had increased infiltration of macrophages and tumor-associated fibroblasts, along with evident immune exclusion and suppression, while the low-risk group exhibited higher levels of B cell and T cell infiltration. Drug sensitivity analysis indicated that high-risk patients were more sensitive to Abiraterone, while low-risk patients responded to Cisplatin. Additionally, Valproic acid was predicted as a potential targeted agent. Conclusion High glycolytic activity is associated with a poor prognosis in CRC patients. The novel glycolysis-related prognostic risk model formulated in this study offers significant potential for enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of CRC.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Glycolysis/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Transcriptome ; Tumor Microenvironment/genetics* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Male ; Female ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of avatrombopag in promoting platelet engraftment after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in children, compared with recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 53 pediatric patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from April 2023 to August 2024. Based on medications used during the periengraftment period, patients were divided into two groups: the avatrombopag group (n=15) and the rhTPO group (n=38). RESULTS: At days 14, 30, and 60 post-transplant, platelet engraftment was achieved in 20% (3/15), 60% (9/15), and 93% (14/15) of patients in the avatrombopag group, and in 39% (15/38), 82% (31/38), and 97% (37/38) in the rhTPO group, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in platelet engraftment rates at each time point, cumulative incidence of platelet engraftment, overall survival, and relapse-free survival (all P>0.05). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis indicated that acute graft-versus-host disease was an independent risk factor for delayed platelet engraftment (P=0.043). CONCLUSIONS In children undergoing allo-HSCT, avatrombopag effectively promotes platelet engraftment, with efficacy and safety comparable to rhTPO, and represents a viable therapeutic option.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Adolescent ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Blood Platelets/drug effects* ; Thiazoles/therapeutic use* ; Thrombopoietin/therapeutic use* ; Thiophenes

OBJECTIVE: To identify the underlying mechanism by which quercetin (Que) alleviates sepsis-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were assigned to sham, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and CLP+Que (50 mg/kg) groups (n=15 per group) by using a random number table. The sepsisrelated ARDS mouse model was established using the CLP method. In vitro, the murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) cells were classified into control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS+Que (10 μmol/L), and LPS+Que+acetylcysteine (NAC, 5 mmol/L) groups. The effect of Que on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in mice lungs and MH-S cells was determined, and the mechanism with reactive oxygen species (ROS)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was also explored both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Que alleviated lung injury in mice, as reflected by a reversal of pulmonary histopathologic changes as well as a reduction in lung wet/dry weight ratio and neutrophil infiltration (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additionally, Que improved the survival rate and relieved gas exchange impairment in mice (P<0.01). Que treatment also remarkedly reduced malondialdehyde formation, superoxide dismutase and catalase depletion, and cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, Que treatment diminished the release of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6 both in vivo and in vitro (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Mechanistic investigation clarifified that Que administration led to a decline in the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in addition to the suppression of ROS expression (P<0.01). Furthermore, in LPS-induced MH-S cells, ROS inhibitor NAC further inhibited ROS/p38 MAPK pathway, as well as oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell apoptosis on the basis of Que treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION Que was found to exert anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects by suppressing the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway, thereby conferring protection for mice against sepsis-related ARDS.
Animals ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Quercetin/therapeutic use* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/enzymology* ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Male ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects* ; Lung/drug effects* ; Mice ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Macrophages, Alveolar/pathology* ; Inflammation/pathology* ; Protective Agents/therapeutic use*

Intestinal fibrosis is a significant clinical challenge in inflammatory bowel diseases, but no effective anti-fibrotic therapy is currently available. Glucagon receptor (GCGR) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) are both peptide hormone receptors involved in energy metabolism of epithelial cells. However, their role in intestinal fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Herein GCGR and GLP1R were found to be reduced in the stenotic ileum of patients with Crohn's disease as well as in the fibrotic colon of mice with chronic colitis. The downregulation of GCGR and GLP1R led to the accumulation of the metabolic byproduct lactate, resulting in histone H3K9 lactylation and exacerbated intestinal fibrosis through epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Dual activating GCGR and GLP1R by peptide 1907B reduced the H3K9 lactylation in epithelial cells and ameliorated intestinal fibrosis in vivo. We uncovered the role of GCGR/GLP1R in regulating EMT involved in intestinal fibrosis via histone lactylation. Simultaneously activating GCGR/GLP1R with the novel dual agonist peptide 1907B holds promise as a treatment strategy for alleviating intestinal fibrosis.

Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. A prospective cohort study enrolled 42 patients with clinically suspected acute cerebrovascular disease and those undergoing follow-up examinations after intracranial vascular stenting at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2024 to May 2025. All patients underwent UHR PCD-CT examinations of the head and neck. Reconstructions were performed based on raw data, yielding conventional standard resolution (SR group) reconstructions and UHR images reconstructed using four distinct convolution kernels (Hv40, Hv48, Hv56, Hv64) in separate groups (Hv40 UHR group, Hv48 UHR group, Hv56 UHR group, Hv64 UHR group). Regions of interest were selected in the anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, posterior cerebral artery, posterior communicating artery, and anterior communicating artery. CT values and standard deviation (SD) values were measured for each artery, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Additionally, the sharpness of the vessel edges and the full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) of each artery were measured. One-way analysis of variance or the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the subjective and objective image quality metrics across the five groups. Pairwise comparisons were performed using the LSD test or Dunn method.Results:Statistically significant differences were observed in the overall comparison of vascular imaging SD, SNR, CNR, vascular edge sharpness, and FWHM among the SR group, Hv40 UHR group, Hv48 UHR group, Hv56 UHR group, and Hv64 UHR group ( P<0.05). No statistically significant differences in CT values were found ( P>0.05). Pairwise comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between all groups ( P<0.05), except that no significant differences were observed in image SD, SNR, CNR, vascular edge sharpness, or FWHM between the Hv56 UHR and Hv64 UHR groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:UHR PCD-CT provides better image quality for neurovascular imaging. For the display of small intracranial vessels, the Hv64 provides sharper vessel walls and better subjective image quality compared to the less sharp convolutional cores.Objective:To explore the value of ultra-high resolution (UHR) photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) to improve the quality of neurovascular images.

Objective:To obtain a prevalent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) clinical isolate in Beijing and analyze the genotype and biological characteristics of the strain.Methods:A nasopharyngeal secretion specimen was collected from a child with RSV infection in Beijing in 2023 and used for viral isolation. Viral nucleic acid was amplified using qRT-PCR. The isolated virus was identified by transmission electron microscopy, indirect immunofluorescence assay, and plaque formation assay. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted based on the whole-genome sequencing results. Virus titers were determined, and replication characteristics were analyzed. The efficacy of the isolated strain for in vitro screening of antiviral drugs was validated. Results:A clinical RSV isolate, named hRSV/C-Tan/BJ 202301, was successfully isolated, which could form syncytia in Hep-2 cells. Spherical, filamentous, and irregular virus particles were observed by electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence detection showed green fluorescence in Hep-2 cells, and plaque assay showed round plaques, which were similar to the Long strain in morphology. Genomic sequence analysis showed that it belonged to ON1 genotype. It exhibited similar cell growth kinetics characteristics with the Long strain and could be used for antiviral drug screening in vitro. Conclusions:In this study, one RSV strain is successfully isolated and identified. The biological characteristics and the phylogenetic relationship of this strain reflect the characteristics of the circulating strains in Beijing, which provides experimental material for RSV vaccine development and antiviral drug screening in China.

Objective To analyze the status of persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the distribution of viral subtypes in the Zhengzhou region. Methods Clinical data of 55239 patients who underwent HPV-DNA genotyping tests from 2018 to 2024 were collected. On the basis of HPV follow-up results, patients were divided into three groups: 849 cases of infection with the same HPV type, 255 cases of persistent infection with different HPV types, and 857 cases of transient HPV infection. Results Among the 9232 initially-screened patients who were positive with HPV, the high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) positive rate was 84.6% (7813/9232), and predominant subtypes were HPV-16 (20.8%), HPV-52 (17.2%), and HPV-53 (9.6%). The low-risk HPV (LR-HPV) positive rate was 15.4% (1419/9232), mainly HPV-81 (28.1%) and HPV-42 (27.0%). Among the 1961 follow-up cases, the rates of persistent and non-persistent infections with the same HPV type were 35.7% (701/1961) and 7.5% (148/1961), respectively. The rates of persistent and non-persistent infections with different HPV types were 10.9% (214/1961) and 2.1% (41/1961), respectively. Meanwhile, 43.7% (857/1961) tested negative upon follow-up. Among the 701 cases of persistent infection with the same HPV type, HR-HPV accounted for 85.7% (601/701), and LR-HPV accounted for 14.3% (100/701). Among the 214 cases of persistent infection with different HPV types, 89.7% (192/214) were high-risk transitions, and 10.3% (22/214) were low-risk transitions. Regardless of HPV types, HR-HPV was more likely to cause persistent infection than LR-HPV. In addition, over 60% of HR-HPV persistent infections resolved within 18 months, 30% developed into persistent infections, and only 15% of patients had persistent infections that last more than 24 months. Conclusion Persistent HPV infections are predominantly high-risk types. Most patients clear the infection within 18 months, approximately 30% develop persistent infections, and about 15% of patients have persistent infections that last more than 24 months. However, the HR-HPV persistent infection rates across different age groups slightly differ.

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*