1.Qingre Sanzhuo Decoction Treats Gouty Arthritis Combined with Hyperuricaemia in Rats via NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 Pathway
Haolin LI ; Qian BAI ; Weigang CHENG ; Weiqing LI ; Juanjuan YANG ; Peixin HE ; Huijun YANG ; Haidong WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):49-57
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Qingre Sanzhuo decoction in treating gouty arthritis (GA) combined with hyperuricaemia (HUA). MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomized into normal, model, colchicine (0.5 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (17, 34, 68 g·kg-1, respectively) Qingre Sanzhuo decoction groups (n=10). The rats in other groups except the normal group were treated with the modified method for the modeling of GA combined with HUA. The drug intervention groups were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage in the afternoon every day and the normal group and the model group were administrated with an equal volume of sterile normal saline by gavage. The level of uric acid (SUA) in the serum was measured 2 h after the last administration. The degree of ankle joint swelling was calculated 0.5, 12, 24, 48 h after modeling, and joint inflammation was scored. The pathological changes of ankle joints were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), C reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Real-time PCR was performed to determine the mRNA levels of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-1 (Caspase-1), gasdermin D (GSDMD), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in the synovial tissue of ankle joints. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 in ankle joints. The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of GSDMD and NF-κB in the synovial tissue of ankle joints. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed increased SUA in the serum (P<0.05), ankle joint swelling and joint inflammation (P<0.05), increased number of blood vessels in the synovium, inflammatory cell foci in the synovial bursa, elevated serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, CRP, and IL-18 (P<0.05), and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, GSDMD, and NF-κB in the synovial tissue of ankle joints (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the medium- and high-dose Qingre Sanzhuo decoction groups showed reduced SUA in the serum (P<0.05), alleviated ankle joint swelling and joint inflammation (P<0.05), lowered serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, CRP, and IL-18 (P<0.05), and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, GSDMD, and NF-κB in the synovial tissue of ankle joints (P<0.05). However, in terms of ameliorating the pathological changes of ankle joints, only the high-dose Qingre Sanzhuo decoction group showed normal morphology of the synovial membrane of ankle joints and no obvious lesion in the articular cartilage. ConclusionQingre Sanzhuo decoction may play a role in preventing and controlling GA combined with HUA by down-regulating the activity of NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 pathway and inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, CRP, and IL-18.
2.Radiation environment monitoring and evaluation at application sites of online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises
Lun CUI ; Wenbin PENG ; Ying ZHANG ; Hua YANG ; Huijun YU ; Qing CHANG ; Mingfa XU
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2025;34(3):408-413
Objective To systematically evaluate the radiation impact of radioactive sources used in online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises on the surrounding environment, and to provide a scientific basis for radiation monitoring and safety management at the application sites of this type of radioactive sources. Methods A statistical analysis was conducted on 15 cement enterprises in Guangxi Province using online elemental analyzers with 252Cf as the radioactive source. On-site investigation of radiation safety management and on-site monitoring of radiation environment were performed, followed by an evaluation based on the collected data. Results Although the gamma radiation ambient dose equivalent rate and neutron ambient dose equivalent rate increased around the sites using online elemental analyzers with 252Cf as the radioactive source, they all met the requirements of the Radiological Health Protection Requirements for Instruments with Sealed Sources (GBZ 125—2009). Conclusion Under the current usage and management conditions, the application of this type of radioactive sources has controllable radiation impact on the surrounding environment, and will not pose a threat to public health and environmental safety. However, continuous strengthening of radiation safety management measures and regular radiation monitoring work are still needed to ensure the safe use of radioactive sources, further reducing potential radiation risks and providing strong guarantees for the safe application of radioactive sources in online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises.
3.The application value of a special surface fence in percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage under the guidance of C-arm CT
Huijun YANG ; Kewu HE ; Xiaozheng PENG ; Senlin WU ; Haifeng LIU
Journal of Practical Radiology 2024;40(4):633-636
Objective To explore the application value of a special fence in percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage(PTCD)under the guidance of C-arm CT.Methods A total of 43 patients who underwent PTCD were randomly divided into observation group and control group.The intervention operation in the observation group was guided by C-arm CT and located by special fence;in the control group,the intervention operation was only performed under digital subtraction angiography(DSA)fluoroscopy.Respectively,the differences in operation time,number of puncture needles and number of complications between the two groups were compared.Results The operation time,puncture times and complications in the observation group were(39.33±12.96)min,(1.67±0.80)times and 3 cases respectively;in the control group were(86.77±22.70)min,(3.41±1.26)times and 13 cases respectively;There were significant differences between the two groups(P<0.05).Conclusion The application of special fence in PTCD under the guidance of C-arm CT can short the operation time,reduce the number of punctures and reduce complications,which has important clinical application value.
4.Carrier screening and prenatal diagnosis for spinal muscular atrophy among 3 302 pregnant women from Xinjiang region
Cuizhen ZHANG ; Xuan LIU ; Huijun LI ; Yang LI ; Lujia YANG ; Shuyuan XUE
Chongqing Medicine 2024;53(10):1508-1511,1518
Objective To carry out carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)in 3 302 preg-nant women from Xinjiang region and preliminarily determine the SMA carrier frequency among pregnant women in the region.Methods A total of 29 089 pregnant women who underwent prenatal visits at this hos-pital from April 2020 to February 2023 were educated,of whom 3 302 were received SMA carrier screening.SMA carriers were screened by detecting the copy numbers of SMN1 exons 7(E7)and 8(E8)using quantita-tive fluorescence PCR.Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification(MLPA)was used for prenatal diag-nosis of high-risk fetuses in couples who were both SMA carriers.Results The acceptance rate of SMA carri-ers screening was 11.35%.Among the 3 302 pregnant women,58 were found to be SMA carriers,and the total carrier frequency was 1.76%(1/57).Among them,there were 45 cases of Han ethnicity,with a carrying fre-quency of 1.63%(1/61),and there were 13 cases of ethnic minorities,with a carrying frequency of 2.39%(1/42).Among the 58 carriers,46 spouses were received SMA screening,and the results showed that two couples were both SMA carriers.Further prenatal diagnosis was performed,and the results of MLPA indicated that the fetuses were all heterozygous deletions of SMN1 E7 and E8,suggesting continued pregnancy.Conclusion This study has preliminarily determined the SMA carrier frequency among pregnant women in Xinjiang region.SMA carrier screening in pregnant women and prenatal diagnosis of high-risk fetuses are of great significance for the prevention and control of birth defects.
5.Correlation between physical exercise and semen quality in 1 059 men of childbearing age in Jinan City
Wenyu WANG ; Song LIU ; Zhida SHI ; Huijun YANG ; Jingchao REN ; Huidong JIN ; Guanghui ZHANG ; Ziyuan ZHOU ; Guanghong YANG
Journal of Army Medical University 2024;46(10):1164-1171
Objective To explore the effect of physical exercise on semen quality in order to provide basic data and theoretical basis for the improvement of male reproductive health.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1 059 males who visited the Reproductive Medicine Center of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Hospital for medical treatment and physical examination during July 2022 and April 2023.Their demographic data and physical exercise data were surveyed with questionnaires.Total sperm count,sperm concentration,total sperm motility,forward movement and normal sperm morphology were analyzed with computer aided analysis.Logistic regression model and multiple linear regression model were applied to analyze the effects of physical exercise on semen quality.Results After adjustment for confounding factors such as age,body mass index,alcohol consumption and smoking,logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of abnormal semen quality was increased in patients with moderate and heavy exercise intensity(OR=2.103,OR=2.229).Compared with the participants with physical exercise ≤10 min per session,those with>20 min per session had a lower risk of abnormal semen quality(OR=0.357,0.256,0.289 for exercise time for>20~30,>30~60,>60 min,respectively).There was no statistical significance between physical exercise frequency and semen quality(P>0.05).The participants having exercise well were at a lower risk for abnormal semen quality(OR=0.711).Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of physical exercise was an influencing factor of sperm concentration(β=7.474,95%CI:4.800~10.149,P<0.05);the time of physical exercise per session was an influencing factor for total sperm count(β=20.632,95%CI:7.634~33.629);the intensity of physical exercise(β=-1.461,95%CI:-2.392~-0.530)and time of physical exercise per session(β=2.608,95%CI:1.404~3.812,P<0.05)were influencing factors for percentage of forward motility sperm(P<0.05);and physical exercise intensity(β=-1.934,95%CI:-3.238~-0.630),time of physical exercise per session(β=4.211,95%CI:2.525~5.897)and frequency of physical exercise(β=-2.008,95%CI:-3.480~-0.536)were influencing factors of total sperm motility(P<0.05).Conclusion Physical exercise may affect semen quality,greater intensity of physical exercise may be a risk factor for abnormal semen quality,and longer physical exercise time may be related to improving semen quality.Therefore,proper physical exercise can help improve semen quality.
6.Application of copying original lingual morphology of anterior teeth in ceramic crown design
Huijun HU ; Jie YANG ; Wenqing ZHU ; Shuiyi SHAO
STOMATOLOGY 2024;44(8):581-585
Objective To explore better methods of ceramic crown design and reduce foreign body sensation of prostheses by digitally replicating the lingual morphology of the original teeth in the patient's aesthetic zone.Methods Patients with anterior tooth defects were collected from July 2022 to December 2023 at Department of Second Clinical Division of the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital,Nanjing Medical University.Patients with crown prostheses designed using automatically matched tooth morphology from the tooth shape database served as the control group.Patients with crown prostheses designed using digital technology to replicate the lingual morpholo-gy of the original teeth were used as the experimental group.Differences in occlusal evaluation and foreign body sensation evaluation of the prostheses in the two groups were compared.Results Results showed that the minimal interocclusal distance of the experimental group was greater than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant.The occlusal evaluation of the prostheses in the experimental group was better than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant.The foreign body sen-sation of the prostheses in the experimental group was also less than that of the control group.Conclusion Prostheses designed using digital technology to replicate the original lingual morphology of the teeth have a better lingual occlusal relationship with less foreign body sensation and better comfort.
7.Educational attainment increases the risk of developing allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema: a Mendelian randomization study based on genome-wide association studies in European patients
Rui ZHENG ; Zifeng LIU ; Zhuanggui CHEN ; Xuekun HUANG ; Peiying FENG ; Huijun QIU ; Yaxin LU ; Jingjing CHEN ; Yana ZHANG ; Jianrong ZHANG ; Qintai YANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(6):791-798
Objective:To determine the causal relationship between educational attainment and the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema using Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.Methods:This study was a secondary data analysis based on the summary data of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which involved 293 723 participants (educational attainment) from the Social Science Genetics Association Consortium and 462 013 participants [allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema] from the UK Biobank. Genetic variants that were closely related to educational attainment were identified as instrumental variables. Two-sample MR analyses, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median method and weighted model-based estimation, were performed to investigate the causal relationship between educational attainment and the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema, in which the odds ratio ( OR) values were used as indicators. Results:A total of 70 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were chosen as instrumental variables. The MR-Egger regression results suggested that the genetic pleiotropy was unlikely to bias our results ( P=0.107). In the univariable MR analyses, IVW regression showed that the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema was OR=1.044 (95% CI: 1.020-1.069, P<0.001) and OR=1.170 (95% CI: 1.074-1.256, P<0.001), respectively, for the increase in the duration of education by one year or one standard deviation ( SD) (3.71 years). In the reverse MR analysis, IVW regression showed little evidence that allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema affected educational attainment ( OR=1.020, 95% CI: 0.927-1.023, P=0.683). The results of the weighted median method and weighted mode-based estimation were consistent with the results of IVW. Conclusion:This study suggests that there is a positive causal relationship between educational attainment and the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema, which means that educational attainment can increase the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema.
8.Comparison of static teeth exposure in different postures and its influencing factors of orthognathic surgery pa-tients
Tianwen ZHANG ; Huijun YANG ; Feng WANG ; Bo LIN ; Hongyu YANG
West China Journal of Stomatology 2024;42(5):624-628
Objective This study aimed to explore the differences and influencing factors of static teeth exposure in different postures of orthognathic surgery patients.Methods A total of 148 patients were collected before or after or-thognathic surgery.Photographs were taken in the upright and supine positions,and the static teeth exposure values were measured to compare whether the difference among different positions was statistically significant.The patients were classified in accordance with gender,presence or absence of orthodontic brackets,measurement time(preoperative or postoperative),and maxillary movement direction(forward or backward),and the difference of static teeth exposure was compared.The correlation between the difference of static teeth exposure and age was analyzed.Results The diffe-rence of static teeth exposure between the two positions was 0.99 mm±0.95 mm,which was statistically significant(P=0.000).A statistical difference in the difference of static exposure was observed between female and male(P<0.05).No statistical difference in the difference of static expo-sure was observed among orthodontic brackets,preopera-tive or postoperative time points,and maxillary move-ment direction.In addition,no significant correlation was found between the difference of static teeth exposure and age(r=-0.087,P=0.291).Conclusion Compared with the upright position,the static exposure of teeth increased by ap-proximately 0.99 mm in the supine position.The difference of static exposure under different postures was greater in males than in females.Furthermore,orthodontic bracket,maxillary surgery,maxillary movement direction,and age had no effect on the difference of static teeth exposure in different postures.
9.Variants analysis and prenatal diagnosis for two Chinese pedigrees affected with Spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1
Huijun LI ; Xiangyu ZHU ; Ying YANG ; Xing WU ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(2):167-173
Objective:To explore the genetic etiology of two children with Spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1), and prevent the recurrence of birth defects.Methods:Two unrelated families who had visited the Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Center of Drum Tower Hospital from August to November 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Copy number of SMN1 gene exon 7 for the probands and their parents was detected by multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). and whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out to screen the variants in the probands. Sanger sequencing was used to validate the variants within the families. Pathogenecity of the variants were predicted by bioinformatic analysis. Based on the results, prenatal diagnosis was performed for the fetuses. Results:Both probands were found to harbor compound heterozygous variants of the IGHMBP2 gene, which were inherited from their parents. Among these, c. 1144C>T, c. 866delG and c. 1666C>G were previously unreported and respectively classified as pathogenic variant (PVS1+ PM2_Supporting+ PP3+ PP4), likely pathogenic variant (PM1+ PM2_Supporting+ PM4+ PP3+ PP4) and likely pathogenic variant (PM1+ PM2_Supporting+ PP2+ PP3+ PP4) based on the ACMG guidelines. Through preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic (PGT-M) and interventional prenatal diagnosis, transmission of the variants within the families was successfully blocked. Conclusion:The SMARD1 in both children may be attributed to the compound heterozygous variants of the IGHMBP2 gene, which has facilitated the genetic diagnosis and counselling, and provided reference for delineating the molecular pathogenesis of this disease.
10.Educational attainment increases the risk of developing allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema: a Mendelian randomization study based on genome-wide association studies in European patients
Rui ZHENG ; Zifeng LIU ; Zhuanggui CHEN ; Xuekun HUANG ; Peiying FENG ; Huijun QIU ; Yaxin LU ; Jingjing CHEN ; Yana ZHANG ; Jianrong ZHANG ; Qintai YANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(6):791-798
Objective:To determine the causal relationship between educational attainment and the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema using Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.Methods:This study was a secondary data analysis based on the summary data of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which involved 293 723 participants (educational attainment) from the Social Science Genetics Association Consortium and 462 013 participants [allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema] from the UK Biobank. Genetic variants that were closely related to educational attainment were identified as instrumental variables. Two-sample MR analyses, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median method and weighted model-based estimation, were performed to investigate the causal relationship between educational attainment and the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema, in which the odds ratio ( OR) values were used as indicators. Results:A total of 70 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were chosen as instrumental variables. The MR-Egger regression results suggested that the genetic pleiotropy was unlikely to bias our results ( P=0.107). In the univariable MR analyses, IVW regression showed that the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema was OR=1.044 (95% CI: 1.020-1.069, P<0.001) and OR=1.170 (95% CI: 1.074-1.256, P<0.001), respectively, for the increase in the duration of education by one year or one standard deviation ( SD) (3.71 years). In the reverse MR analysis, IVW regression showed little evidence that allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema affected educational attainment ( OR=1.020, 95% CI: 0.927-1.023, P=0.683). The results of the weighted median method and weighted mode-based estimation were consistent with the results of IVW. Conclusion:This study suggests that there is a positive causal relationship between educational attainment and the risk of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema, which means that educational attainment can increase the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and (or) eczema.

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