Objectives:To investigate the relationships between vertebral marrow fat in lumbar spine and age and gender in adults using iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation image quantitation(IDE AL-IQ)magnetic resonance imaging technology.Methods:The IDEAL-IQ fat fraction images from 298 subjects(Male:138,Female:160,age range:20-69 years old)were collected.All the patients were divided into 5 groups based on age,with each group spanning a range of 10 years:age range 20-29 years(Twenties):24 males,20 females;30-39 years(Thirties):47 males,39 females;40-49 years(Forties):36 males,47 females;50-59 years(Fifties):20 males,37 females;60～69 years(Sixties):11 males,17 females.The bone marrow proton density fat fration(PDFF)were measured using GE ADW4.6 processing work station.Results:In the same age group,there were differences in vertebral bone marrow PDFF between gen-ders.PDFF of L1-L5 vertebrae was significantly higher in males than females in twenties,thirties and forties(P＜0.05).In the fifties,there was no statistically significant difference in the L1-L5 vertebrae PDFF between males and females(P＞0.05);while in the sixties,the PDFF of the L1-L5 vertebrae was lower in males than that in females(P＜0.05).The PDFF of lumbar vertebral bone marrow was positively correlated with age,with a higher correlation observed in females(r=0.72,P＜0.05)than that in males(r=0.32,P＜0.05).From the age of 20 to 69,the L4 vertebra PDFF in males had the highest growth rate(21.08％),while the L1 vertebra PDFF in female had the highest growth rate(65.68％).For males,the growth of PDFF was primarily concentrated in the thirties and fifties;The PDFF of L1,L4,and L5 vertebrae showed the largest increase in the fifties,while that of L2 and L3 vertebrae had the highest increase rate in the thirties.For females,vertebral PDFF showed a slight decrease trend in the group of thirties,which gradually increased subsequently in all vertebare in the group of forties,fifties,and sixties,with the largest increase rate observed in the fifties.Conclusions:There are differences in vertebral fat distribution between males and females across different age groups,and the growth rates of vertebral PDFF also vary;the PDFF of vertebral bodies in different segments of the lumbar spine is positively correlated with age.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone(5-HDF),a compound extracted from Elsholtzia blanda Benth.,against lung injury induced by H1N1 influenza virus and explore its possible mechanism of action.Methods 5-HDF was extracted from Elsholtzia blanda Benth.using ethanol reflux extraction and silica gel chromatography and characterized using NMR and MS analyses.In an A549 cell model of H1N1 influenza virus infection(MOI=0.1),the cytotoxicity of 5-HDF was assessed using MTT assay,and its effect on TRAIL and IL-8 expressions was examined using flow cytometry;Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of inflammatory,apoptosis,and ferroptosis-related proteins.In a mouse model of H1N1 influenza virus infection established by nasal instillation of 50 μL H1N1 virus at the median lethal dose,the effects of 30 and 60 mg/kg 5-HDF by gavage on body weight,lung index,gross lung anatomy and lung histopathology were observed.Results 5-HDF exhibited no significant cytotoxicity in A549 cells within the concentration range of 0-200 μg/mL.In H1N1-infected A549 cells,treatment with 5-HDF effectively inhibited the activation of phospho-p38 MAPK and phospho-NF-κB p65,lowered the expressions of IL-8,enhanced the expression of anti-ferroptosis proteins(SLC7A11 and GPX4),and inhibited the expressions of apoptosis markers PARP and caspase-3 and the apoptotic factor TRAIL.In H1N1-infected mice,treatment with 5-HDF for 7 days significantly suppressed body weight loss and increment of lung index and obviously alleviated lung tissue pathologies.Conclusion 5-HDF offers protection against H1N1 influenza virus infection in mice possibly by suppressing H1N1-induced ferroptosis,inflammatory responses,and apoptosis via upregulating SLC7A11 and GPX4,inhibiting the activation of phospho-NF-κB p65 and phospho-p38 MAPK,and decreasing the expression of cleaved caspase3 and cleaved PARP.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the expression of serum a proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL), C-X-C motif-chemokine ligand 14(CXCL14) and disease regression in children with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP).Methods:A total of 112 children with SMPP admitted to Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected as study subjects. After 28 d of treatment, the children were divided into the good prognosis group ( n=87) and the poor prognosis group ( n=25) according to their disease regression, and 100 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumoniae (MPP) admitted to our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. Serum APRIL and CXCL14 expression were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in all children. The predictive value of serum APRIL and CXCL14 for disease regression in children with SMPP was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the factors influencing disease regression in children with SMPP were analyzed by multifactorial Logistic stepwise regression. Results:Serum APRIL and CXCL14 levels in the study group were higher than those in the control group（all P<0.05）. Serum APRIL and CXCL14 levels of children with SMPP in the poor prognosis were higher than those in the good prognosis group（all P<0.05）. The area under the curve (AUC)（95% CI）of serum APRIL and CXCL14 for predicting the prognosis of SMPP children were 0.783（0.721-0.835）and 0.835（0.789-0.882），respectively，and the cut-off values were 34.47 ng/mL and 289.32 pg/mL，respectively. The specificity was 53.61%，65.43%，and the sensitivity was 93.20%，93.20%，respectively. The AUC（95% CI）of the combined detection of both was 0.913（0.872-0.954），with a specificity of 85.59% and a sensitivity of 86.35%. The proportions of children in the poor prognosis group with fever days> 7 d and admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS) score> 30 points were higher than those in the good prognosis group（ P<0.05）. Multifactorial Logistic stepwise regression analysis showed that the fever days> 7 d（ OR=2.273，95% CI 1.403-3.681），admission NIHSS score> 30 points（ OR=2.088，95% CI 1.327-3.283），APRIL≥34.47 ng/mL（ OR=3.093，95% CI 1.711-5.590），and CXCL14≥289.32 pg/mL（ OR=5.013，95% CI 2.079-12.086）were risk factors for death in children with SMPP（ P<0.05）. Conclusion:Serum APRIL and CXCL14 are highly expressed in children with SMPP and are associated with disease regression, which may serve as potential markers for predicting the prognosis of children with SMPP.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone(5-HDF),a compound extracted from Elsholtzia blanda Benth.,against lung injury induced by H1N1 influenza virus and explore its possible mechanism of action.Methods 5-HDF was extracted from Elsholtzia blanda Benth.using ethanol reflux extraction and silica gel chromatography and characterized using NMR and MS analyses.In an A549 cell model of H1N1 influenza virus infection(MOI=0.1),the cytotoxicity of 5-HDF was assessed using MTT assay,and its effect on TRAIL and IL-8 expressions was examined using flow cytometry;Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of inflammatory,apoptosis,and ferroptosis-related proteins.In a mouse model of H1N1 influenza virus infection established by nasal instillation of 50 μL H1N1 virus at the median lethal dose,the effects of 30 and 60 mg/kg 5-HDF by gavage on body weight,lung index,gross lung anatomy and lung histopathology were observed.Results 5-HDF exhibited no significant cytotoxicity in A549 cells within the concentration range of 0-200 μg/mL.In H1N1-infected A549 cells,treatment with 5-HDF effectively inhibited the activation of phospho-p38 MAPK and phospho-NF-κB p65,lowered the expressions of IL-8,enhanced the expression of anti-ferroptosis proteins(SLC7A11 and GPX4),and inhibited the expressions of apoptosis markers PARP and caspase-3 and the apoptotic factor TRAIL.In H1N1-infected mice,treatment with 5-HDF for 7 days significantly suppressed body weight loss and increment of lung index and obviously alleviated lung tissue pathologies.Conclusion 5-HDF offers protection against H1N1 influenza virus infection in mice possibly by suppressing H1N1-induced ferroptosis,inflammatory responses,and apoptosis via upregulating SLC7A11 and GPX4,inhibiting the activation of phospho-NF-κB p65 and phospho-p38 MAPK,and decreasing the expression of cleaved caspase3 and cleaved PARP.

Objective:To study the differences in clinical characteristics between children and adults with ocular roundworm disease (OT) and analyze its prognosis.Methods:This study was a retrospective cohort study, which included 37 patients (37 eyes) with ocular toxocariasis disease admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2017 to September 2023, including 12 adult patients (12 eyes) and 25 pediatric patients (25 eyes). We compared the clinical differences and prognosis between pediatric and adult patients.Results:16% (4/25) of the affected eyes in the child group had high intraocular pressure, while the adult group had no affected eyes with high intraocular pressure. All affected eyes showed vitreous inflammation, and there was a statistically significant difference in the level of vitreous inflammation between the two groups ( P<0.05). The majority of OT types in the adult group were atypical phenotype OT, with a statistically significant difference compared to the child group ( P<0.05). The proportion of retinal vasculitis, macular edema, and proliferative membrane on the retinal surface in the adult group was higher than that in the child group (all P<0.05). After oral treatment with albendazole and corticosteroids, the thickness of the macular fovea and anterior segment inflammation in both groups were significantly improved (all P<0.05). The proportion of local use of steroid drugs in the children′s group was higher than that in the adult group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with pediatric OT, adult OT mostly has no characteristic signs, and adult OT is mainly characterized by atypical phenotype OT. Adult OT has a better prognosis and is less prone to recurrent inflammation. In most cases, antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory treatments are safe and effective.

Four unreported monoterpene indole alkaloids, tabernaecorymines B-E (1-4), together with twenty-one known indole alkaloids (5-25) were obtained from the stem bark of Tabernaemontana corymbosa. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopy, quantum chemical calculations, DP4+ probability analyses and Mo₂(OAc)₄-induced electronic circular dichroism experiment. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of these compounds were evaluated and some of them showed significant activity against Staphylococcus aureus,Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Candida albicans.
Tabernaemontana ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Antifungal Agents ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Indole Alkaloids

Objective:To investigate the effects of breast milk to total milk intake ratio during hospitalization on the duration of antibiotic therapy in preterm infants less than 34 weeks of gestation.Methods:Clinical data of preterm infants ( n=1 792) less than 34 gestational weeks were retrospectively collected in 16 hospitals of Jiangsu Province Neonatal-Perinatal Cooperation Network from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. The days of therapy (DOT) were used to evaluate the duration of antibiotic administration. The median DOT was 15.0 d (7.0-27.0 d). The patients were divided into four groups based on the quartiles of DOT: Q 1 (DOT≤7.0 d), Q 2 (7.0 d27.0 d) groups. According to the breast milk intake ratio (breast milk intake to total milk intake during hospitalization×100%), they were also divided into four groups: very-low-ratio breastfeeding group (breast milk intake ratio≤25%), low-ratio breastfeeding group (25%75%). Univariate analysis ( Chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test) was used to analyze the factors influencing DOT. Spearman correlation analysis and trend Chi-square test were used to explore the relationship between breast milk intake ratio and DOT. After using multiple imputations to address missing data, two models were constructed after adjusting for different factors, and multinomial logistic regression model was applied to evaluate the effects of the breast milk intake ratio on DOT. Finally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the stability of the models. Results:(1) Of the 1 792 preterm infants, there were 507 (28.3%) in the Q 1 group, 422 (23.5%) in the Q 2 group, 438 (24.4%) in the Q 3 group and 425 (23.7%) in the Q 4 group. (2) The median values of DOT in the very-low-ratio, low-ratio, medium-ratio and high-ratio breastfeeding groups were 20.0 d (11.0-31.0 d), 20.0 d (11.0-32.0 d), 13.0 d (6.0-25.8 d) and 10.0 d (4.0-21.0 d), respectively. Compared with the very-low-ratio and low-ratio breastfeeding groups, the medium-ratio and high-ratio breastfeeding groups had shorter DOT (all P<0.05). (3) After adjusting for factors with P<0.1 (prenatal glucocorticoid exposure, antimicrobial use within 24 h before delivery, gestational age at delivery, birth weight, Apgar score≤7 at 1 min, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, infectious pneumonia and early-onset neonatal sepsis) between the DOT quartile groups, it showed that medium-ratio and high-ratio breastfeeding were protective factors in contrast to very-low-ratio breastfeeding in the Q 2, Q 3 and Q 4 groups as compared with the Q 1 group [Q 2 group: OR=0.50 (95% CI: 0.30-0.85) and OR=0.36 (95% CI: 0.26-0.51); Q 3 group: OR=0.31 (95% CI: 0.18-0.55) and OR=0.20 (95% CI: 0.14-0.29); Q 4 group: OR=0.22 (95% CI: 0.12-0.42) and OR=0.17 (95% CI: 0.12-0.26)]. Conclusion:Breast milk intake accounting for over 50% of total milk intake has a positive impact on reducing DOT in premature infants requiring antibiotics, which suggests that breastfeeding should be actively encouraged.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze recurrence and progression patterns of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in patients without whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and assess the value of WBRT in PCNSL treatment. METHODS: This retrospective single-center study included 27 patients with PCNSL, who experienced recurrence/progression after achieving complete remission (CR), partial remission, or stable disease following initial treatments with chemotherapy but without WBRT. The patients were followed up regularly after the treatment for treatment efficacy assessment. By comparing the anatomical location of the lesions on magnetic resonance images (MRI) at the initial diagnosis and at recurrence/progression, we analyzed the patterns of relapse/progression in patients with different treatment responses and different initial status of the lesions. RESULTS: MRI data showed that in 16 (59.26%) of the 27 patients, recurrence/progression occurred in out-field area (outside the simulated clinical target volume [CTV]) but within the simulated WBRT target area in 16 (59.26%) patients, and within the CTV (in-field) in 11 (40.74%) patients. None of the patients had extracranial recurrence of the tumor. Of the 11 patients who achieved CR after the initial treatments, 9 (81.82%) had PCNSL recurrences in the out-field area but within WBRT target area; of the 13 patients with a single lesion at the initial treatment, 11 (84.62%) experienced PCNSL recurrence in the out-field area but within WBRT target area. CONCLUSIONS Systemic therapy combined with WBRT still remains the standard treatment for PCNSL patients, especially those who achieve CR after treatment or have a single initial lesion. Future prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to further explore the role of low-dose WBRT in PCNSL treatment.
Humans ; Lymphoma/radiotherapy* ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Prospective Studies ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy* ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Brain/pathology* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Methotrexate

OBJECTIVE To analyze quality maker （Q-marker） of Ka nggongyan soft capsule （KSC）. METHODS The fingerprints of 20 batches of KSC were established by ultra high performance liquid chromatography （UPLC）method. Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatographic Fingerprint （2012 edition）were used to evaluate the similarity and confirm common peaks. The contents of norisoboldine ，leonurine hydrochloride ，forsythoside B ，acteoside，poliumoside and isoacteoside were determined by the same UPLC method. Targets and pathways related to KSC in the treatment of cervicitis were screened and analyzed by network pharmacology and molecular docking method to construct a “component-target-pathway”network，and analyze its potential Q-marker. RESULTS Twelve common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of 20 batches of KSC ，and the similarity was greater than 0.99. Six common peaks were identified ，including norisoboldine ，leonurine hydrochloride ，forsythoside B，acteoside，poliumoside and isoacteoside. The contents of the above 6 components were 1.336-1.774，0.093-0.143，4.970-5.888， 0.505-0.623，5.206-6.226 and 0.785-0.895 mg/g，respectively. By network pharmacology analysis ，14 key targets and 94 pathways were obtained ，and their binding energies to the core targets （protein kinase B 1，tumor necrosis factor ）were all less than －6.4 kJ/cal. CONCLUSIONS Six components such as norisoboldine and leonurine hydrochloride are potential Q-marker of KSC.

Objective: To study the antidepressant effects of extracts fromZanthoxylum bungeanumandZanthoxylum schinifoliumin mice exposed in chronic restraint stress. Methods: 45 mice of SPF male ICR were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, model group, sertraline hydrochloride group,Zanthoxylum bungeanumextract group andZanthoxylum schinifoliumextract group, with 9 mice in each group. Except for the normal group, mice in all groups were chronically restrained to establish the depressive model. The normal group and model group were given olive oil by intragastric administration, and other groups were given sertraline hydrochloride(10 mg/kg),Zanthoxylum bungeanumextract(200 mg/kg) andZanthoxylum schinifoliumextract(200 mg/kg), respectively. The behaviors of mice in each group were evaluated by open-field test and forced swimming test. The levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), 5-hydroxytryptophan(5-HT), glutathione(GSH) and nitric oxide(NO) in serum and brain were determined by ELISA. Results: Compared with model group,Zanthoxylum bungeanumextract could reduce the percentage of immobility time in forced swimming test, increase the level of cortical BDNF, and improve the levels of 5-HT and GSH in cortex and serum, with statistical significance(P<0.05).Zanthoxylum schinifoliumextract could improve the behavior of mice in open field test and forced swimming test, increase the levels of cortex 5-HT and serum GSH, and decrease the contents of NO in serum and cortex. Conclusion The extracts ofZanthoxylum bungeanumandZanthoxylum schinifoliumcan improve the depression-like behaviors of mice exposed to chronic restraint stress.