BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that metformin has anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-aging and vasoprotective effects,and can inhibit the progression of osteoarthritis,but its specific mechanism of action remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism of metformin on cartilage protection in a rat model of osteoarthritis. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 per group):blank,control,sham-operated,and metformin groups.The blank group did not undergo any surgery.In the sham-operated group,the joint cavity was exposed.In the model group and the metformin group,the modified Hulth method was used to establish the osteoarthritis model.At 1 day after modeling,the rats in the metformin group were given 200 mg/kg/d metformin by gavage,and the model,blank,and sham-operated groups were given normal saline by gavage.Administration in each group was given for 4 weeks consecutively.Hematoxylin-eosin staining,toluidine blue staining,and safranin O-fast green staining were used to observe the morphological structure of rat knee joints.Immunohistochemical staining and western blot were used to detect the protein expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(ADAMTS5),Beclin1,P62,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),p-PI3K,protein kinase B(AKT),p-AKT,mammalian target of rapamycin(Mtor),and p-Mtor in rat cartilage tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of hematoxylin-eosin,toluidine blue and safranin O-fast green staining showed smooth cartilage surface of the knee joints and normal histomorphology in the blank group and the sham-operated group,while in the model group,there was irregular cartilage surface of the knee joint and cartilage damage,with a decrease in the number of chondrocytes and the content of proteoglycans in the cartilage matrix.In the metformin group,there was a significant improvement in the damage to the structure of the cartilage in the knee joints of the rats,and the cartilage surface tended to be smooth,with an increase in the number of chondrocytes and the content of proteoglycans in the cartilage matrix.Immunohistochemistry staining and western blot results showed that compared with the control and sham-operated groups,the expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue of rats in the model group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Conversely,the expression of ADAMTS5,P62,as well as p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-Mtor proteins was significantly increased(P<0.05).Furthermore,compared with the model group,the expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue of rats in the metformin group was significantly increased(P<0.05),while the expression of ADAMTS5,P62,as well as p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-Mtor proteins was significantly decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,Metformin can improve the autophagy activity of chondrocytes and reduce the degradation of cartilage matrix in osteoarthritis rats by inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT/Mtor signaling pathway,thus exerting a protective effect on articular cartilage.

The chemical constituents in dried roots of Atractylodes macrocephala were investigated in this study. Through utilizing normal-phase silica gel and ODS column chromatography, TLC, and semi-preparative HPLC, 4 new sesquiterpenoids were purified from the ethyl acetate extract of A. macrocephala. By various spectroscopic techniques, such as 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, IR, UV, and CD, their structures were identified as atractylmacron A (1), 9β-hydroxyasterolide (2), atractylenolide H (3), atractylenolide J (4). Compound 1 possesses a rare 6/7 bicyclic skeleton.

This paper summarizes Professor WANG Xiuxia's clinical experience in treating hyperprolactinemia using the liver soothing therapy. Professor WANG identifies liver qi stagnation and rebellious chong qi （冲气） as the core pathomechanisms of hyperprolactinemia. Furthermore， liver qi stagnation may transform into fire or lead to pathological changes such as spleen deficiency with phlegm obstruction or kidney deficiency with essence depletion. The treatment strategy centers on soothing the liver， with a modified version of Qinggan Jieyu Decoction （清肝解郁汤） as the base formula. Depending on different syndrome patterns such as liver stagnation transforming into fire， liver stagnation with spleen deficiency， or liver stagnation with kidney deficiency， heat clearing， spleen strengthening， or kidney tonifying herbs are added accordingly. In addition， three paired herb combinations are commonly used for symptom specific treatment， Danggui （Angelica sinensis） with Chuanxiong （Ligusticum chuanxiong）， Zelan （Lycopus lucidus） with Yimucao （Leonurus japonicus） ， and Jiegeng （Platycodon grandiflorus） with Zisu （Perilla frutescens）.

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of long COVID and to investigate its main influencing factors by examining individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 between March and June 2022 in two communities in Shanghai, to lay the foundation for further research on the mechanism and clinical treatment of long COVID, and to provide the basis for the development of inexpensive, convenient, and feasible prevention and intervention strategies. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 6 410 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey. The incidence and common symptoms of long COVID were analyzed, along with their associations with demographic characteristics, medical history, and behavioral factors. A logistic regression model was used to identify the major factors associated with the development of long COVID symptoms. ResultsThe overall incidence rate of long COVID among the study population was 13.9%. The most commonly reported symptoms included fatigue (65.1%), attention disorders (23.1%), and cough (16.9%). The analysis showed that having underlying chronic diseases (OR=2.580, 95%CI: 2.165‒3.074), a history of allergies (OR=1.418, 95%CI: 1.003‒1.971), current smoking (OR=1.461, 95%CI: 1.013‒2.079), ever smoking (OR=2.462, 95%CI: 1.687‒3.551), a greater number of symptoms during the acute phase [1 symptom (OR=1.778, 95%CI: 1.459‒2.162), 2 symptoms (OR=2.749, 95%CI: 2.209‒3.409), ≥3 symptoms (OR=7.792, 95%CI: 6.333‒9.593)] and aggravated symptoms during the acute phase (OR=1.082, 95%CI: 1.070‒1.094) were factors associated with a higher risk of developing long COVID symptoms. Additionally, individuals who had consumed alcohol in the past year (OR=1.914, 95%CI: 1.344‒2.684) were more prone to objective long COVID symptoms. Among individuals under 50 years of age, females (OR=1.427, 95%CI: 1.052‒1.943) were more likely to develop objective long COVID symptoms. ConclusionThis study has identified the diversity of long COVID symptoms, which involve multiple organs and systems, including fatigue, attention disorders, cough, and joint pain. It has also revealed associations between long COVID and various demographic factors (e.g., age, gender), personal medical history (e.g., underlying chronic diseases, history of allergies), acute-phase characteristics (e.g., number and severity of symptoms), and behavioral factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption). These findings highlight the need for further research and ongoing surveillance of long COVID and may inform the development of more targeted health management strategies for specific populations.

Aim To analyze the anti-A549 and HI299 lung ade-nocarcinoma activities via using examples of baicalin, astragalo-side, hesperidin and cisplatin based on real time cellular analysis (RTCA) technology, and to build a new strategy for EC50 e-valuation reflecting the time-dimensional characteristic. Methods Using RTCA Software Pro for data analysis and GraphPad Prism and Origin Pro plotting, the in vitro anti-A549 and H1299 lung adenocarcinoma activities of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin, and cisplatin were characterized using the endpoint method and time dimension, respectively. Results (X) There were significant differences in EC50 values of A549 and H1299 cells at 24 h and 48 h endpoint methods. (2) The correlation coefficient of the curve fitted with the four-parameter equation was > 0. 9, and the dynamic change of EC50 remained relatively stable (the linear fitting of EC50 at adjacent 4 points I slope 1^1) used to calculate the EC50 value within this time dimension. The EC50 of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin and cisplatin on A549 cells was 52. 97 ±1.75 плпо! • L~1(16~48 h) , 62.88 ± 2.91 ijunol • L"1 (32.25 -48 h) , 78.84 ±0.33 плпо1 • L"1 (21.5 -29.75 h), 13.57 ±1.54 плпо1 • L_1(27.5 -48 h), respectively; the EC50 of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin and cisplatin on H1299 cells was 43. 71 ± 1. 26 |лто1 • L_1 ( 19. 5 -48 h), 47.23 ±1. 19 |лто1 • L_1(14 -48 h) , 39.45 ±0.24 плпо1 • L"1 (12.75 -46.25 h), 25.97 ±4.76 плпо1 • L"1 (10. 25 -48 h) , respectively. The results showed that the time window for the anti-tumor effect of the test solution/drug was different. Conclusions Based on RTCA technology, it is more accurate and reasonable to select EC50 data that exhibit better fitting, stable changes, and time-dimensional characteristics for the evaluation of anti-tumor activity. In addition, this method of distinguishing different effective time of antitumor drugs can provide a reference for the timing of clinical combination drugs, and this approach will also provide a reference for further related studies.

Objective To analyze the research status and trend of scarlet fever literature in China, and to provide reference for subsequent research. Methods Three major Chinese databases, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP, as well as Web of Science English database, were used to search for literature related to scarlet fever from 2000 to 2023. Citespace6.2.R2 software was used to statistically analyze the number of publications, authors, institutions and journals, co-cited literature, keyword clustering, and other literature characteristics of the literature. Results From 2000 to 2023, a total of 1 011 Chinese literature were included in the three major Chinese databases. Since 2011, the number of publications had gradually increased, but in recent years, the number of publications had decreased. The organization with the most publications was the Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The cluster analysis of key words mainly formed 9 cluster tags, and the high-frequency keywords mainly included epidemic characteristics, epidemiology, incidence rate, etc. A total of 84 English literature were included in the WOS database, with an overall upward trend in publication volume. The institution with the most publications was the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the most frequently cited journal was ^“LANCET INFECT DIS^”.《Resurgence of scarlet fever in China: a 13-year population-based surveillance study》 was the most cited journal. After keyword cluster analysis, 9 cluster labels were mainly formed, and the keywords were mainly outbreak，Hong Kong, and Group A streptococcus. Conclusion Compared with the English literature, which mainly focuses on spatiotemporal aggregation, etiology and strain resistance, Chinese literature focuses more on epidemic surveillance, clinical features and quality nursing.

Objective To make an epidemiological investigation on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)dampness syndrome manifestations in the population at risk of cerebrovascular diseases in Guangdong area.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the clinical data related to the risk of cerebrovascular diseases in 330 Guangdong permanent residents.The diagnosis of dampness syndrome,quantitative scoring of dampness syndrome and rating of the risk of stroke were performed for the investigation of the distribution pattern of dampness syndrome and its influencing factors.Results(1)A total of 306(92.73%)study subjects were diagnosed as dampness syndrome.The percentage of dampness syndrome in the risk group was 93.82%(258/275),which was slightly higher than that of the healthy group(48/55,87.27%),but the difference was not statistically significant(χ2 = 2.91,P = 0.112).The quantitative score of dampness syndrome in the risk group was higher than that of the healthy group,and the difference was statistically significance(Z =-2.24,P = 0.025).(2)Among the study subjects at risk of cerebrovascular disease,evaluation time(χ2 = 26.11,P = 0.001),stroke risk grading(χ2= 8.85,P = 0.031),and history of stroke or transient ischemic attack(TIA)(χ2 = 9.28,P = 0.015)were the factors influencing the grading of dampness syndrome in the population at risk of cerebrovascular disease.Conclusion Dampness syndrome is the common TCM syndrome in the population of Guangdong area.The manifestations of dampness syndrome are more obvious in the population with risk factors of cerebrovascular disease,especially in the population at high risk of stroke,and in the population with a history of stroke or TIA.The assessment and intervention of dampness syndrome should be taken into account for future project of stroke prevention in Guangdong.

ObjectiveTo analyze the quality and status of technical service items of radiation health technical service institutions (RHTSI) in China. Methods A total of 608 and 622 RHTSIs with radiation health technical service qualifications from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in the years of 2021 and 2022 were selected as the research subjects. The data of quality monitoring of radiological health technology services, comparison of radiological health testing capabilities, and investigation of the current status of technical support institutions were collected to analyze the status of technical service items which was conducted by RHTSIs from 2021 to 2022. Results A total of 622 RHTSIs in China obtained technical service institution qualifications in 2022, an increase of 14 from 608 in 2021. While a total of 404 of 622 RHTSIs conducted radiological health technology services, a decrease of 11.4% from 456 in 2021. A total of 241 804 technical service items were conducted in 2022, an increase of 39.7% from 173 064 in 2021. The median number of technical service items by non-health system RHTSIs was higher than that of the health system RHTSIs in 2021 and 2022, (203 vs 40 items, 215 vs 55 items, all P<0.01). The number of technical service institutions and technical service items conducted in different regions from high to low were the eastern, central, and western regions in 2021. The number of technical service institutions in different regions was highest in the eastern region, followed by the central and western regions, while the number of technical service items from high to low were the eastern, western, and central regions in 2022. The number of provincial, municipal, and county-level health system RHTSIs decreased by 6.5%, 26.3%, and 27.3%, respectively, in 2022 compared with 2021. The number of technical service items conducted by provincial health system RHTSIs increased by 48.6%, while those conducted by municipal and county-level health system RHTSIs decreased by 13.8% and 21.3%, respectively. Conclusion Although the number of RHTSI conducting technical services decreases in 2022 compared with 2021, the number of technical service items conducted increases. Non-medical RHTSI undertake the majority of technical service items. Within the medical institutes, the number of technical service items conducted by provincial RHTSI is higher than that of municipal and county-level RHTSI.

ObjectiveProtein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) play pivotal roles in numerous cellular biological processes. However, the precise regulatory effects of PRMTs on the fate determination of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) remain elusive. Our previous studies have shed light on the regulatory role and molecular mechanism of PRMT5 in MSC osteogenic differentiation. This study aims to clarify the role and corresponding regulatory mechanism of PRMT7 during the adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods(1) Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were cultured in a medium that induces adipogenesis. We used qRT-PCR and Western blot to monitor changes in PRMT7 expression during adipogenic differentiation. (2) We created a cell line with PRMT7 knocked down and assessed changes in PRMT7 expression and adipogenic capacity using Oil Red O staining, qRT-PCR and Western blot. (3) We implanted hBMSCs cell lines mixed with a collagen membrane subcutaneously into nude mice and performed Oil Red O staining to observe ectopic lipogenesis in vivo. (4) A cell line overexpressing PRMT7 was generated, and we examined changes in PRMT7 expression using qRT-PCR and Western blot. We also performed Oil Red O staining and quantitative analysis after inducing the cells in lipogenic medium. Additionally, we assessed changes in PPARγ expression. (5) We investigated changes in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) expression in both PRMT7 knockdown and overexpressing cell lines using qRT-PCR and Western blot, to understand PRMT7’s regulatory effect on IGF-1 expression. siIGF-1 was transfected into the PRMT7 knockdown cell line to inhibit IGF-1 expression, and knockdown efficiency was confirmed. Then, we induced cells from the control and knockdown groups transfected with siIGF-1 in lipogenic medium and performed Oil Red O staining and quantitative analysis. Finally, we assessed PPARγ expression to explore IGF-1’s involvement in PRMT7’s regulation of adipogenic differentiation in hBMSCs. Results(1) During the adipogenesis process of hBMSCs, the expression level of PRMT7 was significantly reduced (P<0.01). (2) The adipogenic differentiation ability of PRMT7 knockdown group was significantly stronger than that of control group (P<0.001). (3) The ectopic adipogenic differentiation ability of PRMT7 knockdown group was significantly stronger than that of control group. (4) The adipogenic differentiation ability of the PRMT7 overexpression group was significantly weaker than that of the control group (P<0.01). (5) The expression level of IGF-1 increased after PRMT7 knockdown (P<0.000 1). The expression level of IGF-1 decreased after PRMT7 overexpression (P<0.000 1), indicating that PRMT7 regulates the expression of IGF-1. After siIGF-1 transfection, the expression level of IGF-1 in all cell lines decreased significantly (P<0.001). The ability of adipogenic differentiation of knockdown group transfected with siIGF-1 was significantly reduced (P<0.01), indicating that IGF-1 affects the regulation of PRMT7 on adipogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. ConclusionIn this investigation, our findings elucidate the inhibitory role of PRMT7 in the adipogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, as demonstrated through both in vitro cell-level experiments and in vivo subcutaneous transplantation experiments conducted in nude mice. Mechanistic exploration revealed that PRMT7’s regulatory effect on the adipogenic differentiation of hBMSCs operates via modulation of IGF-1 signaling pathway. These collective findings underscore PRMT7 as a potential therapeutic target for fatty metabolic disorders, thereby offering a novel avenue for leveraging PRMT7 and hBMSCs in the therapeutic landscape of relevant diseases.

Objective:To analyze the methylation characteristics of the lymphocyte-specific protein-tyrosine kinase (LCK) promoter region in the peripheral blood circulation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and its correlation with clinical indicators.Methods:Targeted methylation sequencing was used to compare the methylation levels of 7 CpG sites in the LCK promoter region in the peripheral blood of RA patients with healthy controls (HC) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Correlation analysis and ROC curve construction were performed with clinical information.Results:Non-parametric tests revealed that compared with HC [0.53(0.50, 0.57)] and OA patients [0.59(0.54, 0.62), H=47.17, P<0.001], RA patients [0.63(0.59, 0.68)] exhibited an overall increase in methylation levels. Simultaneously, when compared with the HC group [0.38(0.35, 0.41), 0.59(0.55, 0.63), 0.60(0.55, 0.64), 0.59(0.55, 0.63), 0.58(0.53, 0.62), 0.45(0.43, 0.49), 0.57(0.54, 0.61)], the RA group [0.46(0.42, 0.49), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.70(0.66, 0.76), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.69(0.64, 0.74), 0.55(0.51, 0.59), 0.68(0.63, 0.73)] showed a significant elevation in methylation levels at CpG sites cg05350315_60, cg05350315_80, cg05350315_95, cg05350315_101, cg05350315_104, cg05350315_128, and cg05350315_142, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-5.63, -5.89, -5.91, -5.89, -5.98, -5.95, -5.95, all P<0.001). Compared with the OA group [0.65(0.59, 0.69), 0.65(0.60, 0.69), 0.64(0.58, 0.68), 0.50(0.45, 0.54), 0.63(0.58, 0.67)], the RA group [0.70(0.66, 0.76), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.69(0.64, 0.74), 0.55(0.51, 0.59), 0.68(0.63, 0.73)] exhibited a significant increase in methylation levels at CpG sites cg05350315_95, cg05350315_101, cg05350315_104, cg05350315_128, and cg05350315_142, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-3.56, -3.52, -3.60, -3.67, -3.62; P=0.036, 0.042, 0.031, 0.030, 0.030). Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed a positive correlation between the overall methylation level in this region and C-reactive protein (CRP) ( r=0.19, P=0.004) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( r=0.14, P=0.035). The overall methylation level of the LCK promoter region in the CRP (low) group [0.63 (0.58, 0.68)] was higher than that in the CRP (high) group [0.65(0.61, 0.70)], with statistically significant differences ( Z=2.60, P=0.009). Finally, by constru-cting a ROC curve, the discriminatory efficacy of peripheral blood LCK promoter region methylation levels for identifying RA patients, especially seronegative RA patients, from HC and OA groups was validated, with an AUC value of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.93). Conclusion:This study provides insights into the methylation status and methylation haplotype patterns of the LCK promoter region in the peripheral blood of RA patients. The overall methylation level in this region is positively correlated with the level of inflammation and can be used to differentiate seronegative RA patients from the HC and OA patients.