ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effect of stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix on androgenic alopecia （AGA） and study the treatment mechanism. MethodNinety-nine SPF-grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control， model， positive drug （finasteride， 0.65 mg·kg^-1）， low （0.78 g·kg^-1）， medium （1.56 g·kg^-1）， and high （3.12 g·kg^-1）-dose stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix， and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata groups by the random number table method. The mouse model of AGA was constructed by subcutaneous multi-point injection of testosterone propionate diluent for 60 days， and the mice were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage from day 11. The therapeutic effects of stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata on AGA were evaluated by newly hair area， hair length， hair weight in the hair removal area， and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of testosterone （T）， dihydrotestosterone （DHT）， and 5α-reductase （5-AR） in the skin tissue of mice. Western blot was employed to determine the expression levels of key proteins in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group （after 60 days of modeling） showed reductions in the newly hair area， hair length and weight in the back hair removal area， and ratio of hair follicles containing melanin to total hair follicles （P<0.05， P<0.01）， elevated levels of T， DHT， and 5-AR， up-regulated expression level of glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated expression levels of β-catenin， phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β （p-GSK-3β）， and p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β （P<0.05， P<0.01） in the skin tissue. Compared with the model group， the positive drug， low-， medium-， and high-dose stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix， and low-， medium-， and high-dose Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata improved the newly hair area and hair length of mice （P<0.01）， and stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata at low and medium doses improved the weight of newly formed hair in mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The positive drug， low-， medium-， and high-dose stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix， and low- and high-dose Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata increased the ratio of hair follicles containing melanin to total hair follicles in the skin tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata at the same doses， the medium and high doses of stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix increased the ratio of melanin-containing hair follicles to total hair follicles （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， stewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix lowered the levels of T and DHT， down-regulated the expression level of GSK-3β （P<0.01）， and up-regulated the expression levels of β-catenin， p-GSK-3β， and p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β （P<0.05， P<0.01） in the skin tissue of the mice. ConclusionStewed Polygoni Multiflori Radix can ameliorate androgenic alopecia in mice by reducing the androgen level and promoting Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of silencing Ras homolog family member C(RhoC)on the proliferation,apoptosis,invasion,migration,and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma(SACC)and its molecular mechanisms.Methods A total of 27 SACC lesions and normal salivary gland tissues that were surgically resected at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 1,2019 to March 1,2024 were selected,and the expression levels of RhoC were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.Three small interfering RNA(siRNAs)were designed to target the RhoC gene sequence,transfected into SACC-LM and SACC-83 cell lines,and evaluated for transfection efficiency.The protein expression levels of RhoC,Rho-asso-ciated protein kinase-1(ROCK1),p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38MAPK),phosphorylated-p38MAPK(p-p38MAPK),twist family bHLH transcription factor 1(TWIST1),E-cadherin,N-cadherin,and Vimentin were com-pared using Western blot.CCK-8 assay,flow cytometry,transwell invasion assay,and wound healing assay were conducted to assess the differences in cell proliferation,apoptosis,invasion,and migration abilities among the groups.Bioinformatics methods were also used to predict possible upstream micro RNAs(miRNAs)of RhoC and their expression levels in SACC.Moreover,dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments were performed to verify the binding sites of miR-138-5p and RhoC.Results RhoC was highly expressed in SACC(P＜0.05).After silencing RhoC,the test group showed a significant decrease in the expression level of ROCK1,p-p38MAPK,TWIST1,N-cadherin,and Vimentin,as well as a significant increase in the expression level of E-cadherin(P＜0.05).No signifi-cant difference in the expression level of p38MAPK was observed(P＞0.05).The cell proliferation,invasion,and mi-gration ability decreased in the test group,whereas the apoptosis rates significantly increased(P＜0.05).miR-138-5p was lowly expressed in SACC,and miR-138-5p mimic can significantly downregulated the luciferase activity of 293T cells after transfection with a RhoC wild-type plasmid(P＜0.05).Conclusion RhoC is highly expressed in SACC,and RhoC silencing may target the downstream ROCK1/p38MAPK/TWISTl signaling pathway,thereby in-hibiting the proliferation,invasion,migration,and EMT of SACC while promoting its apoptosis.On the contrary,miR-138-5p is lowly expressed in SACC and is a potential upstream gene of RhoC,and there may be binding sites between the two genes.

Breath sounds can reflect the physiological and pathological conditions of the lungs and air-ways.Due to the differences in acoustic characteristics of breath sounds between healthy children and those with different respiratory diseases,analyzing breath sounds may provide important information for the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases in children.With the development of digital auscultation,children's breath sounds have gradully become a research focus.This article summarizes the recent research progress in breath sound analysis for the diagnosis and treatment of common respiratory diseases in children,offering reference for the research in related fields.

Objective:To explore the organizational and operational models of collaborative construction of Research and Development (R&D) platforms by innovative hospitals and enterprises, aiming to provide support and a guarantee for accelerating scientific and technological innovation and the transformation of achievements.Methods:Taking the co-construction of a joint R&D platform by Beijing Tiantan Hospital with enterprise as a case study, this study discussed the necessity of platform construction, and from the perspective of management practices, focusing on analyzing construction models, operational management, achievement attribution, and profits distribution, as well as other critical issues in platform construction.Results:Hospitals and enterprises agreed on the cooperation and co-construction model by signing an agreement. The management committee system and the centre director responsibility system were important operation and management mechanisms. The intellectual property rights of the outcomes generated by the cooperative R&D based on the joint R&D platform were co-owned by the cooperative parties. Data security, close communication, and high-quality research output were the critical issues for the sustainable cooperation between hospitals and enterprises. At the same time, this article proposed optimized management measures to address existing problems in the cooperation of the hospital-enterprise joint R&D platform.Conclusions:The hospital-enterprise joint R&D platform, as a new model of innovative collaboration between hospitals and businesses, held significant importance for tackling ″bottleneck″ technologies in medical science, the implementation of medical scientific and technological outcomes, and the cultivation of interdisciplinary talents.

Objective To investigate the correlations of serum Apelin-13 and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) levels with metabolic and bone metabolic indicators in postmenopausal women with different bone mass. Methods A total of 145 postmenopausal women were selected as subjects and divided into three groups based on bone mineral density (BMD) test results: normal bone mass group(49 cases), osteopenia (ON) group(51 cases), and osteoporosis (OP) group(45 cases). Serum Apelin-13, FABP4 levels, bone metabolic indicators, and biochemical indicators were measured and compared among the three groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations of Apelin-13, FABP4, and other indicators with BMD. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors for OP, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to analyze the predictive value of serum Apelin-13 for postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). Results The serum Apelin-13 level in the OP group was lower than that in the ON group and the normal bone mass group (P < 0.05). No significant difference in serum FABP4 levels was found among the three groups (P>0.05). The levels of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type Ⅰ procollagen amino-terminal propeptide (PⅠNP), type Ⅰ collagen cross-linked C-terminal peptide (CTXⅠ), and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) in the OP group were higher than those in the ON group and the normal bone mass group (P < 0.05). Lumbar post-menopause BMD was positively correlated with serum Apelin-13 levels (P < 0.05), but had no correlation with serum FABP4 levels (P>0.05). Lumbar BMD was negatively correlated with serum PTH, ALP, PⅠNP, CTXⅠ, BALP, and age (P < 0.05), but positively correlated with body weight, body mass index, T-score, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance index (P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that serum Apelin-13, PTH, ALP, PⅠNP, CTXⅠ, and BALP levels were independent factors influencing the occurrence of OP in postmenopausal women (P < 0.05). ROC curve results showed that the optimal cut-off value of serum Apelin-13 for predicting PMOP was 18.51 pg/mL, with an area under the curve of 0.716, a sensitivity of 70.0%, and a specificity of 64.4%. Conclusion Apelin-13 is lowly expressed in the serum of PMOP patients, and its expression level is closely related to lumbar BMD, which may serve as an early screening indicator and potential therapeutic target for PMOP.

Objective To investigate the independent influences on the occurrence of ICU Acquired Weakness(ICU-AW)in elderly patients undergoing third-and fourth-level surgeries,to construct a prediction model and draw a column-line diagram,and to internally validate the model.Methods A convenience sampling method was used to select 186 elderly patients undergoing tertiary and quaternary surgeries who were hospitalized in 3 tertiary A hospitals in Beijing from May to December 2022 as the study subjects.Single-factor and multifactor logistic regression were used to analyze the risk factors for ICU-AW in elderly patients undergoing third-and fourth-degree surgeries.A risk prediction model was established and the model was visualized by drawing a column-line diagram,and the receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC)and the Hosmer-Lemeshow tests were applied to verify the predictive effect of the model.Results ICU-AW occurred in 40 of 186 cases in the modeling group,with an incidence rate of 21.5％.The results of univariate analysis showed that the 2 groups of preoperative physiology score and surgical severity score included in the physiology and surgical severity scoring system,age,presence of cardiac disease,hemoglobin(within 24 h of admission to the ICU),blood urea nitrogen(within 24 h of admission to the ICU),blood creatinine(within 24 h of admission to the ICU),presence of braking,mode of establishment of mechanical ventilation,presence of nutritional therapy,number of sedative or analgesic drugs used,whether vasoactive drugs were used,whether diuretics were used,and the level of hemoglobin,blood urea nitrogen and blood creatinine within 24 h after admission to ICU the difference is statistically significant(P＜0.05).The results of multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative physiology scores included in the physiology and surgical severity scoring system,the presence of cardiac disease,the presence of braking,the presence of nutritional therapy,and the number of sedative or analgesic medications used were the predictors of the occurrence of ICU-AW in elderly patients undergoing third-and fourth-degree surgeries(OR were 1.364,2.344,5.568,5.823,1.109,all P＜0.05).The above 5 factors were plotted as independent variables in a column-line graph,and the area under the ROC curve of the model was 0.859(95％CI 0.793～0.924),with an optimal critical value of 0.156,a sensitivity of 0.875,a specificity of 0.705,and a Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test of x2=3.906,P=0.865,Brier score of 0.109,and a decision analysis curve indicating that patients could benefit.Conclusion The predictive effect of the constructed model is good,and it can be used as a reference for early and rapid identification of the risk of ICU-AW in elderly patients undergoing third-and fourth-degree surgeries by clinical staff,and timely provision of preventive intervention programs.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To develop an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method for determination of hynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, isocorynoxeine, corynoxeine, hirsutine and hirsuteine in Uncaria decoction, and investigate the effect of different storage conditions on the stability of active ingredients. METHODS An UHPLC-MS/MS method was established to investigate the effects of different storage temperature and time on the stability of six active components in Uncaria decoction. Separation was performed with a gradient mobile phase system of acetonitrile-0.1% formic water solution, the flow rate was 0.4 mL·min-1, the temperature of column was 30℃, the injection volume was 2 μL, the MS detection was dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode. The effects of different storage temperature and time on the stability of six active components in Uncaria decoction was investigated. RESULTS Rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, corynoxeine, isocorynoxeine, hirsutine and hirsuteine were successfully separated using this method, with good linear relationship in the corresponding concentration range. The precision, repeatability, stability and recovery rate were good. The six alkaloids were basically stable within 14 d under low temperature storage, basically stable within 3 d under normal temperature storage, and not stable under high temperature storage. CONCLUSION The UHPLC-MS/MS method is stable, rapid and reproducible. It can be used to determine the contents of six effective components in Uncaria decoction. Cold storage is beneficial to the stability of Uncaria decoction.

Objective:To carry out high-risk foot examination and grading combined with two examination methods for inpatients with type 2 diabetes, and explore the influencing factors of the occurrence and development of high-risk foot, and investigate their foot care behavior status.Methods:From July 2021 to January 2022, 409 patients with diabetes who were admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, Department of Geriatrics, Department of Cardiology, Urology Surgery and Department of Ophthalmology of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University were selected as research subjects by convenience sampling. The General Information Questionnaire, Standardized Process of At-risk Foot Screening and Stratification for Diabetic Patients, InIow's Screening for the High-Risk Diabetic Foot: A 60-Second Tool, and Foot Care Behavior Questionnaire for Diabetic Patients. Single factor analysis and Logistic regression analysis were used to explore the factors influencing the occurrence and development of high-risk foot in type 2 diabetes patients. A total of 409 questionnaires were distributed, and 392 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective response rate of 95.8% (392/409) .Results:Among 392 patients, the detection rate of high-risk diabetic foot (HRDF) was 76.3% (299/392), and the proportion of high-risk foot grade 2 was the largest (193). Age ( OR=1.042, P<0.01) and years of hypertension ( OR=1.030, P<0.05) were independent influencing factors for the occurrence of HRDF, with statistically significant differences. Taking the high risk foot grade 3 as a reference, cerebrovascular disease [ OR=16.408, 95% CI (1.323, 203.417) ], diabetes course [ OR=1.066, 95% CI (1.008, 1.128) ], education level in middle school [ OR=0.180, 95% CI (0.056, 0.581) ], education level in primary school and below [ OR=0.126, 95% CI (0.019, 0.841) ] were independent influencing factors for the progress of high risk foot. The foot care behavior of high-risk foot patients with high risk levels was not superior to that of patients with low risk levels. Conclusions:The combination of the two screening methods can meet the examination needs of clinical and nursing medical staff for inpatients with type 2 diabetes. Emphasizing the influencing factors of HRDF occurrence and development can provide reference for early identification of high-risk foot.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a child with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS). METHODS: The child has featured poikeloderma, short stature, cataract, sparse hair and skeletal malformation. Peripheral blood samples of the child and her family members were collected and subjected to whole exome sequencing. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The child was found to harbor compound heterozygous variants of the RECQL4 gene, namely c.1048_1049delAG and c.2886-1G>A, among which c.2886-1G>A was unreported previously. According to the ACMG guidelines, the c.1048_1049delAG was predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+PM3_Strong+PM2), while the c.2886-1G>A was predicted to be likely pathogenic (PVS1+PM2). CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants of the RECQL4 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of RTS in this patient. Above finding has enriched the mutational spectrum of the RECQL4 gene.
Child ; Family ; Female ; Humans ; Mutation ; RecQ Helicases/genetics* ; Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome/genetics* ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Objective:To investigate the clinical and gene variant characteristics of benign familial infantile epilepsy in generations of three families.Methods:The clinical data of the three benign familial infantile epilepsy patients with PRRT2 gene variant who were diagnosed and their family members were collected from Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University between 2018 and 2019. All coding exons from the patients and their parents were screened by targeted next-generation sequencing, and detected variants were verified by Sanger sequencing.Results:In all the patients, a cluster of seizures was observed before one year old,but interictal clinical conditions were normal. The electroencephalograms were all normal in interictal stage. The father of proband 1 presented with convulsion onset at the age of eight months and showed remission before one year old. The grandpa, mother and uncle of proband 2 also presented with convulsion onset in their babyhood of life and showed remission before one year old. The mother of proband 3 presented with convulsion onset in their babyhood of life and showed remission before three years old. Proband 1 carried heterozygous c.937G>C variant in the PRRT2 gene which is inherited from his father. Proband 2 carried c.1075_c.1076insC variant inherited from his mother. A deletion of PRRT2 gene exon 2 was detected in both of proband 3 and her mother. The three variants had not been reported in the Human Gene Mutation Database.Conclusions:Benign familial infantile epilepsy is a kind of inherited epilepsy characterized by early onset of seizure in babyhood with better prognosis, a cluster of focal seizures with or without secondary generalization, and cessation of seizure mostly before two or three years of age. The variants c.937G>C, c.1075_c.1076insC and the deletion of exon 2 in the PRRT2 gene have enriched the gene variant spectrum of benign familial infantile epilepsy.