Objective This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between urinary metals copper (Cu), arsenic (As), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), iron (Fe), lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) and grip strength. Methods We used linear regression models, quantile g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to assess the relationship between metals and grip strength.Results In the multimetal linear regression, Cu (β=-2.119), As (β=-1.318), Sr (β=-2.480), Ba (β=0.781), Fe (β= 1.130) and Mn (β=-0.404) were significantly correlated with grip strength (P < 0.05). The results of the quantile g-computation showed that the risk of occurrence of grip strength reduction was -1.007 (95％ confidence interval:-1.362, -0.652; P < 0.001) when each quartile of the mixture of the seven metals was increased. Bayesian kernel function regression model analysis showed that mixtures of the seven metals had a negative overall effect on grip strength, with Cu, As and Sr being negatively associated with grip strength levels. In the total population, potential interactions were observed between As and Mn and between Cu and Mn (Pinteractions of 0.003 and 0.018, respectively).Conclusion In summary, this study suggests that combined exposure to metal mixtures is negatively associated with grip strength. Cu, Sr and As were negatively correlated with grip strength levels, and there were potential interactions between As and Mn and between Cu and Mn.

AIM To optimize the extraction process for uracil,hypoxanthine,xanthine,uridine,thymine,inosine,guanosine and 2'-deoxyguanosine from Pheretima guillelmi(Michaelsen),and to determine their contents.METHODS With solid-liquid ratio,ultrasonic time and ultrasonic temperature as influencing factors,contents of hypoxanthine and total nucleosides as evaluation indices,the extraction process was optimized by orthogonal test.HPLC was adopted in the content determination of varioud nucleosides,the analysis was performed on a 30℃thermostatic Agilent C18 column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-water flowing at 1 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 260 nm.RESULTS The optimal conditions were determined to be 1∶250 for solid-liquid ratio,60 min for ultrasonic time,and 60℃for ultrasonic temperature.Eight nucleosides showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(R2＞0.999 0),whose average recoveries were 99.11%-103.27%with the RSDs of 0.85%-2.89%.CONCLUSION This stable and reliable method can be used for the extraction and content determination of nucleosides from P.guillelmi.

AIM: To observe the clinical features of acute macular neuroretinopathy(AMN)induced by Omicron.METHODS: A retrospective study. A total of 9 patients(18 eyes)diagnosed with AMN from December 2022 to January 2023 in the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included. Patients underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT), fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), fundus photography, autofluorescence(AF), infrared reflectance(IR), optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)and multicolor, etc. Furthermore, they were followed up for 1～3mo and observed the prognosis.RESULTS: The initial symptom of the Omicron-induced AMN was the sudden onset of central/paracentral scotoma in the eyes with or without impaired vision and metamorphopsia, and the scotoma could persist for at least 3mo. The image features of AMN are as follows. First, the SD-OCT examination showed the rupture of outer retinal layers, scattered hyperreflective lesions, and atrophy of outer retinal layers. In severe cases, hyperreflective lesions were seen in the inner nuclear layer(INL)or with microcystic cavities under the retinal pigment epithelium(RPE). Second, the OCTA examination demonstrated the decreased blood flow density of the deep capillary plexus(DCP)of the macula. Third, the IR examination showed the weak reflection of lesion areas. Fourth, the fundus photography demonstrated the localized brown wedge-shaped lesion.CONCLUSIONS: The Omicron-induced AMN is mostly found in young females, and the characteristic manifestation of fundus is damage to the outer retinal layers. The extent of fundus lesions is related to the systemic inflammatory response and ocular microcirculatory changes after infection. The multimodal fundus image examination and a history of Omicron infection are helpful to diagnose the Omicron-induced AMN.

Aim To study the therapeutic effect of helicid on osteoarthritis (OA) of joint instability model, and explore the mechanism of helicid in the treatment of OA. Methods A rat knee model of OA was established by the medial meniscectomy (MMx) method. After treatment with helicid, HE and safranin O/fast green staining methods were used to observe the his-topathological changes of rat knee articular cartilage; Western blot was used to detect the protein expression level of Trpvl in rat synovial tissue. Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine the expression of Trpvl in rat knee articular cartilage and synovial tissues. Results Helicid significantly slowed down the degeneration of rat knee articular cartilage as shown by HE and safranin O/fast green staining. Western blot results showed that helicid down-regulated the expression of Trpvl in rat synovial tissue examined. Immunohistochemical results showed that helicid significantly reduced the expression of Trpvl in both of knee articular cartilage and synovial tissues. Conclusions Helicid prominently decreases MMx-induced articular cartilage damage and cartilage matrix loss, thereby exerting a therapeutic effect on OA.

Humans ; Mitral Valve/surgery* ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Uric Acid ; Hyperuricemia ; Biological Availability ; Cytokines

This study aimed to provide scientific evidence for predicting quality markers(Q-markers) of Elephantopus scaber by establishing UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber from different geographical origins and determining the content of 13 major components, as well as conducting in vitro anti-cancer activity investigation of the main components. The chromatographic column used was Waters CORTECS UPLC C_(18)(2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.6 μm), and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid solution(gradient elution). The column temperature was set at 30 ℃, and the flow rate was 0.2 mL·min~(-1). The injection volume was 1 μL, and the detection wavelength was 240 nm. The UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber was fitted using the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2012 edition) to determine common peaks, evaluate similarity, identify and determine the content of major components. The CCK-8 assay was used to explore the inhibitory effect of the main components on the proliferation of lung cancer cells. The results showed that in the established UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber, 35 common peaks were identified. Thirteen major components, including neochlorogenic acid(peak 1), chlorogenic acid(peak 2), cryptochlorogenic acid(peak 3), caffeic acid(peak 4), schaftoside(peak 6), galuteolin(peak 9), isochlorogenic acid B(peak 10), isochlorogenic acid A(peak 12), isochlorogenic acid C(peak 18), deoxyelephantopin(peak 28), isodeoxyelephantopin(peak 29), isoscabertopin(peak 31), and scabertopin(peak 32) were identified and quantified, and a quantitative analysis method was established. The results of the in vitro anti-cancer activity study showed that deoxyelephantopin, isodeoxyelephantopin, isoscabertopin, and scabertopin in E. scaber exhibited inhibition rates of lung cancer cell proliferation exceeding 80% at a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), higher than the positive drug paclitaxel. These results indicate that the fingerprint of E. scaber is highly characteristic, and the quantitative analysis method is accurate and stable, providing references for the research on quality standards of E. scaber. Four sesquiterpene lactones in E. scaber show significant anti-cancer activity and can serve as Q-markers for E. scaber.
Humans ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Asteraceae/chemistry* ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of multiple serological methods in the identification of complex antibodies. METHODS: The blood group antigens were detected by saline and microcolumn agglutination methods. The saline method was used to screen and identify IgM-type antibodies in the patient's serum, while the polybrene, anti-globulin, microcolumn agglutination, enzymic and absorption-elution methods were used to screen and identify IgG-type antibodies. RESULTS: The patient was B/CCDee/Jk(a-b+)/Fy(a-b+) blood type. The serum reacted with panel cells, and the reaction presented anti-E pattern in the saline medium. It was fully positive in the microcolumn agglutination card, except 2 negative ones after using papain to treat the panel cells. Referring to the pattern table, it was concluded that there existed anti-c, anti-E, and anti-Jk^a antibodies, and one antibody corresponding to an antigen that was easily destroyed by papain. The red blood cells with specific phenotype were selected for absorption-elution to identify IgG-type anti-c, anti-E, anti-Jk^a and anti-Fy^a antibodies. CONCLUSION It is confirmed that IgM-type anti-E, and IgG-type anti-c, anti-E, anti-Jk^a and anti-Fy^a antibodies exist in the patient's serum by multiple serological methods.
Humans ; Papain ; Blood Group Antigens ; Erythrocytes ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the epidemiological characteristics (season, age, gender, mixed infection and clinical manifestations, etc.) of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection in children in Hainan Province, so as to provide epidemiological evidence-based medical basis for the prevention and control of MP infection in children in Hainan Province. Methods　The serum IgM antibodies of MP, Legionella pneumophila, Chlamydia pneumoniae, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Q fever Rickettsia, parainfluenza virus, influenza A virus and influenza B virus in children with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) who were hospitalized in pediatrics of many hospitals in Hainan Province from March 2012 to February 2020 were detected by indirect immunofluorescence method. The positive serum MP-IgM antibody was defined as MP infection. The epidemiological and clinical data of MP infected cases were analyzed retrospectively. Results　From March, 2012 to February, 2020, a total of 35 731 qualified pediatric inpatients with RTIs in many hospitals in Hainan Province were tested for serum MP-IgM with the total positive rate of 39.12% (13 978/35 731). The yearly positive rates of MP-IgM from 2012 to 2020 were 48.39%, 56.23%, 56.62%, 47.04%, 29.71%, 24.14%, 47.55%, 36.84% and 24.46% respectively. The positive rates of MP-IgM in 2013 and 2014 were significantly higher than those in other years (P<0.05). The positive rate of MP-IgM in summer in Hainan Province was the highest (41.34%) and the lowest in winter (35.77%) (P<0.05). MP infection occurred in all age groups, the positive rate of MP-IgM in children of preschool (51.80%) was significantly higher than that in other age groups (P<0.01), and the positive rate of MP IgM in children of infancy (15.36%) was lower than that in other age groups (P<0.01). The positive rate of MP-IgM in female was 44.77%, which was significantly higher than that in male (35.83%) (P<0.05). MP infection combined with positive IgM of another pathogen accounted for 32.63% (4 561 cases), positive IgM of another two pathogens accounted for 1.26% (176 cases). MP infection was mostly found in pneumonia (68.73%), and the main clinical symptoms were cough (84.72%), fever (51.01%) and wheezing (3.16%). Conclusions　MP is an important pathogen of respiratory tract infection in children in Hainan Province, and infection is more common in children in early school age and early childhood. Mp-specific tests should be performed to identify the pathogen in children suspected of MP infection. In the high incidence season, health education should be strengthened in kindergartens, schools and other places to prevent respiratory tract infection.

Humans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/therapy* ; Nuclear Proteins/genetics* ; Transplantation Conditioning