ObjectiveTo investigate the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the level of serum homocysteine (Hcy) in association with the incidence of stroke in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. MethodsBased on the chronic disease risk factor surveillance cohort in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, excluding those with stroke in baseline survey, T2DM patients who joined the cohort from January 2016 to October 2020 were selected as the research subjects. During the follow-up period, a total of 318 new-onset ischemic stroke patients were selected as the case group, and a total of 318 individuals matched by gender without stroke were selected as the control group. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to adjust for confounding factors and explore the serum TyG index and the Hcy biochemical indicator in association with the risk of stroke. ResultsThe Cox proportional hazards regression results showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of stroke in T2DM patients with 10 μmol·L⁻¹-¹ and Hcy>15 μmol·L⁻¹ was 1.532 times (95%CI: 1.017‒2.309 times, P=0.041) and 1.738 times (95%CI: 1.119‒2.699 times, P=0.014) higher respectively, compared to T2DM patients with Hcy≤10 μmol·L⁻¹. T2DM patients with TyG>9.074 had 1.396 times higher risk of stroke (95%CI: 1.091‒1.787, P=0.008) compared to those with TyG≤9.074. The study found that urea and α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) were independent risk factors for the incidence of stroke in T2DM patients. For every unit increase in urea andα1-AT, the risk of stroke in T2DM patients increased by 233.6% (HR=3.336, 95%CI: 1.588‒7.009, P=0.001) and 11.3% (HR=1.113, 95%CI: 1.028‒1.205, P=0.008), respectively. Cumulative risk curves showed that Hcy>10 μmol·L⁻¹ and TyG>9.074 accelerated the time to stroke occurrence in T2DM patients. ConclusionElevated levels of Hcy>10 μmol·L⁻¹ and a higher TyG index are risk factors for stroke in T2DM patients. Effective interventions for Hcy and TyG should be conducted for diabetic patients to reduce the incidence of stroke.

The main protease (M^pro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an attractive target in anti-COVID-19 therapy for its high conservation and major role in the virus life cycle. The covalent M^pro inhibitor nirmatrelvir (in combination with ritonavir, a pharmacokinetic enhancer) and the non-covalent inhibitor ensitrelvir have shown efficacy in clinical trials and have been approved for therapeutic use. Effective antiviral drugs are needed to fight the pandemic, while non-covalent M^pro inhibitors could be promising alternatives due to their high selectivity and favorable druggability. Numerous non-covalent M^pro inhibitors with desirable properties have been developed based on available crystal structures of M^pro. In this article, we describe medicinal chemistry strategies applied for the discovery and optimization of non-covalent M^pro inhibitors, followed by a general overview and critical analysis of the available information. Prospective viewpoints and insights into current strategies for the development of non-covalent M^pro inhibitors are also discussed.

Osteosarcopenia (OS) is a multifactorial, multiaetiologic degenerative metabolic syndrome in which sarcopenia coexists with osteoporosis, and its influences are related to aging-induced mechanics, genetics, inflammatory factors, endocrine disorders, and irregular lifestyles. With the accelerated aging process in our country, osteosarcopenia has become a public health problem that cannot be ignored, with a higher risk of falls, fractures, impaired mobility and death. In recent years, scholars at home and abroad have conducted a lot of research on osteosarcopenia, but their pathogenesis is still unclear. Understanding the signaling pathways associated with osteosarcopenia is of great significance for further research on the pathogenesis of these disorders and for finding new targets for treatment. Studies have shown that activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway promotes osteoblast differentiation as well as skeletal muscle regeneration, indicating that inhibition of thePI3K/Akt signaling pathway is closely related to the development of osteosarcopenia. Muscle factor-mechanical stress interactions can maintain osteoblast viability by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting that Wnt signaling is important in muscle and bone crosstalk. The Notch signaling pathway also plays an important role in improving bone and muscle mass and function, but different researchers hold different views, which need to be further validated and refined in subsequent studies. Exercise, as an existing non-pharmacological treatment with strong and sustained effects on physical function and muscle strength, also significantly increases bone density in osteoporosis patients, which may be mainly due to the fact that exercise induces changes in the form and function of bones, in the form of muscular pulling and indirectly improves the bone mass, and changes in the bone strength can also change the number, shape as well as the function of the muscles. At the same time, the mechanism of different exercise modalities focuses on different aspects, and there are differences in exercise time, exercise intensity, and therapeutic effects in the implementation of interventions. Aerobic exercise can improve the quality of skeletal muscle and increase the expression of osteogenesis-related genes by stimulating mitochondrial biosynthesis, as well as improve the quality and strength of bones and muscles through the Wnt/β- catenin and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, effectively preventing and controlling the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. High-intensity resistance exercise has a significant effect on improving the quality of muscles and bone mineral density, but older people with osteosarcopenia suffer from a decline in muscle quality and strength, and a decline in bone mineral density, which makes them very susceptible to fracture, so they should select the intensity of the training in a gradual and orderly manner, from small to large. What kind of exercise intensity and exercise modalities are most effective in improving the occurrence and development of osteosarcopenia needs to be further investigated. Therefore, this paper mainly reviews the epidemiology of osteosarcopenia, diagnostic criteria, the related signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt pathway, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Notch pathway, NF-κB pathway) that jointly regulate the metabolic process of myocytes and skeletal cells, as well as the interventional effects of different exercise modes on osteosarcopenia, with the aim of providing theoretical bases for the clinical treatment of osteosarcopenia, as well as enhancing the preventive capacity of the disease in old age.

Osteoporosis leads to an imbalance in bone remodelling, where bone resorption is greater than bone formation and osteoclast degradation increases, resulting in severe bone loss. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of various bone cells (including osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteoclasts), and is deeply involved in the bone remodelling process. In recent years, the role of autophagy in the progression of osteoporosis and related bone metabolic diseases has received more and more attention, and it has become a research hotspot in this field. Summarising the existing studies, it is found that senile osteoporosis is the result of a combination of factors. On the one hand, it is the imbalance of bone remodelling and the increase of bone resorption/bone formation ratio with ageing, which causes progressive bone loss. On the other hand, aging leads to a general decrease in the level of autophagy, a decrease in the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and an inhibition of osteogenic differentiation. The lack of oestrogen leads to the immune system being in a low activation state, and the antioxidant capacity is weakened and inflammatory response is increased, inducing autophagy-related proteins to participate in the transmission of inflammatory signals, excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the skeleton, and negatively regulating bone formation. In addition, with aging and the occurrence of related diseases, glucocorticoid treatments also mediate autophagy in bone tissue cells, contributing to the decline in bone strength. Exercise, as an effective means of combating osteoporosis, improves bone biomechanical properties and increases bone density. It has been found that exercise induces oxidative stress, energy imbalance, protein defolding and increased intracellular calcium ions in the organism, which in turn activates autophagy. In bone, exercise of different intensities activates messengers such as ROS, PI3K, and AMP. These messengers signal downstream cascades, which in turn induce autophagy to restore dynamic homeostasis in vivo. During exercise, increased production of AMP, PI3K, and ROS activate their downstream effectors, AMPK, Akt, and p38MAPK, respectively, and these molecules in turn lead to activation of the autophagy pathway. Activation of AMPK inhibits mTOR activity and phosphorylates ULK1 at different sites, inducing autophagy. AMPK and p38 up-regulate per-PGC-1α activity and activate transcription factors in the nucleus, resulting in increased autophagy and lysosomal genes. Together, they activate FoxOs, whose transcriptional activity controls cellular processes including autophagy and can act on autophagy key proteins, while FoxOs proteins are expressed in osteoblasts. Exercise also regulates the expression of mTORC1, FoxO1, and PGC-1 through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, which ultimately plays a role in the differentiation and proliferation of osteoblasts and regulates bone metabolism. In addition, BMPs signaling pathway and long chain non-coding RNAs also play a role in the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and autophagy process under exercise stimulation. Therefore, exercise may become a new molecular regulatory mechanism to improve osteoporosis through the bone autophagy pathway, but the specific mechanism needs to be further investigated. How exercise affects bone autophagy and thus prevents and treats bone-related diseases will become a future research hotspot in the fields of biology, sports medicine and sports science, and it is believed that future studies will further reveal its mechanism and provide new theoretical basis and ideas.

AIM To explore the effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on mitochondrial oxidative damage and PKCε-Nampt pathway in rats following cerebral ischemia reperfusion(I/R).METHODS The rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group,the model group,Buyang Huanwu Decoction group(14.3 g/kg)and edaravone group(3 mg/kg).Except those of the sham operation group,SD rats of other groups were induced into models of brain I/R injury by MCAO method,followed by corresponding drug administration 24 hours after operation.After 7 days of administration,the rats had their neurological deficit evaluated by neurological function scoring;thier expression of neuron marker MAP-2 detected by immunofluorescence staining;their neuron damage observed and the oxidative damage evaluated through assessment of their ROS levels and MDA and SOD activities;their changes of mitochondrial membrane potential detected by fluorescent probe JC-1;their ratio of NAD+/NADH detected using modified enzyme circulation method;their expressions of PKCε,p-PKCε and Nampt proteins detected with Western blot;and their positive expressions of p-PKCε and Nampt proteins detected with immunohistochemistry method.RESULTS Compared with the model group,Buyang Huanwu Decoction group shared decreased cerebral infarction volume and neurological function score(P<0.05);increased cerebral fluorescence intensity of MAP-2(P<0.05);reduced neuronal damage,decreased cerebral levels of ROS and MDA(P<0.05);increased SOD activity,mitochondrial membrane potential and NAD+/NADH ratio(P<0.05);and increased protein expressions of p-PKCε and Nampt(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Buyang Huanwu Decoction can improve mitochondrial function and reduce brain I/R injury in rats by activating their PKCε-Nampt signaling pathway.

Objective:To establish a general method for the simultaneous determination of hydroxyphenyl esters and quaternary ammonium bacteriostatic agents in eye drops.Methods:The chromatographic analysis was per-formed on an Agilent C18 column(4.6 mm ×250 mm,5 μm)with 1％triethylamine solution(pH adjusted to 5.0 with phosphoric acid)as mobile phase A and methanol as mobile phase B.Gradient elution was performed at col-umn temperature of 40 ℃.The detection wavelength was 214 nm,the flow rate was 1 mL·min-1,and the injec-tion volume was 20 μL.Results:Methylparaben,ethylparaben,propylparaben,butylparaben,benzalkonium chlo-ride and benzalkonium bromide were 0.11-559.0,0.10-513.0,0.10-258.8,0.11-270.5,1.07-537.0 and 1.03-512.8 μg·mL-1,respectively.The linear range was good(r＞0.999).The average recoveries of meth-ylparaben,benzalkonium bromide and benzalkonium chloride were 104.7％(RSD=1.3％),102.6％(RSD=1.1％)and 100.9％(RSD=1.1％),respectively.The contents of bacteriostatic agent in 100 batches of eye drops from 36 varieties of 12 enterprises were determined,and the accurate results were obtained.Conclusion:This meth-od provides a reference for the content quality control and safety evaluation of bacteriostatic agents in eye drops.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are proline-induced serine/threonine kinases that are primarily involved in the regulation of cell cycle, gene transcription, and cell differentiation. In general, CDKs are activated by binding to specific regulatory subunits of cell cycle proteins and are regulated by phosphorylation of specific T-loops by CDK activated kinases. In the CDKs family, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a specialized member whose activity is triggered only by interaction with p35 and p39, which do not have the same sequence as the cell cycle proteins, and this may be one reason why CDK5 is distinguished from other CDK members by its structural and functional differences. In addition, unlike most CDK members that require phosphorylation at specific sites to function, CDK5 does not require such phosphorylation, and it can be activated simply by binding to p35 and p39. More notably, inhibitors that are commonly used to inhibit the activity of other CDK members have almost zero effect on CDK5. In contrast, CDK5, as a unique CDK family member, plays an important role in the development of numerous diseases. In metabolic diseases, elevated CDK5 expression leads to decreased insulin secretion, increased foam cell formation and triggers decreased bone mass in the body, thus accelerating metabolic diseases, and the role of CDK5 in bone biology is gradually gaining attention, and the role of CDK5 in bone metabolic diseases may become a hotspot for research in the future; in neurodegenerative diseases, hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein is an important hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease development, and changes in CDK5 expression are associated with Tau protein phosphorylation and nerve death, indicating that CDK5 is highly related to the development of the nervous system; in tumor diseases, the role of CDK5 in the proliferation, differentiation and migration and invasion of tumor cells marks the development of tumorigenesis, but different researchers hold different views, and further studies are needed in the follow-up. Therefore, the study of its mechanism of action in diseases can help to reveal the pathogenesis and pathological process of diseases. Appropriate exercise not only helps in the prevention of diseases, but also plays a positive role in the treatment of diseases. Exercise-induced mechanical stress can improve bone microstructure and increase bone mass in osteoporosis patients. In addition, exercise can effectively inhibit neuronal apoptosis and improve mitochondrial dysfunction, more importantly, appropriate exercise can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells to a certain extent. It can be seen that exercise occupies a pivotal position in the prevention and treatment of pathologic diseases. It has been shown that exercise can reduce the expression of CDK5 and affect the pathological process of neurological diseases. Currently, there is a dearth of research on the specific mechanisms of CDK5’s role in improving disease outcomes through exercise. In order to understand its effects more comprehensively, subsequent studies need to employ diverse exercise modalities, targeting patients with various types of diseases or corresponding animal models for in-depth exploration. This article focuses on the pathological functions of CDK5 and its relationship with exercise, with a view to providing new insights into the prevention and treatment of disease by CDK5.

Jumonji domain-containing protein D3(JMJD3)is a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase that specif-ically removes transcriptional repression marks di-and tri-methylated groups from lysine 27 on histone 3(H3K27me2/3).The erasure of these marks leads to the activation of some associated genes,thereby influencing various biological processes,such as development,differentiation,and immune response.However,comprehensive descriptions regarding the relationship between JMJD3 and inflammation are lacking.Here,we provide a comprehensive overview of JMJD3,including its structure,functions,and involvement in inflammatory pathways.In addition,we summarize the evidence supporting JMJD3's role in several inflammatory diseases,as well as the potential therapeutic applications of JMJD3 inhibitors.Additionally,we also discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with investigating the functions of JMJD3 and developing targeted inhibitors and propose feasible solutions to provide valuable insights into the functional exploration and discovery of potential drugs targeting JMJD3 for inflammatory diseases.

Objective To investigate the influences and mechanism of X chromosome inactivation specific transcript(XIST)on the proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis of nucleus pulposus cells in rats with intervertebral disc degeneration(IDD).Methods SD rat intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells were isolated and cultured in vitro,and then randomly divided cells into control group,model group,XIST knockdown group,empty plasmid group,and XIST knockdown+miR-132-3p knockdown group.Except for control group,the cells in other groups were induced by interleukin(IL)-1β to establish IDD models.After nucleus pulposus cells were grouped and treated,the expressions of XIST and miR-132-3p in the nucleus pulposus cells of rats were detected by qRT-PCR;the proliferation of intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells was detected by MTS method and EdU staining;ELISA was used to measure the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-18 in the intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells;Immunoblotting was used to detect the expression of extracellular matrix labeled proteins Collagen Ⅱ and Aggrecan in rat nucleus pulposus cells.The targeted regulation of miR-132-3p by XIST in rat nucleus pulposus cells was detected by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay.IDD rat models were established by intramuscular injection of IL-1β and divided into sham operation group,model group,XIST knockdown group,no-load plasmid group,XIST knockdown+miR-132-3p knockdown group,with 12 rats in each group.After treatment in each group,the expressions of XIST and miR-132-3p in intervertebral disc tissues were detected by qRT-PCR;TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells in intervertebral disc tissue of rats;the morphology of intervertebral disc cartilage was observed by saffron O staining;serum levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-18 were determined by ELISA;the expressions of Collagen Ⅱ and Aggrecan in intervertebral disc tissues were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with control group(cells)/sham operation group(rats),XIST expression in intervertebral disc tissue and nucleus pulposus cells,apoptosis rate of intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells,levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-18 in intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells culture medium and serum were increased in model group(P＜0.05),the activity and proliferation rate of nucleus pulposus cells and the expressions of miR-132-3p,Collagen Ⅱ and Aggrecan protein in nucleus pulposus cells and intervertebral disc tissues decreased(P＜0.05);compared with model group,the apoptosis rate of nucleus pulposus cells,the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-18 in intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells culture medium and serum,and the expression of XIST in nucleus pulposus cells and intervertebral disc tissues of rats in XIST knockdown group decreased(P＜0.05),the activity and proliferation rate of nucleus pulposus cells and the expressions of miR-132-3p,Collagen Ⅱ and Aggrecan protein in nucleus pulposus cells and intervertebral disc tissues increased(P＜0.05).Down-regulation of miR-132-3p attenuates the ameliorative effect of knockdown XIST on IL-1β-induced intervertebral disc injury and cartilage matrix loss.XIST was able to target and down-regulate the expression of miR-132-3p in rat nucleus pulposus cells.Conclusion Knockdown of XIST can inhibit inflammation by up-regulating miR-132-3p,thereby inhibiting the apoptosis of IDD nucleus pulposus cells and promoting their proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis.

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics,treatment outcomes,and prognostic factors of children with non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma(ES).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 41 children with non-metastatic ES diagnosed and treated at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2010 to December 2018.All patients underwent chemotherapy based on the RMS-2009 protocol of the center,and local treatment such as surgery and/or radiotherapy was performed according to risk grouping.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival(OS)and event-free survival(EFS)rates.Univariate prognostic analysis was performed using the log-rank test,and multivariate analysis was conducted with Cox regression.Results Of the 41 children,21 were male and 20 were female.The median age at diagnosis was 7.7 years(range:1.2-14.6 years).The median follow-up time for patients with event-free survival was 68.1 months(range:8.1-151.7 months).As of the last follow-up,33 patients were in complete remission,and the overall 5-year EFS and OS rates were(78±6)％and(82±6)％,respectively.Univariate analysis by the log-rank test showed that a tumor diameter ≥8 cm,time from diagnosis to start of local treatment ≥16 weeks,and incomplete surgical resection were associated with poor prognosis(P＜0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that incomplete surgical resection(HR=8.381,95％CI:1.681-41.801,P=0.010)was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in children with ES.Secondary tumors occurred in 2 cases.Conclusions A comprehensive treatment strategy incorporating chemotherapy,surgery,and radiotherapy can improve the prognosis of children with ES.Poor prognosis is associated with an initial tumor diameter ≥8 cm,while complete surgical resection and early initiation of local treatment can improve outcomes.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(4):365-370]