Role of Wnt signaling Pathway in Diabetic Osteoporosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetic osteoporosis （DOP） is a kind of bone complication caused by diabetes， which is characterized by the decrease of bone mineral density， the change of bone microstructure and the increase of bone fragility. The process of DOP is closely related to high glucose， insulin resistance， oxidative stress and other mechanisms. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays an important role in mediating insulin resistance and bone metabolic balance in diabetes. Regulation of Wnt signal transduction promotes the expression of glycogen synthase kinase-3β（GSK-3β）phosphorylation and improves glucose and lipid metabolism. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is also an important way regulating osteocyte-driven bone remodeling， which not only plays an important regulatory role in the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts and improve bone metabolic homeostasis， but also promotes the expression of osteopontin， osteocalcin and type Ⅰ collagen， and improves bone proliferation and osteogenic differentiation by regulating the Wnt pathway. In recent years， the research of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the prevention and treatment of DOP has gradually increased， and the exploration of TCM to interfere with the Wnt pathway to improve DOP has made some progress. This paper collects and summarizes the studies on the Wnt signaling pathway in glucose metabolism， bone metabolism and DOP worldwide in the past decade， as well as the related literature on the intervention of DOP by TCM compounds （classical and other compounds）， single Chinese medicine and TCM monomers based on the Wnt pathway， in order to provide a reference and direction for the development of new drugs for clinical prevention and treatment of DOP.

Exercise promotes healthy cardiovascular aging / 生理学报

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important factor threatening the health of the elderly. Aging leads to changes in the structure and function of the cardiovascular system, which increases the risk of CVD in the elderly. Cardiac aging is characterized by increased left ventricular wall thickness, increased degree of myocardial fibrosis, increased cardiac hardness, and decreased cardiac function, while vascular aging is characterized by enlarged lumen, thickened wall, and endothelial dysfunction. Promoting healthy cardiovascular aging means reducing the age-related cardiovascular dysfunction and the risks of CVD. Exercise is a crucial means for the treatment and rehabilitation of CVD. Exercise reduces the risk factors of CVD, remodels the cardiovascular structure, and increases the resistance of heart to detrimental stimulus, which promotes healthy cardiovascular aging. The improved mitochondrial function via exercise plays a key role in the health effects of exercise. In addition, exercise promotes the secretion of exerkines in various tissues and organs, which plays a role in reducing inflammation, improving metabolism, inhibiting apoptosis, etc., thus benefiting cardiovascular health. This review discusses the mechanism and potential application of exercise in promoting healthy cardiovascular aging. Exploring the specific mechanisms underlying exercise-induced cardiovascular health and formulating accurate exercise prescriptions for different populations is an important direction to promote healthy cardiovascular aging and prevent CVD.

Research progress on the biological effects of HIF-1α on follicle development and ovulation / 生理学报

Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), as a hypoxia inducible factor, affects women's reproductive function by regulating the development and excretion of follicles. HIF-1α induces glycolysis and autophagy in the granule cells by promoting oocyte development, regulating the secretion of related angiogenic factors, and improving follicle maturity. In addition, HIF-1α promotes the process of luteinization of follicular vesicles, maintains luteal function, and finally completes physiological luteal atrophy through cumulative oxidative stress. Dysfunction of HIF-1α will cause a series of pathological consequences, such as angiogenesis defect, energy metabolism abnormality, excessive oxidative stress and dysregulated autophagy and apoptosis, resulting in ovulation problem and infertility. This article summarizes the previous studies on the regulation of follicle development and excretion and maintenance of luteal function and structural atrophy by HIF-1α. We also describe the effective intervention mechanism of related drugs or bioactive ingredients on follicular dysplasia and ovulation disorders through HIF-1α, in order to provide a systematic and in-depth insights for solving ovulation disorder infertility.

Professor FU Wen-bin's experience in treating "five delays and five weaknesses" in children with yang-oriented approach / 中国针灸

Professor FU Wen-bin, based on the concept of the "yang-oriented approach", identifies "yang deficiency with excess yin" as the underlying pathological mechanism of "five delays and five weaknesses" in children. He recommends a treatment model that included acupuncture, moxibustion, and rehabilitation, integrating various therapeutic methods of acupuncture, refined moxibustion, and auricular point sticking. Specific acupoints along the conception vessel, governor vessel, and bladder meridian, as well as related acupoints with tonifying effects on spleen and kidney, are selected to achieve the therapeutic goal of "promoting yang and nourishing yang simultaneously".

Expression of VNN1 in Ulcerative Colitis / 胃肠病学

Background: Molecular markers associated with disease progression and prognosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) are still lacking in clinic. Aims: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of vanin 1 (VNN1) in intestinal mucosal tissue, serum and stool in patients with UC. Methods: A total of 100 UC patients and 100 healthy volunteers from Dec. 2018 to Jan. 2020 at the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were recruited, and colonoscopy biopsy tissue samples, blood samples and stool samples were collected. PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect mRNA and protein expressions of VNN1 in intestinal mucosal tissue, respectively. The expression of VNN1 in serum and stool was determined by ELISA. Results: The mRNA and protein expressions of VNN1 in intestinal mucosal tissue in patients with UC were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (P0.05). Conclusions: The expressions of VNN1 in intestinal mucosal tissue and blood in UC patients are high, and can be used as a molecular marker of UC.

The hippocampal proteomics mechanism of thalidomide in Alzheimer's disease model mice induced by Aβ / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe the effect of thalidomide on the learning and memory ability and hippocampal tissue proteome of Alzheimer's disease(AD)mice,to screen the differential proteins of thalidomide in preventing and treating AD,the pathways involved in regulation,and to explore its possible mechanism. Methods The experimental mice were randomly divided into blank control group,model group,and thalidomide high and low dose groups. The drugs were administered by gavage every day for 21 days. After the administration,Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the learning and memory abilities of the mice,HE staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the pathological tissue morphology of the mouse hippocampus,ELISA was employed to detect the mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme complex in mouse brain,and the Label-free proteomics method was used to screen different groups of hippocampal proteome proteins. Results The results of the Morris water maze showed that compared with the model group,the escape latency time of the drug group was significantly reduced,and the number of crossing the platform significantly increased(P<0.05). Thalidomide administration could improve the morphological structure of neurons in hippocampus,and could increase the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex ,Ⅱ, and of the brain tissues of AD mice(P<0.05). A total of 4 378 differential proteins were identified,which had a significant regulatory effect on the expression of 580 proteins in hippocampus of AD mice(P<0.05). Energy metabolism may jointly participate in the regulation of neurodegeneration pathways-changes in pathways such as various diseases and Alzheimer's disease. Conclusions Thalidomide can significantly improve the learning and memory function of AD model mice induced by Aβ

Chuanxiong Rhizoma extracts prevent cholestatic liver injury by targeting H3K9ac-mediated and cholangiocyte-derived secretory protein PAI-1 and FN / 中国天然药物

Chuanxiong Rhizoma (CX, the dried rhizome of Ligusticum wallichii Franch.), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, is clinically used for treating cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and hepatobiliary diseases. Cholestatic liver damage is one of the chronic liver diseases with limited effective therapeutic strategies. Currently, little is known about the mechanism links between CX-induced anti-cholestatic action and intercellular communication between cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of different CX extracts including the aqueous, alkaloid, phenolic acid and phthalide extracts of CX (CXAE, CXAL, CXPA and CXPHL) and investigate the intercellular communication-related mechanisms by which the most effective extracts work on cholestatic liver injury. The active compounds of different CX extracts were identified by UPLC-MS/MS. A cholestatic liver injury mouse model induced by bile duct ligation (BDL), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-treated human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cholangiocytes (HIBECs) and HSC cell line (LX-2 cells) were used for in vivo and in vitro studies. Histological and other biological techniques were also applied. The results indicated that CXAE, CXAL and CXPHL significantly reduced ductular reaction (DR) and improved liver fibrosis in the BDL mice. Meanwhile, both CXAE and CXPHL suppressed DR in injured HIBECs and reduced collagen contraction force and the expression of fibrosis biomarkers in LX-2 cells treated with TGF-β. CXPHL suppressed the transcription and transfer of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and fibronectin (FN) from the 'DR-like' cholangiocytes to activated HSCs. Mechanistically, the inhibition of PAI-1 and FN by CXPHL was attributed to the untight combination of the acetyltransferase KAT2A and SMAD3, followdd by the suppression of histone 3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac)-mediated transcription in cholangiocytes. In conclusion, CXPHL exerts stronger anti-cholestatic activity in vivo and in vitro than other CX extracts, and its protective effect on the intracellular communication between cholangiocytes and HSCs is achieved by reducing KAT2A/H3K9ac-mediated transcription and release of PAI-1 and FN.

Efficacy and safety of salbutamol in treatment of children with later-onset spinal muscular atrophy / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of salbutamol in the treatment of children with later-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).@*METHODS@#This study is a prospective single-arm phase Ⅲ clinical study. Pediatric patients with SMA type Ⅱ and Ⅲ who visited Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from December 2020 to June 2022 were enrolled. All patients were evaluated with motor function scales, pulmonary function test and drug safety before study. Patients were treated with salbutamol tablets orally, with an initial dose of 1 mg (tid). If tolerable, the dose was increased to 1.5 mg (tid) in the second week, then increased to 2 mg (tid) from the third week and maintained for 6 months. Patients were followed up at 1, 3 and 6 months of treatment.@*RESULTS@#Twenty-six patients were enrolled, including 10 boys and 16 girls. There were 16 cases of SMA type Ⅱ and 10 cases of type Ⅲ with age at treatment initiation of 5.67 (3.13, 7.02) years and disease duration of 2.54 (1.31, 4.71) years. The Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE) scores were increased from 14.0 (6.5, 43.0) before treatment to 26.0 (15.0, 46.5) after treatment (Z=－4.144, P<0.01) in 25 cases. The Revised Upper Limb Module Scale scores were increased from 33.0 (25.5, 36.0) before treatment to 35.0 (31.0, 36.5) after treatment (Z=－2.214, P<0.05) in 9 cases. In 7 ambulant children with SMA type Ⅲ, the six minutes walking distance was increased by 30 (15, 52) m after a 6-month treatment (Z=－2.366, P<0.05). Compared with the baseline pulmonary functions the patients showed a significant increase in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) in 15 cases after treatment (all P<0.05). According to patients and caregivers subjective reporting, there were various degrees of improvement in coughing, sputum production ability and exercise endurance. No serious adverse events were observed during the study.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Short-term oral administration of salbutamol may improve motor and pulmonary functions in later-onset SMA children with good safety.

Analysis of the clinical effect of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with transpedicular bone grafting in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous screw fixation combined with minimally invasive transpedicular bone grafting and non-bone grafting in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.@*METHODS@#From Janury 2021 to June 2022, 40 patients with thoracolumbar fracture were divided into the experimental group and the control group. There were 26 patients in the experimental group, including 21 males and 5 females with an aberage age of (47.3±12.3) years old, who underwent percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with transpedicular autogenous bone grafting. In the control group, 14 patients received percutaneous pedicle screw fixation only. including 7 makes and 7 females with an average age of (50.2±11.2) years old. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, anterior height ratio of injured vertebrae, Cobb angle, visual analogue score (VAS), MacNab scores, loosening or broken of the implants. were compared and analyzed.@*RESULTS@#There was no significant difference in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, VAS and anterior height ratio of injured vertebrae between the two groups. Compared with the preoperative results, VAS and anterior height ratio of injured vertebrae were improved statistically(P<0.05). For Cobb angle of injured vertebra, there was no significant difference between the two groups before surgery (P=0.766). While at 1 week, 3 months and 12 months after surgery, there were statistically differences between the two groups (P values were 0.042, 0.007 and 0.039, respectively). The Cobb angle of injured vertebrae one year after operation was statistically decreased in both groups compared with that before surgery (P<0.001). One year after surgery, the excellent and good rate of Macnab scores was 96.15% in the experimental group and 92.86% in the control group, and there was no statistical differences between the two groups (P=0.648). There was one patient in the control group suffering superficial wound infection on the third day, which was cured by dressing change and anti-infection treatment. There were no postoperative screw loosening and broken in both groups.@*CONCLUSION@#The two surgical methods have the advantages of less trauma, less pain and quicker recovery, which can restore the height of the injured vertebra, reconstruct the spinal sequence and reduce the fracture of the vertebral body. Transpedicular autogenous bone grafting can increase the stability of the fractured vertebra and maintain the height of the vertebra better after surgery, thus reducing the possibility of complications such as kyphosis, screw loosening and broken.

Building bioorthogonal click-release capable artificial receptors on cancer cell surface for imaging, drug targeting and delivery

The current targeting drug delivery mainly relies on cancer cell surface receptors. However, in many cases, binding affinities between protein receptors and homing ligands is relatively low and the expression level between cancer and normal cells is not significant. Distinct from conventional targeting strategies, we have developed a general cancer targeting platform by building artificial receptor on cancer cell surface via a chemical remodeling of cell surface glycans. A new tetrazine (Tz) functionalized chemical receptor has been designed and efficiently installed on cancer cell surface as "overexpressed" biomarker through a metabolic glycan engineering. Different from the reported bioconjugation for drug targeting, the tetrazine labeled cancer cells not only locally activate TCO-caged prodrugs but also release active drugs via the unique bioorthogonal Tz-TCO click-release reaction. The studies have demonstrated that the new drug targeting strategy enables local activation of prodrug, which ultimately leads to effective and safe cancer therapy.

Effect of Synergistic Treatment with Qingjin Huazhuo Formula （清金化浊方） on Thrombotic Events in Hospitalized Patients of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Phlegm Heat Stasis Obstructing in the Lung Syndrome： A Retrospective Cohort Study / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the effect and possible mechanism of the synergistic treatment with Qingjin Huazhuo Formula （清金化浊方， QHF） on the occurrence of thrombotic events in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （AECOPD） and phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung syndrome. MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study， 305 AECOPD inpatients with the syndrome of phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung were included. According to whether using QHF （the course of treatment ≥ 7 days）， they were divided into the exposure group （193 cases） and the non-exposure group （112 cases）. Totally， 109 pairs of cases were obtained by 1∶1 propensity score matching （PSM）. After matching， the occurrence of thrombotic events during hospitalization， the remission of main symptoms or signs （including cough， expectoration， wheezing， cyanosis） after 10 days （±3 days） of treatment， and the difference of the indicators including D-dimer， percentage of neutrophils （NEUT%）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， arterial partial pressure of oxygen （PaO2）， and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO2） before treatment and after 10 days （±3 days） of treatment during the first auxiliary examination. ResultsAfter matching， the incidence of thrombotic events during hospitalization in the exposure group （5 cases， 4.59%） were lower than that of the non-exposure group （15 cases， 13.76%， P＜0.05）. The exposure factor that taking QHF for 7 days or above was a protective factor for thrombotic events in AECOPD hospitalized patients with phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung syndrome （RR = 0.333， 95% CI 0.126 to 0.885）. The remission rates of cough （100/109， 91.74%）， expectoration （103/109， 94.50%）， wheezing （102/109， 93.58%）， and cyanosis （97/109， 88.99%） in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in the non-exposure group （90/109， 82.57%； 94/109， 86.24%； 89/109， 81.65%； 86/109， 78.90%） after treatment （P＜0.05）. After treatment， the levels of D-dimer， NEUT%， CRP and PaCO2 in both groups significantly decreased （all P＜0.05）， and the level of PaO2 significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The difference of the levels of D-dimer， NEUT% and PaO2 in the exposure group before and after treatment were larger than those in the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）， while the pre-post difference of CRP and PaCO2 were not significantly different between the two groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionThe synergistic treatment with QHF can effectively reduce the occurrence of thrombotic events， alleviate the clinical symptoms or signs such as cough， expectoration， wheezing， and cyanosis， and can improve lung function in hospita-lized patients with AECOPD and phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung syndrome. Its mechanism may be related to improving blood coagulation and inflammatory status.

Knowledge graph analysis of pyroptosis research in traditional Chinese medicine based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace / 中国中药杂志

To explore the research hotspots and frontier directions of pyroptosis in the field of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the authors searched CNKI and Web of Science for literature related to pyroptosis in TCM, screened literature according to the search strategy and inclusion criteria, and analyzed the publication trend of the included literature. VOSviewer was used to draw author cooperation and keyword co-occurrence network diagrams, and CiteSpace was employed for keyword clustering, emergence, and timeline view. Finally, 507 Chinese literature and 464 English literature were included, and it was found that the number of Chinese and English literature was increasing rapidly year by year. The co-occurrence of the authors showed that in terms of Chinese literature, there was a representative research team composed of DU Guan-hua, WANG Shou-bao and FANG Lian-hua, and for English literature, the representative research team was composed of XIAO Xiao-he, BAI Zhao-fang and XU Guang. The network visualization of Chinese and English keywords revealed that inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, organ damage, fibrosis, atherosclerosis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury were the primary research diseases and pathological processes in TCM; berberine, resveratrol, puerarin, na-ringenin, astragaloside Ⅳ, and baicalin were the representative active ingredients; NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD, TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3, and p38/MAPK signaling pathways were the main research pathways. Keyword clustering, emergence, and timeline analysis indicated that the pyroptosis research in TCM focused on the mechanism of TCM monomers and compounds intervening in diseases and pathological processes. Pyroptosis is a research hotspot in the area of TCM, and the current discussion mainly focuses on the mechanism of the therapeutic effect of TCM.

Regulation of ischemic stroke by circadian rhythm and intervention by traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Circadian rhythm is an internal regulatory mechanism formed in organisms in response to the circadian periodicity in the environment, which modulates the pathophysiological events, occurrence and development of diseases, and the response to treatment in mammals. It significantly influences the susceptibility, injury, and recovery of ischemic stroke, and the response to therapy. Accumulating evidence indicates that circadian rhythms not only regulate the important physiological factors of ischemic stroke events, such as blood pressure and coagulation-fibrinolysis system, but also participate in the immuno-inflammatory reaction mediated by glial cells and peripheral immune cells after ischemic injury and the regulation of neurovascular unit(NVU). This article aims to link molecular, cellular, and physiological pathways in circadian biology to the clinical consequences of ischemic stroke and to illustrate the impact of circadian rhythms on ischemic stroke pathogenesis, the regulation of NVU, and the immuno-inflammatory responses. The regulation of circadian rhythm by traditional Chinese medicine is reviewed, and the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine intervention in circadian rhythm is summarized to provide a reasonable and valuable reference for the follow-up traditional Chinese medicine research and molecular mechanism research of circadian rhythm.

Research progress on the effects and mechanisms of electroacupuncture on radiation-induced brain injury / 生理学报

Radiation-induced brain injury is a serious complication after cranio-cerebral radiotherapy, which affects the patient's quality of life and survival. A large number of studies have shown that various mechanisms such as neuronal apoptosis, blood-brain barrier damage, and synaptic dysfunction may be related to radiation-induced brain injury. Acupuncture has an important role in clinical rehabilitation of various brain injuries. As a new type of acupuncture, electroacupuncture has the characteristics of strong control ability, uniform and long-lasting stimulation, and is widely used in clinic. This article reviews the effects and mechanisms of electroacupuncture on radiation-induced brain injury, in order to provide a theoretical basis and experimental support for reasonable clinical application.

Early identification and influencing factors of post-traumatic stress disorder in high-stress rescue workers / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To explore the risk intensity and related influencing factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among high-stress rescue workers, and to provide effective tools for the risk assessment of PTSD in military rescue workers. Method: From June to August 2022, cluster sampling was used to select the high-stress rescue personnel of an Army department as the survey subjects. The acute Stress reaction (ASD) scale and PTSD checklist were used to evaluate the risk of PTSD in military rescue personnel. Multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing factors of PTSD. Results: The age of 4 460 subjects was (24.38±4.072) years old, including 4 396 males (98.6%). The positive rate of initial screening for ASD was 2.85% (127/4 460). The positive rate of PTSD was 0.67% (30/4 460). Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that female, older age, recent trauma exposure history, passive smoking and alcohol consumption were at higher risk of ASD, the values of OR (95%CI) were 4.183 (1.819-9.618), 6.278 (1.363-28.912), 3.094 (1.500-6.379), 2.059 (1.298-3.267) and 2.607 (1.614-4.211), respectively; Lower education level was associated with lower risk of ASD, OR (95%CI) was 0.593 (0.359-0.978); People who are older, thinner, have a history of mental illness, and drink alcohol were at higher risk for PTSD, the values of OR (95%CI) were 20.144 (2.459-165.043), 10.287 (2.218-47.700), 91.104 (8.592-965.980) and 2.866 (1.144-7.180), respectively. Conclusion: Gender, age, education level, passive smoking, alcohol consumption, past history of mental illness and body mass index may be related to the potential risk of PTSD in rescue workers,passive smoking, alcohol consumption, and weight controlling should be focused on to reduce potential risks of PTSD.

Latent period and incubation period with associated factors of COVID-19 caused by Omicron variant / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To estimate the latent period and incubation period of Omicron variant infections and analyze associated factors. Methods: From January 1 to June 30, 2022, 467 infections and 335 symptomatic infections in five local Omicron variant outbreaks in China were selected as the study subjects. The latent period and incubation period were estimated by using log-normal distribution and gamma distribution models, and the associated factors were analyzed by using the accelerated failure time model (AFT). Results: The median (Q1, Q3) age of 467 Omicron infections including 253 males (54.18%) was 26 (20, 39) years old. There were 132 asymptomatic infections (28.27%) and 335 (71.73%) symptomatic infections. The mean latent period of 467 Omicron infections was 2.65 (95%CI: 2.53-2.78) days, and 98% of infections were positive for nucleic acid test within 6.37 (95%CI: 5.86-6.82) days after infection. The mean incubation period of 335 symptomatic infections was 3.40 (95%CI: 3.25-3.57) days, and 97% of them developed clinical symptoms within 6.80 (95%CI: 6.34-7.22) days after infection. The results of the AFT model analysis showed that compared with the group aged 18-49 years old, the latent period [exp(β)=1.36 (95%CI: 1.16-1.60), P<0.001] and incubation period [exp(β)=1.24 (95%CI: 1.07-1.45), P=0.006] of infections aged 0-17 years old were prolonged. The latent period [exp(β)=1.38 (95%CI: 1.17-1.63), P<0.001] and the incubation period [exp(β)=1.26 (95%CI: 1.06-1.48), P=0.007] of infections aged 50 years old and above were also prolonged. Conclusion: The latent period and incubation period of most Omicron infections are within 7 days, and age may be a influencing factor of the latent period and incubation period.

Latent period and incubation period with associated factors of COVID-19 caused by Omicron variant / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To estimate the latent period and incubation period of Omicron variant infections and analyze associated factors. Methods: From January 1 to June 30, 2022, 467 infected persons and 335 confirmed cases in five local Omicron variant outbreaks in China were selected as the study subjects. The latent period and incubation period were estimated by using log-normal distribution and gamma distribution models, and the associated factors were analyzed by using the accelerated failure time model (AFT). Results: The median (Q1, Q3) age of 467 Omicron infections including 253 males (54.18%) was 26 (20, 39) years old. There were 132 asymptomatic infections (28.27%) and 335 (71.73%) symptomatic infections. The mean latent period of 467 Omicron infections was 2.65 (95%CI: 2.53-2.78) days, and 98% of infections were positive for nucleic acid detection within 6.37 (95%CI: 5.86-6.82) days after infection. The mean incubation period of 335 symptomatic infections was 3.40 (95%CI: 3.25-3.57) days, and 97% of them developed clinical symptoms within 6.80 (95%CI: 6.34-7.22) days after infection. The results of the AFT model analysis showed that compared with the group aged 18~49 years old, the latent period [exp(β)=1.36 (95%CI: 1.16-1.60), P<0.001] and incubation period [exp(β)=1.24 (95%CI: 1.07-1.45), P=0.006] of infections aged 0~17 year old were also prolonged. The latent period [exp(β)=1.38 (95%CI: 1.17-1.63), P<0.001] and the incubation period [exp(β)=1.26 (95%CI: 1.06-1.48), P=0.007] of infections aged 50 years old and above were also prolonged. Conclusion: The latent period and incubation period of most Omicron infections are within 7 days, and age may be the influencing factor of the latent period and incubation period.

Research Progress of CXCR4-Targeting Radioligands for Oncologic Imaging

C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) plays a key role in various physiological functions, such as immune processes and disease development, and can influence angiogenesis, proliferation, and distant metastasis in tumors. Recently, several radioligands, including peptides, small molecules, and nanoclusters, have been developed to target CXCR4 for diagnostic purposes, thereby providing new diagnostic strategies based on CXCR4. Herein, we focus on the recent research progress of CXCR4-targeting radioligands for tumor diagnosis. We discuss their application in the diagnosis of hematological tumors, such as lymphomas, multiple myelomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemias, and myeloproliferative tumors, as well as nonhematological tumors, including tumors of the esophagus, breast, and central nervous system. Additionally, we explored the theranostic applications of CXCR4-targeting radioligands in tumors. Targeting CXCR4 using nuclear medicine shows promise as a method for tumor diagnosis, and further research is warranted to enhance its clinical applicability.

Therapeutic effect of ursodeoxycholic acid-berberine supramolecular nanoparticles on ulcerative colitis based on supramolecular system induced by weak bond / 中国中药杂志

Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a recurrent, intractable inflammatory bowel disease. Coptidis Rhizoma and Bovis Calculus, serving as heat-clearing and toxin-removing drugs, have long been used in the treatment of UC. Berberine(BBR) and ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), the main active components of Coptidis Rhizoma and Bovis Calculus, respectively, were employed to obtain UDCA-BBR supramolecular nanoparticles by stimulated co-decocting process for enhancing the therapeutic effect on UC. As revealed by the characterization of supramolecular nanoparticles by field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) and dynamic light scattering(DLS), the supramolecular nanoparticles were tetrahedral nanoparticles with an average particle size of 180 nm. The molecular structure was described by ultraviolet spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and hydrogen-nuclear magnetic resonance(H-NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the formation of the supramolecular nano-particle was attributed to the mutual electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interaction between BBR and UDCA. Additionally, supramolecular nanoparticles were also characterized by sustained release and pH sensitivity. The acute UC model was induced by dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) in mice. It was found that supramolecular nanoparticles could effectively improve body mass reduction and colon shortening in mice with UC(P<0.001) and decrease disease activity index(DAI)(P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences between the supramolecular nanoparticles group and the mechanical mixture group(P<0.001, P<0.05). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6), and the results showed that supramolecular nanoparticles could reduce serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels(P<0.001) and exhibited an obvious difference with the mechanical mixture group(P<0.01, P<0.05). Flow cytometry indicated that supramolecular nanoparticles could reduce the recruitment of neutrophils in the lamina propria of the colon(P<0.05), which was significantly different from the mechanical mixture group(P<0.05). These findings suggested that as compared with the mechanical mixture, the supramolecular nanoparticles could effectively improve the symptoms of acute UC in mice. The study provides a new research idea for the poor absorption of small molecules and the unsatisfactory therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine and lays a foundation for the research on the nano-drug delivery system of traditional Chinese medicine.

Ketogenic diet improves low temperature tolerance in mice by up-regulating PPARα in the liver and brown adipose tissue / 生理学报

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of short-term ketogenic diet on the low temperature tolerance of mice and the involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα). C57BL/6J mice were divided into two groups: normal diet (WT+ND) group and ketogenic diet (WT+KD) group. After being fed with normal or ketogenic diet at room temperature for 2 d, the mice were exposed to 4 °C low temperature for 12 h. The changes in core temperature, blood glucose, blood pressure of mice under low temperature condition were detected, and the protein expression levels of PPARα and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) were detected by Western blot. PPARα knockout mice were divided into normal diet (PPARα-/-+ND) group and ketogenic diet (PPARα-/-+KD) group. After being fed with the normal or ketogenic diet at room temperature for 2 d, the mice were exposed to 4 °C low temperature for 12 h. The above indicators were also detected. The results showed that, at room temperature, the protein expression levels of PPARα and UCP1 in liver and brown adipose tissue of WT+KD group were significantly up-regulated, compared with those of WT+ND group. Under low temperature condition, compared with WT+ND, the core temperature and blood glucose of WT+KD group were increased, while mean arterial pressure was decreased; The ketogenic diet up-regulated PPARα protein expression in brown adipose tissue, as well as UCP1 protein expression in liver and brown adipose tissue of WT+KD group. Under low temperature condition, compared to WT+ND group, PPARα-/-+ND group exhibited decreased core temperature and down-regulated PPARα and UCP1 protein expression levels in liver, skeletal muscle, white and brown adipose tissue. Compared to the PPARα-/-+ND group, the PPARα-/-+KD group exhibited decreased core temperature and did not show any difference in the protein expression of UCP1 in liver, skeletal muscle, white and brown adipose tissue. These results suggest that the ketogenic diet promotes UCP1 expression by up-regulating PPARα, thus improving low temperature tolerance of mice. Therefore, short-term ketogenic diet can be used as a potential intervention to improve the low temperature tolerance.