Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that severely affects the health of the elderly, marked by its incurability, high prevalence, and extended latency period. The current approach to AD prevention and treatment emphasizes early detection and intervention, particularly during the pre-AD stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which provides an optimal “window of opportunity” for intervention. Clinical detection methods for MCI, such as cerebrospinal fluid monitoring, genetic testing, and imaging diagnostics, are invasive and costly, limiting their broad clinical application. Speech, as a vital cognitive output, offers a new perspective and tool for computer-assisted analysis and screening of cognitive decline. This is because elderly individuals with cognitive decline exhibit distinct characteristics in semantic and audio information, such as reduced lexical richness, decreased speech coherence and conciseness, and declines in speech rate, voice rhythm, and hesitation rates. The objective presence of these semantic and audio characteristics lays the groundwork for computer-based screening of cognitive decline. Speech information is primarily sourced from databases or collected through tasks involving spontaneous speech, semantic fluency, and reading, followed by analysis using computer models. Spontaneous language tasks include dialogues/interviews, event descriptions, narrative recall, and picture descriptions. Semantic fluency tasks assess controlled retrieval of vocabulary items, requiring participants to extract information at the word level during lexical search. Reading tasks involve participants reading a passage aloud. Summarizing past research, the speech characteristics of the elderly can be divided into two major categories: semantic information and audio information. Semantic information focuses on the meaning of speech across different tasks, highlighting differences in vocabulary and text content in cognitive impairment. Overall, discourse pragmatic disorders in AD can be studied along three dimensions: cohesion, coherence, and conciseness. Cohesion mainly examines the use of vocabulary by participants, with a reduction in the use of nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives in AD patients. Coherence assesses the ability of participants to maintain topics, with a decrease in the number of subordinate clauses in AD patients. Conciseness evaluates the information density of participants, with AD patients producing shorter texts with less information compared to normal elderly individuals. Audio information focuses on acoustic features that are difficult for the human ear to detect. There is a significant degradation in temporal parameters in the later stages of cognitive impairment; AD patients require more time to read the same paragraph, have longer vocalization times, and produce more pauses or silent parts in their spontaneous speech signals compared to normal individuals. Researchers have extracted audio and speech features, developing independent systems for each set of features, achieving an accuracy rate of 82% for both, which increases to 86% when both types of features are combined, demonstrating the advantage of integrating audio and speech information. Currently, deep learning and machine learning are the main methods used for information analysis. The overall diagnostic accuracy rate for AD exceeds 80%, and the diagnostic accuracy rate for MCI also exceeds 80%, indicating significant potential. Deep learning techniques require substantial data support, necessitating future expansion of database scale and continuous algorithm upgrades to transition from laboratory research to practical product implementation.

Given that ovarian stimulation is vital for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and results in elevated serum estrogen levels, exploring the impact of elevated estrogen exposure on oocytes and embryos is necessary. We investigated the effects of various ovarian stimulation treatments on oocyte and embryo morphology and gene expression using a mouse model and estrogen-treated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to two types of conventional ovarian stimulation and ovarian hyperstimulation; mice treated with only normal saline served as controls. Hyperstimulation resulted in high serum estrogen levels, enlarged ovaries, an increased number of aberrant oocytes, and decreased embryo formation. The messenger RNA (mRNA)‍-sequencing of oocytes revealed the dysregulated expression of lysine-specific demethylase 6b (Kdm6b), which may be a key factor indicating hyperstimulation-induced aberrant oocytes and embryos. In vitro, Kdm6b expression was downregulated in mESCs treated with high-dose estrogen; treatment with an estrogen receptor antagonist could reverse this downregulated expression level. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose estrogen resulted in the upregulated expression of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX). Notably, knockdown of Kdm6b and high estrogen levels hindered the formation of embryoid bodies, with a concomitant increase in the expression of H3K27me3 and γ-H2AX. Collectively, our findings revealed that hyperstimulation-induced high-dose estrogen could impair the demethylation of H3K27me3 by reducing Kdm6b expression. Accordingly, Kdm6b could be a promising marker for clinically predicting ART outcomes in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Female ; Mice ; Demethylation/drug effects* ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Estrogens/administration & dosage* ; Gene Expression/drug effects* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oocytes ; Ovary/drug effects* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Animals

Recent data suggest that vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor (VEGFRi) can enhance the anti-tumor activity of the anti-programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1) antibody in colorectal cancer (CRC) with microsatellite stability (MSS). However, the comparison between this combination and standard third-line VEGFRi treatment is not performed, and reliable biomarkers are still lacking. We retrospectively enrolled MSS CRC patients receiving anti-PD-1 antibody plus VEGFRi (combination group, n=54) or VEGFRi alone (VEGFRi group, n=32), and their efficacy and safety were evaluated. We additionally examined the immune characteristics of the MSS CRC tumor microenvironment (TME) through single-cell and spatial transcriptomic data, and an MSS CRC immune cell-related signature (MCICRS) that can be used to predict the clinical outcomes of MSS CRC patients receiving immunotherapy was developed and validated in our in-house cohort. Compared with VEGFRi alone, the combination of anti-PD-1 antibody and VEGFRi exhibited a prolonged survival benefit (median progression-free survival: 4.4 vs. 2.0 months, P=0.0024; median overall survival: 10.2 vs. 5.2 months, P=0.0038) and a similar adverse event incidence. Through single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analysis, we determined ten MSS CRC-enriched immune cell types and their spatial distribution, including naive CD4⁺ T, regulatory CD4⁺ T, CD4⁺ Th17, exhausted CD8⁺ T, cytotoxic CD8⁺ T, proliferated CD8⁺ T, natural killer (NK) cells, plasma, and classical and intermediate monocytes. Based on a systemic meta-analysis and ten machine learning algorithms, we obtained MCICRS, an independent risk factor for the prognosis of MSS CRC patients. Further analyses demonstrated that the low-MCICRS group presented a higher immune cell infiltration and immune-related pathway activation, and hence a significant relation with the superior efficacy of pan-cancer immunotherapy. More importantly, the predictive value of MCICRS in MSS CRC patients receiving immunotherapy was also validated with an in-house cohort. Anti-PD-1 antibody combined with VEGFRi presented an improved clinical benefit in MSS CRC with manageable toxicity. MCICRS could serve as a robust and promising tool to predict clinical outcomes for individual MSS CRC patients receiving immunotherapy.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Male ; Female ; Immunotherapy ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Tumor Microenvironment/immunology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Microsatellite Instability ; Transcriptome ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/immunology* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Adult ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor/antagonists & inhibitors*

OBJECTIVE To study the difference of Huangqin decoction combined with Paeoniae Radix Alba(BS) and Paeoniae Radix Rubra(CS)'s effect on ulcerative colitis(UC) based on network pharmacological analysis and animal experiment. METHODS The active constituents of BS and CS were retrieved from TCMSP database and literature, and the potential target was predicted by Swiss Target Prediction. Ulcerative Colitis was used as key words to search disease targets in DisGenet, OMIM, and Genecard databases. The intersection target was obtained by Venny 2.1.0. Cytoscape 3.7.2 software was used to construct network of drug-consumption targets. The STRING platform was used for protein-protein interaction(PPI) network analysis, and Metascape database was applied for GO/WIKI analysis. A dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) induced UC mouse model was established to compare the anti-UC effects of Huangqing decoction combined with BS(HQT-BS) and CS(HQT-CS), respectively. RESULTS There were 7 active components of HQT-BS and 11 active components of HQT-CS in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, respectively, 5 of which were the same. There were 146 and 157 targets respectively, 106 of which were the same. The core targets of HQT-BS were SRC, HSP90AA1, and PIK3R1, while the core targets of HQT-CS were SRC, HSP90AA1, and STAT3. WIKI enrichment analysis showed that several signaling pathways were shared by both BS and CS, such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, Notch signaling pathway. EGF/EGFR signaling pathway was the specific pathway related to BS, while Nuclear receptors meta-pathway and Kit receptor signaling pathway were the specific pathways related to CS, respectively. Animal experiments showed that both HQT-BS and HQT-CS could significantly improve colon shortening and tissue pathological alternation induced by DSS. However, HQT-CS was more effective in reducing the expression of interleukin-6 and neurogenic locus notch homolog protein1. CONCLUSION Both HQT-BS and HQT-CS have anti-UC effect, and HQT-CS is the better one.

OBJECTIVE To explore the moisture and components change law of Peucedani Radix slices during microwave vacuum drying, and effectively improve the drying efficiency and slice quality of Peucedani Radix slices, by carring out drying characteristics analysis and simulation of Peucedani Radix Slices during microwave vacuum drying. METHODS Microwave vacuum drying experiments of Peucedani Radix slices under different drying conditions (microwave power density, vacuum degree and slice thickness) were carried out. The changes of moisture ratio and drying rate during drying process were studied. The contents of three coumarin ingredients (praeruptorin A, praeruptorin B and praeruptorin E) in dried Peucedani Radix slices were determined by HPLC. Weibull function was used to simulate and analyze the moisture ratio curve during drying process. RESULTS Microwave vacuum drying process of Peucedani Radix slices has three stages: acceleration, constant speed and deceleration. Compared with vacuum degree and slice thickness, increasing microwave power density could shorten drying time and improve drying efficiency more effectively. In the range of experimental parameters, the optimum drying conditions were as follows: microwave power density was 3.0 W·g–1, vacuum degree was 800 Pa, and slice thickness was 2 mm. The changes of all drying conditions had no significant effect on the content of coumarins in dried Peucedani Radix slices. The results of Weibull function simulation and analysis showed that the scale parameters under different drying conditions ranged from 17.43 to 45.38, and the smaller the value, the shorter the drying time. The shape parameters ranged from 1.41 to 1.77 and were all greater than 1, indicating that the drying process was controlled by internal and external water diffusion. CONCLUSION The research work not only provides important theoretical basis and technical support for the process improvement and quality control of microwave vacuum drying process of Peucedani Radix slices, but also provides important reference for the standardization of Peucedani Radix slices drying and the formation of quality characteristics.

The aim of this study was to investigate the virulence determinants and genetic diversity of foodborne Yersinia enterocolitica from Wenzhou.A total of 71 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica were isolated from food and foodborne diarrhea ca-ses in Wenzhou,and their biotypes,serotypes,and drug resistance were analyzed.On the basis of whole genome sequencing,we assessed virulence gene profiles,and performed multilocus sequence typing(MLST)and core gene multilocus sequence typ-ing(cgMLST).A total of 94.4％(67/71)of isolates belonged to biotype 1A,and the highest proportion had serotype lA/O∶5(29.6％,21/71).The sensitivity rates of the isolates to 14 antibiotics exceeded 95.8％.A total of 16 categories and 126 viru-lence genes were identified,with two strains carrying the pYV plasmid and chromosome-related virulence genes.ST3(31.6％,12/38)was the most widespread MLST type,and cgMLST analysis revealed no dense clusters of genotypes except for strains sharing the same ST.In conclusion,pathogenic strains were identified from foodborne Yersinia enterocolitica in Wenzhou and were found to exhibit high genetic polymorphism.Enhanced regulatory supervision is essential to prevent the outbreak of food-borne diseases caused by Yersinia enterocolitica.

Purpose To explore the value of CT-based radiomics in the preoperative prediction of lymphatic invasion of node-negative gastric cancer,and to construct a nomogram combined with clinical variables.Materials and Methods The clinical and CT imaging data of 173 gastric cancer patients with lymph node negative and pathologically confirmed gastric cancer in the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from January 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 60 cases with lymphovascular invasion(LVI)positive patients and 113 cases with LVI negative patients were included,and randomly divided into train cohort(n=121)and test cohort(n=52)at 7∶3.Based on the train cohort,the clinical model,the radiomics model,the fusion model were constructed and verified in the test cohort.Clinical data and conventional CT features included age,gender,tumor marker,tumor location,tumor morphology,enhancement range,etc.The clinical significant variables were selected through univariate and multivariate analysis to establish the clinical model.The tumor regions of interest were segmented and radiomics features were extracted by using the 3D-Slicer software.Key features were screened through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis,and then the radiomics model was constructed with random forest algorithm,and converted to random forest score(RF score).The fusion model was constructed via combining clinical significant variables and RF score,and visualized as a nomogram.The receiver operator characteristic curve and area under curve(AUC)were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the models.Decision curve analysis was used to calculate the clinical practicability.Results The radiomics model was superior to the clinical model.The radiomics model AUC of the train cohort and the test cohort were 0.872(0.810 to 0.935)and 0.827(0.707 to 0.947),the clinical model AUC were 0.767(0.682 to 0.852)and 0.761(0.610 to 0.913).The nomogram further improved the predictive efficiency,the AUC in train cohort and test cohort reached 0.898(0.842 to 0.953)and 0.844(0.717 to 0.971),respectively.Decision curve analysis demonstrated clinical benefits of nomogram.Conclusion The radiomics model can be used to preoperatively predict LVI of node-negative gastric cancer.The nomogram can further improve the prediction efficiency.

Objective To evaluate the effects of puerarin on bone density in rats and mice through a meta-analysis. Methods The databases, including CNKI, SinoMed, Wanfang data, VIP, PubMed, EMBase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus from their inception to November 6, 2023, were searched for literature on the effects of puerarin treatment on bone density in rats and mice. Inclusion criteria for the literature were randomized controlled trials with a placebo or blank control group; the subject animals were rats or mice; the intervention was puerarin; and the results included bone density measurements. Exclusion criteria included combination therapy with puerarin; lack of original research data; unpublished studies; and using mandible as the measurement site for bone density. Risks of bias were assessed using SYRCLE's RoB tool. Data analysis was conducted with Stata 16.0 and Rev Man 5.3 software. Results After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 429 records were identified and 42 articles covering 41 studies were ultimately included. 925 animals were involved and the data analysis results indicated that puerarin improved bone density in rats and mice compared to the control group: femur [37 studies, n=824, standardized mean difference （SMD)=2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.69-2.54, P < 0.000 1], lumbar spine (13 studies, n=271, SMD=2.25, 95% CI=1.49-3.01, P < 0.000 1), tibia (4 studies, n=95, SMD=0.94, 95% CI=0.05-1.83, P=0.04), and the whole body (4 studies, n=94, SMD=1.89, 95% CI=0.50-3.29, P=0.008), with all inter-group differences in bone density being statistically significant. Conclusion Puerarin can improve bone density in rats and mice. This study provides a valuable reference for clinical studies on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis with puerarin.

BACKGROUND:Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant extracted from plants.Its mechanism of improving exercise-induced fatigue mainly focuses on the protective effect against oxidative stress and inflammation.In this study,the protective mechanism of resveratrol on exercise-induced fatigue was mainly discussed from the perspective of gluconeogenesis. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of resveratrol on gluconeogenesis in exercise-induced fatigue rats. METHODS:After 1 week of adaptive training,male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 12 rats in each group:blank control group,resveratrol group,exercise group,resveratrol + exercise group.Weight-bearing swimming training was used to simulate long-term medium-high intensity exercise.After swimming with a weight of 5%for 1 hour every day,50 mg/kg resveratrol solution or the same volume of dimethyl sulfoxide solvent were given orally,6 days a week,for a total of 6 weeks.Samples were collected 24 hours after the last exercise,and the levels of urea nitrogen,creatine kinase,blood glucose,liver glycogen and lactic acid and pyruvate in liver tissue were detected by the kit.The activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was detected by microassay,and the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the gene expression of silent information regulator 1,cAMP-response element binding protein and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the exercise group,plasma urea nitrogen and creatine kinase levels of rats were significantly increased(both P<0.05),liver lactate and pyruvate levels and lactate/pyruvate ratio were significantly increased(all P<0.01),and blood glucose and liver glycogen contents were significantly decreased(both P<0.01).Resveratrol supplementation could effectively improve the above conditions.Exercise significantly decreased the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase(P<0.01,P<0.05),and resveratrol supplementation significantly increased the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in liver tissue(P<0.01).The mRNA expression levels of silent information regulator 1,cAMP-response element binding protein and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α in liver tissue of the exercise group were significantly decreased(all P<0.01),while resveratrol supplementation could significantly increase the gene expression levels of this pathway.To conclude,resveratrol can relieve exercise-induced fatigue caused by long-term medium-high intensity exercise,and its mechanism may be related to up-regulating the gluconeogenesis regulatory pathway,improving rate-limiting enzyme activity,promoting liver gluconeogenesis,and increasing blood glucose and liver glycogen levels.

Objective:To investigate the safety of early antiplatelet therapy for non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia.Methods:Data of acute ischemic stroke patients with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score≤3 and a platelet count<100×109/L were obtained from a multicenter register.Those who required anticoagulation or had other contraindications to antiplatelet therapy were excluded.Short-term safety outcomes were in-hospital bleeding events,while the long-term safety outcome was a 1-year all-cause death.The short-term neurological outcomes were evaluated by modified Rankin scale(mRS)score at discharge.Results:A total of 1868 non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia were enrolled.Multivariate regression analyses showed that mono-antiplatelet therapy significantly increased the proportion of mRS score of 0-1 at discharge(OR=1.657,95%CI:1.253-2.192,P<0.01)and did not increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage(OR=2.359,95%CI:0.301-18.503,P>0.05),compared with those without antiplatelet therapy.However,dual-antiplatelet therapy did not bring more neurological benefits(OR=0.923,95%CI:0.690-1.234,P>0.05),but increased the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding(OR= 2.837,95%CI:1.311-6.136,P<0.01)compared with those with mono-antiplatelet therapy.For patients with platelet counts≤75×109/L and>90×109/L,antiplatelet therapy significantly improved neurological functional outcomes(both P<0.05).For those with platelet counts(>75-90)×109/L,antiplatelet therapy resulted in a significant improvement of 1-year survival(P<0.05).For patients even with concurrent coagulation abnormalities,mono-antiplatelet therapy did not increase the risk of various types of bleeding(all P>0.05)but improved neurological functional outcomes(all P<0.01).There was no significant difference in the occurrence of bleeding events,1-year all-cause mortality risk,and neurological functional outcomes between aspirin and clopidogrel(all P>0.05).Conclusions:For non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia,antiplatelet therapy remains a reasonable choice.Mono-antiplatelet therapy has the same efficiency as dual-antiplatelet therapy in neurological outcome improvement with lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.