ObjectiveThis study aims to elucidate the potential mechanism of Zuojinwan in improving liver fibrosis through hepatic tissue metabolomics analysis. MethodsTwenty-four mice were randomly allocated into normal group， model group ， positive drug group （silymarin， 100 mg·kg^-1）， and Zuojinwan group （Zuojinwan solution， 2.5 g·kg^-1）， with per group six mice. Liver fibrosis model was induced via intraperitoneal injection of olive oil solution with 10% carbon tetrachloride （CCl₄） （0.5 μL·g^-1， three times weekly for 8 weeks） in all groups except the normal group. During the final 4 weeks， the silymarin group received silymarin （100 mg·kg^-1） by gavage thrice weekly， while the Zuojinwan group was administered Zuojinwan solution （2.5 g·kg^-1） under the same regimen. After the last administration， the levels of liver fibrosis indicators and liver injury markers in serum were detected. The pathological morphological changes of the liver tissues were observed. The levels of liver fibrosis markers α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） and Collagen Ⅰ（ColⅠ） were detected. Metabolomics was analyzed on mice's liver tissues. The mice's serum was collected for metabolomics analysis. ResultsCompared with the model group， Zuojinwan significantly improved indicators related to liver fibrosis and liver injury. Compared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly elevated levels of fibrosis markers such as laminin （LN）， hyaluronic acid （HA）， procollagen typeⅢ （PC-Ⅲ）， and type Ⅳ Collagen （Ⅳ-C）， while liver injury indicators such as alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alkaline phosphatase （ALP）， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， and total bilirubin （TBIL）， exhibited a marked upward trend （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the silymarin group showed a significant decrease in the aforementioned indicators （P<0.05）. Notably， compared with the model group， the Zuojinwan group exhibited a significant reduction in all these indicators （P<0.05）， with efficacy comparable to that of the silymarin group. Zuojinwan reduced mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA and ColⅠ in the liver tissue. Metabolomics results revealed that compared with the model group， Zuojiinwan significantly reduced levels of glucose metabolism-related metabolites such as D-fructose 1，6-bisphosphate （FBP）， nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH）， sodium beta-D-fructose 6-phosphate （F6P）， dihydroxyacetone phosphate （DHAP）， fumaric acid， and D-glucose 6-phosphate （G6P） （P<0.05）. Serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect glucose metabolism indicators and further validate the regulatory effect of Zuojinwan on glucose metabolism. ConclusionThese results suggest that Zuojinwan may improve liver fibrosis by regulating the dysregulated levels of glucose metabolism during the progression of liver fibrosis.

ObjectiveHistorically documented Zhejiang Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma（Baizhu） possesses premium characteristics such as phoenix-like head and crane-like neck， pronounced sweetness， and fragrant aroma. However， its current market circulation is low， and the processed products with Zhejiang-style characteristics are at the risk of being lost. This study aims to preserve the ancient Zhejiang-style processing techniques and evaluate them using modern scientific methods. MethodsMultidimensional intelligent sensory evaluation was used to digitally characterize the "quality-structure" of the external appearance of nine-steamed and nine-processed Baizhu medicinal materials（intermediate processed products） and the "odor-taste" of the internal quality of its decoction pieces（slices）， and the appearance parameters were digitally characterized by colorimeter， texture analyzer， electronic nose and electronic tongue， the chemical composition was analyzed via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）. Then， cluster analysis on the differences in odor between the medicinal materials（intermediate processed products） and decoction pieces（slices） of nine-steamed and nine-processed Baizhu was conducted， as well as the differences in taste between water-soluble and alcohol-soluble extracts of the decoction pieces（slices）， and the correlation analysis of chroma value-alcohol-soluble extract content-component response value. ResultsThe nine-steamed and nine-processed Baizhu had a dark brown to black epidermis， a brownish-yellow to brownish-gray cross-section， a slightly tough texture， a faint odor， and a slightly sweet， bitter and pungent taste. Texture analyzer measurements revealed minimal adhesion and maximum recovery in the middle section of the characteristic processed Baizhu， consistent with the processing endpoint of thorough steaming and cooking. The head section showed the highest internal hardness， elasticity and chewiness， indicating a denser texture in this area. The electronic nose sensor could clearly distinguish the difference between the medicinal materials and its decoction pieces， with a more significant clustering effect at 60 ℃ for 30 minutes compared to ambient temperature headspace for 2 hours， highlighting the significant impact of the baking degree before slicing on the quality. The electronic tongue taste signal map clearly distinguished the differences between water-soluble and alcohol-soluble extracts of nine-steamed and nine-processed Baizhu decoction pieces， and the addition of auxiliary materials during processing could enhance its alcohol-soluble extract content. A total of 82 chemical components were identified in the characteristic processed Baizhu. After processing， the contents of 58 components increased， while 24 components decreased. Correlation analysis revealed significant negative correlations（P<0.01） between ethanol-soluble extract content and colorimetric values of brightness（L^*）， yellow-bule value（b^*）， and total color difference（E^*_ab）. E^*_ab showed marked negative correlations（P<0.05） with the response values of isochlorogenic acid A and C. ConclusionThis study establishes a modern intelligent sensory evaluation model for multidimensional holographic characterization of nine-steamed and nine-processed Baizhu， clarifying the correlation between increased isochlorogenic acid content and the visual color appearance after different steaming cycles， as well as its intrinsic alcohol-soluble extracts. This provides a reference for quality evaluation and processing standards of the Zhejiang-style characteristic processed products.

Objective To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)diagnostic system for computed tomography angiography(CTA)images related to acute aortic syndrome(AAS)and to evaluate its efficacy in diagnosing and differentiating between AAS subtypes.Methods We collected the CTA images of patients diagnosed with aortic dissection(AD),intramural hematoma(IMH),or penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer(PAU)who were treated in the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from June 2016 to June 2022.Based on the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria,2 057 CTA images were selected and extracted.Normal human aorta CTA images served as the control group.The YOLO v7 neural network was used to diagnose and differentiate subgroups of AAS patients in the CTA images,and its diagnostic performance was evaluated.Results The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and total accuracy of the AAS diagnostic system based on the YOLO v7 were 98.72％,83.10％,97.82％,89.40％,and 96.92％,respectively.The total accuracy for differential diagnosis of the subgroups was 85.58％.The total accuracy of diagnosis results was significantly higher than that of differential diagnosis results(P＜0.05).Conclusion The AI-based AAS diagnostic system utilizing YOLO v7 meets the established standards for disease diagnosis.However,further research is warranted involving larger image databases and more advanced deep learning networks to improve the differentiation among AAS subtypes.

Objective:To investigate the effect of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor BMS-1 on LPS-induced inflammation in mouse microg-lia cells(BV-2 cells).Methods:Bv-2 cells were divided into Control group,LPS group and LPS+BMS-1 group.Bv-2 cells in Control group were cultured in DMEM medium for 78 hours,cells in LPS group were stimulated with 100 ng/ml LPS for 6 hours after 72 hours of normal culture,Bv-2 cells in LPS+BMS-1 group were treated with 50 nmol/ml BMS-1 for 72 hours and then stimulated with 100 ng/ml LPS for 6 hours.Expressions of PD-1 and iNOS mRNA in each group were detected by RT-qPCR,and expressions of PD-1 and iNOS protein in microglia were detected by Western blot.Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis in each group.Levels of inflamma-tory cytokines IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α and IL-10 were detected by ELISA.Results:RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that com-pared with Control group,LPS group had significantly increased expression of PD-1 and iNOS(P<0.05).Compared with LPS group,LPS+BMS-1 group had significantly decreased expression of PD-1(P<0.05)and significantly increased expression of iNOS(P<0.05).Flow cytometry showed that compared with Control group,LPS group had a significantly increased in apoptosis of microglia(P<0.000 1).Compared with LPS group,LPS+BMS-1 group had a significantly increased in apoptosis of microglia(P<0.000 1).ELISA results showed that compared with Control group,LPS group had no significantly increased in pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-6(P>0.05),while significantly increased in TNF-α(P<0.000 1)and anti-inflammatory factor IL-10(P<0.000 1).Pro-inflammatory cyto-kine IL-1β in LPS+BMS-1 group was significantly higher than that in LPS group(P=0.000 1),IL-6 and TNF-α were also significantly higher than those in LPS group(P<0.000 1),while anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in LPS+BMS-1 group was significantly lower than that in LPS group(P<0.000 1).Conclusion:BMS-1 can promote LPS-induced inflammatory response or impede the recovery of inflammation,and increase apoptosis of microglia.PD-1/PD-L1 pathway may be a potential therapeutic target for neuroinflammation.

OBJECTIVE To explore the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir(SOF/VEL)combined with or without ribavirin(RBV)in treatment of the patients with genotype 3(GT3)chronic hepatitis C(CHC)and liver cirrhosis.METHODS Totally 230 patients with CT3 CHC and liver cirrhosis who were treated in Traditional Chi-nese Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,Xinjiang Hetian Specialized Hospital of Infectious Diseases and Xinjiang Manasi County People's Hospital from Jun.2018 to Mar.2023 were recruited as the research sub-jects.The clinical curative effects were observed after the subjects were treated with single SOF-VEL or the com-bination with RBV for 12 to 24 weeks.The indexes including high-sensitivity hepatitis C RNA(HCV RNA),blood routine indexes,liver function indexes and noninvasive diagnosis indexes for liver fibrosis were observed,and the sustained virological response 12 weeks after the treatment(SVR12)was analyzed.RESULTS The mean age of the enrolled patients was(42.31±11.18)years old,the male patients accounted for 66.52％,and there were 137 cases of GT3a and 93 cases of GT3b 93,there were 183 cases of CHC,44 cases of compensated cirrhosis(CC)and 3 cases of decompensated cirrhosis(DCC).There were 189 cases of single HCV infection,33 cases of mixed infections of HCV and HIV,6 cases of mixed infections of HBV/HCV and 2 cases of triple infections of HBV/HCV/HIV.The overall SVR12 of the 230 patients was 99.57％,the SVR12 of the GT3a type patients was 100.00％,the GT3b type patients 98.92％.The SVR12 of the patients with CHC,CC and DCC were 99.45％,100.00％and 100.00％,respectively.The SVR12 of the patients with single HCV infection,HCV/HIV infec-tion,HBV/HCV infection and HBV/HCV/HIV were 99.47％,100.00％,100.00％and 100.00％,respective-ly.No patient quit the direct-acting antivirals(DAAs)treatment due to the drug-induced adverse reactions.1 pa-tient had relapse due to irregular administration of DAAs.CONCLUSION The virological response rate is high a-mong the patients with GT3 CHC and liver cirrhosis who are treated with single SOF/VEL or the combination with RBV,with the safety favorable.

Objective To explore the predictive value of ultra-sound(US)combined with multi-sequence MRI in a clinical-deep learning radiomics nomogram(DLRN)for the short-term efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)in patients with triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC).Methods A total of 122 TNBC patients from five hospitals were retrospectively analyzed,and divided into training group(72 cases)and validation group(50 cases).The clinical and pathological data,NAC regimens,and imaging data were collected.The lesions and its surrounding 10-unit voxels from US and MRI images were retained as the region of interest(ROI).Pyradiomics software and a ResNet152 convolutional neural network(CNN)framework were used to extract radiomics and deep learning features to construct a clinical-DLRN with outcome dimension fusion.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and calibration curve were plotted,and five-fold cross-validation decision curve were used to verify the model's clinical effec-tiveness.Results The clinical-DLRN constructed by US combined with multi-sequence MRI showed that area under the curve(AUC)was 0.967[95％confidence interval(CI)0.782-0.967]and accuracy(ACC)was 0.900,respectively.The five-fold cross-validation decision curve showed good generalization,with the highest clinical net benefit between risk thresholds of 0.72 and 0.96.Conclusion The clinical-DLRN integrating US and multi-sequence MRI has the best efficacy in predicting the short-term efficacy of NAC in TNBC patients,which offering potential guidance for personalized TNBC treatment.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is an irreversible sensorineural hearing loss that severely endangers workers’ health, making early screening crucial. This article reviewed the research progress on early screening methods for occupational NIHL, introduced the testing mechanisms of three core screening methods—tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and extended high-frequency audiometry —and summarized their clinical application advantages and limitations. It is proposed that multimodal combined detection (e.g., the combination of tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and extended high-frequency audiometry) can significantly improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of early screening. Meanwhile, future studies with prospective cohort design are encouraged to verify the long-term monitoring value of each method and to strengthen the joint development of screening technologies with cutting-edge approaches such as machine learning, in order to further improve screening efficiency and provide stronger protection for workers’ hearing health.

Objective To investigate the spatiotemporal expression pattern of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4(mGluR4)in the mouse cochlear basilar membrane and its dynamic changes during postnatal development until hair cell synaptic maturation.Methods Ten healthy 3-month-old C57BL/6L wild-type mice(5 males,5 females,25～35 g)were bred to obtain offspring.Cochlear samples from postnatal days 1～30(P1～P30)were analyzed.Frequency-specific auditory brainstem response(ABR)thresholds were measured at 45.2,32.0,22.6,16.0,11.3,8.0,5.6,and 4.0 kHz in P12,P14,P16,P21,and P30 mice.Immunofluorescence assay combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to scan cochlear whole-mount preparations.Spatiotemporal co-localization profiling of mGluR4 and synaptic markers Ctbp2 and Snap25 was observed,and quantitative comparisons of fluorescent puncta density were performed.Results ABR testing revealed undifferentiated waveforms in all P12 mice,while 70%of P14 mice exhibited well-defined Wave I.In P14,P16,P21 and P30,mice undergoing ABR testing,50%failed to exhibit ABR waveforms when stimulated by 45.2 kHz tones,and 87.5%showed no response to 32.0 kHz stimuli.Auditory response thresholds for other frequencies progressively decreased with increasing postnatal age.Immunolocalization demonstrated stronger mGluR4 expression in inner hair cells(IHCs)versus outer hair cells(OHCs).Distinct mGluR4 puncta were observed at IHC presynaptic active zones(co-localized with Snap25)as early as P11,but showed minimal overlap with CtBP2-labeled ribbons.Quantitative analysis revealed significantly higher mGluR4 puncta density at P30 compared to P14 synapses(P<0.05).Conclusion Postnatal upregulation of mGluR4 at IHC synaptic regions correlates with functional maturation.These findings suggest mGluR4 may modulate vesicular exocytosis regulation and exert pharmacological inhibition on glutamate release,potentially influencing synaptic plasticity during auditory pathway refinement.

Objective To investigate the effect of pramlintide,a pancreatic amyloid peptide analog,on learning and memory of Alzheimer's disease(AD)mice through antioxidant stress,and to determine the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.Methods The APP/PS1 mice were divided into a pramlintide treatment group(intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 μmol/L per day for 10 weeks)and an AD group(same dose of PBS),with 5 mice in each group.The learning and memory abilities were detected with water maze test,the pathological changes of the hippocampus were observed with HE staining and immunohistochemistry,the morphological characteristics of dendritic spines in hippocampus were observed after Golgi staining,and the ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons was observed through transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The content of malondialdehyde(MDA)and the level of superoxide dismutase(SOD)in the hippocampal tissue were detected by biochemical assay,and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6,TNF-α and IL-1β were determined with ELISA.Western blotting was applied to measure the expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway related proteins in the hippocampus.In the cell experiment,SH-SY5Y cells were added with Aβ 1-42 to establish a cell model of AD.After the cells were treated with pramlintide,the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response were detected,and cell apoptosis was detected by immunofluorescence.Results The animal experiments showed that pramlintide treatment resulted in significantly shortened escape latency(P<0.01),increased platform crossings(P<0.01),and prolonged time to exploring hidden platform(P<0.01).In the hippocampal tissue of the pramlintide treatment group,HE staining displayed hippocampal neurons in high density and neat arrangement(P<0.05),immunohistochemical results showed significantly reduced Aβ protein(P<0.01),Golgi staining results demonstrated more dendritic spines(P<0.05),TEM revealed almost intact neuronal mitochondrial structure,with reduced vacuolization and clear and identifiable morphology.When compared with the AD group,the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response were decreased(P<0.01),and the relative expression of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins was increased(P<0.01)in the treatment group.In cell experiments,the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response were decreased in AD cell model after pramlintide treatment(P<0.01),and the results of immunofluorescence showed that cell apoptosis was declined(P<0.01).Conclusion Pramlintide can improve the cognitive function,reduce the hippocampal deposition of Aβ,reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response,alleviate the pathological changes of neuronal ultrastructure,and enhance the expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in AD mice.

Objective To investigate the expression level of circular RNA circ-Tns3 in Alzheimer's disease(AD)mice and its role in Aβ-induced neuronal damage.Methods Five APP/PS1 transgenic AD mice and 5 wild-type(WT)mice,weighting of 23～26 g and aged 6 months were subjected in the study.Morris water maze test was used to assess learning and memory abilities,and immunohistochemical staining was performed to observe the number of Aβ plaques in the hippocampal tissue.Subsequently,total RNA was extracted from the brains to detect the differential expression of circRNAs between AD and WT mice,and the results were further analyzed with Gene Ontology(GO)analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis.The top 6 differentially expressed circRNAs were validated by real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).In in vitro experiments,Aβ1-42 was used to treat neuronal cells to establish AD cell model,and si-circ-Tns3 was transfected into Aβ1-42-treated neuronal cells to knock down circ-Tns3.RT-qPCR was used to determine the expression levels of circ-Tns3 and miR-671-5p.Cell viability and apoptotic rate were detected by CCK-8 assay and TUNEL staining,respectively.The levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA)were measured using corresponding kits,and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6,IL-1β,and TNF-α were detected with ELISA.The interaction between circ-Tns3 and miR-671-5p was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation(RIP)assay.The expression level of Sirt1 protein was detected by Western blotting.Results The 6-month-old AD mice exhibited significant cognitive impairment and Aβ deposition(P<0.01).There were 269 differentially expressed circRNAs identified between AD and WT mice,of which 159 were up-regulated and 110 down-regulated.GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that these differentially expressed circRNAs were mainly involved in synaptic transmission,memory,and cholinergic synapse signaling pathways.The expression of circ-Tns3 was significantly increased not only in the brain tissue of AD mice but also in neuronal cells after Aβ1-42 treatment.In cellular experiments,knockdown of circ-Tns3 significantly reduced cell viability and number of apoptotic cells in Aβ1-42-treated neuronal cells,decreased MDA content,increased SOD activity,and reduced the levels of IL-6,IL-1β,and TNF-α(P<0.01).The starBase database predicted that circ-Tns3 and miR-671-5p have complementary sequences,and dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assays confirmed their interaction.The bioinformatics database predicted that miR-671-5p and sirt1 have complementary sequences.Western blotting indicated that in neuronal cells treated with Aβ1-42,the expression of sirt1 was increased after knockdown of circ-Tns3(P<0.01).In Aβ1-42-treated neuronal cells,after knockdown of circ-Tns3,addition of miR-671-5p inhibitor significantly decreased the expression level of sirt1 protein(P<0.01).Conclusions circ-Tns3 is highly expressed in AD mice and cell model of AD.Knocking circ-Tns3 down improves neuronal damage.circ-Tns3 may be involved in the neuronal damage through regulating sirt 1 protein by binding to miR-671-5p.