OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep. METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to identify the active components of L. ruthenicum and their associated disease targets， followed by enrichment analysis. A caffeine‑induced zebrafish model of sleep deprivation was established ， and the zebrafish were treated with L. ruthenicum Murr. extract （LRME） at concentrations of 0.1， 0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL， respectively； 24 h later， behavioral changes of zebrafish and pathological alterations in brain neurons were subsequently observed. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-1β， IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）]， oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， catalase （CAT）]， and neurotransmitters [5- hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， γ-aminobutyric acid （GABA）， glutamic acid （Glu）， dopamine （DA）， and norepinephrine （NE）] were measured. The protein expression levels of protein kinase B1 （AKT1）， phosphorylated AKT1 （p-AKT1）， epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， sarcoma proto-oncogene，non-receptor tyrosine kinase （SRC）， and heat shock protein 90α family class A member 1 （HSP90AA1） in the zebrafish were also determined. RESULTS A total of 12 active components and 176 intersecting disease targets were identified through network pharmacology analysis. Among these， apigenin， naringenin and others were recognized as core active compounds， while AKT1， EGFR and others served as key targets； EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway was identified as the critical pathway. The sleep improvement rates in zebrafish of LRME low-， medium-， and high-dose groups were 54.60%， 69.03% and 77.97%， 开发。E-mail：hjp_yft@163.com respectively， while the inhibition ratios of locomotor distance were 0.57， 0.83 and 0.95， respectively. Compared with the model group， the number of resting counts， resting time and resting distance were significantly increased/extended in LRME medium- and high-dose groups （P＜0.05）. Neuronal damage in the brain was alleviated. Additionally， the levels of IL-6， IL-1β， TNF-α， MDA， Glu， DA and NE， as well as the protein expression levels of AKT1， p-AKT1， EGFR， SRC and HSP90AA1， were markedly reduced （P＜0.05）， while the levels of IL-10， SOD， GSH-Px， CAT， 5-HT and GABA， as well as Bcl-2 protein expression， were significantly elevated （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS L. ruthenicum Murr. demonstrates sleep-improving effects， and its specific mechanism may be related to the regulation of inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， neurotransmitter balance， and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway.

Obesity usually exacerbates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITME), hindering CD8⁺ T cell infiltration and function, which further represents a significant barrier to the efficacy of immunotherapy. Herein, a multifunctional liposomal system (CR-Lip) for encapsulating celastrol (CEL) was utilized to remodel obesity-related ITME and improve cancer immunotherapy, wherein Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) was detected interspersed in the phospholipid bilayer and its glycosyl exposed on the surface of the liposome. CR-Lip had a relatively uniform size (116.5 nm), facilitating favorable tumor tissue accumulation through the interaction between Rg3 and glucose transporter 1 overexpressed in obese tumor cells. Upon reaching the tumor region, CR-Lip was found to induce the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of HFD tumor cells. Notably, the level of PHD3 in HFD tumor cells was effectively boosted by CR-Lip to effectively block metabolic reprogramming and increase the availability of major free fatty acids fuel sources. In vivo, experiments studies revealed that the easy-obtained nano platform stimulated enhanced the production of various cytokines in tumor tissues, DC maturation, CD8⁺ T-cell infiltration, and synergistic anticancer therapeutic potency with aPD-1 (tumor inhibition rate = 82.1%) towards obesity-related melanoma. Consequently, this study presented an efficacious approach to tumor immunotherapy in obese mice by encompassing tumor eradication, inducing ICD, and reprogramming metabolism. Furthermore, it offered a unique insight into a valuable attempt at the immunotherapy of obesity-associated related tumors.

Sexual dimorphism in the brain underlies behavioral differences between sexes. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a complex nucleus that differs between males and females, but the sexual dimorphism in cytoarchitecture and the connectome of its oval subdivision (ovBNST) remains largely unexplored. By combining snRNA-seq and transgenic labeling, we found a higher density of ovBNST proenkephalin (ovBNST^PENK) neurons in male than female mice. Anatomically, we virally mapped the efferents and afferents of ovBNST^PENK neurons, finding reciprocally dimorphic connections with the hypothalamus and striatum. Gene enrichment analysis suggests that ovBNST^PENK neurons are modulated by the upstream dopamine pathway. Functionally, by applying caspase-3-mediated depletion of ovBNST^PENK neurons, we found that loss of these neurons enhanced locomotor activity in male but not female mice, without altering the anxiety-like phenotypes in either sex. Our study may pave the way for a better understanding of the anatomical and functional profiles of ovBNST^PENK neurons from a sexually dimorphic perspective.
Animals ; Male ; Female ; Septal Nuclei/physiology* ; Sex Characteristics ; Neurons/physiology* ; Enkephalins/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Protein Precursors/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neural Pathways/physiology*

Objective To elucidate how the overexpression of cystathionine-β-synthase(CBS)plays an antihypertensive role by affecting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α(PGC-1α)expression.Methods The adeno-associated viruses(AAVs),ones that overexpressed CBS,and another knocked down PGC-1α,were injected into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus(PVN)of spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs).The rats'blood pressure was monitored,and the level of norepinephrine(NE)was examined by ELISA;PVN inflammatory response,oxidative stress and tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)expression were detected with RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence.Results PVN overexpression of CBS could increase the transcription level of CBS(by 3.8 times,P＜0.05)and PGC-1α(by 1.6 times,P＜0.05)in PVN of SHR.PVN overexpression of CBS could reduce blood pressure in SHR(from 177.81 mmHg to 128.77 mmHg,P＜0.001),but PVN knockdown of PGC-1αweakened such effect(from 128.77 mmHg to 152.79 mmHg,P＜0.05).PVN overexpression of CBS could alleviate PVN inflammatory response and oxidative stress,but this effect was weakened or even eliminated when knocking down PGC-1α was performed at the same time.Conclusion PVN overexpression of CBS can reduce blood pressure in SHR,and this effect may be achieved by increasing the transcriptional level of PGC-1α,alleviating PVN inflammatory response,oxidative stress,and improving sympathetic nerve excitation.

Objective:To explore the expression and mechanism of lncRNA MALAT1 in negative sputum for tuberculous bac-terium.Methods:Expression of lncRNA MALAT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)of patients with positive sputum bacteria(Positive group)and negative sputum bacteria(Negative group)and healthy volunteers(HC group)was detected by RT-PCR.ELISA was used to detect expression levels of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in plasma.Expression of lncRNA MALAT1 in mice macro-phages RAW264.7 was silenced by siRNA interference,and RAW264.7 cells were infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB)H37Rv.Cells were divided into four groups:Control group,Control+MTB group,MTB+si-NC group and MTB+si-MALAT1 group.Proliferation activity of RAW264.7 cells in each group was detected by CCK-8 method.The number of MTB in each group was detected by CFU.Expressions of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in supernatant of RAW264.7 cells were detected by ELISA.Results:Compared with HC group,expressions of lncRNA MALAT1 in PBMC,and TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in plasma were significantly increased in Positive group and Negative group(P<0.01).Compared with Control group,expression level of lncRNA MALAT1,proliferation activity,CFU value,and concentrations of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in supernatant of Control+MTB group,MTB+si-NC group and MTB+si-MALAT1 group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with MTB+si-NC group,the above detection indexes in MTB+si-MALAT1 group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in Control+MTB group(P>0.05).Conclusion:The significantly increased expression of MALAT1 in patients with negative sputum for tuberculous bacterium is positively correlated with expression of plasma inflammatory factors,while the silence of MALAT1 expression can reduce MTB induced inflammatory response by inhibiting the proliferation and phagocytosis of MTB infected macrophages.

A patient with anti-MDA5-positive dermatomyositis complicated by hepatic dysfunction developed rhabdomyolysis after an intravenous injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine for magnetic resonance imaging.Analysis of clinical manifestations and medication correlation confirmed gadopentetate dimeglumineinduced rhabdomyolysis.Gadopentetate dimeglumine can cause rhabdomyolysis in dermatomyositis patients.Clinical conditions should be closely monitored when using gadopentetate dimeglumine to guard against adverse reactions.

Objective To observe the value of MRI radiomics model for predicting postoperative prognosis of moderate carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS).Methods A total of 126 patients with moderate CTS who underwent endoscopic release and fat-suppressed proton density weighted imaging(PDWI)before operation were retrospectively enrolled.The patients were divided into good prognosis group(n=80)and poor prognosis group(n=46)based on postoperative functional evaluation,also randomly divided into training set and validation set at a ratio of 7∶3.Volume of interest(VOI)of the median nerve was obtained through delineating ROI of the affected wrist on fat suppressed PDWI.Radiomics features were extracted,and those associated with postoperative prognosis of CTS were screened in training set.Clinical prediction model,radiomics model and combined model of these two were established,and the predictive efficacy of the models were evaluated and compared according to the area under the curve(AUC)of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results Patients in poor prognosis group were older than in good prognosis group(P＜0.05).A clinical model was constructed based on age.The radiomics model was constructed based on 6 radiomics features associated with postoperative prognosis of CTS,with predictive efficacy(AUC=0.872)higher than that of clinical model(AUC=0.604,P＜0.05)but not significantly different with that of the combined model(AUC=0.905,P＞0.05).Conclusion MRI radiomics model could be used to effectively predict postoperative prognosis of moderate CTS.

OBJECTIVE To summarize the process of investigation,disposal and prevention of a cluster incident of post-operative incision infection following microtia plastic surgery in the otorhinolaryngology department of a terti-ary care hospital,in order to provide a basis for hospital-aquired infection prevention and control.METHODS An epidemiological survey was conducted on seven patients who underwent otorhinolaryngoplasty for microtia in the ENT department of a tertiary care hospital from 27 Jul.to 7 Sep.2023,and interventions were implemented.RESULTS The incidence rate of infection was 71.43％among post-otorhinolaryngoplasty patients.In 5 patients,area for electrocoagulation of haemostatic increased by approximately 50％compared to the previous period,and drainage tubes were left in the surgical area for 11 to 13 days.Patients changed dressings in a shared dressing room.Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected in three of the infected patients,and their antibiotic sensitivity pat-terns were similar to that of a lower respiratory tract infection patient(case 0)in the same department.CONCLUSION Inadequate aseptic practice by medical staff,longer retention of drainage tubes,incomplete disin-fection of the environment of the dressing room,and changes in surgical procedures may be the primary factors contributing to the occurrence of this cluster of infections.

Objective:To analysis the current utilization of nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment equipments in Gansu province, evaluate the fairness of its distribution and provide a theoretical basis for government decision-making and the allocation of nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment resources.Methods:In May 2023, Basic data were collected through questionnaires from the "Occupational Radiation Disease Monitoring" and "Radiation Protection Monitoring in Medical and Health Institutions" projects undertaken by Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.The Gini coefficient and Theil index were calculated using STATA SE software to evaluate the equity of clinical nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment resource allocation. Simultaneously, personal dose monitoring was conducted for nuclear medicine personnel. The fairness of clinical nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment resource allocation was evaluated using the Gini coefficient and Theil index.Results:As of December 31, 2023, a total of 12 medical institutions in Gansu Province engaged in nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment, employing 137 nuclear medicine radiation workers. Throughout the province, there were a total of 3 PET/CT scanners, 13 SPECT scanners and 3 medical cyclotrons available. In addition, 33712 nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures and 9365 various types of nuclear medicine treatments were administered over the year, resulting in a diagnostic frequency of 1.35 procedures per thousand population and a treatment frequency of 0.37 procedures per thousand population. The Gini coefficients for nuclear medicine personnel, equipment and diagnostic and treatment applications calculated per capita were 0.50, 0.53 and 0.61, respectively. The corresponding Theil indices were 0.0672, 0.0669 and 0.1277. In 2023, the average annual effective dose from external exposure for nuclear medicine workers was 0.37 mSv per person, while the average annual effective dose from internal exposure to thyroid 131I for nuclear medicine workers was 1.41 mSv. Conclusion:The distribution of nuclear medicine health resources and applications in Gansu Province is uneven. Greater emphasis should be placed on strengthening the adjustment of nuclear medicine resource allocation between regions, continuously promoting coordinated development within regions, and improving dose monitoring for nuclear medicine personnel.

Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics and trends of occupational exposure types of medical radiation workers in Gansu Province, China, and to provide a basis for administrative departments to formulate and adjust radiation protection policies. Methods According to the radiation health information platform, the data of occupational exposure types of radiation workers in Gansu Province from 2014 to 2023 were obtained. The proportions of occupational exposure types in each physical examination year was statistically analyzed. Results From 2014 to 2023, the number of medical radiation workers accounted for more than 70% of the total number of radiation workers. The proportion of X-ray imaging diagnostic radiation workers in the total number of medical radiation workers gradually decreased but remained the highest, exceeding 68% annually. The proportion of interventional radiology workers in the total number of medical radiation workers increased from 13.8% to 25.5%. The proportions of radiation therapy and nuclear medicine workers in the total number of medical radiation workers increased slowly. The numbers of interventional radiology and radiotherapy workers in tertiary hospitals both accounted for more than 70% of the total number of such workers in the province. The proportion of interventional radiology workers increased and then decreased. The proportion of radiotherapy workers increased significantly from 70.5% to 93.0%. The number of nuclear medicine workers in tertiary hospitals accounted for more than 80% of such workers in the province. Conclusion Radiation protection policies and measures should be adjusted according to the changes in the types of occupational exposure. The focus of these policies and measures should differ depending on the level of healthcare institutions, the type of radiological diagnostic and therapeutic services, and the characteristics of various occupational exposure types .