ObjectiveTo investigate the changing trends of the incidence rate， prevalence rate， mortality rate， and disability-adjusted life years （DALYs） of benign hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases among people aged 15 — 39 years in China in 1990 — 2021. MethodsThe data of 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study were downloaded to obtain the epidemiological data of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease， benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases， and pancreatitis among people aged 15 — 39 years in China， and estimated annual percentage change （EAPC） was calculated to assess the changing trends of incidence， prevalence， mortality， and DALY rates. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the incidence and mortality rates from 2022 to 2030. ResultsIn 2021， there were 10 448 778 new cases of benign hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases among the individuals aged 15 — 39 years in China， which was increased by 3.8% compared with the data in 1990， while the numbers of prevalent cases， deaths， and DALYs were reduced by 20.4%， 59.6%， and 50.2%， respectively. In 2021， the age-standardized incidence rates of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease， benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases， and pancreatitis were 1 104.40/100 000， 1 045.05/100 000， and 16.64/100 000， respectively； the age-standardized prevalence rates were 20 592.37/100 000， 2 364.85/100 000， and 9.43/100 000， respectively； the age-standardized mortality rates were 1.61/100 000， 0.04/100 000， and 0.18/100 000， respectively. From 1990 to 2021， there was a tendency of increase in the age-standardized incidence rate of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease （EAPC=0.43， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.23 — 0.63）， and there was also a tendency of increase in the age-standardized incidence and prevalence rates of benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases （incidence rate： EAPC=1.07， 95%CI： 0.91 — 1.24； prevalence rate： EAPC=0.75， 95%CI： 0.59 — 0.89）， while there was a tendency of reduction in the age-standardized mortality rate of all three disease categories. Predictions for 2022 — 2030 indicated a potential reduction in the incidence rate of benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases and an increase in the incidence rate of pancreatitis. ConclusionThere has been an overall upward trend in the incidence rate of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease and gallbladder/biliary tract diseases over the past three decades， and it is needed to pay attention to the disease burden of benign hepatobiliary diseases among the people aged 15 — 39 years in China.

Background: High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context. Objective: This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Methods: We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT. Conclusion These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the research on NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The NLRP3 inflammasome is integral to the innate immune response, and its abnormal activation can lead to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokine, consequently facilitating the progression of various pathological conditions. Therefore, investigating the pharmacological inhibition pathway of the NLRP3 inflammasome represents a promising strategy for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has not approved drugs targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome for clinical use due to concerns regarding liver toxicity and gastrointestinal side effects associated with chemical small molecule inhibitors in clinical trials. Natural small molecule compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids are ubiquitously found in animals, plants, and other natural substances exhibiting pharmacological activities. Their abundant sources, intricate and diverse structures, high biocompatibility, minimal adverse reactions, and superior biochemical potency in comparison to synthetic compounds have attracted the attention of extensive scholars. Currently, certain natural small molecule compounds have been demonstrated to impede the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via various action mechanisms, so they are viewed as the innovative, feasible, and minimally toxic therapeutic agents for inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the treatment of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Hence, this study systematically examined the effects and potential mechanisms of natural small molecule compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes at their initiation, assembly, and activation stages. The objection is to furnish theoretical support and practical guidance for the effective clinical application of these natural small molecule inhibitors.
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Drug Discovery ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*

Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen, also known as Tinglizi, originates from Brassicaceae plants Descurainia sophia or Lepidium apetalum. The former is commonly referred to as "Southern Tinglizi(Descurainiae Semen)", while the latter is known as "Northern Tinglizi(Lepidii Semen)". To scientifically and accurately identify the origin of Tinglizi medicinal materials and traditional Chinese medicine products, this study developed a specific DNA mini-barcode based on chloroplast genome sequences. By combining the DNA mini-barcode with DNA metabarcoding technology, a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of Tinglizi medicinal materials and Chinese patent medicines was established. In this study, chloroplast genomes of Southern Tinglizi and Northern Tinglizi and seven commonly encountered counterfeit products were downloaded from the GenBank database. Suitable polymorphic regions were identified to differentiate these species, enabling the development of the DNA mini-barcode. Using DNA metabarcoding technology, medicinal material mixtures of Southern and Northern Tinglizi, as well as the most common counterfeit product, Capsella bursa-pastoris seeds, were analyzed to validate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of the mini-barcode and determine its minimum detection limit. Additionally, the mini-barcode was applied to Chinese patent medicines containing Tinglizi to authenticate their botanical origin. The results showed that the developed mini-barcode(psbB) exhibited high accuracy and specificity, effectively distinguishing between the two authentic origins of Tinglizi and commonly encountered counterfeit products. The analysis of mixtures demonstrated that the mini-barcode had excellent qualitative and quantitative capabilities, accurately identifying the composition of Chinese medicinal materials in mixed samples with varying proportions. Furthermore, the analysis of Chinese patent medicines revealed the presence of the adulterant species(Capsella bursa-pastoris) in addition to the authentic species(Southern and Northern Tinglizi), indicating the occurrence of adulteration in commercially available Tinglizi-containing products. This study developed a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials and related products, providing a model for research on other multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Drug Contamination ; Genome, Chloroplast ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

This study investigated the potential pathogenicity and genetic characteristics of ST314 Salmonella Kentucky(S.Ken-tucky)isolates from a broiler slaughterhouse.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequencing(WGS)were used to determine antimicrobial resistance,virulence factors,and the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes(ARGs)and mobile genetic elements(MGEs)among the isolates.The three multidrug resistant(MDR)isolates exhibited high resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents.The F4-2S strain exhibited resistance to 14 drugs across seven categories,whereas the F4T strain showed resistance to 13 drugs in the same number of categories.In contrast,the Y23 strain was resistant to nine drugs in six categories.Notably,F4-2S dem-onstrated high homology with F4T:both possessed 13 ARGs distributed across nine categories,in addition to a wide range of virulence factors,including secretion systems and effector proteins.The presence of IncR and IncX1 plasmids significantly enhanced both the antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of the isolates.The genome map of Y23 revealed a chromosome alongside two plasmids.The chromosome containedonly one resistance gene but several virulence factors,including the type III secretion system(T3SS),which is crucial for bacterial invasion.The plasmid pY23-1 contained eight types of 19 ARGs.Comparative analysis indicated that pY23-1 ex-hibited high homology with pZ1323SSL0055 and pSAL-045,all of which contained multiple ARGs,thus suggesting critical roles of these genes in the evolution of bacterial resistance.In conclusion,ST314 S.Kentucky demonstrated a complex mechanism of resis-tance coupled with significant pathogenic potential.The ARGs and MGEs in the plasmid contributed to the emergence and dissemina-tion of antimicrobial resistance.The multiple virulence factors present in the chromosome may be key factors driving the increasing virulence of ST314 S.Kentucky.

Objective:To explore the level of triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and its effect and clinical value in predicting breast cancer.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 700 patients with breast tumors who underwent surgical treatment in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Hospital from July 2021 to June 2024 were selected, and finally 625 patients were included, including 388 patients with benign breast tumors and 237 patients with breast cancer, and all lesions were determined to be benign or malignant by pathology after surgery. Triglyceride and blood glucose data were collected to calculate the TyG index. The correlation between TyG index and occurrence of breast cancer was analyzed by univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models. With postoperative pathological diagnosis as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the efficacy of TyG index in distinguishing breast cancer from benign breast tumors.Results:The age of patients in the breast cancer group and the benign breast tumor group was (57±12) years old and (42±12) years old, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the distributions of patients between the two groups in terms of nationality, marital status, height, body mass, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, blood glucose levels, and color ultrasound Breast Imaging Report and Data System (BI-RADS) classification (all P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol between the two groups ( P > 0.05); the TyG index in the breast cancer group was higher than that in the benign breast tumor group (8.6±0.6 vs. 8.4±0.6), and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that in the model with only the TyG index as a variable, the risk of breast cancer increased with the increase of TyG index [ OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.48-2.63, P < 0.001, Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test P = 0.077]; in the model with 6 variables including TyG index, nationality, marriage, height, body mass and BMI, the risk of breast cancer increased with the increase of TyG index ( OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.08-2.00, P = 0.015, HL test P = 0.832); however, after adding age and BI-RADS classification variables, although the TyG index was still an independent influencing factor for the occurrence of breast cancer ( OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35-0.96, P = 0.033, HL test P = 0.165), the rise of TyG index was an independent protective factor for the occurrence of breast cancer; in the two variable models including TyG index and BI-RADS classification, the TyG index was not an independent influencing factor for the occurrence of breast cancer ( OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.72-1.70, P = 0.659), suggesting that the TyG index may not be able to assist in the diagnosis of breast cancer by ultrasound. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve to distinguish breast cancer and benign breast tumor according to the TyG index was 0.623, the optimal critical value of the TyG index was 8.51, the corresponding sensitivity was 59.5%, and the specificity was 62.4%. Conclusions:The TyG index of breast cancer patients is higher than that of benign breast tumor patients. Breast tumor patients with elevated TyG index have an increased risk of breast cancer, which may be a potential non-invasive biomarker of breast cancer.

Objective To understand the current status of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)systematic reviews/Meta-analysis over the past 10 years.Methods Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,PubMed,Web of Knowledge,CNKI,SinoMed,WanFang Data,VIP databases,as well as the Cochrane Register and PROSPERO registration platform were searched to collect TCM-related systematic reviews/Meta-analysis published between January 2015 and December 2024.Literature was screened,and standardization of institutions,countries,and journals was performed.Data cleaning was conducted,and trends in publication years,high-frequency diseases,journals,institutions,and highly cited papers were analyzed.Results A total of 11,174 papers were included,involving approximately 56,656 authors from 1,422 institutions across 44 countries,covering 1,300 journals and 1,070 diseases.The top five institutions in terms of publications were Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(954 papers),Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine(928 papers),China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences(537 papers),Tianjin University of Chinese Medicine(460 papers),and Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine(393 papers).Foreign institutions with the highest publication volumes were concentrated in South Korea,Iran,and Australia.The most frequently published Chinese journal was Zhongyi Clinical Research with 332 papers,while the most published English journal was Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine with 311 papers.There were 282 single-author papers involving 271 authors,and the most cited paper was referenced 323 times,The three most frequently studied diseases were diabetes(267 papers,2.39％),angina pectoris(214 papers,1.92％),and osteoarthritis(210 papers,1.88％).Non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture(1,265 papers,11.32％),auricular therapy(101 papers,0.90％),and Tai Chi(98 papers,0.88％)were most frequently reported.In pharmacological interventions,studies on Tripterygium wilfordii tablets(76 papers,0.68％)and Danhong injection(54 papers,0.48％)were more common.Conclusion The systematic reviews/Meta-analysis method is widely used in the field of TCM,and the field continues to grow.Active academic teams,institutions,and journals have emerged.Over the past decade,there has been a considerable body of evidence in Chinese systematic reviews on TCM for chronic diseases such as diabetes,angina pectoris,and osteoarthritis.In English-language studies,non-pharmacological therapies like acupuncture have been more widely reported,and some high-impact studies have emerged.However,challenges remain,such as issues with research transparency and methodological standardization.Future efforts should focus on establishing transparent systems and quality control mechanisms to further enhance the reliability,accuracy,and dissemination of TCM evidence-based research.

Objective To systematically analyze the current status of judicial adjudication in medical-injury cases involving shortened survival,identify core issues in forensic identification and adjudication,and propose targeted improvements.Methods We searched China Judgments Online for 88 effective judgments and conducted quantitative and qualitative analyses across four dimensions:patient baseline characteristics,forensic identification procedures,trial process,and adjudicative outcomes.Results The judicial support rate for shortened survival claims was 25％.Marked practice divergences were observed:only 28.4％of cases explicitly cited authoritative survival statistics as the scientific basis for opinions;four compensation-calculation approaches were identified with inconsistent standards;the second-instance reversal rate reached 20％.Conclusion It is necessary to develop a unified technical specification for forensic identification of shortened survival,establish scientifically grounded compensation-calculation models,and strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration mechanisms to enhance the credibility of adjudication.