Objective To investigate the role of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) in trichloroethylene (TCE)-induced skin sensitization and liver damage in guinea pigs, using diallyl sulfide (DAS), a CYP2E1 inhibitor, as an intervention. Methods Specific pathogen-free female guinea pigs were randomly divided into blank control group, solvent control group, positive control (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene) group, TCE-exposure group, and DAS-intervention group. Skin sensitization experiments were conducted using the guinea pig TCE maximal dose-skin sensitization test. Urinary trichloroacetic acid levels were determined following TCE induction and challenge. At 48 hours after the final challenge, serum liver function markers and inflammatory cytokines levels were detected. Histopathological examination on skin and liver tissues was performed, and hepatic CYP2E1 protein expression and oxidative stress indicators were assessed. Results The sensitization rates of guinea pigs were 100.0%, 75.0%, and 33.3% in the positive control, TCE-exposure, and DAS-intervention groups, respectively, while the blank control and solvent control groups were both 0.0%. Compared with the guinea pigs in TCE-exposure group, those in the DAS-intervention group had lower urinary trichloroacetic acid levels at intradermal induction, local induction, first challenge, and 24 hours after the final challenge time point (all P<0.05). Histopathology of guinea pigs showed dermal inflammatory infiltration and basal keratinocyte necrosis in the TCE-exposure group, whereas only mild dermal inflammation was observed in the DAS-intervention group. The guinea pigs in TCE-exposure group exhibited diffuse hepatocellular necrosis, while hepatic damage in the DAS-intervention group was alleviated, characterized by only mild hepatocellular steatosis and hepatocyte swelling around the central vein. The skin sensitization rate of guinea pigs in the TCE-exposure group increased (all P<0.01), the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT )activity, the levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α) increased (all P<0.05), the relative expression of CYP2E1 protein, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the level of malondialdehyde in liver tissue increased (all P<0.05), while the activity of catalase decreased (P<0.05), compared with the blank control and solvent control groups. The serum ALT activity and the levels of IL-2, IL-17, and TNF-α of guinea pigs in DAS-intervention group reduced (all P<0.05), as well as CYP2E1 protein expression, SOD activity, and malondialdehyde level in liver tissue reduced (all P<0.05), compared with the TCE-exposure group. Conclusion TCE can induce hepatic CYP2E1 expression, thereby promoting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which contributes to skin sensitization and liver damage. DAS alleviates TCE-induced toxic effects on skin and liver by inhibiting CYP2E1 expression.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment of "biaoben acupoint combination" on cardiomyocyte mitochondrial fission in the rats with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and explore its mechanism. METHODS: Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a model group, an EA pretreatment group, an EA pretreatment + Compound C group and an EA pretreatment+ML385 group, 10 rats in each group. In the EA pretreatment, the EA pretreatment + Compound C group and the EA pretreatment+ML385 group, EA was delivered at bilateral "Neiguan" (PC6), "Zusanli" (ST36) and "Guanyuan" (CV4) for 20 min, with continuous wave and 2 Hz of frequency, 1 mA of current, once daily for consecutive 7 days. On day 8, in the EA pretreatment + Compound C group and the EA pretreatment+ML385 group, 30 min before model preparation, the intraperitoneal injection with Compound C (0.3 mg/kg) and ML385 (30 mg/kg) was administered respectively. Except in the sham-operation group, the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery was performed to prepare MIRI rat model in the rest groups. In the sham-operation group, the thread was not ligated. After modeling, the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the ischemic area was measured by flow cytometry, superoxide dismutase (SOD) was detected using xanthine oxidase method, and malondialdelyde (MDA) was detected using thiobarbituric acid (TBA) chromatometry. The morphology of myocardial tissue in the ischemic area was observed with HE staining, and the mitochondria ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes observed under transmission electron microscopy. Using immunofluorescence analysis, the positive expression of mitochondrial fission factor (MFF), mitochondrial fission 1 protein antibody (Fis1) and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) was detected; and with immunohistochemical method used, the protein expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), nuclear factor E2-associated factor2 (Nrf2) and Drp1 in the ischemic area was detected. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, the content of ROS and MDA in the myocardial tissue of the ischemic area, and the positive expression of MFF, Fis1 and Drp1 increased in the model group (P<0.01); the content of SOD and the protein expression of AMRK and Nrf2 decreased (P<0.01), and the protein expression of Drp1 elevated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the content of ROS and MDA in the myocardial tissue of the ischemic area, and the positive expression of MFF, Fis1 and Drp1 were dropped in the EA pretreatment group (P<0.01); the content of SOD and the protein expression of AMRK and Nrf2 rose (P<0.01), and the protein expression of Drp1 declined (P<0.01); and in the EA pretreatment+Compound C group and the EA pretreatment+ML385 group, the positive expression of MFF, Fis1 and Drp1, and the protein expression of Drp1 were all reduced (P<0.01). When compared with the EA pretreatment + Compound C group and the EA pretreatment+ML385 group, the content of ROS and MDA in the myocardial tissue of the ischemic area, and the positive expression of MFF, Fis1 and Drp1 were dropped in the EA pretreatment group (P<0.01); the content of SOD and the protein expression of AMRK and Nrf2 rose (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the protein expression of Drp1 decreased (P<0.05). In comparison with the model group, the EA pretreatment+Compound C group and the EA pretreatment+ML385 group, the cardiac muscle fiber rupture, cell swelling and mitochondrial disorders were obviously alleviated in the EA pretreatment group. The morphological changes were similar among the model group, the EA pretreatment+Compound C group and the EA pretreatment+ML385 group. CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture pretreatment of "biaoben acupoint combination" attenuates myocardial injury in MIRI rats, probably through promoting the phosphorylation of AMPK and Nrf2, inhibiting the excessive mitochondrial fission induced by Drp1, and reducing mitochondrial dysfunction caused by mitochondrial fragmentation and vacuolation.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/physiopathology* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology* ; Rats ; Acupuncture Points ; Mitochondrial Dynamics ; Humans ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics* ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism*

With the emergence of deep learning techniques based on convolutional neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) has driven transformative developments in the field of medical image analysis. Recently, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have also started to achieve distinction in this domain. Increasing research shows the undeniable role of AI in reshaping various aspects of medical image analysis, including processes such as image enhancement, segmentation, detection in image preprocessing, and postprocessing related to medical diagnosis and prognosis in clinical settings. However, despite the significant progress in AI research, studies investigating the recent advances in AI technology in the aforementioned aspects, the changes in research hotspot trajectories, and the performance of studies in addressing key clinical challenges in this field are limited. This article provides an overview of recent advances in AI for medical image analysis and discusses the methodological profiles, advantages, disadvantages, and future trends of AI technologies.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Deep Learning ; Diagnostic Imaging/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mediating role of sleep duration in the relationship between depression symptoms and myopia among middle school students. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional research conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method. A total of 1 728 middle school students were selected from two junior high schools and two senior high schools in certain urban areas and farms of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Questionnaire surveys and vision tests were conducted among the students. Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between depression symptoms, sleep duration, and myopia. The Bootstrap method was employed to investigate the mediating effect of sleep duration between depression symptoms and myopia. RESULTS: The prevalence of myopia in the overall population was 74.02% (1 279/1 728), with an average sleep duration of (7.6±1.0) hours. The rate of insufficient sleep was 83.62% (1 445/1 728), and the proportion of students exhibiting depression symptoms was 25.29% (437/1 728). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations between visual acuity in both eyes and sleep duration with depressive emotions as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (with correlation coefficients of -0.064, -0.084, and -0.199 respectively; P<0.01), as well as with somatic symptoms and activities (with correlation coefficients of -0.104, -0.124, and -0.233 respectively; P<0.01) and interpersonal relationships (with correlation coefficients of -0.052, -0.059, and -0.071 respectively; P<0.05). The correlation coefficients for left and right eye visual acuity and sleep duration were 0.206 and 0.211 respectively (P<0.001). Sleep duration exhibited a mediating effect between depression symptoms and myopia (indirect effect=0.056, 95%CI: 0.029-0.088), with the mediating effect value for females (indirect effect=0.066, 95%CI: 0.024-0.119) being higher than that for males (indirect effect=0.042, 95%CI: 0.011-0.081). CONCLUSIONS Sleep duration serves as a partial mediator between depression symptoms and myopia in middle school students.
Humans ; Myopia/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Depression/physiopathology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Sleep ; Adolescent ; Students ; Child ; Time Factors ; Sleep Duration

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.08.005.].

This study investigated the role of the nuclear factor of activated T cells c3 (NFATc3) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) during aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) progression and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Cytoplasmic and nuclear NFATc3 levels were elevated in human and mouse AAD. VSMC-NFATc3 deletion reduced thoracic AAD (TAAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression in mice, contrary to VSMC-NFATc3 overexpression. VSMC-NFATc3 deletion reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and maintained the VSMC contractile phenotype. Nuclear NFATc3 targeted and transcriptionally upregulated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and MMP2, promoting ECM degradation and AAD development. NFATc3 promoted VSMC phenotypic switching by binding to eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and inhibiting its phosphorylation in the VSMC cytoplasm. Restoring eEF2 reversed the beneficial effects in VSMC-specific NFATc3-knockout mice. Cabamiquine-targets eEF2 and inhibits protein synthesis-inhibited AAD development and progression in VSMC-NFATc3-overexpressing mice. VSMC-NFATc3 promoted VSMC switch and ECM degradation while exacerbating AAD development, making it a novel potential therapeutic target for preventing and treating AAD.

The influenza A virus (IAV), renowned for its high contagiousness and potential to catalyze global pandemics, poses significant challenges due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Given the critical role of RNA polymerase in IAV replication, it stands out as a promising target for anti-IAV therapies. In this study, we identified a novel C-3-substituted oleanolic acid benzyl amide derivative, A5, as a potent inhibitor of the PA_C-PB1_N polymerase subunit interaction, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.96 ± 0.21 μmol/L. A5 specifically targets the highly conserved PA_C domain and demonstrates remarkable efficacy against both laboratory-adapted and clinically isolated IAV strains, including multidrug-resistant strains, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 0.60 to 1.83 μmol/L. Notably, when combined with oseltamivir, A5 exhibits synergistic effects both in vitro and in vivo. In a murine model, dose-dependent administration of A5 leads to a significant reduction in IAV titers, resulting in a high survival rate among treated mice. Additionally, A5 treatment inhibits virus-induced Toll-like receptor 4 activation, attenuates cytokine responses, and protects against IAV-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages. In summary, A5 emerges as a novel inhibitor with high efficiency and broad-spectrum anti-influenza activity.

Protrusive facial deformities, characterized by the forward displacement of the teeth and/or jaws beyond the normal range, affect a considerable portion of the population. The manifestations and morphological mechanisms of protrusive facial deformities are complex and diverse, requiring orthodontists to possess a high level of theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the relevant orthodontic field. To further optimize the correction of protrusive facial deformities, this consensus proposes that the morphological mechanisms and diagnosis of protrusive facial deformities should be analyzed and judged from multiple dimensions and factors to accurately formulate treatment plans. It emphasizes the use of orthodontic strategies, including jaw growth modification, tooth extraction or non-extraction for anterior teeth retraction, and maxillofacial vertical control. These strategies aim to reduce anterior teeth and lip protrusion, increase chin prominence, harmonize nasolabial and chin-lip relationships, and improve the facial profile of patients with protrusive facial deformities. For severe skeletal protrusive facial deformities, orthodontic-orthognathic combined treatment may be suggested. This consensus summarizes the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience of numerous renowned oral experts nationwide, offering reference strategies for the correction of protrusive facial deformities.
Humans ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Malocclusion/therapy* ; Patient Care Planning ; Cephalometry

Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Dental Enamel/pathology* ; Tooth Demineralization/etiology* ; Tooth Remineralization