Tuberculosis (TB), a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is primarily airborne and remains a global health problem, especially in resource-limited countries and regions. The emergence of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis has rendered the existing means ineffective in the treatment of TB. Therefore, research in new therapeutic directions has become imperative. In this review, we outline functional peptides in terms of the mechanisms of action, anti-TB attempts, advantages and disadvantages, and latest advances, aiming to analyze the research progress in anti-TB peptides. Furthermore, we investigate the potential applications of bioactive compounds found in traditional Chinese Medicine within the context of peptides.

BACKGROUND:Rev-erbα is involved in the regulation of inflammation,but pharmacological activation of Rev-erbα increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases.To reduce the relevant risk,an exploration on SR9009,a Rev-erbα agonist,combined with other drugs to relieve inflammation in skeletal myoblasts was conducted,laying the theoretical foundation for the treatment of inflammation-associated skeletal muscle atrophy. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship of SR9009,indolepropionic acid and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-induced C2C12 myoblasts. METHODS:(1)C2C12 myoblasts were induced to differentiate in the presence of lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL).RNA-seq and KEGG pathway analysis were used to study signaling pathways.(2)C2C12 myoblast viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 assay to determine optimal concentrations of indolepropionic acid.Subsequently,cells were categorized into control group,lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL)group,SR9009(10 μmol/L)+lipopolysaccharide group,indolepropionic acid(80μmol/L)+lipopolysaccharide group,and SR9009+indolepropionic acid+lipopolysaccharide group.ELISA was employed to measure protein expression levels of interleukin-6 in the cultured supernatant.Real-time quantitative PCR were employed to measure mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.Western blot assay were employed to measure protein expression levels of NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65.(3)After Rev-erbα was knocked down by siRNA,knockdown efficiency was assessed by RT-qPCR.And mRNA levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were also measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group,lipopolysaccharide time-dependently inhibited myofibroblast fusion to form myotubes,the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were elevated,and the level of interleukin-6 in the cell supernatant was significantly increased.The results of KEGG pathway showed that the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway was activated by lipopolysaccharide.Indolepropionic acid exhibited significant suppression of C2C12 myoblasts viability when its concentration exceeded 80 μmol/L.Indolepropionic acid and SR9009 inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway,thereby played an anti-inflammatory role,and suppressed the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 protein expression were downregulated.SR9009 combined with indolepropionic acid notably reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation,further downregulated the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.The ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 protein expression was significantly lower than that in the SR9009+lipopolysaccharide group or indolepropionic acid+lipopolysaccharide group.Rev-erbα increases time-dependently with lipopolysaccharide induction.The knockdown efficiency of Rev-erbα by siRNA reached over 58%,and lipopolysaccharide was added after Rev-erbα was successfully knocked down.Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were significantly up-regulated.These results conclude that Rev-erbα may act as a promising pharmacological target to reduce inflammation.SR9009 targeted activation of Rev-erbα combined with indolepropionic acid significantly inhibits the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and attenuates the inflammatory response of C2C12 myofibroblasts.Moreover,the combined anti-inflammatory effect is superior to that of the intervention alone.

Malignant tumors(commonly referred to as cancers)represent a major global public health challenge and contribute substan-tially to the global disease burden.Early screening plays a crucial role in improving detection rates,enabling timely intervention,and enhan-cing patient survival.However,current cancer screening guidelines primarily focus on site-specific screening,which may not fully address the need for comprehensive early detection.A scientifically rational,multi-cancer screening approach offers several advantages:it optimizes the use of biological samples,reduces the time burden for participants,enhances the efficiency and comprehensiveness of screening,and min-imizes overall expenses.Moreover,this approach facilitates rational allocation of healthcare resources,ultimately helping to reduce the soci-etal burden of cancer.To address gap,the Cancer Epidemiology Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association has developed the Expert Consensus on Combined Screening for Common Cancers.This consensus integrates multidisciplinary expertise and synthesizes the latest do-mestic and international researches on cancer screening,early detection,and treatment of prevalent malignancies.Drawing upon China's unique demographic and healthcare context and practical screening experiences,the consensus provides evidence-based recommendations on target populations,screening technologies,and procedural workflows for multi-cancer screening.These guidelines align with the prin-ciples and methodologies established by the World Health Organization(WHO),aiming to enhance the effectiveness of combined cancer screening in China,improve early detection rates,and provide a scientific foundation for national cancer prevention and control strategies.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Shengmai Decoction in improving heart failure by regulating mitochondrial apoptosis based on network pharmacology and experimental verification;To provide a basis for its clinical application.Methods The active components and targets of Shengmai Decoction were obtained through TCMSP and TCMID databases.Heart failure and mitochondrial apoptosis related targets were retrieved from GeneCards,OMIM,DrugBank,PharmGKB and TTD databases.A protein-protein interaction(PPI)network at the intersection of drugs and diseases was constructed using the STRING database,and a component-target network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.8.2 software.GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed on intersecting targets using the DAVID database.Molecular docking was conducted to assess the binding affinity of key components to core target proteins.A rat model of heart failure was established,and the cardiac function of rats were detected by echocardiogram,ELISA was used to detect serum contents of BNP and NT-proBNP,mitochondrial ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscope,and Western blot was used to detect protein expressions of Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway.Results A total of 66 active components and 146 targets of Shengmai Decoction were identified,and 22 intersecting targets with heart failure and mitochondrial apoptosis,including key proteins such as TNF,Bcl-2,Bax and Caspase-3.GO enrichment analysis revealed that the intersecting targets were closely associated with inflammation and cell signaling,while KEGG pathway analysis showed that the targets were primarily involved in the TNF signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,and mitochondrial function regulation.Molecular docking results indicated that Ginsenoside rh2,Beta-sitosterol and other components of Shengmai Decoction exhibited strong binding affinities with Bcl-2,Bax and Caspase-3.Animal experiments demonstrated that Shengmai Decoction significantly improved cardiac function(P<0.05,P<0.01),reduced serum BNP and NT-proBNP contents(P<0.01),alleviated mitochondrial damage,and inhibited mitochondrial apoptosis by upregulating Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax and Caspase-3 protein expression(P<0.01),thereby protecting cardiomyocytes.Conclusion Shengmai Decoction can target and regulate the Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway,improving pathological processes associated with heart failure,which can provide a foundation for clinical optimization of Shengmai Decoction.

Objective:To construct a full-length infectious clone of enterovirus D68（EV-D68）expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein（EGFP）by reverse genetics in order to provide an efficient tool for studying the biological characteristics and screening antiviral drugs for EV-D68.Methods:Gene synthesis and overlap PCR techniques were used to construct the full-length clone plasmid pUC57-EV-D68 of EV-D68. The full-length viral sequence was then transferred into the pCAGGS plasmid to obtain the pCAGGS-EV-D68 plasmid. The EGFP gene was amplified and inserted into the pCAGGS-EV-D68 plasmid to construct the pCAGGS-EGFP-EV-D68 plasmid. Then，the two constructed plasmids were transfected into human rhabdomyosarcoma（RD）cells to rescue recombinant viruses RV-EV-D68 and RV-EGFP-EV-D68. The rescued viruses were identified using PCR，Western blot，and immunofluorescence techniques. The antiviral effect of doxycycline was evaluated using the rescued RV-EGFP-EV-D68. Statistical analysis was performed using the two independent samples t-test. Results:The recombinant virus RV-EGFP-EV-D68 capable of expressing EGFP was successfully rescued. Even after 15 serial passages，the virus retained EGFP expression with no significant difference in viral titers compared to the parental virus，indicating its stable passage in RD cells. Besides，the rescued strains exhibited similar replication characteristics to the parental virus. While at 24 and 36 h after infection，the titers of the rescued strains were significantly lower than that of the parental strain（both P<0.05）. This study demonstrated that doxycycline significantly reduced the fluorescence intensity of RV-EGFP-EV-D68-infected RD cells（ P<0.01）. Meanwhile，a negative correlation was observed between the doxycycline concentration and the fluorescence intensity，indicating that the rescued virus could be used for antiviral drug evaluation. Conclusions:This study successfully constructs an infectious clone of EV-D68 expressing EGFP. The rescued recombinant virus RV-EGFP-EV-D68 has been verified to be applicable for the evaluation of antiviral drugs.

BACKGROUND:Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteonecrosis of femoral head,and previous methods of predicting osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse based on magnetic resonance images mostly require the combined assessment of coronal and sagittal images.However,osteonecrosis of femoral head tends to occur bilaterally,most hospitals perform bilateral hip magnetic resonance imaging scans during clinical examinations,but the bilateral hip scans can only view coronal and cross-sectional images,and it is difficult to obtain sagittal images,which affects the assessment of the risk of collapse.Therefore,it is of clinical value to establish a method to assess the risk of early osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse by applying the images that can be obtained after bilateral hip magnetic resonance scanning. OBJECTIVE:To establish a method of applying coronal and cross-sectional images of bilateral hip magnetic resonance imaging to assess the risk of osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse. METHODS:The medical records of 111 patients(181 hips)with early-stage osteonecrosis of femoral head diagnosed at the outpatient clinic of Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University from October 2017 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.They were categorized into collapsed and non-collapsed groups according to the femoral head collapse at the final follow-up,with 69 hips in the collapsed group and 112 hips in the non-collapsed group.The angle of necrotic range on the images of median coronal plane,transverse plane or one level above and below it was measured on the magnetic resonance imaging system.The sum of the two angles of necrotic angle on the coronal and transverse planes was used as the combined necrotic angle.The average of the three combined necrotic angles of each hip was taken to get the average combined necrotic angle of each hip.Finally,the correlation between the three combined necrotic angles and the average combined necrotic angle with the collapse of osteonecrosis of femoral head was analyzed,and the specificity and sensitivity of the four combined necrotic angles in predicting collapse were evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Totally 69 hips(38.1%)had femoral head collapse at the last follow-up and were included in the collapsed group;112 hips(61.9%)did not have progression of collapse and were included in the non-collapsed group.(2)The difference between the collapsed group and the non-collapsed group in terms of Association Research Circulation Osseous(ARCO)stage was significant(P<0.001).The difference in age,body mass index,follow-up time,gender distribution,side of onset,and causative factors was not significant(P>0.05).(3)The results of independent samples t-test suggested that all four combined necrotic angles were significantly correlated with collapse(P<0.000 1);and the differences in combined necrotic angles between the collapsed group and the non-collapsed group of ARCO stage I and the two groups of ARCO stage II were all significant(P<0.000 1).(4)In the analysis of the receiver operating characteristic,the area under the curve of the average combined necrotic angle was greater than that of the combined necrotic angle on the lower level of the median,the middle level,and the upper level of the median.(5)The average combined necrotic angle had a higher accuracy in the prediction of collapse than the lower level of the median,the middle level,and the upper level of the combined necrotic angle.(6)It is concluded that the accuracy of the average combined necrotic angle in predicting the risk of osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse is higher,and the clinical practicability is stronger,so we can consider using this method to predict the risk of osteonecrosis of femoral head collapse.

Objective: To analyze the association of participation in non-sports extracurricular tutoring classes with the prevalence of screening myopia, axial length (AL) and axial length to corneal radius ratio (AL/CR) among primary school students, so as to provide evidences for formulating myopia prevention and control policies. Methods: In December 2024, combination of convenience and cluster sampling method was used to select 2 273 students from two primary schools in Hefei City, Anhui Province. Ophthalmic examinations and questionnaire surveys were conducted to obtain information on myopia, AL, AL/CR and participation in various types of extracurricular tutoring. A binary Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between non-sports tutoring and screening myopia, and multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between non-sports tutoring and AL and AL/CR. Results: Among the surveyed students, the participation rate in non-sports extracurricular tutoring classes was 64.9% , and the overall prevalence of screening myopia was 39.1%. The average AL and AL/CR were (23.60± 1.01 ) mm and (3.00±0.12), respectively. Univariate analysis showed that students who attended non-sports, music, or academic tutoring classes for ≥2 h per week had higher risks of screening myopia and greater AL/CR values than non-participants (screening myopia: OR =1.38, 1.82, 1.55; AL/CR: β =0.01, 0.03, 0.03; all P <0.05). After adjusting for sex, grade, and participation in sports tutoring, multivariate analysis indicated that participation in non-sports and musical instrument tutoring classes for ≥2 h per week remained significantly associated with higher risks of screening myopia ( OR =1.26, 1.49, both P <0.05). Multiple linear regression showed that participation in musical instrument tutoring for ≥2 h per week was positively correlated with AL ( β=0.14, P < 0.05). Conclusions Participation in non-sports extracurricular tutoring is common among primary school students. Attending non-sports tutoring classes for ≥2 h per week increases the risk of screening myopia.

OBJECTIVES: Urinary calculi are characterized by a high recurrence rate, and patients' adherence to self-management after discharge directly affects health outcomes. Traditional offline follow-up models often face problems such as poor compliance and uneven allocation of medical resources, making it difficult to meet individualized health management needs. Remote follow-up provides a novel solution to optimize long-term management, improve health literacy, and enhance clinical outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the effect of remote follow-up under an intelligent medical collaborative model on quality of life and health-promoting lifestyle in patients with urinary calculi, and to assess its short-term impact on clinical outcomes. METHODS: A total of 118 patients with urinary calculi admitted to a tertiary hospital in Hunan Province between August and November 2024 were recruited and randomly assigned to a control group (n=59) or an intervention group (n=59). The control group received routine departmental follow-up, while the intervention group underwent remote follow-up based on an intelligent medical collaborative model for one month. Assessments were conducted before discharge (T0), 15 days after discharge (T1), and one month after discharge (T2), using the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. At T2, the incidence of forgotten ureteral stents (FUS), ureteral stent-related complications, unplanned readmissions, and patient satisfaction were evaluated. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between groups at T0 in baseline characteristics or outcome measures (all P>0.05). At T1 and T2, the intervention group had significantly higher health-related quality of life scores than the control group (P<0.05). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis showed significant between-group effects (Wald's χ²=22.961, P<0.001), time effects (Wald's χ²=23.065, P<0.001), and interaction effects (Wald's χ²=6.930, P<0.05). Similarly, at T1 and T2, the intervention group scored significantly higher on health-promoting lifestyle than the control group (P<0.05), with significant between-group effects (Wald's χ²=22.936, P<0.001), time effects (Wald's χ²=10.694, P<0.001), and interaction effects (Wald's χ²=18.921, P<0.05). No significant differences were found between groups in the incidence of FUS, ureteral stent-related complications, or unplanned readmissions (all P>0.05). Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the intervention group (t=4.089, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Remote follow-up under an intelligent medical collaborative model helps improve quality of life, promote health-oriented lifestyles, and enhance patient satisfaction among individuals with urinary calculi.
Humans ; Quality of Life ; Male ; Female ; Urinary Calculi/therapy* ; Health Promotion/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the role and molecular mechanism of SOX4 in Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)-mediated gastric mucosal epithelial dysplasia.Methods The expression of SOX4 in gastric tissues and cells was analyzed with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR),Western blotting,and immunohistochemical staining.The effects of SOX4 on gastric epithelial cell proliferation and colony formation were determined with CCK-8 and colony formation assays.A PCR array was used to screen downstream target genes involved in H.pylori-induced dysplasia mediated by SOX4.The transcriptional regulation and binding sites of the target gene MLH3 by SOX4 were elucidated with luciferase reporter assay,promoter truncation assay,and chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP).Results SOX4 expression was significantly increased in H.pylori-infected gastric tissues(P<0.05).Overexpression of SOX4 markedly enhanced the proliferation and colony formation abilities of normal gastric epithelial cells(P<0.05).Elevated SOX4 led to the dysregulation of MLH3 and other DNA damage repair-related molecules after H.pylori infection in gastric epithelial cells(|logFC|>1,P<0.05).H.pylori promoted MLH3 expression in gastric epithelial cells through SOX4.SOX4 transcriptionally activated MLH3 expression by binding to the 5th site of the MLH3 promoter.The increased expression of SOX4 and MLH3 is associated with poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients.Conclusion SOX4 is closely associated with H.pylori-induced dysplasia in gastric epithelial cells.Upregulation of SOX4 promotes H.pylori-related dysplasia by transcriptionally activating MLH3,leading to the imbalance of proliferation and colony formation in gastric epithelial cells.

Objective:To explore the effects of IFN-γ on IL-8 secretion by human liver cancer cells and the impact on their malignant biological functions in vitro. Methods:HuH7 and Hep3B cells were treated with different concentrations of IFN-γ for 24 or 48 h. Changes in the cellular activity, IL-8 secretion, and the proportion of CD133 + liver cancer stem cells were evaluated using CCK8 kit and flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the effects of IFN-γ on the expression of several molecules such as phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), vimentin, and E-cadherin in the liver cancer cells. Effects of IFN-γ with or without IL-8 on the migration of liver cancer cells were detected by transwell assay. Additionally, effects of IFN-γ combined with IL-8 or IL-8 receptor inhibitor repertaxin on the differentiation of liver cancer stem cells were detected by flow cytometry. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey-Kramer test were used for statistical analysis. Results:HuH7 and Hep3B cells secreted significantly higher levels of IL-8 than normal hepatocytes LO2 ( P<0.01) and high expression level of IL-8 gene ( CXCL8) was closely correlated with the expression levels of vimentin gene ( VIMENTIN), CD133 gene ( PRCM1), PD-L1 gene ( CD274), PD-1 gene ( PDCD1), and CD163 gene ( CD163), as well as the poor prognosis of liver cancer patients ( P<0.01). IFN-γ (1-100 ng/ml) had no significant effect on the proliferative activity of HuH7 and Hep3B cells ( P>0.05), but could significantly inhibit IL-8 secretion, cell migration, CD133 + liver cancer stem cell differentiation and suspension tumor sphere formation through the Akt and JNK pathways ( P<0.01). IFN-γ combined with IL-8 could significantly reversed the inhibitory effects of IFN-γ on liver cancer cell migration, stem cell differentiation, and suspension tumor sphere formation ( P<0.01). IFN-γ in combination with repertaxin could synergistically inhibited the differentiation of CD133 + liver cancer stem cells ( P<0.01). Conclusion:IFN-γ inhibits the differentiation and migration of human liver cancer cells through the Akt/JNK-IL-8 signaling pathway, providing a new strategy for future clinical immunotherapy of liver cancer.