Background Gestational weight gain is closely related to maternal and infant health outcomes. Pregnant women are simultaneously exposed to four metals—lithium (Li), vanadium (V), uranium (U), and bismuth (Bi)—through inhalation of fine particulate matter and consumption of contaminated food and water. Existing studies suggest that exposure to these metals may be associated with gestational weight gain. However, no study has yet explored the complex relationships between exposure to mixtures of these four metals and weight gain at different stages of pregnancy. Objective To investigate the associations between mixed exposure to Li, V, U, and Bi in early pregnancy and the average weekly gestational weight gain during both early pregnancy and mid-to-late pregnancy. Methods This prospective study recruited eligible women in early pregnancy from an obstetrics clinic of a tertiary hospital in Jinan, China, between September 2021 and July 2023. Pre-pregnancy weight, current weight (at 11⁺⁰ to 13⁺⁶ weeks of gestation), and spot urine samples (≥5.0 mL) were collected at enrollment. Urinary concentrations of Li, V, Bi, and U were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Participants were followed up in late pregnancy (≥28 weeks of gestation) to collect information on physical activity via questionnaire; weight measurements at the last antenatal visit (35⁺⁰ to 37⁺⁶ weeks of gestation) were obtained from the hospital information system. After adjusting for covariates, multiple linear regression and generalized additive models were used to assess the associations of individual metals with weekly weight gain in early pregnancy and in mid-to-late pregnancy. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation (Qgcomp) were applied to evaluate the joint effects of the metal mixture exposure on weekly weight gain at the two gestational stages. Results A total of 313 pregnant women were included. The geometric means of urinary Li, V, U, and Bi concentrations were 37.07, 0.20, 0.06, and 0.04 μg·L⁻¹, respectively; after creatinine adjustment, the corresponding values were 46.82, 0.25, 0.07, and 0.05 μg·g⁻¹ (Cr). The mean weekly gestational weight gain was (0.19±0.25) kg in early pregnancy and (0.53 ± 0.18) kg in mid-to-late pregnancy. Both multiple linear regression and generalized additive models showed that urinary V concentration was positively associated with average weekly gestational weight gain in early pregnancy, while no significant associations were found for other metals or for gestational weight gain in mid-to-late pregnancy. In the BKMR model with early-pregnancy weight gain as the outcome, V had the strongest association [posterior inclusion probability (PIP)=0.773]. When other metals were fixed at their medians, V showed a positive non-linear association with the outcome. A significant single-metal effect of V and its interaction with Li were observed. Compared with the 50th percentile of the metal mixture, the average weekly weight gain in early pregnancy increased by 0.016 (95%CI: 0.003, 0.029) and 0.018 (95%CI: 0.001, 0.036) at the 60th and 65th percentiles, respectively; conversely, at the 25th percentile, it decreased by 0.026 (95%CI: 0.002, 0.050). Overall, the joint effect of the metal mixture on early- pregnancy weight gain showed an upward trend. In the BKMR model for mid-to-late pregnancy gestational weight gain, all PIPs were<0.5, and no significant single-metal effects, interactions, or joint effects were identified. Qgcomp results confirmed a positive association between the metal mixture and early-pregnancy weight gain (b=0.031, 95%CI: 0.010, 0.051; P<0.01), with V contributing the highest positive weight (0.71). No significant association was found for weight gain in mid-to-late pregnancy (b=0.007, P=0.339). Conclusion Higher levels of co-exposure to the Li, V, Bi, and U metal mixture during early pregnancy may be associated with increased average weekly weight gain in early pregnancy. Among these metals, V exhibits a predominant role and appears to interact with Li. No association is observed between early-pregnancy metal mixture exposure and average weekly gestational weight gain in mid-to-late pregnancy. These findings suggest that monitoring and managing metal exposure during early pregnancy may be crucial for the rational regulation of gestational weight gain.

Uterine fibroids are a common benign tumor of the female reproductive system， characterized by increased menstrual flow， lower abdominal pain， and prolonged menstrual periods. Modern medicine believes that the onset of this disease is related to genetic factors， environmental factors， hormone levels， et al， while the specific mechanism remains unclear， and the prevention and treatment of uterine fibroids has become a hot topic of concern for many experts and scholars in the medical field. At present， the treatment of uterine fibroids in clinical practice is mainly based on hormone drugs and uterine artery embolization， and severe cases require hysterectomy. However， the use of hormone drugs for treatment has serious side effects and is prone to recurrence after surgery. Since hysterectomy can cause severe harm to women， it is necessary to explore safer and more effective treatment methods. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has rich clinical experience in the treatment of uterine fibroids， advocating for syndrome differentiation and treatment. The TCM methods that regulate Qi and blood and balance Yin and Yang have been commonly adopted， with significant efficacy and minimal side effects， being more conducive to the recovery. Guizhi Fulingwan are first recorded in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber written by the famous medical expert ZHANG Zhongjing during the Eastern Han dynasty. This prescription has the effects of activating blood， resolving stasis， and eliminating mass， and it is thus mainly used for treating abdominal mass in women. In recent years， Guizhi Fulingwan has also been applied in the clinical treatment of tumors and has demonstrated definite efficacy in the treatment of uterine fibroids. Studies have shown that the therapeutic mechanisms of Guizhi Fulingwan for uterine fibroids involve regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis， improving immune function， reducing inflammation， improving hemorheological indicators， inhibiting tumor angiogenesis， and regulating sex hormone levels. This article mainly reviews the treatment of uterine fibroids with Guizhi Fulingwan from three aspects： theoretical basis， clinical application， and pharmacological mechanism. It is expected to provide scientific research ideas and guidance for exploring the clinical treatment of uterine fibroids.

BACKGROUND:Hippocampal injury caused by aortic coarctation has been poorly studied,and combined detection of tumor necrosis factor α,nuclear factor κB and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 expression in aortic dissection has not been reported.OBJECTIVE:To observe histomorphologic changes in the hippocampus of a mouse model of aortic dissection and investigate the expression and significance of tumor necrosis factor alpha,nuclear factor kappaB and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 in the hippocampus of aortic dissection mice.METHODS:Sixteen healthy 3-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups:control group and aortic dissection group,with eight mice in each group.In the aortic dissection group,mice were given β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate as drinking water for 4 weeks,and the angiotensin Ⅱ microinfiltration pump was then implanted to establish an animal model of aortic dissection.Mice in the control group were given normal diet and water.After the model was established,the maximum diameter of the ascending aorta was measured,hematoxylin-eosin staining and EVG staining were performed to evaluate the model formation rate,and the levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The hippocampus was dissected and stained with hematoxylin-eosin to observe the pathological changes of the hippocampus in brain sections.The protein expression of tumor necrosis factor α,nuclear factor κB and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 was detected by western blot analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the control group,the maximum diameter of the ascending aorta in the aortic dissection group was significantly enlarged.(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the aorta showed obvious thickening of the middle aorta and destruction and disorder of the aortic wall structure in mice.Neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of mice were sparsely arranged,reduced in size,and showed pyknosis with deeply stained nuclei.(3)Serum levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 were increased in the aortic dissection group compared with the control group(P＜0.01).(4)The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor α,nuclear factor κB,phosphorylated nuclear factor κB,and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 in the hippocampus were increased in the aortic dissection group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,microglial activation and increased expression of tumor necrosis factor α and nuclear factor κB may be involved in hippocampal neuron injury in aortic dissection mice.

BACKGROUND:Hippocampal injury caused by aortic coarctation has been poorly studied,and combined detection of tumor necrosis factor α,nuclear factor κB and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 expression in aortic dissection has not been reported.OBJECTIVE:To observe histomorphologic changes in the hippocampus of a mouse model of aortic dissection and investigate the expression and significance of tumor necrosis factor alpha,nuclear factor kappaB and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 in the hippocampus of aortic dissection mice.METHODS:Sixteen healthy 3-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups:control group and aortic dissection group,with eight mice in each group.In the aortic dissection group,mice were given β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate as drinking water for 4 weeks,and the angiotensin Ⅱ microinfiltration pump was then implanted to establish an animal model of aortic dissection.Mice in the control group were given normal diet and water.After the model was established,the maximum diameter of the ascending aorta was measured,hematoxylin-eosin staining and EVG staining were performed to evaluate the model formation rate,and the levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The hippocampus was dissected and stained with hematoxylin-eosin to observe the pathological changes of the hippocampus in brain sections.The protein expression of tumor necrosis factor α,nuclear factor κB and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 was detected by western blot analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the control group,the maximum diameter of the ascending aorta in the aortic dissection group was significantly enlarged.(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the aorta showed obvious thickening of the middle aorta and destruction and disorder of the aortic wall structure in mice.Neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of mice were sparsely arranged,reduced in size,and showed pyknosis with deeply stained nuclei.(3)Serum levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 were increased in the aortic dissection group compared with the control group(P＜0.01).(4)The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor α,nuclear factor κB,phosphorylated nuclear factor κB,and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 in the hippocampus were increased in the aortic dissection group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,microglial activation and increased expression of tumor necrosis factor α and nuclear factor κB may be involved in hippocampal neuron injury in aortic dissection mice.

Objective: To conduct a scoping review on the types, construction methods and predictive performance of health literacy prediction models based on machine learning methods, so as to provide the reference for the improvement and application of such models. Methods: Publications on health literacy prediction models conducted using machine learning methods were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, PubMed and Web of Science from inception to May 1, 2024. The quality of literature was assessed using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias ASsessment Tool. Basic characteristics, modeling methods, data sources, missing value handling, predictors and predictive performance were reviewed. Results: A total of 524 publications were retrieved, and 22 publications between 2007 and 2024 were finally enrolled. Totally 48 health literacy prediction models were involved, and 25 had a high risk of bias (52.08%), with major issues focusing on missing value handling, predictor selection and model evaluation methods. Modeling methods included regression models, tree-based machine learning methods, support vector machines and neural network models. Predictors primarily encompassed factors at four aspects: individual, interpersonal, organizational and society/policy aspects, with age, educational level, economic status, health status and internet use appearing frequently. Internal validation was conducted in 14 publications, and external validation was conducted in 4 publications. Forty-two models reported the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve, which ranged from 0.52 to 0.983, indicating good discrimination. Conclusion Health literacy prediction models based on machine learning methods perform well, but have deficiencies in risk of bias, data processing and validation.

Currently,there are practical and technical difficulties in the construction of clinical ques-tions in the development of clinical practice guidelines.Clinicians or guideline developers seldom construct clin-ical questions based the actual case scenario,leading to some information loss between structured and actual clinical connotation.To overcome this challenge,we proposed a case-guided questions construction approach,and carried out case research and verification in the formulation of the guideline.We found that this method could more efficiently and scientifically assist the formulation of clinical questions,and provide reference for clinicians or guideline developers.

Radiation-induced thrombocytopenia(RIT)faces a perplexing challenge in the clinical treatment of cancer patients,and current therapeutic approaches are inadequate in the clinical settings.In this research,oxy-matrine,a new molecule capable of healing RIT was screened out,and the underlying regulatory mecha-nism associated with magakaryocyte(MK)differentiation and thrombopoiesis was demonstrated.The capacity of oxymatrine to induce MK differentiation was verified in K-562 and Meg-01 cells in vitro.The ability to induce thrombopoiesis was subsequently demonstrated in Tg(cd41:enhanced green fluorescent protein(eGFP))zebrafish and RIT model mice.In addition,we carried out network pharmacological pre-diction,drug affinity responsive target stability assay(DARTS)and cellular thermal shift assay(CETSA)analyses to explore the potential targets of oxymatrine.Moreover,the pathway underlying the effects of oxymatrine was determined by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses,Western blot(WB),and immunofluorescence.Oxymatrine markedly promoted MK differentiation and maturation in vitro.Moreover,oxymatrine induced thrombopoiesis in Tg(cd41:eGFP)zebrafish and accelerated thrombopoiesis and platelet function recovery in RIT model mice.Mechanistically,oxymatrine directly binds to toll-like receptor 2(TLR2)and further regulates the downstream pathway stimulator of interferon genes(STING)/nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-κB),which can be blocked by C29 and C-176,which are specific inhibitors of TLR2 and STING,respectively.Taken together,we demonstrated that oxymatrine,a novel TLR2 agonist,plays a critical role in accelerating MK differentiation and thrombopoiesis via the STING/NF-κB axis,suggesting that oxymatrine is a promising candidate for RIT therapy.

Objective:To establish and evaluate a second-tier screening method for neonatal congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and develop appropriate screening interpretation criteria.Methods:We employed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to simultaneously detect five steroid hormones in dried blood spots: 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17α-OHP), androstenedione (A4), 11-deoxycortisol (11-DOC), 21-deoxycortisol (21-DOC), and cortisol (F), calculating (17α-OHP+A4)/F and (17α-OHP+21-DOC)/F ratios for second-tier CAH screening. The study utilized 429 residual dried blood spot samples from neonates (0-7 days) who completed first-tier screening between January 2020 and March 2024 in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, including first-tier negatives ( n=369), confirmed false positives ( n=50), and CYP21A2-confirmed 21-hydroxylase deficiency patients ( n=10). Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests analyzed steroid concentration variations across gestational ages and birth weights in all negative samples, with reference intervals established via P2.5- P97.5 percentiles and screening cutoffs set at population P97.5. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified optimal interpretation indicators among steroid hormone profiles, with second-tier screening performance evaluated by comparing sensitivity and specificity across different steroid hormone indicators to establish the optimal diagnostic criteria. Results:The five steroid hormones demonstrated intra-assay precision with coefficient of variation (CV) of 9.8%-14.2% and inter-assay precision with CV of 4.7%-14.4% across three different concentration levels of quality control materials. Accuracy ranged from 98.5% to 110.0% and the lower limits of quantification were 0.25 ng/ml for 17α-OHP, 0.05 ng/ml for A4/11-DOC, 0.31 ng/ml for 21-DOC, and 0.1 ng/ml for F. Stratification by gestational age categorized 17α-OHP into ≤31, 32-34, and ≥35 weeks; A4 into ≤31, 32-36, and ≥37 weeks; and 11-DOC into ≤31 and ≥32 weeks, while the remaining indicators were not stratified. When grouped by birth weight (low/normal), all measured parameters except 21-DOC showed statistically significant differences between groups (all P<0.05). Established reference intervals included 17α-OHP: 0.53-7.82 ng/ml (≤31 weeks), <0.25-3.60 ng/ml (32-34 weeks), <0.25-1.64 ng/ml (≥35 weeks); A4: 0.12-2.36 ng/ml (≤31 weeks), <0.05-1.45 ng/ml (32-36 weeks), 0.17-0.95 ng/ml (≥37 weeks); 11-DOC: 0.43-4.04 ng/ml (≤31 weeks), 0.08-1.46 ng/ml (≥32 weeks); F: 1.70-83.70 ng/ml; 21-DOC: <0.31-0.69 ng/ml; (17α-OHP+A4)/F: 0.01-0.74; and (17α-OHP+21-DOC)/F: 0.01-0.69. Comprehensive comparison of CAH second-tier screening performance demonstrated that interpretation based on elevated 17α-OHP accompanied by either elevated 21-DOC or elevated ratios [(17α-OHP+A4)/F or (17α-OHP+21-DOC)/F] achieved 100% sensitivity, 96% specificity, and a 96% reduction in false-positive rate. Conclusion:The application of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for multi-steroid hormone profiling in second-tier neonatal CAH screening, utilizing gestational age-specific 17α-OHP cutoffs combined with elevated 21-DOC or ratio criteria, demonstrated 100% screening sensitivity while substantially reducing false-positive rates from primary screening, though further validation with expanded sample sizes remains necessary.

Objective To establish a nomogram prediction model for the risk of sarcopenia among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)by LASSO-Logistic regression.Methods From January 2021 to December 2023,2986 elderly T2DM patients who were admitted to The Fifth People's Hospital of Chongqing were enrolled.Based on the 2019 criteria of the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group,they were divided into a T2DM combined with sarcopenia(Sar,n=867)group and simple T2DM group(n=2119).All patients were randomly divided into a model group(n=1990)and a validation group(n=996)in a 2∶1 ratio.Another 528 patients with T2DM admitted to our hospital from January to October 2024 were selected as the external validation group.LASSO regression was used to screen variables.Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of sarcopenia.R language was used to establish a nomogram model.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow curve were used to validate the prediction model.Results The age,proportions of drinking,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,DM complications,DM duration,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),2-hour postprandial plasma glucose,hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c),triglycerides,total cholesterol,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the Sar group were higher than those in the T2DM group(P<0.05).The proportion of male individuals,body mass index,and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the Sar group were lower than those in the T2DM group(P<0.05).LASSO regression identified 8 factors,including gender,age,drinking,hypertension,DM complications,DM duration,FPG,and HbA1c,as predictive variables for T2DM with sarcopenia.Logistic regression analysis showed that gender,age,DM duration,HbA1c,and DM complications were influencing factors for sarcopenia in elderly T2DM patients.The nomogram prediction model showed that the highest scores corresponding to DM complications,DM duration,HbA1c,age,and gender were approximately 100,70,52,43,and 30 points,respectively,with a maximum total score of approximately 295.The area under the ROC curve of the model group,validation group,and external validation group were 0.914,0.822,and 0.777,respectively.The Hosmer-Lemeshow calibration curve showed that the maximum offsets for the model group,validation group,and external validation group were 0.031,0.049,and 0.056,respectively(P=0.929,0.802,and 0.782,respectively).Conclusions Elderly T2DM patients are prone to developing sarcopenia.A nomogram model based on LASSO-Logistic analysis,which includes DM complications,DM duration,HbA1c,age,and gender,can effectively predict the risk of sarcopenia among elderly T2DM patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of governor vessel pushing manipulation on behavioral outcomes in valproic acid(VPA)-induced autism spectrum disorder(ASD)rats and explore its underlying mechanisms using prefrontal RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq).Methods Nine Sprague-Dawley pregnant rats at gestational day 12.5 were divided into two groups,six received intraperitoneal VPA injection(600 mg/kg)for modeling,and three received saline.Male offspring at postnatal day 21 were evaluated using the three-chamber social test and open field test to validate the ASD model.VPA-induced male offspring were randomly assigned to the model group(n=5)or tuina group(n=5),while saline offspring formed the blank group(n=5).The blank group and model group received no intervention,while the tuina group underwent governor vessel pushing manipulation stimulation along the governor vessel using a custom device,twice a day for 14 days,totaling 28 times.Post-intervention,behavioral assessments included social index(SI)and social preference index(SPI)in the three-chamber test,total distance traveled and central zone time in the open field test,marble-burying test for stereotyped behaviors,and Nissl staining for prefrontal cortical neuron survival.RNA-Seq identified differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in the prefrontal cortex,followed by Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses.Real time fluorogenic quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)validated DEGs,and Western blotting analyzed proteins in enriched pathways.Results Pre-intervention,both model and tuina groups showed reduced SI,SPI,total distance,and central zone time compared to the blank group(P<0.05),confirming successful modeling.Post-intervention,the model group exhibited lower SI,SPI,total distance,central zone time,increased marble-burying(P<0.05),and fewer Nissl bodies(P<0.01)versus the blank group.Compared to the model group,the tuina group displayed improved SI,SPI,total distance,central zone time(P<0.05),reduced marble-burying(P<0.05),and increased Nissl bodies(P<0.01).RNA-Seq revealed 213 prefrontal DEGs(181 upregulated,32 downregulated)in the tuina group.GO analysis highlighted cellular components,while KEGG identified 181 pathways,with 67 significantly enriched(P<0.05),notably the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway.RT-qPCR confirmed decreased collagen type Ⅰ alpha 2(Col1α2),transforming growth factor-α(TGF-α),epidermal growth factor receptor 3(ErbB3),and serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 2(Sgk2)(P<0.05),and increased hepatic growth factor(Hgf)(P<0.01)in the model group,reversed by governor vessel pushing manipulation.Western blotting showed reduced prefrontal NRG1,ErbB3,nNOS,PI3K,AKT,p-nNOS,p-PI3K,and p-AKT in the model group(P<0.05),which were upregulated by tuina.Conclusion Governor vessel pushing manipulation ameliorates social deficits,anxiety,stereotyped behaviors,and neuronal loss in ASD rats,potentially via activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.