OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors for recurrent plastic bronchitis (PB) among children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). METHODS: The clinical data of children with MPP complicated by PB who underwent bronchoscopy at Gansu Province Maternity and Child Health Hospital between July 2023 and January 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were grouped into a single-episode PB group and a recurrent PB group according to the number of PB episodes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for recurrent PB. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of individual and combined predictors. RESULTS: A total of 264 children were included; 188 (71.2%) had a single episode of PB and 76 (28.8%) had recurrent PB. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that decreased serum albumin, atelectasis, and fever persisting beyond 72 hours after the initial bronchoscopy were significantly associated with recurrent PB (all P<0.05). The combination of these predictors yielded a sensitivity of 82.9%, specificity of 61.7%, and an area under the ROC curve of 0.777 (95%CI: 0.714-0.839), outperforming any single predictor (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In children with MPP complicated by PB, decreased serum albumin, the presence of atelectasis, and fever persisting beyond 72 hours after the initial bronchoscopy are associated with an increased risk of PB recurrence. In such cases, early repeat or multiple bronchoscopic interventions should be considered.
Humans ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Risk Factors ; Recurrence ; Child, Preschool ; Bronchitis/etiology* ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Logistic Models ; Infant ; ROC Curve ; Adolescent

Objective:To investigate the relationship between IUA occurrence and circRNA_0003031 by con-structing a mouse model of intrauterine adhesion(IUA).Methods:A mouse model of IUA was established by me-chanical curettage and lipopolysaccharide infection.The mice were divided into control group(NC group),IUA group,IUA+si-circRNA_0003031 group,and IUA+si-circRNA_0003031+miR-93-5p inhibitor group.The number of endometrial glands and the degree of fibrosis were determined using HE and Masson staining,respectively.Western blot test was used to detect the expression of ephthelial mesenchymal transition(EMT)marker proteins(vimentin,E-cadherin,N-cadherin),fibrosis-related molecules(collagen Ⅰ,collagen Ⅲ),α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),Transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1),and receptors(TGF-β1R),Smad2,P-Smad2].Results:Compared with the IUA group,the number of endometrial glands increased,the degree of endometrial fibrosis de-creased in the IUA+si-circRNA_0003031 group(P＜0.05),and the protein expression of vimentin,N-cadherin,α-SMA,collagen Ⅲ,collagen Ⅰ,P-Smad2,Smad2,TGF-β1R,and TGF-β1 was down-regulated and E-cadherin was up-regulated(P＜0.05).Compared with the IUA+si-circRNA_0003031 group,in the IUA+si-circRNA_0003031+miR-93-5p inhibitor group,the number of endometrial glands was reduced and the degree of endometrial fibrosis was increased(P＜0.05),the protein expression of vimentin,N-cadherin,α-SMA,collagen Ⅲ,collagen Ⅰ,P-Smad2,Smad2,TGF-β1R,and TGF-β1 was up-regulated and E-cadherin was down-regulated,and the differences were statistically significant except for P-Smad 2(P＜0.05).Conclusions:CircRNA_0003031 may promote the oc-currence and development of IUA by inhibiting the expression of miR-93-5p and relieving its inhibitory effect on the TGFβ1/Smad2 signaling pathway.

The paper introduces Professor SUN Shentian's experience in clinical practice of Ningshen (tranquilizing the mind) point. This point is an empirical point discovered by Professor SUN on the basis of meridian differentiation, nerve function and anatomic location, and in association with the years of clinical practice. The point is located in the prefrontal area, jointed with the distribution of the governor vessel, and responded to the body surface projection area of the frontal pole. It works on regulating the mind, regaining consciousness, improving cognition, alleviating depression, mutually treating physical and mental disorders, as well as unblocking collaterals, regulating the tendons and relieving spasm. This point is widely used in treatment of mental disorders, stroke and extrapyramidal diseases and obtains the reliable therapeutic effect in clinical practice.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy/history* ; China ; Meridians ; History, 20th Century

Lentiviral vectors(LVs)are key gene delivery tools for integrating target genes into the host genome,but they may also pose risks of insertional mutagenesis.The vector copy number(VCN)in cells is critical for determining the safety of gene modification.However,the reliability and accuracy of its quantification process are influenced by multiple factors.Developing cell reference materials with specific vector copy numbers represents a viable approach to enhance the reliability and consistency of measurement results,enabling quality control of the quantification process and traceability of outcomes.However,the preparation of such reference materials faces challenges in cell sample design,preparation protocols,and advanced quantification techniques.In this study,T lymphocyte cell line Jurkat-based reference materials with LV gene copy numbers of 1 and 2 copy/cell were developed.A high-precision duplex digital polymerase chain reaction(dPCR)method was established to quantify the LV gene and endogenous genes simultaneously.Additionally,the results of dPCR were cross-validated through next-generation sequencing and flow cytometric analysis.Ultimately,confocal microscopy characterization results showed that the developed cell reference materials had intact morphology.The quantification result of VCN-1 was(1.07±0.11)copy/cell,and that of VCN-2 was(2.09±0.21)copy/cell.These cell reference materials demonstrated compliance with stability and homogeneity requirements,and could be applied for quality control throughout the VCN measurement workflow and metrological traceability,improving the accuracy,comparability,and validity of copy number measurements.

Tonifying herbs described in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing frequently possess well-defined efficacy in dispelling pathogenic factors, including eliminating pathogenic factors, eliminating severe wind-disorders, dispelling Bi syndrome, removing blood stasis and resolving hard masses, facilitating urination and defecation, relieving chills and fever, promoting digestion, regulating and smoothing qi movement, treating carbuncles and deep-rooted ulcers, killing the :three worms: (parasites), draining pus and alleviating pain, and treating bone fractures and traumatic injuries. These effects correspond to a broad spectrum of conditions, encompassing immune, digestive, and respiratory system disorders, as well as tumors. These effects are closely related to the taste and compatibility of drugs, and are supported by modern pharmacological studies (such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, immune regulation, etc.). This study could provide a novel perspective for the rational clinical application of tonifying herbs and establish a foundation for in-depth research into the multi-efficacy mechanisms of Chinese materia medica.

(±)-Penicithrones A-D (1a/1b-4a/4b), four novel pairs of anthrone-cyclopentenone heterodimers characterized by a distinctive bridged 6/6/6-5 tetracyclic core skeleton, together with three previously identified compounds (5-7), were isolated from the crude extract of the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium sp., guided by heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC)-based small molecule accurate recognition technology (SMART 2.0) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based molecular networking. The structural elucidation of new compounds was accomplished through comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, and their absolute configurations were determined using DP4+ ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) calculations and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1a/1b-4a/4b demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines HeLa, HCT116 and MCF-7 with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values ranging from 15.95 ± 1.64 to 28.56 ± 2.59 μmol·L^-1.
Humans ; Penicillium/chemistry* ; Molecular Structure ; Cyclopentanes/isolation & purification* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Dimerization ; HeLa Cells ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

OBJECTIVE: Patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection frequently develop central nervous system damage, yet the mechanisms driving this pathology remain unclear. This study investigated the primary pathways and key factors underlying brain tissue damage induced by the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant (lineage B.1.351). METHODS: K18-hACE2 and C57BL/6 mice were intranasally infected with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant. Viral replication, pathological phenotypes, and brain transcriptomes were analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed to identify altered pathways. Expression changes of host genes were verified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. RESULTS: Pathological alterations were observed in the lungs of both mouse strains. However, only K18-hACE2 mice exhibited elevated viral RNA loads and infectious titers in the brain at 3 days post-infection, accompanied by neuropathological injury and weight loss. GO analysis of infected K18-hACE2 brain tissue revealed significant dysregulation of genes associated with innate immunity and antiviral defense responses, including type I interferons, pro-inflammatory cytokines, Toll-like receptor signaling components, and interferon-stimulated genes. Neuroinflammation was evident, alongside activation of apoptotic and pyroptotic pathways. Furthermore, altered neural cell marker expression suggested viral-induced neuroglial activation, resulting in caspase 4 and lipocalin 2 release and disruption of neuronal molecular networks. CONCLUSION These findings elucidate mechanisms of neuropathogenicity associated with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant and highlight therapeutic targets to mitigate COVID-19-related neurological dysfunction.
Animals ; COVID-19/genetics* ; Mice ; Brain/metabolism* ; Apoptosis ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; SARS-CoV-2/physiology* ; Pyroptosis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Transcriptome ; Male ; Female

Objective To investigate the changes of diameter of the main trunk of the extracranial segment of the facial nerve,local hemodynamics and facial muscle thickness in patients with peripheral facial palsy(PFP)at acute stage by high frequency ultrasound(HFUS).Methods Sixty patients with acute PFP were enrolled as the PFP group,and 30 healthy people were selected as the control group.The following facial param-eters were scanned and recorded using HFUS:diameter of the main trunk of the extracranial segment of the facial nerve(FN-d),facial artery diameter(FA-d),facial artery systolic velocity(FA-Vs),facial artery diastolic velocity(FA-Vd),facial artery resistance index(FA-RI),frontalis muscle thickness(FM-t),depressor anguli oris muscle thickness(DAO-t),and depressor labii inferioris muscle thickness(DLI-t).The feasibility of facial param-eters in the diagnosis of acute-phase peripheral facial palsy(PFP)was evaluated,with intra-group and inter-group variability comparisons performed.Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between acute-phase facial parameters and House-Brackmann(H-B)scale scores in PFP patients.Results(1)The H-B score of the PFP group was significantly lower than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)The reliability of repeated measurements of facial parameters by different testers is good(ICC＞0.75).(3)The FN-d and FA-RI values on the affected side of PFP group were higher than those on the healthy side and control group,and FA-Vs,FA-Vd,DAO-t and DLI-t values were lower than those on the healthy side and control group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).(4)The FN-d and FA-RI values of the affected side in the PFP group were negatively correlated with the H-S scale score(r=-0.847,P＜0.05;r=-0.863,P＜0.05);FA Vs,FA Vd,DAO-t,DLI-t are positively correlated with H-S scale scores(r=0.808,P＜0.05;r=0.757,P＜0.05;r=0.836,P＜0.05;r=0.694,P＜0.05).Conclusions HFUS can effectively detect the characteristic changes such as the increase in the diameter of the extrcranial facial nerve trunk,local microcircula-tion disturbance and facial muscle atrophy in patients with PFP in the acute stage,and the increase and decrease of FN-d,FA Vs,FA Vd,FA-RI,DAO-t,and DLI-t can accurately reflect the improvement or progress of PFP,which has important guiding significance for clinical disease monitoring and efficacy evaluation.

Objective To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of bufalin regulating ferroptosis on extracellular matrix synthesis in renal tubular epithelial cells(RTECs)under high glucose(HG)conditions.Methods RTECs were cultured in vitro and exposed to HG.The experimental groups included:the control group,the HG group,the HG+dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)group,the HG+bufalin group,the HG+ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)group,the HG+bufalin+DMSO group and HG+bufalin+erastin group.The expression levels of fibronectin(FN),type Ⅰ collagen(Col Ⅰ),acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4(ACSL4),solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)were detected using Western blot assay and quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).The potential molecular targets of bufalin were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction,and functional enrichment analysis was conducted using Metascape.FerrDb was employed to analyze ferroptosis-related gene sets.The levels of ferrous ions(Fe2+),malondialdehyde(MDA)and glutathione(GSH)were measured using micro-methods to evaluate the occurrence of ferroptosis.Results Compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein relative expression levels of FN,Col Ⅰand ACSL4 were increased in the HG group,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 were decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the HG+DMSO group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of FN,Col Ⅰand ACSL4,as well as levels of Fe2+and MDA were decreased in the HG+bufalin group,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11,and the level of GSH were increased(P＜0.05).In the HG+Fer-1 group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 were increased,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of ACSL4,FN and Col Ⅰ were decreased(P＜0.05).The SwissTargetPrediction database and Metascape analysis function showed that the downstream functions of bufalin were closely related to lipid metabolism,inflammatory response,programmed cell death and ferroptosis-related pathways.The FerrDb analysis results indicated that the target sites of bufalin were closely related to ferroptosis markers.Compared with the HG+bufalin+DMSO group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 were decreased in the HG+bufalin+Erastin group,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of ACSL4,FN and Col Ⅰ were increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Bufalin attenuates extracellular matrix synthesis in HG-induced RTECs by inhibiting ferroptosis.