Objective To investigate the influencing factors associated with the comorbidity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and depression. Methods A case-control study was conducted based on the ^“Healthcare Big Data Platform^” of a tertiary class-A comprehensive hospital in Shandong Province. IBD comorbid with depression was served as the case group and IBD without depression was served as the control group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed by matching the case group with the control group in a ratio of 1:2 according to the age and gender of the patients. Conditional logistic regression model was used to explore the influencing factors associated with the comorbidity of IBD and depression. Results A total of 405 patients with IBD were enrolled in this study, including 270 patients without depression and 135 patients comorbid with depression. The results of conditional logistic regression showed that the use of immunosuppressants (OR=2.84, 95% CI: 1.00-8.07) and glucocorticoids (OR=2.05, 95% CI: 1.17-3.58), dementia (OR=5.20, 95% CI:1.59-17.05), cardiovascular disease (OR=3.58, 95% CI: 1.84-6.98) and cancer (OR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.16-5.95) were associated with the comorbidity of depression and IBD. Conclusion Attention should be paid to the use of immunosuppressants and glucocorticoids in the population of IBD comorbid with depression, and the coexistence of physical diseases such as dementia, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Early prevention and targeted treatment measures should be taken for high-risk populations to reduce their risk of depression and improve their quality of life and health.

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) is a cytosolic pattern recognition receptor that recognizes multiple pathogen-associated molecular patterns and damage-associated molecular patterns. It is a cytoplasmic immune factor that responds to cellular stress signals, and it is usually activated after infection or inflammation, forming an NLRP3 inflammasome to protect the body. Aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation is reportedly associated with some inflammatory diseases and metabolic diseases. Recently, there have been mounting indications that NLRP3 inflammasomes play an important role in liver injuries caused by a variety of diseases, specifically hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury, hepatitis, and liver failure. Herein, we summarize new research pertaining to NLRP3 inflammasomes in hepatic injury, hepatitis, and liver failure. The review addresses the potential mechanisms of action of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and its regulation in these liver diseases.
Humans ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Inflammasomes/physiology* ; Animals ; Liver Diseases/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Reperfusion Injury/metabolism*

Bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS3) is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that plays critical roles in energy homeostasis, glucose metabolism, and insulin secretion. Recent structural studies have elucidated BRS3 signaling mechanisms using synthetic ligands, including BA1 and MK-5046. However, the molecular basis of BRS3 activation by bioactive natural compounds and their derivatives, particularly those derived from traditional Chinese medicine, remains unclear. Here, we present high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the human BRS3-G_q complex in both unliganded and active states bound by two herb-derived compounds (DSO-5a and oridonin), at resolutions of 2.9, 2.8, and 2.9 Å, respectively. These structures display distinct ligand recognition patterns between DSO-5a and oridonin. Although both compounds bind to the orthosteric pocket, they differentially engage the interaction network of BRS3, as demonstrated by mutagenesis studies assessing calcium mobilization and inositol phosphate 1 (IP1) accumulation. These findings enhance our understanding of BRS3 activation and provide valuable insights into the development of small-molecule BRS3 modulators with therapeutic potential.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between gender, age, blood collection time, season and changes in cTnT concentration.Methods:In this study, 3548 patients (non-cardiovascular diseases) in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University were selected from 1 January to 31 December 2019. The basic data of the patients were collected, including gender, age, time of blood collection, medical history, clinical diagnosis, and results of cTnT testing. 1 840 males and 1 708 females were finally enrolled, with an age distribution of 65 (53, 75) years. The distribution of the data was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test, where non-normally distributed data were expressed as M( Q1, Q3). The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare cTnT concentrations between men and women, and to analyse the influence of gender on cTnT results. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare cTnT levels between gender groups, to analyse the correlation between different times of blood collection, seasons, and other factors and cTnT concentrations. Result:cTnT concentrations increased with age in both males and females over the age of 60 years. cTnT levels were highest in individuals over the age of 90 years (0.028 ng/ml in males and 0.018 ng/ml in females). cTnT levels were higher in males (0.012 ng/ml) than in females (0.009 ng/ml) in all age groups ( H=6.340, P<0.01). The concentrations of cTnT varied at different time points of blood collection. In both males and females, cTnT concentrations reached a maximum at 8:00 and 13:00 (0.013 ng/ml and 0.012 ng/ml, respectively). Analysis of the physiological effect of season on cTnT secretion showed that cTnT levels were generally higher in spring and winter(0.012 ng/ml) than in summer and autumn(0.010 ng/ml). Conclusions:cTnT concentration is influenced by gender, age, time of blood collection and season. When analysing cTnT results in clinical practice, the gender and age of the individual should be taken into account, as well as the time point of blood collection and seasonal factors.

Objective:To explore the differences of gene expression profiles of precursors of exhausted T cells (Tpex) and terminal exhausted T cells (Tex) in the peripheral blood of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (ATB).Methods:Twenty-five cases of ATB, 13 cases of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and 10 health controls were enrolled from January 2021 to October 2022 in the Fifth People′s Hospital of Wuxi. The proportions of Tpex and Tex in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of the three groups were detected by flowcytometry. PBMCs of ATB were separated into Tpex and Tex by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. RNA-sequencing was performed and up-regulated and down-regulated genes were screended. Differently expressed genes were analyzed by gene set enrichment analysis of gene ontology (GO) to find regulatory pathways affecting cell metabolism and function. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn multiple comparsion test were used for statistical analysis.Results:The proportion of Tpex in ATB group was 2.86%(1.74%), which was lower than 7.93%(6.16%) of Tex, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-3.91, P<0.001). The proportions of Tpex and Tex in LTBI group were 9.47%(6.26%) and 7.43%(5.48%), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant ( Z=-0.93, P=0.345). The proportions of Tpex and Tex in healthy control group were 8.42%(2.69%) and 6.49%(5.14%), respectively, with no statistical significance ( Z=-1.36, P=0.170). There was statistical difference of the proportion of Tpex among the three groups ( H=21.93, P<0.001), and the proportion of Tpex in ATB group was lower than those in LTBI and heathy control groups, and the differences were both statistically significant ( Z=4.16, P<0.001 and Z=3.34, P=0.003, respectively), while the proportions of Tex in these three groups were not statistically different ( H=2.17, P=0.338). Compared with Tex, the gene expressions of memory markers, such as B-cell lymphoma 2 of Tpex were up-regulated, and the gene expressions of exhausted markers, such as lymphocyte activation gene 3 were down-regulated. In terms of cellular metabolism, the gene expressions of mitochondrial protein complex, mitochondrial matrix and oxidative phosphorylation of Tpex were up-regulated, and the gene expressions of glycolysis were down-regulated. The gene expressions of pyruvate metabolism in Tex were up-regulated, and the gene expressions of CD4 + T lymphocyte activation and differentiation and glycolytic process in Tpex were down-regulated. Conclusions:Tpex in ATB express more characteristics of memory cells and less features of exhausted markers compared with Tex, and the function of mitochondria of Tpex preserves well.

Objective:To investigate the current status of maternal body image during pregnancy, mother-infant attachment and postpartum depression and explore the mediating effect of mother-infant attachment on maternal body image during pregnancy and postpartum depression, in order to effectively reduce the incidence of postpartum depression and provide reference and guidance for alleviating depressive symptoms.Methods:A total of 362 pregnant women admitted to obstetric wards in Women′s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were selected for a cross-sectional investigation by applying the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Body Image in Pregnancy Scale and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale by convenient sampling from July to September 2022. Model 4 in the SPSS macro program PROCESS was used to test the mediating effect of maternal infant attachment between body image and postpartum depression.Results:Totally 362 valid questionnaires were retrieved including 194 individuals aged ≤30 years old and 168 individuals aged >30 years old. The scores of maternal body image during pregnancy, mother-infant attachment and postpartum depression were (89.24 ± 15.56), (71.40 ± 8.05), 7.50 (4.00, 11.00) points.Conclusions:Body image during pregnancy can not only directly predict postpartum depression, but also indirectly predict postpartum depression through the mediating effect of mother-infant attachment. In order to prevent or reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression, nursing staff should carry out intervention research based on influencing the path of postpartum depression from the perspective of positive psychology.

Objective:To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Methods:This was a multicenter prospective cohort study, which was based on the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China (CCC) project. The hospitalized patients with ACS aged between 18 and 80 years, registered in CCC project from November 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019 were included. The included patients were categorized into four groups based on their BMI at the time of admission: underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m 2), normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m 2), overweight (BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m 2), and obese (BMI≥30.0 kg/m 2). Multivariate logistic regression models was used to analyze the relationship between BMI and the risk of in-hospital MACCE. Results:A total of 71 681 ACS inpatients were included in the study. The age was (63.4±14.7) years, and 26.5% (18 979/71 681) were female. And the incidence of MACCE for the underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese groups were 14.9% (322/2 154), 9.5% (3 997/41 960), 7.9% (1 908/24 140) and 7.0% (240/3 427), respectively ( P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a higher incidence of MACCE in the underweight group compared to the normal weight group ( OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.13-1.49, P<0.001), while the overweight and obese groups exhibited no statistically significant difference in the incidence of MACCE compared to the normal weight group (both P>0.05). Conclusion:ACS patients with BMI below normal have a higher risk of in-hospital MACCE, suggesting that BMI may be an indicator for evaluating short-term prognosis in ACS patients.

Tuberculosis is a worldwide chronic infectious disease that has become a serious threat to human health.Early diagnosis,drug resistance screening and control of disease transmission are key aspects of TB prevention and treatment.However,existing diagnostic techniques and drug sensitivity tests are time-consu-ming and difficult to realize the purpose of early diagnosis and drug resistance screening,which greatly limits the control of disease transmission.Digital polymerase chain reaction(dPCR)is the third generation of poly-merase chain reaction(PCR),which is a quantitative nucleic acid assay with high sensitivity and no calibration curve.This article provides an overview of the principles of dPCR and its application in tuberculosis diagnosis,drug resistance screening and transmission monitoring,compares dPCR with other tuberculosis detection methods,and looks at the challenges and future prospects of dPCR in clinical tuberculosis laboratory applica-tions.

Objective:To clarify the potential correlation between biological changes of meninges in periodontitis mice and cognitive impairment by analyzing the biological changes of meninges in periodontitis mice using single-cell RNA sequencing.Methods:Thirty C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups by using random number table method (15 mice in each group). Mice in the control group were locally administered 2% carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) without Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) on both buccal sides. A mixture of Pg W83 and 2% CMC was applied on both buccal sides in the experimental group mice three times a week, lasting for 16 weeks in total. The absorption of alveolar bone, locomotor activity and cognitive function, the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the cortex were observed and assessed. The mRNA expression levels of Occludin in meninges and brain were detected in two groups. Single-cell RNA sequencing data of meninges were processed by uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP). Differential genes expressions of endothelial cells were processed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. In addition, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the expressions of transcription activating factor 3 (Atf3) and apolpoprotein L domain-containing 1 (Apold 1). Results:Methylene blue staining found the distances of buccal and palatal cement-enamel junction-alveolar bone crest in experimental mice [(185.60±17.60), (206.90±13.37) μm] increased significantly compared with the control group [(135.33±9.57), (163.05±14.98) μm] ( t=5.02, P=0.002; t=4.37, P=0.005). Open field experiment showed the total distance and average speed of mice in the experimental group [(971.88±164.57) cm, (3.25±0.55) cm/s] were not statistically significant compared with the control group [(914.24±278.81) cm, (3.05±0.93) cm/s] ( t=0.65, P=0.525; t=0.65, P=0.520). The recognition index of the experimental group [(48.02±16.92) %] was lower than the control group [(66.27±17.90) %] ( t=2.40, P=0.027) by novel object recognition tests. Compared with the control group [(63.56±11.88) %], the alternation of experimental group [(50.99±14.17) %] was significantly decreased in Y maze tests ( t=2.33, P=0.030). Immunohistochemistry results showed microglia and astrocytes were activated in the cortex of experimental mice. Compared with the control group (1.02±0.25, 1.04±0.31), the relative mRNA expressions of Occludin decreased significantly in the meninges and brain of periodontitis mice, respectively (0.61±0.10, 0.64±0.20) ( t=3.47, P=0.010; t=2.66, P=0.024). By single-cell RNA sequencing, meninges cells were divided into 11 types, such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, immune cells and so on. Endothelial cells were the main cell types in meninges [the control group: 26.47% (1 589/6 004), the experimental group: 26.26% (807/3 073)]. Compared with the control group [5.56% (334/6 004)], the percentage of granulocytes increased in the periodontitis mice [11.65% (358/3 073)]. Using clustering analysis to further focus on endothelial cells, GO enrichment analysis revealed differential genes were mainly related to angiogenesis, cell adhesion, apoptosis and so on. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that differential genes were related to signaling pathways of interleukin-17, relaxin and so on. The relative mRNA expressions of Atf3 and Apold1 in meninges of periodontitis mice (0.42±0.24, 0.54±0.27) were significantly lower than the control group (1.03±0.26, 1.02±0.23) ( t=3.88, P=0.005; t=3.02, P=0.017). Conclusions:The mice chronically infected with Pg W83 occurred memory impairment, neuroinflammation and changes of barrier function. In the meninges of periodontitis mice, there were infiltration of immune cells and down-regulation expressions of Atf3 and Apold1 by single-cell RNA sequencing. Meningeal immunity and changes of barrier function may play an important role in the cognitive impairment caused by periodontitis.

The mutual recognition of medical examination results is significant for improving the utilization efficiency of limited resources in large public hospitals,promoting the sharing of quality medical resources,alleviating the high costs and diffi-culties of healthcare for the public,reducing pressure on medical insurance funds,and enhancing the efficiency of fund utiliza-tion.This study reviews the research on mutual recognition of medical examination results in China,analyzing it from four as-pects:regulatory norms,platform construction,policy awareness,and performance distribution.It identifies research hotspots and directions related to mutual recognition,clarifies the challenges and key points in the implementation of relevant policies,and suggests future research directions,including strengthening theoretical research,improving empirical studies,and innovating re-search methods.