ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Renshentang treats atherosclerosis （AS） in mice， focusing on the regulation of endothelial inflammatory responses mediated by transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 （TRPV1）. MethodsAn AS model was established in apolipoprotein E knockout （ApoE^-/-） mice fed a high-fat diet. The mice were randomly divided into a simvastatin group （0.02 g·kg^-1·d^-1） and low-， medium-， and high-dose Renshentang groups （1.77， 3.54， 7.08 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， with 12 mice in each group. ApoE^-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet and treated simultaneously. C57BL/6J mice fed a normal diet served as the normal group （n=9）. After continuous administration for 12 weeks， mice were anesthetized and the aortas were collected. Oil Red O staining was used to observe lipid plaque formation in the aorta. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to examine pathological changes in the aortic root. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the levels of pro-inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， as well as the expression of TRPV1， phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase （p-PI3K）， and phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt） in the aortic root. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS） mRNA expression in the aorta， and Western blot was used to detect TRPV1 protein expression. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant increase in aortic plaque formation （P<0.01） and significantly elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the aortic root （P<0.01）. The expression levels of TRPV1， p-PI3K， and p-Akt were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and eNOS mRNA expression was reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， all Renshentang groups significantly reduced aortic plaque formation （P<0.01）， significantly decreased TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）， and markedly increased the expression levels of TRPV1， p-PI3K， p-Akt， and eNOS mRNA （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionRenshentang may inhibit endothelial inflammation and suppress the formation of AS by increasing TRPV1 protein expression and up-regulating the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway， which may be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effect against AS.

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences （ACEs） are strong predictors of psychopathology across the lifespan， exerting extensive adverse effects on physical and mental health during early development. While ACEs increase the risk of childhood psychopathology， sleep quality and impair cognitive function， the early neurobiological mechanisms mediating ACE-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the association between ACEs exposure and the risk of psychopathology， sleep disorders， and cognitive function， and to examine the mediating role of the putamen volume in the relationship between ACEs and cognitive function from a neurodevelopment perspective. MethodsData were obtained from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development （ABCD） study， comprising 10 572 children aged 9 to 10. Participants were categorized into five groups based on the cumulative score of ACEs reported by their parents and the children themselves： no-exposure group （0 types of ACEs）， the one-exposure group， the two-exposure group， the three-exposure group， and the high-risk exposure group （≥ 4 types of ACEs）. Logistic regression analysis was employed to evaluate the association between ACEs and psychopathological symptoms ［T score of the Child Behavior Checklist （CBCL） ≥ 65］. Multiple linear regression analysis was ultilized to analyze the correlations between ACEs and the scores of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children （SDSC）， the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery （NIHTB-CB）， as well as the multiple structures in the cerebral cortex and subcortex. The Bootstrap method was applied to test the mediating effect of the putamen volume between ACEs and neurocognitive function. ResultsAfter adjusting for confounders， ACEs cumulative score was correlated with children's psychopathological symptoms in a dose-response manner. Compared with the no-exposed group， the high-risk exposure group had a 2.08-fold （OR=2.080， 95% CI： 1.401–3.088） increased risk of internalizing problems and a 3.13-fold （OR=3.132， 95% CI： 1.703–5.760） increased risk of externalizing problems， and the risk of conduct problems was 4.68 times that of the no-exposed group （OR=4.681， 95% CI： 2.528–8.669）. ACEs cumulative score positively predicted the total score of SDSC （β=0.080， 95% CI： 0.059–0.102）， with relatively stronger predictive effects on sleep-wake transition disorder （β=0.086， 95% CI： 0.063–0.109） and sleep onset and maintenance disorder （β=0.066， 95% CI： 0.043–0.089）. In terms of neurocognition and brain structure， ACEs cumulative score negatively predicted the overall cognitive composite score （β=-0.025， 95% CI： -0.050–-0.001）， the crystallized cognitive composite score （β=-0.035， 95% CI： -0.060–-0.010）， the volume of the left putamen nucleus （β=-0.025， 95% CI： -0.046– 0.003）， and the volume of the right putamen nucleus （β=-0.023， 95% CI： -0.044– 0.003）. The total putamen volume played a partial mediating role between ACEs and the overall cognitive composite score， the effect value was -0.002 （95% CI： -0.004–-0.001）， accounting for 7.49% of the total effect. ConclusionACEs exposure may increase the risk of psychopathological and sleep disturbances in children and may impair neurocognitive function. Reduced putamen volume may serve a potential neurobiological pathway underlying the impact of ACEs on childhood cognition. ［Funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China-Young Scientists Program （number， 82401763）； Sichuan University West China Hospital Full-time Postdoctoral Research and Development Fund Project （number， 2023HXBH084）］

Background Some studies have suggested that exposure to multiple metals is closely linked to the development of metabolic syndrome (MS) in the populations, but the effect of aluminum exposure on MS remains unclear. Objective To analyze the prevalence and influencing factors of MS among employees with aluminum exposure in Shanxi Province. Methods Cluster sampling was employed to survey male frontline workers in an aluminum factory in Shanxi Province. Data on general demographic information, lifestyle, occupational history, medical history, and family history of chronic diseases were collected through questionnaires. The concentration of fasting blood glucose was determined using the glucose oxidase technique, and blood lipid levels were determined using the peroxidase method. Serum aluminum levels were detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and blood biochemical indicators were measured using the peroxidase method. Based on the China's 2020 diagnostic criteria for MS, the participants were and divided into an MS group anda non-MS group. Variables with statistical significance in univariate analysis were included to construct a logistic regression model. Results A cohort of 312 workers participated in this research, with 84 individuals diagnosed with MS, yielding a prevalence rate of 26.92%. The logistic regression model revealed that body mass index (BMI)≥24.0 kg·m⁻² (OR=1.967, 95%CI: 1.057, 3.659), alcohol consumption (OR=1.883, 95%CI: 1.063, 3.336), experiencing major life event (OR=3.886, 95%CI: 1.509, 10.008), family history of hypertension (OR=2.112, 95%CI: 1.162, 3.837), serum aluminum concentration (OR=1.024, 95%CI: 1.012, 1.035), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level (OR=1.032, 95%CI: 1.011, 1.054), and white blood cell (WBC) count (OR=1.210, 95%CI: 1.001, 1.465) were significant influencing factors for MS. Conclusion BMI≥24.0 kg·m⁻², alcohol consumption, experiencing major life event, family history of hypertension, elevated serum aluminum concentration, increased ALT level, and elevated WBC count are risk factors for MS among occupationally aluminum-exposed workers.

Objective To construct and validate a prediction model for urosepsis in patients after upper urinary tract stone surgery using various machine learning algorithms.Methods A total of 7 464 upper urinary tract stone patients who underwent surgery at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from Jun.2018 to Jun.2023 were enrolled and randomly assigned to training(5 224 cases)or validation sets(2 240 cases)at a ratio of 7∶3.Among them,622(8.33%)cases developed urosepsis postoperatively.Six machine learning algorithms,including extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost),logistic regression,light gradient boosting machine(LightGBM),random forest(RF),adaptive boosting(AdaBoost),and gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT),were used to construct prediction models for postoperative urosepsis.The model's predictive ability and clinical benefits were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,Shapley additive explanation(SHAP)analysis,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results The clinical features included body mass index(BMI),number of surgeries,heart rate,Barthel index,venous thrombo embolism(VTE)risk assessment,gender,American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)grade,urinary nitrite,and urinary leukocyte in the models.In the training set,the XGBoost,LightGBM,and RF models performed excellently,with area under curve(AUC)values of ROC curves reaching 1.00.In the validation set,the logistic regression model performed the best,with an AUC value of ROC curve of 0.76,showing good predictive stability and calibration.The AdaBoost and GBDT models followed with AUC values of 0.74 and 0.75,respectively,while the AUC values of the LightGBM,XGBoost,and RF models were 0.71,0.70,and 0.68.In terms of model interpretability,SHAP analysis showed the contribution of variables in a descending order as:heart rate,urinary leukocytes,gender,BMI,Barthel index,VTE risk assessment,urinary nitrite,number of surgeries,and ASA grade.Conclusion A logistic regression model for early risk prediction of postoperative urosepsis in upper urinary tract stone patients has been successfully constructed.This model has good predictive performance and calibration,and can effectively assist clinical diagnosis.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between different types of tea intake and COVID-19 infection.Methods:Data were retrieved from a genome-wide association study(GWAS),involving 447 485,and 64 949 people for single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs).Two-sample Mendelian randomization(MR)analysis was used to investigate the relationship of different types of tea intake with four subgroups of COVID-19 infected population,including COVID-19 infected population versus general population,COVID-19 hospitalized population versus general population,COVID-19 hospitalized population versus non-hospitalized population,and very severe respiratory confirmed population versus general population.Inverse-variance weighted(IVW)method was used as the main method of causal analysis.MR Egger intercept was used for pleiotropy test,and Cochran's Q-statistic was used for heterogeneity test.Results:Compared to the general population,tea intake decreased the incidence of COVID-19 in the infection population(IVW method,OR=0.806,95%CI:0.651-0.999),and the hospitalized population(IVW method,OR=0.533,95%CI:0.369-0.770).Additionally,the underlying pleiotropy was not found following the MR-Egger regression intercept(MR intercept=-0.002,P=0.667),and the Cochran's Q-statistic showed no heterogeneity(Q-statistic=52.712,P=0.057).Compared to the general population,the underlying pleiotropy in the hospitalized patients was not found by MR-Egger regression intercept(MR intercept=-0.001,P=0.909),and the Cochran's Q-statistic showed no heterogeneity(Q-statistic=25.214,P=0.945).However,green tea and herbal tea had no effect on COVID-19 infection.Conclusions:Overall tea intake reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection in the general population compared to COVID-19 infected and hospitalized populations,while green tea and herbal tea have no protective effect against COVID-19 infection.

Objective:To investigate the value of pelvic floor reconstruction with gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap in second-stage surgery for patients with failed perineal wound healing after pelvic exenteration (PE).Methods:This was a descriptive case series study. The clinical data of 24 patients with locally advanced (LARC) or recurrent (LRRC) rectal cancer who underwent PE and had long-term nonunion of postoperative perineal wounds were collected from the department of colorectal surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Navy Medical University (Shanghai Changzheng Hospital) from January 2022 to January 2023. The specific operation methods of pelvic reconstruction by gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap are as follows: the necrotic tissue of the perineal wound was debrided and rinsed repeatedly, the gluteus maximus muscle was cut and separated from the gluteus superior and inferior arteries, the middle muscle pedicle was retained, part of the skin and muscle were separated from the medial margin, part of the epidermis was removed, the muscle and subcutaneous tissue at the medial margin of the flap were fixed to the medial edge of the wound, negative pressure suction tubes were placed above and below the wound cavity and in the muscle space on the right side, and the subcutaneous muscle and fat layer were sutured. The skin was sutured intersegmentally, and a negative pressure suction device was placed on the wound surface. After surgery, the patient should remain prone, and the drainage tube should be placed for at least 7 days. The drainage tube can be removed after 24-hour drainage is less than 30 ml. Perineal wound healing and complications related to gluteal major myocutaneous flap were observed.Result:The median reconstruction time of 24 patients was 180 (150 ~ 230) minutes, and the median intraoperative blood loss was 100 (30 ~ 200) ml. 91.7% (22/24) patients had successful healing of perineal wound within 30 d after operation. After a follow-up of 6 months, no complete or partial flap necrosis occurred. The incidence of complications related to gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap was 8.3% (2/24). One patient had flap infection and sinus tract, and one patient had flap sinus tract. All patients healed after debridement under local anesthesia.Conclusion:For LARC/LRRC patients with poor perineal wound healing after PE, pelvic floor reconstruction with gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap in second-stage operation is safe and feasible, and could successfully close the perineal wound, and has a low incidence of postoperative flap-related complications.

Objective To translate the English version of communicative effectiveness index(CETI)into Chinese and validate its reliability and validity for use in the elderly population.Methods The English version of CETI was translated into Chinese and back-translated using the Brislin translation model.After adjustments and pilot testing,a Chinese version of CETI was created.Between January and March 2024,a total of 395 elderly individuals aged 60 years and over were recruited from Jiangsu and Henan Provinces via convenience sampling.A total of 30 elderly people were retested with the Chinese version of CETI after two weeks of primary test to assess the reliability and validity of the scale.Results The Chinese version of CETI comprised two dimensions:conversational comprehensibility(5 items)and conversational initiative(4 items).The Cronbach α coefficient of the scale was 0.831with the split-half reliability 0.785 and the test-retest reliability 0.909.The Cronbach α coefficients of each dimension ranged from 0.641 to 0.778.The test-retest reliability of each dimension ranged from 0.889 to 0.936.The KMO value of exploratory factor analysis was 0.893,Bartlett's sphericity test valueχ 2=583.291(P<0.01),and the total explanatory rate of variation was 63.305%.Conclusion The Chinese version of CETI has good reliability and validity.It is suitable to be used in the assessment of the status of verbal communicative function in the elderly.

Objective To investigate the relationship between baseline serum lipid levels and cognitive decline after a 4-year follow-up in a cohort of middle-aged and elderly people in rural Xi'an.Methods The data were collected from the cognitive impairment cohort of middle-aged and elderly people in rural areas of Xi'an,Shaanxi Province.The cohort selected the population ≥40 years old in two villages of Huyi District,Xi'an,as the research subjects.The baseline survey was completed from October 2014 to March 2015,and two follow-up visits were conducted in 2016 and 2018.The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)was applied to assess the overall cognitive function.The MMSE score dropping between the 2014 and 2018(△MMSE)≥2 points were defined as cognitive decline.Baseline lipid levels[total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-c),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-c)]were converted into three classification data based on 25％quantile and 75％quantile[Q1(≤25％)vs.Q2-Q3(25％-75％)vs.Q4(≥75％)],and using the Q2-Q3 group as the reference group.The relationship between serum lipid levels and cognitive decline at baseline was analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression.Interaction effect analysis and subgroup analysis were made to investigate the interaction effect of age(＜65 years vs.≥65 years)on the relationship between serum lipid and cognitive decline.Results There were 1 349 participants with complete baseline data,and 235(17.42％)were ≥65 years old at baseline;230 cases(17.05％)had cognitive decline.No significant association was found between TC,TG,LDL-c,HDL-c and cognitive decline in subgroups＜65 years of age.In the subgroup ≥65 years of age,the Q1(≤4.37 mmol/L)group of TC was not significantly associated with the risk of cognitive decline compared with the Q2-Q3(4.37-5.61 mmol/L)group of TC,but the Q,(≥5.61 mmol/L)group of TC was significantly associated withan increased risk of cognitive decline(OR=2.519,95％CI:1.217-5.214,P=0.013).Age had an interactive effect on the relationship between the Q4 group of TC and cognitive decline(OR=2.202,95％CI:1.111-4.363,P=0.024).Compared with the Q2-Q3(1.03-2.01 mmol/L)group of TG,the Q,(≤ 1.03 mmol/L)group of TG was associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline(OR=0.318,95％CI:0.120-0.838,P=0.020).Age had an interactive effect on the relationship between the Q1 group of TG and cognitive decline(OR=0.344,95％CI:0.132-0.896,P=0.029).However,there was no significant correlation between the Q4(≥2.01 mmol/L)group of TG and the risk of cognitive decline.Compared with the Q2-Q3(2.70-3.81 mmol/L)group of LDL-c,the Q1(≤ 2.70 mmol/L)group of LDL-c was not significantly associated with the risk of cognitive decline,but the Q4(≥3.81 mmol/L)group of LDL-c had significant association with an increased risk of cognitive decline(OR=2.367,95％CI:1.143-4.900,P=0.020).Age had an interactive effect on the relationship between the Q4 group of LDL-c and cognitive decline(OR=2.237,95％CI:1.134-4.415,P=0.020).No significant association was found between HDL-c and cognitive decline.Conclusion No significant association was found between HDL-c and cognitive decline at baseline.The relationship of TC,TG and LDL-c with cognitive decline was affected by age.Only in participants over 65 years old,the risk of cognitive decline was higher in those with high baseline levels of TC and LDL-c.Those with low baseline serum TG levels had a lower risk of cognitive decline.

Objective:To investigate the effect of GBP3 on replication of adult T-lymphocytic leukemia virus type 1(HTLV-1).Methods:Expression of GBP3 in HTLV-1-infected HeLa cell and THP1 cell was detected by Western blot.The knock-down efficiency of siRNAs targeting GBP3 in HeLa and THP1 cells was evaluated by Western blot.Effects of GBP3 overexpression or knockdown on expression of HTLV-1 proviral transcripts Tax,px,HBZ,Gag,ENV,5'UTR,and viral proteins Tax,p19 were investigated by RT-qPCR and Western blot.GTPase-defective mutant of GBP3,GBP3K51A was constructed to explore whether the effects of GBP3 on HTLV-1 infection were dependent on its GTPase activity.Results:GBP3 expression was upregulated in HTLV-1 infected HeLa and THP1 cells.GBP3 overexpression decreased expression of HTLV-1 proviral transcripts and viral proteins,whereas the knockdown of GBP3 has the opposite effects.Overexpression of GBP3K51A increased expression of HTLV-1 proviral transcripts and viral proteins.Conclusion:HTLV-1 virus infection can induce expression of GBP3;overexpression of GBP3 inhibits virus replication and may depend on GTPase.

China is a high-incidence region for gastric cancer globally. The disease is characterized by a high morbidity rate, low early diagnostic rate, and poor long-term outcomes, imposing a significant burden on both patients and society. Therefore, exploring the pathogenesis of gastric cancer, developing novel therapeutic strategies, and identifying new drug targets is of great importance. Telomerase expression is broadly associated with cancer cell targeting, and its up-regulation is one of the key factors driving the initiation and progression of gastric cancer. Additionally, telomerase is intricately involved in the regulation of autophagy and autophagy-associated cell death. While autophagy can induce chemoresistance, excessive autophagy may lead to cell death, which also constitutes one of the mechanisms of chemotherapy. Telomerase not only directly contributes to gastric cancer pathogenesis but also indirectly influences its development and treatment by modulating autophagy and autophagic cell death. Therefore, telomerase holds promise as a novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/genetics* ; Telomerase/genetics* ; Autophagy/physiology*