ObjectiveTo explore the central neuroregulation mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis on pain relief. MethodsThirty patients who did not have experience of Deqi （得气） during heat-sensitive moxibustion treatment were assigned to the "non-Deqi group"， while another 30 patients who had experience of Deqi were assigned to the "Deqi group". Both groups received moxibustion at the left Heding （EX-LE2） acupoint. In the Deqi group， after the patients experienced sensation of Deqi at the acupoint， moxibustion was applied at approximately 3 cm from the skin for 10 minutes； in the non-Deqi group， moxibustion was also applied at approximately 3 cm from the skin for 10 minutes. Both groups received treatment once daily for 10 consecutive days. Knee joint pain was assessed before and after treatment using the visual analog scale （VAS）. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging （rs-fMRI） scans were performed on all participants before the first treatment session and after the final session on the 10th day. The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations （fALFF） maps before and after treatment were processed using the SPM12 module by MATLAB. ResultsAfter treatment， VAS scores in both groups were significantly lower than before treatment （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， with the Deqi group showing significantly lower VAS scores than the non-Deqi group （P＜0.01）. Compared to before treatment， the Deqi group exhibited significant activation in the prefrontal cortex （t = 6.28）， white matter （t = 6.36）， and left temporal lobe （t = 9.33）， while significant inhibition was observed in the occipital lobe （t = -9.86） and right cerebrum （t = -4.54， P＜0.01）； in the non-Deqi group， significant changes after treatment were observed in the left occipital lobe （t = -6.42）， left medial frontal gyrus （t = -4.35）， left middle frontal gyrus （t = -4.74）， right superior frontal gyrus （t = -4.82）， right superior temporal gyrus （t = -6.61）， and right cerebellar posterior lobe （t = -8.64）， all of which were in inhibited states （P＜0.01）. Compared to the non-Deqi group， the Deqi group exhibited significant activation after treatment in the external nucleus （t = 5.77）， white matter （t = 3.58）， right cerebrum （t = 5.84）， left cerebellum （t = 5.35）， and left cerebrum （t = 4.32）， while significant inhibition was observed in the prefrontal cortex （t = -4.16）， occipital lobe （t = -4.87）， and precentral gyrus （t = -4.46， P＜0.01）. ConclusionsHeat-sensitive moxibustion provides better analgesic effects for knee osteoarthritis under state of Deqi. Its central neuroregulation mechanism may be related to the involvement of the frontal lobe， temporal lobe， occipital lobe， external nucleus， white matter， right cerebrum， left cerebellum， left cerebrum， and precentral gyrus in modulating pain signals.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of 4-methylcatechol (4MC) on the migration and inflammatory response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), as well as its underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: RA-FLS was isolated from synovial tissue donated by RA patients, and the optimal concentration of 4MC was determined by cell counting kit 8 method for subsequent experiments, and the effect of 4MC on the migratory ability of RA-FLS was evaluated via a cell scratch assay. An inflammation model of RA-FLS was induced by tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and ELISA were employed to detect the gene and protein expression levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 in RA-FLS and their culture supernatants, respectively, thereby investigating the anti-inflammatory effects of 4MC. Western blot was used to examine the expressions of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway-related proteins, including inhibitor of NF-κB-α (IKBα), phosphorylated (P)-IκBα, NF-κB-inducing kinase α (IKKα), P-IKKαβ, P-p65, and p65. Cellular immunofluorescence was utilized to detect the expression and localization of p65 in RA-FLS, exploring whether 4MC exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Finally, a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model was established. The anti-RA effect of 4MC in vivo was evaluated by gross observation and histological examination. RESULTS: 4MC inhibited RA-FLS migration in a concentration-dependent manner. In the TNF-α-induced RA-FLS inflammation model, 4MC significantly decreased the gene and protein expression levels of IL-1β and IL-6. Furthermore, 4MC markedly reduced the ratios of P-IΚBα/IΚBα, P-IKKαβ/IKKα, and P-p65/p65, thereby blocking the transcriptional activity of p65 by inhibiting its nuclear translocation. This mechanism effectively suppressed the activation of the TNF-α-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway. Animal studies demonstrated that 4MC [10 mg/(kg·day)] significantly lowered serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and alleviated arthritis severity and bone destruction in CIA mice. CONCLUSION 4MC not only inhibits the migration of RA-FLS but also mitigates their inflammatory response by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby effectively exerting its anti-RA effects.
Synoviocytes/metabolism* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; Animals ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Humans ; Catechols/therapeutic use* ; Fibroblasts/drug effects* ; Mice ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism* ; Synovial Membrane/cytology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Arthritis, Experimental ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Inflammation

Extramedullary plasmacytoma(EMP)is a malignant neoplasm characterized by monoclonal plasma cell proliferation originating outside the bone marrow and hematopoietic tissues.The co-occurrence of multiple myeloma(MM)with mammary EMP is clinically rare.This case report describes the diagnostic and therapeutic management of a middle-aged female patient with MM and mammary EMP,accompanied by a litera-ture review.The patient presented with persistent fever and was found to have a right breast mass via PET/CT during routine follow-up for MM.The lesion was biopsy-confirmed as mammary EMP,and the patient subse-quently underwent chemotherapy.This case highlights the critical importance of differential diagnosis between breast cancer and rare hematologic metastatic tumors in early prevention of disease progression.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)patients with normal N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP).Methods A total of 116 HFpEF patients diagnosed at Binzhou Medical University Hospital form January 2022 to October 2024,along with 61 non-heart failure patients were selected as subjects.Using NT-proBNP diagnosis criteria,HFpEF patients were divided into normal NT-proBNP group(n=62)and elevated NT-proBNP group(n=54),with non-heart failure patients serving as control group(n=61).Clinical parameters including laboratory tests,echocardiography,and CT imaging were systematically compared among all three groups to characterize the clinical features of HFpEF patients with normal NT-proBNP.Results Compared with elevated NT-proBNP group,prevalence of complications,such as hypertension,diabetes,and atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension incidence were lower in normal NT-proBNP group significantly.Left ventricular diastolic function indicators was superior in normal NT-proBNP group than that in elevated NT-proBNP group,with significant differences(P＜0.05).Imaging evaluations revealed that chest CT scans of the normal NT-proBNP group more frequently exhibited characteristic ground-glass opacities.Conclusion HFpEF patients with normal NT-proBNP display distinct clinical characteristics,including milder cardiac structural abnormalities,lower comorbidity burden,and unique imaging manifestations such as ground-glass opacities,which can provide reference for early clinical diagnosis.

Objective:To elucidate the molecular mechanisms through which high-dose dexamethasone exerts long-term effects on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), specifically its role in suppressing osteogenic differentiation, accelerating cellular senescence, triggering the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and inducing apoptosis.Methods:Primary rat BMSCs were isolated and treated with high-dose dexamethasone (1×10 -4 mol/L) to establish the experimental group, while untreated cells served as the control. The gene and protein expression levels of osteogenic markers, bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP) and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), were analyzed in both groups. Cellular senescence was evaluated using senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. The expression of senescence-related markers (P16 and P21), components of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and interferon (IFN)-γ, as well as apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, and Cleaved-Caspase-3), and key factors of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway were assessed at both transcriptional and protein levels using qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and Western-blot analyses. These comprehensive evaluations aimed to determine the senescent state, apoptotic features, and alterations in osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Results:Following treatment with dexamethasone and subsequent withdrawal, both qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses indicated a significant reduction in the expression of the osteogenic markers bALP and Runx2 at both mRNA and protein levels. The proportion of SA-β-gal positive cells was markedly higher in the dexamethasone group (74.33%±6.89%) than in the control group (20.30%±1.57%, t=17.300, P<0.001). qRT-PCR analysis revealed upregulated mRNA expression of the senescence-related genes P16 and P21 after dexamethasone treatment, which was further supported at the protein level by immunofluorescence showing increased P21 expression. Western-blot results confirmed that protein expression levels of P16 and P21 were significantly elevated in the dexamethasone group (7.025±0.255 and 6.362±0.456, respectively) compared with the control group (1.016±0.115 and 0.816±0.172; both P<0.05). Furthermore, gene expression levels of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly increased (TNF-α: 3.539±0.599 vs. 0.742±0.095; IL-1β: 4.469±0.331 vs. 0.799±0.175; both P<0.05), and their protein expression was consistently upregulated as validated by Western-blot. Additionally, protein expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ were significantly higher in the dexamethasone-treated group (3.476±0.932 vs. 0.945±0.095; 4.111±0.220 vs. 0.762±0.105; 2.155±0.240 vs. 0.656±0.104; all P<0.05).Western-blot analysis also demonstrated that protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 was significantly suppressed in the dexamethasone group (0.21±0.07 and 0.19±0.06, respectively) compared with the control group (1.13±0.15 and 0.92±0.21; P<0.05). Moreover, Western-blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Cleaved-Caspase-3 were significantly up, regulated in the dexamethasone, treated BMSCs (Bax: 3.673±0.397 vs. 0.453±0.111; Cleaved-Caspase-3: 3.863±0.399 vs. 0.465±0.057), while the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was markedly down, regulated (0.959±0.073 vs. 2.126±0.195), with all differences being statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:High-dose dexamethasone treatment of BMSCs, followed by withdrawal of dexamethasone, induces cellular senescence and enhances the expression of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) through suppression of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Concurrently, it promotes apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, collectively leading to impaired osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

Objective:To elucidate the molecular mechanisms through which high-dose dexamethasone exerts long-term effects on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), specifically its role in suppressing osteogenic differentiation, accelerating cellular senescence, triggering the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and inducing apoptosis.Methods:Primary rat BMSCs were isolated and treated with high-dose dexamethasone (1×10 -4 mol/L) to establish the experimental group, while untreated cells served as the control. The gene and protein expression levels of osteogenic markers, bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP) and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), were analyzed in both groups. Cellular senescence was evaluated using senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. The expression of senescence-related markers (P16 and P21), components of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and interferon (IFN)-γ, as well as apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, and Cleaved-Caspase-3), and key factors of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway were assessed at both transcriptional and protein levels using qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and Western-blot analyses. These comprehensive evaluations aimed to determine the senescent state, apoptotic features, and alterations in osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Results:Following treatment with dexamethasone and subsequent withdrawal, both qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses indicated a significant reduction in the expression of the osteogenic markers bALP and Runx2 at both mRNA and protein levels. The proportion of SA-β-gal positive cells was markedly higher in the dexamethasone group (74.33%±6.89%) than in the control group (20.30%±1.57%, t=17.300, P<0.001). qRT-PCR analysis revealed upregulated mRNA expression of the senescence-related genes P16 and P21 after dexamethasone treatment, which was further supported at the protein level by immunofluorescence showing increased P21 expression. Western-blot results confirmed that protein expression levels of P16 and P21 were significantly elevated in the dexamethasone group (7.025±0.255 and 6.362±0.456, respectively) compared with the control group (1.016±0.115 and 0.816±0.172; both P<0.05). Furthermore, gene expression levels of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly increased (TNF-α: 3.539±0.599 vs. 0.742±0.095; IL-1β: 4.469±0.331 vs. 0.799±0.175; both P<0.05), and their protein expression was consistently upregulated as validated by Western-blot. Additionally, protein expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ were significantly higher in the dexamethasone-treated group (3.476±0.932 vs. 0.945±0.095; 4.111±0.220 vs. 0.762±0.105; 2.155±0.240 vs. 0.656±0.104; all P<0.05).Western-blot analysis also demonstrated that protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 was significantly suppressed in the dexamethasone group (0.21±0.07 and 0.19±0.06, respectively) compared with the control group (1.13±0.15 and 0.92±0.21; P<0.05). Moreover, Western-blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Cleaved-Caspase-3 were significantly up, regulated in the dexamethasone, treated BMSCs (Bax: 3.673±0.397 vs. 0.453±0.111; Cleaved-Caspase-3: 3.863±0.399 vs. 0.465±0.057), while the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was markedly down, regulated (0.959±0.073 vs. 2.126±0.195), with all differences being statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:High-dose dexamethasone treatment of BMSCs, followed by withdrawal of dexamethasone, induces cellular senescence and enhances the expression of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) through suppression of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Concurrently, it promotes apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, collectively leading to impaired osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma(EMP)is a malignant neoplasm characterized by monoclonal plasma cell proliferation originating outside the bone marrow and hematopoietic tissues.The co-occurrence of multiple myeloma(MM)with mammary EMP is clinically rare.This case report describes the diagnostic and therapeutic management of a middle-aged female patient with MM and mammary EMP,accompanied by a litera-ture review.The patient presented with persistent fever and was found to have a right breast mass via PET/CT during routine follow-up for MM.The lesion was biopsy-confirmed as mammary EMP,and the patient subse-quently underwent chemotherapy.This case highlights the critical importance of differential diagnosis between breast cancer and rare hematologic metastatic tumors in early prevention of disease progression.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)patients with normal N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP).Methods A total of 116 HFpEF patients diagnosed at Binzhou Medical University Hospital form January 2022 to October 2024,along with 61 non-heart failure patients were selected as subjects.Using NT-proBNP diagnosis criteria,HFpEF patients were divided into normal NT-proBNP group(n=62)and elevated NT-proBNP group(n=54),with non-heart failure patients serving as control group(n=61).Clinical parameters including laboratory tests,echocardiography,and CT imaging were systematically compared among all three groups to characterize the clinical features of HFpEF patients with normal NT-proBNP.Results Compared with elevated NT-proBNP group,prevalence of complications,such as hypertension,diabetes,and atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension incidence were lower in normal NT-proBNP group significantly.Left ventricular diastolic function indicators was superior in normal NT-proBNP group than that in elevated NT-proBNP group,with significant differences(P＜0.05).Imaging evaluations revealed that chest CT scans of the normal NT-proBNP group more frequently exhibited characteristic ground-glass opacities.Conclusion HFpEF patients with normal NT-proBNP display distinct clinical characteristics,including milder cardiac structural abnormalities,lower comorbidity burden,and unique imaging manifestations such as ground-glass opacities,which can provide reference for early clinical diagnosis.

In recent years, global outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, have triggered great concern about emerging infectious diseases. With the rapid development of next-generation sequencing technology and bioinformatic tools for viral metagenomics, there is now a widespread capability to detect and identify various known and unknown pathogenic microorganisms within both environmental and biological contexts. Furthermore, the continuous evolution of machine learning methods has led to the development and application of multiple rapid and highly accurate approaches for virus identification. Concurrently, owing to the continual progress in machine learning methods, several rapid and accurate virus identification techniques have been widely developed and applied. Therefore, this review aims to systematically summarize the key methodologies, frameworks, and the scope of applicability within the field of viral metagenomics, with a specific focus on virus identification and prediction. It could facilitate a deeper understanding of viral characteristics, identify potential novel pathogens, and provide technical support for the early prevention and control of infectious diseases.

Objective:To isolate a potassium ion channel Kv4.1 inhibitor from centipede venom,and to determine its sequence and structure.Methods:Ion-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography were performed to separate and purify peptide components of centipede venom,and their inhibiting effect on Kv4.1 channel was determined by whole-cell patch clamp recording.The molecular weight of isolated peptide Kv4.1 channel inhibitor was identified with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry;its primary sequence was determined by Edman degradation sequencing and two-dimensional mass spectrometry;its structure was established based on iterative thread assembly refinement online analysis.Results:A peptide SsTx-P2 was separated from centipede venom with the molecular weight of 6122.8,and its primary sequence consists of 53 amino acid residues NH2-ELTWDFVRTCCKLFPDKSECTKACATEFTGGDESRLKDVWPRKLRSG DSRLKD-OH.Peptide SsTx-P2 potently inhibited the current of Kv4.1 channel transiently transfected in HEK293 cell,with 1.0 μmol/L SsTx-P2 suppressing 95%current of Kv4.1 channel.Its structure showed that SsTx-P2 shared a conserved helical structure.Conclusion:The study has isolated a novel peptide SsTx-P2 from centipede venom,which can potently inhibit the potassium ion channel Kv4.1 and displays structural conservation.