ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism by which Zuoguiwan （ZGW） treat hyperthyroidism in rats with kidney-Yin deficiency based on the dopamine receptor D4 （DRD4）/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH） oxidase 4 （NOX4） signaling pathway. MethodsThe rat model of kidney-Yin deficiency was induced by unilateral intramuscular injection of dexamethasone （0.35 mg·kg^-1）. After successful modeling， the rats were randomized into model， methimazole （positive control， 5 mg·kg^-1）， low-， medium-， and high-dose （1.85， 3.70， 7.40 g·kg^-1， respectively） ZGW， and normal control groups. After 21 days of continuous gavage， the behavioral indexes and body weight changes of rats were evaluated. The pathological changes of the renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The serum levels of thyroid hormones ［triiodothyronine （T₃）， thyroxine （T₄）， thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH）］， renal function indexes ［serum creatine （Scr） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN）］， energy metabolism markers ［cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） and cyclic guanosine monophosphate （cGMP）］， and oxidative stress-related factors ［superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and NADPH）］ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Western blot was employed to analyze the expression of DRD4， NOX4， mitochondrial respiratory chain complex proteins ［NADH：ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit S4 （NDUFS4） and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 4 （COX4）］， and inflammation-related protein ［tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）］ pathway in the renal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed mental malaise， body weight decreases （P<0.01）， inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal tissue， a few residual parotid glands in the thyroid， elevations in serum levels of T₃， T₄， Scr， BUN， cAMP， cAMP/cGMP， MDA， and NADPH （P<0.01）， down-regulation in protein levels of TSH， SOD， and DRD4 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulation in expression of NOX4， p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK， and inflammatory factors （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， ZGW increased the body weight （P<0.05， P<0.01）， reduced the infiltration of renal interstitial inflammatory cells， restored the thyroid structure and follicle size， lowered the serum levels of T₃， T₄， Scr， BUN， cAMP， cAMP/cGMP， MDA and NADPH （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the expression of TSH， SOD and DRD4 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated the expression of NOX4， p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK， and inflammatory factors （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， high-dose ZGW outperformed methimazole （P<0.05）. ConclusionBy activating DRD4， ZGW can inhibit the expression of NOX4 mediated by the p38 MAPK pathway， reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response， thereby ameliorating the pathological state of hyperthyroidism due to kidney-Yin deficiency. This study provides new molecular mechanism support for the clinical application of ZGW.

The NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome is essential in innate immune-mediated inflammation,with its overactivation implicated in various autoinflammatory,metabolic,and neurode-generative diseases.Pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 offers a promising treatment strategy for in-flammatory conditions,although no medications targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome are currently available.This study demonstrates that clioquinol(CQ),a clinical drug with chelating properties,effec-tively inhibits NLRP3 activation,resulting in reduced cytokine secretion and cell pyroptosis in both human and mouse macrophages,with a half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of 0.478 μM.Additionally,CQ mitigates experimental acute peritonitis,gouty arthritis,sepsis,and colitis by lowering serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α).Mechanistically,CQ covalently binds to Arginine 335(R335)in the NACHT domain,inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and blocking the interaction between NLRP3 and its component protein.Collectively,this study identifies CQ as an effective natural NLRP3 inhibitor and a potential therapeutic agent for NLRP3-driven diseases.

BACKGROUND:With the increasing degree of population aging in China,the incidence of osteoporosis is rising annually.This growing demand for screening and diagnosis poses significant challenges to the healthcare system,increasing the time costs,financial burdens,and radiation exposure risks for patients.OBJECTIVE:To develop a novel interpretable prediction method based on traditional CT examination data and demographic data,aiming to reduce the number of patient examinations and enable multiple screenings from one examination.METHODS:A two-stage interpretable framework for osteoporosis prediction was designed.In the first stage,a human-computer collaborative method was used for annotating CT images,with an innovative vertebra 7-point CT value measurement technique.Patient's sex and age were used as key demographic features to enrich the model's input.In the second stage,the LightGBM model was enhanced by SHapley Additive exPlanations for quantitative analysis of feature importance,improving the interpretability of predictions and increasing clinical trust.Systematic experiments validated the effectiveness of the framework and the stability of the optimal feature set through the comparative analysis of different feature combinations with six machine learning models.To further assess the generalization ability of the model,the model was further tested on an external dataset.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The experiment compared six machine learning models suitable for medical applications,and the results showed that LightGBM model achieved an F1 score of 0.902 2 and an area under the curve of 0.938 7,outperforming the other models.In terms of interpretability,the clinical application credibility and operability of the model was increased by ranking and visualizing the contribution of input features to the results.Additionally,this study realized a prototype system,and testing results indicated that the system is user-friendly,capable of quickly processing data to provide prediction results,with visualized outcomes demonstrating good interpretability.This system effectively assists doctors in clinical decision-making and provides robust support for the screening and preliminary diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that the vagus nerve stimulation improves upper limb function in patients with stroke sequelae(six month-two years).This study aimed to investigate whether the auricular intradermal acupuncture(AIA)acted on the auricular branch of the vagus nerve can facilitate the recovery of upper limb motor function and expedite the effects and characteristics of rehabilitation processes in flaccid phase after stroke in Phase Brunnstrom Ⅰ.Methods This study utilized a randomized controlled single-blinded clinical design.Patients with ischemic stroke in Phase Brunnstrom Ⅰ were randomly assigned to the auricular intradermal acupuncture(AIA)group(AIA,standard rehabilitation,conventional acupuncture)or the sham auricular intradermal acupuncture(sham AIA)group(the sham AIA,standard rehabilitation,conventional acupuncture)for 6 days of 1 week(6 times).Primary outcome measures:Brunnstrom(Ueda Assessment),Fugl-Meyer assessment of the upper extremity(FMA-UE)and its subtype score(FMA-UEFS,FMA-UEES),Wolf motor function test scale(WMFT).Secondary outcome measures:Upper limb active range of joint motion(AROM),manual muscle test(MMT)of upper limb muscles,Barthel index(BI).Results Of the 332 patients who were screened,70 patients met the criteria and were recruited.There were 35 patients in the AIA group,1 patient was fall off,34 patients were actually completed;35 patients in the sham AIA group had no falling off case.Primary outcome measures:The upper Ueda assessment of the AIA group were better than those of the sham AIA group after treatment on days 3 and 6(P<0.05,P<0.001,respectively).The FMA-UEFS score on days 6 of the AIA group were significantly better than those of the sham AIA group(P<0.05).FMA-UEES of the AIA group was more associated with FMA-UE than FMA-UEFS with FMA-UE after treatment on day 6(FMA-UEFS:r=0.728,P<0.001;FMA-UEES:r=0.744,P<0.001).After 3 days and 6 days of treatment,the AIA group of the WMFT were significantly improved in the sham AIA group(P<0.05,P<0.001,respectively).Secondary outcome measures:AROM:After 6 days of treatment,the AIA group of shoulder abduction were more improved than in the sham AIA group(P<0.05).MMT:The muscle strength of elbow flexion,and elbow extension muscle improved more in the AIA group than in the sham AIA group(P<0.05).Barthel index(BI):After 6 days of treatment,there was a significant improvement in the group compared with before treatment(P<0.05),but no difference compared with the group(P>0.05).Conclusions AIA combined with conventional rehabilitation and acupuncture,can effectively improve the upper limb motor function of patients with post-ischemic stroke flaccid hemiplegia and accelerates the rehabilitation process of upper limb motor function.Clinical Trial Registration The study protocol is registered withhttp://www.chictr.org.cn(accession number:ChiCTR2200058141).

BACKGROUND:With the increasing degree of population aging in China,the incidence of osteoporosis is rising annually.This growing demand for screening and diagnosis poses significant challenges to the healthcare system,increasing the time costs,financial burdens,and radiation exposure risks for patients.OBJECTIVE:To develop a novel interpretable prediction method based on traditional CT examination data and demographic data,aiming to reduce the number of patient examinations and enable multiple screenings from one examination.METHODS:A two-stage interpretable framework for osteoporosis prediction was designed.In the first stage,a human-computer collaborative method was used for annotating CT images,with an innovative vertebra 7-point CT value measurement technique.Patient's sex and age were used as key demographic features to enrich the model's input.In the second stage,the LightGBM model was enhanced by SHapley Additive exPlanations for quantitative analysis of feature importance,improving the interpretability of predictions and increasing clinical trust.Systematic experiments validated the effectiveness of the framework and the stability of the optimal feature set through the comparative analysis of different feature combinations with six machine learning models.To further assess the generalization ability of the model,the model was further tested on an external dataset.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The experiment compared six machine learning models suitable for medical applications,and the results showed that LightGBM model achieved an F1 score of 0.902 2 and an area under the curve of 0.938 7,outperforming the other models.In terms of interpretability,the clinical application credibility and operability of the model was increased by ranking and visualizing the contribution of input features to the results.Additionally,this study realized a prototype system,and testing results indicated that the system is user-friendly,capable of quickly processing data to provide prediction results,with visualized outcomes demonstrating good interpretability.This system effectively assists doctors in clinical decision-making and provides robust support for the screening and preliminary diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Objective To investigate the effect of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1(NEAT1)on the chondrocyte pyroptosis signaling axis in osteoarthritis(OA)and its potential mechanism.Methods Knee joint cartilage tissues were collected from 6 OA patients and 6 healthy individuals.The targeting relationship between miR-26a and lncRNA NEAT1 was predicted by TargetScan 7.2 and StarBase,and the targeting regulatory effect of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-26a was verified by dual luciferase reporter assays.The cultured chondrocyte lines were divided into the control group(without drug intervention),IL-1β group(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β for inducing OA in vitro),IL-1β+NEAT1-EV group(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-EV),IL-1β+NEAT1-OE group(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-OE),IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic-NC(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and co-transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-OE and 50 μg/L of mimic-NC),and IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and co-transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-OE and 50 μg/L of miR-26a mimic).The expression levels of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-26a in OA cartilage tissues and cells were detected using qRT-PCR.The cell viability was determined using CCK-8 assay.The expression of Caspase1 and cleaved-Caspase1,as well as the pyroptosis markers[NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3),interleukin-18(IL-18)and cleaved-Gasdermin D]were detected using Western blot.Results In the OA cartilage tissue,the expression level of lncRNA NEAT1 was higher than that in the normal cartilage tissue,while the expression level of miR-26a was lower than that in the normal cartilage group(P<0.05).The dual luciferase reporter assays confirmed the targeted regulatory effect of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-26a.Compared with the control group,the IL-1β group showed upregulation of lncRNA NEAT1,cleaved-Caspase1,NLRP3,IL-18,and cleaved-Gasdermin D expression levels(P<0.05),downregulation of miR-26a expression level(P<0.05),and a decrease of cell viability(P<0.05).Compared with the IL-1β+NEAT1-EV group,the IL-1β+NEAT1-OE group exhibited upregulation of lncRNA NEAT1,cleaved-Caspase1,NLRP3,IL-18,and cleaved-Gasdermin D expression levels(P<0.05),downregulation of miR-26a expression level(P<0.05),and a decrease of cell viability(P<0.05).Compared with the IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic-NC group,the IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic group showed downregulation of cleaved-Caspase1,NLRP3,IL-18,and cleaved-Gasdermin D expression levels,upregulation of miR-26a expression level(P<0.05),and an increase of cell viability(P<0.05).Conclusion lncRNA NEAT1 activates the chondrocyte pyroptosis signaling axis mediated by Caspase1 in OA by the targeted inhibition of miR-26a.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) often spreads to the liver, necessitating surgical treatment for CRC liver metastasis (CRLM). Iron-deficiency anemia is common in CRC patients and is associated with fatigue and weakness. This study investigated the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the outcomes of surgical resection of CRLM. Methods: This population-based, retrospective study evaluated data from adults ≥20 years old with CRLM who underwent hepatic resection. All patient data were extracted from the 2005–2018 US National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The outcome measures were in-hospital outcomes including 30-day mortality, unfavorable discharge, and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS), and short-term complications such as bleeding and infection. Associations between iron-deficiency anemia and outcomes were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: Data from 7,749 patients (representing 37,923 persons in the United States after weighting) were analyzed. Multivariable analysis revealed that iron-deficiency anemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of prolonged LOS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.30–3.30), unfavorable discharge (aOR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.83–3.19), bleeding (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.92–8.74), sepsis (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.04–2.46), pneumonia (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.72–3.74), and acute kidney injury (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.24–2.35). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent associations between iron-deficiency anemia and prolonged LOS across age, sex, and obesity status categories. Conclusion In patients undergoing hepatic resection for CRLM, iron-deficiency anemia is an independent risk factor for prolonged LOS, unfavorable discharge, and several critical postoperative complications. These findings underscore the need for proactive anemia management to optimize surgical outcomes.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) often spreads to the liver, necessitating surgical treatment for CRC liver metastasis (CRLM). Iron-deficiency anemia is common in CRC patients and is associated with fatigue and weakness. This study investigated the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the outcomes of surgical resection of CRLM. Methods: This population-based, retrospective study evaluated data from adults ≥20 years old with CRLM who underwent hepatic resection. All patient data were extracted from the 2005–2018 US National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The outcome measures were in-hospital outcomes including 30-day mortality, unfavorable discharge, and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS), and short-term complications such as bleeding and infection. Associations between iron-deficiency anemia and outcomes were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: Data from 7,749 patients (representing 37,923 persons in the United States after weighting) were analyzed. Multivariable analysis revealed that iron-deficiency anemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of prolonged LOS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.30–3.30), unfavorable discharge (aOR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.83–3.19), bleeding (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.92–8.74), sepsis (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.04–2.46), pneumonia (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.72–3.74), and acute kidney injury (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.24–2.35). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent associations between iron-deficiency anemia and prolonged LOS across age, sex, and obesity status categories. Conclusion In patients undergoing hepatic resection for CRLM, iron-deficiency anemia is an independent risk factor for prolonged LOS, unfavorable discharge, and several critical postoperative complications. These findings underscore the need for proactive anemia management to optimize surgical outcomes.

Objective To investigate the effect of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1(NEAT1)on the chondrocyte pyroptosis signaling axis in osteoarthritis(OA)and its potential mechanism.Methods Knee joint cartilage tissues were collected from 6 OA patients and 6 healthy individuals.The targeting relationship between miR-26a and lncRNA NEAT1 was predicted by TargetScan 7.2 and StarBase,and the targeting regulatory effect of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-26a was verified by dual luciferase reporter assays.The cultured chondrocyte lines were divided into the control group(without drug intervention),IL-1β group(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β for inducing OA in vitro),IL-1β+NEAT1-EV group(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-EV),IL-1β+NEAT1-OE group(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-OE),IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic-NC(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and co-transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-OE and 50 μg/L of mimic-NC),and IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic(with 10 μg/L of IL-1β and co-transfected with 20 μg/L of NEAT1-OE and 50 μg/L of miR-26a mimic).The expression levels of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-26a in OA cartilage tissues and cells were detected using qRT-PCR.The cell viability was determined using CCK-8 assay.The expression of Caspase1 and cleaved-Caspase1,as well as the pyroptosis markers[NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3),interleukin-18(IL-18)and cleaved-Gasdermin D]were detected using Western blot.Results In the OA cartilage tissue,the expression level of lncRNA NEAT1 was higher than that in the normal cartilage tissue,while the expression level of miR-26a was lower than that in the normal cartilage group(P<0.05).The dual luciferase reporter assays confirmed the targeted regulatory effect of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-26a.Compared with the control group,the IL-1β group showed upregulation of lncRNA NEAT1,cleaved-Caspase1,NLRP3,IL-18,and cleaved-Gasdermin D expression levels(P<0.05),downregulation of miR-26a expression level(P<0.05),and a decrease of cell viability(P<0.05).Compared with the IL-1β+NEAT1-EV group,the IL-1β+NEAT1-OE group exhibited upregulation of lncRNA NEAT1,cleaved-Caspase1,NLRP3,IL-18,and cleaved-Gasdermin D expression levels(P<0.05),downregulation of miR-26a expression level(P<0.05),and a decrease of cell viability(P<0.05).Compared with the IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic-NC group,the IL-1β+NEAT1-OE+mimic group showed downregulation of cleaved-Caspase1,NLRP3,IL-18,and cleaved-Gasdermin D expression levels,upregulation of miR-26a expression level(P<0.05),and an increase of cell viability(P<0.05).Conclusion lncRNA NEAT1 activates the chondrocyte pyroptosis signaling axis mediated by Caspase1 in OA by the targeted inhibition of miR-26a.

Background: and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking. Methods: This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance. Results: Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal. Conclusions The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.