Objective To investigate the value of preoperative clinical data and computed tomography angiography (CTA) data in predicting perioperative mortality risk in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD), and to construct a Nomogram prediction model. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on AAD patients treated at Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from February 2013 to July 2023. Patients who died during the perioperative period were included in the death group, and those who improved during the same period were randomly selected as the non-death group using a random number table method. The first CTA data and preoperative clinical data within the perioperative period of the two groups were collected, and related risk factors were analyzed to screen out independent predictive factors for perioperative death. The Nomogram prediction model for perioperative mortality risk in AAD patients was constructed using the screened independent predictive factors, and the effect of the Nomogram was evaluated by calibration curves and area under the curve (AUC). Results A total of 270 AAD patients were included. There were 60 patients in the death group, including 42 males and 18 females with an average age of (56.89±13.42) years. There were 210 patients in the non-death group, including 163 males and 47 females with an average age of (56.15±13.77) years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that type A AAD [OR=4.589, 95%CI (2.273, 9.267), P<0.001], irregular tear morphology [OR=2.054, 95%CI (1.025, 4.117), P=0.042], decreased hemoglobin [OR=0.983, 95%CI (0.971, 0.995), P=0.007], increased uric acid [OR=1.003, 95%CI (1.001, 1.005), P=0.004], and increased aspartate aminotransferase [OR=1.003, 95%CI (1.000, 1.006), P=0.035] were independent risk factors for perioperative death in AAD patients. The Nomogram prediction model constructed using the above risk factors had an AUC of 0.790 for predicting perioperative death, indicating good predictive performance. Conclusion Type A AAD, irregular tear morphology, decreased hemoglobin, increased uric acid, and increased aspartate aminotransferase are independent predictive factors for perioperative death in AAD patients. The Nomogram prediction model constructed using these factors can help assess the perioperative mortality risk of AAD patients.

OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Dendrobium officinale on skin damage in mice with xeroderma. METHODS The mice were randomly divided into control group， model group， and D. officinale group， with 5 mice in each group. Except for the control group （which only underwent shaving treatment）， the mice in all other groups were induced to develop a xeroderma model using an acetone-ether mixture for five consecutive days. The mice in D. officinale group were treated with 200 μL of D. officinale suspension （0.2 mg/mL） two hours after the first modeling each day. Mice in the control group and the model group were applied with an equal volume of pure water； once a day， until the end of the modeling process. After last medication， skin lesions and pathological morphology of the mice were observed. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expressions of Filaggrin， Loricrin and Ki67 proteins in skin tissue of the mice. The core pathways through which D. officinale improves skin damage in xeroderma were screened using 16S rRNA sequencing combined with gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analyses， and subsequent validation was conducted. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the mice in the model group exhibited obvious scratching behavior， with a large amount of scale on the skin， excessive epidermal keratinization， and thickened stratum spinosum. The skin scale score， epidermal thickness， and the expression levels of Ki67， Filaggrin， and Loricrin proteins in the skin tissue were significantly increased/elevated （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the mice in the D. officinale group exhibited reduced scratching behavior and scaling， along with a mitigated degree of skin keratinization. The aforementioned quantitative indicators were significantly decreased/reduced （ P ＜0.05）. The results of core pathway screening revealed that the KEGG pathways involving differentially expressed genes included signaling pathways such as interleukin-17 （IL-17） and tumor necrosis factor （TNF）. Further validation experim ents found that after intervention with D. officinale ， mRNA expression of downstream effector molecules CCN1， Hbegf， Tnfrsf12a， and Thbs1 genes in skin tissues were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS D. officinale can repair skin damage in mice with xeroderma， and its mechanism of action is related to restoring the balance of proliferation and differentiation in keratinocytes and down-regulating the mRNA expressions of CCN1， Hbegf， Tnfrsf12a， and Thbs1.

With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.

ObjectiveTo investigate the current status of assistive device use and unmet needs among persons with disabilities in Sichuan-Chongqing region, and to identify the key factors associated with satisfaction with these devices. MethodsFrom October, 2024 to February, 2025, quota sampling was adopted to recruit 1 040 persons with disabilities in Sichuan and 260 persons with disabilities in Chongqing. Telephone and online questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic characteristics, status of assistive device utilization and unmet assistive device needs, as well as satisfaction with assistive device use. Correlation analysis, multiple linear regression analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to identify key factors associated with satisfaction. ResultsA total of 1 186 valid responses were collected, of which 942 were from Sichuan Province and 244 from Chongqing Municipality. The utilization rate of assistive devices among persons with disabilities in Sichuan-Chongqing region was 61.9%, and the rate of unmet assistive device needs was 30.6%. The assistive device utilization rate of participants with agricultural household registration (57.98%) was lower than that of participants with non-agricultural household registration (66.86%). The utilization rate showed a J-shaped upward trend with the increase of educational attainment. Educational attainment (P = 0.002), perceived usefulness of assistive devices (P < 0.001), home living environment (P < 0.001), public environment (P < 0.001) and disability type (significant differences were found in visual and hearing disabilities compared with physical disability, P < 0.05) were key predictors of satisfaction with assistive device use. The impact of public environment on satisfaction was exerted through two indirect mediating paths: mediating effect via perceived usefulness of assistive devices (ind₁ = 0.357, 95%CI 0.279 to 0.437, P < 0.001), contributing approximately 70% of the total indirect effect; mediating effect via home living environment (ind₂ = 0.129, 95%CI 0.006 to 0.242, P = 0.038), contributing approximately 25% of the total indirect effect. ConclusionThere is a structural imbalance between assistive device use and demand in Sichuan-Chongqing region. People with psycho-intellectual disabilities are most likely to be excluded from the service chain because they neither perceive need nor access information. Education exerts a robust positive effect on both adoption and satisfaction, so training content must be tailored to different educational levels. Satisfaction is shaped by disability type, device usefulness and environmental factors. Future product development should therefore integrate functional and psychosocial dimensions. Priority should be given to micro-scale home-and-community accessibility retrofits before extending upward to public transportation and employment settings, to maximize the cost-effectiveness of limited funds.

Objective: To explore the association of health literacy with overweight and obesity among middle school students in Chongqing, so as to provide evidence for obesity prevention and control strategies. Methods: From November to December 2019, a stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 7 851 middle school students from 8 complete middle schools across 4 districts/counties in Chongqing. Participants completed the Adolescent Health Literacy Questionnaire and underwent nutritional status assessments. Chisquare tests and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents was 12.95%. The overall health literacy rate and rates for functional, interactive, and critical health literacy dimensions were 62.01%, 66.02%, 50.07%, and 72.42%, respectively. Significant differences in overweight and obesity prevalence were observed across districts/counties, urban/rural areas, sex, school stages, and onlychild status (χ2=25.93, 3.86, 80.55, 8.80, 6.43, P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate Logistic regression revealed that middle school students with overall health literacy (OR=0.86, 95%CI=0.75-0.99), interactive health literacy (OR=0.85, 95%CI=0.74-0.97), and critical health literacy (OR=0.84, 95%CI=0.73-0.98) had a lower risk of overweight and obesity (P<0.05). Conclusions Health literacy is inversely associated with overweight and obesity among middle school students. Strengthening health education and improving interactive and critical health literacy may create favorable conditions for adolescent overweight and obesity prevention and control.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in the world. High temperature and other stress conditions can affect the growth and development of this plant, even leading to the decreases in yield and quality. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family plays a crucial role in plant stress responses. However, the role of MPK4 in the stress response of cucumber remains to be reported. In this study, we cloned CsMPK4, which encoded 383 amino acid residues. The qRT-PCR results showed that the expression level of CsMPK4 was the highest in leaves and flowers, moderate in roots, and the lowest in stems and tendrils. CsMPK4 was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and it had a close relationship with CmMPK4 in muskmelon. The cucumber plants overexpressing CsMPK4 became stronger and shorter, with reduced length and quantity of tendrils. Moreover, the transgenic seedlings were more resistant to high temperatures, with decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in young leaves. Furthermore, the protein-protein interaction between CsMPK4 and CsVQ10, a member of the valine-glutamine family, was confirmed by yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. The results suggested that CsVQ10 cooperated with CsMPK4 in response to the high temperature stress in cucumber. This study laid a foundation for the further study on the stress response mechanism of CsMPK4 and the breeding of stress-resistant cucumber varieties.
Cucumis sativus/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/physiology* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Cloning, Molecular

DNA double-strand breaks represent a common type of serious DNA damage in living organisms, causing instability of the genome and leading to cell death. Homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) are the two main ways to repair DNA double-strand breaks. The core components involved in the NHEJ pathway are highly conserved in both yeast and humans. A few bacteria such as Mycobacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis also have the NHEJ mechanism. NHEJ plays a key role in the double strand repair of Mycobacterium in latency. This paper summarizes the mechanism and important components of NHEJ in Mycobacterium, introduces the application of NHEJ in gene editing, and reviews the research progress of the NHEJ pathway in Mycobacterium. We hope to bring new insights into the molecular mechanism and provide clues for the application of NHEJ in Mycobacterium.
DNA End-Joining Repair/physiology* ; Gene Editing/methods* ; Mycobacterium/physiology* ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded ; Humans

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are one of the major populations susceptible to tuberculosis. However, little is known about the unique characteristics and diagnostic biomarkers of tuberculosis in this population. In this study, 81 AYAs were recruited, and the high-quality serum proteome of the AYAs with tuberculosis was profiled by quantitative proteomics. The data of serum proteomics indicated that the relative abundance of hemoglobin and apolipoprotein was significantly reduced in the patients with active tuberculosis (ATB). The pathway enrichment analysis showed that the downregulated proteins in the ATB group were mainly involved in the antioxidant and cell detoxification pathways, indicating extensive oxidative stress damage. Random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were employed to evaluate protein importance, which yielded a set of candidate proteins that can distinguish between ATB and non-ATB. The analysis with the support vector machine algorithm (recursive feature elimination) suggested that the combination of apolipoprotein A-I (APOA1), hemoglobin subunit beta (HBB), and hemoglobin subunit alpha-1 (HBA1) had the highest accuracy and sensitivity in diagnosing ATB. Meanwhile, the levels of hemoglobin (HGB) and albumin (ALB) can be used as blood biochemical indicators to evaluate changes in the protein levels of APOA1 and HBB. This study established the serum proteome landscape of AYAs with tuberculosis and identified new biomarkers for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in this population.
Humans ; Proteomics/methods* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Apolipoprotein A-I/blood* ; Machine Learning ; Tuberculosis/blood* ; Proteome/analysis* ; Male ; Hemoglobins/analysis* ; Female ; Blood Proteins/analysis* ; Adult

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an intestinal coronavirus that can cause porcine epidemic diarrhea, leading to diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and even death in piglets. Due to the diversity of PEDV strains, traditional vaccines are difficult to sustainably and effectively prevent and control PEDV. This article reviews the strategies and mechanisms of active substances in regulating intracellular signaling pathways, viral proteins, and microbial metabolites to enhance the host immune function against PEDV. It emphasizes the prevention of PEDV resistance and the potential harm of PEDV breaking through interspecies barriers to the human society, aiming to provide reliable theoretical support for the development of new antiviral drugs or vaccines.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus/immunology* ; Animals ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/prevention & control* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Coronavirus Infections/virology* ; Viral Vaccines/immunology* ; Humans ; Signal Transduction

Flowering and bolting are important agronomic traits in cruciferous crops such as Brassica juncea. Timely flowering can ensure the crop organ yield and quality, as well as seed propagation. The WRKY family plays an important role in regulating plant bolting and flowering, while the function and mechanism of WRKY12 in B. juncea remain unknown. To explore its function and mechanism in bolting and flowering of B. juncea, we cloned and characterized the BjuWRKY12 gene in B. juncea and found that its expression levels were significantly higher in flowers and inflorescences than in leaves. BjuWRKY12 belonged to the Ⅱc subfamily of the WRKY family, and subcellular localization indicated that the protein was located in the nucleus. Ectopic overexpression of BjuWRKY12 in transgenic lines promoted bolting and flowering, leading to significant increases in the expression levels of flowering integrators SOC1 and FUL. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid and dual luciferase reporter system assays confirmed that BjuWRKY12 directly bound to the promoters of BjuSOC1 and BjuFUL, undergoing protein-DNA interactions. This discovery gives new insights into the regulation network and molecular mechanisms of BjuWRKY12, laying a theoretical foundation for the breeding of high-yield and high-quality varieties of B. juncea.
Mustard Plant/metabolism* ; Flowers/growth & development* ; Plant Proteins/physiology* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; MADS Domain Proteins/metabolism*