Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex disease that is often accompanied by mental health disorders. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous clinical presentation of CP/CPPS remain uncertain. This study analyzed widely targeted metabolomic data of expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) and plasma to reveal the underlying pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS. A total of 24 CP/CPPS patients from The Second Nanning People's Hospital (Nanning, China), and 35 asymptomatic control individuals from First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Nanning, China) were enrolled. The indicators related to CP/CPPS and psychiatric symptoms were recorded. Differential analysis, coexpression network analysis, and correlation analysis were performed to identify metabolites that were specifically altered in patients and associated with various phenotypes of CP/CPPS. The crucial links between EPS and plasma were further investigated. The metabolomic data of EPS from CP/CPPS patients were significantly different from those from control individuals. Pathway analysis revealed dysregulation of amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the citrate cycle in EPS. The tryptophan metabolic pathway was found to be the most significantly altered pathway associated with distinct CP/CPPS phenotypes. Moreover, the dysregulation of tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism and elevation of oxidative stress-related metabolites in plasma were found to effectively elucidate the development of depression in CP/CPPS. Overall, metabolomic alterations in the EPS and plasma of patients were primarily associated with oxidative damage, energy metabolism abnormalities, neurological impairment, and immune dysregulation. These alterations may be associated with chronic pain, voiding symptoms, reduced fertility, and depression in CP/CPPS. This study provides a local-global perspective for understanding the pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS and offers potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis/blood* ; Adult ; Pelvic Pain/blood* ; Metabolomics ; Prostate/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Chronic Pain/blood* ; Metabolome ; Case-Control Studies ; Tryptophan/blood* ; Depression/blood* ; Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology*

ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.

The therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction is closely related to its decocting methods. A correct understanding of the scientific connotations of decocting methods in TCM is of great significance for guiding the application of decoctions and the development of modern TCM preparations based on decoctions. The decocting process is not only a hot water extraction process of chemical components but also accompanied by complex chemical and physical changes, forming a complex multiphase system and significantly affecting the absorption and therapeutic effect of TCM. This article reviews the research progress in scientific connotations of decocting methods in TCM from the perspectives of chemical composition changes, phase state differences,absorption behavior changes, and pharmacological and toxicological changes caused by decocting. This review is expected to provide implications for studying decocting methods and their scientific interpretation, boost the innovation and development of TCM decoctions,and promote the design and development of modern TCM preparations.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Animals

After the wooden shipwreck was recovered from the marine underwater environment,the wooden components undergo varying degrees of degradation,therefore,accurately determining the extent of degradation is a fundamental scientific issue for implementing effective preservation strategies.In this work,the wooden remains of Pinus massoniana excavated from the"Nanhai No.1"shipwreck(Southern Song Dynasty)were investigated and compared with the modern wood to discriminate the degradation levels of archaeological wood using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared(ATR-FTIR)spectroscopy.The residual sugar content within wood cell walls was determined using a non-invasive automated microscale ATR-FTIR method to extract chemical information from the wood tangential section.Microstructural characterization of wood samples was conducted by super depth of field microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.FTIR spectral analysis was performed to evaluate the degradation state and elucidate changes in cellulose crystallinity.Finally,the combination of FTIR spectroscopy with the sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis(sPLS-DA)model facilitated the rapid discrimination of degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood,and the performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and area under the curve(AUC).The results showed that the higher the degree of wood degradation,the lower the residual sugar content in the wood cell wall,and the residual glucose content of highly degraded wood was only 4.7％.Significant differences were observed in both the tangential section microstructure and FTIR characteristic absorption patterns across degradation levels,and as the degradation advanced,progressive cell wall loosening occurred alongside selective removal of polysaccharide components,and the relative lignin content was increased,resulting in an elevated A1509/A1370 ratio in FTIR spectra.The sPLS-DA model achieved excellent discrimination performance with AUC values exceeding 0.9,confirming that the combination of FTIR spectroscopy with sPLS-DA enabled accurate assessment of degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood.This study developed a rapid and accurate methodology for assessing degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood based on microscale ATR-FTIR spectroscopy,which would help to promote the accurate assessment of the preservation state of waterlogged wooden artifacts.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: Recombination events are common and serve as the primary driving force of diverse human adenovirus (HAdV), particularly in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs). Therefore, continual monitoring of these events is essential for effective viral surveillance and control. METHODS: Respiratory specimens were collected from children with ARIs between January 2022 and December 2023. The penton base, hexon, and fiber genes were amplified from HAdV-positive specimens and sequenced to determine the virus type. In cases with inconsistent typing results, genes were cloned into the pGEM-T vector to detect recombination events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to characterize the recombinant HAdV genomes. RESULTS: Among 6,771 specimens, 277 (4.09%, 277/6,771) were positvie for HAdV, of which 157 (56.68%, 157/277) were successfully typed, with HAdV-B3 being the dominant type (91.08%, 143/157), and 14 (5.05%, 14/277) exhibited inconsistent typing results, six of which belonged to species B. The penton base genes of these six specimens were classified as HAdV-B7, whereas their hexon and fiber genes were classified as HAdV-B3, resulting in a recombinant genotype designated P7H3F3, which closely resembled HAdV-B114. Additionally, a partial gene encoding L1 52/55 kD was identified, which originated from HAdV-B16. CONCLUSION A novel recombinant, P7H3F3, was identified, containing sequences derived from HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, which is similar to HAdV-B114, along with additional sequences from HAdV-B16.
Humans ; Adenoviruses, Human/isolation & purification* ; Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology* ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Recombination, Genetic ; Male ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Infant ; Female ; Phylogeny ; Adenovirus Infections, Human/epidemiology* ; Acute Disease ; Genome, Viral

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of transrectal contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for rectal cancer with intestinal stenosis caused by tumors. Methods Forty-nine patients with rectal cancer underwent transrectal CEUS and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before surgery.Intraoperative tumor localization and postoperative pathological results were taken as the gold standard for diagnosis.The differences in T stage,localization,and tumor length of rectal cancer were compared between the two methods. Results The total accuracy rates of transrectal CEUS and MRI in diagnosing T stage were 75.5% (36/49) and 67.3% (33/49),which had no significant difference (χ²=0.8,P=0.371).The total accuracy rates of transrectal CEUS and MRI in judging tumor localization were 79.5% (39/49) and 77.5% (38/49),which had no significant difference (χ²=0.061,P=0.806).The measurement results of tumor length in pathological examination had no significant difference from the transrectal CEUS results (t=1.42,P=0.162) but a significant difference from the MRI results (t=3.38,P=0.001).Furthermore,transrectal CEUS detected 8 (16.3%) cases of colonic polyps among the 49 patients,while MRI did not detect colon lesions. Conclusions Transrectal CEUS has good consistency with MRI in T staging and localization judgement of rectal cancer with intestinal stenosis,and this method can more accurately evaluate the tumor length and simultaneously evaluate whether there is a lesion in the entire colon at the proximal end of stenosis.It can be used as a supplementary examination before rectal cancer treatment in clinical practice.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/complications* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Aged ; Contrast Media ; Ultrasonography ; Adult ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Constriction, Pathologic/diagnostic imaging* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Intestinal Obstruction/etiology*

The scientific research and innovation capabilities of medical students are intrinsically linked to the sustained and high-quality development of national healthcare initiatives.Cultivating outstanding medi-cal students with independent scientific capabilities and innovative consciousness is a critical component in the education and training of high-level medical professionals.Our investigation revealed that within the imperfections of the cultivating model,some faculty and students at medical schools have an insufficient understanding of scientific research and innovation and lack motivation for engaging in such activities,which hinder the progression of scientific research activities.Consequently,we initiated a teaching practice and exploratory study on the"tutorial system"aimed at fostering medical students'scientific research and innovation abilities.Based on the principle of"research informing teaching,teaching and research advan-cing together,"this study implements a"tutorial system"coordinated by tutors,supplemented by graduate and undergraduate student mentors,to cultivate innovative thinking,stimulate interest in scientific re-search,and enhance practical and research skills among medical students.Through collaborative efforts within"scientific research innovation teams,"various educational methods—including preliminary re-search,in-class and extracurricular activities,intra-group and inter-group interactions,and theoretical and practical applications—are employed to improve and strengthen the cultivation of medical students'scientif-ic research and innovation abilities.This study aims to provide valuable references for optimizing medical education management systems and enhancing the quality of medical student training.

Objective To understand the current situation of thirst in patients with cirrhosis and analyze its influencing factors,in order to improve medical staff's attention to thirst symptoms in patients with cirrhosis and provide theoretical basis for clinical intervention.Methods A total of 220 patients with cirrhosis who were hospitalized in the infection department of a tertiary A general hospital in Wuhan from March to June 2024 were selected by convenience sampling method.General data questionnaire,Numerical Score Scale and Thirst Distress Scale were used to investigate the factors affecting thirst sensation in patients with cirrhosis.Results A total of 202 valid questionnaires were collected,and the effective questionnaire recovery rate was 91.82％.The results showed that the incidence of thirst in patients with cirrhosis was 59.41％;the score of thirst was 3.00(3.00,6.00)points,and the mean score of thirst was 3.09.Among them,43.07％of the patients with cirrhosis were in the moderate to severe level of thirst.The score of Thirst Distress Scale is 6.00(6.00,17.00)points,and the average score of thirst distress was 11.62 points,which was in the medium level.47.03％of patients with cirrhosis indicated thirst distress,and 23.76％of patients with cirrhosis which was in the moderate and severe level of distress.The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the degree of ascites,the use of diuretics,the stage of disease,and the degree of thirst distress were the factors influencing the degree of thirst in patients with cirrhosis(P＜0.05).Gender,marital status,degree of ascites,use of diuretic drugs,disease stage and degree of thirst were the factors influencing degree of thirst distress in patients with cirrhosis(P＜0.05).Conclusion The incidence and severity of thirst in patients with cirrhosis are relatively high,and are affected by many factors.Medical staff should pay more attention to the management of thirst symptoms in patients with cirrhosis,and formulate targeted nursing measures or nursing programs according to the related influencing factors of thirst,so as to improve the comfort level of patients and improve the disease experience of patients.

AIM To prepare fisetin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers,and to evaluate their in vivo pharmacokinetics.METHODS Ethanol injection method was applied to preparing the nanostructured lipid carriers.With monostearin-phospholipid ratio,monostearin-triacetin ratio and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate(TPGS)concentration as influencing factors,encapsulation efficiency as an evaluation index,the formulation was optimized by Box-Behnken response surface method.The crystal form was analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction,after which the morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy,infrared spectroscopy analysis was performed,the drug relaese was investigated by dialysis bag method,and the stability was determined.Eighteen rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups and given intragastric administration of the 0.5％CMC-Na suspensions of fisetin and its phospholipid complex,nanostructured lipid carriers(150 mg/kg),respectively,after which blood collection was made at0.25,0.5,1,1.5,2,3,4,6,8,12 h,UPLC-MS/MS was adopted in the plasma concentration determination of fisetin,and main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated.RESULTS The optimal formulation was determined to be 1.56∶1 for monostearin-phospholipid ratio,3.05∶1 for monostearin-triacetin ratio,and 0.2 mg/mL for TPGS concentration.The nearly round fisetin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers demonstrated the average encapsulation efficiency,drug loading,particle size and Zeta potential of(86.14±1.28)％,(8.96±0.26)％,(212.35±9.04)nm and-(31.13±1.16)mV,respectively.Raw medicine existed in the nanostructured lipid carriers in an amorphous state,preparation process did not affect the hydrogen bonding between raw medicine and phospholipids.The nanostructured lipid carriers displayed the accumulative release rate of 46.12％within 3 h in simulated gastric juice,and that of about 50％within 18 h in simulated intestinal fluid,whose freeze-dried powder exhibited good stability after being placed for 6 months.Compared with raw medicine and phospholipids complex,the nanostructured lipid carriers displayed prolonged tmax,t1/2(P＜0.01)and increased Cmax,AUC0-t,AUC0-∞(P＜0.01),whose relative bioavailability was enhanced to 7.07 times.CONCLUSION Nanostructured lipid carriers can improve the oral bioavailability of fisetin.